By Venus Lee
The UNITY News Online

UNITY is expected to have nearly 10,000 attendees, 400 booths and 100 workshops.

For many young journalists, a convention this large can seem overwhelming.

Cory Dade of the Wall Street Journal was scared to death when he attended his first journalism convention 13 years ago. He didn’t know where to start, what to say, what to do or what to wear. He was in desperate need of some guidance.

“There was no single source for how to work the convention,” Dade said.

To address the problem, veteran convention attendees Dade, Elaine Aradillas of People Magazine and Annalisa Burgos of Scripps Network Interactive presented a workshop in the Career Resource Center Wednesday that offered advice for maximizing the convention experience.

A major theme during their two-hour presentation was the importance of preparation and using the convention as a way to network.

Preparation meant packing the right materials and doing homework before arriving at the convention.

The right materials included a handful of sample clips, resumes, business cards and clothes that impress, but did not go overboard. For gentlemen this meant an undershirt, long-sleeve dress shirt, tie, a pair of slacks and dress shoes. For ladies, this meant a conservative top, skirt to the knees or a pair of dress pants and sensible shoes.

The panelists recommended minimizing the makeup, perfume and jewelry. They also recommended covering up tattoos and removing excessive piercings.

Audience member Tiana Kennell donned a conservative blouse and knee-length skirt Wednesday as she walked around the career fair, but forgot about the importance of maintaining a professional online profile.

“I was telling him [the recruiter] how I was interested in blogging,” Kennell said. “He took out his Blackberry and wanted to go to my [Facebook] page.”

Maintaining a professional presence is important. But to understand what recruiters want, journalists also have to do their homework, panelists noted.

“This program is the bible,” Burgos said as she waved the UNITY booklet in the air. “Look at the program at least a week in advance and get to know who is coming, which companies are going to be there [and] who is the recruiter that is going to be there. Call ahead to make appointment with recruiters.”

The panelists expect Thursday and Friday to be the big interview days, with foot traffic especially heavy in the afternoon. Burgos and her colleagues recommended selecting workshops that develop journalism skills as well as lead to connections with desired potential employers.

When working the convention, the day should be spent at the career fair and attending panels, the group advised. Evenings should be spent networking at receptions, also referred to as “happy hours” by the panelists.

The career fair is the formal setting for networking, however panels and receptions can also provide opportunities, the panelist said.

“It’s often easier to approach a recruiter in a relaxed setting,” Burgos said. “They may even invite you into their booth the next day.”

Dade added, “Treat it like a pub crawl. Go to as many as possible and get to know as many people as possible.”

The UNITY organizations sponsor some of the receptions, but many media companies host exclusive invitation-only events.

One audience member agreed receptions are a great networking tool, but expressed fear of going alone.

“If you don’t know anyone, find someone else who is standing alone,” Burgos said. “Challenge yourself to meet a set number of people…Minimize the drinking and obscene dance moves.”

When talking to recruiters, the panelists recommended following three simple rules.

First, start by introducing yourself. Second, highlight your skills. Third, tell them what you want. Personalize the conversation by emphasizing strengths.

They also recommended taking notes during an interview and collecting as many business cards as possible.

Preparing for and attending the convention can be exhausting. But the work is not done when the convention ends. The panelists warned journalists not to forget to maintain the relationship with the recruiter. Write a personalized hand-written thank you card, send an update, ask for advice, make an appointment when you’re in town.

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