One person, among the dozens of New London High School seniors we spoke to at a career fair this past Wednesday, could become a Day reporter, editor, photographer, advertising representative or web developer.

Even if that's not the case, we appreciated the opportunity to join other area employers — Electric Boat, the City of New London police, fire, public works and schools departments, Mohegan Sun and Enterprise Rent-a-Car — in telling students about our company.

We displayed our website along with copies of our daily, weekly and monthly publications to groups of seniors who rotated through the cafeteria to speak with the potential employers. We were happy that nine students signed up to learn more about internships and freelance camera jobs that may be available for high school sports events.

This is the kind of engagement opportunity we relish as we seek to make our company more reflective of the community we serve and reach new audiences. Most of the seniors we spoke to were familiar with The Day — some mentioned our GameDay livestreams of high school sports — but many didn't realize what we offer beyond the daily news, such as podcasts and The Day Magazine. 

Local news is The Day's raison d'etre, and my newsroom colleague Carlos Virgen and I talked to the students about the work of editors, reporters and photographers. We answered questions about deadlines and daily duties and explained the thrill — or agony, depending on your personality type — of never knowing what stories we'll be handling from day to day.

The newsroom isn't for everyone, and the students also got to hear about the work of other departments within The Day from Stephanie Chang, a digital advertising specialist, and Brissett Cuadros, a web developer for our digital services department.

We were happy to be invited back to the high school for a larger career fair in May.

The Day hosts its own job fairs, and there is one coming up soon. On April 6, we'll be joined by major employers from throughout the region from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mystic Marriott.

But there is something special about speaking to young people in the months before high school graduation. (Think of all the commencement night clichés you've ever heard about endless possibilities and new beginnings and apply them here.)

Kevin Booker Jr., an educator and former city councilor who organized Wednesday's event, captured the urgency with which the seniors should make personal connections beyond their peers while sharing practical job seeking tips. He told the students, "Your network is your net worth," as he showed them how to deliver a firm handshake and make eye contact.

"Do not waste time," Booker told the seniors. "All of you only have three months of school left before you enter the real world. You need to start connecting now."

Booker's advice surely applies to us at The Day, and maybe to you in your work and personal life.

Karen Florin is The Day's Engagement Editor. She can be reached at k.florin@theday.com or (860) 701-4217.