Emily

• Start with a good introduction
  • So many mess it up from the very beginning – too nervous and focused on giving a perfect intro
  • Be yourself and get to know the recruiter
  • Worst thing to do - be formal and go on a long spiel about yourself without allowing them to say something back
  • Practicing an elevator pitch is good, but don’t throw it in front of them
  • Conversations are 2 way, not one way
  • Let them introduce themselves and talk about themselves too
  • By listening to them, you can find a way to connect with them
  • Find similarities between you and the recruiter
• Find things that you have in common outside of engineering
  • Emily has talked about marathon running, League, all sorts of things unrelated to computing
• She has a small section on the resume that mentioned a few things like this
• Give the recruiter a chance to speak and talk about themselves
• Don’t focus just on yourself
• Conversation is about listening just as much about speaking

Matei

• At a career fair – not just looking for a place to get hired
• It’s kind of like shopping – what job fits you
  • You are not just there to get a job
• If you work there, will you have a good time and provide a good skillset?
• Let the recruiter talk about themselves and their company
  • Gives you an idea of company culture
  • Recruiter might be someone you will know if you end up working there
• Insight that you would get if you didn’t just ask for an internship

Thang

• Agrees with both
• Valid points with both
• Tips if you want a conversation to get personal
  • 1 easy tip – ask questions
  • Pay attention to social cues
  • People love talking about themselves
  • Ask the recruiter a question
  • At a panel with engineers – ask questions!
  • Find similarities that you can expand on later

Kyle

• Feels that he is not good under time pressure
• Talking during conferences is good
  • People are not necessarily there to look for jobs but to get to know each other and build their network too