Your dream job or internship isn’t necessarily out of reach ““ if you know where to look for networking opportunities and how to present yourself to potential employers.
First, consider signing up online for this week’s Career Week, “Your Career in Hi-Def,” a series of evening panels hosted by the UCLA Career Center. The 23 TV-themed sessions run through Friday and offer students the opportunity to receive advice about their career paths and the chance to speak with a broad range of panelists, many of whom are UCLA alumni.
“One of the things we preach here ““ and this is one of our cardinal rules of networking ““ is to connect with as many professionals as possible,” said Karol Johansen, the counseling manager of the UCLA Career Center.
Career Week boasts more than 120 panelists, all of whom are professionals recruited for their exposure and dedication in their fields. Students can interact with them in question-and-answer sessions.
“This is a very powerful, positive step students can make to access different fields,” Johansen said. “In a down economy, it’s important to understand the resources and develop a career-planning strategy for (students’) four years here.”
If you can’t make it to Career Week, access the resources offered by the UCLA Career Center located in the Strathmore Building on Westwood Plaza for career counseling, resume critiques, workshops and career fairs.
“There’s a world of career choices out there. Our center helps students connect between the campus world, the pre-professional world, the corporate world, and other employing organizations,” Johansen said.
Fourth-year economics and political science student Danielle Lachance found an internship ““ which led to a full-time position ““ with a consulting firm last summer through an online service, BruinView provided by the Career Center.
“They list pretty much any internship you could possibly imagine,” Lachance said. “It’s easy and self-explanatory. The Web site’s really helpful.”
You may also want to check out the resources offered by the Student Alumni Association, which connects with UCLA’s Alumni Association. Both aim to foster UCLA pride and provide Bruins with networking opportunities. With more than 350,000 living UCLA alumni, the potential connections you can make as a UCLA student are vast.
One of the most direct ways to get in touch with alumni is to access the Career Network database, a search engine available to all UCLA students through the Alumni Association.
“It’s not just about the events,” said SAA president-elect Johana Fiserova. “(The Career Network database) is really great because you can pick and choose, (and) contact them. I’ve gotten great responses.”
Fiserova said she has been offered an internship through alumni she contacted online.
“Alumni are able to see the high caliber of the students at UCLA. We have a great student population here. If they interact, they can recommend (the students) to others,” Fiserova said.
You’re not going to have such an advantage in all job searches, however. Still, there are ways to connect outside of UCLA.
Brandon Watkins, president of the Undergraduate Business Society, UCLA’s largest student-run business organization with 3,500 undergraduate members, said he advises students to network by joining different business organizations on campus.
“You’re constantly working with recruiters,” he said. “That constant contact puts you at the forefront of … other college students at UCLA.”
Watkins, in fact, found his internship with the investment banking firm Goldman Sachs through contacts he made at an Undergraduate Business Society workshop in the fall.
“It helps when you’re the leader of an organization. It’s another way for them to remember you, for you to distinguish yourself,” he added.
If you’re in a sorority or fraternity, don’t forget to take advantage of internship and job opportunities offered through the Greek system.
Otherwise, Lachance said, contact people from your community at home, family friends or even old employers.
“It’s hard to get your foot in the door, but your old bosses want to see you succeed, especially if you did a good job for them,” she said.
Finally, when you’re talking face-to-face with any potential employer, win them over by presenting yourself appropriately and aggressively.
“Don’t underestimate how casual (the meeting) is,” Lachance said. “It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed.”
Watkins recommended talking to as many people as possible and collecting as many business cards as you can ““ even if you’re not interested ““ because it helps you network.
He and Lachance urged students to send a follow-up e-mail to the potential employers you liked, since only about 10 percent of business cards given out are followed up, Watkins said.
“Keep it short. Say, “˜Thank you for coming, I really appreciated the things we talked about,'” he added.
When it’s your future that’s on the line, you should be jumping at any opportunity to connect with someone in your field of interest.
Take advantage of the resources available to you and present yourself like a true Bruin.