Preparing for Meet the Firms

  • Bring printed copies of your resume to give to employers. Printing on special resume paper is optional, but available at the campus print shops.
  • Remove all typos and grammatical errors (always have a second set of eyes review)
  • Keep your resume in reverse chronological order (most recent experience listed first)
  • Limit your resume to one page
  • Use professional fonts (such as Times New Roman or Arial) with a font size between 10 and 12. White space should be consistent between sections of text.
  • No more than 5-6 bullet points for any given section
  • Start your bullet points with action verbs
  • Highlight accomplishments and skills that are most relevant to the job at hand (see job ads from the companies you're applying to in order to get a feel for this)
  • Find resume help in the Career Development Center Job Search Handbook
  • Access free, 24-7 online resume help with SkillsFirst. This AI-powered tool can help you start a resume from scratch, reformat a current resume, and provide customized feedback tailored to job descriptions.
  • Email cobinternships@mnsu.edu for even more resume guidance and sample resumes

  • Dress professionally. Don't have a suit? Khakis/dress pants and a polo, blouse, or button-down is fine!
  • Consult the list of employers attending, and research what each employer does
  • Don't ask questions where the answers can easily be found on the employer's website
  • Look confident. It is expected to be anxious when networking, but the trick is to appear as if you're not. Look people in the eye when you speak, be secure in your delivery, and watch how often you use filler words such as "uh, um, ah," etc.
  • Prepare an introductory pitch about yourself and what you have to offer. For example:
    • "I grew up in Seattle, but moved here to attend university. I'm a junior this year with a major in accounting and a minor in communications. I know that accounting today is much more than numbers in a box so I felt my communications courses would prepare me for the demands of client service. I'm a member of student government, serving as co-chair of the community outreach committee, and in that role I've organized projects for the United Way and Habitat for Humanity. I've researched your company and I know that you offer the resources of a 'Big 4' with the personal touch of a smaller firm, and I believe that combination will give me the best opportunity to contribute and grow my career in the long run."
  • If you don't have a lot of work experience, talk about leadership roles, volunteer experiences, or interests/passions you have outside of the classroom that has taught you relevant and transferable skills
  • Bring targeted resumes for each employer for which you have an interest

Try to get the contact information of those you spoke with at the event. If they refuse, don't take it personally as some recruiters receive thousands of e-mails and therefore stopped giving out their contact information.

  • Send a brief thank you note or e-mail to the recruiter within 24-48 hours after the event. Items to include are:
    • Thank recruiter for their time and consideration
    • Remind recruiter why your skills are a good fit for them
    • Encourage them to follow up with you, and leave your contact information for them to do so
    • Follow-up should be done via e-mail, or hand-written card. You can also use LinkedIn but in addition to connecting with the firm representative, you also need to send them a message. Just sending a connection request doesn't count as follow-up. 
  • Sample follow-up email text:

REMEMBER to alter the language enough so it doesn't read like you copied and pasted - more examples are on Google as well!

Subject Line: (Insert Student's First and Last Name) Meet the Firms Follow-up - MNSU-Mankato

Dear Ms. Williams,

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me at Minnesota State University, Mankato's Meet the Firm's events yesterday (or last week). I have tailored my academic studies in accounting (or finance) in the hope that I might one day work at a firm like yours that values (list some of their firm mission/vision/values), and it was exciting for me to get a glimpse of (name of firm) company culture and mission during our conversation.

I’d like to reaffirm my interest in the entry-level accounting position (or internship, summer program, OR future opportunities if you're a freshman) you described to me. I will be graduating, magna cum laude, (list month and year of your expected graduation - include "with 150 credits" if you're an accounting major), and will be immediately available to assume the responsibilities of a full-time position with your firm.

I have attached an updated copy of the resume I provided at the Meet the Firms events, and am happy to provide references at your request. I will call next week to see if we can arrange a time to discuss this position (internship, summer leadership program, future opportunities) together. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Evan Jones
555-111-1234

 

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