The event started out with a short but sweet speech given by Jeff Carrigan, the founder and CMO of Big Shoes Midwest (BSM). Jeff spoke to us about the 5 C's of standing out when looking for a job/internship. The 5 C's included: competence, connections, character, chemistry, and c-suite (thinking like the CEO).
After Jeff Carrigan's speech, students linked up with a professional for round one of the mock interviews. My first interview was with Kristin Khail, a financial analyst for MillerCoors. I'll admit that I was a little nervous, but Kristin was very friendly and assured me that my interview skills were not bad. She advised me to get involved on campus as much as I can before graduation to add a leadership position to my resume. After good reviews from the first interview, my nerves had eased up and the second interview wasn't nearly as intimidating. My second mock interview was with Kari Atkinson, content strategy manager at Johnson Controls. Kari asked me questions about projects that I was proud of, and was happy to hear that I have efficient skills in programs such as InDesign. All in all, mock interviewing was definitely a confidence booster, and made me excited for the real thing!
The last portion of the night was an informational interview. I conducted my informational interview with Patty Bloom, reputation management assistant account executive at Charleston|Orwig. Patty let me pick her brain of the in's and out's of her professional life. I learned so much from her: the most important skills for her job, what a typical day is like, what parts of her job she finds most satisfying, and how most people enter her profession. Charleston|Orwig sounds like an amazing company to work for, and she even urged me to apply for an internship position for the summer!
Overall, the event at the Hudson Business Lounge was a success. I was happy to be a part of it. Big thanks to those who organized the event, and the professionals who took time to help students practice and improve their skills!
