by Rosette Pyne
With so many students seeking full-time and internship opportunities at this time of the year, I thought it would be a good idea to remind you not to leave home without your resume. You just don’t know where your travels may take you and what opportunities may be presented for a discussion about your job or internship search.
A few years ago one of our students was sitting in a coffee shop in a major east coast city. She had traveled to town to find a job and was hoping to land one in technology consulting. She had a Penn bag with her and while sipping coffee someone at the next table said, “do you go to Penn?” A conversation began about why she was in town and as it turned out, this person was a Penn alumnus who worked at a consulting firm in that city. She was asked “do you have your resume with you?” She did have her resume and the next day she was in an interview for a position. She was offered the job!
The Penn alumni network is fantastic, and many of our alumni enjoy helping other Penn affiliates when they can. But networking isn’t limited just to alumni. You may be in a class with an unexpected presenter, or at a get together downtown, or just meeting up with friends. You just don’t know where you will meet someone who may be in a position to help you with your job search. Be sure to have your resume with you, and use the opportunity to network.