Prep for #GradyCareerDay
Thursday, February 8 | 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
We're Just a Few Weeks Away!
The Journalism and Mass Communication Career Day is a day-long event that brings employers seeking to connect with students in communications majors to campus. At previous career fairs, you may have felt the employers were not tailored to roles you were seeking as a Grady student--this event exists to connect with you with the right people!
Most employers attending will be looking to meet with students interested in careers in digital, print and broadcast journalism, creative mass media, media sales, advertising and public relations. They will be looking for both interns and full-time hires, but remember that every employer has different needs. Be sure to research who is attending before you go (more info on how to do that is below), and remember that many employer will keep signing up throughout January.
This year, Career Day will be on Thursday, Feb. 8. You can find the full event schedule here. Hear from our event sponsors in our panel events, and connect with employers during the networking luncheon prior to the career fair. Registration for the luncheon is open to first-semester Grady students and above. Registration information has been sent out on the Grady Undergrad listserv.
Be sure to learn more about our event sponsors and chat with them as they serve on the morning panels, network in the luncheon and attend the career fair. Sponsor already signed up are: 13WMAZ, 22 Squared, Hope-Beckham, Insight Global, WALB, Turner, Vidalia Communications and WJBF-TV6.
All majors and Intended-Grady students are encouraged to attend as their schedules allow. It's never too early to start building your network!
Why you should attend... if you're graduating soon
A response to a post-event survey from an employer who attended Career Day in February 2017: "We would like to see more grads ready to talk seriously about full time employment opportunities in spring and summer. Our priority is finding qualified candidates ready to hire."
Why you should attend... If you're looking for an internship
Why you should attend... If you're an Intended-Grady student
Be sure to keep checking your email! Important updates will be going out leading up to the career fair!
5 WAYS TO PREPARE FOR #GRADYCAREERDAY
- Plan to attend prep events.
- Plan what to wear.
- Update your resume.
- Practice your introduction.
- Brainstorm your goals.
1. Plan to attend prep events.
From LinkedIn to WordPress: Creating Digital Portfolios
5:00-6:00 p.m.
MLC 101
Come to this workshop if you'd like more information on creating a digital portfolio to showcase work you've done and help make yourself more competitive in the job and internship search! We'll discuss information and sections that should be included in a digital portfolio, the differences between popular platforms, how to include your portfolio link on your job/internship search materials to ensure views and plan next steps for creating a portfolio.
We'll cover three main topics:
- Elements of the portfolio, including visual examples
- Portfolio tips from employers
- Overview of platforms and sharing your portfolio link
This event will count toward the Arch Ready Certificate for Spring 2018.
General Resume Critique Days
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Tate Reception Hall
January 25, 29, 30
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Tate Grand Hall
Drop by the Tate Student Center to receive a 10-minute critique of your resume by a Career Center staff member. Please bring a printed copy of your resume.
**All students will have the option to submit their resume to a special resume book that will be shared with all 2018 event sponsors. It is highly encouraged that you have your resume critiqued by the Career Center prior to submitting. Information to submit will be on Handshake in January,**
Grady College Resume Critique Days
Tuesday, Feb. 6
12-4 p.m.
Peyton Anderson Forum
All Grady and Intended-Grady students are welcome to drop in for a 10-minute resume critique, conveniently located in the Journalism Building on the two days leading up to Career Day. Please bring a printed copy of your resume.
**All students will have the option to submit their resume to a special resume book that will be shared with all 2018 event sponsors. It is highly encouraged that you have your resume critiqued by the Career Center prior to submitting. Information to submit will be on Handshake in January,**
Journalism and Mass Communication Career Day Prep Workshop
5:30 - 7 p.m.
MLC 214
Attend this workshop prior to the Journalism and Mass Communication Career Day if you plan on attending the event! This is your one-stop-shop for how to get ready for Career Day and put your best foot forward.
We'll cover how to research who is attending the career fair portion of the event; how to approach employers and network with them, including follow-up; how to pitch yourself to employers at the career fair; and what is appropriate to wear for the event.
This event will count toward the Arch Ready Certificate for Spring 2018.
2. Plan what to wear.
Also be sure to check out the Career Center blog post about dressing professionally on a college budget.
3. Update your resume.
4. Practice your introduction
5. Brainstorm Your Goals
Below are some links to suggested job search and job review sites to learn more about openings, employee experiences and company updates. Many company websites also provide excellent information regarding culture and job postings.
Still on the fence about doing all of this work?
In 2016, 65% of surveyed employers prefer to hire someone with previous relevant experience, and more than half of those employers prefer that it comes from an internship or co-op.
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the full-time offer rate for interns is 67.1%
Here is what some employers who attended Career Day in 2017 had to say:
"Overall, I think it's obvious which students signed up for resume critiques, went to career fair workshops, practiced their elevator pitch, researched my company, etc. Then there are a few who clearly didn't do any of that, but that's not UGA's fault. :) The majority of students were professional. Some asked thoughtful questions and had clearly done their research. Others hadn't. I heard "can you tell me a little more about your internship?" about 50 times. The strong candidates followed up via email and I appreciated that."
"Students were knowledgeable and actually serious about their careers. Too often we've attended [other] fairs where students haven't done their research, bothered to engage us on background, or are trying too hard to sell themselves for the wrong position (i.e. an IT engineer kept trying to say he was qualified for a social media job). Students were pleasurable to chat with and were well-prepared."
Check out our resources on www.career.uga.edu for help with resumes, career fair preparation, job searching & more.
How the Career Center Can Help You:
- Resume, Cover Letter & Portfolio Critiques
- Interviewing & Mock Interviews
- Major & Career Exploration
- Internship & Job Searching
- Networking & Making Connections
- Graduate Schools
- Salary & Negotiation
- Professional Etiquette & Communication
Email: sam610@uga.edu
Website: career.uga.edu
Location: 2nd Floor Clark Howell Hall
Phone: 706-542-3375
Facebook: facebook.com/ugacareercenter
Twitter: @ugagradycareers