If you are having problems viewing this message, click here.
For the week of 16 July 2009
Welcome, students, to the new Career Services version of @COE. This e-newsletter will reach you weekly (biweekly through the summer months) with announcements, news, articles and opportunities from the fine folks in Dunford Hall.
From help finding a summer internship or post-graduation employment to workshops and articles, the Career Services @COE newsletter has got you covered!
Career Services Announcements
There are 120 positions available on HIRE-A-VOL looking for ENGINEERS and 8 companies who have already set up their Fall 2009 On-Campus Interview dates and are now accepting engineering resumes through HIRE-A-VOL including:
- Siemens
- International Paper
- SPX Corporation
- Robins Air Force Base
- Teach for America
- Pepsi Bottling Group
- Schlumberger
- Westinghouse
To register for the HIRE-A-VOL system and start your job search for part-time and full-time job opportunities, visit the Career Services website at http://career.utk.edu and click on the HIRE-A-VOL logo.
EF 301 — Career Services for Engineers
Planning your class schedule for Fall 2009? Don’t forget to register for EF 301 — Engineering Career Planning and Placement! This class is offered each Spring and Fall semester and is taught at Career Services, 100 Dunford Hall on Mondays, 1:25 – 2:15 pm. This class is a perfect fit for all juniors and seniors and will equip students with the right tools to land that great job. The class is offered on a 1-hour Satisfactory/No Credit basis and is taught by Career Services Consultant for the College of Engineering, Leslie Fox. Expect visits from company representatives, tips and tricks from HR Recruiters, advice on resumes, cover letters, interviewing and salary negotiation and learn the ways you can stand out and get noticed at the job fairs.
Here’s what students are saying about the class:
- "This is the most useful non-engineering class I have ever taken. It gave me insider information about what employers are looking for during interviews and I have a resume that I feel great about!”
- “I felt that I knew exactly what the companies were looking for at the Job Fair and on my interviews. The tips we got in class really helped me feel comfortable talking to the employers.”
- “This class exceeded all my expectations–it really works!”
- "I love this class!"
- "Well structured class that will definitely be useful in my coming years and beyond!"
- "Good course! It definitely helped put me where I am now (that is with a job)!"
Confirmed company speakers for Fall 2009: Representatives for Disney, Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), Eastman Chemical Co., Pro2Serve and Eaton Electrical
Don’t wait to sign up as space is limited!
Fall 2009 Career Services Important Dates
SAVE THESE FALL 2009 CAREER SERVICES IMPORTANT DATES!
- Fall Semester Classes Begin — August 19, 2009
- Part-Time Job Fair — All Majors welcome, jobs for on and off campus positions — August 26, 2009
- Career Kick Off Picnic — Everyone come and eat! — September 10, 2009
- Kick Off to Engineering Career Success Day — September 15, 2009 — including “Meet Garmin”, Engineering Student Group Information Fair, FREE Garmin/Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity Cookout, Workshops on career success topics by Eastman Chemical, Garmin, Eaton Electrical, Office of Professional Practice and UT Career Services, Networking reception with engineering alumni and the keynote speaker, Col. Hank Hartsfield, UT Alumni and retired NASA astronaut
- Kick Off Day 2 — 30 Minute Mock Interviews and Resume Critiques with Engineering Employers — September 16, 2009 — registration will open on HIRE-A-VOL for this SOON!
- Volunteerism and Term of Service Fair — September 17, 2009 — Discover opportunities to become engaged citizens and serve communities across the nation
- Graduate School for Engineers — Don Asher — September 23, 2009
- Logistics (Industrial Engineers also) Fair — September 29, 2009
- Fall Job Fair — All Majors (250+ companies came in Fall 2008 and ½ of the companies were looking for engineers) - September 30, 2009
- On-Campus Interviews Start — October 1, 2009
- Engineering Etiquette Dinner — February 25, 2010
- For a list of all upcoming Career Services workshops and events, visit our newly designed website at career.utk.edu and click on “All Events” in the “Upcoming Events” box on the right
Remember that all December 2009 and May/August 2010 graduates need to have a resume on the HIRE-A-VOL system and be “job-fair” ready by September 1st! Expect to start searching for jobs, submitting your resume for interview consideration, talking to recruiters and begin making decisions about your future as soon as you return to campus for the Fall semester. Over half of the job offers for May graduates are usually made and accepted by January 1st! Resume critiques and mock interviews are available by appointment at Career Services year-round.
Networking for the Shy
By Barbara Reinhold, Monster Contributing Writer
from
Monster Career Newsletter “Diversity and Inclusion," June 2009
?For many, the mention of the word networking conjures up unsettling images of hundreds of men and women exchanging business cards, making small talk and angling for a chance to ask that all-important question: "So, who do you know in my field?"
Even the most extroverted people may not get excited about this process, but it's especially painful for shy individuals, who prefer to talk to people one-on-one and are more sensitive about personal boundaries. But the good news is it's possible to network in a more comfortable, structured way that's respectful of people.
Do I Have To?
Yes. Networking is crucial for your career, but it doesn't have to mean cold calls or awkward conversations with strangers. Here are some tips that will come in handy, whether you're testing a new field's waters, researching an organization or looking for references:
- Start with Friends and Family: Make a long list of friends, relatives, acquaintances, neighbors, coworkers, your daughter's basketball coach, etc. Assess the list, and prioritize whom you'll contact.
- Try Setting Up Informational Interviews with Friends of Friends: The friend in common will be a good topic for an icebreaker when you meet or speak on the phone.
- Do Your Research: Interviews and screening conversations are less stressful if you're prepared. Make sure you do your homework on a company before you meet with one of its executives to find out about the business or opportunities. You will not be at a loss for what to say, you will feel more confident, and the more prepared you are, the more likely the meeting will be productive.
- Use the Contacts You Didn't Realize You Already Had: Perhaps you already belong to a group, whether it's a volunteer organization or a book club, and you can start to build contacts there. You never know what contacts may be just a conversation away from you already.
- Explore Social Networking: It can be easier to talk to people through a computer. Check out the major social networking sites and let your contacts know you're looking for work.
- Use Your College Connections: Contact your school's alumni office to find mentors or contacts. These mentors have to give their permission to be listed, so you already know they'll be open to communicating with you. And you'll have your common college experience to relate to. Make sure you do your research for these contacts too.
- Take Advantage of Local Networking Events: Some organizations, like local Chamber of Commerce groups, offer breakfast meetings or other structured networking events that provide a more relaxing and comfortable environment in which to connect. It's easier to enter a room for the purpose of networking when you know everyone else is doing the same thing.
Career Services is OPEN for Appointments during the Summer!
We encourage any graduates who are still searching for positions or seniors who want to be ready for full-time interviews to come and visit Career Services during the summer. Just call 974-5435 to schedule your appointment with Leslie Fox, College of Engineering Career Services Consultant or send her an e-mail at lfox6@utk.edu. And be sure to keep checking HIRE-A-VOL for engineering job opportunities!
To schedule an appointment for resume review, interview and job fair preparation or the job search process, call 974-5435 and ask to make an appointment with Leslie Fox, Engineering Career Consultant. Career Services is located in 100 Dunford Hall on Volunteer Boulevard.
If you have questions, comments or concerns regarding the Career Services @COE, please send them to L. Ashley Susong at lsusong@utk.edu.