Career Expo Success

By: Maureen Corbett

The Purdue LA Career Expo that took place last Thursday was a career and internship fair that I have been working on planning for the past several months. It is an exciting feeling to see all your hard work and effort come together and turn a project into a success. Not only did I have a fantastic time working on this project, but I was also able to watch myself grow and learn an assortment of new skills that will eventually help me down the road in my future career. Here are the highlights of what I learned as the project manager of this event:

1. Recruiters Love Food
And I mean, lots of food. We tired something different this year and instead of giving each recruiter a meal card so they could use to eat in the Union, we ordered a fantastic spread and kept it right in the ballroom where the event was taking place. The idea behind this was that the recruiters didn't have to leave their booths for extended periods of time. An added bonus was that they were allowed to invite students to come eat with them, which allowed them to network with and even interview potential new candidates for positions within their company. The main point behind this story is that my team tried to think outside the box, and this turned into a successful idea which led to the overall achievement of this event. 

2. Teamwork is Everything
While I was the project manager for this event, it would have been impossible for the Expo to be successful without the astounding assistance of every other intern that participated. I was so grateful and proud of how each team member stepped up to the plate and helped out in any way that they could. Everyone attended the event for as long as they possibly could, the overall attitude that was displayed was friendly and encouraging. This reminded me of how important it is to surround yourself with people you can count on, and I was very happy with the work that everyone put in. I learned that you can't do everything on your own, but with the help of some amazing people, you can accomplish a lot more.

3. Plan for Disaster, But Hope For the Best
 I had to remind myself that even though I had been preparing for this event for several months, there was always the possibility that things would not go the way I had planned. What if the food didn't arrive, or we were missing the required number of tables for the companies? Because I knew this ahead of time, it allowed me to think of back-up plans in order to solve problems that might arise. Luckily nothing disastrous occurred, and because I went into it with this attitude I know I would have been able to remain cool and collected if something had gone wrong.  

4. Smiling Goes a Long Way
An overall positive attitude can change the whole environment of an event. Everyone who participated in the Expo that day was extremely friendly and hospitable, and I believe this was a strong reason why the Expo and Career Week were so successful. Having a positive outlook on life and the willingness to be friendly and personable will help you achieve things you never thought you could.