Armed with a short skirt, a smile and a little sensuality, I marched into the 2003 Internship Fair expecting total mortification.

The plan was to see what types of responses I would receive from employers at the fair by exuding flirtation and sex appeal to company reps.

As I headed down the vast aisles of the Convocation Center amidst company displays and men in suits scurrying franticly to submit resumes, I noticed heads turning – in my direction.

Some were subtle and some weren’t, but men, and women, definitely were staring.

So I approached my first prospective victim: the credit card representative. Instead of offering my hand and introducing myself politely, I leaned over suggestively, revealing my less than adequate cleavage, and tossed my hair back.

“Hey there,” I cooed flirtatiously.

To my surprise, he greeted my inappropriate gestures with a welcoming smile.

“Well hello!” he replied.

We exchanged a few more playful remarks, I gave him my resume, and he handed me his card. He seemed completely receptive and reflected optimism toward a potential interview.

I was shocked. Yet I hiked my skirt up to even more dangerous levels and proceeded on to further embarrass myself. It seemed that all of the men I talked to responded with nothing but friendly smiles and warm conversation.

My next encounter involved a playful bout with a Marine Corps representative. I strode up to him with a coy grin, sashaying my hips from side to side.

“Hey you,” I breathed, leaning over in the same teasing manner that I had before.

“Hello there,” the man responded eagerly.

“So what can you tell me about the Marines?” I offered in a sing-song fashion, batting my eyelashes accordingly.

“Well, I can tell you obviously it is male-dominated, but women do try,” he replied warmly.

With that, we chatted up a bit longer. I was actually surprised he took me seriously, what with the way I was dressed and carried myself. He asked me for my information and gave me his card, insisting I contact him.

One by one, my suspicions about company professionalism were proven correct. Every employer I regurgitated teasing remarks and coy laughter to ate it up.

I had strutted into the Internship Fair expecting not only to not get taken seriously, but to completely embarrass myself altogether. However, with every attempt I made at engaging in what I thought were inappropriate mannerisms, I instead was met with warm greetings and positive reactions. It was as if the men I spoke with had expected me to present myself in an airheaded, flirtatious manner because of the way I appeared.

My discovery was that many of the representatives were slightly taken aback at the sight of intelligence combined with sex appeal.