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Establishing Effective Partnerships between Employer Partners and Career Centers Webinar Recap

July 19, 2019 by 0 Comments

by Alison Hogue, University of South Carolina, Darla Moore School of Business

I have had the pleasure of working in career services at the University of South Carolina for nearly eight years.  During that time, I have been an experiential education coordinator for liberal arts majors, a career coach for arts & sciences majors, an employer relationship manager in the fields of engineering and computing, and a senior manager in employer relations for the Darla Moore School of Business.  Each one of these roles has offered unique challenges and opportunities to find new and innovative ways to prepare and connect students to the world of work both during their matriculation and post-graduation.

One of the things that struck me when I started in this field was that my assumptions about the role of career services professionals when I was a student were wrong – our office was designed to act as a resource and a conduit for students and employers to connect, and it was not intended to serve as a placement office.  Unfortunately, there is no magic formula for getting students to utilize these resources.  I have attended numerous events centered on internships and co-ops, career development, HR and recruiting, and university and employer relations.  Each one has provided new insights on emerging trends, programming ideas, or suggestions for improving assessments and interpreting data, but there was a common underlying question that seemed to plague both schools and employers –  what does an effective partnership between an employer and a university look like, and how do you build one?

In the May 16th SoACE webinar entitled Establishing Effective Partnerships between Employer Partners and Career Centers, GM Financial Talent Acquisition Managers, Roderick Hooker and Lori Bambauer, explored this topic in greater detail along with Alicia Smyth, Executive Director of Career Services at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, who shared her insights from a university perspective.

GM Financial’s University Relations team was established in 2015 with an eye toward internship recruiting and building a talent pipeline.  The program later expanded to include recruiting for full-time positions and strengthening involvement in the community.  Roderick provided the example of a successful partnership that he formed with the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), which was close in proximity to one of their Texas locations.  The end goal in this case was to build the sort of relationship where students were actively seeking out and excited about opportunities at GM Financial.  Roderick offered several tips for establishing a new relationship:

  • Sit down with the career services office and map out a strategy.  In this case, UTA suggested that GM Financial would need to attend several events per semester in order to build brand awareness.  Setting this type of meeting early in the year or during the summertime will provide the maximum number of opportunities for employers to engage with students.
  • Start small and build out. In addition to career fairs, Roderick and his team volunteered for existing events where employer assistance was needed.  This included career events such as resume reviews and mock interviews, as well as classroom presentations and student organization engagement.
  • Understand all of the opportunities on campus.  If you are going to a school where career services are decentralized, it helps to understand the relationships that already exist between departments on campus.  In this case, general GM Financial internships were available to many majors, but Roderick also had a particular interest in business students and began attending events for both career services and the business school.
  • Differentiate yourself.  Laurie added that it’s vital for the organization to speak to students about culture and community and purpose.  Why is your organization different and amazing compared to others that recruit on campus?
  • Be patient!  GM Financial’s partnership with UTA was nearly two years in the making.  This is an important point to make when setting expectations – return on investment is not automatic, and it takes time and active involvement in order to build brand recognition on campus.

Alicia Smyth echoed Roderick’s advice in her discussion of a successful partnership she established with Boeing, the #1 private employer for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.  In Alicia’s example, her office already had an existing relationship to Boeing, but it had a lot of room to grow.  Her goal was to get Embry-Riddle included in the top tier of target schools as a part of Boeing’s Engineering Accelerated Hiring Initiative (EAHI) – something which she and others worked closely with Boeing to ultimately accomplish.  Here are some of her tips for strengthening an existing relationship:

  • Get school administration on board with your plans. Help them understand how the employer has contributed the success of students and graduates.
  • Tap into existing alumni at that company you are targeting. In this case, a Boeing Bridge Mentoring Program was instituted in 2015 as a way for Embry-Riddle graduates working at Boeing to mentor students who had an interest in working for the company. This program, now known as the Boeing Co-Pilot Program, is still going strong.
  • Utilize existing interns.  Boeing interns return to campus and serve as brand ambassadors to heighten awareness of opportunities among their peers.
  • Include alumni on industry advisory boards throughout the university.  Involvement in areas outside of career services is key in moving the relationship forward.
  • Host a dedicated day for your employer to connect with students.  In Embry-Riddle’s case, Boeing held a summit in Seattle once per year to include highly engaged Embry-Riddle alumni who work at Boeing, Career Services, Philanthropy, select faculty, and University Administration for many years. This was recently increased to twice per year. Boeing comes to campus to attend the Career Expo in the fall and holds an information session in the spring. This is in addition to scholars and incoming intern luncheons that they host for students, and their involvement with student organizations. They conduct these activities on both the Daytona Beach, FL and Prescott, AZ campuses.

Whether you are starting a new relationship or building on an existing one, it’s important to note that one size does not fit all.  Communication and feedback are key when it comes to creating successful partnerships between universities and employers.  Strategies should be reviewed yearly to refine plans and modify or eliminate the engagements that are not working.

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Alison Hogue serves as the senior manager of employer relations at the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre, her Master of Arts degree in Teaching and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration — all from UofSC.

In her spare time, Hogue has held leadership positions for the Provost’s Advisory Committee for Women’s Issues, the Southeastern Cooperative Education Conference, and the South Carolina Association of Colleges and Employers. She is a certified Global Career Development Facilitator and has taught career readiness courses and public speaking classes for both UofSC and Limestone College.

Advice

A Fist of Fury

May 17, 2019 by 0 Comments

by Danielle Golinski, Elon University

Let’s play a game between you and an imaginary partner. I want you to close your fist as hard as you can in your right hand. Squeeze it. Keep squeezing. Squeeze it even tighter. Your partner’s job is to now try to open your fist in any means possible. You have 45 seconds. Go!

Using your imagination, what do you think would happen? Would your partner use their strength and power to try to open your hand? Would they try to tickle you to see if you would budge? Would they try to claw one finger at a time away from your palm? Would they give up after 15 seconds and realize that it’s impossible and an awkward game?

Now, in this scenario, what is one thing that didn’t happen? What is one thing that may not have come to your mind right away, just like it didn’t come to my mind for the first time that I did this activity with a stranger at a conference. (Yes, it was really awkward!) Did you consider asking the other person to open their hand? Asking for help was something that never even crossed my mind in the heat of the game. Interesting.

Especially in new situations, it is easy to get caught up and maybe a little asking-for-help-shy. We’ve all been there. When starting a new role – job, internship, or a new group project – it’s important to think outside the box, and use your voice to gain clarification, understand instructions better, or to ask for help. It’s okay to ask for help, I promise! Ask for feedback, ask for support, ask early so that you don’t have to re-do a project all over again. Ask your supervisor or manager, ask a colleague, ask a mentor, ask a career advisor, ask a friend.

In closing, think about a specific recent situation where you’ve fought over and over to open up a hypothetical fist. Bring it into focus really clearly. Now, if you are to do this experience again, how could – or can you – open your options, and simply ask for the issue to open its hand. Now, apply it. Make it happen and use your beautiful voice to ask for a bit of help. It’s okay, I promise!

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As the Assistant Director of Career Services for the Love School of Business at Elon University (Elon, North Carolina), Danielle meets with students to support their professional and career goals. She enjoys getting to know students as a well-rounded, talented individuals while exploring their interests, strengths, and values. Danielle collaborates with faculty and staff throughout the business school to provide career-related programs and presentations.

As an advisor she works with students from all majors to help them set and reach their career goals. She supports students through conversations revolving around resume and cover letter development, networking and personal branding, creating strategies for the job and internship search, interview assistance, and professional and dining etiquette.

Outside of Elon, Danielle loves running, teaching group fitness classes, trying new and unique recipes, listening to country music, and spending as much time outside as possible.

Advice

Interviewing with Food! How to Successfully Navigate a Food-Related Interview

March 22, 2019 by 0 Comments

by Danielle Golinski, Elon University

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the final round of the interviewing process with your dream company. You’ve been told that there will be a networking social the evening before the full-day interview and then there will be a sit-down luncheon after the first half of the interviews the following day. “Oh my” you think, “I wasn’t expecting this. I didn’t know that food would be involved with my interviewing experience.” You keep thinking: “What should I expect at the social? What do I order at the lunch? What’s my job when I’m interviewing with a plate of food in front of me? Do I pay?”

When food is a part of the interviewing experience for you, it should be an exciting time! Although it may be a little unfamiliar to you, you need to rely on guts, common sense, and a bit of knowledge in order to make the experience go smoothly. This article from The Muse goes into further detail about interviewing with food in a quite comical – but relatable – manner. At least watch the two minute video at the bottom of the page, you won’t regret it! Below are some basic (but important!) tips that you can apply into any professional interviewing experience that will make you feel like a pro!

Rule 1: It’s not about the food!

Although food may be a part of the process, it is not the focus of the experience. Your energy should be focused on the conversation and your ability to answer the questions thoroughly and clearly. You’ll have to be able to multi-task a bit in regards to eating and talking. This will take some practice, but it is not impossible to master. Remind yourself how excited you are about where you are and keep yourself focused on the goal. Hopefully this is to land an internship or a full-time role!

Rule 2: Use your manners!

Manners are something that should be used every day as it will not only make a good impression on others but it will also make you feel good about yourself. In a professional context the rule remains the same. Holding the door open for another coming in behind you, saying “please”, “thank you”, and “excuse me” cannot be forgotten. If you have food in your mouth and someone asks you a question, please swallow your food in its entirety before speaking (and signal non-verbally by placing a finger to your lips that you have food in your mouth). Sit up straight and place a napkin on your lap in case you have any food droppings. Your napkin will catch any fallings and not your interviewing attire! Keep in mind: people are always watching you so maintain your professional presence, always.

Eating 101: Use your fork and your knife when you have something to cut and don’t rest your dirty utensils on the table – rest them on the plate. Take small bites and chew with your mouth closed. It is recommended that you don’t order anything off of a menu that you haven’t had before. This is not the opportunity to get adventurous with your food choices! If you have dietary restrictions or preferences, please don’t be shy in politely bringing this up. Play it safe and keep it simple. It is recommended to not order a handheld item (i.e. a burger or a wrap) as these can be quite messy and difficult to navigate. Keep in pace with the “host” of the luncheon when eating; this will most likely be a hiring manager or boss. Take pauses between your bites to engage in conversation with those around you. Genuinely thank those that you have lunch with – your peers and upper management.

Payment: The format of the luncheon may vary from opportunity to opportunity. You may find yourself in the company’s café or you may be at a formal restaurant around a white-linen table cloth. As the interviewee, it is not your responsibility to pay for the lunch. Although, good etiquette says to always be prepared (and expect the unexpected). It would not hurt to bring a little bit of cash with you just in case but it is not your obligation to pay for any portion of the meal.

Rule 3: Navigating the Social Networking Event

Keep in mind that although this event may seem a bit more casual, it is still very much an interviewing experience. You’ll have the chance to meet the other individuals interviewing with the company (either for the same position as yours or for another) in addition to management and potentially some of the individuals that you’ll be interviewing with tomorrow. You should use this opportunity to talk with as many people as you can and be your best professional version of yourself. No need to talk about the day tomorrow or practice interviewing questions. Hopefully you’ve done all the interview prep that you have needed to do before this date! Use this chance to find similarities among others and get comfortable in the environment. Get to bed early as you should get mentally ready for a big day tomorrow!

Alcohol: You may find that at professional gatherings alcohol may be a part of the experience. This can be a tricky topic for many students to navigate. A good rule of thumb: If you are 21 years old or older, you may have one alcoholic drink and nurse it throughout the duration of the evening. But, most importantly, you are at a company for an interviewing experience, and that should be your priority. It is not about the food or the drink (see Rule 1)! Drinking can be perceived as a social activity, so if you are concerned with not “fitting in”, feel free to grab a soda (or a water!), add it into a rocks glass with a lime wedge and a swizzle stick. It will allow you to hold onto something and stay hydrated. If you are not 21 years old, you are not legally allowed to drink so please politely decline any offer of alcohol and keep it with the non-alcoholic choices.

Our hope is that with these tips, you’ll feel a bit more comfortable and confident in your interview when food is involved. You’ll be able to focus your attention to the interview, and the conversation and connections that you are making. Food will just happen to be there! “How wonderful!” you think. “I do feel ready for this experience!” What have your experiences been like? We would love to hear!

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As the Assistant Director of Career Services for the Love School of Business at Elon University (Elon, North Carolina), Danielle meets with students to support their professional and career goals. She enjoys getting to know students as a well-rounded, talented individuals while exploring their interests, strengths, and values. Danielle collaborates with faculty and staff throughout the business school to provide career-related programs and presentations.

As an advisor she works with students from all majors to help them set and reach their career goals. She supports students through conversations revolving around resume and cover letter development, networking and personal branding, creating strategies for the job and internship search, interview assistance, and professional and dining etiquette.

Outside of Elon, Danielle loves running, teaching group fitness classes, trying new and unique recipes, listening to country music, and spending as much time outside as possible.

Photo by Sander Dalhuisen on Unsplash