I had the privilege of attending all of Comm Day, meeting the professionals and learning a lot. My favorite workshop that I attended was by Melissa Merrill. She gave 10 tips for transitioning from college to the work world. One of her main messages was having confidencein what you do know and not in what you don't know. Don't be afraid to ask questions and get feedback from any one you can. She talked about remembering what we have learned in college and draw from the experiences we have had. Melissa said that she has a master experience list where she keeps track of everything she has done in her life - through work, school, church, volunteering etc. Not only does this help her realize and praise herself on what she has accomplished, but it also helps her to compile resumes and tailor them to the specific job she is applying for.

Melissa also  advised us to change our mindset when we are interviewing for jobs. Go into them with a confident, "nothing to lose" attitude. Each interview you have gives you experience for the next, and the right one will lead to the job you need. She told us to have confidence in our future - there are good things ahead for us.

 

I really enjoyed listening to all the speakers on Communication Day. However, my favorite speaker was by far Melissa Merrill. She gave us tips and advice on what we should be doing now (as students) to prepare to enter the workforce. She definitely motivated me more to keep moving forward in school and using all the resources I have to gain new skills and knowledge. 

Two of the things that she said that stood out to me the most was to not be afraid to ask questions. But when we do, try to be prepared with possible solutions to show that you’ve thought things out. Also, that when we are going through a difficult time either in school, work, or life in general to remember that you’ve done other hard things before and that you could get through it.