First Time Attending the Fair?

Transcription

1 First Time Attending the Fair? Remember the first time you attended a career fair at Xavier? The nerves, the intimidation- it s an experience unlike any other you ll have during your four years here. Quite possibly, this is your first time going to a Xavier career fair. If it is, we at the Career Services Center wish you the best of luck! But don t fret; it s very natural to be anxious at a career fair. Even the most practiced career fair attendees still get butterflies as they approach their first employer. It s all about preparation, presentation, and professionalism. Remember that recruiters just want to know about you- and who knows you better than yourself? On the flip side, recruiters get nervous also as they show up to their first career fair, not knowing what to expect and who they might consider to hire. This semester, we have 26 employers and graduate school programs that are brand new to the Xavier Career Fair. I checked in with 3 new employers to the Fall Career Fair to learn about their companies and programs, and some tips on how you can impress at the fair! 1. As a 1 st time attendee at Xavier s Career Fair, what do you want Xavier students to know about your company? Healthcare isn t just about health anymore. It s about caring for family, friends, finances, and personal life goals. It s about living life fully. As a Fortune 100 company, Humana is a leader in the healthcare industry, offering a wide range of insurance products and health and wellness services. We are headquartered in Louisville, KY with over employees and opportunities throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, including a large mail-order pharmacy operation right here in Cincinnati. We have internship and entry level positions in a myriad of areas including IT, Sales, Operations, Digital Marketing, Finance, and Actuarial amongst others. To learn more about Humana and our career opportunities, please go to careers.humana.com. 2. What makes your company unique? At Humana, we want to help people everywhere, including our associates, lead their best lives. We look for innovative ways to reach our customers where they are, to know them as individuals, and to engage them in meaningful ways. We take an integrated approach to helping our millions of members achieve lifelong well-being by leveraging the strengths of our core business, and exploring opportunities in existing and emerging adjacencies of our industry. We aim to reduce costs, provide a superior health plan experience, and empower our members to

2 choose and use their health benefits with confidence. We ve been in business for 50 years with an evolving business model and impressive growth. Students that come prepared, display confidence, and express enthusiasm in our organization are going to stand out. Taking the time to prepare by doing some high level research on the company and thinking of relevant questions to ask about the company, a position, or a program of interest demonstrate to the company that you re taking the opportunity seriously. A student that has the confidence to approach an employer s booth and the ability to speak articulately to their individual interests and experience always make a positive first impression. Lastly, we don t just want people that are eager to get a job, we want people that are inherently energized by what we do and what we believe in. Your excitement makes us excited and makes you stand out. 4. What stands out on a resume in the short time you have reviewing them? The resume is your space to highlight why you are a good fit for a company and/or specific role and generally speaking you only have a few minutes to catch our attention. The best resumes are those that are formatted clearly and concisely and provide a complete picture of your qualifications and why you re the best fit for a role. The less questions we have to ask to understand how or why you might be a fit, the better the resume and the more it will stand out. A few key areas to keep in mind: The first thing we re going to want to see is your academic history including major and GPA. This allows us to quickly assess what potential areas within our org a student may have an interest and/or fit for. The resume should clearly list any work experience and how that experience helped you develop transferrable skills that could be used in another role. You should mention not only what those skills are i.e. attention to detail but how well you performed in that particular area - i.e. caught clerical error resulting in $500 savings. Keep in mind that a company wants to know not only that you ve done something, but that you ve done it well. Highlight any activities you participate in outside of work and the classroom. We love seeing a well-rounded student whether it be through volunteer activity or social or academic clubs. Provide detailed information around relevant technical skills such as the level of experience in Excel or a computer language in our organization today understanding of technical concepts and applications is important for a number of our roles.

3 1. As a 1st time attendee at Xavier s Career Fair, what do you want Xavier students to know about the University of Indianapolis? As a graduate of Xavier University I would consider University of Indianapolis to be a place where Xavier students would feel right at home. UIndy is comparable to Xavier in size and located just a few miles from downtown Indianapolis. Our Masters of Occupational Therapy and Doctor of Physical Therapy programs have long-standing reputations of excellence. Our student-oriented faculty delivers personal attention and all clinical related courses are taught by faculty members who are practicing clinicians. UIndy graduates the largest number of entry level professionals in OT and PT in the state of Indiana. We accept students from all majors into our programs. 2. What makes your program unique? Our students have the opportunity to gain hands on experience working with patients from their very first semester of class. The Community Patient Resource Group, or CPRG, gives students the opportunity to gain clinical experience right here on campus. Real patient volunteers come to campus and allow our students to practice their skills under the supervision of faculty members. CPRG is just one of the many ways our students give back to the Indianapolis community. When I recruit for programs at UIndy I am always impressed most by students who come prepared to converse about their goals. You don t have to have every step of your journey planned but when you are ready to talk about where you want to go it says a lot. Preparation is key. 4. What stands out on an application when you are reviewing them? In the competitive fields of Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy, evidence of academic success is very important. Our programs are selective and we strive to recruit students who are prepared to take on the rigor of a Masters or Doctorate program in a healthcare field. I would also consider a well- rounded college experience an attractive asset.

4 1. As a 1 st time attendee at Xavier s Career Fair, what do you want Xavier students to know about your company? We are more than just a newspaper. As part of Gannett, Enquirer Media is a leading multimedia and marketing solutions company with a strong portfolio of trusted digital, mobile and print brands that provide content (news and information) to Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky residents, and connect local businesses with their best customers. By combining our robust reach options with our sophisticated digital marketing solutions, we inform and engage nearly 9 out of 10 local adults - more than a million people. 2. What makes your company unique? Enquirer Media is a 170-year old company that continues to transform itself to meet the needs of readers by delivering engaging and interactive content through a variety of media that fit today s lifestyle. What makes us unique is that we are very much like an advertising and marketing agency, except we have our own media as a means to connect businesses with their clients. Someone who is engaged and passionate about his or her career; has a positive attitude and who is curious will always make a great first impression, but a smile is generally the first thing people see and is most important. 4. What stands out on a resume in the short time you have reviewing them? The resume with a clean, uncluttered format will be a standout. It s easy to read and you are able to quickly identify what you are looking for. It s also important to list your achievements or the results of what you ve accomplished. If you can quantify them, that s even better. Companies are looking for employees that take initiative, are able to solve problems and get the job done. Don t forget to check out these other employers and graduate programs during the Fall Career Fair! Acosta Sales and Marketing, Adler School of Professional Psychology, Amertias Life Insurance Corporation, Angie s List, College of Mt. St. Joseph, Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Dayton Freight Lines Inc., Edward Jones Investments, Emerson Climate Technologies Inc., Humana Inc., Indiana Wesleyan University, IUPUI Graduate Programs, John Hopkins University School of Nursing, Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Chiropractic College, Reliable Transportation

5 Solutions, RWI Transportation LLC, Security National Automotive Acceptance Company, Skylight Financial Group, The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, The Princeton Review, University of Cincinnati Linder College of Business, Valaparasio University Graduate School, Vantiv LLC,. By Pat Casey, Communication Intern, XU Career Services