I went to BYU Career Fair yesterday to improve my networking skills and most importantly to look for a job. At first I was hesitate to go because I couldn't find any companies that really match my interest. However my friends said I would never know how it was going to be unless I attended. And it turned out to be a great and valuable experience for me.
Before I went, I did a little research on what companies I should approach. I came up with a list including some information about the companies, positions I look for and questions I plan to ask. When I got to the career fair, I wandered off a bit to examine the environment and headed to the targeted companies. After talking to two or three companies, I realized it was not as scary as I thought. All recruiters were trying their best to represent their companies and gave me the best accommodations. Moreover, I felt like I could apply what I learned in Mcom to make an impact and learn from others as well.
By coming to the career fair, I learned to effectively network. In addition I also got a chance to practice my interview skills by talking with different people and companies. Now I know what I have to do for the next career fair. I would definitely do more research next time so I can tailor my conversation to fit each company. Besides I also want to grow my networking skills by coming to those professional opportunities like the career fair, Although I have a little bit of introverted traits sometimes, practicing will assuredly result in positive results.
Good work! I know I always get a little intimidated by those big career fairs or graduate school fairs, but when I leave I'm always glad I attended. Now next time you will know how those fairs run and be able to go in confidently. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMia, way to go! I was there as well and I wish I had been as bold as you. I talked with a few recruiters and I realized the same thing about networking. One recruiter I spoke with walked away from me mid-conversation to go speak with a student he knew. I thought it was rude, but it did teach me how valuable it is to network.
ReplyDeleteWhat you did is a great approach to many things in life. Even though you were hesitant, you were able to gain so much from your experience. However, you didn't just go unprepared. Had you not prepared, it wouldn't have been as nearly beneficial. I find that this is very true in many facets of life. When we go into things unprepared, we are setting ourselves up for failure. If we go into things with research, or preparedness, we will succeed. If we make this a habit, we will succeed in life. Good job going out of your comfort zone and succeeding!
ReplyDeleteMia, it is really admirable that even though you were nervous you were still willing to try something new. And I like hearing that it was a success for you! Networking is something that I am not confident in as well, but it is really important no matter what field you end up going in. Thanks for your example and sharing how you learned something new!
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