WED WORK

On Friday, I got to go to a networking event at UCONN. It was a night for wedding and event professionals to meet, talk, and make connections with each other. When we got there Elissa told Jillian and I that we had to go mix and mingle on our own and leave there that night with business cards from 5 contacts we made. At first I was nervous! All of the people there were professionals and I was just an intern, so I was thinking, "What is going to make them want to talk to me?" Then I took a deep breath and realized, none of them knew who I was and it was up to me to create their impression of me. Not only was I representing myself to these people I was about to meet, but also Perfect Productions. I actually was able to utilize social and conversation skills that I had learned through my years in my sorority, Delta Gamma's recruitment room. I had five minutes to make an impression on the people I was about to talk to so I had to put on my best face and make conversation. After the first woman I met, things just got easier. I think it is always a little awkward and uncomfortable when you know you have to talk to people you don't know, but I quickly got used to it. I think it is something that is learned with time and I am sure I will eventually not be as nervous. In the end though, I came out with 9 business cards from new people I had met.

I hope that I get to attend more events like this because I can see how important it is to network and make connections with other people who attend these events. You can find new companies to work with, see who else is doing things similar to you, and become a part of other people's preferred vendor lists. I think it was a really good experience overall and I didn't think that in just the couple hours I was there I would be able to make so many contacts and learn so much.