Employers Share “Career
Advice and a Slice” at Old Dominion University
The challenge is
to always find new and innovative ways to get important information
to students in a format they will understand and to which
they will respond. How many times as career services professionals
have we been in the position of having a really great program
idea, going through the steps to ensure a great turn out,
then finding on the day of the event that there are only a
few students in the audience? It is not that the students
aren’t interested; it may just be that they are not
interested in hearing “us” say what has to be
said.
Here at Old Dominion University we have had a break through.
Our program, “Career Advice and a Slice,” over
the past several years has been a tremendous success, and
has received a positive response from both students and employers.
We have been able to capitalize on our students’ eagerness
to hear information from the experts, and the employers’
desire to increase their visibility on campus.
“Advice and a Slice” is an opportunity for employers
to experience Old Dominion University students in an informal
setting as they explore career related issues. Employers also
engage in the process of creating an environment that enhances
the image of their organization on our campus, making it easier
for them to attract high quality interns and graduates. Our
“Career Advice and a Slice” program is an employer-sponsored
seminar series in which the employer presents information
on a career related topic of his/her choice, along with pizza,
during our activity hour. We experimented during the fall
semester with offering several sessions scheduled on other
days and during other times in order to be able to include
our evening and graduate student populations.
We advertise the program by sending invitations through our
eRecruiting system to appropriately registered students, posting
event dates on our websites and university calendars, sharing
scheduled event information with colleges and departments,
and posting information in student-centered buildings across
the campus.
Our success with this program can be measured not only by
the number of standing room only sessions but also by the
number of employers who request to be included semester after
semester. Local and regional employers have presented everything
from discussions on “Job Search in the 21st Century”
and “Transitioning from Work to College” to more
interactive presentations involving small group role playing
on “How to Answer Tough Interview Questions” and
involving students in a visual display of fashionable and
appropriate dress for careers in business environments. Students
are eager to have opportunities to interact with employers,
and hear first hand information from experts about what employers
want, need, and expect from their employees. Students have
commented in their evaluation that the sessions are, ”Worthwhile
experiences”, “Very ‘real time’, helpful
and current”, and that the advice was from “someone
who actually does interviews and hires people.”
Overall, this program series allows us to educate students
about the realities of the world of work, and introduce opportunities
for networking while supporting the information that we share
with students daily. The program also provides an excellent
vehicle for employers to promote their organizations and opportunities
in an indirect, informal atmosphere. Lunch is always a plus!
Alice L Jones,
Assistant Director/Liaison to College of Arts and Sciences
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