Professional Identity

Dakota Webber from ASU's career services discussed the importance of building your professional identity and then marketing it. There are multiple platforms you can do this through, such as LinkedIn or Handshake. These are great mediums to grow your reputation and spread it to employers and peers in your community or field. 

One key component in building your professional identity is finding key words or a specific niche that makes you unique. For example, instead of listing yourself as a "computer science major" you could instead market your self as a "computing major interested and/or experienced in sql queries." 

Another feature of a professional identity is your communication and outreach efforts. People will remember if you reach out to them with questions or showing interest in a career, research, or program. Also, if you connect with groups, people, and other professionals through the career platforms, at career fairs, or just in passing it will leave an impression that you are a foreward, outgoing person that could be a good fit for a job. The more approachable you seem and willing to communicate and connect, the more opportunities you will find yourself presented with. 

Essentially, to be sucessful in a STEM career and in building your professional identity, you need to market yourself (via LinkedIn, Indeed, etc.), make your pages unique and creative, and reach out to professionals in the field you're interested in.