Alex FriedrichI’ve seen a number of how-to articles for students about interviewing, writing essays and other hard tasks for the communication-challenged.
Here’s one of very few I’ve seen on networking while at a college/career function — written for USA Today by St. Bonaventure University junior Amanda Klein, a journalism and mass communication major.
I’ve condensed it, but click on the link above to read the whole article.
- Be confident. Fake confidence if you have to. Know your abilities. Be enthusiastic about them. You know you’re capable of a lot, or you can at least pretend you are if you’re not feeling it.
- A well-placed compliment is always a great conversation starter. Five or six compliments peppered in the conversation will make you sound fake. Less is more.
- If there’s an open bar, that doesn’t mean you should take full advantage of it. How much fun is it talking to a sloppy drunk when you’re stone cold sober? Also, carry a drink when you’re working the room. Buy step aside when you want to eat.
- If you’re at a dinner, do not shovel forkfuls of food in your mouth. And avoid messy food.
- Do not cut your grape tomatoes. They spray.
