10 Tips from the WCBA Professional Development Summit

By Amelia Mack

At the Professional Development Summit on Friday, juniors and seniors from the Williamson College of Business Administration came to hear speakers from in and around the community cover topics like interviews, resumes, internships and finding fulfillment in your work. A panel of students, a panel of employers and several others gave advice that can be found valuable to all students across campus. Here are the top ten tips from the Professional Development Summit:

  1. “Networking is key.” — O’Keal Gist, student panelist, marketing major
  2. “Think big, think broad … We want you to be thinking, dreaming, determining what your passions are, identifying those opportunities and going out and seeking those.” —Betty Jo Licata, WCBA dean
  3. “Your social media is an extension of you … As much as you think that your social media is personal and private, we do need to look at that as an employer … we need to know who you are if you’re going to be representing our organization.” — Jonathon Fauvie, employer panelist, Mercy Health Foundation
  4. “Seek opportunities as early as possible.” — Conner Kesner, student panelist, finance major
  5. “It’s about getting experience and meeting people … get as much experience as you can.” — Joe Gallinatti, student panelist, finance major
  6. “Sometimes you’re going to take a job or take a position, something in your field or outside of your field, that isn’t necessarily what you dreamt about doing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be happy and make that job fulfilling and rewarding to yourself.” — Danny Catullo, employer panelist, owner of Catullo Prime Meats
  7. “Be diverse when you pick your internships to find out what you do and don’t like.” — Megan Factor, student panelist, advertising and public relations major
  8. “Find a mentor.” — Christina Costello, assistant coordinator, Office of Professional Practice
  9. “Be confident in yourself and your ability.” — O’Keal Gist, student panelist, marketing major
  10. “Use what you’ve learned before, whether it be an internship, whether it be a job that you had before, whether it be conversations and networking that you’ve done. Use all your past experiences to make yourself better in the interview room and at your new job.” — Danny Catullo, employer panelist, owner of Catullo Prime Meats