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TABLE OF CONTENTS 4
Message from David B. Meinert, Ph.D., Dean, MSU College of Business
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How to Find an Internship
Accounting Career Fair
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Wednesday, September 4, 2019 The Benefit of Benefits Internship Q&A 12:00 p.m•. Associated – 3:00p.m. Electric Cooperative, Inc. University Plaza Hotel Internship Q&A • Aldi USA
Open to Accounting majors, Finance majors and COB Internship Q&A • Loretta Steinicki Graduate Students who have completed the Aldi USA District Manager Intern required workshop.
Accounting Career Fair
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20 23 24 26 28 30 32
34 36 38
Think About Salary
COB Career Fair Employer List
Wednesday, September 4, 2019 COB Accounting Career Fair Employer List 12:00p.m. – 3:00p.m. Internship Q&A • American National University Plaza Hotel
Business Fair
Questions? Ask a Manager
Open Accounting majors, Finance majors and COB Do ItoNeed a Second Language? Graduate Students who have completed the Internship required Q&A • McCown workshop. Gordon
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 Construction 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Internship Q&A • City Utilities Springfield Expo Center
ThetoEntry-Level Job majors and Graduate Open MSU College of Business students, as well as Computer Science,Auto Economics and Internship Q&A • O’Reilly Parts Actuarial Mathematics majors who have completed the Internship required Q&A • Prime Inc workshop.
Business Fair
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 MSU College of Business 10:00 a.m. – Career 2:00 Fair p.m.Guide 2019 is published by The Standard, business.missouristate.edu/Career-fairs.htm The Standard Expo Missouri State University’s stuSpringfield Center 901 S. National Ave.
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4 | College of Business Career Fair Guide 2019
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How to find an Internship Internships offer plenty of benefits to college students, from resume-building to networking to real-world experience. But first, you need to find an internship. Where do you look? Start right here on campus with the Missouri State University Career Center, located at Carrington Hall 309. There’s a satellite office conveniently situated in Glass Hall 276, also. You can stop by anytime, or attend one of their events; students who schedule an appointment can receive more tailored guidance. The staff can direct you to possible internship opportunities and suggest productive ways to conduct your search. On top of that, the Career Center offers a litany of other free services—career counseling, resume review, and interview practice sessions—that will not only help you search for an internship, but help you land one. The Career Center’s website hosts a variety of useful guides and other resources. Among them is a more recent addition called Handshake, which the Career Center’s website describes as “the powerful, userfriendly, online career management system for students and alumni of Missouri State University.” Among
its features is a customizable personal profile, and a searchable database of available job opportunities, including internships. You can learn how to use this new program by playing around with it, or by following the helpful instructions for Handshake on the Career Center website. Outside the university, you can continue your internship hunt online. For instance, online sites such as Missouri Intern Connect and Chegg Internships are dedicated to internships, from the local listings to national. Moreover, many general job databases such as Indeed, Glassdoor, and SimplyHired have filters to limit searches to internship postings. A simple Google search can lead you to hundreds of sites with internship listings, so choose the ones that fit your search the best, and focus your efforts on those sites. Listing sites are great, but don’t overlook the direct approach. Many companie include their internship
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Check out the MSU Career Center website @ careercenter.missouristate.edu
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continued from page 6 openings and/or connections to their house programs on their own websites, often on their career pages. This includes national companies such as ALDI and Amazon as well as those with corporate offices in Springfield, such as AECI, BKD, and O’Reilly Auto Parts. At the same time, there are plenty of smaller firms where a direct phone call to their office might unlock an internship. However, going this route, you have to be prepared; the Career Center’s website recommends developing a 30-second commercial
of yourself, known “as an elevator speech”—one tip of many listed in their job search toolkit. Finally, one of most valuable resources at Missouri State can be the people around you. “Networking is an important tool for internships,” says Dr. Kelly Rapp, director of the Career Center. You can learn about open internships by joining student organizations; asking professors who may have leads and suggestions; and talking with your fellow students about their search. You can also get a better sense of the job-hunting process itself. This may prove invaluable in your search for internships.
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The benefit of benefits Imagine you receive two job offers for roughly similar work. The first comes with a $50,000 salary while the second pays $45,000. Do you always select the job with a higher salary? Choosing a job based on salary alone isn’t necessarily the right approach. Employers can provide other valuable benefits beyond salary. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that roughly a third of the compensation costs for private industry workers was for benefits other than wages and salary. But what are benefits? Except for a few mandated benefits (such as provided by the Family and Medical Leave Act), they can vary from employer to employer. In order to compare and assess their value to you, it’s helpful to know what benefits you might encounter. The first type relates to healthcare. With around fifty-six percent of the population receiving employment-based health coverage according to the US Census, the health benefits potential employers offer can be an important factor in your career decision-making. One common mode of coverage is the company plan. This sort of “group plan” benefits from econo-
mies of scale—an employer with a thousand employees may negotiate lower insurance rates than you could on your own. However, a trade-off may be a lack of options; while some places may provide alternatives to its employees (such as at Missouri State University, which offers its staff two plans) others may offer only one plan. It’s important for prospective employees to consider what an employer’s insurance plan offers. Some may be medical-only, while others might include vision and dental coverage. Additionally, plans can have varying out-of-pocket costs such as the payment of premiums (how much you have to pay every month for your health insurance), co-pays (how much you have to pay for each use of health services), and deductibles (how much you have to pay in total before health insurance covers expenses), among other things. Besides these group plans, employers may offer other health-related benefits, such as a cafeteria plan. Cafeteria plans permit employees to contribute money on a pre-tax basis to an account that can be used to pay for a choice of health services—like picking out dishes in a cafeteria—which vary depending on the plan offered. Similarly, an employer may offer something called a Health Savings Account that reimburse certain medical expenses with pre-tax income.
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continued from page 10 In both these cases, by utilizing pretax money, the employee lowers their taxable income, likely resulting in less tax liability.
“Employers can offer a wide range of benefits that are meant to attract, retain and and keep you content.” The second type of benefits that would be important to you are leave benefits. Company policy will determine how sick leave and vacation leave can be accrued, held and used. Some companies discard any distinction between sick leave and vacation leave, and offer just a single category of paid or personal time off. Be sure you understand how much leave is part of your compensation package, as well as how and when that leave can be used. A third category of benefits addresses retirement savings. There are many different retirement benefits that employers can offer. Among them are pensions and 401(k)s accounts. While both stow money away to be paid after retirement, pensions are usually a group fund held under the auspices of the employer with benefits vesting to employees after certain conditions (such as age or period of employment) are met. On the other hand, 401(k) accounts provide more individual control with a part of employee’s salary being set aside in an account that is invested for retirement. Typically you get to select from a number of pre-determined plans with various goals and levels of risk. In a 401(k) account, the money is yours and can be withdrawn under certain circumstances, though there are heavy tax penalties for doing so. Sometimes 401(k) contributions are matched by your employer. In this case, you are wise to invest the maximum allowable amount, in order to get the maximum amount of match-
ing funds from your employer. This increases the amount of your total compensation. In addition to than health insurance, leave and retirement, employers may offer benefits including short-term and long-term disability coverage and life insurance. Your benefit package may include this coverage, or it may include an opportuity for you to purchase this coverage at lower group rates. Your employer may offer employee discounts for travel, restarants and shopping. You may also find that some employers offer tuition reimbursement or assistance with student debt repayment. Your employer might help cover all or part of your student loans, or pay for future courses should you enroll in a new program, perhaps in pursuit of a graduate degree. Make sure you are aware of any conditions or restrictions placed on education benefits, and any tax implications that may affect you. Many jobs require testing and certifications, such as the CPA exam for accountants. If a job pays for preparation courses, or pays the fee for a certification exam, you could end up saving hundreds if not thousands of dollars in expenses while increasing your future marketability. “Employers can offer a wide range of benefits that are meant attract, retain, and keep you content,” saysDenise Lofton, benefits specialist at MSU’s Office of Human Resources. Because benefits offer value to you as an individual employee, it is good to know what benefits beyond salary a job may provide. Lofton recommends that best way to do this is to visit an employer’s website. Although salary may be exciting, don’t overlook the additional employee benefits a job offers; you might find one day that they may be even more beneficial to you than your paycheck. You can explore Missouri State University employee benefits here: missouristate.edu/ human/benefits.aspx
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INTERNSHIPS: Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. 1. HOW DOES YOUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM SUPPORT YOUR COMPANY’S MISSION?
Working at Associated Electric Cooperative is more than an internship - it is a rewarding educational experience filled with challenges and opportunities for growth. Associated’s internship program aims to offer students a wide range of operational, technical and professional experiences through hands-on projects. 2. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING STUDENTS FOR INTERNSHIPS?
We look for students in many career tracks who are excited about experiencing the utility industry. AECI has three locations in Missouri with internship opportunities. We are seeking students who are passionate about their field and have the capacity to grow in real-world situations while working with professionals in a guided environment. 3. WHAT’S ONE THING THAT HAS IMPRESSED YOU ABOUT YOUR INTERNS?
Our students have an innate ability to jump right in and start making contributions. In addition, we have a strong intern program and our students make connections with others in their field and outside which helps build their network for future opportunities. 4. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH YOUR INTERNS COULD DO BETTER?
Capitalize on each and every opportunity during an internship. Network by getting to know employees around you, including management. Raise your hand to tackle new and exciting projects, don’t be afraid to fail-we learn from our mistakes. Get involved -actively participate in opportunities such as social and community events sponsored by our company, CEO/Executive brown bag luncheons, intern program luncheons etc. - seize every opportunity! 5. WHAT’S YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR SOMEONE CONSIDERING AN INTERNSHIP?
Come talk to us! We enjoy educating others about AECI, our internship opportunities and the projects you could be working on with us.
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INTERNSHIPS:
ALDI USA, Olathe Division 1. HOW DOES YOUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM SUPPORT YOUR COMPANY’S MISSION?
People are at the center of what we do at ALDI. Our internships is no different, it gives students an opportunity to experience the district manager role and store operations first hand. Our interns gain a vast level of knowledge and experience and end their internship knowing who ALDI is as an employer and company. 2. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING STUDENTS FOR INTERNSHIPS?
ALDI is looking for candidates that are driven, dedicated, and team oriented. 3. WHAT’S ONE THING THAT HAS IMPRESSED YOU ABOUT YOUR INTERNS?
It is always exciting to see our interns’ eagerness to learn and participate in the training program. 4. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH YOUR INTERNS COULD DO BETTER?
The most successful interns are the ones who take initiative within the program through making decisions and asking questions. 5. WHAT’S YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR SOMEONE CONSIDERING AN INTERNSHIP?
Participate in the internship. The internship will give you valuable experience that will continue your development and help prepare you for your career.
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INTERNSHIPS: LORETTA STELNICKI District Manager Intern ALDI USA, Olathe Division
1. HOW DID YOUR INTERNSHIP CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR CAREER PATH?
My internship allowed me to gain beneficial, hands on experience in the field I received my degree in. Being able to find a job, let alone an internship, that gives you a great amount of responsibility in a managerial position is rare. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to participate in an internship with ALDI. 2. HOW DID YOUR FIND YOUR INTERNSHIP?
Through the Missouri State University College of Business Career Fair. 3. WHAT’S ONE THING THAT YOU GAINED OR LEARNED FROM YOUR INTERNSHIP?
In my internship I was able to gain a great deal of professionalism, understand the importance of communication coaching, and developing employees, and the confidence to handle a great amount of responsibility. 4. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH HAD BEEN BETTER ABOUT YOUR INTERNSHIP?
Not waiting until the end of my internship to have confidence in my ability to make the right decisions. 5. WHAT’S YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR SOMEONE CONSIDERING AN INTERNSHIP?
Get your foot in the door anywhere you can. The experience you gain from an internship will set you apart from your peers in the classroom and for future employment opportunities.
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Think about salary When it comes to work, there’s something particularly gratifying about receiving pay for your efforts. Salary is typically the first thing people think of when considering their total copensation package. However, the value of that salary figure goes beyond pure dollars and cents. A dollar here is not the same as a dollar there; its purchasing power is not uniform. For example, a person earning $50,000 in St. Louis would need to earn $66,000 in Chicago to pay equivalent expenses, according to the basic cost of living index (which includes homeownership but not childcare or taxes) by BestPlaces.net. In Washington, D.C., you’d need to earn $98,000, and in New York City, $118,000. A website like BestPlaces.net can help you researach the cost of living variations within cities. Of course, expenses may vary from person to person, but still, cost of living variations should factor into your salary considerations. Time is money, as the saying goes, and time can be another important factor to include when considering the value of a salary. For example, according to the U.S. Cen-
sus, the mean travel time for workers 16 years and above was approximately 18 minutes for Springfield, MO, 24 minutes for St. Louis, 30 and 31 minutes for Washington D.C. and Los Angeles respectively, 35 minutes for Chicago, and 41 minutes for New York City. While a minute here or there may seem small at first glance, those minutes can add up over the course of two trips a day, five days a week, for fifty-two weeks a year. Every additional minute of commute time equals an additional 8 and 2/3 hours a year. Your transportation costs are a factor, also. For a job with a longer commute, you may want to consider if the time and trouble are worth the extra money to you.
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Employers attending the Business Career Fair Abacus CPAs, LLC Abstrakt Marketing Group Adaptive Solutions Group ALDI, Inc. Allied Wednesday, Global Services September 4, 2019 American National Insurance 12:00 p.m. – 3:00p.m. Aon University Plaza Hotel APAC Apollo Insurance Group Open to Accounting majors, Finance majors and COB ArcBest Graduate Students who have completed the ARCO required workshop. Arvest Bank Ascent Global Logistics Wednesday, September 4, 2019 Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. AVIK Services LLC 12:00p.m. – 3:00p.m. Bass Pro Shops/ Cabela's University Plaza Hotel Bayer U.S. LLC BNSF Logistics Open to Accounting majors, Finance majors and COB Branco Enterprises, Inc. Graduate Students who have completed the Tuesday, September 10, 2019 Brinkmann Constructors required workshop. 10:00Inc. a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Buckeye International, Buckingham Strategic Wealth Springfield Expo Center Buckle to MSU College of Business majors and Graduate CapitalOpen Paving students, as well as Computer Science, Economics and Cartwright Companies Actuarial Mathematics majors who have completed the Cass Information Systems, Inc. required workshop. Centric Cintas Corporation Tuesday, September 10, 2019 City Utilities of Springfield, MO 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Clayco business.missouristate.edu/Career-fairs.htm CliftonLarsonAllen LLP Springfield Expo Center Commerce BankPublished by The Standard Open to MSU College of Business majors and Graduate ConocoPhillips students, as well as Computer Science, Economics and CRH Americas Materials majors who have completed the Actuarial Mathematics Crossland Construction required workshop. Cushman & Wakefield Dairy Farmers of America Dayton Freight DeWitt & Associates, Inc. DHLbusiness.missouristate.edu/Career-fairs.htm Supply Chain Digital Monitoring Products Published by The Standard Dillard's, Inc.
Accounting Career Fair
Accounting Career Fair Business Fair
Business Fair
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Employers attending the Business Career Fair Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. Enterprise Holdings Expedia Group FDIC - Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Wednesday, 4, 2019 Federal Reserve Bank ofSeptember Kansas City Flintco 12:00p.m. – 3:00p.m. Freightquote / C.H. Robinson University Plaza Hotel Garney Construction Great Southern Bank to Accounting majors, Finance majors and COB GreeneOpen County Government Graduate Students who have completed the Guaranty Bank required workshop. Hartman & Company Hempstead Financial Group- Northwestern Mutual HenselWednesday, Phelps September 4, 2019 Insight Global 12:00p.m. – 3:00p.m. JE Dunn Construction University Plaza Hotel JES Holdings KCI Construction Company Open to Accounting majors, Finance majors and COB Key Bank Graduate Students who have completed the Tuesday, September 10, 2019 Killian Construction Co. required workshop. Koch Industries, 10:00 Inc. a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Kohl’s Corporation Springfield Expo Center L.Keeley Construction Larry Snyder Open toand MSUCompany College of Business majors and Graduate Leggettstudents, & Platt as well as Computer Science, Economics and LibertyActuarial MutualMathematics Insurance majors who have completed the workshop. Lockton Companies,required LLC MaRRS Distribution and Logistics Tuesday, September 10, 2019 McCarthy Building Companies McConnell & Associates 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. McCownGordon Construction business.missouristate.edu/Career-fairs.htm Springfield Expo Center Medix Menard, Inc. Published by The Standard Open to MSU College of Business majors and Graduate Mihlfeld & Associates students, as well as Computer Science, Economics and Millstone Weber LLC Actuarial Mathematics majors who have completed the Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance required workshop. Missouri State University College of Business Graduate Programs MMC Contractors Moneta Mutual of Omaha MW business.missouristate.edu/Career-fairs.htm Builders Nabholz Construction Services Published by The Standard National Design Build Services
Accounting Career Fair
Accounting Career Fair Business Fair
Business Fair
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Employers attending the Business Career Fair New York Life Greater Kansas City Newkirk Novak Construction Partners Northwestern Mutual - Clayton Northwestern Mutual - Springfield, MO Office Wednesday, of the Missouri State Auditor September 4, 2019 O’Reilly Auto Parts 12:00p.m. – 3:00p.m. Paric Corporation Plaza Hotel Penske TruckUniversity Leasing Performance Contracting Group Open to Accounting majors, Finance majors and COB Prime, Inc. Graduate Students who have completed the Q & Company LLC required workshop. Renaissance Financial Robinson Fence Company Roeslein & Associates September 4, 2019 Wednesday, Ross Group RubinBrown 12:00p.m. – 3:00p.m. Ryan Specialty Group University Plaza Hotel S. M. Wilson & Co. Open to Accounting Senior Benefit Services majors, Finance majors and COB Graduate Students who have completed the Tuesday, September 10, 2019 Sherwin-Williams Company required workshop. Straub Construction 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. SUMMITMEDIA LLC Springfield Expo Center Sunset Transportation Swank Open Motion Pictures to MSU College of Business majors and Graduate Synergystudents, WealthasSolutions, a MassMutual Firm and well as Computer Science, Economics TarltonActuarial Corporation Mathematics majors who have completed the The Weitz Company required workshop. TruckMovers TVH Parts Co Tuesday, September 10, 2019 U.S. Bank 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Unigroup business.missouristate.edu/Career-fairs.htm UNIQLO USA Springfield Expo Center United Rentals, Published Inc. by The Standard Open to MSU College of Business majors and Graduate University of Missouri Graduate Programs Officestudents, as of wellBusiness as Computer Science, Economics and Trulaske College Actuarial Mathematics majors who have completed the University of Missouri School of Law required workshop. Vanliner Insurance Company Waddell & Reed Financial Walmart Corp. Whiting-Turner Contracting Company Wilson Logistics business.missouristate.edu/Career-fairs.htm Worldwide Express-Dallas Published by The Standard YRC Freight Zernco
Accounting Career Fair
Accounting Career Fair Business Fair
Business Fair
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Employers attending the Accounting Career Fair Abacus CPAs, LLC Advanced Plan Designs, LLC Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. Bass Pro Shops/ Cabela’sSeptember 4, 2019 Wednesday, Becker Professional Education 12:00 p.m. – 3:00p.m. BerganKDV University Plaza Hotel BKD CPAs & Advisors Brown, Open Smith, LLP to Wallace Accounting majors, Finance majors and COB BRS CPAs & Graduate AdvisorsStudents who have completed the required workshop. Commerce Bank Defense Contract Audit Agency Duckett Ladd, LLP Wednesday, September 4, 2019 Elliott, Robinson12:00 & Company, p.m. –LLP 3:00p.m. Expedia Group University Plaza Hotel Grant Thornton Hagan Tucker & majors, Gintz LLC Open to Schmitt Accounting Finance majors and COB Graduate Students who have the Hochschild Bloom & Company, CPA’scompleted Tuesday, September 10, 2019 required workshop. Internal Revenue10:00 Servicea(IRS) .m. – 2:00 p.m. Jeremiah Mee CPA Springfield Expo Center Kforce, Inc. Open to MSU College of Business majors and Graduate Koch Industries, Inc. students, as well KPM CPAs & Advisors as Computer Science, Economics and Actuarial Mathematics majors who have completed the KPMG LLP required workshop. Leggett & Platt Missouri Tuesday, State University College of Business Graduate September 10, 2019Programs Northwestern Mutual MO 10:00- Springfield, a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Office of the Missouri State Auditor business.missouristate.edu/Career-fairs.htm Springfield Expo Center Olin Corporation Published by The Standard to Parts MSU College of Business majors and Graduate O’ReillyOpen Auto students, as well as Computer Robinson and Company, LLP Science, Economics and Actuarial Mathematics majors who have completed the RubinBrown required workshop. SFW Partners, LLC The Whitlock Company TLG Leasing, Inc. UHYbusiness.missouristate.edu/Career-fairs.htm LLP Virtas Partners Published by The Standard Williams Keepers LLC
Accounting Career Fair
Accounting Career Fair Business Fair
Business Fair
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INTERNSHIPS: RACHEL OSMOND Talent Acquisition Specialist American National Insurance Company
1. HOW DOES YOUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM SUPPORT YOUR COMPANY’S MISSION?
American National’s vision is to be a leading provider of financial products and services for current and future generations. Our Internship Program supports that mission by assisting us in identifying students that will graduate into future leaders of our business. The program allows students to obtain real-world experience our core areas of business (Actuarial, Finance, Information Technology, Human Resources, Multiple Line Marketing, Underwriting, and Internal Audit).
2. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING STUDENTS FOR INTERNSHIPS?
Academically we require that students have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and that their discipline coincide with the intern position they are applying over. Overall we are looking for students who want to make an impact, be part of something bigger than themselves, offer up suggestions/ideas, and are able to communicate within and adapt to a variety of situations. Exercising agility and collaboration are also a must.
3. WHAT’S ONE THING THAT HAS IMPRESSED YOU ABOUT YOUR INTERNS?
I’m always impressed by how innovative our interns are. Every year they work through difficult tasks and assignments, utilize the resources they’ve been provided, and conduct independent research to find a solution.
4. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH YOUR INTERNS COULD DO BETTER?
The one thing I wish our interns could do better is providing feedback on their internship experience throughout their time with us. Our goal as an organization and program is to provide as much value to our interns as possible so it’s crucial to know how we’re doing along the way.
5. WHAT’S YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR SOMEONE CONSIDERING AN INTERNSHIP?
My best piece of advice for someone considering an internship is to conduct research. Research the organization, it’s values and products, the position(s) you are applying for and familiarize yourself with the industry specific to the organization. When you’ve done your research it makes for a more productive interview and also conveys your genuine interest in working for the organization.
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continued from page 19 In addition to the time investment of the work, there is also the work itself. Some jobs may be more pleasant, while others may not. Some may be more conducive to the skills you already have, while others may involve the growing pains of acquiring new ones. And some employers may be more flexible, while others regimented. One is not necessarily better than the other; you may be willing to endure sacrifices, for example, trading a lower starting salary or tougher work now for greater opportunity for advancement with better pay later. But this is something to consider—that not all work is created equal. When it comes to starting salary, the National Association of Col-
leges and Employers reports that the average for the Class of 2018 was $50,944, with business graduates earning a little more ($52,040). However, actual salaries vary by location, field, employer, and even by individual employee, based on factors such as work experience and education. Evaluating potential salaries is something you’ll need to do on a case-by-case basis as you receive job offers. You are investing your time, talent and skill--trading them for money--and you want to get the best possible return on your investment. It pays to do your research, consider your needs and weigh the opportunities available to you.
Research cost of living at BestPlaces.com Explore salaries in your industry at Salary.com Calculate your future paycheck and deductions at PaycheckCity.com
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Questions? Ask a Manager Whether you are currently job hunting, working, or managing a workplace, situations can arise that cause confusion and tension. Although each workplace has its own dynamics and each situation has its own circumstances, you might find it nice, to hear some advice from the outside. If so, a blog like “Ask A Manager” (online at AskAManager.org) may be of real value to you. “Ask A Manager” is an online blog run by Alison Green—published author, former manager, and now a consultant on workplace issues. The blog is there, in Green’s own sportivebut-supportive words, to “offer insight into how managers and interviewers think, and use that to help you navigate workplace weirdnesses.” Green fields workplace questions and dilemmas and posts her sage advice on the blog. Her community of loyal followers offer their input as well, and the comments are often filled with lively discussion and comments reflecting people’s individual experiences and advice. In addition the ability to ask Green questions directly, the blog contains an archive of thousands of questions and answers gathered over a decade. Searchable and
organized by topics, they can range from the more straightforward like, “I’m scared to tell my boss how far behind I am in my work” or “An interviewer told me to clear the whole day for a phone interview” to the odd and delicate like, “My co-worker is setting toilet paper on fire in the bathroom” or “I got embarrassingly drunk at a work event.” Sometimes, Green posts updates so readers can find out what happened. Green’s “Ask A Manager” blog can be quite a useful resource for a person at any level in the workplace, from interns to senior employees, from job applicants to managers. It’s free with no account needed, or you can subscribe via email, and get a copy of Green’s guide on preparing for an interview. With thousands of searchable scenarios in the archive, you can likely find something similar to your own situation. Or you can just binge for hours, reading for entertainment and shaking your head at the sometimes-crazy things that go on in the workplace. “Ask A Manger” offers a reminder that you are not alone when it comes to problems in the workplace, which can be a comfort in its own right.
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Do I need a second language? The English langauge has been described as the “global language of business” in the Harvard Business Review, and understanding English is a real asset in the business world. But knowing only English may be limit your career options. Although some may think of English as the most popular language, it is spoken by only 20% of the world’s population, according to the language-learning platform Babbel. Learning a second language may be key to opening up business opportunities. This includes increasing contacts, either with a language widelyspoken or with material available from a particular locale. But the benefits of acquiring a second language for business are not limited to expanding direct communications of a nonEnglish tongue. According to Forbes, learning a language itself exercises the brain’s reasoning, perception, and memory, improvements, which can work to your advantage in business. Additionally, even when correspondence in English is possible, communicating in the language of a partner
or client can improve trust through the display of etiquette or practice of cultural norms, which are often acquired in the company of language learning. Add these reasons to the increasing demand for bilingual employees, and it’s clear that a second language may boost your resume and increase your employment marketability. There are lots of tools you can use to learn a second language--everything from online language-learning apps like Duolingo to practicing with foreign-language movies from Netflix. Missouri State University students have access to all sorts of valuable resources right here on campus. For instance, students can enroll in credit courses offered by the Modern and Classical Languages Department housed in Siceluff Hall. These courses can satisfy globalization requirements for business majors. The Fall 2019 catalog lists classes for Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish languages. The MSU Foreign Langauge Institute, which is housed downtown in the Jim D. Morris Center, offers courses in Arabic, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, and Swahili. FLI also offers summer programs and non-credit courses, some of which are specifically tailored for
Published by The Standard • the-standard.org | 29 business people and travelers. Additionally, the Department of Modern and Classical Languages offers a certification process which allows students to receive a notation on their transcripts as well as a digital badge of their langauge proficiency. Besides classroom courses, Missouri State University also offers opportunities for language acquisition and immersion through study away programs. The Office of Study Away, situated in Plaster Student Union (PSU 209), lists dozens of programs on its searchable online database that promote language learning, both faculty-led and third-party managed. Business students can also benefit from the International Business Programs located in the Ollis Family Room in Glass Hall (Glass 103). There, in partnership with MSU Study Away, Director Michelle Hulett and her team utilize their expertise to match students to more
business-oriented programs for their experience abroad. This could allow you to learn a language abroad while studying or interning in the business field. Finally, Missouri State University possesses several student organizations that foster language learning, including the Chinese Club, the Missouri State University French club, the Japanese Club, La Barraca (Spanish), and the Portuguese Language Club.
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INTERNSHIPS: EMILY BROWN Director, Talent Development McCownGordon Construction
1. HOW DOES YOUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM SUPPORT YOUR COMPANY’S MISSION? One component of McCownGordon’s strategic plan is to grow our team of smart, genuine leaders. We start this process with our internship program, providing growth and development opportunities for our interns. Over 60% of our interns have joined our team after graduation. 2. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING STUDENTS FOR INTERNSHIPS? In addition to completing sophomore level coursework in their major, we look for students who align with our core values of Integrity, Performance and Relationships. Candidates with a positive attitude and passion for learning are a must as well! 3. WHAT’S ONE THING THAT HAS IMPRESSED YOU ABOUT YOUR INTERNS? I’m always impressed by how much our interns are able to contribute to their project in such a short period of time. If I get a phone call from a project team in early August saying “how are we going to replace our intern when they go back to school?” I know that intern has made a positive impact! 4. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH YOUR INTERNS COULD DO BETTER? Understand the importance of business etiquette; being on time, prompt response to email communication and acting appropriately in business situations are all necessary in a business environment, and topics we stress during orientation. We want our interns to be aware of how to make a great first impression! 5. WHAT’S YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR SOMEONE CONSIDERING AN INTERNSHIP? 1) Get outside your comfort zone. Explore companies you might not know much about, or look at companies outside your home state. Most internships are only 3 months, and you can experience a new city, state or region without making a long-term commitment - all while you’re learning about your career field and getting hands on experience. Internships are the best way to determine if a company or career is right for you, or if you need to make a change while you’re still in school. 2) Once you get that internship, apply yourself to experience/learn as much as possible. If opportunities don’t present themselves, ask for them! Internships are all about soaking it all in. Then put it all on your resume.
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INTERNSHIPS:
Recruitment Team at City Utilities 1. HOW DOES YOUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM SUPPORT YOUR COMPANY’S MISSION?
Our interns (or co-ops as we call them) are imperative to our organization. As a co-op, you are part of the CU family. You work alongside of us and help us in fulfilling the goals and mission of our organization. 2. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING STUDENTS FOR INTERNSHIPS?
We look for individuals who are motivated and show a passion for what they want to do. City Utilities impacts nearly every single resident of Springfield every day, so we want to make sure we are doing the best work we can for those in our community. We look for someone who is always learning something new and is driven to do good work. 3. WHAT’S ONE THING THAT HAS IMPRESSED YOU ABOUT YOUR INTERNS?
Our co-ops have a passion for what they do. They like to take on new tasks to challenge themselves and are always finding ways to drive our organization forward. 4. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH YOUR INTERNS COULD DO BETTER?
Don’t be afraid to ask about the schedule you would be expected to work and the length of the internship. At City Utilities, our co-ops work year-round and often stay until they graduate. 5. WHAT’S YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR SOMEONE CONSIDERING AN INTERNSHIP?
If you’re hesitating in taking or applying for internships, DON’T! Internships provide you with real-world experiences, and if they’re paid, you cannot go wrong! Internships are not only a great way to gain experience, they also allow you to become a known entity in the organization. That just might land you a full-time position!
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The entry-level job For many people, the first step in their career journey is the entry-level job. What is that, and where do you go from there? What exactly is an entry-level job? WayUp defines them as positions that “require minimal professional work experience and open the door to larger, work-related opportunities.” Though what qualifies as an entry-level job is often hard to articulate, WayUp’s definition contains an important feature commonly shared: entry-level jobs are jobs of opportunity. Significantly, an entrylevel job is more than work for a paycheck—it provides training through experience which can unlock future opportunities. This includes honing skills of a particular trade as well as learning the day-to-day workings of an industry. Furthermore, the entrylevel job can serve as a baptism of sorts to the workplace culture generally. Indeed, it is for all these attributes that the entry-level job has currency when it appears on your resume. However, training alone does not put food on the table; the paycheck is important as well. So, how much should an entry-level job pay? That
depends. Salaries vary by field, location and employers. You can research entry-level salarys using online salary tracking tools such as Glassdoor and Payscale. For example, while it might be nice for a budding accountant to know the national average of an entry-level staff accountant (approximately $43,000 according to Payscale ), it would be even better to know the salary of staff accountants (and similar jobs) in a particular locale and, if possible, by targeted and comparable firms. This is especially important considering that, according to a study by LendEDU, college students tend to underestimate the amount they are going to be making after graduation by thousands of dollars. Finally, given the benefit of an entry-level job as training, you might wonder when you should move on to the payoff—in other words, how long you should spend in an entrylevel job? While there is no one-sizefits-all answer, a good jumping-off point may be when training seems
Published by The Standard • the-standard.org | 35 sufficiently absorbed. As to an actual number, Catherine Conlan, writing for the job service website Monster, notes that many experts consider there to be a minimum one-year benchmark, with the suggestion that you might want to re-evaluate your options after two or three years without opportunities for advancement. An entry-level job not only involves training in a particular industry, but building your skills and increasing your future marketability. If you view the entry-level job as training with a paycheck, it may help you recognize opportunities may appear as you during your tenure as a newly minted employee.
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INTERNSHIPS: MATT ROY Talent Acquisition Recruiter O’Reilly Auto Parts
1. HOW DOES YOUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM SUPPORT YOUR COMPANY’S MISSION?
O’Reilly encourages a strong promote from within philosophy, and our interns and entry-level team members represent the possibilities of the next generation of the Company’s leadership, bringing fresh ideas and perspectives. 2. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING STUDENTS FOR INTERNSHIPS?
We look for students that exemplify our Culture Values, including professionalism, honesty, and commitment to hard work and excellent customer service. Students should present a professional image and have a strong desire to learn. We also look for enthusiasm; we want to see a student’s personality express that they want to be here and want to contribute to a positive team environment. 3. WHAT’S ONE THING THAT HAS IMPRESSED YOU ABOUT YOUR INTERNS?
The consistent professionalism and drive we see from our student applicants continue to impress us, as well as the seriousness with which so many interns take their career progression and efforts in the working world. 4. WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH YOUR INTERNS COULD DO BETTER?
To any person entering the workforce, I would challenge them to embrace the fact that their career progression can take time. Nobody moves from an entry-level position to running a company overnight. You may not always have exciting or groundbreaking tasks, but they are vital to company operations and a great chance for you to learn. 5. WHAT’S YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR SOMEONE CONSIDERING AN INTERNSHIP?
Take all of this as a learning opportunity. Ask a lot of questions, explore all of the options open to you, embrace the tasks you are given to do. You’ll learn a lot about yourself and what you want your career and future to look like.
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