Some of you may recall the recent Stevens Career Fair that took place on Wednesday, September 21. Hundreds of students throughout the day were in line waiting for their opportunity to speak with prospective employers and give them their resumes.
As a student, you may have waited in line for hours to see many well-known companies to “strut your stuff” and hopefully make an impression. As an employer, you may have not had the opportunity to meet with all those interested in joining your company. Either way, it’s over and everyone is left to reminisce on what could have been.
I accepted a job for next summer for a company I interned for this past summer, but the majority of those graduating and looking for internships at the end of this academic year do not have a hopeful job opportunity yet. I was still planning on attending the career fair myself, but the moment I walked onto campus on Wednesday, I decided it was best for my academics to not wait three hours on a relatively hot day.
In better news, I do have the opportunity to submit my resume to the “Career Fair Resume Book” for employers to see. However, it does not help build that in-person relationship between employee and employer. This can be a huge factor when employers want that individual who will make an impression.
When I am online, I feel like I am someone that blends in. I do not feel memorable and it is certainly more difficult to make an impression on these employers that look at you for mere minutes. When I am in-person, I feel I can actually create a personal connection with an employer.
Although this chance for many in-person interactions was disrupted by thousands of people trying to get into the fair, you need to find your own way to make an impression on employers. From internships to full-time positions, you must have the experience to get them, but on many occasions, the connections you have and those that can verify you as an upstanding individual are invaluable. If your connections will stick their neck out for you, show them your gratitude even though the opportunity did not work out.
When I was exploring internship opportunities last year, I applied to a company that spent weeks deciding who they would hire. On a Monday afternoon in April, I got a generic email from the company that I got denied. I was upset after waiting so long for an opportunity that fell through, but I emailed my interviewer back, including human resources (HR), and I said thank you for the opportunity through the pain of getting denied… again. I got a call two hours later from HR saying “that denial email was a mistake” and I was being forward in the process. My current boss still recalls my thank you email that showed character and he forced through my hiring due to that display.
The subtle things matter and make impressions in a highly virtual world. Keep being you and do not change yourself for the sake of attempting to impress. Reach out to all your contacts, no matter how desperate. That is what you need to do in this environment. Let’s move on past the career fair, and focus on what we can control.
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