UCSO Global Practice Session August topic: Networking

Brush up on your business etiquette and small talk skills!
Whether you’re just inexperienced or a bit shy, here’s your opportunity to learn or practice your BUSINESS NETWORKING SKILLS in a comfortable environment at the UCSO, where a faux pas won’t cost you a business opportunity!

You’ll interact with business professionals, UCSO staff, and students from a variety of backgrounds to help you develop your skills at small talk and getting acquainted in global business situations. What do you say to a potential employer? How do you interact with a coworker from a different country? How do you juggle a plate of hors de oeuvres and manage to converse in a business situation?

This practice session is OPEN to ALL STUDENTS of ALL SKILL LEVELS who will be seeking employment in the global business world in the next year or two or three; this session is for YOU! Come see for yourself what you can gain from a Global Practice Session - we’ll be meeting in the KSB UCSO lunchroom-P100 on Thursday, August 30 from 6 – 8 pm. Appetizers will be provided. No RSVP required for the August session.

Sponsored by the Chinese Business Association

Fall semester starts off with a bang...

...and you can’t afford to miss these events! Coming at you beginning THIS Friday is the first of many important dates that will be critical to your future job search.

On-campus Interviews
Friday, August 31: Resume drops begin for "preference list" consideration. Use the Career Street Journal listings to participate.
Friday, September 14: Bidding begins for the first week of on-campus interviews.
Week of September 24: On-campus interviews begin.

If you’re interested in firms that are scheduled to interview first, be sure to update your Registration Information and upload your newly updated resume to the UCSO system by Friday, August 31 so you can begin submitting your resume for preference list consideration.

For a comprehensive list of campus recruiting activity and important dates this fall, please use the “Companies on Campus” and “Important Deadlines” links on the UCSO Student Page.

NOTE: If you have decided to accept an offer of full-time employment (most likely from your summer internship), you should not participate in on-campus recruiting and should report the details to us as soon as possible. We’ve established guidelines for employers about early offers, but please come see us if you have any questions.

Workshops
We have many valuable workshops planned with topics that include leveraging social media, career fair and interview preparation, and how to apply for on-campus jobs. Check out the student Event Calendar for details on these workshops as well as others that may be relevant to you.

Career Fairs
New this year...our spectacular Career Fairs are being held at the Bloomington Convention Center! Get ready by checking all the details online.

Company Presentations
Due to the Hodge Hall construction, space for companies to offer general information and night before presentations is extremely limited. You will find that many such presentations will be hosted off-campus or elsewhere around campus, so plan accordingly for these networking opportunities. Check the Presentation Schedule for details.

For questions, please come and see us at the UCSO Help Desk in P100 or email us.

Career Coach's Comments

by Mike Lavender, UCSO Career Coach

Welcome back! Summer break is over. Your internship was great (or not). You had a fantastic summer job or academic adventure (or not). Or perhaps you don’t have a clue as to how to move forward with your career goals. Whatever your situation might be, it may be time for you to meet face to face with a Career Coach at the UCSO

My name is Mike Lavender and I am a Career Coach at the Kelley School of Business. I want to share with you a few brief comments about your opportunities to meet one on one with a Coach to assist you achieve your career goals.

What can you expect from a Career Coach? We won’t guarantee you an internship or full time job, but we will help you utilize the tools to make it happen through a one on one session. Examples of subjects covered in a typical meeting are:

• Reviewiew resume for content and format
• Setting specific, achievable career goals
• Identifying target industries and positions
• Preparing you for interviews
• Assisting you in understanding the bid process
• Accepting/Rejecting Offers
• Networking & Career Fairs

You can make an appointment at your convenience online through the UCSO web site. During the fall semester, career coach appointments are available from 10am until 7pm Monday – Thursday and 10am until 4pm on Fridays. Appointments last for 30 minutes.

NOTE: From now until August 29, you may email or drop your resume at the UCSO Help desk for a RESUME EXPRESS review. You are guaranteed a 48 hour turn around with comments on your resume after being reviewed by a UCSO Student Services team member.

If you have a quick question or are having difficulty making an on line appointment, stop by the UCSO help desk in room P100 for assistance from our help desk staff. Help desk Hours are 8am–8pm Monday-Thursday and 8am–5pm on Fridays.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me with “Career Coach” in the subject line.

Hello Students and Welcome Back!

With fall semester classes now underway, we want to make you aware of a few items that will help you get things off to a good start.

Important Notices for New and Returning Students
Successfully using the UCSO entails more than just updating/uploading your resume(s). Please be sure to review the Important Notices: New and Returning Students section of the UCSO Policies and Definitions manual for details on first steps.

Staying Informed
If you haven’t already, subscribe to our blog (by clicking the box to the right) to receive notifications of new posts so you don’t miss all the great things we have coming up! And don't forget to Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter so you can receive timely information about upcoming events, which companies have submitted preference lists, and other information relevant to your internship or job search.

Also, it will serve you well to get familiar with the UCSO website. The Student page features important "Announcements" as well as the "Event Calendar".

Career Coaching
If you have any questions about your internship or full-time job search, make a career coach appointment using our online system. Got a quick question? Drop by the Help Desk in P100...we are always happy to help!

Top Ten Tips for College Students- Creating Goals and Objectives for a Successful Year

Fall classes are but a few days away from starting and you may be thinking about creating some goals and objectives for your academic year. Here are ten tips for setting goals as college students. You can read more detail about each tip at Top Ten Tips for College Students.

1. Create a list of personal and professional goals and objectives
2. Seek to understand your individual personality, values, interests, and skills
3. Do your research- career options, internship/job opportunities
4. Create/Polish your resume and cover letter- you’re going to need them!
5. Develop a professional network
6. Conduct informational interviews
7. Seek a summer 2013 internship (that process starts now!)
8. Consider volunteering
9. Participate in a club or activity on campus
10. Get to know your faculty

What has impressed you most about working for this company?

by Mabel Shiu

Overall, I was very impressed with Cardinal Health's investment in every employee's continual development. Whether you held an entry level position or led a department, opportunities to develop skills and training were available and encouraged. Some opportunities I learned about this summer included the Toastmasters club, various leadership tracks (i.e. EMERGE and LEAD), high level workshops (i.e. Lean Six Sigma), comprehensive performance reviews, and many ERG (Employee Resource Groups) sponsored events.

On the same note, I was impressed with Cardinal Health's attitude toward industry changes. Mike Kaufman, the CFO of Cardinal Health's pharmaceutical segment, has witnessed many transitions during his time with Cardinal Health. When he spoke to our intern class, in addition to role modeling genuine leadership, Kaufman challenged us to not be afraid of change and even to embrace relocation/lateral moves to gain more experiences. Seizing career opportunities and being open to change was definitely the most reoccurring piece of advice from our Executive Speakers.

* The views expressed in this blog post are those of an intern and does not necessarily represent Cardinal Health.