At Washington College, Luke was a two year captain of the baseball team, a member of tri-beta Biology Honor Society, and HOSA member (Health Occupations Students of America).
Why is networking so important and what advice do you have for current students?
“A cliché phrase I’m sure you’ve heard countless times throughout your life is, “It’s all about who you know.” While dedication and hard work could help you excel in classroom, it is possible that it may not work out in your favor as you begin applying to jobs. You may fill out ten to twenty applications before you get a personalized message back from a recruiter and/or talent acquisition specialist… and it might not even be for an interview. This makes the job search seem daunting, but that is where networking comes into play.
Networking is an integral part of not only landing your first job, but also setting up connections that will propel you throughout your career. My advice to current students is begin building relationships now. Whether it is with classmates, teammates, professors, or family friends, start sharing your interests with them! Also, it is okay to not know exactly what job you want or what industry you want to be in right when you graduate college, but by sharing your career aspirations with others, I guarantee that you will come across someone in your life that knows an individual personally who works in your desired field or industry.
For all you know, the person who may help you get your first job after walking across the graduation stage at WAC could be the person who sat two seats away from you in your first-year seminar class! So, if you take anything from this message, please begin to share your career aspirations with everyone, because I promise you at one point or another, you will meet someone who will be able to get you in contact with the right person and/or company that will jumpstart your professional career!”
