CARISCA hosted a two-hour LinkedIn training and networking event for supply chain professionals.
This event is part of CARISCA’s Advancing Women in Supply Chain webinar series and part of CARISCA’s larger goal to increase inclusion and impact for women in supply chain management.
While many parts of the world struggle with how and when to return to in-person events, it’s more important than ever for students and professionals to develop a robust online presence to stay connected, network and advance their careers.
CARISCA hosted a two-hour LinkedIn training and networking event in July 2021, Endless Supply: Build and Leverage Your Professional Network for Supply Chain Students and Professionals, to jumpstart and build supply chain networks for women in an increasingly virtual world.
LinkedIn is an online professional social network that can help supply chain students and practitioners network and build their careers. Keane believes in the power of LinkedIn because it is the largest business-oriented networking website for professionals, with over 740 million active members in more than 200 countries.
Katy Keane led the event. A LinkedIn superuser, Keane is a lecturer in ASU’s Supply Chain Management Department. She provides technical assistance for CARISCA on forecasting, inventory planning, business processes, and developing KNUST’s continuing professional education (CPE) curriculum. Keane brings a history of leading transformational supply chain change in different industries.
Her experience and expertise in transportation, vendor compliance, allocation-forecasting, inventory planning, and business process re-engineering have driven significant savings and performance improvements for clients and companies.
Tapping into the power of LinkedIn
Keane emphasized the importance of optimizing individual LinkedIn profiles to highlight professional accomplishments and experiences to create opportunities for building trust with professional networks, employers, and recruiters.
She also shared expert tips by providing hands-on examples about setting up a professional profile with a personal headline, networking with first and second-level connections, using LinkedIn Learning, and leveraging LinkedIn for career advancement through recommendations.
“Once you’ve got your LinkedIn profile built out, you can be proud of your professional and personal story and use it to network with others,” Keane explained. “Your headline is your brand, it’s what makes you stand out, and it’s where you share your unique story in a short elevator pitch.”
Using LinkedIn as a Professional Website
Keane encouraged participants to use LinkedIn as a professional website to build their online network, and she urged participants to develop their networks by joining affinity groups on its platform.
After Keane’s presentation, participants moved into breakout groups to work on their LinkedIn profiles, develop their personal brands and stories, and network with other participants.
Participants shared their individual stories and received feedback from their peers about communicating their professional strengths on their LinkedIn profiles and communicating their professional successes to advance their careers.
Presentation Resources
- The presentation slides and the event recording by Katy Keane.
- 7-Point Tune-up for Your LinkedIn Profile – 7 easy upgrades you can make today that make a big difference.
- LinkedIn, Gender and Inclusion Resources – 25+ resources on LinkedIn, access and inclusion, and anti-bias work.