Ah, Career Showcase…you can smell it in the air at the beginning of October. Everyone feels a bit more uptight (and not just the pledges sweating through their sport coats on campus).
The two official days of the twice-annual Schmooze Fest are no longer contained within Non-Technical Day and Technical Day and it seemed like this year, during the days surrounding Career Showcase, every single club and their mothers had some sort of networking event with corporate representatives.
This meant a week playing dress up; the girls dusted off the White House Black Market skirts they bought after high school graduation and the guys picked out the right pair of pants to go with Dad’s old sport coat.
As my second year experiencing the mad rush to find internships and jobs, I noticed a stark difference this year in the way employers acted and the behavior of the students.
Via: corbisimages.com
I helped plan Engineering Day 2013, one of the previously mentioned networking events held by the College of Engineering. Huge companies like General Electric and Proctor & Gamble were there to meet students, but as I greeted students and recruiters, age was not the only giveaway as to who was who. Students came dressed ready to meet the Obamas, but the recruiters were dressed more for brunch. Recruiters came to the sign-in desk relaxed and excited to mingle, while the students came nervous and jittery.
Student are on the prowl for internships, to say the least. Fifteen minutes before the doors opened for Technical Day, the line was already wrapped around the O’Connell Center and back to University Avenue; I haven’t seen a line like that since Kendrick Lamar tickets. (Shout out to Andrew for letting me cut.) When I finally got inside and had the wonderful opportunity to stand in more lines to talk to recruiters, I noticed again, just like at Engineering Day, recruiters weren’t dressed like the primped and proper students. They donned t-shirts and jeans and not even nice t-shirts. I’m talking cheap company t-shirts made for $5.00 from customcrap.com.
Why?
Recruiters dress down to relate to students, at the same time students dress up to try to pretend we’re adults like the recruiters. We’re not, and they know that, and they don’t like when we try to pretend.These recruiters went to college and know what it’s like, which is why they see through our attempts to act like businessmen and businesswomen. They come of college campuses looking to hire us because they want interns almost as much as we want internships. For them it’s less expensive labor that can turn into a long-time employee and for us, it’s invaluable experience.
When talking to recruiters, need remember first and foremost to be yourself. It sounds cheesy, tired, cliché, ratchet, what have you, but it’s true. Don’t try to talk to business people like you’re a business person, talk to them how you would if you were simply meeting new people.
In December of last year, Forbes posted (and Total Frat Move reposted) an article with the headline “Employers Hire Potential Drinking Buddies Ahead Of Top Candidates”. The article provides personal anecdotes and data showing that companies have “distinct personalities” and employers tend to hire candidates that fit that personality. One manager from the report put it best, “One of my main criteria is what I call the ‘stranded in the airport test.’ Would I want to be stuck in an airport in Minneapolis in a snowstorm with them?”
Although the article is a year old, the advice is still incredibly beneficial for hopefuls at fairs like Career Showcase.
At Career Showcase I couldn’t get through the dense crowd of nervous nellies, so I just started talking to the company next to me. I was joking around with them for a good couple of minutes, and even though their line of work has nothing to do with my major or skill set, they tried to offer me an interview. I’ve also heard countless success stories from people who bonded with recruiters over playing the same sport in high school, growing up in the same home town, loving the same kind of craft beer, etc.
The takeaway?
The next time you apply for a job or internship, ditch the elevator speech and be as genuine as possible. Your accomplishments and qualifications will come up as the conversation builds. Ask questions about the position and learn about the company and instead of blurting out your life story in a pre-scripted monologue, let the employers learn about you the way most other human beings do: through conversation. Joke around, find similar goals and interests, ask about their kids or where they went to college. Recruiters will appreciate your genuine attitude and you’ll feel better about your interaction with them as well. Also, don’t stress about the time constraints; anything you forgot to mention should be clearly presented in your résumé anyway.
You may have completely botched your chances at this year’s Career Showcase, but take this advice with you to your next internship/job fair (Interviewing Day is coming up quickly and Gainesville Scene will be there).
Fine tune these people skills now, because the need for them will never go away. You’re going to have to impress employers or clients for the rest of your working life. At least until you get old enough to stop caring and start getting your grandchildren wasted at their own bar mitzvahs.
Mazel tov.
Photo courtesy of: RollingPicture
