CareerFest seeks students to fill positions
Jessica Paulik
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: News
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CareerFest is an event put on by the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges, which is open only to 34 Ohio independent schools.
Therefore, the employers present Friday want to speak with students specifically from small, specialized schools like Capital. Students who attend larger universities, such as Ohio State, will not be present at the event.
The list of employers ranges from Meijer to the Auditor of State to Verizon Wireless.
The event is designed mostly for Business and Liberal Arts majors; however, there are several employers indifferent to what major the attending students have. All these employers want are students who come from a good school and can problem solve.
Jan Rich, assistant director of Career Development, is part of the steering committee for CareerFest this year. She compiles all the names of students who want to register for the event.
"The employers who come to CareerFest pay a fee to recruit people from small colleges, and that is definitely an advantage for Capital students," Rich said.
Students must be registered the day before the event.
Once registered, Rich suggests a few helpful hints before the big day arrives.
First, read the materials she sent out. Rich emphasized the idea of doing your homework and reading the packets that she e-mailed to registered students.
Next, attendees should prepare a 30 second speech telling who they are and what they are looking for.
"You need to be able to respond to the question 'Tell me a little bit about yourself,'" Rich said.
Also, students can help themselves by going through the list of employers who will be present at the event and deciding who they want to talk to in order to make the most of their time.
"If you are reading this on Thursday, you can still e-mail me to register for CareerFest. Friday morning is too late to sign up," Rich said.
Outside of CareerFest, Rich offered general hints for getting a summer job, internships and full-time employment.
Students have to be willing to put work into looking for a job. The bad economy is going to require more time and effort, Rich commented.
"Even if you can't find a job right away, work on networking for the future," she said.
"If students want to be employed by the time they graduate, they have to network, perfect their resume and figure out what kind of company they want to work for. The more you can narrow your field, the more it will help in finding a job."
Career Development is the department on campus designed especially for helping students find jobs. They offer resume and cover letter help, and assist with job searches.
Their website, capital.edu/careerdevelopment, offers several pamphlets about writing a resume and interview tips.
Rich joked that even something as simple as joining a fraternity can help with your networking.
"As the faculty advisor for Alpha Sigma Phi, I see first hand how students are able to connect and network with the alumni of the organization," Rich said
To those students who are not seniors, she recommends getting experience in the your field of choice through internships or part-time work.
For education and nursing majors, she suggests keeping a contact list of supervisors and of the practicum you work with, because it will be great for creating a resume and having people to contact for job leads.
Rich encourages all students to visit crusadercareers.com, a job board specifically for Capital students.
All students are already registered and simply need their student identification number to log in.
"Employers post jobs on this board because they want a Capital student for the position," Rich said. "It should be the first place Cap students look to find a job."
Students are able to upload their resume and search employers for part-time or full-time jobs and internships as well.
CareerFest is located at the Aladdin Shrine Center, 3850 Stelzer Rd., Columbus, Ohio, near Easton. The event lasts from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
By Jessica Paulik
Editorial staff
jpaulik@capital.edu
Three Career Pitfalls
Odors
You step outside for a quick smoke to calm your nerves, and quickly realize you've now just stunk up the suit you paid $50 to rent. You reach into your messinger bag and pull out that emergency can of Axe Tsunami Deodorant Bodyspray you always carry around. Now you can confidently go to your first interview, knowing that you smell like...well, cigarette smoke laced with Axe Tsunami Deodorant Bodyspray.
Take the advice from Career Services: "Plan your outfit (Hopefully A SUIT!) and make sure it's pressed, odor- (including smoke!) and dirt- free." Also, "less is more" so "take it easy on the makeup, cologne or aftershave and jewelry." And Axe, I might add.
The Handshake
I'll let the preeminent scholar of life's social nuances, Jerry Seinfeld, list everything you can do wrong in a handshake:
"Too strong, too weak, sometimes they give you the three-quarter handshake, just the fingers. Early release, late release, sometimes people will dispute your release. You let go, they're hanging on. I have actually said to people, 'Hey, the handshake is over!' Too many pumps, coming in too high, too sweaty, coming from too far away. Sometimes a guy will give you a strong grip, late release and pull you in for the too close conversation. To him I say, 'That's three strikes, you're out!'"
Seinfeld also gives the model for the perfect handshake:
"Good shake. Perfect shake. Single pump, not too hard, you know, doesn't have to prove anything, but, you know, firm enough to know he was there," Seinfeld said, recalling the time he shook hands with retired ballplayer Keith Hernandez.
Lesson? Just pretend you're Keith Hernandez during your job or internship interview.
Cell phones
Please, make sure they're turned off during your interviews. Nothing is worse than hearing "You're everything we're looking for," only to have your cellphone take its cue and begin to play "Poker Face."
Do use your phone to make a follow-up call to potential employers a week after CareerFest. And by follow-up call, we don't mean accidently drunk-dialing him or her and asking for a weekend hook-up.
Some info courtesy of Career Services and http://www.seinfeldscripts.com
Compiled by Chris Maggio
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