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UD career conference informs undergraduates
4:19 p.m., March 7, 2007--UD's Bank of America Career Services Center's annual multi-ethnic career conference, held Saturday, March 3, in the Trabant University Center, brought together the largest and most diverse group of students to attend the conference in 20 years. The event was co-sponsored by AIG, Air Products, Bank of America, Eli Lilly & Company, GEICO, Hallmark Global Technologies, Inc., Pricewaterhouse Coopers and W.L. Gore & Associates. Joyce Henderson, UD assistant director of Career Services, coordinated the event. “This 20th year marks the largest student participation,” Henderson said. “In the past, the conference has been geared towards freshman and sophomores but has grown in popularity, including upperclassmen and even graduate students.” This year's theme, “Turning Interests Into Careers: Thinking Outside the Box,” provided students opportunities to meet alumni, get helpful tips and learn how to better use the resources the University has to offer. One important point, stressed many times, was that in the real world job seekers have to pay a lot of money for the services provided by Career Services. Students were encouraged to take advantage of those services now, while they are free and accessible. S. Renee Smith, an image consultant and motivational speaker, gave the morning's keynote address. She spoke about personal branding and how important it is to create a good reputation for oneself. She also stressed the importance of networking and building relationships with professors and other students. “Companies hire solutions. You have to think, 'What problem can I solve',” Smith said. Smith is the author of There is More Inside and is set to launch a new web site [www.srenee.com] on March 15. Students had their choice of four alumni panels including:
Terrance Bowman, vice president of technical operations for the corporate internet group of J.P. Morgan Chase, a 1995 UD graduate, told students to remember the six P's: prior planning and preparation prevent poor performance. Students walked away with new insight on the job-hunting process and what they need to do to succeed. “I thought today was very informative, it really made me focus. I realized there's a lot I need to get done before I leave here,” sophomore Vanessa Frierson said. The conference's closing remarks were made by 1993 UD graduate Wesley Proctor, the executive administrator of Victory Christian Center in Philadelphia. Proctor used three different sized boxes as his visual aids to convey a key point relating boxes to humans. He said that boxes come in different sizes; different boxes represent different people. People pick boxes based on their size and how much they can hold, and employers will pick you based on the knowledge you have in your box already and your ability to hold more in your box. “Keep all this in mind when you look at a box,” Proctor said. “And don't be ashamed to show your passion.” For more information about career services, visit [www.udel.edu/CSC]. Article by Lauren Steinhorn |
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