Intimidation No More

Intimidation is a word that is all too familiar to me right now. Schooling, interning, working, and networking have all intensified since I started college. Unfortunately, so has my intimidation to the business world. Normally, I’m an easy going person who enjoys meeting new people, but occasionally I succumb to the unknown.

This past Thursday, I attended my first real networking event called the Alphabet Bash. Thankfully, I went with my older brother who I used as a crutch when I first arrived!

These are the people my dad works with and the people I’m going to work with someday too. My initial instinct was to act like a fly on the wall, but that won’t get you anywhere in this business.

It is so easy to over analyze a situation and having my brother there made me feel protected from the professional world and made it easy for me to just watch. It wasn’t until I met Emily and Chris that I decided to branch out of my bubble. I’m so grateful Chris introduced me to his Father, Doug Spong, the President of Carmicheal Lynch Spong. I will forever remember that conversation and the boost of confidence it gave me.

During the event, my new friend Emily and I wandered to tables around the party and sparked up several quality conversations. I’ll be completely honest, I don’t know a lot about the PR lingo, but I still asked questions and picked people’s brains. No matter what career you have, learning from a professional in your field will do way more for you than reading a book in your classroom. Despite your intimidation or your fear of meeting a President or CEO of a multimillion dollar company, you must look past yourself and build the courage to approach them and build connections and relationships.

My experience at the Alphabet Bash prepared me for my upcoming career and the importance of being diligent in seeking out professionals and eliminating intimidation. Often times our generation feels privileged and entitled when it comes to acquiring a job, but you need to go out and work for it.

Putting the Wonderful World of Web to Use

Lets face it, getting a job right after college is quite the challenge. While we think the hiring process is completely out of our hands, it’s not. Digital credibility and branding are both key components when a company is recruiting you for their business. Yes, we need to build our resumes and network, but we also need to present ourselves well on the web. In today’s time, the Internet is one of the most influential mediums out there. It’s guaranteed that the company you applied for is inserting your name into the Google search bar to see if you fit their criteria. What are some ways we can achieve social media dominance? Lets start with the basics.

1.Designate your personal social media accounts from your professional media accounts. → My Twitter is used as my professional social media outlet, while my Facebook is more personal. One rule I go by is to keep Twitter 80% professional and 20% personal. Future employers want to see how you handle yourself and information on a regular basis, but they also want to see who you are as a person. Make it your own, but make boundaries for yourself. My Facebook is set to private, so only my close friends and family can see what I post, unlike my Twitter account.

2.Brand your professional account. → Once you’ve decided the area of work you want to pursue, use it as a tool to grab people’s attention. A personal brand influences and targets a specific audience. Companies want people who are passionate about their business and are interested in hiring those who like what they’re doing.

3.Offer information that is important and valuable. → The more important your post, tweet or blog is, the more you will command an employer’s attention. Nobody wants to here you complain about miniscule things, like how your cat got sick.

4.Don’t want your boss to see it? Don’t post it. Period. → It’s surprising how many people forget how public the Internet is. Do you hate your job so much you want to Tweet about it? Think twice. I’ve heard too many stories of people getting fired because they didn’t know their boss could see the post.

5.Go out and make connections, don’t wait for them to come to you. → Once you get back from a networking event or dinner with a professional, don’t wait for them to contact you. Get on Twitter and start communicating with them. Connections are key in today’s job market.