Centre College - Monthly Online Newsletter
May 1, 2009
Senior Survey
Every year, Career Services sends out a "Senior Survey" to all graduating seniors. We like to find out what they are planning on doing after graduation, including jobs, grad school, travel, etc. We only use this information for statistical purposes and never release individual information without the student's consent.
If you are an advisor to graduating seniors, please encourage them to complete one of these surveys before they graduate, even if they're not sure what they'll be doing. We will follow up with them later in the year, and the contact information that they put down on this survey is vital to this survey's success!
Linked In and the Centre Alumni Group
Have you or your students heard of Linked In? It's the relatively new networking site for professionals (or those looking to be professionals). It's a great place to connect with employers, past and future, and can help students create a network of contacts for the job search. (In fact, executives from all Fortune 500 companies are members of Linked In!)
Once students sign up for an account, they should make sure to join the Centre Alumni group to help jump start their networking efforts!
Contact Career Services for more information about Internships, Workshops or Events. If you'd like to see other offerings, would like Career Services to make a presentation for your class, group or major, or assist with planning a career panel for a major or club, please give us a call or drop us an e-mail. We'd be happy to help!
Career Services Office Hours:
Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm
First Floor, Old Carnegie
Interviewing Tips
It's interviewing season, and Deb Jones, Director of Career Services, has put together a list of do's and don't's for students' upcoming interviews!
--Assess yourself. Do an honest assessment of your interests and skills. Evaluate that against the description of the position. In what ways do you fit the position? Where might the position be considered a stretch for you?
--Research the employer. What are their products, locations, corporate values? What are their future plans and current projects?
--Practice answering interview questions. Get a friend to ask you a variety of questions and then give you feedback on your answers. Check out our website for traditional and behavioral sample questions. After practicing with a friend, arrange a practice interview with Career Services.
--Dress appropriately. Dress may vary according to the organization. If you are interviewing with Banana Republic, dress in their clothes. If you are interviewing with a bank, dress conservatively (usually white shirts are appropriate). Wear minimal jewelry and minimal perfume/cologne. Some people are allergic to the scents and being enclosed in a room interviewing someone wearing it may cause them problems. Avoid open toed shoes and clothes that are tight fitting/revealing. In most cases, jackets are preferred.
--Make sure you know how to get to the interview and allow extra time. Remember, you never know when you might run across road construction or a wreck. Take your cell phone and have their number ready in case you run into problems. If it does happen, call and ask to reschedule.
--Treat everyone in the organization as if they have the authority to hire or not hire you because they do!
--Take extra copies of your resume and references, practice your handshake in advance and greet everyone professionally.
--At the end of the interview, make sure you have questions. These should not be questions you should already know the answer to if you’ve looked at their website. Also, ask what to expect in terms of follow-up.
--Upon returning home, immediately compose and send a professional thank you note in which you reference something that was said in the discussion, reiterate your interest, and point out (again) why you would be a good match.
Facebook and the Job Search
Have you noticed that everyone and their mother (or even your mother!) has joined Facebook? Employers are using Facebook more and more to scout out potential employees, and there's a good chance that one will look at your students' profiles in the very near future.
What does this mean for your students? It means that they should consider what content they include on Facebook, myspace, etc. when applying for a job, internship or grad school! Would they hire or accept the persona that they've created? If not, they should clean it up!
Fall Internships
The deadline to sign up for a fall internship for credit is May 12th (juniors and seniors only). Students must complete a contract, which can be found in Career Services or on our website, and register for INT 400 in order to participate in an internship for credit.
The contract is not difficult to complete, but can take some time. It requires students to speak to their on-site supervisor and locate a faculty member who will serve as their faculty mentor.
If you have a student who is interested in an internship for the fall, please have them contact Career Services as soon as possible to begin the paperwork process.
What Are Your Students Doing This Summer?
Career Services likes to know what students are doing in the summer, so if you haven't already done so, please stop by Career Services or e-mail Sherri Gowins to let us know how your students are planning to spend their summers!
859-238-5286