Objective

The goal of the LinkedIn Masterclass during the YOUR NEXT STEP career event at the was to give students insight into how LinkedIn can be effectively used today for visibility, networking, and career opportunities.

The focus was on:

• Optimizing LinkedIn profiles for internships and first jobs
• Increasing online visibility toward employers
• Demonstrating that networking is still all about human connections
• Combining offline events with online tools such as QR codes and mobile registration
• Inspiring students to actively engage in conversations with companies

In addition, the goal was to let students experience firsthand how small LinkedIn improvements can immediately impact their professional opportunities.

Approach

The event focused on interaction, practical examples, and direct applicability.

Together with Sumy Lake and Alexis van Dam, LinkedIn profiles of students were reviewed and optimized during the career fair and masterclass sessions.

Because attendance was mandatory for students, QR codes and mobile registration were used to make participation simple and accessible. A strong example of how technology and events are increasingly merging within recruitment and career development.

Topics discussed during the sessions included:

• Optimizing LinkedIn profiles
• How students can position themselves more effectively toward employers
• The importance of personal conversations during career events
• Why face-to-face interaction still remains essential
• How LinkedIn strengthens offline networking opportunities

The sessions also highlighted how much recruitment and career events have changed since the days without smartphones, apps, or QR codes.

At the same time, one important message remained unchanged: people still do business with people.

Students actively connected with companies through workshops, presentations, speed dates, and inspiration sessions.

Results

The impact of the event was immediately noticeable:

• Strong interaction around LinkedIn profiles and personal branding
• High student engagement during the sessions
• Increased awareness of networking and visibility
• Inspiring conversations between students and companies
• Enthusiasm around the combination of technology and personal interaction

In addition, Alejandro Semeraro and Esra van Herp created professional photo and video content to capture the energy of the event.

Another highlight was the presence of , where students were able to directly connect with an innovative employer.

What resonated most was the realization that technology makes recruitment faster and smarter, but real connections are still built through personal conversations.