I recently attended the CCAMA’s Business Mixer held in Science Commons. While I was nervous to go to the networking event alone, it ended up being a good experience for many reasons. When I first nervously arrived, I went up to a table that another student was standing at, or so I thought. Turns out, the woman was not actually a student but a representative from Ingram Micro, an IT Business located in Buffalo. I was able to talk to her about what she does everyday, and what her favorite part of her job was, which just happened to be all the free food the company provides. By the end of our conversation, I had met another representative from the company who gave me her business card and told me to reach out to talk about marketing careers and jobs there.

Though I was really nervous to go, and even more nervous to talk to all the business professionals at the event, I found it to be rewarding and helpful. Even If I did not find any companies that really interested me, I was able to get outside my comfort zone. Learning how to network is really important, and being able to go up and talk to people you don’t know will be a skill that is always beneficial. The experience will help me to be a better interviewee and to be more comfortable in uncomfortable or awkward situations. I am glad to have met the representatives from Ingram Micro and though I am not sure IT is for me, I am sure I will go to more networking events in the future.