Laura Snyder - Marketing Director

Whether you are meeting a future employer, the In-Laws, or just the guy who’s going to be sitting next to you in contemporary auditing; let’s face it, first impressions count. As much as we would love to believe people like to “get to know” you before passing judgment, sometimes that just isn’t the case. According to Geni Whitehouse, author of Even a Nerd Can be Heard people need to put more effort into packaging themselves. This doesn’t mean just your physical appearance and body language, but more importantly the way you communicate with others. You could be the most well-dressed, manicured professional but if when you open your mouth and all anyone hears is gibberish, you are never going to be taken seriously.

Just look at the number of job postings on Monster.com that mention communication skills. I assure you, the designers of the site weren’t just arbitrarily placing those words everywhere because they thought they were aesthetically pleasing. It is because without effective communication skills it is nearly impossible to ascend up the corporate ladder. Promotions come to those who can communicate effectively at all levels, even those who come last in the pecking order. According to Whitehouse, “communication skills are the most important part of presenting yourself as a professional. Good communication can help you to not only make an impression, but make a connection or even drive change.” If you are timid and lacking confidence, these traits will inevitably saturate every task you attempt to complete. People that lack confidence often second guess themselves and can come across as inept even when they are in fact highly capable.

Believe it or not, Whitehouse herself used to lack confidence and had poor communication skills. She reached a turning point in her life when she decided she was going to need to work on her communication if she ever wanted to truly improve professionally. She began to study public speaking in earnest- “by reading everything in sight on the subject, taking classes and listening to all of the great presenters [she] could find.” The take home message of Whitehouse’s article is that it is never too late, or early for that matter, to start working on improving your communication skills. If you want to make an impression take Whitehouse’s advice and please work on this one critical area- “read about writing, write about reading, take public speaking classes, listen to public speakers, take speaker training classes, but whatever you do, work on it!”

Think to yourself, would you want to give someone you care about a gift in tattered packaging, with the corners jabbing through and maybe some dribble from good Old Rover who thought it was his Birthday bone?? Well, when you were three that may have been endearing, but not anymore. As Whitehouse puts it, “don’t ruin your chances by wrapping your stellar professional self in soiled newsprint.” For more tips like these, visit Geni Whitehouse’s website http://www.evenanerd.com

Lindsay Newman- Audit Staff

Whether you are in the market for a summer internship or a full-time job, career fairs are definitely a great place to start. Even if the whole experience may seem intimidating at first, the benefits of attending as many career fairs as possible will undeniably outweigh the slight nervousness you might experience. Take it from someone who attended countless career fairs throughout college. They were never the first place I wanted to be; honestly they were usually the last. My roommates had to virtually dress me in my suit, put a resume in my hand and drag me out the door, but looking back, I am so glad that they did! Remember that you are going to be surrounded with people that are in the exact same boat. Be sure to make the most out of it and share resources with those around you. Maybe someone is looking for a full-time job but had an internship last year that would be perfect for you. Maybe someone just quit their job because it wasn’t the right fit, but knows their employer is hiring. Make an effort to talk to everyone, meet your peers and network! Networking is one of the most valuable tools you will gain from any career fair. Most career fairs are targeted toward local jobs, but even if you plan to move away don’t let that stop you from going. Without a doubt there will be recruiters there from many major corporations that can pass along your resume to the right people in your respective city. Another great advantage to being present at career fairs is it can open your eyes to all the opportunities that really exist out there! So what if you have always aspired to be an event planner? Maybe there’s a great sales job out there that would be perfect for you. Exposure to jobs that you may have never thought would appeal to you might really spark your interest and are worth looking in to. So, keep an open mind, talk to everybody there and genuinely listen what they have to say -you may find yourself really surprised. Even if you aren’t quite ready to take on a job or an internship, go anyway! Career fairs are the perfect place for you to practice being a professional. The more practice you have at events like these, the better off you will be. A firm handshake, adequate eye contact, and conversational skills don’t come out of nowhere. It’s a good idea to do a test run so that when the real time comes, you will be willing and ready to impress everyone you meet. So, remember even though career fairs may be intimidating, after all it is a “fair” and is supposed to be fun! Make the most out of every career fair that is available to you, and you will be really glad that you did.