Two nights ago, on Wednesday, May 16, the Drexel University Sport Management Student Union and the Steinbright Career Development Center hosted what I believe was a very successful networking night and panel discussion. I say that with all humility but also in praise of our SMTSU officers, our panelists, professors, administrators, and the students who were in attendance. It proved to be a very engaging night with thoughtful questions and strong networking activities.
As part of the panel discussion and Q&A, many interesting points were made by our panelists. In order to give proper credit, this panel included: Erik Rausch from the Philadelphia Eagles, Cara Angelucci from NFL Films, Carolyne Savini from Turnkey Sports and Entertainment, and Bryan Ford from Drexel University Athletics.
On the topic of networking and building relationships, they said: don’t burn bridges and leave a company on a sour note; be cognizant of the fact your classmates/peers are currently and in the future will be “your network”; network with alumni and faculty as they are “low-hanging fruit”; be genuine and show interest when networking and building relationships because if you don’t, the other person will see right through it.
On the topic of resumes, cover letters, and interviewing, they said: for the most part, stay away from objectives as they are an unnecessary part of your resume; tailor your resume to each job you are applying for; use your cover letter not only as an introduction to your resume but also as the place to “state your case”; do not address cover letters “To whom it may concern”, name drop early in the cover letter, and do not regurgitate your resume; do your homework and conduct research before the interview; ask thought-provoking questions and pay attention to the answers that are given by the employer.
On the topic of once you get the job, they said: do the little things right first and do them with a positive attitude; you will not be given major projects or the “keys to the company” on the first day; meet the other people in your department and outside of your department; learn how the moving parts of the organization fit and work together; while it is ok to progress in your career, be careful about being labeled as a “job-hopper” as this will call into question your loyalty and your success at a given company.
It was hard for me to come away from the event with just one or two key takeaways from the panelists. However, I did notice a few things just from observing the students who attended. There was a true passion and enthusiasm; people wanted to be there and wanted to get something valuable out of the experience. Now comes the important part- what are you going to do with what you just learned and who you just met? Are you going to incorporate those recommendations in your cover letter, resume, and interviews? Are you going to email, call, or connect on LinkedIn with the panelists? This part, the follow-up, is the crucial aspect that must be executed properly in order to be successful.
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