I’ll bring the hot dogs, you bring your … r‚sum‚?

With the football season kicking off, a whole new type of networking event is becoming possible — the football tailgating party.

The Iowa State Alumni Association holds a Homecoming tailgate for all its members, students and alumni, said Julie Larson, director of student and career programs for the Alumni Association.

“The tailgate is not set up as a networking function,” Larson said, “but it definitely could happen since people are more relaxed and are away from the office.”

Nicole Turner, junior in accounting, is co-chairwoman of Business Week 1998 and 1999.

She said a tailgate was held in 1998 as a part of Business Week, but the event was dropped in 1999 because of the planning commitment involved.

“For Business Week 1998, we had a tailgate and we invited a lot of our corporate sponsors. The tailgate helped both the sponsors and the members of the College of Business to get acquainted on a more casual basis and to find out a lot more about companies on a more relaxed level,” she said.

Larson agreed that the casual atmosphere at tailgate parties is beneficial for networking purposes.

“It’s informal, so people are comfortable and in an enthusiastic setting. They are more likely to open up, be relaxed and carry on conversations,” she said.

Larson said bringing students and alumni together is relatively new for the Alumni Association’s tailgate.

“Last year was the first year that it was combined with the students and alumni,” she said.

“I don’t know how much networking went on among students and alumni who didn’t know each other” Larson said. “It’s something that we can encourage.”

Steven Kravinsky, director of Business and Liberal Arts and Sciences career services, said tailgating is another way of getting people to be a little more comfortable with one another.

He also said the idea of using tailgating as networking seems to be catching on.

“They’re getting a little more prevalent,” Kravinsky said. “Businesses are starting to have them now. Pella Corporation and IBM are having them this year.”

Turner said she was pleased with the turnout of both students and sponsors at the 1998 tailgate.

“There were a lot from Minneapolis, and some came from as far away as Texas,” she said.

Turner said one drawback of a tailgate party that includes corporate sponsors and recruiters is the amount of planning involved.

“The planning commitment was significant. We started planning Business Week 1998 in February of that year, and the tailgate was that September,” she said.

The tailgate that will be held by the Office of Business and LAS career services on Sept. 25 is more of a thank you from ISU to potential employers.

“We have a tailgate for employers,” Kravinsky said. “We put together a tailgate and invite people who hire Iowa Staters come and share some food with us.

“There aren’t many events where you can thank people, but this is one,” he said. “It’s our way to thank employers for hiring Iowa Staters.”