A Smile a Day... Always Draws Attention

This past Tuesday, I dragged myself to Penn State's Career Fair at the Bryce Jordan Center, despite my persistent belief that no employer would be interested in a freshman. But I wanted the experience, and it couldn't hurt to be rejected a few times, right? A few of the employers dismissed me right away, some of them quite rudely, which I didn't find surprising. I was dragging my feet and allowing my naturally angry facial structure to glare at all onlookers when my luck turned around upon receiving a text from my dad saying "Smile! They'll love you!", and immediately my confident smile seemed to attract more positive attention. The employers suddenly seemed much more interested in me, saying that they usually don't give internships to freshmen, but they admired my drive and ambition and so decided to accept my resume and application. I did feel quite cheesy giving my 30 second introduction with my overly ambitious pearly whites popping out at employers, but it seemed to work. I had so many valuable conversations with company representatives, and I was invited to a couple of special employer events and I was even offered a co-op that is usually only for sophomores and juniors! I honestly think that it was the rhetoric of my smile and the confident aura that the smile bestowed upon my personality that helped these employers to see me as an attractive candidate for an internship, despite my young age. Through this experience, I learned that a simple smile can mean success. The rhetoric of positive body language can enhance professional experiences to their full potential, making those who manipulate rhetoric in this manner the most successful in the survival of the fittest.