Hungry for Careers?

I enjoy stopping at tables of employers hungry to hire bright UCSB students. Besides the free pens, mugs and Frisbees, one often discovers that you are speaking with a fellow Gaucho now on the other side helping out those who want to follow in their footsteps.

In this digital day of on-line applications, it’s nice to connect a personal face with an organization, and feel encouraged that maybe you too could find a corporate home beyond UCSB. While the information overload can be overwhelming, at least there is hope of what next steps are needed to get a foot in the door. This year’s fall fair will host almost 60 different companies ranging from Amgen to Enterprise Rent-A Car or Verizon Wireless to Peace Corps and Teach for America. Twenty-four companies offer internship programs, the single best way to test drive a career and prove yourself worthy of an offer upon graduation. This is exactly what happened to Sherrie Robert, a recent UCSB business economics graduate. She discovered Northwestern Mutual Financial Network’s internship program at last year’s event, and now works for them full time. She enjoys developing her own business while meeting a variety of people helping them with their financial future plans.

Students are encouraged to strike while the iron is hot, and follow up with thank you messages for shared information and a reminder that they intend to follow company recruiter’s advice and apply. An employer seeing so many of you at these types of events really appreciates it when your email note reminds them of that particular hat you wore that day, or a shared hobby you discussed. An example, “I’m the senior that is a passionate bicyclist that went across country to raise funds for cancer.” Re-introduce yourself so they can better remember you. You might even direct them to your Linked In profile. What’s Linked In, you ask? Come to our workshop on Monday, October 26 from 4 to 5 p.m. at Career Services, Room 1109 and find out. Similar to Facebook, this social on-line networking site can do wonders for your job search.

For those of you not exactly thinking retail management, financial services, and/or research or technical type employment fits your particular background or career interests, don’t despair. Career Fairs typically represent larger employers from these types of industries that are drumming up business for their upcoming information sessions can campus interviews. Another tip that might prove useful is to get involved with one of our many on-campus career organizations such as the American Advertising Federation, Finance Connection, Gaucho Toastmasters, Human Resource Student Association, Society of Women Engineers, Student Entrepreneurs, or the Film Studio, to name a few.

Most bring in outside professional speakers to share insights to the field and provide access to internships and networks that make it easier to transition to a job. Students can Google UCSB Office of Student Life (OSL) and identify those of most interest. Most of our campus organizations will also have recruitment tables at Activities Fair from 10 to 3 p.m. at Storke Plaza next Wednesday, October 21, just another great way to find out what is happening this year ahead.

Deb Artz is the internship coordinator at UCSB Career Services.