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Travel lightly.
I made the mistake of bringing my laptop … the only thing for which it was useful was to write this article. Your bag should literally be whatever you want to carry for hours on end. Even though you eventually check it, there is no need to be lugging anything around for other parts of the day.
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The Time Warner Building is a maze.
Your map is your friend — don’t forget it.
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Know who you want to be.
Are you there to get a feel for the companies? Are your there to get an internship? Full time job? It’s great to be open to all of these things, but knowing more of what you want will help you tailor your experience and narrow down the companies you want to choose to spend most of your time researching and eventually talking to.
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But also, be open to other things.
If you’re a sophomore and a recruiter tells you to apply next year, that isn’t a bad thing! Just use the resources (aka business cards and emails) to follow up. If you’re a senior, don’t knock post-grad internships until you try them.
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Don’t be afraid of going alone because you’re not really alone.
There are over 400 other comm students there with you! Talk to them and learn from them. You will quickly realize there are so many familiar people among that sea of faces and you are all in this together.
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Most of it is going to be rejection.
This fact is unavoidable. Everybody faces rejection at one point or another. It is how we react to bad situations that define us, not the bad situations themselves.
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Drink water throughout the day
This tip may seem simple but among all of the craziness and lines to talk to recruiters, it is easy to forget. Taking a breath, drinking some water and sitting down for a few minutes never hurt anyone. These things can give you that big confidence boost before talking to that one company you’ve been becoming more nervous about speaking with by the minute.
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You’re going to get tired.
It is a long day (like, really long). It is ok to get tired. You have to remember to take care of yourself and your body just as much as the career you’re trying to launch.
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You have everything to gain, and nothing to lose
Talking to new people and making connections is what you’re going to be doing the rest of your life! It is networking at its finest. You might as well get started now and become AMAZING at it.
