On March 3rd, 2021, The ViacomCBS Veterans Network and LinkedIn participated in a virtual mentorship career panel with FourBlock’s cohort of student veterans, who were part of the Career Readiness Program. FourBlock prepares student veterans for industry careers prior to their college graduation. In addition, the program provides targeted professional networking with top-tier industry contacts.
The career panel kicked-off with welcoming introductions from student veterans, including employees from ViacomCBS and LinkedIn. Following this, Tommy Goodell from LinkedIn presented a 50-minute LinkedIn 101 workshop on LinkedIn best practices and personal branding.
The main goal of the virtual career panel was to offer mentorship to those preparing to land careers in the entertainment industry, among others. Student veteran’s career interests ranged from technology, journalism, communications, business and finance, to name a few.
The virtual career panel consisted of seven panelists who shared their career paths, job hunting tips, and emphasized the importance of networking to student veterans. Mentoring sessions were held in Zoom breakout rooms.
Betty Diaz, Director of Programs & Operations; Tiffany Pilgrim, Veteran and Military Relations Coordinator; and Melanie Corrine, Social Media Strategist from the ViacomCBS Veterans Network shared their career paths and expertise. Others included ViacomCBS’ Rebecca Kellogg, Recruiter, Talent Acquisition; Kelsey Auyeung, Manager, Talent Acquisition; and Chanel Lamb, Director, Human Resources. Tommy Goodell, Sales Representative from LinkedIn also shared his advice.
“The FourBlock event was great. We had a chance to learn some of the Veterans’ background and aspirations in our smaller breakout rooms. Also, the discussions around how to elevate their profile seemed beneficial for the attendees to stand out in the marketplace. Our group seems like a great bunch of folks who are gathering the right tools, networks, and knowledge to transition to civilian life successfully.” - Kelsey Auyeung, Manager, Talent Acquisition, ViacomCBS
“I had the pleasure of participating in a break-out session with several FourBlock attendees. We discussed LinkedIn best practices, including networking and profile editing, and the transferrable skills needed to transition from military life to Corporate America. I look forward to staying connected with the attendees and supporting them on their career journey!” - Rebecca Kellogg, Recruiter, Talent Acquisition, ViacomCBS
“One of the Veterans Network’s main goals is to support veterans who are transitioning from the military into civilian work. Events like FourBlock’s professional development series, gives us the opportunity to do just that. By sharing our diverse experiences and skillsets, we were able to mentor them and serve as a resource. We look forward to participating again with FourBlock in the future.” - Betty Diaz, Director of Programs & Operations, ViacomCBS Veterans Network
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