You should all get to know the faculty and staff of your major. Some of the people you meet could be instrumental to your success. Get to know your professors as well as any administrative staff. Here are a few reasons.

1. Companies have connections with departments of interest.
   Many times companies have a contact with the department who may propose a great networking opportunity for you. So when companies are recruiting the best and brightest students, the department can put you in for it.
2. The faculty can be more helpful to you.
   By making closer ties they may be more accommodating to your needs because they know you. Good friends help each other and it could be the same way in the department of your major. Things that they normally do not do for students may become more of a possibility.
3. They may see your potential.
   Communicating with your professor and staff will give them the best judgment of who you really are. Be bold, exceptional and talk to them about something you found that is related to your major. Have discussions about latest trends. These people could see that you are a bright student and could potentially be a reference for a lifetime.

Get to know the department members of your major. Good things can come out of it. You will always hear that networking is key and this untapped resource is a great place to network.

March 31st, 2009: Student Career Event At Temple University: Breaking Into Marketing Communications

Posted: February 20th, 2009

Attention Philadelphia-Area College Students

The Philly Ad Club Invites You to Attend:
Breaking Into Marketing Communications: What Philadelphia Has to Offer

Two dates/locations to choose from:

•  Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, 1011 Bartley Hall, Villanova University
•  Tuesday, March 31, 2009, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Room 103 Tuttleman Learning Center, Temple University

Temple, March 31, 2009
Moderator- Debbi Calton,WMGK Air Personality.
Panelists:
Adam Baldwin, Account Manager,WMGK
Allison Gregory, Media Planner/Buyer,Harmelin Media
Mike Gillespie,Jr, V.P. Client Services,Gillispie Group Marketing and Advertising
Scott,Tatter, Sr.V.P.,Dir.Public Relations,Levlane Advertising.
Kellie Tulo, Event Sales Manager,Lucky Strike Lounge and Lanes.

TO REGISTER ONLINE CLICK: REGISTER

Directions and Parking for the Temple Event:
The Tuttleman building is located on 13th Street and Montgomery. Parking is available at the corner of 12th and Montgomery ($12 fee). Also, Temple is easily accessible from every regional rail line and the Broad Street subway.

Are you thinking about an internship or job in Marketing Communications? Wondering what your options are? How to get started? What it takes to succeed?
To address these questions and more, the Philly Ad Club is hosting panel discussions at Villanova and Temple Universities, and all Philadelphia-area college students are invited. We’re bringing together professionals representing the many different fields within Marketing Communications—including advertising and public relations, traditional and interactive media, and corporate communication—to share their experience, answer your questions, and provide you with valuable industry contacts.

Sure, times are tough right now. But companies are looking for new talent, and the Philly Ad Club is here to open the doors for you. Plus the Philly region is a great place for students studying advertising, communications, marketing, etc. to start their careers and get ahead. Philly is the 4th largest media market in the country, and the Creative Economy, which includes the Marketing Communications industry, is one of the fastest growing sectors in the Philly region in terms of employment and wages.

So whether your passion is creating ad campaigns, writing, graphic design, planning events, crisis management, web design, or dealing with the media—to name just a few of the options in Marketing Communications—join us March 24 or March 31 for a great evening of advice. And be sure to bring your resume and plan to spend a few minutes after the panel discussion networking with our speakers.

Follow Up Letters (aka Thank You Letters)  are key to a successful interview. I found an article reviewing the guidelines of writing a followup letter from About.com.

Since less than 10% of interviewees ever follow-up with a thank you letter, doing so can help you stand out from the crowd. Here are some tips for writing your thank you letters, as well as links to examples of thank you letters to use as a guide.

How To Write A Thank You Letter

You should plan to send a thank you letter within 24 hours of your interview. While some professions would expect a mailed hard copy, in the technology industry, emailed thank you letters are considered the norm.

When you write your thank you letters, use these guidelines while writing:

• Express Your Enthusiasm: Convey your interest in and enthusiasm for the company and the position for which you interviewed. Try to be specific about why you are interested and how you are a good fit for the team.
• Address Unresolved Points: Address any issues or questions that came up during the interview that you feel you did not fully answer. This letter is your last chance to make a positive impression on the interviewer.
• Personalize It:You will likely be one of many interviewees, so you need to set yourself apart from the other candidates so they will remember you when you leave. In your letter, highlight a key point from your interview that you believe the interviewer will remember, and therefore remember you. Additionally, if you meet with more than one person, consider sending them all thank you letters, each one a bit different; you may not know exactly who in the group will be making the decisions. Getting a business card from each interviewer will help you with names and titles when you sit down to write your thank yous.
• Reiterate Your Expertise: If the company communicated its specific needs, issues or challenges, use your thank-you letter to demonstrate how you can meet those needs.
• Highlight Your Successes: Similarly, if the company communicated its ideal qualifications for a candidate, use your thank-you letter to outline how you meet or exceed those qualifications.
• Proofread, and then Proofread again: Make sure your thank you letter conveys a professional image by ensuring it is free of typos and grammatical errors.

cited: http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/resumesandletters/a/thankyous.htm

Be genuine when composing a follow up letter, especially when dealing with recruiters. Some recruiters may get several follow up letters from many other candidates so you want to stand out.

Sometimes you can use follow up letters to clarify things in your interview. I had an interview that went bad because I was so nervous. But I used the follow up letter to make up for my mistakes. I mentioned that had I not been so nervous you may have seen how much of a hard worker I am. The good news is it worked, and I got another interview that went 100% better. Being genuine is important.

Good Luck!

6 Things I Learned to do BEFORE Graduating

March 3, 2009 by sparktalk 

By Trevor Wilson, Founder
www.gradversity.com

Just before I graduated, it occurred to me that I was not prepared for my job search. It was a terrible feeling. Not only was I unsure about what I wanted to do, but I didn’t really know how to find a full-time job. Looking around, I wasn’t alone. Many of my classmates were in the same situation.

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Not knowing what to do next, I started writing, and I didn’t stop.

I spoke with friends, classmates, recruiters, professors, professionals, and anyone who would listen about my job search. Many had advice, a few had good leads, and almost everyone had a story to share.

So what can you do before you graduate that will help you land a great entry-level job?

1. Get Involved - One of the best ways that you can set yourself apart from all of the other new graduates is to be involved in extra-curricular activities. It can be something as simple as a recreational sports league, or something more complex and time consuming like student government. If you are really ambitious, try to get involved in a diverse range of activities and clubs. This will show your range and depth to any recruiter you come across.

2. Network - At this point, your network will likely consist of family, friends, professors, and potentially some summer job contacts. However, it is never too early to start networking. Colleges and Universities are great places to meet all sorts of people. Most important of all, you will graduate and become part of an extensive alumni network which you should take advantage of at every opportunity. Never stop networking. It’s the best way to advance your career.

3. Visit your Career Center - The staff at your Career Center will be a great source of information in your job search. They will have contacts with companies that conduct on-campus recruiting and may even hold “meet-and-greets” with recruiters. In addition, they will likely run workshops and provide written materials for helping you on your way.

4. Work/Volunteer - When you graduate, you will be applying for jobs and competing against hundreds of other new graduates with the same level of experience as you. If you want to be able to compete on a level above just school and marks, try to build your resume. Summer jobs, part-time jobs and volunteer work are a great way to gain experience before graduation. Not only that, but it shows a recruiter that you are both motivated and can handle the increased pressures of both work and academic life.

5. Clean Up Your Online Image - There have been many stories in the media over the last few months about Facebook profiles landing their owners in hot water. It this digital age, anything that you post online (or is posted about you) can potentially be seen by recruiters. While you are still in school, search through Google and your social networking sites to ensure that any potentially embarrassing pictures or information are not found by an HR manager.

6. Have Fun - Don’t forget, you are only in college for a few years. A “Work Hard, Play Hard” philosophy is the best way to ensure that you don’t regret anything in the future.

Finding your first job is never easy, but with enough patience and persistence, one can be found.

Trevor Wilson is an author and consultant who works with new graduates preparing to enter the workforce. His site, Gradversity.com, provides daily advice on job hunting, networking, and resume writing tailored to the Entry Level Job seeker. His first book, Overcoming Gradversity: How to Break Into the Entry Level Job Market, was published in 2008 and is available now. You can follow him on Twitter at @gradversity or view his LinkedIn profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/trwilson

Philadelphia NonProfit Career Fair

“Jobs and Internships for a brighter future”

Thursday, March 26, 2009
10am-2pm
Villanova University
Jake Nevin Fieldhouse

Opportunities for internships and paid full-time jobs
Information Sessions about working for non-profits
more informaiton at www.idealist.org 

Questions? Contact the Career CenterMitten Hall, Room 220
www.temple.edu/careercenter

Part 6: Going To The Job Fair

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE!!

by KYW’s Hadas Kuznits

College students headed into the job market in this weak economy are facing tough times.

Some students at a recent Temple University job fair were finding out just how tough.

(Kuznits:) “What are you doing to find your dream job?”
(Student:) “Applying, applying, applying!”

But it’s especially difficult in today’s economy:

(Male student:) “The number of spots is limited, so it’s definitely a more competitive atmosphere this year.”

(Female student:) “There’s a lot of people graduating and the jobs are decreasing. That’s the problem!”

(Male student:) “I heard a story of this girl — she got an offer, but before she was able to start they told her that they had no positions available for her, and she lost that offer. So it is tough.”

(Female student:) “It is competitive, so you have to make yourself stand out.”

Graduating students say these days it’s not enough to do well in your classes. Your resume should also reflect extracurricular activities and internships.

(Female student:) “A lot of places have reduced the number of internships available, so the competition is so much more intense.”

Many students are ready to work… but are their expectations too high?

(Female student:) “Salary-wise, just something where I could live. I want to live comfortably.”

(Kuznits:) “What does that mean, ‘comfortably,’ right after school?”

(Female student:) “Comfortably meaning I can maintain my own apartment and maybe get a new car, pay my student loans back.”

(Male student:) “Of course I want the $100,000 bonus and the jet in my driveway, but you’re not gonna get that.”

Corinne Snell (right), with the Fox School of Business at Temple University, says students shouldn’t get too picky:

“We’ve seen probably about a five to six percent decrease in the number of jobs being posted. But considering what’s going on out there, I don’t think a five or six percent decrease is bad at all.”

(Female student:) “I want to have a full-time job before I graduate.”

(Kuznits:) “What if the job doesn’t come along when you want it to?”

(Student:) “I’ll be disappointed but not discouraged.”

Our very own Corinne Snell, Executive Director of the Center for Student Professional Development, was interviewed by KYW about the economy and how it is effecting college students and recent graduates in their career search. Read more about how University Career Centers can help during these touch economic times…

Part 5: The University Career Center
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE!

by KYW’s Hadas Kuznits

What are Delaware Valley universities doing to help students get hired in this weak economy?

Most universities have career service centers. Corinne Snell (right), executive director for the center of professional development at Temple University, says the economy has prompted a little extra traffic these days into her career center:

“I remember the days when I was recruiting, where we could not get candidates fast enough. I would call someone and extend a job offer, and they would tell me, ‘Oh, I just had three offers within the last hour!’ ”

(Kuznits:) “What would you say to students who says, ‘I can’t find a job, it’s hard, I’m never gonna get a job in my degree!’ ”

(Snell:) “I’d say, ‘Well, stop whining’ for starters. And I think they just need to be strategic and proactive.”

Snell says the university hasn’t done anything different, per se, but they are revising some of the old job hunting rules.

But rule #1 remains the same — start your job search early:

“For example, somebody who’s graduating in May of 2009, they should have started their job search back in September. Same thing with interns. If they’re looking for a summer internship, they should be doing that now. And some of the companies actually started recruiting back in November.”

And, Snell adds, don’t expect your dream job right out of college:

“Unfortunately, some students have a very rigid set of expectations of what that first job is going to look like. And this is the market where they need to be a little bit flexible.”

She says students have to network, network, network — on the phone and in person:

“A student who tells me, ‘Well, I applied to two jobs on the Internet last week…’ well, that is not a comprehensive job search.”

And then, know how to sell yourself:

“I go through the individual jobs or job experiences that they’ve had and I say, ‘Tell me what you’ve learned from each of these experiences. Give me one or two words or phrases that tell me what you’ve learned from each of these jobs and how can we apply that to some of the jobs you’re seeking.’ ”

And she says don’t forget to dress appropriately for the interview.

Our very own Corinne Snell, Executive Director of the Center for Student Professional Development, was interviewed by KYW about the economy and how it is effecting college students and recent graduates in their career search. Read more about the grad school dilemma….

Part 1: Graduate School or a Job?
Listen to the Podcast here!

by KYW’s Hadas Kuznits

It’s the grad school dilemma.

In this rough economy, is it best to go out and continue to job-hunt, or should students postpone their entry into the working world by bolstering their studies?

Some undergraduates say they are hungry for that first entry-level job:

“I’m ready to do it, I’m ready to work and have a real career and become part of the adult life.”

But in this economy, they have to work a little harder than in previous years to get offered a position:

“There’s virtually nothing out there!”

And the economy is causing some to contemplate graduate school just for the sake of putting off the job hunt a couple of more years:

“It’s starting to grow on me a little bit as I hear about fewer jobs and fewer jobs and fewer jobs.”

But Corinne Snell (right), executive director of Temple University’s center for professional development, says don’t put off work:

“The work experience is so valuable that a student who goes immediately on to a graduate degree with no work experience in between, that could be problematic.”

(Student:) “If you go straight to grad school without any experience and then you graduate, people have an upper hand on you because they’ve already had internships, they already had some experience, whereas you just went straight to school without having any experience.”

(Snell:) “From my days of recruiting, some of the companies where we were hiring MBAs, if (applicants) did not have 3-5 years of work experience under their belt in addition to that MBA degree, we did not even bring them in for an interview.”

Snell admits that some fields require an advanced degree in order to work:

“Maybe it’s science, psychology, sociology — that might make sense to go on immediately for a graduate degree. But in business, we recommend that hardcore experience.”

But for everyone else, even in this economy, she says it’s better to work where you can — even if it’s part time. And that’s hard for some students to hear:

(Student:) “You can’t lose your spirit, because then you’ll disappear while everyone else is working hard. And I don’t want to disappear.”

FIND THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE!

Executive in Residence, Ralph Avallone, CEO of The Green Energy Council will be on campus talking about:
“Building Green Businesses from the Ground Up and Sustaining Them”, plus…“How to Convert an Existing Business to Green”

Mr. Avallone is the recipient of a number of awards including the 2003 Businessman of the Year, and 2004 American Patriots Gold Medal. He travels the globe promoting education of energy efficiency and renewable energy as an economic recovery engine. He has educated many large corporations and businesses worldwide on how to “green” their practices.

Date: Thursday, March 19, 2009
Time: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Location: Walk Auditorium

Those interested and informed on green jobs are in demand. Attend this session to find out more about how companies are working to making their organizations more sustainable and green.

Robert Dry – Diplomat in Residence for the U.S. Department of State
Thursday, March 19th (11:00am-12:30), Alter Hall, Room 745
Are you interested in learning more about a career in the Foreign Service? The Fox School is excited to host an informative session with Robert Dry. Mr. Dry will be here to speak to students about the Department of State and to get Fox students to think about a career in the Foreign Service. This will also be an opportunity to learn more about the “career tracks” in the government sector and what you can be doing now to prepare yourself. If you have any questions, please contact Megan Rimer mrimer@temple.edu in the CSPD office.