At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Career Services held PN 101: Professional Networking, a mock-networking event at Codefi, located on the sixth floor of the Marquette Tower. Employers and students spent the evening mingling, discussing business ideas and learning about professionalism.

Students who attended the event were asked to dress to impress in business casual attire.

Following the networking portion of the evening, an employer panel discussion was moderated by the coordinator and employer relations specialist in Career Services, Dan Presson. He answered students’ questions and provided tips on professionalism.

Some of the employers on the panel included Gunnar Knudtson, co-founder of CarGo, Charlie Wirtel, manager of the Buckle at West Park Mall and Devette Sproaps, regional recruiter for Allied Universal.

Employers on the panel shared their thoughts on the do’s and don’ts of networking.

Some of the advice employers shared for what to do at a networking event included making sure students introduced themselves to everyone, researching employers at the event in advance and knowing who you are.

Employers also gave students advice on what not to do when networking, such as not giving a floppy handshake, not clinging to the same person for the whole event and not bringing up money in conversation with an employer.

Other topics such as a successful elevator pitch and following up after an interview were discussed. The most vibrant conversation of the evening centered around the importance of writing a handwritten thank-you note following an interaction with a possible employer or other business professional.

“The handwritten mentality is almost extinct so when you write a thank-you note, it is absolutely huge,” Knudtson said.

James Macklin attended the event and is a junior studying psychology at Southeast. Macklin started his own T-shirt-making business, called A.L.I.V.E. (Always Living in Victory Everyday) Apparel.

“I really wanted to learn more about networking and how to market my business,” Macklin said.

Another student, junior and pre-physical therapy major, Caleb McMillan said he came to the event because he is trying to build his business and thought he’d give networking a try.

“Right now, I’m a health coach for Herbalife but I’m trying to get my business off the ground,” McMillan said.

For students like Macklin and McMillan, the event was more than a learning experience. PN 101 was a chance to promote their businesses to professionals who could help them succeed directly or by connecting them to those who could.

Following the panel, employers left students with their final thoughts and advice on how to enter the professional world after college.

“If there’s not a job out there that is going to make you happy, make it. Create it. I create my own happiness now,” co-founder of Codefi, Heather Holdman said.

Students were also encouraged to be passionate, know when to ask for help and never to get discouraged in the face of failure.

“It’s OK to take a job that’s not in your field,” Sproaps said. “But don’t be unemployed.”

Career Services is located on the basement floor of Academic Hall. For more information on upcoming events or more about Career Services, contact Presson at (573) 651-2583 or dpresson@semo.edu.