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Networking for Beginners

By career

Networking Event

Why should I network? How should I network? How should I prepare for a networking event? If you are currently battling with the job- or internship-search process, it is probable that you have asked yourself at least one of these questions.

Being a student, I find it difficult to prepare for networking events. Without a general push in the right direction, it could be tough to find the motivation to network, so I asked and answered the following questions to get started:

Why should I network?

Networking is a great way to build connections and opportunities. With the job market being as competitive as it is, general career and industry-specific advice from professionals can make all the difference.

How should I network?

  1. Identify opportunities to grow your network such as UVM’s Vermont Career Networking Night, or other networking events.
  2. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are great ways of social networking as well.  Research and follow your preferred employer to keep updated on new trends and events.
  3. On LinkedIn, join professional groups or alumni groups such as University of Vermont Career Connection and University of Vermont Alumni.

How should I prepare for a networking event?

  1. Research the networkers. Look them up on LinkedIn to learn about their career paths.
  2. Research the companies represented at the event.
  3. Come prepared with questions for the networkers.
  4. Make business cards or build your resume. Both of these are great ways to get noticed.

This should get you started!

~Randall, Career Peer Advisor

Job Fair Follow-Up: Insights from an Employer

By career

Randy Blender of Enterprise Holdings

Organization: Enterprise Holdings
Representative: Randi Blender, Talent Acquisition Manager

The Job Fair is over! What do you suggest that students do to follow up?

When I meet someone at the Job Fair, it’s always nice to receive a thank you and see his/her online application.

If a student secures an interview from the Job Fair, what should they do to prepare?

Learn as much as you can about the company, explore their website, connect via LinkedIn to learn more. Get prepared to interview: ensure you have a suit or appropriate outfit and transportation, practice answering interview question and build your confidence. Think, what kind of person does the company want to hire and what are your strengths, why should someone hire you?

What if a student wasn’t able to attend the Job Fair or didn’t connect with a particular recruiter?

Get the list of employers and reach out to employers. From my perspective, if someone didn’t make it and had interest I would think he/she would call or email me, apologizing for missing the fair and express interest in learning more about the opportunity and how to get started with applying.

What do you recommend that students do next to find jobs and explore careers?

Do informational interviews and be prepared with questions. Think of friends’ parents, your own mentors, coaches, and professors. Ask them about job searching and how they landed where they are.  Call a staffing agency, ask them questions about the job market, and ask for a referral. Search Linked In and seek out connections and learn more about career paths and companies.

He Got His Job Through the Job Fair; So Can You!

By career

CED at Job Fair

Guest Blogger: Owen Manahan, ‘10
Job Title: Management Trainee
Employer: Consolidated Electrical Distributors (CED)

1. You got your current job after attending a UVM Job Fair.  What do you do and what do you like about it?

I was hired by Consolidated Electrical Distributors after meeting them at the UVM Spring Job Fair.  CED is one of the largest electrical distributors in the country and is a Fortune 500 Company.  I am currently about halfway through their industry leading management trainee program.  This training program is unique and has offered me the opportunity to learn about every aspect of both CED, and the electrical industry as a whole.  I really enjoy the day-to-day interactions with customers, as well as the in depth views of how such a company works internally. In the past two years I have also had to opportunity to travel extensively for trainings and have met some fantastic people in the process.  It is exciting to know that within just a few years of graduating from UVM I will have the opportunity, and be prepared, to manage a multi-million dollar location.

2.  What did you do to prepare for the Job Fair ahead of time?

Before the career fair I looked up most of the companies that I was interested in online, though I will admit I did not find too much about CED.  We are a privately owned company, so there is not as much information publicly available when compared to other companies of this size.  I also made sure I had my resume ready to go and a few questions prepared to ask.

3.  Why do you think that you stood out to CED as a strong candidate?

I think some qualities that made me stand out to CED were strong communication skills, a sales oriented mindset, and the fact that I wasn’t just looking for any job right out of school.  I was looking for a company that could offer a career.  After the fair I followed up with an email, and was contacted a few days later for an initial phone interview.

4.  What advice do you have for students looking for jobs and internships?

My advice to students heading to a career fair would be to take some time beforehand and look into who is going to be there to talk to.  There are so many different types of businesses represented that it can become a little intimidating trying to find one where you think you will be compatible.  Conversations at fairs are often very brief and surface level, so if you have a little bit of knowledge about a company going into it, you can prepare yourself with questions that will give you a better opportunity to dig deeper into what they are all about in just a short amount of time.  That being said, if you don’t have time to do any background checking, or can’t find the information you are looking for, don’t be put off.  A career fair is the first step in opening a conversation, so don’t hesitate to go up to anybody there and just start talking!

The Spring Job Fair is Wednesday, March 21, 2012, 2-5pm, 4th Floor, Davis Center

See Who’s Coming to the Spring 2012 Job Fair
Job Fair Preparation and Tips

Why Your Major and GPA Shouldn’t Haunt You

By career

Some students may feel that their major and GPA brand them for life. Such fears can be only exacerbated by the recent recession and an uncertain job market. But these two labels are not an undergraduate’s most defining characteristics and putting too much emphasis on them may cause unneeded stress.

Succesful Individuals with Unlikely Majors

Zac Bissonnette, guest writer for the New York Times, gives several great reasons why students shouldn’t let money be the deciding factor in choosing their course of study. Firstly, students are more likely to succeed in their major field if it is something they are passionate about. Secondly, and perhaps most interestingly, research has shown that an individual’s earnings do not significantly differ across majors.

Although it depends on the industry, for many employers, GPA is not nearly as important as something like relevant internships, according to Laura Morsch of CareerBuilder.com. She cites a 2005 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ “which found that 70 percent of hiring managers do not report screening applicants based on their GPA.”

Asleep while studying

Heather Huhman, a writer for the Examiner, explains that a GPA is a fallback for employers looking to pare down the plethora of applications they receive for a job. The solution? Find other ways to set yourself apart from the crowd, such as communicating experiences that exemplify leadership, creativity or entrepreneurship.

~Jarrod

Rebounding from Defeat: A Lesson in Perseverance

By career

Jeremy Lin

Jeremy Lin knows what it’s like to struggle in a job search.  The 23 year-old point guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) was drafted by and then let go from 2 other teams before landing a spot on the New York Knicks roster.  Even then, as a fourth-string point guard on a team of big-name players, his chances of seeing any time on the court were doubtful.  Then, it happened; and he’s been setting records ever since.

Lin’s story has insights to offer beyond how to connect that field goal in the final seconds of a tied game to take home the victory.  His story is transferable to anyone pursuing a job or career path.

This article from Forbes highlights some of the key aspects of Lin’s driving forces that have brought him to where he is now:

1. Believe in yourself when no one else does.
2. Seize the opportunity when it comes up.
3. Your family will always be there for you, so be there for them.
4. Find the system that works for your style.
5. Don’t overlook talent that might exist around you today on your team.
6. People will love you for being an original, not trying to be someone else.
7. Stay humble.
8. When you make others around you look good, they will love you forever.
9. Never forget about the importance of luck or fate in life.
10. Work your butt off.

No matter where you are at in your own career journey, consider these tips as inspirations to push forward toward your dreams.

~Ashley Michelle

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