Highlights from CSUF PRSSA’s fall networking workshop.

Cal State Fullerton PRSSA

by Emily Cordero | October 15, 2026

In public relations, connections drive your career, and networking is crucial for building a contact list that can lead to opportunities that support your professional development.

CSUF PRSSA’s The Connection Cafe: Networking Workshop introduced students to six professionals who shared best practices for networking in person and online. Here’s what I learned.

Pictured: CSUF PRSSA members listening to opening remarks

In-Person Networking

In the internet era, in-person networking can feel daunting for beginners. “That’s sometimes what it takes, a shift in your head,” Marisol Perez said when asked how to overcome social anxiety when networking.

Perez is a founder and instructor at Mission Driven PR and has more than 25 years of industry experience. She stressed the importance of grounding yourself and setting a personal goal before entering a networking environment to successfully create meaningful connections. Her standard goal used to be leaving an event with 10 business cards, but Perez said securing a LinkedIn connection in the moment or making a personal impact and following up later is just as effective.

The best way to make that personal impact is with a story. To stand out among professionals and recruiters, Perez says, “You have to find your story and what makes you different in 30 seconds.” If you come prepared to present yourself in a unique way and are knowledgeable about a professional or their industry, you will likely create a personal connection that can lead to a letter of recommendation or a long-lasting professional relationship.

It is also important to remember that the people you are speaking to may be high-level executives or founders of their own agencies, but they were once pre-professionals, too, and are likely eager to share what they have learned. Treating a networking opportunity like a catch-up with a friend to humanize the person you are talking to can make the experience more comfortable for all. 

“When you’re networking, it is so crucial to look people in the eye,” Perez said as she concluded her discussion on the importance of soft skills. A professional appearance, a confident tone and eye contact will show that you care enough about the conversation to be taken seriously and to earn the other person’s respect. This can get you just as far as the strongest elevator pitch and is one of the simplest things to remember before networking.

Pictured: Marisol Perez

Online Networking

“I want to see 500+ connections,” said Sara Aggarwal, talent acquisition and employer branding manager at Boot Barn.

Many people think LinkedIn is an outdated platform, but companies and recruiters are still active on the site, looking for new talent and cross-referencing your online presence with your job application and résumé. According to Aggarwal, young professionals should absolutely be taking advantage of the site to establish connections and share pivotal moments in their pre-professional journey.

You should always post with intention and only share content of value on LinkedIn. As a rule of thumb, Aggarwal says, “If you would not tell your manager your weekend activities, don’t post it.” Your posts should demonstrate what you have learned through educational opportunities, internships and jobs that can inform prospective employers of what you can contribute to a team.

When connecting with professionals on LinkedIn, Aggarwal reminded students that “intention is really important, be as direct as possible.” A cold message should not be something you fear. Being direct about why you want to connect will catch a professional’s attention. Tell the person who you are, hype up their work and explain why you reached out, then provide details for a meeting you would like to have with them. From there, the ball is in their court, and they may even give you alternative ways to connect with them so you don’t get lost on their priority list.

If you are following up with someone you networked with in person, waiting a few days or a week can be more effective than messaging them right away. The delay shows that the in-person conversation truly resonated with you, and a deeper mentorship opportunity can begin to grow. Don’t forget Perez’s earlier point about making a personal impact. This will help you when following up later because the professional will remember your conversation and the reason you’re connecting.

Looking back at Aggarwal’s first tip, building your network to more than 500 connections on LinkedIn demonstrates that you have experience in your field and care about establishing a network. This completes the in-person and online networking cycle, proving that your conversation wasn’t for show and that the professional should continue to support your development.

Pictured: Sara Aggarwal

Making the Right Impression

Like your LinkedIn profile, your résumé can make or break your professional opportunities.

A résumé is an employer’s first impression of you, and if you got a referral to the position through networking, another person’s name is attached to that impression as well. This is why it is so important to ensure that your professional appearance in person translates online and on paper.

Angela Guastella is a senior talent acquisition specialist at Risewell Homes and has spent most of her career reviewing résumés. The first thing that will make her reject a résumé is poor formatting. If the text is too small, the content is too condensed or it runs over a page, she is likely to assume the applicant did not care or did not understand what the job listing asked for.

“Keeping a résumé to one page is great,” Guastella said. She continued, “Make sure it is telling the right story.” This means listing only relevant experience and, occasionally, coursework for the position you are applying for. A professional summary or objective at the top is generally safe to include as well. From your résumé alone, a recruiter or hiring manager should be able to easily identify the skills you bring to the table and why they should proceed with an interview.

AI can be useful when drafting your résumé, but only as a starting point or for refinement after you have written it. Guastella said she can identify an AI-written résumé by its appearance alone and often sees the same distinct format and writing across applications. She encourages students to be cautious when utilizing the tool and always review the output for errors.

Guastella left students with these final tips:

• Always use PDF to avoid formatting inconsistencies.
• Be creative, but ensure your résumé is easy to read in under 30 seconds.
• Avoid using a skills-based résumé.

Pictured: Angela Guastella

Thank you to each of our six featured professionals, Associated Students Inc. Cal State Fullerton and Communications Inter-club Council for supporting CSUF PRSSA’s professional development at The Connection Cafe. Our members left the workshop ready to take on the communications industry, one connection at a time.

Pictured: (left to right) Christine Corden, Scott Pansky, Angela Guastella, Marisol Perez, Sara Aggarwal, and Valerie Castrillon

October is Crowdfunding Month

Fall crowdfunding has begun! A gift to CSUF PRSSA will help cover registration, airfare and lodging for students attending PRSSA ICON 2026, as well as sustain the panels, mixers, and workshops we provide throughout the year. At ICON 2026, students can learn directly from leading industry practitioners, connect with recruiters and students from across the country and gain insights that can shape their careers. Every gift helps make opportunities more accessible and helps students build connections, gain confidence and take their next step toward a successful career in public relations and strategic communication.

Donate now at https://fullerton.scalefunder.com/cfund/project/50538