Greg de Lima

There’s a great simple luxury that so many universities hold, and that is the power of networking. While any one person can go out and find contacts, possibly exploiting them for their value, organized events are by far the work-horse of networking power. Later this week Appalachian State University is hosting its Business Career Symposium.

Open to Juniors, Seniors and MBA Graduate Students, this is a gold-mine of opportunity. With companies like BB&T, Wells Fargo, Ally Financial, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC, events like the BCS are just one of many chances students get to network. But this one event is like a small gem because only 200 students can register. Beyond this one event, the chances for any student anywhere to get their resume updated and use their university for contacts and new connections.

Don’t be afraid to communicate

In any event where you meet someone, you’re there to keep in touch in the long-run and hopefully take advantage (in a good way) of the connection that you’ve made. When you’re there, don’t be the one person handing out resumes saying, “Hey, this is why you should hire me.” In my opinion that’s just a hot route to being annoying.

You’re looking for a solid communication with the representatives that show at these events. Find a conversation where you see eye-to-eye with the person and engage them. Engage in a relevant conversation to what you want in your job hunt, what you expect from potential employers. Do more than just be a wallflower at the event, be the person who has something interesting to say.

Keep in Touch

The communication after an event is by far just as important as a Thank You note after an interview or maintaining contact with an old friend. It IS the true networking part of these opportunities. When you do receive contact information use it. This valuable information is given to you for a reason.

If you get an email address – check it on LinkedIn

Twitter Handle? – Shoot them a DM or an @ Reply, let them know your appreciation.

Mobile Number – Give them a call, let them know your your interest, even chat them up some more if they have the time. If no leave a message, express yourself.

Whatever the chances you get, don’t be afraid to Network the chances you do get.

After reading a post in the NY Times, it’s about time I told you about my job hunt this past summer, and why it’s not that 20-somethings don’t want to grow up, but why it’s damn-near impossible for us to do so.

I spent the entire 2010 summer passing out resumes, interviewing with companies large and small, and working my butt of to try to find just an internship. I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like for people with entire careers under their belts trying to find new jobs.

A while back I came across this video by Max Radi at Ignite Portland 8.

The sticking point for this video is at the 4:25 mark. Max explains that our generation is in a bind because we’re looking for Jobs to give us experience, but we are often denied jobs because of a lack of experience. We’re caught in a place where expectations by companies are set in a way that college students seeking internships sometimes what we want to do isn’t necessarily our field of study.

I love social media, I’d love to work in marketing. My problem, I’m an International Business Major…It’s possible I might come out with a minor in marketing, but most people looking for social media people are looking for communications, or PR…That’s not me. But as Max mentions, why not hire someone and mold them, train them to be the person that you need them to be and from then on you have someone exactly qualified and right where you want them.

In today’s economy chances can’t be taken in hiring the wrong person, and that’s understandable. What we study in college doesn’t guarantee we’ll know what you want us to know when you hire us. The training you give us has little bearing on our past experience, or what you expect us to know.

Remember, we need the experience too. If you’re hiring someone for an internship, why not hire the person with the least experience, and give the person with more experience the opportunity for an entry-level position. This will let you mold the intern to the way you want them.

What do you think? How is your company hiring interns?