NIU Department of Management’s Post

To summarize this week in two words: CAREER FAIRS! Long lines but even longer conversations that sparked valuable insights. Here are my top takeaways: 1. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 100% 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧. A quote that resonated with me this week: "If I’m one of the best programmers in a company fresh out of college, that means there's no room for growth. You should never plateau in your career—that’s when you know it's time to move on. You should ALWAYS want to learn." Find a company that fosters your growth, not one where you feel stagnant. 2. 𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒! I can’t stress this enough. If you only have a 1% shot at landing an internship, visit 100 booths. Somewhere out there, one is for you. You may meet someone who knows your work or discover an opportunity you never imagined. The more you put yourself out there, the more you learn about yourself and the industry. 3. 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐁𝐄 𝐀𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐀𝐒𝐊. A shocking number of internships go unnoticed by the perfect candidates for the role. Many people are willing to help—whether it's connecting you with others or diving deeper into a field. All you need to do is ASK, and that’s often the hardest part. 4. 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Whether it’s with a recruiter or a colleague, people can tell when you care. If you're passionate about something, let it show! Let your passion shine through in every conversation—it’s your best asset. On that note wanted to take some time to recognize some people/companies I've had some insightful and genuine conversations with! Mike Brown, Swanand Dhayagude, Edward Osika Jr., David Bleaking, and Darryl Rumph, Jr.! Red Hat, Deutsche Bank, Bandwith LLC, Qorvo, Inc.Toshiba, Garmin, and LexisNexis Signing off till next week :)

**🌟 October Reflections: SOARing to New Heights at the DCC Career Fair! 🚀** This October was filled with so many exciting moments, one of which was attending the **DCC Career Fair** themed **SOAR - Skill, Obey, Arise, Reinvent**. It was an amazing experience, packed with insightful sessions that left me inspired and energized for the journey ahead. One of the standout speakers, Yemí Fáseun, shared powerful career lessons that really hit home:  1️⃣ Nobody owes you - Take full responsibility for your career.   2️⃣ Be in the place of value – Continuously seek ways to add value, whether in your workplace or personal life.  3️⃣ Do it well – Whatever life offers you or wherever your heart finds to serve, give it your best.   4️⃣ You can't go through life without a vision board – Having a clear vision gives direction and helps you stay focused on your goals. These words were not just lessons but a roadmap to stay motivated and intentional in my career. SOAR is more than a theme; it’s a call to action to keep building, evolving, and becoming the best version of ourselves.  Here’s to new opportunities, growth, and **reinventing ourselves** every step of the way! ✨  #SOAR #CareerFair2024 #OctoberHighlights #PersonalDevelopment #CareerGrowth #VisionAndPurpose

New doors can open endless possibilities. I'm back on campus at The Grainger College of Engineering, reminiscing with Melissa Belcher on our own personal journeys, excited for the upcoming career fairs. Sometimes, the most unexpected encounters can offer profound insights and ignite new passions. Each conversation is a chance to learn, grow, and reshape our paths. These moments remind us that every interaction, no matter how brief, can influence our journey and open doors we never even knew existed. So, as you navigate your own career paths, embrace these opportunities. Be open to the unexpected, and trust that even chance encounters can guide you towards new possibilities. Stay curious, keep learning, and let every experience shape your unique journey. Can't wait to hear your stories Grainger! #illinois #engineeringstudents #sciencestudents

I recently had the privilege of speaking at a careers fair at my old school, reflecting on my journey from corporate learning to running my own business. Sharing my career milestones and lessons learned with sixth-form students reminded me that the insights I’ve gained over the years aren’t just for those starting out but also for seasoned professionals. Here are a few key takeaways I shared with the students—and ones that apply to all of us: 💡 Embrace new opportunities, even the unexpected. 💡 Build strong relationships and seek mentors. 💡 Learn from setbacks and grow from them. 💡 Develop both hard and soft skills. 💡 Stay curious and committed to lifelong learning. 💡 Take charge of your career by aligning your strengths with the needs of your industry. 💡 Align passion with purpose for long-term fulfilment. These principles have shaped my path from corporate to entrepreneurship, and they continue to guide me in supporting organisations and individuals through training, mentoring, and career development. Have you reflected on the lessons you’ve learned along your career journey? You can read more about this here: https://lnkd.in/eRxiUH3J #CareerDevelopment #KeynoteSpeaker #CareersFair #Mentorship

We are counting down to the most impactful event of the year. As the famous quote says: "You only regret the opportunities you didn't take" The Career Fair is your opportunity to get insights from leaders who are already where you want to be. Secure your seat for free, today. So you don't regret, tomorrow. https://lnkd.in/dXqW8pj4 *Only 7 days left to the most enlightening virtual event of the year, where:* - Eyes will be opened to new possibilities - New insights that spark exponential growth will be gained - Innovative ideas will be born - Fresh perspectives that can change everything for you. Over 200 smart individuals have already secured their spots. Don't be left behind👇 https://lnkd.in/dXqW8pj4

I’ll be speaking at the Study Melbourne International Student Careers Fair, happening on 25 September, 2024. I’ll be joining LinkedIn to share insights on how you can elevate your LinkedIn profile to attract the right opportunities and get noticed by your dream employers. Whether you're just starting out or looking to take the next step in your career, this workshop will help you polish your profile and connect with the right people. Victoria’s International Students and Graduates - this is your chance to unlock your career potential and step into the global arena. The fair is designed to empower you as the next generation of talent and business leaders. What can you expect? 1. Attend my LinkedIn workshop, where I’ll walk you through actionable strategies to refine your profile, highlight your strengths, and expand your network. 2. Explore career pathways in key industries like Accounting, Business, IT, Engineering, and Environmental Social and Governance. 3. Be inspired by international student alumni who’ve successfully launched their careers here in Victoria. This is more than just a fair - it's a springboard to your future. Register now to secure your spot. Link in Comments.

Corinne Mills visited the Crick last week and shared these top tips for building a fulfilling career in science and beyond... ⬇️   🔹 You’re much more than your job title. Some fields (including science!) use the same job title for completely different jobs. Introduce yourself by saying what you do and why.   🔹 It’s the way that you do it. Expertise and knowledge are important, but behaviour and how you influence the behaviour of others is what builds your reputation and gets you employed.   🔹 Talk positively about yourself. Learn what you’re the go-to person for and know how to describe it to other people.   🔹 Get ready for change. Technological change means that careers now don’t follow the traditional ladder. Be open to a zigzagging career and movement between fields and specialisms.   🔹 People are your greatest resource. Take time to deliberately build and use your network to find opportunities and share experiences.   Corinne visited the Crick as part of our Academy’s annual Careers Fest - a week dedicated to career development for people across the institute. We’ve been taking part in careers fairs, panel discussions and workshops on everything from networking skills to taking up new roles abroad.

I had a recent opportunity to represent Gallagher at BSU's career fair. Afterwards, during conversation with peers, I was asked "Was it a success?" - as in, was it worth my time. Here is what I learned: -We have some amazingly talented and impressive young adults in our society! -Have a strategic goal and execute. My goal was to identify Summer Interns, not to “sell” Gallagher. I wanted to "thin the herd" for our hiring team, not accumulate hundreds of resumes to pass along. So, I prepared ahead of time with what questions to ask in order to accomplish this.   -Go with a servant leadership mindset. It can be kind of awkward at times, so I would often start with “How can I help you?”. It broke the ice and built trust with the students immediately. -Many students do not know what they want to do. Help them by being curious, asking open-ended questions and sharing personal stories about the mistakes and challenges that you encountered during your personal journey. So, YES, I think it was a success for these 3 reasons: -I was able to narrow down our candidates, which will lead to more efficiency. -By being curious, I was able to help students in other ways that were not a fit for our internship either because of geography, skill set or timing. You can still help! Make connections for them, challenge their thinking and introduce them to new ideas that may not be on their radar. -Personally, I left with much gratitude and a lot of confidence in our future leaders! And, I even ran into a few of my son's buddies who wanted to take a picture and send it to my family. I guess that means I am getting old 😁 #thegallagherway #careerfair #mentorship #servantleadership

I lured them over with my giant lollyPROPS. 🍭 Let them spin the wheel and land on a career cluster. 🎡 Guess how many candies were in a jar (tricked them with a half empty jar) 😉 And had a super fun beach prize they could win. 🏆 I worked for weeks getting my career clusters printed out and organized so they could see careers and pathways and maybe themselves in one of them. The day cost me money- the props, the wheel, the jar, the prize, the time off of work- but the experience of being able to sprinkle career inspiration to high school students- priceless. PIVOT I often hear candidates saying they want to do “more” but there aren’t opportunities. I always respond with “ go find more on your own”. These career fairs are a great way to gain exposure to future Talent, meet other companies you can collaborate with and if you are creating this for the company you work for, then you own something. You just elevated yourself to being the contact for something high profile, possibly newsworthy, and for sure, helping our future generations learn where they can earn. The best way to make a move to be seen, is to make a move to make a difference. ✌️⭐️ #careerfair #careeradvancement #careergrowth

🌟 We are so grateful for the incredible turnout at our 2024 Careers Fair! 🙌 Thank you to all the organisations who joined us in shaping our students' futures. 💼🎓 Here is some of the feedback and quotes from parents and students: ⏰We asked our students if the Careers Fair was a valuable use of their time... 94% said YES 🌳We asked our students if the Careers Fair helped them have a better understanding of work environments... 80% said YES 🧑💻We asked our students if they felt more aware of the job opportunities we have in the local area... 73% said YES 📝We asked our students if they felt they had learnt from employers about the skills needed in the workplace... 72% said YES We asked our students how they felt both before and after the careers fair in terms of what to expect and understand from the workplace and if they felt ready for the world of work: 🔴 BEFORE the event - 45% of students scored themselves 6/10 or higher 🟢 AFTER the event - 92% of students scored themselves 6/10 or higher STUDENT AND PARENT QUOTES: 🎙️"Thank you for setting up this event, I believe it was extremely helpful." 🎙️"If it wasn’t for this career fair I probably wouldn’t know as much about jobs now." 🎙️"It is great that the school involves us in such events, a very worthwhile event." 🎙️"Brilliant event, lots to learn about. I am very keen to learn more about apprenticeships and the information here is excellent." 🎙️"This widens our options and has given us a broader view." 🎙️"I had prior knowledge about my career choices however I learnt more today." #CareerFair #StudentSuccess #CommunitySupport