Employer Relations

ER Summit Updates - Professional Development

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About The Upcoming Employer Relations Summit

April 20, 2018 by 0 Comments

by Dia Buchanan, Belmont University, SoACE ER Summit Co-Chair

Join the conversation with the Employer Relations Knowledge Group and others at the Annual SoACE Employer Relations Summit on June 20-22, 2018! Our mission is to present a program that helps employer relations professionals invest in networking, accelerate learning and drive home results from the beautiful city of Charlotte.

Who doesn’t like professional development? Take registration off of your to-do list. Don’t delay, members and non-members can register today. The Summit will be held at the Sheraton Charlotte Hotel. The hotel is ideally located in Uptown, near many dining, shopping, and entertainment options. Below are details to encourage your participation:

CONFERENCE WELCOME:

On Wednesday, we will open our Summit with a welcome from Charlotte’s workforce aligner and convener. Charlotte Works is providing opportunities that prepare people for education and available careers while connecting businesses to skilled workers within the region.

ROUNDTABLES:

During these mini-networking sessions, participants will dip quickly into topics in an open environment for idea sharing, benchmarking and guided discussions. Hosts are prepared to facilitate and provide expert opinions on these topics:

  • Academic Partner Collaboration, University of Tennessee, Danny Pape
  • Cut it – What would you do instead?, UNC Charlotte, Partick Madsen
  • Diversifying your Employer Base, University of Tennessee, Mary Beth Browder
  • Driving Better Results, Vanderbilt University, Jennie Marchal
  • Embedding Employer Relations into the Curriculum, Clayton State University, Charles Howard
  • Employer Advisory Boards, Virginia Tech, Jim Henderson
  • Fun with Fairs, Clemson University, Lisa Bundrick
  • Incorporating Inclusion & Equity Practices into Strategy, University of Georgia, Kelvin Rutledge
  • Partnerships that Produce, Birmingham Business Alliance, Brittney Smith
  • Services and Development, Oklahoma State University Career Services, Roberta Douglas and Kelsie Miner
  • Student Peers as Paraprofessionals, Belmont University, Dia Buchanan

KEYNOTE:

We are pleased to welcome Raven Solomon as our Keynote speaker on Thursday. She will share her powerful story and unique presentation related to the conference theme: Invest. Accelerate. Drive.

EMPLOYER PANEL:

Lunch on Thursday includes a panel discussion with recruiters and human resource professionals within top industries.

AvidXchange

Why AvidXchange? By trade we are a technology company, but if you ask anyone that works here they’ll tell you we are a people company. We pride ourselves on creating a work environment that facilitates personal growth, inspires innovation, and results in the leading payment automation solution for the mid-market.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power holding companies in the United States, supplying and delivering electricity to approximately 7.4 million U.S. customers. We have approximately 52,700 megawatts of electric generating capacity in the Carolinas, the Midwest and Florida – and natural gas distribution services serving more than 1.5 million customers in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and the Carolinas. Our commercial business owns and operates diverse power generation assets in North America, including a portfolio of renewable energy assets.

Red Ventures

Red Ventures is a leading digital consumer choice platform based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Through deeply integrated brand partnerships and consumer-facing assets, Red Ventures connects online customers with products and services across high-growth industries including home services, financial services, and healthcare. Founded in 2000, Red Ventures has more than 3,600 employees in offices across the US, in London, UK, and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS:

Session One Options:

Thank you! An Innovative Event to Appreciate our Employer Partners
Erin Stapleton, Kennesaw State University
Learn about one event to show employers appreciation for recruiting students at your school.

Collaboration on a Decentralized Campus
Alison Hogue, University of South Carolina
Explore tips and strategies for best practices in building campus partnerships, and synthesize them for use on their own campuses.

Session Two Options:

Diversity Matters: Building Professional and Career Relationships
Dana Hutchens and Lori Sykes, Wake Forest University
Learn how to create a program that connects organizations seeking diverse applicants with students from a variety of backgrounds.

Go to Market: Leveraging Alumni for Employer Relations Success
Jamie Stamey, Davidson College
Learn how to leverage relationships with on-campus partners to deepen alumni engagement.

Session Three Options:

Transformational Field Trips: How to Launch & Build a Career Treks Program
Jessie Simonik, UNC Charlotte
Learn best practices for building a Treks program on a college campus

From the Front Lines: Employers Hiring Priorities, Preferences and Prerequisites
Emily Lawson, American Staffing Association
Learn checklist of the things that top hiring managers look for to find top talent

SITE VISIT:

Belk, Inc

On Friday we will visit Belk, Inc., a private department store company based in Charlotte, N.C.. It is where Southern customers shop for their perfect Sunday dress, the Saturday night outfit, and where family and community matter most. But Belk is more than shopping – it’s where you find your own unique way to express who you are. It’s where Southern style lives.

At Belk they believe that Southern isn’t just a place, it’s an attitude, a state of mind and a way of doing business that has made our company and associates so successful over the years. It´s what makes them unique; it´s what makes them Belk.

Above all else, there you’ll find opportunities to make huge impact. It´s the result of dynamic initiatives, financial and structural support, and strong investments in the areas that are taking Belk to new heights.

OPTIONAL EVENTS:

Form new relationships and strengthen existing ones through networking at our optional events. We will begin our experience with a pre-conference tour of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. On Thursday evening we will connect and mingle over food, music and drinks at Flight.

Invest in yourself and drive (or fly) to the SoACE ER Summit 2018. We look forward to seeing you in Charlotte! Questions? Reach out to the Summit Committee Co-Chairs Bethany Ferrall or Dia Buchanan.

__________

Dia Buchanan is the Recruitment Coordinator in the Office of Career & Professional Development at Belmont University. She presently serves within SoACE as co-chair of the Employer Relations Summit and Assistant Program Coordinator of Tweet Chats and Social Media for the Employer Relations Knowledge Group (ERKG). Connect with her on LinkedIn for collaboration.

 

 

 

Best Practices - Hot Topics - Jobs

Employer Vetting: Identifying Fraud and Educating Students

March 23, 2018 by 0 Comments

by Dia Buchanan, Belmont University

Meet Kerry – a 20-year-old college sophomore nursing major at a local institution. Kerry is a first-generation college student, eager to move into off-campus housing at the start of her junior year. In order to do that, Keri must find a part-time job to begin saving money. Kerry qualified for federal work study, however all the on-campus jobs are filled. A friend suggests that Kerry search the online job board of University Career Services for a position. She finds an opportunity that seems ‘too good to be true’, and that it is!

At the request of the employer, Kerry provides confidential personal information which results in a large withdrawal and loss of funds from her bank account. Devastated by this outcome, Kerry contacts University Career Services to investigate this listing and educate herself on fraudulent postings.

Fraudulent postings are a significant problem at universities of all types, sizes, and locations. While we would like to believe that all contacts made with our career centers are legitimate and trustworthy, this simply is not the case.

Due to the increasing number of fraudulent positions, phishing scams, and questionable employment opportunities; it’s extremely important to properly review positions that are sent to us.

Preventing Fraudulent Activity

  • Create detailed Job Posting/Recruiting Policy that verifies required information and types of opportunities not posted.
  • Have multiple staff within office check the posting. (i.e. Student Assistant and FT Staff)
  • Make employer vetting the priority
  • Require Complete Company Information
    • Valid website, commercial address, email with domain name, working phone number
    • Look for the geolocation to match, verify commercial address, validate website
    • Check company website to locate email domain
    • Search for companies on CareerShift
  • Require Complete Contact Information
    • First and Last Name- No generic name ( i.e. Recruitment Team)
      • Use LinkedIn to verify Contact
      • No Personal Email addresses (Gmail, yahoo, outlook)
  • Require Complete Job Profiles
    • Consider making required fields in the job description
  • Investigate Spam Reports

Educating Students on Fraudulent Postings

  • Be concise with wording to students
  • Ask students to sign agreement or ‘terms of use’ before using career services management system
  • Provide access to “Common SCAM Content” and “Protecting yourself from Fraud” documents via website
  • Put notification on website and in policies and procedures
  • Host Employer Panel or Workshop that discusses appropriate ways to job search
  • Have Coaches/Counselors mention tips in one on one appointments
  • Communicate policy and educate faculty via newsletter
  • Work with international students to educate this population/incorporate into OPT/OPT workshop
  • Partner with Faculty and include content in presentations in the classes
  • Create Marketing campaign around Preventing Fraud
    • Include a “Tip of the Day” on Social Media
    • Display poster outside of Career Services office
    • Post article in school newspaper on fraud jobs
    • Create Podcast on dangers of fraud jobs

Follow-up and Follow Through

If a Fraud Position is approved and posted…follow these suggestions

  • Communicate via phone or in person with the informant
  • Close the Job. Remove listing from website or system
  • Maintain database of known scams; do a regular check/swipe within Career Services system
  • Contact the legitimate company so they are able to inform their partners
    • Example- Biogen- Victim Employer of Fraud
  • Send note to career colleagues, consortium members, LinkedIn/NACE message boards and listservs
  • Notify the Following:
    • All students who viewed the job as well as the searchable student database
    • (Send an email to) career colleagues, consortium members, LinkedIn/NACE message boards and listservs
    • Campus police and/or legal if they would like to be involved
    • Job board software provider (e.g.,Handshake, GradLeaders, Symplicity, etc.)

 

Talk it over:

  • Does your institution have a standard posting policy?
  • What proactive (not reactive) steps is your team taking to prevent fraud activity?
  • Are you currently communicating best practices with students?
  • What suggestions can you take from this article and implement today?

__________

This article was adapted from a 2017 Employer Relations Summit session created and presented by Dia Buchanan. Recognition and kudos are given to Summit participants that provided suggestions, content and feedback. See what great resources, knowledge and professional development opportunities are gained at our annual Employer Relations Summit? Register today (hyperlink: http://www.soace.org/employer-relations-summit) for this year’s event.

ER Summit Updates - Professional Development - SoACE Updates

2018 SoACE Employer Relations Summit

February 7, 2018 by 0 Comments
Read More

‘The third time is a charm’ … and the fourth? … Well, you will have to see for yourself! The fourth annual SoACE Employer Relations Summit will be held Wednesday, June 20 – Friday, June 22. There are so many great reasons you should attend. We have listed the top 3 here.

LOCATION:

Being in a new space can spark innovation and encourage us to think outside the box to grow the services we offer. This year the event will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Charlotte is where I have wanted to be since I was little and where I have called home for the past 10 ½ years. The Queen City is constantly growing and something for everyone and plenty to explore. It is such a welcoming and diverse city where you will most certainly never be bored. We may be the biggest city in the state, but still know the value of good, old-fashioned Southern hospitality!

Carrie Gray, Red Ventures
Employer, 2018 Summit Committee Member

 

NETWORKING:

During the Summit, you will be able to form new relationships and strengthen existing ones. With the narrowed topic of ‘Employer Relations’, you are able to regain focus through connection with colleagues.  Individuals from varying degrees, backgrounds and years of experience will attend this event. Our schedule allows you to share space with peers and make new connections. You may even find your next mentor, mentee or future boss!

Last June a few of my colleagues attended the SoACE Employer Relations Summit. Upon their arrival back to the office, I saw each face energized, as they shared all the knowledge and great takeaways they learned from the conference. I, however, was attending a separate conference and was not able to attend last year’s sessions. Nevertheless, motivated by the words and testimonials of my coworkers I decided that this year, in 2018 I would attend my first Employer Relations summit.

I’m excited to be a first-time attendee and learn from my professional peers about best practices within Career Services, especially how to develop stronger employer relations on college campuses. It is always invigorating attending sessions, networking with colleagues and just having an overall great time.

As a member of NACE, SoACE, and FloridaACE I’ve had the liberty of attending all conferences and by far have loved SoACE & FloridaACE. So I am really looking forward to the SoACE Employer Relations summit in Charlotte, NC.

Carmen Carter, First Time Attendee, 2018 Summit Committee Member
Florida International University

LEARNING & INSPIRATION:

Learn and sharpen your skills within Employer Relations. The Summit offers unique learning opportunities for representatives from institutions of all organization and size.

Breakout sessions and networking roundtables will center on our theme ‘Invest. Accelerate. Drive.’ Topics will relate to Best Practices; Technology and Data Analytics; and Partnerships: Student, Faculty, Alumni. The sessions will offer an in-depth exploration of key topics. Attendees are encouraged to actively participate through group work, development of plans, or other relevant tangible takeaways. Roundtables allow participants to dip quickly into topics in an open environment for idea sharing, bench marking and guided discussion. Have an idea or topic you’d like to share? The call for proposals is currently open. Submit your ideas today.

The SoACE ER Summit is a great opportunity to network with and learn from employer relations professionals. The 2017 Summit in Nashville was extremely helpful! I took away unique programming ideas and employer development strategies that I have since implemented on my own campus and that have helped to enhance and streamline our offerings and processes.

Jill Boatright, 2017 Summit Chair
Loyola University New Orleans

Our keynote speaker for the event will be Raven Solomon. Her speaking style is moving, provoking, amusing, and inspiring!  The Charlotte, NC native defied the odds, overcoming poverty, bullying, battles with anxiety and devastating loss to become Valedictorian of NC State University and later a corporate executive at Frito Lay.  It’s in those moments of tragedy, triumph and loss that her character was shaped & her tenacity was fueled which ultimately led her to establish an inspirational platform as a speaker and corporate coach. Raven is very excited to partner with SoACE and deliver a message of motivation and empowerment that spurs action that drives results!

Invest in yourself and drive (or fly) to the SoACE ER Summit 2018. We look forward to seeing you in Charlotte! Questions? Reach out to the Summit Committee Co-Chairs Bethany Ferrall or Dia Buchanan.

__________

Dia Buchanan is the Recruitment Coordinator in the Office of Career & Professional Development at Belmont University. She presently serves within SoACE as co-chair of the Employer Relations Summit and Assistant Program Coordinator of Tweet Chats and Social Media for the Employer Relations Knowledge Group (ERKG). Connect with her on LinkedIn for collaboration.