Professional Development

What is professional development? Think of professional development as investing in yourself by trying new opportunities to learn and grow as an individual.

Your professional development is evolving and moving pieces over and over again, and most of all, it is yours!

Career Services staff Evan Downey talking with students

Networking & Relationship Building

Networking is your opportunity to build meaningful connections. Keep in touch with the connections you make along the way – these can be faculty you engage during office hours, staff who help you make decisions, employers you meet on campus, and alumni you reach out to for guidance. These individuals will be transformative to your future success.

LinkedIn is a great way to begin developing your network online. Use these tips to polish your LinkedIn profile.

  • Display a professional headshot
  • Craft an informative headline
  • Show off your education
  • Develop a professional summary.
  • Add skills from your classroom experiences
  • Connect with the Career Development Team, classmates, instructors, advisors
  • Request a recommendation
  • Craft a unique shortened URL
  • Share your work
  • Add an updated resume as a featured item
  • Collect endorsements
  • Make a post about your favorite subject
  • Research a company or organization
  • Use LinkedIn to discover IU alumni.
  • Create a custom header
  • Attach photos or links to your experiences

Do you have any personal connections to this industry? If not, ask your friends, family, and faculty — you’ll be surprised how easy it is to find someone working in your industry of interest!

Career Advising

Learn more about our career advising resources.

More Information

Ask questions or schedule appointments by visiting our office in Cavanaugh Hall, Room 243, calling 317- 278-1124, or use our online Student Appointment Scheduler (SAS).