Internship and job-hunting season has arrived. On March 28, University of Miami School of Communication’s Fourth Annual Communication Meet-Up will enable students and alumni to connect with professionals from a variety of communication fields.

Attendees can look forward to networking with more than 50 company representatives looking to hire in areas including multimedia, design, communication, public relations, journalism, broadcasting, and advertising. Participants should dress professionally and bring copies of their résumés.

Before the Communication Meet-Up, Oath Inc. is holding an info session from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in Wolfson room 3040, where students can meet company representatives and learn more about the Oath brand. At 4 p.m., Havas Health & You will be in Shoma Hall, CIB 3053, also hosting an info session where students can learn more about the available employment opportunities.

“This event is a crucial once-a-year opportunity to network with communication companies right on campus. Students, especially juniors and seniors who are at a critical point in their job searching, should make it a point to attend,” said Maharaj.

Invited organizations include:

Oath Inc.

Burson-Marsteller

The CW

PBS

The Miami Herald

rbb Communications

Cox Media Group

Entercom

Wink News

Havas Health & You

Merge Studios

The Communication Meet-Up takes place on Wednesday, March 28, at 6 p.m. at University of Miami School of Communication, Courtyard, 5100 Brunson Dr., Coral Gables, FL 33146. To attend, register here. This event is open to all School of Communication students.

Below are some tips from Kebrina Maharaj to help you have a successful Communication Meet-Up experience.

A GOOD JOB SEEKER DOES THEIR RESEARCH BEFORE GOING ON THE HUNT

View the growing list of registered companies here. Click on their respective websites learn more about each company, as well as view the open internship or job positions on their Career portals. Featured positions will be on the SoC’s Career Connection job board.

DRESS CODE: BUSINESS CASUAL

Appropriate business casual dress typically includes slacks or khakis, dress shirt or blouse, open-collar or polo shirt, optional tie, a dress or skirt at knee-length or below, a tailored blazer, knit shirt or sweater, and loafers or dress shoes that cover all or most of the foot.

WHAT TO BRING?

Your Cane I.D. for entry plus at least 20 copies of your résumé if you are actively job/internship hunting. Also, having a business card to exchange with the people you meet is very classy and professional. 

FORMAT

The Communication Meet-Up is a very social experience. It is quite unlike a traditional career fair. This format is less intimidating and encourages you to develop your networking skills in a familiar environment while enjoying some eats and drinks. Throughout the evening, company reps may address the audience via the mic to tell us about the company they represent and what they are looking for (interns, filling specific jobs, cool new project, etc.) This way you can easily seek out the people you want to talk to.

FOLLOW-UP

After the Meet-Up is over and way before you get caught up with end-of-semester madness, please remember to follow-up with the people you’ve met. Perhaps you get the offer of an interview, an invitation to visit the office of one of the companies or someone wants to discuss your resume/application – don’t leave those opportunities to chance. Make a call or send an e-mail to the people you meet. This small and courteous exercise will prove to be profitable in the future. 

If you have any other questions about the event, you can contact Kebrina Maharaj at the School of Communication or Miguel Ramirez at the Toppel Career Center. You can also visit Toppel (located at 5225 Ponce de Leon Blvd.) on March 26-27 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for résumé critique, mini mock interview, and LinkedIn profile critique.