THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2018 – Can I give you my resume? That was the question on every upperclassman’s lips as they worked their way through company representatives. Eager and nervous, they searched for internships, co-ops, full-time jobs, and a professional network.
The Odeum on campus lent its space to the seventh annual rendition of this department specific networking event. This venue was much larger than the Higgins House which housed the event in years prior. Higgins House was tightly packed and very loud, making it difficult to distinguish a single conversation. It was a challenge to walk around the room without bumping into someone or getting unprofessionally close. With a growing interest from companies and students, a larger accommodation for comfortable conversations and movement was necessary.
One student, who helped with preparations for the event and attended, Nicole Barrett, commented on the new location. “It was definitely bigger and nicer. Last year it was too squished, said Nicole. The set-up in the Odeum was much more conducive to a natural flow of conversation. Each company that came set up their name badge on a cocktail table scattered throughout the room and stood it. This identified where a student should navigate to if they intend on talking to that company. Since most companies sent more than one representative, it also allowed enough room for multiple students to talk to a company at once.
The open-air style of the Odeum allowed for much more walking room and less congestion between companies. While this made the event more comfortable, it also made waiting to talk to a specific company a more strategic maneuver. “It was weird to approach people. You couldn’t wait in line, because you were staring them down. Last year you could wait in line to talk to companies,” said Barrett. Since there was almost no visible distinction between students and representatives, it was often intimidating to approach a table of potential employers. There was a fear of interrupting an important conversation or hovering too long waiting for one to end. “I just wandered around and when I saw an opening I just went for it,” Nicole said.
Although there were some technical difficulties, the night went on. The Career Development Center arrived to print name badges and check-in the students arriving to attend. However, their printer malfunctioned leaving the students to handwrite their name badges instead. The students seemed unfazed by this, and instead focused of acquiring the resumes and business cards that had been printed for them. They went inside to scope out the companies as they continually filtered in.
The attendance was outstanding. This was surprising considering many juniors had a mandatory class obligation if they are studying abroad in the following term. Regardless, the room was nearly filled with students and employers. There were nearly twice as many company representatives as there were students. However, some companies received more attention than others. “It was difficult when there were specific companies I wanted to talk to and they were talking to other people,” said Nicole. The representatives may have outnumbered the students, but the number of companies was not as high. Most companies sent several representatives, leaving the more popular companies crowded with students. By the end, students and companies had gotten their fair share of new business cards to comb through and h’ordeurves to pick at. The event was a success and will continue to grow in years to come.
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