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Transitioning from his junior to senior year at BYU Marriott School of Business, Luke Mocke went into panic mode as he questioned where he would work, what kind of job he’d have, or even if he would have any offers at all.

Mocke enjoys spending his free time surfing at the beach.
Mocke enjoys spending his free time surfing at the beach.

Rugby was the South African native’s ticket to BYU, but academics didn’t come as easily. Mocke had to apply himself and make a concerted effort in academics. The countless hours studying and staying up all night to work on projects led to being accepted into the marketing program.

When it came time to apply for jobs, Mocke made a list of what he needed in an occupation after school. The main factors included having reasonable hours, feeling passionate about the company’s product, being challenged, and residing in California.

During this process, Mocke was introduced to Matt Kolar, a business developer at LinkedIn, who mentored and recruited students as a communications manager for the BYU Management Society. Kolar mentored Mocke, not only helping him find connections at the company but also inspiring Mocke to do the same for others.

Mocke with his coworkers at LinkedIn.
Mocke with his coworkers at LinkedIn.

“He ended up referring me, and that’s a huge part of why I got my job,” Mocke says. “I realized the value of mentoring.”

Once it came down to the decision of where to work, Mocke chose LinkedIn, not only because it met all the requirements on his list but also, most importantly, because he believed in their vision.

“I felt strongly about the company’s vision of economic opportunity for the global workforce,” Mocke says. “That was the driving factor behind me wanting to come here.”

Since being mentored by Kolar and landing his dream job, Mocke developed a passion for mentoring, which has led him to give tours of the LinkedIn office to BYU students and refer three candidates, who have accepted positions at LinkedIn.

In addition, Mocke created a website called getmentoring.co that simplifies the mentoring process by getting easy information out of the way and diving into meaningful discussion about dreams, desires, and goals.

“The end goal would be to create a platform that makes mentoring seamless,” Mocke says. “I would love to create a collaboration and communication platform, so mentors and mentees can communicate with each other—a Tinder for mentoring.”

Mocke came to BYU to play rugby
Mocke came to BYU to play rugby

During his senior year at BYU, Mocke served as president in the marketing, so he advises current students to be a part of the Marketing Association and make an effort to be involved, because they gain experience and are the first to know about opportunities.

“Effort determined my success,” Mocke says. “BYU Marriott gave me belief in self and belief that I can do well in the environment I’m placed in.”

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Writer: Emily Colon

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