On November 7, I attended BizCareers in Outdoor, Apparel, and Sustainability. I learned a ton about a variety of industries from recruiters and UO alumni including Nike, adidas, Brooks Running, Cotopaxi, and more!
The event started with an optional prep session for students who wanted to get out the jitters before the event and practice their networking skills. Then, there was an alumni panel with Evan Horne (Nike Inc.), Sonia Nelson (adidas), Bridget Bills (Brooks Running), Alexander Winslow (Vestas), and Rachel Cohen (PGE), followed by a networking mixer and career fair in the atrium.
In case you missed it, here are my biggest takeaways from the event:
Build a personal brand.
When applying for creative roles like URBN and adidas, they love to see what you’ve personally built and created. Showcase those skills! I spoke with representatives at Nike, and they shared the following advice: “Find a way to build experience, look into extracurriculars, and building stories about navigating through ambiguity are so valuable for student applicants who are interested in Nike.” I also spoke with staff at URBN who added, “Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries, over include things, share more than just resume, share extensive portfolio, and creative work will outweigh a traditional applicant.”
Networking is essential.
Look, I know everyone says this, but I built great relationships with the recruiters I spoke with. I was able to get their direct emails and connect with them on LinkedIn. I plan to follow up and learn more about potential opportunities at each company. If you’re feeling unsure of how to follow up after a networking event, check out this blog post.
Know your “why”.
There were many other students at the event and knowing my why was a great way to stand out and communicate why I was interested in the company.
I spoke with the representative from adidas who shared this bonus tip, too: “When applying, relate your sports experience back to adidas, and build your Why adidas? story.”
Overall, I learned about job and internship opportunities, as well as strengthened my networking skills. By attending the event, I was able to create a list of companies that I am interested in and prioritize my applications. And…the food was also great!
