Transitioning from student to professional is not necessarily taught in a college classroom and often is learned from experience and trial and error. Many students and emerging GIS professionals struggle with a starting point in tackling these:
- How do I stand out from the crowd and market my skills/abilities?
- Where is the best place to network and meet professionals?
- How do I get connected/rooted with a GIS community?
These are all very valid and important questions to address when securing your place in a GIS-related role. The reality is you have to put in the effort to make yourself visible and marketable amongst a sea of other candidates. That also means “networking” is a requirement and not “optional” as it’s vital to have a professional support system when navigating a career pathway in GIS.
My name is Rosemary Boone and I am a Sr. Marketing Manager in Education for Industry Solutions at Esri and Advisory Board Member for Esri Young Professionals Network (YPN). Since the start of my marketing career in 2016, I have attended over 32 conferences with involvement ranging from leading workshops and demo theaters to staffing a booth and presenting on the Plenary stage.
From my own professional experience and hundreds of conversations with students and emerging GIS professionals, I've compiled the top 5 most effective ways you can present yourself as a GIS professional that will open doors to growth opportunities.
Strategy #1: Attend In-Person Events
Go where the people are! That means making a conscious effort/decision to attend an in-person event such as seminars, trade shows, conferences, and/or meetups.
Most industries will have a major event/conference that happens annually, so do your own research. For example, a major GIS related conference is the Esri User Conference. If you’re passionate about Earth and space science, then attend American Geophysical Union (AGU) Annual Meeting. Geography enthusiasts seek out American Association of Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting while people studying in a geoscience field may attend GSA Connects.
It’s at these in-person events you can:
- Learn about industry trends and career growth opportunities
- Practice your own networking skills and gain confidence
- Grow your own network of professional contacts and build a support system
- Improve your technical skills by attending workshops and sessions
- Learn about partners and vendors advancing technology in that industry
Where can you learn about in-person events? Start here:
PRO TIP: Apply to be a student assistant at an Esri conference to gain work experience while benefiting from attending a full conference.
My Advice: Take advantage of attending conferences at the student discounted rate! For example, you can attend the Esri User Conference at no-cost on a one-day pass as a student. You can also register at the full conference rate at the student rate of $150.
Staffing the Esri booth at GSA Connects 2025, San Antonio, TX
Strategy #2: Be Visible on LinkedIn
Trust me when I say, being visible on LinkedIn matters and will take you far! Why? Recruiters and potential employees will seek out your LinkedIn profile to connect or scout candidates. People you meet at events, conferences, and while at work may want to connect and stay in contact with you through LinkedIn. It’s a space where you can build your professional profile, highlight your achievements, document milestones, and nurture connections that can open career changing opportunities.
Start building your LinkedIn presence by posting about you:
- Attend a professional event such as a conference, seminar, or meetup
- Complete a training or getting a certificate of completion
- Join a network or association
- Reach a milestone in your academic or career journey (i.e., graduation, internship, promotion, recognition, competition winner)
- Have a professional realization or a valuable takeaway
PRO TIP: Read this blog post “Making LinkedIn Work for You as a GIS Professional,” by Sara Thompson, GIS Manager and Geospatial Professional Network (GPN) Board of Directors
My Advice: You don’t have to have something earth shattering in order to post on LinkedIn. For me, I attend a lot of conferences, so I like to put together a conference recap on LinkedIn. It shows I valued the experience and evolved as a professional from it.
My recap LinkedIn post having attended AGU 2026, New Orleans, LA
Strategy #3: Publish Content
Yes, YOU can publish content! Are you a student? Even better. Write about your GIS projects, learning a new technology, your academic journey, or attending your first GIS related event.
Are you a GIS professional? Great! You can share your own GIS journey, advice to others, becoming a GIS professional, or mentorship.
The point is, publish content on topics you are passionate about and it will likely lead to unexpected opportunities while inspiring others and building your own reputation.
There are plenty of platforms to publish content on such as LinkedIn articles, blog forums on Esri Community, or create a visual story map using ArcGIS StoryMaps.
When you publish content, it benefits you in these ways:
- Stand out from your peers
- Become an active participant in the GIS community
- Implies you care about sharing knowledge
- Inspire others and build connections
- Demonstrate thought leadership
- Strengthen your resume and cover letter
- Publicly accessible through search engine results
HOT TAKE: You don’t need to be a “subject matter expert” to publish content.
My Advice: Consider becoming a YPN Content Ambassador. A requirement for this is publishing a blog post to the YPN Blog on Esri Community. Upon completion, you receive a badge and certificate.
Esri Education Open House, Redlands, CA
Strategy #4: Create a GIS Portfolio
If you are looking to pursue a GIS career pathway, having a GIS portfolio is non-negotiable.
A resume tells people what you say you can do. A GIS portfolio shows them what you’ve actually done. Think of it as the difference between listing “ArcGIS proficiency” and showing real maps, analyses, and projects that prove it.
What to include in your GIS portfolio:
- Maps & visualizations: Polished maps that showcase your cartography and spatial analysis skills
- Project summaries: Brief descriptions of the problem, your approach, and the results or impact
- Spatial analysis examples: Work that demonstrates how you interpret and use geospatial data
- Code and automation (if applicable): Scripts or workflows that highlight technical and analytical depth
A strong portfolio demonstrates the skills you list on your resume while visually telling the story of your GIS journey and the value you can bring to a team. It’s a game changer so get started ASAP!
PRO TIP: Use ArcGIS StoryMaps to create your GIS portfolio. Refer to the ArcUser article The Importance of Building a GIS Portfolio written by Ugochukwu Okonkwo, graduate student of geography and GIS from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
My Advice: Watch this recorded webinar hosted by Esri YPN titled Building a GIS Portfolio That Opens Doors. This link also shares the questions that were asked from the attendees.
GIS Portfolio Examples:
Example of a GIS Portfolio, Olivia Koch
Strategy #5: Network as Much as Possible
It all comes back to networking because it really is that important as a GIS professional. Networking is a skill you build overtime. Think of it as a muscle you need to exercise. The more you work that networking muscle, the better and stronger you get!
Network as much as possible both in person and online. You can also network online through engaging in LinkedIn posts and commenting in forums like Esri Community.
Conferences are excellent ways to network in-person. Make it a goal to attend at least one networking event a year. Major conferences will typically have a “Justify Your Trip” on their website to download and send to your leadership. At conferences, there are typically “socials” or “receptions” that are built entirely for you to network.
Here’s why networking matters so much:
- Build a professional support system to tap into when you need support or input
- Builds skills like communication, active listening, leadership and confidence
- Opens doors to unexpected opportunities
- Learn about internships or jobs not visibly listed
- Builds community and comradery you may not have in your own workplace
Opportunities don’t just come out of thin air. It’s through these face-to-face or online interactions where opportunities can present themselves such as an open position, invitation to be a guest speaker, or contribute to a project.
PRO TIP: Submit a paper to a conference you are interested in attending for an opportunity to both attend and present. This further justifies your attendance, and you grow even more from contributing to the overall success of the conference.
My Advice: Enhance your networking abilities by reviewing the following blog posts:
Networking at GSA Connects, San Antonio, TX
Presenting yourself as a GIS professional is an ongoing and evolving journey. By taking calculated risks to put yourself, be visible and active in the GIS community, actively make intentional connections, and embracing the uncomfortable, you will grow into a well-rounded professional.
Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or email me at rboone@esri.com for any follow up questions.
