Paige Durrant '19, a Management and Business major, has been intrigued by working since she was a child— so much, in fact, that she convinced a family friend to allow her to work at his restaurant when she was only 11!   

Now a senior, Paige was most recently a summer intern at IPG Media Brands in New York City.  She has also been part of the CDC's employer relations team for nearly three years.

Read on to learn this networking superstar's top tips for Career Jam (the CDC's biggest networking event of the year) on October 19!

Paige's Tips:

1. Do your homework!  Read up on who is coming to Career Jam before you get there and make a list of questions/topics for the people you want to connect with. This way, you will spend your time efficiently by building relationships that could land you an internship, job, or even a mentor!
2. Dress to impress. You may not feel comfortable dressing in a  a suit and tie but maybe don’t show up in pajamas if you can help it!  First impressions matter so we suggest business casual attire.
3. Print out your resumes beforehand.  Before Career Jam, make sure you update your resume. Have a few resumes on hand to be able to give them out when necessary. It’s better to have them than not.  If one of the mentors wants one,  you’ll want to be prepared. (Bonus tip:  If you're too busy to stop by the CDC for a resume-writing appointment, you can send your current resume here for feedback from career coaches.  If you use the e-review service, please ensure your resume is submitted by October 15 in order to get it back in time for Career Jam.)
4. Don’t be afraid.  Talking to strangers can be uncomfortable, intimidating, or both. Please keep in mind these people came to talk, hear your questions, and help you out. Everyone in attendance understands the awkwardness and, in turn, respects and likely appreciates someone who has the courage to initiate a conversation. There is nothing more important than simply being willing to start a conversation. After all, the purpose of this event is to meet new people and cultivate new relationships so take a step up and introduce yourself!  Asking a person how they ended up in their career is always a great starting point!
5. Collect business cards.  For each person you talk to, ask them for their business card. Not only will this help you keep track of who you connected with, but it will also help you when sending out thank you notes to those people after the event.