Tucker Eighmy ’23 had an interview at 1 p.m. That same day at noon, he was practicing his elevator pitch at the spring Career Expo Prep event hosted by the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD).
“I’m in a rigorous job search and want to lock in how I describe myself and my experience,” he says.
He also needed to get rid of the headshot he’s been using on LinkedIn — a cropped photo of him as a wedding guest.
Luckily, the expo had it all: a photographer for professional headshots; tables stocked with employers and alumni ready to refine resumes, employer research approaches, and elevator pitches; and career coaches to assist with Handshake, the university platform where students search for career opportunities.
“We offer a career lab every day at the center that allows students to drop in to ask questions, prepare for interviews, improve LinkedIn profiles, and work on resumes,” says Lori Kennedy, senior director of CCPD. “But today is special because alumni and employers are here, and the students listen to and trust their real-world advice in profound ways.”
That probably explains why more than 200 students registered for the event.
Nora Thomson ’23G in the Technical Entrepreneurship program sat at an elevator pitch table with Mary Luchs ’20, a financial planning and analyst consultant at Revelwood, a firm that helps finance organizations plan, monitor, and analyze business performance.
“I want to portray all of my knowledge in different areas to best exhibit my abilities and accomplishments,” says Thomson.
Luchs heard her elevator pitch and offered minor tweaks.
“I want to be impressed by a person, not by hearing a resume but by what's important to him or her,” says Luchs. “I love Lehigh, and three students joined the firm after my arrival. The students here just seem to fit well into our culture. We are truly interested in finding the right people, not just workers.”
This is one of the major values in the expo — letting alumni influence and mentor students.
“Our alumni and employer partners share insights with students and help them become more viable candidates,” says Cheryl McCue, director of employer engagement. “Students gain confidence here and better represent themselves in person and virtually, since today they have to be able to deliver both in high-tech and high-touch environments.”
Jessica Barry ’23 did that in impressive ways. In the spring semester of her junior year, she shifted from a chemical engineering to a finance major and needed to make up for lost time.
“Having a network is so important,” she says.
She developed that network on Lehigh Connects, the exclusive platform for the Lehigh alumni network.
“Each person on Lehigh Connects spoke with me and connected me to two more people,” she says. It helped her land the perfect role at Harris Williams, an independent investment bank and financial services company specializing in middle-market companies.
“I am so excited to find a field and employer that challenges me, offers a variety of opportunities, and works at a pace that matches who I am,” she says.
She is in the perfect position to help as a student career intern at both CCPD and the expo.
Ross Bell ’23 is in the same role and is excited to give back.
“I had an offer from West Monroe, a firm that partners with healthcare organizations to modernize the complex healthcare ecosystem,” he says. “Having gone through the interview process, I know what to expect and want to help others prepare.”
With nearly 800 students signed up for the spring virtual career fair, students are eager for such assistance. That fair also will welcome over 90 employer partners.
Ariel Glick ’13, senior manager at EY, represents one such company. “I have come back to Lehigh many times over the years, wanting to give back what I once got as a student,” she says. “It’s a great chance to connect and coach.”
Mike Rossi ’11 ’12G, managing director at KPMG, is a regular as well. He often can be found in Rauch Business Center. “Students need to be ready because you never know when an opportunity might be standing before you,” he says. “We want to connect with students as often as we can in order to identify the best and the brightest, even starting at an early point in their time at Lehigh.”
Alumni like Rossi also recognize the perks of events like this as they connect with old friends at the old haunts in South Bethlehem.
With the right folks around the table at an interview, dropping haunts as common reference points might make all the difference in a well-stated elevator pitch.