Events for the Week of 5/20/13

CAREER CENTER SUMMER HOURS

The Career Center will be open and counselors will be available for appointments and "Quick Question" hours during the summer. 

Summer hours are effective today, May 20th.

Regular Office Hours: 

Monday-Thursday: 9:00AM - 5:00PM

Fridays: 9:00AM - 4:00PM

Walk-in "Quick Question" Hours: 

Monday - Thursday: 11:00AM - 1:00PM

*There will be no "Quick Question" hours on Fridays during the summer. 

Introducing A.S.K. (Alumni-Student Konnection) 

The Career Center is proud to launch A.S.K., Hofstra's online Alumni-Student-Konnection program. A.S.K. allows alumni and current students to connect and dialogue about careers, industry trends, new opportunities, balancing work and life. Find out what it is like to work at a particular company and have the opportunity to "ask" other career related questions. 

Get started today! Click here to visit the Alumni-Student Konnection page.  

Post-Baccalaureate Test Preparation

Hofstra University Continuing Education's Test Preparation program offers customized, comprehensive courses in a short, cost-effective format, perfect for those with busy schedules. 

Customized, comprehensive courses, taught by certified instructors, are designed to help students improve test scores on the GMAT, LSAT, LAST Teacher’s Exam, CST, GRE, and NYS Content Specialty Test in the Visual Arts. In addition to instruction, private tutoring is available. 

Click here to learn more about the test preparation program. 

Survey at Cap and Gown Pick up – One you have to take!

Some of you may have recently been hearing the phrase “return on investment” as it relates to your college expenses and employment success after graduation.  Some believe that college does not prepare you for a job after graduation.  Others say the purpose of college is to educate; not train you for one particular job. 

This blog entry is not meant to enter that discussion, although I believe you all should read about it – a recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education explains it well.  What this blog entry is intended for is to let you know that we are evaluated - you as students, you as new entries into the workforce, and Hofstra University as an educational institution.  How well did you do after graduation, how much debt did you incur, how long did it take you to graduate, and how well did we do educating and preparing you as an institution? 

In order to assess this, you will be taking a brief survey at the Cap and Gown Pick Up area this week.  This will take only a few short minutes and allows us to get your employment and/or graduate school plans for after graduation.  This data is rolled up in aggregate.  We are able to slice and dice it so that we can report on your success to national accreditation institutions, national publications, and eventually it will go to the government.  In the end it makes your Hofstra degree more valuable – the more and better data we get from you, the more sought out you are by employers. 

Your success raises the return on investment you and/or your parents made on your college education.  So, pick up your cap and gown, say hello to The Career Center staff, and have a seat at one of our computers to take a brief survey.

Suzanne Dagger,  Director of Career Services

URL to IRL: Stand Out Online & Make Connections In Real Life

It’s never been easier to connect with people across the globe or in your city, but are you taking advantage of online tools to make substantial in-real-life connections? 

We’re excited help you navigate the world of social media at our Internet Week New York event, URL to IRL: Stand Out Online & Make Connections In Real Life. Panelists from Gilt Groupe, Social@Ogilvy, Guggenheim Museum, and NY Creative interns will discuss how to balance your online and offline efforts, create introductions with professional heroes, and start conversations that carry over from the digital space to in-person meetings. 

RSVP: nycreativeinterns.com/standout

Use code HofstraLove for $5 off.

Date: Monday, May 20, 6:30pm

Location: Ogilvy HQ, 636 11th Avenue (between 46th and 47th Street), 3rd Floor

Dress: Business Casual

Hashtags: #iwnystandout #iwny

Speakers include:

• Geoffrey Colon: Vice President, Social@Ogilvy at Ogilvy & Mather (@djgeoffe, @SocialOgilvy)
• Nando Rodriguez: Social Media Recruiter, Social@Ogilvy at Ogilvy & Mather (@NandoRecruit, @SocialOgilvy)
• JiaJia Fei: Digital Marketing Manager, Guggenheim Museum (@VAJIAJIA, @Guggenheim)
• Gabriel Alonso: Senior Editor - Men's, Gilt Groupe (@gabealonso, @giltman)
• Emily Miethner: Founder, NY Creative Interns (@emilymiethner, @NYCinterns)

Events for the Week of 5/13/13

Introducing A.S.K. (Alumni-Student Konnection) 

The Career Center is proud to launch A.S.K., Hofstra's online Alumni-Student-Konnection program. A.S.K. allows alumni and current students to connect and dialogue about careers, industry trends, new opportunities, balancing work and life. Find out what it is like to work at a particular company and have the opportunity to "ask" other career related questions. 

Get started today! Click here to visit the Alumni-Student Konnection page.  

NYC Uncubed 

Friday, May 17, Metropolitan Pavilion, 133 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10013

Uncubed reimagines the job fair by mixing in music, entertainment, influential speakers and contests. Hiring companies include Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler, Spotify, Meetup, Bonobos, Etsy, Lean Startup Machine, and many more (60+ total). 

Hear from speakers at charity: water, Behance, Facebook, The Ladders, and Sailthru, among others, plus take part in contests like the Spell Check Spelling Bee and Paper Napkin Pitch, professional development opportunities through classes and résumé reviews, and a live art battle.

You can check out a quick recap from the latest NYC Uncubed here.

Register and learn more at nyc.getuncubed.com.


***Save 50% online with the code GOPRIDE***

Post-Baccalaureate Test Preparation

Hofstra University Continuing Education's Test Preparation program offers customized, comprehensive courses in a short, cost-effective format, perfect for those with busy schedules. 

Customized, comprehensive courses, taught by certified instructors, are designed to help students improve test scores on the GMAT, LSAT, LAST Teacher’s Exam, CST, GRE, and NYS Content Specialty Test in the Visual Arts. In addition to instruction, private tutoring is available. 

Click here to learn more about the test preparation program. 

Career Services for Alumni

I just met with a student about to graduate.  As we were going over her resume she asked if The Career Center staff meets with alumni for job search assistance. When I said that we do, she mentioned that another student had told her that we don’t. GASP! Who is spreading these vicious lies about The Career Center?!

Of course we meet with alumni.  Your career search and career development do not stop once you graduate from Hofstra. The reality is that it may take time for graduates to find a suitable job.  They may decide to change their career direction, or reformat their resume to highlight different experiences and skills.  Once out in the “real world”, new experiences and opportunities may encourage them to explore other career options that they may want to discuss with a career counselor.

So, remember that The Career Center is here for you, whether you are a current student or alumni of Hofstra.  

Darlene Johnson, Senior Associate Director 

ASK

Several years ago, I decided that it was time for me to really figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up.  The full-time jobs that I had since graduating college had all, in my mind, been temporary jobs until I really found something that I wanted to make a career out of.  I contacted my college alma mater’s career center and made an appointment to speak with a career counselor.  But by the time the day of the appointment came, I had already begun to consider a career as a career counselor. So, I ended up spending my appointment time with her asking questions about what she did in her job, what qualities she felt were needed to succeed in her job, and how I would best gain experience in the field of career counseling. That session was instrumental in my decision to go back to school and pursue a degree in Career Development.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

Sometimes all it takes is a great conversation with someone to help you start your career path. I am happy to share that Hofstra is about to launch the ASK program.  ASK is Hofstra's online Alumni-Student Konnection program, where alumni and current students can connect and dialogue about careers, industry trends, new opportunities, balancing work and life, what it's like to work at a particular company, and other career related questions.

By participating in the ASK program, you will communicate directly with Hofstra alumni who are interested in discussing their careers, build your professional contact base, expand your knowledge of various careers fields, job titles and industries and learn about new trends, opportunities and ways to advance your career.

So get started today!  Take it from me; you will be glad that you did! For more information, please visit ASK Alumni-Student Konnection.

Darlene Johnson, Senior Associate Director

What's Your Hook? Cover Letter Hook Examples

Cover letters are very important. The cover letter is your opportunity to expand on your resume and sell yourself to the employer. One way to make your cover letter stand out is to create a "hook" to draw the reader in from the start. Creating a hook involves doing research on the company or organization you are applying to. Not only will having a strong "hook" statement entice the reader, but it will also show that you did your homework on the company. Read this article from Career Realism to learn more about cover letter hooks. They have some great examples of how to include a hook and what you should talk about in the cover letter. 

Kaitlyn Riley, Graduate Assistant