Career Connections Newsletter • July 2007

Career Topic of the Month: Networking
Career Resource of the Month: Career Contact Program
Spotlight on Success: SNC Alumni Profile
Career Tip of the Month: Young Professionals Networks
Internship of the Month: Transportation/Logistics Intern

Career Topic of the Month: Networking

Did you know that up to 75% of jobs are unadvertised?  How can you be a competitive candidate for these jobs that are a part of the hidden job market?  NETWORKING!  Networking is not only  the way to identify unadvertised jobs, but it is also a great way to learn more about your area of career interest.  

Where to Begin:

1. Increase your network through people you know formally and informally. Consider the following: parents/siblings, extended family, friends, professors, coaches, advisors, mentors, colleagues, supervisors, neighbors, contacts from professional organizations.
2. Utilize the Career Contact Program. Career Contacts (friends and alumni of SNC) provide students and alumni the opportunity to interact with professionals from a variety of career fields. To gain access to the Career Contacts, you must first register for Career Connections, through the Career Services web site. Please contact Career Services if you have questions.
3. Identify professional associations associated with your major or area of career interest.  College students can join many professional associations at reduced rates.  To find professional associations:
   • Go to your favorite search engine
   • Type: <your field> association      Example: marketing associations
   • See what comes up
   • Look for words like: career, employment, jobs
4. Attend meetings for a Young Professionals Network in your geographical area.  The intention of these networks are to provide professional development and networking opportunities for young professionals.  College students can join some of these networks at reduced rates, although for most you must be 21 years old to join.  To locate a Young Professionals Network near you:
   • Go to your favorite search engine
   • Type: <location> young professionals      Example: Green Bay young professionals
5. Join an online professional networking site, such as LinkedIn.   You can utilize professional networking web sites to discover inside connections when you’re looking for a job or new business opportunity.

Possible Topics to Discuss:

• Work Environment
• Ideal Skill Set/Qualifications
• Industry Trends
• Career Path 
• Lifestyle
• Challenges/Rewards
• Career Ladder of Field
• A Day in the Life
• Advancement

Every time you network with someone, be sure to ask “Do you know two more people I could talk to regarding this topic?” as this is how your network will grow. Good luck in the networking process!  If you have questions, please contact Career Services.  

Career Resource of the Month: Career Contact Program

The Career Contact Program provides opportunities for students and alumni to interact with professionals from career fields in which they have an interest.  Currently there are 400 contacts who have volunteered for the Career Contact program and many of the contacts are SNC alumni.   You can contact a career contact to gather information that will help you make decisions about majors or career fields, strategies for finding employment or internships, or gaining admission to graduate/professional school. To use the Career Contact Program, you must first register for Career Connections through the Career Services web site.  Please contact Career Services if you have questions. 

Spotlight on Success: SNC Alumni Profile

Bill Van Ess, IBLAS and Spanish, 1985
Financial Advisor, The Vincent Group, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Click here to learn about the work experience and career path of this successful SNC alum.

Check out our growing list of Alumni Profiles to learn more about their career paths, experience and to envision what you can do with a degree from St. Norbert College. 

Career Tip of the Month: Young Professionals Networks

As you learned in the article above about Networking, Young Professionals Networks are a great resource to utilize when trying to meet new young professionals.  Check out the list below for links to a sample of regional Young Professionals Networks.

Current, Green Bay Young Professionals Network
Pulse, Fox Cities Young Professionals Network
FUEL, Milwaukee Young Professionals Network
MAGNET, Madison Young Professionals Network
YPC, Young Professionals of Chicago

Internship of the Month: Transportation/Logistics Intern

Why intern? Internships are a great opportunity to apply classroom theory to real life work and to acquire experience to make yourself more marketable for future employment. It can also be one way to "test" your chosen career area to determine if it is a good fit for you.

Transportation/Logistics Intern, Encadria Staffing Solutions (a Georgia-Pacific company), Green Bay

• Description: Provide weekend and evening staffing coverage. Route & trace freight on weekends and some weeknight evenings using the following systems: Red Prairie, SAP, Excel, Word, TOPS, Truck Tracker. Route freight with carriers using the tools available. Track loads with carriers via phone or via their websites.  Work with facilities on trailer concerns, and solve issues with the carriers. Ensure proper hand off from the weekday crew to the weekend crew and back again to the weekday crew for the following week.
• Qualifications: Able to multitask. Can work with minimal supervision. Good communication skills, oral and written. Good problem solving skills. Able to make sound decisions based on many variables. Must be able to work Saturday and Sunday, 7am-3pm, and one to two evenings during the week. MUST BE A FULL-TIME STUDENT IN GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING.
• Contact: If you are interested in this unique internship opportunity, please contact Encadria Staffing Solutions, (920) 499-1545, for more information and to apply for this position.  

For more information on this internship and to search for additional internships, please login to Career Connections.