By now most of you have attended at least one job fair during your college career. If these have been any reflection of the one’s I’ve attended, they tend to be filled with contradictions. Tons of booths and companies, but very few you’re actually interested in. Either the head honcho of a company or someone who just started is manning the table, neither of which has the least bit interest in giving you the time of day, let alone a job. At the end of the day, you hope to have made a memorable impression yet you can’t help feeling like those fifty resumes or business cards you handed out are doomed for the closest trash can.
I recently got back from a job fair at a media conference in Las Vegas. I had no intention of being offered a job, but simply wanted career advice and to gain some solid contacts. Instead, I managed to get neither of the above with a side of cynicism. I sat across from a gentleman who’s tag read Career Consultant, we started chatting and I handed him my business card which aptly states “TV Correspondent and Host.” Upon asking me the elusive question: what to you want to do, I said I wanted to be in entertainment media.
He then proceeded to spell out the statistics of those that “make-it” in that field based on how many people graduate from journalism schools around the country wanting to do the exact same thing. After making it condescendingly clear that my odds were not good, he suggested I employ a bit more realism when thinking about my future. I insisted that I was aware I would have to work my way up and that I was by no means trying to be the next Giuliana Rancic (I have no desire to work within any radius of Ryan Seacrest or have an eating disorder). Still, he continued to explain that the industry extremely competitive as it took every bit of my willpower to nod politely. Finally, after he advised that I “put that dream aside for now,” I tuned out and waited for his tirade to finish.
While I wholeheartedly regret this encounter, I am somewhat thankful for it. This guy definitely didn’t consult or advise me in any sort of helpful way, yet he provided a stark contrast with the outlook other employers at job fairs might have. Yes, that guy was unnecessarily rude and offered no constructive comments, but how genuine are the other employers? Should I really believe the ones telling me to email them or promising to pass along my information? Although I left the job fair pretty disheartened, it took me awhile to realize that that was probably just one of the many times I’m going to face opposition as I enter the job market.
Going into the broadcast industry (and many other fields) requires some thick skin and perseverance, maybe this guy was just getting me ready for what’s ahead. Or perhaps he simply provided me with a glimpse of what negative, unpleasant people can look like. At the very least, I’m now prepared for such comments and more than ready to rise above them on my way to broadcast success. While I hope none of you ever have a similar experience, if you do, keep striving for that dream internship, position or job. There’s just no time in life to “cast that dream aside for now.”
Thanks for the pep-talk, Mr. Job Fair Jerk. I’m glad I kept your card because I’ll be seeing you.