With Pace Computing Society’s last meeting of the semester we’ve decided to end things on a strong note. We invited Svetlana from Pace University’s Career Services to give us some helpful tips on perfecting our 30 second interview pitch and going the extra mile for Uncubed.
Svetlana advised us on great ways to be assertive when talking to a recruiter at Uncubed. One great point Svetlana brought up is to start researching the companies that are attending that job fair beforehand. Apply for those companies and follow up with an email to the recruiter. Make a spreadsheet, listing good talking points relevant to the company and the position you’re applying for, your experiences and how that applies to the specific position, and the contact information of the recruiter. This is a succinct way to organize information for each company. Daniel Rings was there to relay his method of discovering each recruiter’s email. One way was the practice perfecting your 30 second Interview. In your 30 second interview pitch it’s important to include your name, major, year, which experiences that you have that qualifies you the position, and why you want to job. We had a chance to practice and share our 30 second pitches. I say with confidence that I failed. Svetlana noted that it’s important not to be “awkward”. To minimize this you can wait until the end to hand your resume to the recruiter. Also, according to Svetlana squeezing the recruiter’s hand won’t make a good impression. Having a good firm handshake that’s not weak is a great way to start. It’s also a great idea to end the pitch on an open ended question about the company to make the pitch more conversational and smooth. Furthermore, don’t forget to add your own personal flair to the pitch. Remember, the recruiters have probably heard hundreds of pitches before you so make sure yours stand out.
At the job fair dressing and acting professional is key. There will be tons of start-up companies at Uncubed so Svetlana recommends that a business casual attire would be best. You don’t want to come in a suit and tie but don’t dress in a hoodie and t-shirt.
After the job fair it’s crucial to follow up with recruiters you met with a personalized thank you letter stating that you would like to meet with the company within 5 business days. In the thank you letter include a summary of what you talked about with the recruiter and state that you look forward to seeing them.
Pace Computing Society NYC 