SI Career Development Blog

Be a Good Networker and Get SI Business Cards!

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:24:19 -0500

To help SI students represent themselves and represent SI in a variety of settings, and in response to student requests, we are offering SI students (MSI and Ph.D.) a set of 100 free business cards with the SI logo and block M, and personalized with individual student names etc. SI students assisted with the card design and the design has been approved by the University.

For those of you who ordered cards in a previous semester and still have plenty, please use the cards you have rather than order more. If you ordered last year and have used most of your cards, it’s fine to order again.

Are You Aware of How Your Actions Can Affect Others Through Social Media?

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:32:29 -0500

Okay, so this title is a bit long, but I wasn't sure how to concisely say what I'm trying to convey in this quick blog post. I'm sure you hear it all the time: "Watch what you put on your Facebook page because employers are watching!" And so on... here at SI, we are all hyper-aware that everyone and anyone can see what we put out there (at least I hope we all are!)

Well, this is leaking into the Twitter-sphere now. We had an employer at SI this week doing mock interviews. He got stood up. (And just let me tell you here that more than one of our employers got stood up for mock interview this fall - this is ridiculously unprofessional and inappropriate! Mock Interviews should be treated like real interviews, because in a way, they are. And now I'll get off my soapbox.)

So, while this employer is here at SI, he Tweets about how he got stood up.

Specifically, he Tweets:

at UMSI to do some mock interviews for my Production Librarian position. First interviewee didn't show; she's not mock getting the mock job. 8:26 AM Nov 17th from Tweetie

The thing here is that he doesn't target the student because they go unnamed, but he does target SI. This is bad for all of us. This is a reflection of our school and says something to other organizations that might want to recruit here. So, please, please, please show up for your mock interview, interviews, and think about your other activities that may reflect the entire SI community.

SI ASB 2010 Needs Your Books!

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:52:20 -0500

I’m sure that you’ve seen the messages about the call for books for the ASB Book Drive already via email, but if not, here’s one more notice.

The SI-ASB Book Sale is December 2 and 3 this year (in the lobby of WH). Over the past two years, we’ve raised a pretty significant amount of money from these sales because of considerable generosity from the SI community. (Last year was especially robust because the Olson’s donated their entire duplicate library to us before they departed to California.)

However, this year, we’re short on books. We have a fraction of what we’ve had in the past. Although I know that this makes Jim quite happy because of storage reasons, it won’t do much for fundraising for the ASB program.

It would be great if everyone could donate just two or three books – that’s all we’re asking. We’ve got a lot of avid readers and researchers here at SI that have great collections of books; if you can just pull out a couple that you know you probably won’t ever look at again, we would love to have them.

I’ve already started to get some books from the SI community, so if you’ve donated, thank you! (I hope that you plan to restock at the sale in two weeks).

Otherwise, you can drop books off to my office (404C) or in the bins at SIN.

If you have questions, please let me know!

Thank you for your consideration,

Kelly
On behalf of the SI-ASB Fundraising Committee

The Federal Librarian Career Panel - Overview

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:15:58 -0500

In October, the SI Career Development Office hosted a new event:

A Day in the Life of a Federal Librarian Career Event- panel session, networking and more! Sponsored by: SI Career Development, ALA student chapter, SLA student chapter

We took notes of the panel and what the panelist shared and the questions asked are below, along with information on the panelists.

Also, an added resource...a University of Maryland MLIS student compiled a list of federal libraries that take volunteers. You can access this list as part of the Careers in Federal Libraries Google Group.

UM School of Information Seeks Hosts for 2010 Alternative Spring Break Program

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:34:12 -0500

The University of Michigan School of Information (SI) is again seeking host organizations for its annual Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program.

As a host organization, you get to submit one or more projects related to the areas that are being studied at the School of Information and in return, you’ll get a fully-funded student who comes to you the week of spring break to work on this project. We have over 100 interested students for the 2010 program who would like to assist your organization during our week-long experience from Monday, March 1 - Friday, March 5, 2010.

As always, we are seeking projects that are related to our core areas of study in library and information services, archives and records management, and human-computer interaction.

However, our program’s focus has diversified and we are also hoping to receive projects that are oriented around the development or use of social media tools, information policy research and analysis, and information analysis and retrieval, amongst other information management issues.

Our students’ information management, web, organizational, communication, and technical skills are substantial and their energy levels high. And as a bonus, they are fully-funded and free to you!

Next Steps
If you are interested in participating in ASB-2009, indicate so by emailing Kelly Kowatch to me by Monday, November 23, 2009 (sooner if possible!)

You will them receive further information for the 2010 timeline and answer any questions that you might have.

For more information about where students have worked and their projects, please visit the SI-ASB website at www.si.umich.edu/pep/asb/.

And, please spread the word! If you know of any non-profit, educational, government, or cultural organizations that would be interested in participating, please pass along this message or send their contact information to kkowatch@umich.edu.

Sincerely,

Kelly A. Kowatch, Assistant Director / ASB Coordinator
University of Michigan School of Information
Career Development Office
734.936.8735
kkowatch@umich.edu
404C West Hall

Entreprenrial Funding For SI Students -- up to $100K Available

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:39:33 -0500

In the past few years, SI students have obtained venture fund funding to aid in the development of start-ups for internships via RPM Ventures, a local venture capital firm devoted to funding local companies. (Sponsored by RPM Ventures, RPM10 is an innovative summer intern program designed to fuel the entrepreneurial energy and ingenuity of University of Michigan students. If you are accepted, you will receive guidance and capital to help your software or web services start-up company get off the ground. )

Also see Phonagle unleashes outWord (2009) and Troubadour Mobile (2008)

It has come to my attention that the Frankel Commercialization Fund provides similar funding.

Although the first round draft acceptance date (November 2) has passed, the contacts at the FCF have shared with me that SI students and alumni are more than welcome to submit proposals for the second round date of January 17, 2009.

See below for more information on the Franklin Commercialization Fund and opportunities for SI entrepreneurial developments.

Do you know what SI students were up to this summer?

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:33:55 -0500

Do you know what SI students were up to this summer? Many of them were working hard in their PEP internships doing some pretty amazing things for some great organizations in the U.S. and abroad!

Did you know that these students have been conducting some pretty great presentations on their internship experiences at SI@Work over the past 2 months?

If you were unable to attend the SI@Work presentations and want to learn more, here’s a quick glance at a few of those experiences…

• Designed interface screens for NASA
• Worked on the Image Library at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Learned how to manage large-scale IT projects for a global management consulting firm in Thailand
• Worked on a digital preservation project for the Smithsonian Institution Archives
• Helped to improve search engine optimization for Oxygen Network.com for NBC
• Helped to improve the user experience at the Abbott Labs corporate library
• Worked for a fortune 500 company and global manufacturer of major home appliances
• Experienced what it’s really like to work in youth and teen services for a public library

Want more? Don’t worry, you can access all of the SI@Work presentations online at http://www.si.umich.edu/careers/internships.htm. Search by Term/Year: Summer 2009.

Each student has created a one-page ePortfolio where they describe where they worked this summer, including goals/objectives and outcomes.

Under their names, you can click on their SI@Work presentation to learn even more about their experiences i.e., tasks/accomplishments, learning outcomes, valuable SI courses, critical skills, trends in the field, company culture, and the impact this experience had on their career goals. Some of these presentations take a minute or so to open, so please be patient.

If you have any questions or would like more information about the SI@Work presentations, please contact the SI Career Development Office at si.careers@umich.edu

Alumni Mentoring Options at UM

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:57:48 -0500

The School of Information hosts its very own Student-Alumni Network in iTrack. We encourage all alumni to register for this database to be connected with current students.

However, if you are seeking a broader range or would like an additional mentoring opportunity, you can also sign up with the University's Alumni Networks:

Sign up to be a mentor with Alumni NetWorks!

A U-M degree is a common bond and shared experience between you and more than 460,000 alumni, providing networking and career development opportunities.

Through the Alumni NetWorks program, the Alumni Association strives to connect current students and its members with U-M alumni mentors able to provide career coaching on topics ranging from information about their occupation to relocating to a new city. Mentors represent all job stages, from early career to experienced professional.

Being a mentor can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience, and with Alumni NetWorks you can control your level of involvement in the program. Fill out our secure form online to become a mentor today! Get connected. Give back. Become an Alumni NetWorks mentor.
Questions? Contact us at alumnicareerservices@umich.edu.

The Career Services Department
Alumni Association of the University of Michigan
200 Fletcher St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1007
www.umalumni.com

This Month at The Career Center for Graduate Students

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:53:59 -0500

This Month at The Career Center for Graduate Students highlights two upcoming workshops, and our two blogs. Our mid-month workshop on career identity beyond the ivory tower focuses on issues of career-and self-identity that many students face as they consider nonacademic careers. We also offer a workshop on the topic of salary negotiation. Finally, This Month links you to our blogs on academic and non-academic career issues.

Visit This Month at http://careercenter.umich.edu/students/gradservices/thismonth/index.html, and stay connected to The Career Center throughout the month.

-------------------------------------------------
Tom Lehker
Senior Assistant Director,
The Career Center
3200 Student Activities Building
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1316
734-764-7460
tlehker@umich.edu

Follow SI Careers and Others on Twitter

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:14:35 -0500

The SI Career Development Office is on Twitter -- we've got 186 followers and we want more! And, we want to hear from you about what you want to see us Twitter about!

Check us out at @si_careers

There are many, many other career oriented Tweeters out there too that you can follow:
1. @LinkedInExpert: As part of a generation that grew up with technology why not use it to find a job? This feed will give you advice on how to make the most of LinkedIn in your job search.
2. @resumeservice: Through this feed you can get some great advice on creating a resume that’s sure to impress.
3. @AlisonDoyle: This tweeter is a job search and career expert who can help give you some much-needed advice on finding the job you want.
4. @careerchatter: Get some free career coaching and advice from this feed.
5. @sweetcareers: Grace Kutney offers some great advice here for college students who are just entering the job market.
6. @EntryLevelJob: This feed will keep you up-to-date on some of the latest job postings for entry level positions.
7. @rockthejob: Check out this feed to learn how social media will impact your job search and the way you’ll work in the modern world.
8. @GradtoGreat: Learn how to take the skills you learned in college and translate them into the job you want through this feed.
9. @leaddawg: Here, college students and their parents will get tips and advice on education and the post-graduation job search process.
10. @buddingup: This feed is all about helping new grads find entry-level positions in the US and Canada.

Source

UM Alumni Career Networking Events

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:46:04 -0500

Evolution of Your Career: Survival of the Fittest

November 3, 2009
Hyatt Regency
Century Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Register for this event by clicking here.

November 4, 2009
St. Francis Yacht Club
On The Marina
San Francisco, California 94123
Register for this event by clicking here.

6-6:30 p.m. – One-on-One Resume Review
6:30-7:30 p.m. – Structured Networking
7:30-9 p.m. – Evolution of Your Career: Survival of the Fittest, Kathy Ullrich, ‘86
$20 Alumni Association members
$30 Nonmembers

Event includes:
• Personal resume review
• Connect with an alumni mentor
• Access to Blue Hiring Blue employers
• Exceptional career advice from Kathy Ullrich, ‘86

Are you in top-notch shape to take on your next career challenge? Do you have the strength (and strategy) to stay on top when your company down-sizes? Can your career endure a transition or change?
Whether you are entrenched in your career or seeking a new position, you should think of your career development like an exercise in endurance. It is vital to develop your career strategy, determine your career path, and identify the skills you need to get there.

Gain skills that will allow you to:
• Take control of your career development
• Guide your career success
• Evaluate your career path and take on detours and challenges
• Lead as you advance
• Strategize for success

Kathryn Ullrich is an executive recruiter and career expert. She is founder and President of Kathryn Ullrich Associates, Inc., specializing in the recruitment of vice presidents of marketing, product management, sales and consulting roles for technology and services companies. She also serves as associate director of alumni career services at UCLA Anderson School of Management, providing programs, coaching, and resources for alumni to manage professional success. Kathryn is writing a career development book, “Getting to the Top,” to be released in January 2010. She lives in San Mateo but was born in Ann Arbor and attended her first football game at the age of 5. Go Blue!

Student Opportunities and Resources from Ann Arbor Spark

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:03:56 -0500

From Ann Arbor Spark...

We continue to get very strong website traffic to our student resources portal, known as College Connections, which includes a list of over 200 companies that regularly hire new college graduates. Please add the information below to your student career development websites. Also, be sure to have your students and graduates watch the many small, emerging tech-based companies in Michigan. The best way to learn more about these companies (and who is hiring) is to check out SPARK's Career Services at http://annarborusatalent.org/, where they can view job postings and subscribe to our weekly Talent Search newsletter which features many cool, growing companies.

Call for College Graduates from Saras America, Inc.
Here is a company that is looking to hire several college graduates over the next year. Saras America, Inc. (Farmington Hills, MI) is an information technology firm that is focused on providing exceptional service using cutting edge technologies to serve their clientele. They are looking to add new members to their team in the following areas:

Account Managers
Business Development Managers
IT Consultants (must have completed a Masters Degree program)
Technical Recruiters

If your students are interested in a career in information technology, please contact them to discuss the opportunities in greater detail. Saras America, Inc., 38345 W 10 Mile Rd. Suite 300, Farmington Hills, MI 48335, (248) 489.8484, E-mail: steveS@sarasamerica.com.

November 6, 2009
The Michigan Collegiate Job Fair, Livonia

The Michigan Collegiate Job Fair is sponsored by Eastern Michigan University and Michigan Association of Colleges and Employers.

News of Note about the Fair:
• Gain valuable networking experience as you learn about companies and their job opportunities
• Some employers perform on-site interviews
• A list of participating employers is available at Employer List for MCJF 2009
• Bring plenty of resumes

Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: 27777 Schoolcraft Road, Burton Manor, Livonia, Michigan
Register online at www.mcjf.org; $10.00 registration fee (by midnight October 30)
Michigan Collegiate Job Fair 2009

Career Services for Job Seekers - Career Services at Ann Arbor SPARK
Looking for a job? Check out these categories to find a new and exciting opportunity, and then send a resume and cover letter to the email listed in the summary.

• Michigan Works! Postings
• InternInMichigan Portal
• Senior Management
• Early Start-ups
• Life Science
• Sales, Marketing & Business Development
• Professional & Administrative
• IT & Software Engineering / Development
• Engineering (non-software)
• Contract / Consulting

You can also Create a profile which will allow you to receive our weekly Talent Search newsletter and to submit a resume.

Intern In Michigan - InternInMichigan
New Web Portal for College Students

• Students: Find an internship in your chosen field where you can open the door to
your career. Post your profile today.
• Employers: Find college internship candidates with skills that match your
opportunities.

Internships Help You To:
• Stand out in a competitive job market
• Network and connect with professionals
• Apply classroom learning in the real world
• Explore career options and enhance professional skills
• Build a stronger resume

Hot Shots: Monthly Career Connection Events in Ann Arbor
Sponsored by Ann Arbor SPARK
Are you graduating this year and looking to join dynamic, growing companies right here in Michigan? Would you like to attend fun career networking events each month in Ann Arbor?

If the answer is yes, then be sure to check out Hot Shots: Career Connections which is featuring some of the hottest growing companies in Michigan. For details, to view the full list of participating companies and job titles, and to register for these events, go to:
Events, at Ann Arbor SPARK

Cool, Growing Michigan Companies
These companies are adding jobs in Michigan now and / or over the next 5 years. Be sure to consider them during your job search now or after you graduate. Follow this link to see a list of Cool Growing Companies in Michigan.

College Connections
Companies That Hire College Graduates
Are you trying to find a list of growing companies in Michigan that hire college graduates for entry level positions? If yes, please check out this list of almost 200 companies who traditionally look for fresh talent:
Companies That Hire College Graduates in Michigan

Temporary Employment - A Great Place to Start
Temp Hire Agencies in Michigan

We're always looking for new ideas and are very open to your suggestions, as we want to help you to provide great, local career options for your students.

Thanks for all of your assistance.

Best regards,

Amy Cell and Mary Salley
Team Talent
Ann Arbor SPARK
Mary@AnnArborUSA.org

This Month at The Career Center for Graduate Students October 2009

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:03:06 -0500

October features a large number of events for graduate students, both one-time workshops and day long conferences. The Career Center partners with many other units on campus to bring you events focused on career options both within and outside the academy. You can also check out our blog on nonacademic careers, and join the discussion with your comments.

See the full schedule with details.

This Month - October 2009

PhD Blog on Nonacademic Careers
Preparing Future Faculty Conference: Getting Ready for an Academic Career, October 7
Careers and Internships in U.S. Government Foreign Affairs, October 15
International Opportunities Fair, October 22
The Job Talk: A’cing the One-Question Test, October 26

Also, the Career Center launches it academic job search blog to support you in that process:

http://blog.careercenter.dsa.umich.edu/category/phd-academic/

**********************************************************************
Our blog will offer perspective, advice and resources on a variety of job search topics, beginning with our first post on what it means to be job search ready. The blog will also feature periodic posts from the real experts — faculty who bring the search committee perspective.

I hope you'll get involved with the blog in a few ways:

* Take some time to read the posts.
. And if you like what you read, go ahead and subscribe.
* Add your comments, share your advice. Each of you will have your own stories to share as you go through the job search process, stories that can help others as well.
* Let me know what you would like to read about. The blog will be most useful if it meets your needs, so I'd like to hear what's on your minds.

Thanks,

Tom
-------------------------------------------------
Tom Lehker
Senior Assistant Director,
The Career Center
3200 Student Activities Building
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1316
734-764-7460
tlehker@umich.edu

Fall 2009 SI@Work Presentation Roster

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:14:03 -0500

This week, the SI-Career Development Office will kick off the Annual
SI@Work Presentations!

All students who participated in summer internships and received credit through SI 681 will be presenting on their Internship Experience during the month of October and early November.

All are welcome to attend! This is a great way to learn about the wide range of organizations and career options associated with the curriculum of the School of Information. Keep an eye out for more information for the coming weeks!

**Note that presentations will start at noon and 5pm sharp - please do not arrive at Michigan time!**

You can check out more information about individual's internship on the Internship Public Portfolio Listings.

You can WIN if you Attend!
All attendees will get to enter their name in a raffle. The more SI@Work Presentations that you attend, the greater your chances to win gift certificates to local restaurants and venues!

Click to see the full listing of student - internship organization (locations) and specialization below.

Upcoming International Career Pathway Events

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:55:10 -0500

Here’s the overview of international events next week—please scroll down for details:

*Tuesday, 9/29, 12 noon to 1 PM, Michigan Union, Kuenzel Room—ICP: Funding for Internships & Research Abroad

*Wednesday, 9/30, 12 noon to 1 PM, Room 1230 in Weill Hall (Ford School)—ICP: Graduate Employment Opportunities for US Citizens in International Organizations

*Wednesday, 9/30, 2 to 6 PM, Michigan Union—Career Center’s Fall Career Expo

Deadlines for Engineering International Programs
As always, feel free to let us know if you have any questions, or would like an advising appointment: icoverseas@umich.edu

Bill Nolting and Kelly Nelson, U-M International Center, tel. 647-2299, http://internationalcenter.umich.edu/swt
International Career Pathways, http://internationalcenter.umich.edu/swt/work/resources/ICP

****************************************************************
ICP: Funding for Internships and Research Abroad
Tuesday Sept. 29, 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM, Michigan Union Kuenzel Room
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Representatives of U-M offices that offer funding for internships and research abroad will provide information on grant opportunities and give tips for successful applications. Most of the funding opportunities that will be presented are open to both undergraduate and graduate students.

See speaker list and handout at: http://internationalcenter.umich.edu/swt/work/resources/ICP/series/index.html

This program is a UM International Career Pathways event. http://internationalcenter.umich.edu/swt/work/resources/ICP

*******************************************************
ICP: Graduate Employment Opportunities for US Citizens in International Organizations
Wednesday Sept. 30, 12 noon – 1:00 PM, Room 1230 Weill Hall, Ford School of Public Policy
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in job opportunities with the UN? The US State Department offers information and assistance to US citizens with graduate degrees seeking employment within the UN and other international organizations. Attend this session to hear from State Department staff about UN employment opportunities.
Session sponsor: Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
This program is a UM International Career Pathways event. http://internationalcenter.umich.edu/swt/work/resources/ICP

****************************************************************
Career Center’s Career Expo
Wednesday Sept. 30, 2:00 to 6:00 PM, Michigan Union
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Career Center’s Fall Career Expo is a great way to start networking with organizations and kick-off your job and internship search! We expect 70+ organizations and 1000+ students to participate in the event.

Note from BN: Most of the organizations offer US-based positions, but search using “international” will bring up some that offer positions abroad. (If that’s your goal, don’t miss the International Opportunities Fair on Oct. 22).

Career Expo, Sept. 30—
http://www.careercenter.umich.edu/events/fairsevents/fallcareerexpo.html

International Opportunities Fair, Oct. 22—
http://www.careercenter.umich.edu/events/fairsevents/intlfair.html

Any questions? Let us hear from you!

Bill Nolting and Kelly Nelson
Tel. 734-647-2299, E-mail icoverseas@umich.edu
U-M International Center
Education Abroad & Peace Corps Offices
603 E. Madison (next to the Michigan Union)
http://internationalcenter.umich.edu/swt