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For the week of 22 October 2009
Welcome, students, to the new Career Services version of @COE. This e-newsletter will reach you weekly 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
Now Hiring: Peer Career Advisors (Paid position)
For Spring 2010
NOT YOUR AVERAGE PART-TIME JOB!
Peer Career Advisors are trained and supervised paraprofessionals who provide career assistance to other students through UT Career Services. Responsibilities of Peer Career Advisors include critiquing resumes, assisting students with the use of the Career Resource Center, job search strategies, interview skills and promoting UT Career Services.
There are Many Reasons to be a Peer Career Advisor!
- Assist other UT students
- Gain valuable communication, active listening, event planning, organizational, presentation and consulting skills
- Network with recruiters
- Participate in leadership opportunities
- Become familiar with job searching and interview techniques
- Learn more about your own career development and how to effectively market your degree
- Build your resume as you develop training, teaching, and mentoring skills and enhance your communication abilities as you represent Career Services across campus
Attend an Information Session to Learn More: Tuesday, October 27, 4 p.m. or Wednesday, October 28, 4 p.m. in Career Services, 100 Dunford Hall
Visit http://career.utk.edu/peerad/peerad.php for application and more details!
APPLICATIONS DUE NOVEMBER 2
Questions? Contact: Elizabeth Pallardy epallardy@utk.edu
September 2009 Career Services Workshops & Events
- State of Tennessee Job Application Workshop: Career Services Classroom, Dunford Hall, Wednesday, October 28, 4:00 – 5:00 pm
- How To Interview Workshop: Career Services Classroom, Dunford Hall, Thursday, October 29th, 4 – 5 p.m.
- Discover A Career in Public Service Workshop: Career Services Classroom, Dunford Hall, Wednesday, November 4, 4:00 – 5:00 pm
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 should now have a resume on the HIRE-A-VOL system and be actively applying for engineering opportunities. 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.
There are 188 positions available on HIRE-A-VOL looking for ENGINEERS and 15 engineering companies (plus those that accept all majors) who have already set up their Fall 2009 On-Campus Interview dates and are now accepting engineering resumes through HIRE-A-VOL including:
- Enercon Services, Inc. is looking for either an Electrical Engineer, Mechanical/Chemical/Nuclear Engineer or Civil Engineer; must submit resumes by November 3
- Strand Associates, Inc. is looking for a Civil Engineer; must submit resumes by November 9
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.
NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
DEADLINE: October 30, 2009
The Innovation Valley Technology Council is a partnership of Technology 2020, Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership, Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, Blount County Chamber of Commerce and Morristown Chamber of Commerce.
The mission of the Innovation Valley Technology Council is to build an interactive association of businesses and entrepreneurs who will drive the region’s economy in the 21st century. As a resource organization interested in helping companies prosper and in
promoting the use of technology to meet their business needs, the Innovation Valley Technology Council is a key component to area economic growth.
Guidelines:
The Innovational Valley Technology Council will offer one scholarship to a nontraditional student in Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Roane, Sevier or Union Counties in Tennessee. For the purposes of this scholarship, a non-traditional student is defined as an individual over 21 and is entering a college, university or trade school for the first time or currently enrolled in a college/university or trade program. The scholarship is intended to be awarded to an individual that demonstrates a financial need. This may be due to a change in a job situation or other life changing events which led to enrollment in a college, university or vocational program. The scholarship is intended to support the applicant’s undergraduate study in a technology-related field at a college, university, or trade school. The recipient must be admitted or plan to enroll in an accredited program at a local, state, or private college, university or trade school in East Tennessee.
Applicants need to submit a one-page (single-sided) letter of recommendation from one of the following: a past or present employer, teacher, guidance counselor, recognized professional or personal acquaintance. The scholarship award is for $2,500 presented to the winner and the institution he/she will attend by the fall of the 2010 academic year. The Innovation Valley Technology Council will invite the winner to attend and be recognized at one of our monthly meetings.
Selection Criteria:
The Innovation Valley Technology Council scholarship selection will be based on the applicant’s demonstration of the following criteria:
- Enrollment in a technology-related curriculum at a local college, university, or trade school
- Letter of recommendation
- Clearly defined career goals and objectives
- One page typed essay (min. 400 words) discussing why you are pursuing your current career path and what this scholarship award will allow you to accomplish.
For an application and complete instructions regarding the scholarship, you may call:
Tara Marlow, Executive Director, Innovation Valley Technology Council at (865) 220-2020.
All materials must be received by October 30, 2009 to be considered.
Make Yourself Memorable: Follow-Up after an Interview
Gina Chung, Gotta Mentor.com, October 2009
Regardless of how the interview went, or whether or not you are still interested in the position, sending a thank you note is essential. It’s surprising how many candidates forget to follow up properly after an interview, as most jobseekers focus all their energy on the interview. In fact, the follow up is what often distinguishes one candidate apart from the others. In the final stages of the recruiting process there are usually several top candidates, each with different strengths and weaknesses. Interviewers see many candidates and have a tough decision to make so here are a few things you can do to set yourself apart from the others:
- Ask for your interviewer's business card at the end of an interview so you have their contact information to follow up
- Ask about the timing for the hiring process to get an understanding of the timeline and what to expect
- Decide what format your thank you note should be in: email vs. snail mail and send it as soon as possible, no later than 24 hours. A thank you note adds value to your candidacy while giving you another chance to show your enthusiasm and reiterate why you're a good fit.
- It is ok to follow up with a phone call within a week or two to ask about the position, but be sure to assess the situation first, depending on the employer's timeline - be careful here, as it's good to follow up, but not too much
You can create a powerful thank you note by keeping it simple and short. There are 3 main components:
- Thank you
- Recap the conversation, clarify information if necessary and address any concerns about your qualifications that came up during the interview
- Restate your expertise and why you are a good fit, show your enthusiasm (I am a good fit because xyz and my past experience in xyz)
Don`t forget to alert your references so they are informed and ready should they receive a call about you. And finally, be patient, as the hiring process can take longer than expected.
If you have questions, comments or concerns regarding the Career Services @COE, please send them to L. Ashley Susong at lsusong@utk.edu.