She began the lecture by having us discuss with another person our "30 second commercial" we would say if we meet an important person of our field. Not only was this activity beneficial, it was eye-opening in terms of what I still need to prepare. This "commercial" could very well be my golden opportunity for a job or internship.
Listed are some of Marlene's helpful tips:
- Know the company (research beforehand!)
- Know what it is that you want, have a vision for your career
- Find people in your field—email them for ideas
- Ask detailed, specific questions in interviews to make connections (such as asking them about their daily life)
- Have resume on-hand (that is clean and ready, simple errors turn people off)
- Leave a good impression about your work ethic, for you want people to speak highly of you (double-check your references)
- Take advantage of every convention or workshop in the field that you are interested in
- Attend student events with mentorship components
- Have professional email address
- Be cautious with social networking
- Don't be bore, be entertaining
- Know your audience
- Have an outline or an agenda (be sure to cover the most important things first)
- If you need something, ask.
- Keep track of your boss' Twitter feed.
Particularly in news communication, I thought her advice about being strategic was especially important. Every opportunity is a time for me to shine, and "brand" myself. I learned that preparation is key, as well as keeping my eye on the target audience. I want to take advantage of internship or networking opportunities this summer, and I plan on enacting her tips about getting into the business.
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