Thursday, February 16, 2017 Volume 101 Issue 36
student printz SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927
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Career Services hosts workshops for upcoming fair
KAITLYN WATKINS
news editor
On Feb. 13 and 14, University of Southern Mississippi Career Services hosted workshops to prepare students for the Career Fair, which will be held Feb. 21 in the Thad Cochran Center. About 90 companies and professional schools will attend to discuss internships, career opportunities and to provide students with feedback about their skills. The Career Fair will also give the chance for students graduating within the next few years to make connections with potential employers. These companies represent both national, regional and state opportunities with high starting salaries. IBM, Huntington Ingalls, Cintas, PepsiCo, Enterprise, Sherwin Williams and C Spire are attending along with numerous healthcare organizations, social services agencies and technology companies. The purpose of the interactive career fair workshops is to assist
Courtesy Photo |
students in meeting and conducting research on organizations at the event for future job prospects. During the workshops, students learned how to develop a 60-second professional introduction as well as being taught strategies to professionally approach the employer’s booth and how to follow up after the event. Specifically, Director of Career Services Rusty Anderson said students should prepare questions to ask and treat each conversation as a mini interview and an important connection to the company. He said students should tailor their resumes to the employers that will attend and also doing your research on all of the companies that you are interested in. “To go a step further, you can even make business cards to distribute along with your resume,” Anderson said. During the first two workshops, students learned how to create an elevator pitch and discussed different strategies of how to connect with companies. Anderson said students
should go to the companies that potential employees are most interested in last in order to be more prepared for meeting companies of higher interest. He recommended identifying 5 - 6 companies and introducing yourself with your skills and goals. “ Having a game plan as you enter the Career Fair is highly encouraged, especially because it will be very busy,” Anderson said. To help with the potentially overwhelming atmosphere, the Career Services Department designed a free app to help navigate the booths which you can download from USM’s website. The career workshops discussed many aspects of professionalism, including dress. Business casual is appropriate for the Career Fair. Many descriptions of business casual can be found just by doing a quick Internet search. Anderson discussed the attitude that a student should have at the Career Fair. He suggested that you
show confidence in both body language and in how you approach potential employers but at the same time, avoid seeming arrogant. Showing a genuine interest in both the company and more specifically, the job that you are interested in, helps to make a more influential impact on the company, according to Anderson’s experience. He also mentioned basic advice such as making sure to stay off of your cell phone and be aware of your body language. “It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you,” Anderson said while advising students to get contact information from each representative to follow up with them after the first meeting. He discussed following up by sending them an email or a handwritten letter thanking them for the opportunity to speak with them. There will also be a career workshop on the day before the Career Fair to go over everything learned for one last time. The Career Fair is set for Feb. 21 in the Thad Cochran Center from noon to 4 p.m.
USM student dies of ‘blunt force trauma’ JACK HAMMETT
managing editor
On Feb. 11, USM student and Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity member Cole Whaley died of “blunt force injuries” at the DoubleTree hotel located at 300 Canal St. in New Orleans, according to Orleans Parish Coroner Jeffrey Rouse. NOPD reports stated Whaley fell through a closed 11thstory window and landed in an outdoor area located on the fourth floor near the hotel pool. “Findings from the autopsy performed by my office on Mr. Whaley reveal injuries consistent with reported circumstances including multiple skull fractures and subdural hemorrhage,” Rouse said. According to Rouse, Whaley preliminary cause of death has been classified as ‘blunt force injuries.’ Whaley’s final cause of death is currently under investigation and is pending toxicology test results. A spokeswoman for the the coroner’s office said New Orleans police had initially classified the death as unusual but later classified it as a Signal 29, or death. Vice President for Student Affairs Tom Burke said students may contact his office at 601266-5020 for related assistance. “Cole Whaley will forever be remembered as an intelligent, kind and valued member of the Southern Miss community,” Burke said. “As we all try to make sense of this tragic accident, the university will continue to do all that it can to support Cole’s Pi Kappa Phi brothers, his family and friends and all affected USM students.” Funeral services for Whaley were held Feb. 15 at Spanish Fort United Methodist Church.