Business school is full of competition, tough professors and insane group projects. Take it from a female business major herself and checkout my tips for business attire, presentations and networking.
1. Speak up in class
Over the past four years, I’ve been observing males participate in class more frequently than females during lectures. Most women I meet are pretty opinionated and outspoken, but we tend to be intimidated in a male-dominant environment and stay quiet. In the real world, you will be invited to many meetings, and newsflash, male-dominant or not, if you don’t give insight or voice your opinions, they will stop inviting you to these meetings. So it’s best to get out of your comfort zone now at a more relaxed setting, plus you get a chance to score some participation points for your professor!
2. Polish your presentation skills
No matter what your major is, you’re going to come across that one class that requires you to give presentations. Public speaking comes naturally for some, but for those who aren’t so fortunate, keep in mind that presentation skills are useful after college so take those communications classes seriously. The best tip I can give for nerves is not to picture everyone in their underwear (that’s never worked for me at least), but to practice giving your speech to a smaller group before you have to present it to the class. By doing so, you can receive some feedback and allow time for improvements before the real deal.
3. Own at least one blazer and a pair of closed toe pumps
Preferably a black blazer so you can throw it over anything. Also make sure you have a pair of heels that are no taller than 2.5 inches. I guarantee you will need to pull these babies out at least once every semester.
4. Know the difference between business professional and business casual
No, business casual does not mean jeans and a polo. Business professional attire is simply a suit that consists of a blazer, collared button-up, and slacks or knee length skirt. The suit should be black, grey or navy. Please keep in mind that wearing hosiery with a skirt is a must. Business casual allows you to be more stylish, less formal, all while still looking professional. Cardigans, polos, blouses, knit sweaters, knee-length dresses and pencil skirts are all examples of appropriate business casual attire.
5. Give firm handshakes
There is no place for a light feathery handshake in the business world. When meeting someone, make sure right hand is free. If you are seated you should stand up to shake their hand. You want to give a firm squeeze and shake with your elbow. Make sure you are giving eye contact and a friendly smile.
6. Always have a pen and notepad with you
Whether you’re interested in the topic or not, taking notes makes you look like you’re paying attention. Unfortunately, taking notes with a laptop or smartphone still seems unfavorable in the workplace.
7. Don’t be afraid to take on leadership roles
Though easier said than done, employers are looking for real-world leadership experience. Whether it’s being an officer of a club, captain of a sports team or leader of a group project – try to get involved so you can have examples to pull from during internship or job interviews.
8. Check emails frequently
If you haven’t already, make sure to sync your school email to your smartphone for notifications. With group projects, club meetings and homework to juggle you need to have access to all announcements at the palm of your hands.
9. Network, network, network
Instead of solely anticipating the career fair, use any and every opportunity you can to network. Competition is tough for all business students so being comfortable with putting yourself out there is vital. The amount of people who are willing to help college students will actually surprise you. Visit your favorite professors during their office hours. Take alum out for coffee. Add classmates on LinkedIn. You never know who has connections to the companies you might be interested in working for.
10. Challenge yourself with projects outside the classroom
Although education is highly valuable, nothing beats learning skills hands-on. Internships are great resume builders and the best way to gain some real world experience. However, there are some unfortunate internships where they keep you around just to fetch coffee and sort mail. In these cases, doing individual projects can be very beneficial. With easy access to the web, you can certainly teach yourself anything from graphic design to building websites.
11. Communicate everything
No matter how hectic your day is, it is always important to communicate if you will be missing a lecture or meeting. Whether you’re five minutes late or contemplating on rescheduling, it’s common courtesy so that whomever you are planning to meet with isn’t waiting on you.
12. Under promise and over deliver
If you really want to impress a manager or professor, turning in assignments early will always make you stand out from the crowd. Be realistic with your schedule but make sure to take a reasonable amount of time to create good content. For example, tell them that you will have the project completed by Friday but surprise them by actually submitting the project on Wednesday.
Hopefully these tips will help you rule the school of business. Good luck this semester collegiettes, I’m rooting for you!