I almost didn't get my first job in comms.
Actually, I didn't. They rejected me. But I never got the rejection letter, so after a couple of weeks I assumed it got lost in the mail and applied again. They brought me in for an interview and hired me because… more
I almost didn't get my first job in comms.
Actually, I didn't. They rejected me. But I never got the rejection letter, so after a couple of weeks I assumed it got lost in the mail and applied again. They brought me in for an interview and hired me because they were impressed I applied again after a no.
If that rejection letter had reached me, I'd never have applied again. I'd have taken that no as a no, forever.
Every job I've had since came through a connection. Literally every job. So when Yasmin Rufo at BBC asked me how careers really get built, that's my honest answer: a no isn't a no, it's a not right now. This story didn't make the final cut so consider this the bonus footage for my professional community on LinkedIn
Invest in your network before you need it. Check out Yamin's great story, including the people on the street interviews, below.like 102love 41celebrate 12insightful 4support 1
Fun chat with Benjamin Chipman at LinkedIn HQ about the questions GenZ has about networking but can be afraid to ask...
Benjamin Chipman
GenZ in the workplace this, GenZ in the workplace that.
LinkedIn saw that everyone had so much to say about how we as GenZ show up in the workplace that they… more
GenZ in the workplace this, GenZ in the workplace that.
LinkedIn saw that everyone had so much to say about how we as GenZ show up in the workplace that they invited me out to headquarters in Mountain View, CA to ask the questions to the man in charge-- CEO Daniel Shapero.
Dan and I got to talk honestly about what’s happening with early career opportunities and how to create experiences for yourself in a changing work climate.
We also talked about the elephant in the room… what AI means for professionals navigating their first jobs.
The biggest takeaways I’m leaving with?
1️⃣ Be generous with your experience.
⏩ Share your learnings and what it took for you to get there. That doesn't have to mean posting if you’re not ready for that. Comment and engage to maintain your connections and celebrate wins alongside others.
2️⃣ ”Connectionmaxxing” (as the Gen Alphas are calling it) doesn’t do much for ya in terms of creating opportunity. Those 500+ connections should be people you’ve actually engaged with, not just strangers on the internet.
⏩ Cultivating meaningful relationships will always bring you more value than spray-and-pray connecting.
3️⃣ There are fewer entry level jobs, we’re not imagining that… but the data suggest it’s not necessarily AI’s fault. Interest rates are actually the more likely culprit.
⏩ Standing out obviously matters more than ever, but using AI to apply for more jobs isn’t the solution. What is working, is investing in the human relationships that undergird every employment decision.
Can’t wait to share the full interview with you soon 😀 #LinkedInPartner #GenZintheWorkplace #Postgrad #EarlyCareer #GenZlike 83love 13celebrate 8insightful 5support 4
Part 2 of my conversation with Dhairya Gangwani , from my visit to India a few weeks ago. Enjoyed sharing my thoughts on both my own career as well as how AI is changing the game on leadership and work.
Dhairya Gangwani
13+ years at LinkedIn. 8 different roles!
A career that has been anything but linear.
Archana Sekhar's journey is a reminder that growth doesn’t always… more
13+ years at LinkedIn. 8 different roles!
A career that has been anything but linear.
Archana Sekhar's journey is a reminder that growth doesn’t always require changing companies. Sometimes, it comes from continuously reinventing yourself within one.
In Part 2 of our conversation, we discuss the human skills that will matter even more in the AI era, the career rule she would rewrite for professionals in India, and lessons from her unconventional journey.
Because in a world powered by AI, our most human skills may become our greatest advantage.
What was your biggest learning from this video?
Let us know in the comments 👇like 94love 15celebrate 5insightful 4
Let’s flip the networking script: What’s actually helpful when you’re just starting out in your career?
To help me figure it out, I went to Samantha Silva, one of our interns this summer, and asked her to help me learn what networking means for gen z. No… more
Let’s flip the networking script: What’s actually helpful when you’re just starting out in your career?
To help me figure it out, I went to Samantha Silva, one of our interns this summer, and asked her to help me learn what networking means for gen z. No surprise, it’s different than how I network. She shared how she thinks about who she is at work and how she still brings what makes her her to the table.
But there are still commonalities, she thinks about peer networking and investing in your network before you need it. Thanks for the time and insight Sam!
OK folks, now it’s your turn. What’s the best networking lesson you’ve learned, or a myth you’d bust?like 70love 15celebrate 4insightful 1
We’ve been spending time listening to Gen Z about how they’re building professional relationships as they become more influential in the workplace. Most interesting to me was that despite growing up in a world where you build relationships on digital… more
We’ve been spending time listening to Gen Z about how they’re building professional relationships as they become more influential in the workplace. Most interesting to me was that despite growing up in a world where you build relationships on digital platforms, Gen Z don't find it easy to do this for work... which is something I want LinkedIn to improve on. I know that many of my own professional opportunities were shaped by relationships I'd invested in.
Curious what advice you’d give someone early in their career who’s trying to build professional relationships?like 1,062love 88insightful 59celebrate 21support 16funny 2
Enjoyed chatting with Varun Mayya about LinkedIn and my career journey over a whiteboard. We wound up talking about mistakes, lucky breaks, and what I'd do differently if I were starting out in 2026. Thanks for the conversation Varun!
Varun Mayya
I asked the CEO of LinkedIn which jobs people are actually getting hired for right now, and what he would do if he was 22 in India today. I also got him to… more
I asked the CEO of LinkedIn which jobs people are actually getting hired for right now, and what he would do if he was 22 in India today. I also got him to reverse engineer his entire career on a whiteboard, from three failed startups to becoming CEO. Nobody sees more hiring data than him, and we get into what you should actually be doing for your career, and why every job done the old way is fading.
Full conversation is out now on YouTube. Link in Commentslike 157love 14celebrate 9insightful 4support 2
Howdy! here's some specific advice on how you can help me help you get a job! I think this advice holds for your outreach to any senior hiring manager. If anyone else has good advice please share it in the comments!
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