Important First Impressions

In his networking presentation, Dovas Zakas tells a story of how he landed a fortuitous summer job and future career. He feels networking is often overlooked as a strategy when people are looking for their dream job. He used to think people could get jobs just by asking for it before he realized the importance of asking how one could be a valuable asset to a company.

Upon sharing his own experience, Zakas reflects when he asked for something first, he received no answer compared to when he offered a solution without a hidden agenda and got a job offer. He believes the key to finding a job is not an impeccable resume or flawless transcript, but a belief in oneself, giving before taking and not being afraid to talk to strangers. Passion is valuable to employers, according to the networking presentation, as is a good first impression.