In this issue: - Spring 2013 Job Fair - Attending Employer List - NASA’s Education Outreach - Career Spotlight
WSU Career Services
Hire-a-Shocker Issue 11 / 02.25.13
The Spring 2013 Job Fair The Spring 2013 Job Fair will be held in Koch Arena from 4-6:30 pm on Thursday, February 28. A job fair is a networking opportunity. There are specific things you should do beforehand to make your experience successful. Do your research. A few days before the fair, research the companies that will be attending. You’ll find a list of the companies and their websites on the back page of this newsletter. There’s also a Job Fair booklet on our website (www.wichita.edu/career) that contains information about jobs available, majors recruited, and job categories for each registered company. We’ve made it easy for you to begin your research. Get familiar with the companies of interest to you. While you are researching, ask yourself the following questions about each company: 1.) Why might I be interested in this company? 2.) What do I like about this company? 3.) Why am I a good candidate for this company?
Know the positions available. Look for job openings on the company website or read about the job categories for each company in the Job Fair booklet. Understand - Am I qualified? Do you have the degree, major, or experience they are seeking? When you meet the recruiter, you will be prepared to explain how you can be an asset to the company.
Arrive in time to be one of the first through the doors of Koch Arena. Be sure to allow yourself ample time at the fair. Be there when it starts at 4:00 pm. It’s over by 6:30 and if you’ve done your homework, you will make good use of the entire two and a half hours. Arriving early also gives you time to familiarize yourself with the layout of the arena and learn about any companies that have registered late.
*See a full list of employers on page 4!*
NASA’s Education Outreach
NASA’s education outreach presence at the WSU Job Fair is to promote studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. NASA’s journeys into air and space have deepened humankind’s understanding of the universe, advanced technology breakthroughs, enhanced air travel safety and security, and expanded the frontiers of scientific research. These accomplishments share a common genesis: education. As the United States begins the second century of flight, the Nation must maintain its commitment to excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education to ensure that the next generation of Americans can accept the full measure of their roles and responsibilities in shaping the future.
Alex and C.J. Kanelakos will be at the Job Fair from 4 to 5 pm. Alex Kanelakos: As an ExtraVehicular Activity (EVA) or space walking Flight Controller and Instructor, Alex’s roles include training astronauts on operations of the space suit, tools, and hardware. He trains the astronaut crews in several facilities including vacuum chambers, the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility, and the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory where they run simulated six hour spacewalks, submerging the crew in a huge pool with the mockup of the International Space Station. He also designs the procedures and executes the spacewalks in Mission Control. C.J. Kanelakos: C.J. serves as a Lead Mechanical Engineer for Robonaut 2 (R2), a highly dexterous humanoid robot. Currently a unit of R2, composed of an upper body (from the waist up) is onboard the International Space Station (ISS). The team is in the process of designing, building, and testing a pair of zero-g legs to provide mobility for the robot on the ISS. Her primary work functions include mechanical engineering design, structural stress analysis, interacting with manufacturing engineers and technicians, and assembly and testing of robotic joints and components.
What is the proper attire when attending a career fair?
Courtesy of the “Campus Career Coach,” copyright holder: http://thecampuscareercoach.com/ I have a two day career fair next week focusing on engineering. I am working on my master’s in mechanical engineering, and I have a question about attire for the career fair. I know not to do t-shirts and jeans. My career service representative said to wear a business suit and tie, but I have also heard business causal (khaki pants with a collared shirt) is acceptable. I feel the suit would be overkill for the career fair, and I would feel more comfortable in the khakis. Which one is more acceptable? Is a plain color polo shirt an acceptable collared shirt for this situation? Hi Nicholas - I recommend you listen to your campus career services representative; particularly if they have told recruiters that students have been instructed to wear business attire. I know this sounds cliché, but you never do get a second chance to make a first impression. Now – you might be thinking: “But the recruiters are wearing khakis and golf shirts with their logos. Shouldn’t I try to look like one of them?” My response to that: “You can’t wear the uniform until you are on the team.” You might be able to get away with wearing khakis and a collared shirt to the career fair, but why would you even want to take that chance? On some level, career fairs give recruiters the chance to meet candidates under abnormal circumstances and stressful conditions. This is intentional. When you enter the working world, you will routinely encounter stressful conditions. From the very beginning of the process, recruiters want to see how you perform under pressure. Observing how you approach a career fair will give them an indication of how you approach “non-standard” situations and how seriously you are taking the recruiting process. People dress up for weddings, ceremonies and other special events because they are NOT ordinary. A career fair is NOT an ordinary event in your life, so don’t treat it like one. Wearing a suit might be uncomfortable for you, but part of the career fair experience is demonstrating how well you can present yourself in inherently uncomfortable circumstances. Here’s one final reason to dress up rather than dress down for the career fair. If you are dressed in full-on business attire (suit, shirt, tie, nice shoes) and you feel overdressed, you can always loosen or remove your tie, take off your suit jacket, and roll up your sleeves. If you show up in a golf shirt, khakis and loafers and feel under dressed, your only option is to go home and change clothes. When attending a career fair, standing out from the crowd is the biggest challenge. You want to stand out from the crowd, but you want to stand out for the right reasons!
Career Coffee Blog...By Jan Mead The Job Fair
One of our big spring events is next week--the job fair. As a former recruiter, I am always excited about job fairs. In my recruiting days, any event that offered prime opportunities to get “face to face” with potential employees was a good event. I made notes about the most impressive students and went back to work the next day and talked with my managers about them. Sometimes we had opportunities to hire that semester. Sometimes we didn’t. If we didn’t have an appropriate opening for a promising student, I occasionally suggested the student contact a colleague of mine at a different company.
Career Spotlight: Healthcare Social Worker
We hired for talent. Sometimes we didn’t have a job posted but met a student who gave all indications of being so talented that we decided to create a new position. Job fairs are all about expectations. Don’t go expecting employers to be handing out jobs. Attend - be grateful for the chance to talk with representatives of companies. If you submit your resume online, you are an electronic record. If you shake hands at a job fair, you become a real person. So, get your suit cleaned. Iron your shirt. Shine your shoes. Print off several copies of your resume on bond resume paper. Make up business cards to offer employers who can’t accept resumes. And, come to Koch Arena Thursday, Feb. 28 between 4:00 and 6:30pm. Be ready to shake a few hands!
Interested in the health care field but better at working with people than science? Working as a Healthcare Social Worker allows someone passionate about people’s wellbeing to make a difference through providing support and counseling. Healthcare Social Workers act as an advocate for patients, assisting them in understanding and managing their illnesses. They provide support and information to patients in addition to working with families and other health care providers to develop a plan for care, including treatment options, lifestyle changes, housing possibilities, and community resources. Some Social Workers in the medical field also assist with creating and managing administrative or policy initiatives. Successful Healthcare Social Workers are compassionate, communicate effectively, build relationships and manage large amounts of information. To become a Healthcare Social Worker, candidates need the right education and experience. Eighty five percent of professionals in this field have a Master of Social Work. A Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, or Sociology and experience in healthcare, such as volunteering or working as a Certified Nursing Assistant, provide a good foundation for admittance to graduate school. Many positions require candidates to be licensed, which varies depending on state, but is often part of a Master’s program. For more information, explore the student section of the National Association of Social Workers at http://www.naswdc.org/students/.
Resumania
A “Wu Wednesday” Event
February 27, 2013 - 8:00 am to 5:00 pm - Career Services, 203 GW
Resumania is a designated time period when our career counselors are prepared to conduct back-to-back resume reviews for hours on end. NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY. It’s crazy good! *This is your final opportunity for a resume review before the Job Fair. The office of Career Services is closed Thursday, February 28, the day of the Job Fair.
Hire-a-Shocker If you’re looking for a job, you need to check out Hire-a-Shocker, our online recruitment system. Post your résumé resumé and search for part-time, full-time, degreed and nondegreed positions, including oncampus opportunities. Hire-a-Shocker also shows which employers are coming to career events and allows you to apply for on-campus interviews.
Last-Minute Checklist for the Job Fair If you come to Career Services on Wednesday, February 27, you will take home a new t-shirt!
Send a thank-you note after attending the Job Fair Send thank-you notes by e-mail or mail within two days of the Spring Job Fair. For sales positions a phone call may be more appropriate. If an employer has multiple interactions with you, it is more likely she will remember you. Use the below example for reference.
Mary Smith 342 South Lane Wichita, KS 78246 316-999-5555 March 1, 2013 Mr. Gary Barnes XYZ Company 123 West Blvd. Wichita, KS 67219 Dear Mr. Barnes: Thank you for taking the time to meet with me at the Wichita State University Job Fair today. I appreciate your attention in the midst of so many job seekers. You were extremely thorough in explaining XYZ’s management trainee program. Now that I have a better idea of what the position entails, I am sure that I would be an asset to your team and to XYZ Company. My education as a Business Administration major at WSU and the fact that I have worked my way through college prove that I have a strong work ethic and determination, two qualities that I believe you said were important to a successful career with XYZ Company. I look forward to an opportunity to visit the XYZ office and to learn more about the management trainee program. I will contact you next week to arrange an appointment. Thank you again for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Mary Smith
Please update your Hire-a-Shocker profile. You will want your correct name and major on your name tag. If you’ve never been on Hire-a-Shocker, complete your profile before the fair. Log in from your myWSU home page. Click the Hire-a-Shocker link under Student Tools. View the Job Fair booklet. Click the link on our home page www.wichita.edu/career.
The Hire-a-Shocker Resource Library: -Use the Starter Kit for resume building -Also, take a look at the Career Fair folder which includes: - 30-second Elevator Speech – to introduce yourself - Business Cards - Dress to Impress - Making the Most of a Job Fair - Questions to Ask at the Job Fair - Research the Companies *Find the Resource Library link in the left margin of Hire-a-Shocker home page.
KWIK Shop - www.kwikshop.com
Adecco - www.aepp.adecco.com
KMUW Radio - www.kmuw.org
B/E Aerospace - www.beaerospace.jobs
Marine Officer Selection Team - www.marineofficer.com
Bombardier Learjet - www.jobs.bombardier.com
Menards - www.menards.com
Campus Special - www.campusspecial.com
Morrow Engineering, Inc. - www.morrowinc.com
Chit Chat Wireless
NASA Johnson Space Center - www.nasajobs.nasa.gov
Consolidated Graphics - www.cgx.com
National Credit Union Administration - www.ncua.gov
CPI Qualified Plan Consultants, Inc. - www.cpiqpc.com
NetApp - www.netapp.com/careers
Defense Contract Audit Agency - www.dcaa.mil
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency - www.occ.gov
Department of Corrections/Juvenile Detention Facility - www.hrepartners.com
Panda Restaurant Group, Inc. - www.pandarg.com
Dodge City Police Department - www.dodgecity.org/index.aspx?nid=69
Pittsburg State University – Grad. School - www.pittstate.edu/cgs
Edward Jones - www.edwardjones.com
Primerica Financial Services - www.primerica.com/oliphant
EN Engineering - www.enengineering.com
Pulse Systems, Inc. - www.pulseinc.com
Enid Summer Achievers Program - www.growenid.com
Rusty Eck Ford - www.rustyeckford.com
Exacta Aerospace, Inc. - www.exactaaerospace.com
Signature Seafoods - www.signatureseafoods.com
Faith Roofing Company - www.faithroofingcompany.com
Standard Motor Products - www.smpcorp.com
Family Heritage - www.familyheritagelife.com
Target - www.target.com/campus
Farmers Insurance Group - http://www.360wichita.com/Employment
TEKSystems - www.teksystems.com
G.L. Huyett - www.huyett.com
The Coleman Company - www.coleman.com
General Electric Engine Services, Inc. - www.geae.com
Torotel Products, Inc. - www.torotelproducts.com
Go McPherson, Inc. - www.gomcpherson.com
University Directories - www.universitydirectories.com
Hampel Oil - www.hampeloil.com
U.S. Air Force Officer Program - www.airforce.com
High Touch, Inc. - www.hightouchinc.com
Verizon Wireless - www.careersatVerizonWireless.com
Intrust Bank - www.intrustbank.com
Wal-Mart - http://careers.walmart.com/
iSi Environmental - www.isienvironmental.com
Western & Southern Life Insurance - www.westernsouthernlife.com
Journal Broadcast - www.journalbroadcastgroup.com
WSU – College of Education - www.wichita.ed/education
Koch Industries, Inc. - www.kochcollegerecruiting.com
WSU – Rhatigan Student Center - www.wichita.edu/RSC
KWCH-TV - www.kwch.com
Westar Energy - www.westarenergy.com
Job Fair Employers:
Aerospace Quality Research and Development - http://aerospaceqrd.com
*Check for late registrants: www.wichita.edu/career Find our Job Fair booklet here: http://issuu.com/cs-wsu/docs/job_fair_booklet_final_-_web?mode=window&pageNumber=1
Spring 2013 Events
Office Hours
Feb. 27 - Wu Wednesday - Resumania - 8:00 am to 5:00 pm - Career Services, 203 GW Feb. 28 - Spring 2013 Job Fair - 4:00 to 6:30 pm - Koch Arena
Monday through Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Walk-In Hours
Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday -1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Apr. 12 - Physical Therapy Career Fair - 2:00 to 4:00 pm - WSU Downtown Campus
Notice of Nondiscrimination Wichita State University does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, status as a veteran, genetic information or disability. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies: Director, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita KS 67260-0205; telephone (316) 978-6791.
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