Students learned how to leave lasting first impressions on employers, craft successful elevator pitches and engage in real-world networking scenarios during associate professor of public relations Riva Brown’s interactive presentation Oct. 2.

Brown teaches two classes throughout the week — Public Relations Techniques and Multicultural Public Relations — in Win Thompson Hall. But on Monday evening, she donned her professional skills cap and delivered her presentation “Don’t Stress, Just Impress: How To Network With Finesse.”

Brown’s first order of business was breaking down how crucial it is to make a strong first impression.

“It only takes one-tenth of a second for people to make their first impression of you. It takes only a fraction of a second for someone to begin forming their opinion on you,” Brown said.

Brown broke the first impression down into five foundational aspects: appearance, audience, attitude, authenticity and attentiveness.

“Appearance is straightforward; make sure to wear the correct attire. Don’t wear flip-flops to a business casual event,” Brown said.

“If you know you are going into a certain setting, a career fair, for example, make sure to do some research on the organizations that will be there. It is always beneficial to know your audience,” she said.

Brown said it is important to remember the attitude being conveyed when making a first impression. 

“Body language plays a huge role in illustrating your attitude. Maintaining eye contact, giving a firm handshake and smiling throughout the conversation, all of this conveys a positive attitude.”

Authenticity was her next point, and Brown kept her description short and sweet: “There is no future in your faking.”

Brown’s last point of leaving a lasting first impression was attentiveness. 

“Give nonverbal cues, such as a head nod, to let them know you are paying attention to what they are saying. Ask questions, be conscious that the conversation isn’t solely based on yourself,” she said.

Brown then jumped into her segment on elevator pitches.

“An elevator pitch is a brief — 30 to 60 seconds — way of introducing yourself, getting across a few key points and making a connection with someone. It is called an elevator pitch because it takes about the same amount of time you spend riding in an elevator,” Brown said.

Brown provided a simple method to craft an elevator pitch, the F5.

“The F5 is made up of first, focus, feats, feature and finish. First, introduce yourself, then focus on what you do well and why you find it interesting. Next, list your feats — internships, jobs, awards or skills. Then, provide a feature of yourself, a personal story that ties back to your focus. Finally, all you have to do is finish. Just ask them a question,” Brown said.

Wrapping up her presentation, Brown had three students volunteer to act in hypothetical real-world situations where they found an opportunity to network with a potential employer.

She placed a student at a football game tailgate where the CEO of a prominent business was enjoying some peach cobbler. The student then had to find a way to naturally introduce themself to the CEO — without disrupting snack time. 

Breiana Tate, a sophomore journalism student, shared her experience with the networking exercise.

“I was scared to put myself out there at first, but I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn a new skill,” Tate said.