On April 24, 2014, I attended a PRSSA networking function, hosted by the Canisius College PRSSA chapter, at the Montante Cultural Center. The event consisted of a meet and greet, two speakers sharing both their career stories and advice for young professionals, and speed-networking sessions. The speed-networking sessions were roughly 8 minutes long, with students sitting at tables with professionals. What I liked about the structure of this event is that we were basically allowed to start asking questions from the minute we sat down. This was useful in figuring out a lot of information quickly. I also liked that though this was largely a PR event, there were also professionals there who worked in advertising and journalism fields.
The two speakers were Zack Schneider from 15 Fingers, and Therese Hickock from the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. There were also representatives from the Buffalo Botanical Gardens, New York Collegiate Baseball League, among others.
The most valuable pieces of information I learned or re-learned from these PR and other representatives were the following:
First, useful questions for the end of interview. Perhaps the most terrifying part of the interview for a young professional comes at the end of the interview, when the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for me?” It was stressed that it is important to have questions, not only to give the right impression, but also to acquire more information about the company for your sake. The professionals stressed that it was also you interviewing the company to figure out whether the job was the best fit for you.
I also learned (or re-learned) that one should take notes during the interview, because it makes you appear more involved in what the interviewer is saying. Taking notes also helps, we were told, for when you need a moment to think about a particular question. Often, when you take a moment to think, you’re so nervous that you forget what the question was, or what particularly the interviewer was asking for, and end up giving an off-topic response. Thus, note-taking becomes doubly important.
The professionals also discussed several common mistakes that interviewees make, such as dressing unprofessionally for an interview, texting during interviews, and failure to look at company’s website before one’s interview.
I think this event definitely was beneficial to me not only from the connections I was able to make, but also from the advice I will take away. These reasons are why I always encourage younger students to attend networking events. Even if one doesn’t make a connection that will lead to a job, it is almost always beneficial to hear the opinions and advice of those who have gone through the process before you. I am glad I was able to take advantage of this event, and I’m grateful to the professionals who agreed to come speak to us.
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