DeKALB | NIU alumni and current seniors came to the Third Annual Career Resources Network night Thursday to prepare for life after school.

The event was planned by the Alumni Association, along with NIU Career Services, and was held at the Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center.

Susan Caplan, NIU alumna and keynote speaker, spoke about what to expect in the work force today. She also spoke about what to do and what not to do in job hunting and networking.

“Northern was very good to me.” Caplan said. “I wanted to get back here, so as long as I’m out talking to other universities, this was the prime one I wanted to get back to.”

Caplan talked abut using social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn as a way to market yourself.

She talk about setting up yourself as a product to be sold to whatever company to work for.

She said the world outside of college is competitive and people need to be marketable by branding their talents in social media, interviews and business cards. The only way to be known is to stand out, she said.

After Caplan spoke, attendees were able to walk around and see other sessions geared towards resume tips, interviewing skills, finding job postings and preparing for the job fair on Feb. 23.

“So far I found it very valuable,” said Mason Mitrovic, an alumnus who graduated from NIU with bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. “I found [Caplan] had a lot of great points that she made, being from first hand, going through the process of trying to get interviews.”

MBA student Jordan Boyer said the standards are rising.

“Everybody has their high school diploma,” Boyer said. “So then they got their college degree now so we’re just trying to set ourselves apart from everyone else and get the competitive edge.”