Make a good impression at Meet The Reps by improving these key traits By Will LinkWith the Spring 2020 career fair and networking event, Meet The Reps, approaching, it is important to make sure that you are preparing to put your best foot forward for making new connections. One way to get ready for Meet The Reps is to continue to hone your soft skills. According to Indeed, soft skills can be classified as personality skills as opposed to hard skills which can be taught in a classroom setting or certified by passing a test. Soft skills take time and repetition to strengthen. They can always be improved. Some of the most sought after soft skills in the workplace include strong communication, writing effectively, initiative, passion, and a positive attitude. By developing these soft skills and utilizing them at Meet The Reps you will increase your chances of making a good impression on the employers and alumni that you will network with at the event. And effective networking always opens up the possibility of landing a job or internship offer in the future. Strong Communication Strong communication skills are important in any work environment. At Meet The Reps you might only have a short window of time to meet with an employer and showcase your skills. It’s best to introduce yourself with an elevator pitch: a 20- to 30-second summary of yourself that contains career interests, skills you can offer an employer, and an attribute that makes you unique. Career Services has a great elevator pitch template that you can find here. Confidence is behind all effective communication skills and confidence stems from being prepared. The Center for Career Services will have an event to get you ready for the career fair and networking event at 11 AM Tuesday, March 3. Writing Effectively
Writing is one of the most important transferable skills you can possess. Showcase your writing abilities by keeping a small portfolio of your written work with you that you would be willing to show to any potential employers. These pieces of writing do not have to be long papers or essays that you have written for your classes. They can be precis, news articles or summaries that you might have written for a class or a co-curricular activity. The point is to show that you can write and process and analyze information. Initiative While taking initiative is also beneficial in the workplace, you can practice this soft skill as you prepare for Meet The Reps. Make sure wear professional attire to Meet The Reps to show that you are ready to network. It’s a good idea to lay out your outfit of professional attire the night before even if you are not putting it on to start the day. Have a folder with copies of your resume and possibly other printed work samples to bring with you to the event as well. Taking these simple steps will make you less anxious during Meet The Reps. Passion Employer representatives will be able to tell pretty quickly whether or not you are passionate about something. Curiosity shows passion, but having curiosity is more than just wanting to know something. Curiosity is opening yourself to new ideas and experiences and being willing to leave behind any old, outdated, or incorrect mindsets and assumptions. Come to Meet The Reps with questions for the employers. When you meet with the representative of a given company you should have a list of general questions ready for them. You shouldn’t just ask any question that you could easily get the answer for on the company’s website or Wikipedia page. For example, a question that you could easily find the answer to would be, “where is your office located?” A better question to ask would be, “why do you like working at this company?” This question is specific and is something that the representative will be able to answer on a more personal level. Open-ended questions will bring about conversation topics and will show the representative you want to learn about them and the organization just as much as the representative wants to learn about you. After Meet The Reps you should make sure to follow up with all of the employers and alumni that you have met. Make sure to get their business cards, if they have them, and send each one of them a brief personalized email thanking them for taking the time to meet with you. Connecting on LinkedIn is also a great way to keep in touch with contacts that you meet at the event. Positive Attitude When you first meet an employer you should remember to smile and give them a friendly greeting and a firm handshake. Make sure that you are maintaining eye contact for a majority of the time that you are talking to the representative. Looking at the ground or around the room can make you seem uninterested or disengaged with the conversation. Try not to use your phone while you’re at Meet The Reps. While looking at your phone is often a defensive measure for when you don’t know what to do, it will only distract you from networking as you look to grow professionally. You can also try putting your phone on Do Not Disturb before the event so you won’t be alerted to any incoming messages or notifications. If you need additional assistance while at the event, or materials such as a list of employers in attendance, the Center for Career Services will have a table at the event with staff members to help you. Soft Skills are attributes that you have to continue working at your entire life. Despite the understated connotation, soft skills are integral to your career growth. By honing and practicing skills before Meet The Reps, you will leave a lasting impression on potential employers or future contacts that you make.
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