Category: Job Fairs

The Career Center!

The Career Center!

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Hi there! Today I wanted to share with you a resource on campus that I’ve found so useful in the last couple of months and this is the Career Center!

The Career Center is probably one of the most useful resources you could find on campus! This is the one stop destination to help you figure out what you want to study, where you want to work, how to create the perfect resume and even how to successfully interview for a job!

I’ve used the Career center for pretty much all of the above, and I can definitely say that I have gotten so much out of these services. Not only do I feel more confident in my ability to successfully navigate a career fair and interview, but also know that my resume is pretty awesome! (Both of which, are a GREAT feeling- trust me!)

For all of you out there, who have never ventured to a career center, and may think that this place has nothing to offer you, I recommend that you take a trip to this wonderful place 🙂 I promise you will leave with a few tips and tricks that will make you a successful student and job applicant!

 

Til next time,

Foram

September’s Business Career Fair

September’s Business Career Fair

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Only a week ago during work did I realize that I never wrote a blog about the Business Career Fair that I attended back at the end of September. Even though it was almost a month ago, I still think it is important that I write about it to emphasize the importance of going to these fairs.

I can truly say that this Career Fair was worth going to because whether it opens doors to job or internship opportunities or not, it is a necessary experience to get a small glance into what is to come in your near future. I met many different employers dealing with a range of different business occupations, collected a lot of pamphlets of information and passed out over half of my resumes. For several companies that grabbed my attention, I also managed to speak with a representative, which in a way felt like a miniature interview. I treated it as my first impression with the company and used it as practice for what I would say in a real interview.

Because I am an Information Systems major, the companies that had Information Systems in their target majors on RamblerLink were the ones I focused on approaching. These included WMS Gaming, Discover, Reyes Holdings, and Robert Bosch Tool Corporation. These four were some of my favorite companies that I spoke with and they caught my attention most. I got most in depth with these companies and they will be some of my top choices to research and apply to in the next month or so.

I was at the Career Fair for at least an hour and a half, which is about the perfect amount of time to attend and really get the most out of your visit. It should give you plenty of time to speak with several people, take a look at all the companies you want check out and hand out your resume to some of those companies.

As a side note, before going to the Career Fair, I made a note of all the companies that were related to my major so that I wasn’t walking around aimlessly; this helped incredibly when I was there because I knew exactly who I needed to talk to so I didn’t waste time talking to companies that had nothing to do with my major.

Overall, I really enjoyed going to the Career Fair because it gave me a good starting base for job-hunting, which I began a few days ago. I went onto RamblerLink and knew exactly who I wanted to look up first, something that wouldn’t have happened had I not attended the fair. I am now slowly beginning to apply to more and more places every day, and I’m glad the Career Fair gave me my kick-start.

Looking for a Job or Internship?

Looking for a Job or Internship?

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Earlier this week, I braved the snowstorm to attend the well-anticipated Career Fair. I wasn’t there for long, so I only spoke with several companies.

The main companies I was looking to speak to were Deloitte and Epic, which I got the chance to do. Both companies were more interested in students that were graduating to hire full time, so my conversations were rather short. I gave them my resume and got a bit of information, and went on.

Since my Career Fair experience wasn’t as productive as I was hoping, this blog will be about general job resources instead of focused on only the Career Fair. So for those of you searching for a job or internship now, or will be looking in the future, here are my top resources:

  1. RamblerLink– I go on the RamblerLink website many times a week, sometimes even multiple times a day to see what updated jobs and internships they have. I search all of the different options, not just those that fit my description. It was through RamblerLink that I applied for The Power Company, and I got the job. Even though the company was listed under summer positions, I got a call back within a week and I got the job within two. It’s not always easy to get a job through RamblerLink, but if you keep applying and practicing and taking every opportunity you find, your chances increase greatly.
  2. Word-of-mouth (and sight)- If you hear that a place is hiring, or see that they are hiring (i.e. signs, advertisements), apply if you are interested. Applying everywhere is a great idea, but chances are higher that you’ll get a job at a place you know is actually hiring- you may save yourself time by applying later if you are still interested when they are hiring.
  3. Online- Searching online, whether on job websites such as Internships.com or Craigslist, or direct company websites such as wholefoods.com, is a great way to apply to places. Some companies have exact open positions listed on their websites, which makes your search easier. Be cautious about job websites though. Websites like Craigslist may be great for jobs, but they could also turn out very negatively. Apply at your own risk, and try to apply only to those that have as much detailed information (at least a company name and job description) as possible. Don’t apply somewhere just because they say “Hiring! $1000 a Week!”. Don’t do it.
  4. In person- This is where the Career Fair comes in. Applying or giving someone your resume in person may give you the opportunity to pick apart their brain and get some useful insight. Whether this gives you a better chance at getting a job depends on each individual interviewer and company, but these can be great opportunities to make connections. Sometimes in these cases, you can even get interviewed on the spot.

Using these techniques is a good idea, but take them a step further by using multiple at once. You don’t have to apply just online, by word of mouth, or just on RamblerLink. Use any combination of these techniques, and use as many as you can and want.

Informations Systems, Here I Come

Informations Systems, Here I Come

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Welcome to the middle of Week Four everyone! Week Three was a good one, even with the weather changes. Though it’s cold once again, I highly enjoyed breaking out my fall jacket last Tuesday for at least a few hours.

This week’s Tuesday was a chilly one, as has been the rest of the week, and right now there is snow all over the ground (not to mention slush). If it doesn’t all melt by Saturday, I’m hoping to go sledding with my best friend this weekend.

Last week, I didn’t post any blogs, so I’ll dedicate this blog to cover Week Three:

The most interesting moment of last week that stands out in my head is last Thursday when my INFS 247 class had a guest speaker come in. She was an Information Systems major when she graduated from Loyola, and she spoke to us about where she is in her career now and what brought her there, etc.

After hearing her speak, I did some research on the IS major and a career path after graduation, and I am beginning to seriously consider becoming an Information Systems major because it is not too late for me to change. Several general things I liked from what she said and realizations I came to are:

  1. She gets to travel with her job- I’ve always wanted to have the opportunity to travel, especially during my young years when I’m not settled down yet, but officially an adult at the same time. Having the opportunity to temporarily live in other states yet know my home is still Chicago would be amazing.
  2. My current job in the Undergraduate Admissions Office is direct work experience with Information Systems. Any work experience is always a plus, but my current job is very applicable to my potential future IS career because I have an equal balance of dealing with Information Technology and entering data into a database, and interacting with people such as visitors.
  3. Most importantly, the more I learn about Information Systems, the more the pieces seem to come together in my mind. I enjoy reading my class chapters and doing my Excel assignments, I’m a good problem solver, and I like being logical and using math; according to what my professor, Professor Nenad Jukic, said on Tuesday in class, having these kinds of passions are not only what make IS majors successful in the field, but happy in it as well.

My next steps now are to research some companies looking to hire workers and interns, and to attend the Spring Career Fair on Tuesday, February 26. I’m so excited that I’m finally putting together a plan for my future!

SoC Career Fair

SoC Career Fair

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Tonight I attended the School of Communication Career Fair. I was attending the fair for two reasons: I was hoping to make some good connections for a potential job, but I also have an article to write which involved interviewing the employers and recruiters.  I think this added some pressure on my end to conduct a competent interview and then weave the conversation around to my interest in their open positions.

SoC offered a career week with workshops to prepare students for tonight’s event, including resume writing tips and even career fashion advice.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend these events, but I did take the initiative to spruce up my resume and cover letter.

I was pretty nervous to attend the fair, but after meeting with a couple of the employers, it was a lot more relaxed than I had anticipated.  There was also a wide range of employers.  There were several marketing and public relations firms, and some what I would call non-traditional communication career options, such as DJ’s.

Students were also given the chance to raffle a copy of their resume to get an interview with Groupon.  Last year’s winner was actually hired for the position!  Talking to these employers, I learned that many had hired Loyola students for intern positions and even jobs.

It was great to hear the positive feedback that these employers had to say about Loyola’s reputation and the qualifications  of Loyola students.

I’m hoping to hear back and follow up with some of these employers soon.

This was SoC’s largest career fair to date!