On
November 13, 2013, I was able to experience an event that allowed to me network
with several different professionals and get interviewing practice. Over ninety students attended The Hudson Business Lounge in Milwaukee where they were allowed to network and meet over
forty-five professionals.
There
was such a great turn out that the time frame got broken down into two
different sections. The section I
attended started off with Jeff Carrigan, founder of Big Shoes Network, giving a
speech explaining what this company has to offer college students. After his insightful speech, everyone was
broken down to meet with a professional to do two mock interviews then one
informational interview.
The
first gentleman that interviewed me was Juan Paz, Jr. I was very nervous at
this interview which he could tell. He
asked me several questions then gave me feedback for my answers and overall
interview. He told me to just relax and
make myself stand out. He can see that I’m
passionate about what I do and want to do and that I need to show the
interviewer that passion.
The
second interview was held by Hannah Thulin which was held the same way as my
first interview. After she questioned
me, she gave feedback to me. She also
said that I’m very good at interviewing and she can tell that I love what I’m
going to school for. She did say that I need
to relate my stories that I share back to how that make me who I am. Totally makes sense to me and was very
helpful information that I’ll work on for my next interview.
The third
interview was more laid back. I sat down
and talked with Kirsten Kozik. We actually
had classes together my freshman year so it was nice to catch up with her. I was able to ask for a lot of advice on the
dos and don’ts during college and after college. We just chatted as if we knew each other on a
very close friendship level. She said
that I need to keep my head high and go for what I want. I will need to start at the bottom but not to
give up and keep working. I really
enjoyed talking with Kirsten.
Overall,
the whole networking experience was amazing! I learned so much that I will
remember and carry on to after college.
I have connected with many people on LinkedIn and have e-mailed them
all. I was glad that Ann Knabe, my PR
professor, created this networking event and allowed her students to attend.
Job
well done! J
I love your title! Kristen Kozik sounds very laid back and gave some very real advice. She sounded like she prepped you for the professional world in a way that didn't "sugar coat" which is nice to hear because our first few years in this field will be challenging!
ReplyDeleteI too am thankful that Ann organized this event for students. The event allowed us to get experience interviewing, ask questions about the field, and most importantly create connections that may help us in the future as we enter the job market after graduation.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I had the pleasure of meeting with Juan Paz. He offered me a similar advice; follow your passion in life and you will create a great future for yourself. I think this is great advice and I look forward to incorporating his tips into my own life!
Great writing Justina! Don't worry about being nervous I think that we all were! I know that in my interview with a pro, I talked very fast like I always do when my nerves get to me and is something that I know I need to work on. Wasn't it so great to get actual feedback about what we are doing right/wrong and how we can improve? I feel so fortunate that we got this opportunity.
ReplyDeleteI think we were very fortunate that most of the interviewers were so laid back...I know in my first interview we actually ended up laughing a lot, and that really set the tone for the rest of the event! I'm glad you got to make some connections, and that they saw easily how much you love PR. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteJustina,
ReplyDeleteI think most of us were pretty nervous going into this event because we were unsure of what to expect and it was hard to anticipate questions we would be asked. We were lucky that so many of the alumni were understanding and worked to make us comfortable and confident. I love that Hannah Thulin told you to relate your stories back to yourself and how they make you who you are. I like that she told you this because I met with a woman that told me not to bring anything personal into an interview. While I understand you don't want to bring several personal stories into an interview and the purpose is to highlight your work experience and abilities, I think it is important to show your personality and character.
-Grace