NACE (@NACEOrg) - College Hiring Rebounds 13.5 Percent for Class of 2011

This is some potentially good news for our graduating seniors!  As new reports come out through the year, we will be sure to keep you posted!

NACE (@NACEOrg) - College Hiring Rebounds 13.5 Percent for Class of 2011

Welcome Back!

We are already into the fourth day of students returning to classes and there is so much "buzz" around the Career Crossings Office!  We are excited to see the student returning and know that it will be a GREAT year!  Stop by and chat with us if you need help or just want to update us on your summer adventures in internships, job searching, getting ready for graduate school!

We have lots of exciting events coming up including First-Year Outreach, Junior Jumpstart, Senior Start-up, Success After Saint Mary's, ND Fall Career Expo, Junior/Senior Peer Career Support Groups, Hot Topic Tuesdays, Internship Prep Seminar, Collegiate Speaker Series, On-Campus Interviews....and the list goes on!  Lots of exciting events and opportunities for the students to take advantage of!  Check out our full calendar at:  http://www3.saintmarys.edu/career-center/calendar or in Go BELLES:  http://saintmarys.experience.com.

Stop by and see us....attend our programs and events...stay connected!  We look forward to seeing you soon!

Stacie Jeffirs, Director
Career Crossings Office

Majors and Munchies!

What could be better than eating delicious treats while figuring out your future??  We are hosting an Academic Majors Fair where students, especially first and second years are able to ask each of our major departments about their discipline and questions about possible internships and careers.

Now you may be asking yourself, how does this help me figure out my future? 

First-year, this benefits you because you are able to ask professors questions about majors and learn about the professions within it.  By attending this fair, you are one step closer to finding out what your future holds!

Sophomores, pretty soon you will have to decide what major you want to continue in at Saint Mary’s.  Luckily for you, this fair helps you see the classes that each major has and how possible it is to double major or even minor in a department that interests you.

Juniors, it is not too late to add another major or minor!  If you are a student that only has to take the minimum credits for their senior year, why not add a few more classes, add another minor and educate yourself even more.  It is a great option, and by attending the fair you can learn more about the major or minor that would best suit the rest of your time at Saint Mary’s.

Seniors, although it is too late to add another major or minor, you may still need a few more classes to meet your credit requirement for graduation.  By attending the fair, you can learn about different classes to take for fun and to help you in your future career.  It’s your last year at Saint Mary’s, take a few risks and take a class that you find interesting!

We encourage everyone to attend the fair, no matter what year you are.  The Academic Majors Fair benefits all who attends, plus you get free treats!!!

Michelle Hird
CCO Intern Spring 2010

Majoring in Mathematics

What can you do with a degree in Mathematics from Saint Mary's College?  Learn more by reading our monthly spotlight on an academic department:  http://www3.saintmarys.edu/career-center/spotlight. 

Getting Ready for What is Around the Corner

Tis the time of year to be thinking of turkey and being thankful for all of life's many blessings!  As students begin to getting ready to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with their family and friends, it is also a time to begin thinking of what is right around the "college career" corner.  Whether it be finishing up the first semester or getting ready to start the last semester, taking some time to plan your next move might save you from the stress that will come as we enter into the spring semester.

If you are a first year student, now is the time to begin thinking about potential majors, although you do not need to have narrowed it down just yet.  Take some time to explore ALL of the options and possibilities, talk to professionals in the careers that sound most interesting to you, and remember to not limit yourself to just one or two options!

For sophomores, you will be entering a critical time in the next few months....you will be choosing your academic major(s)!  Again, explore ALL of the options, talk to as many advisors as you can regarding the different majors, and choose the major that you feel is the best fit for YOU (not your Aunt Sally, Uncle Bob, mom, dad, brother, the family cat....well, I think you get the picture here)!

For juniors, start to think about what you can be doing to get some experience and develop skills in the professional areas that are most exciting to you.  Participate in internships, consider volunteering, get involved in clubs and organizations, obtain a part-time job....get the experience and gain the skills that will make you marketable when you graduate!

Seniors, perhaps out of all of the students in college you will have a bigger dose of reality than most in the next few months....you will be leaving Saint Mary's and moving into the next stage of your life!  Many of you have already begun the process of job searching, applying to graduate/professional schools, pursuing post-graduate service and volunteering, or exploring other opportunities where your passions are leading you.  For those of you who have not begun the process, now is the time to start!

Eenie-Meenie-Minee-Mo

This is how we often feel when faced with attending a career fair. Who do I talk to? How do I prepare? What do I wear? I know nothing about anyone here!!! So instead of calming ourselves down and thinking through the process, we resort to our playground days and choose our steps like we used to choose our kickball teams: eenie-meenie-minee-mo.

But it doesn't have to be this way! There is a logic to career fairs and how we approach them--using a little more strategy than 3rd grade kickball (which I have no doubt you all chose the best teams)!

#1 Don't randomly pick anything.

Look through the listing of participating companies, find those you are most interested in and read about them on their websites. Learn about what is going on with the company so you know a little more about them before the career fair. Pick out your clothes a few days before, figure out your jewelry, hair, and a professional bag/portfolio you plan to take. You will feel much more prepared if you look and feel confident about your presentation.

#2 Have confidence in TEAM ME (yourself, of course!).

Go into the career fair prepared and knowing that you are a good candidate! Work on your résumé before you go until it is a good, solid and professional representation of yourself of which you can be proud. Think about the experiences you have had throughout your time at Saint Mary's and what you have learned from them so you can convey this to employers. Know you are a great candidate because you are! Have confidence in yourself because employers will be impressed with your accomplishments!

#3 Pick the right "team apparel."

Ok, so you can't actually wear your normal team apparel to the career fair, but "TEAM ME" would recommend wearing a suit. For the traditional and classic look, go for dark suits. Wearing closed-toe shoes are a must and if you plan to wear new shoes--break them in first! Trust me, it will not be any fun if you develop blisters at the fair! Choose a blouse that is conservative, not too low-cut, and appropriate for your suit. Find jewelry that isn't too flashy or will get in the way when you talk or turn your head.

Finally, figure out what you will do with your hair. You do not necessarily need to have it down but it does need to be fixed in some way. You can pull it back into a chignon or nice ponytail but you still need to look professional. Wear make-up but it should not look as if you are going out later that night with your friends. Overall, think about what you would wear to an interview...and you should be all set!

#4 Have your first hitter be the strong one

Approach the employers putting your best foot forward. Have your 30-second commercial ready to go when you approach an employer (more about this in next week's blog).

If you still have questions, visit the CCO open office hours on Tuesday, September 15 from 1-5 pm to have your résumé looked at, your questions answered, and anything else you need to be prepared for the fair!

GO TEAM! :-)

Tricia Dunton, Assistant Director

Career Crossings Office

Saint Mary's College

Summer definitely feels like it is on its way out....

Students have been back to campus for only a week now and it feels like we are already in full swing for the fall semester!  Students are adjusting to their class schedules, making new friends and trying to get readjusted to the rigors of college life.  Summer seems like such a distant memory.  Also, it does not help that the Midwest weather has decided that cooler, fall temperatures are upon us which seems sooner than usual!

But, before the summer gets too far from us and we begin carving pumpkins and turkeys, this is a wonderful time of the year to update your resume with all of your summer activities including internships, jobs, research and related experiences.  When updating your resume, keep the following tips in mind:

Strong content.  Use action verbs, flowing statements, accomplishments and achievements to showcase your experience and talents.  The content is the MOST important part of your resume--make sure that it is well-developed and stands out (in a good way)!

Customized and relevant.  Your resume should be tailored for EACH position that you apply for--NO EXCEPTIONS!  Employers and organizations will stand up and take notice that you have gone the extra mile to make your resume relevant.  This will keep your resume from ending up in the "round file."

Absolutely NO templates.  Use a unique format that is different than everyone else's--do not copy your roommate's resume format!  Get creative and do not be afraid to use appropriate graphics, lines, font types and color.  Brand your other job/internship documents (cover letters, references, etc.) with your resume format as well.

Current and accurate information.  Make sure that your resume is up-to-date with your contact information.  Do not use "inflated" information that does not accurately reflect your experiences.

Review and proof.  Typos and grammar errors on a resume are the absolute kiss of death!  Make sure that you review your resume and have others review it too.  There is no such thing as too many pairs of eyes looking over your resume.

Follow the above suggestions and you are well on your way to having a great resume that will get you to the next step in your search.  Remember that the only winning resume is the one that gets you the interview!

Stacie Jeffirs, Director

Career Crossings Office

Saint Mary's College