Testimonials and Success Stories From L&S Career Services Spring Break Job Shadow Program

The L&S Career Services Spring Break Job Shadow Program, which occurred during Spring Break (April 2 to 6, 2012) was a very successful opportunity for approximately 16 students to visit 7 employers in major geographical regions of the U.S. The goal of the program was for students to explore their career interests and goals, learn about various types of job functions at an employer, and build a network of professionals and mentors. In turn, students were able to identify internship and full-time opportunities available at the employers.   Participating employers in the program were Covance, Her Exchange, John Kohler Arts Center, Rockwell Automation, Teach for America, UW Credit Union, and Wisconsin Trails Magazine.

Most of the employer hosts were UW alumni that either worked directly with L&S Career Services or with other UW affiliated programs. The alumni hosts provided opportunities for students to observe meetings, go on informational interviews, do case studies, and get some hands-in practice with various job functions.

We are pleased to share some testimonials and success stories from both the student and employer hosts. These were drawn from the results of a survey sent to the participants and hosts.   Our office looks forward to building on the success of this program as we look ahead to the summer and coming academic year.   Please do not hesitate to contact me for any additional information or if you have any questions.   Meanwhile, please enjoy the testimonials!    Greg Iaccarino, gjiaccar@wisc.edu

 
RESPONSES TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTION ASKED OF STUDENTS:

Do you have a better understanding of the types of jobs at the employers you visited?
What did you learn?

At the UW Credit Union headquarters I learned quite a deal about the various positions, the organizational structure, the benefits of the company, and the education and experience background of many of the current employees.

I learned how the UWCU works and runs. It helped me understand more about different positions and their roles.

I shadowed  a TFA Teacher  at Hayes Bilingual Elementary. It was interesting to see a fourth grade classroom in action and it helped me figure out which age I would like to teach if I become a teacher and/or participate in Teach for America. I was pretty set on doing Teach for America before hand and I am just as sure now.

My experience with TFA was excellent, Kurt did a great job of both answering my questions and showing me what an average day looked like. I was able to hear about the legitimate pros and cons of the program  and learn more about the type of skills and attributes necessary to succeed in the problem.

I learned the company culture, and what specific jobs each employer does.

The job shadow was very helpful in showing the job positions and guaging my own personal interest.
L&S Career Services and the employer I visited were very helpful in setting up everything very well and laying out a structured plan for everyone.

Thank you for setting up these opportunities in the community.

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RESPONSES TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTION ASKED OF EMPLOYERS: 
What were some positive aspects about your visits with the students?
Did you find your time to be positive and productive with the students that you worked with? 
Did you sense that the students felt that they had a quality experience at your organization?

I felt that the time my colleagues and I spent with the student who shadowed for the day was very beneficial. I think she learned a lot about HR - the way that departments are structured in a large organization, the different types of roles, internships, what we do day-to-day etc. We also talked a lot about the transition from college into the working world - both positives and challenges. We would like to stay in touch with the student who came in to discuss future internship opportunities with her.

We perceived that the students had a very positive experience. 

One of the UW students stayed until the end of the day and did a question and answer session with my fourth graders. My students were really excited to have a college student in the classroom and had a lot of great questions for him. Will was very gracious with his time during the day and was a great sport answering questions my students had.

My visitor asked a lot of great questions and was able to see what TFA was like first-hand.  I also had an opportunity to introduce him to co-workers and my principal, who essentially offered to provide an interview if he decided to do the program in the St. Louis area in two years.  Overall, it seemed like a good experience on all fronts.

Our student was very inquisitive, and we felt she asked a lot of appropriate questions about our organization and about HR.   Good job preparing her!

I like the idea of the program, and hope such efforts continue on a larger scale in the future.  In these times as the costs of higher education continue to increase due to lack of state and federal funding and the lengthening of average time to graduation for many students, it's important that students (especially in the letters and sciences, where the path to a career is often not as explicit as say in business or in a professional program) have career exploration opportunities.  Tapping into the broad Badger network is a great way to provide such experiences.

By Greg Iaccarino, Career & Internship Advisor, Job Shadow Program Coordinator

My Experience as a Peer Advisor

Students often complain about the part-time jobs they have during college; however, I am proud to say that I am extremely content with my job at Career Services. I am sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and have been working for Career Services for one year now.  As a peer advisor for the College of Letters and Science Career Services, I have learned a tremendous amount about the exciting and intimidating world of professional development.  Through my training as an advisor and interaction with both career development professionals and a variety of employers, I have grown from an overwhelmed student worrying about my future career to a more focused and confident young professional.

When I was first hired by Career Services, I didn’t understand what my new office actually did.  I always thought of advisors as people who helped you pick out classes and made sure you graduate on time.  On my first day of work, I was instructed on the rules of resumes.  After getting an example of what an excellent resume should look like, I thought about my own resume and how it matched up in comparison.  As it turns out, my resume was pretty terrible, but over time, I learned how to improve both my own resume and those of the students I assisted.  As I became more confident in my abilities to offer students advice, I began to learn not only about resumes, but also cover letters, interviewing skills, graduate school options, career possibilities, and the inner workings of the professional world.  I have become more comfortable in my interactions with professionals in a business setting and improved my interpersonal and public speaking abilities.  After working as a peer advisor, I am no longer afraid of entering the real world, but am instead excited and looking forward to the next phase of my life.

Working in L&S Career Services has provided me with so many opportunities, from learning about my personal career goals and values to making wonderful new friends, and without it, I would be a different person than I am today.  While part-time jobs may sometimes seem like just a way to make money while going to school, you can gain a lot of valuable skills that are relevant to the full time job you’ll be looking for one day.  Think about the skills you are developing at your part-time jobs and how these relate to the skills that employers are looking for in applicants.  Interested in finding out what skills employers look for the most?  Check out this website - http://www.naceweb.org/s10262011/candidate_skills_employer_qualities/.  Maybe you’re developing some of these skills at your part-time job!

Best of luck in your career development,

Jared LeBlanc
L&S Career Services Peer Advisor

Is Your Resume Ready for the UW STEM Fair?

If you are planning to attend the UW STEM fair tomorrow, you want to make sure your resume is in top shape.

When crafting your resume, keep in mind these essential ideas:

• Clarity. Easy to Read- clean format, not too fancy
• Concise. Describe your experiences, skills and achievements in bullet points rather than full sentences
• Consistency. With fonts and placements
• Relevancy. Highlight the most relevant information. Place it towards the top of your resume.
  

Speaking of relevancy, consider including a skills section in your resume. This can help you stand out by highlighting important programs, lab techniques, etc. that employers often look for in technical fields.

Sample:

Skills
Computer: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint (proficient),
Microsoft Access, Page Maker (familiar)
Languages: French (proficient), Swahili (conversational)
Laboratory: DNA Cloning, ELISA, IR Spectrophotometry

One thing many students don't think about including in their resume is school work. If you don't have much related experience and are looking for that first internship or related job opportunity, consider including some class projects where you gained some related knowledge and skills.

Sample:

Related Experience
Project Name Fall 2011
Course Name Madison, WI

• Description of the nature of the project
• Describe any skills or knowledge gained, accomplishments

UW STEM Fair
Thursday, April 12
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Main Lobby, Engineering Centers Building
*Admission for UW-Madison students and alumni only

A list of employers attending can be found at:
https://bus-wisc-csm.symplicity.com/events/students.php?mode=list&cf=UWSTEMFair

Top 5 Reasons to Join a Professional Organization

Whether you are still deciding on a career of interest, or are confident in your choice, professional organizations are a great way to connect to an industry, profession or field of study.

Here are 5 quick reasons to join a professional org:

1. Exclusive networking events or opportunities coordinated by the organization
   
2. Inside information to current issues and trends in the profession/industry
3. Building your professional image by getting your name associated with their organization
4. Access to members' contact information
5. Possibilities for mentorship with established professional

Bonus tip: Professional orgs may offer discounted membership rates for students with all the same great benefits!

Want to learn more about professional orgs in your field? Drop by L&S Career Services!

The Infographic Resume: A creative way to stand out in a tough job market

Infographic-what?
An infographic is simply a graphic visual representation of information. When you consider a resume as an advertisement, it makes sense that a resume could also be an infographic. The infographic resume is a graphic representation of you as a candidate. It is a creative way to show your credentials. Here is an example:


The infographic resume is simply another trend, reflecting the changing times, as personal branding and self-marketing have become important topics in today’s job search.

Format
Regarding the format infographic resumes, the options are endless.
To get an idea of what your infographic resume may look like, check out the Brazen Careerist App on Facebook. It will create a sample infographic resume based on information pulled from your Facebook and Linkedin profiles.

When would I consider using an infographic resume?
This form of resume is more popular in creative industries. Always consider your audience when creating a resume. If the company/position you are going for is looking for creativity and uniqueness, it may be something to consider trying.

Check out the links below for more resources and examples of infographic resumes.
http://mashable.com/2011/07/10/digital-resume/
http://www.javiertordable.com/blog/2010/03/23/how-to-make-an-infographic-resume
http://blog.chumbonus.com/infographic-resumes/

Testimonials and Success Stories from L&S Career Services Winter Break Job Shadow Program

By Greg Iaccarino, Career & Internship Advisor, Job Shadow Program Coordinator

The L&S Career Services Winter Break Job Shadow Program, which occurred during Winter Break (January 3 to 20, 2012) was a very successful opportunity for approximately 93 students to visit 14 employers in major geographical regions of the U.S. The goal of the program was for students to explore their career interests and goals, learn about various types of job functions at an employer, and build a network of professionals and mentors. In turn, students were able to identify internship and full-time opportunities available at the employers.

Most of the employer hosts were UW alumni that either worked directly with L&S Career Services or with other UW affiliated programs. The alumni hosts provided opportunities for
students to observe meetings, go on informational interviews, do case studies, and get some hands-in practice with various job functions.

As a Part 2 to our February Blog entry about the program, we are pleased to share some testimonials and success stories from both the student and employer hosts. These were drawn from the results of a survey sent to the participants and hosts. We are pleased to share some testimonials and success stories from the winter break program, from both student and employers.


Spring Break Job Shadow Program
Looking ahead to Spring Break, L&S Career Services will be conducting a job shadow program at employers such as Covance, Her Exchange, Kohler Arts Center, Rockwell Automation (Human Resources), Teach for America, UW Credit Union, and Wisconsin Trails Magazine.
For more information and to register, contact Greg Iaccarino at gjiaccar@wisc.edu

Meanwhile, please enjoy these testimonials!

RESPONSES TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTION ASKED OF STUDENTS: Do you have a better understanding of the types of jobs at the employers? What did you learn? Were there parts of your visits that you enjoyed very much?

Yes I understood a lot more about how some typical corporate companies work, like Summit Finance, as well as some atypical ones like Direct Supply which has a very relaxed working environment. I also enjoyed visiting the Milwaukee Public Library and the Children’s Museum in Madison as they are so unique

I have a better understanding of the types of jobs at the employers I visited. And I enjoyed most of the parts I visited. I learned that networking is very important, and what the departments do in a non-profit organization.

I learned about two very different aspects of the strategic communications industry. (GRAEF - corporate marketing for a science related company, Starcom - media planning) I enjoyed learning about day-to-day tasks and being able to talk and ask questions one on one.

After visiting Summit Commercial Finance and talking to Jeff Hayes I gained a greater understanding about what it means to work in the sales department of the business. He was very helpful and provided great insight to the various different aspects of the job. Visiting the Madison Children's Museum and talking with Erik made me want to look more into working non-profit organization. I greatly benefitted from both experience and my favorite part of each job shadow was the opportunity to talk to the employers and learn more about what the job entails.

Yes, I learned that when looking for a position I want a more relaxed, youthful environment. I really enjoyed the visit to Coyote (the mayor was even there that day!!).

Yes I enjoyed a presentation at Google about the jobs they have available following graduation and Josh was very helpful explaining careers that would fall into my interests. I also enjoyed the tour of the Google campus because it is a unique work environment that was interesting to experience.

I was really happy to have had the opportunity to network at Coyote because I am very interested in working there. Being able to make connections there and learn about the jobs/culture will greatly help me in the hiring process. I didn't know much about the logistics industry before I got there and I learned a lot. It was a ton of information but it was presented in a thoughtful way that included one-on-one time with current employees out on the floor.

Yes, I have a better understanding of the City Year program and was able to talk with City Year members about the application process as well as life as a teacher and mentor at the school where they worked.

I was able to see what happened every day in a striving dental practice. I was able to see a wide range of procedures,including an implant and a crown preparation. I enjoyed seeing how they interacted with patients.

I just wanted to say thank you for providing me with the resources to partake in a job shadow this winter break. I truly enjoyed the time I spent at Madison No Fear Dentistry. Sometime as a student you can get lost in a textbook and forget why you were inspired to pursue the field you are pursuing. Shadow days like these bring that inspiration back to life and reassure me that a medical field is worth the pursuing.

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RESPONSES TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTION ASKED OF EMPLOYERS: What were some positive aspects about your visits with the students? Did you find your time to be positive and productive with the students? Did you sense that the students felt that they had a quality experience at your organization?

The students were most gracious and interested in the various topics at hand.

They truly appreciated the experience and asked wonderful questions. One of the students hassubsequently contacted me to inquire about volunteer opportunities at the library for the summer time.

Overall it was a very positive experience. I solicited feedback from the students following the event and they said they enjoyed it. There was snowfall the day of our job shadow, so as a result a few of the students were slightly delayed. The students asked good questions and wanted to learn more about our business. A few of the students had majors outside of the scope of what we do (molecular biology and biochemistry). Even those students seemed to enjoy their time here. As long as students understand and accept the experience we intend to provide, I am fine with anyone attending.

My visitors came to my classroom for an entire school day which I believe gave them a more accurate understanding of the Teach for America experience. Staying the whole day allowed me to talk tothem more in depth about my experience and my advice for those interested in teaching.

I think it's great for the students to make connections for their own networking. I also think that visiting Google is naturally fun, given the campus, the lunch, the experience. The four students all seemed to have a fun time here.

The students were very engaged.

I felt that we shared as much as possible, with a busy schedule, and we were very open to questions from the students. I think that the students felt they had a positive experience, but we did not ask that question specifically.

I think reviewing the recruiting deck is a great way to start an open dialogue with the students. I think providing a tour for them also gives them a true sense of our work environment.

I recently transitioned accounts so I got to talk to the shadows about the process of going from one team to another as well as showing them how different the experience at SMG can be from desk to desk. I walked them over what we were currently doing on my account and they got to listen in on a call with our creative agency. It gave them a glimpse of all the different roles we play and people we work at. I hope the students had a good experience. One of them seemed particularly interested in sports and I used to work on a sports desk so I was able to give him some insight there.

Absolutely, both of my students came prepared to ask questions and were really engaged, which was really encouraging for both me, and I assume them.

Overall, we had a nice time hosting UW-Badgers at Starcom. They were kind and respectful in the presentation, large group Q&A and individual shadow time. From the few thank you letters I received, it seemed many of them had a nice time and found the visit informational and exciting.

It was quite interesting to hear the student's perspective on international education, although she was much more aware of exchange on a college level. The experience would have been much more rewarding on both sides had there been other students during the day.

What can I do with an English Degree?

How often do Humanities students hear, “What are you going to do with that after graduation?” People seem to assume that these degrees do not lead to a job, but there ARE opportunities out there for liberal arts students.

It seems to happen all the time that family and friends ask if you’re going to be a teacher. If you’re not, it can get a little annoying that they think there’s only one thing to do with your degree. As an English major, this happens to me constantly. Hearing speculations over and over about the lack of jobs can make the future seem bleak. However, there are actually plenty of options open to you.

Studying English develops very transferable skills. The command of language required is useful in many fields that many students do not immediately think of when considering applying for jobs, such as public relations. It’s also a common undergraduate degree for students applying to law school.

Some of the most popular careers are in publishing. You can be a proofreader, a managing editor, or an editorial assistant at a publishing company. Publishing is a competitive field, so check out summer internships to build up your resume.

The federal government has many positions in communications. Many different departments hire in telecommunications, public affairs, visual information, technical writing and editing, and many other fields. Check out MakingtheDifference.org to find information and resources about jobs and internships in the federal government.

A major incentive for working in government is their student loan repayment funding. Agencies are authorized to help repay up to $10,000 of a loan per year, up to $60,000 total per employee. This program is great for any newly-graduated students.

English as a Second Language (ESL) could be another direction to take your career. You could teach in the United States or abroad, even just for a few years before graduate school or to see the world before pursuing a different career path.

Remember, just because you major in a field of interest doesn’t mean you won’t get a job. Explore career options at our office, and you’ll finally be able to tell your relatives about all the careers that are open to you.

Check out these resources for additional career options and resources:
http://uncw.edu/career/WhatCanIDoWithaMajorIn.html
http://whatcanidowiththismajor.com/major/majors/


Written by Sara Schumacher, a sophomore majoring in English and the Event Planning Intern at L&S Career Services.