Networking

The IEEE Region 5 Networking Competition is an opportunity for IEEE student members to develop networking skills through feedback provided by Networking Competition Judges in order to mirror the experience of presenting pitches during real world job fairs.

The Student Cyber Challenge invites IEEE Undergraduate Students throughout IEEE Region 5 to compete. No Intent to Compete form is required to be eligible to compete.

• Team Size: 1 student

• Maximum number of teams: Unlimited

Eligible judges (primarily IEEE professionals) will be provided with a “networking judge button” when they check into the conference. For the duration of the conference, any time someone has a judge button on, it will indicate that they are available if a student wants to stop them and give their elevator pitch. The judge will grade the pitch with a rubric and the student will email in the completed rubric. This competition is great for all students at the Region 5 Conference as it does not interfere with any other competitions or activity going on.

Students will approach professionals and ask them if they would listen to their elevator pitch. Once the student completes their elevator pitch, the professional will fill out a grading rubric. The student will then submit the rubric by following the submission process laid out in these rules.

IEEE will be providing professionals with a “Networking Judge” button. Professionals will be given the option to wear the button whenever they are free for students to approach them and give an elevator pitch. However, professionals do not have to be wearing a button for students to approach them and ask if they can give their pitch. Students are allowed to approach any IEEE professional regardless of if they are wearing a button at the time. Students must just keep in mind that if the professional is not wearing a button, they might be too busy to do a networking pitch and turn the student down.

1) Approach the Networking Competition Judge

2) Hand the Networking Competition Judge your resume and a grading rubric (last page of this document)

3) Give the judge time to review the rubric and your resume and then start your pitch

4) End your pitch

1) Once the judge has filled out the rubric, take a picture of the filled-out rubric

2) Submit an email as follows

To: [email protected]

Cc’d: [Judges email address]

Title: [students name] pitch with [judges name]

Contents: Photo of filled out judges’ rubric (ensure all scores are clearly readable)

It is recommended to do this step while still with the judge so that you can make sure you have their email entered in correctly. At the end of this interaction, the student should walk away with the filled out rubric. Students are recommended to let the judge keep their resume. Winners will be announced during the IEEE Region 5 Conference banquet.

Any email received after March 28th at 12 PM will not be counted.

Any submissions with an invalid email (i.e., judge email or resume reviewers’ email) will not be counted.

The student with the highest number of points received during the competition period will be the winner of the competition. For each pitch, the following points will be awarded based on rating that the pitch received:

Pitch Rating

Thank you email:

Students can receive an additional 5 points for each pitch by sending a thank you email to the judge. Below is the required format for the thank you email:

To: [Judges email address] Cc’d: [email protected]

Title: [students name] thank you to [judges name]

Body: A minimum of 4 sentences that includes a thank you to the judge and at least one change you made to your pitch based on the feedback from the judge.

Resume Review:

Prior to the competition and during the competition, students can earn 5 points for each University faculty/staff member or IEEE professional that has reviewed their resume (maximum of 50 points). These emails must be submitted between March 20th and March 27th in order for the students to receive these points. There is no required format for the resume review, we trust the reviewer’s judgment. In order to receive points for the review, you must submit an email as follows:

To: [email protected]

Cc’d: [reviewers email address]

Title: [students name] resume review with [reviewers name]

Attachment: Students resume

Body: This email is confirmation that [reviewers name] has reviewed my resume.

What should I bring with me for the competition?

It is recommended to bring at least 20 resumes, a clipboard and pen, a phone capable to taking a picture and emailing, and at least 20 judging rubrics. There will be extra judging rubrics available for students at the conference.

Is there specific attire for the students?

No. There are no points allocated on the networking competition rubric for student attire.

Will students be graded on their resume?

No. There are no points allocated on the networking competition rubric for student resumes. Students are expected to have their best resume available for the Networking Competition Judges in the chance that the Networking Competition Judges they are practicing their pitch with is interested in hiring them for a job. Additionally, students are allowed to ask for feedback from Networking Competition Judges on their resume and change their resume throughout the competition in order to create their strongest resume.

Can you participate in the networking competition if we are also in another student competition?

Yes. The networking competition is designed to be an open time frame to allow students to still participate in various other student competitions and activities.

Do I need to fill out an Intent to Compete?

No. Conducting your Pitch and submitting the Judge’s Rubric via email is sufficient.

A PDF of the competition rules can be downloaded here.