By SIERRA JIMINEZ
The UNITY News

There was momentary confusion Friday morning when the UNITY ’08 Career Fair and Media Expo opened at 11 a.m. instead of 9 a.m. as it had the previous two days.

Although the times were printed correctly in the convention itinerary, dozens of convention attendees huddled around the entrance, where security kept them at bay.

Saturday is the last day for the career fair, which runs from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

By Dioni L. Wise
The UNITY News Online

Being the new kid on the block can be hard. Here are some tips that will get UNITY newcomers through the action-packed convention.

1. KNOW THAT UNITY IS A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT: There will be an overwhelming amount of things to do and people to see. Don’t feel pressured to attend every workshop or party. Carefully select the activities that interest you most and govern yourself accordingly.
2. DRESS TO IMPRESS: How you present yourself says something about you. Wear your Sunday best, especially if you plan on hitting the Career Fair and Media Expo. That means heels for the ladies (optional, of course) and good ol’ ties for the men.
3. BE PREPARED: In other words, carry your business cards at all times. You never know who you’ll meet on the elevator. The editor of (insert dream organization here) could ask for your contact information and you’ll have to write it on a crusty napkin – not the best move. If you’re looking for a job, have your resumes, clips, tapes or CDs ready for handout.
4. BEHAVE YOURSELF- EYES ARE WATCHING YOU: Getting together with your friends and colleagues away from the office can be great fun, but don’t have too much fun. Be aware that people are watching you in the career fair and at the parties. UNITY is a convergence of professionals, so don’t get to loose with the Grey Goose or you’ll kicked yourself in the caboose.
5. DON’T BE SHY: Network! Network! Network! Ask those burning questions at workshops. Introduce yourself to your favorite writer or newscaster. In the words of Kool ‘n the Gang: “Get your back up off the wall.”

BONUS: HAVE AN OPEN MIND: Try new things. If you only dance to rave music, go salsa at the NAHJ Fiesta . Attend a Flash workshop if you’re only familiar with writing. We’re all here to learn from one another.

By Dioni L. Wise

UNITY News Online

Being a job seeker at the Career Fair and Media Expo can be nerve-racking, especially if you’re new to it.

Dressed in your best attire, you take semi-confident strides toward news directors and recruiters who could change the course of your career. You’re nervous because you are the umpteenth person they’ve heard sell themselves as the missing link in their company’s chain.

Career fair

You wonder about the impression you’ll leave. You also wonder about the recruiter’s thoughts. You just want to pick their brains.

Well, famed Detroit Free Press recruiter Joe Grimm allowed me to pick his brian. Here’s what Grimm wrote in an e-mail about UNITY.

“Unity is about a week away and, as a recruiter, I am trying to get ready. What to pack, what to ask, how I’ll I get enough sleep in so that I don’t burn out by Friday? I imagine a lot candidates are doing the same things. Most, but not all.

In the first three UNITY conventions, seldom did I see any resumes, wardrobes or hairstyles that were not professional.

I am more concerned with what I have NOT seen than with what I have seen.

Where, at the job fair, were the people who did not make enough copies and spent the convention in some high-priced copy center?

Where, at the mentor breakfast, were the job-seekers who partied too hard the night before?

Where, after a workshop, were the people who had smart questions that would set them apart?

As I plan for UNITY 2008, I am not concerned about the bad things I will see. I am concerned about the lost opportunities of good people gone unseen.

Will I see you?”

Here is the schedule for the Career Fair and Media Expo at McCormick Place West Halls F1 and F2:

• Wednesday, July 23 9 a.m. -5 p.m.
• Thursday, July 24 9 a.m. -4 p.m.
• Friday, July 25 11 a.m. -5:30 p.m.
• Saturday, July 26 9 a.m. -12:45 p.m.