When one enters the workforce after obtaining a Bachelor’s degree, they’re considered an “unskilled worker”. In today’s day and age it seems that a Bachelor’s degree is something people put thousands of dollars into but soon realize that it has no value in the “real world”. Companies are looking for more than a degree; they’re looking for real experience. Students feel like they’ve gained valuable experience from all of the organizations they were a part of and all of the leadership positions they filled. However, what companies see are not the skills- just how a student’s time was spent. On paper, they don’t understand all of the incredible experiences and skills gained that could serve their businesses very well.

That’s why in January of 2017, Anita Anantharam launched LeaderLync.

“LeaderLync is a dynamic solution to problems in leadership and recruiting by providing an engaging platform to track experiences and link them to the skills employers are looking for”, Anantharam said.

LeaderLync provides a comprehensive view of a student, revealing what lies beneath a resume. It allows companies and graduate schools to have a more indepth understanding of the skills a candidate possesses and allows a student to measure their own skills as well. In a situation where thousands of other applicants may be applying for a position, LeaderLync allows an applicant to show how they’re unique in comparison to the other applicants.

“Students need to convey their unique competitive advantage over their peers at UF and at comparable peer-institutions. They need to demonstrate and prove in a quantifiable and systematic way why their extra curricular and co-curricular engagement demonstrates the acquisition of skills integral to grad school, professional school, and workplace requirements.”, said Anantharam.

This is where LeaderLync comes in. LeaderLync allows students to build a resume that features what they learn outside of the classroom and translates these experiences into the marketable skills that an employer is seeking. LeaderLync’s software is offered to students through their academic institutions. According to their website it “uses a point-based system that rewards cooperation, engagement, and the acquisition of skills.” All of the information featured on the student’s profile is verified by their academic institution in order to ensure that they possess the skills an employer is looking for.

When asked why a student should download LeaderLync, Anantharam responded: “Because no one can brand you better than you! Create a story and a compelling narrative about what you have done outside of your coursework that makes people take a second look at the uniqueness that is YOU!”