Veteran Career Transition Fair

The office of Richard Lugar (R), Indiana’s senior U.S. Senator -- in partnership with Ivy Tech Community College–Northeast, Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), and Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) -- invites veterans to participate in a Veteran Career Transition Fair.

November 15-17, 2010
Ivy Tech Community College-Northeast
Coliseum Campus
3800 N. Anthony Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805

Monday, November 15
* Seminars offering assistance on job searching techniques, résumé writing, and interviewing skills
* Career workshops assisting the transfer of military experiences to civilian job markets
10 a.m.-Noon Resume Workshop*
2-4 p.m. Resume Workshop*
5-7:30 p.m. Interviewing Do's and Do not's Workshop
Registration Form

Tuesday, November 16
* Seminars offering assistance on job searching techniques, résumé writing, and interviewing skills
* Career workshops assisting the transfer of military experiences to civilian job markets
10 a.m.-Noon Interviewing Do's and Do not's Workshop
2-4 p.m. Resume Workshop*
5-7:30 p.m. Resume Workshop*
Registration Form

Wednesday, November 17 -- 3-6 p.m.
* More than 100 employers, educational institutions, and service organizations will be available to provide employment information as well as training and educational opportunities to veterans
* Ivy Tech and IPFW Student Veteran Organizations will be available to assist with concerns veterans may have with their GI Bill benefits
* Seminars conducted by Ivy Tech and IPFW Career Services offices
NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED for November 17th event.

For more information or to register by phone, call 260-481-2282.

IPFW Job Fair

The fall IPFW Career & Internship Fair is fast approaching. Don't forget to polish your resume, dress to impress, and come early. Over 140 jobs & internship opportunities available!

Thursday, September 23rd

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Walb Union Ballroom

If you need help preparing come to Career Services, Kettler Hall 109. We have extended drop-in hours Today, Sept. 21st from 10am-4pm. You can also drop-in on Wednesday, Sept. 22nd from 10am-2pm. For any last minute questions, we will have an "Ask a Career Counselor" table at the job fair. There's more information to help you prepare, including a list of attending companies, on our website.

The IPFW job fair is open to all IPFW students & alumni, IU & Purdue alumni, and other local college students.

Think of a Job Fair as a chance to Interview

According to the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) and the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA, the number one reason incoming students decided to go to college was “to be able to get a better job.” Of incoming students nationwide in 2009, 84.3% listed this as a “very important” reason in their decision to attend college.

A job fair can have anywhere from 50-150 companies ready to talk to job seekers. This isn't like walking into a fast food restaurant and asking for an application... the employers you'll meet at a job fair are ready to interview you!

So what does this mean to you? Prepare for a job fair like you would for a professional interview.

1. Do research on the companies you want to meet. This way you already know what they do and you can ask other questions like, "What's a typical day like for an intern?" An easy way for you to not be considered for a job is to ask what the company does. All of that information is on their website which you should have reviewed.
2. If you kept notes on the companies, consider writing them on separate index cards. This way you can easily refresh your memory about each company in between visiting each booth. And, you can also write any additional notes on the back of the card, like the name of the employer you spoke with and anything interesting you want to refer to in a thank you card.
3. Update your resume. Utilize your college career center and request a resume critique. It's important to have another set of eyes review your resume for typos and content. IPFW's Career Services center is located in Kettler Hall 109 and has drop-in hours Monday-Friday, 10am-2pm.
4. Dress to Impress! Wear a suit & tie, or pant/skirt suit for the job fair. If you dress up then you send a clear message to the employer that you're serious about working for them and can look and behave professionally.
5. Shake their hands firmly. Make a good impression with your handshake and eye contact. Avoid these types of handshakes: (images from theoatmeal.com)

Last bit of advice: FOLLOW UP WITH A THANK YOU NOTE! Make sure you get the employers' names and send them a thank you note within 24 hours. Write the note with a personal touch by mentioning something you discussed at the job fair. This helps to impress upon them your interest in the position and sets you apart from the many who won't send thank you notes.

Do Career Fair Employers Just Blow Students Off?

SO, You dressed up, brought a fabulous resume and shook hands with a lot of employers who said "Go apply online." Is that it? Is this employer blowing you off? Couldn't you have applied online at home? Sure. So could everybody else. But by coming to the Career & Internship Fair you showed initiative. You showed up. Applying online is now the next step in the process.

The important thing after the job fair is to keep the ball rolling. Keep in mind that the minute you enter the job fair, you are in an interview and must act professionally at all times. Employers will either make notes on your resume, watch for your application to show-up in their online database, or will just be really impressed with the line 'when I met your representative at the IPFW Career Fair' in your cover letter. The most important thing for you to do is not wait for employers to follow-up with you but for you to FOLLOW-UP WITH EMPLOYERS, WITHIN 24 to 48 hours.

• Ask 'What's the best way to follow-up with you?' THEN DO IT.
• Send thank-you notes to employers with whom you met.
• File away the literature you have collected. It can be helpful later in writing application letters or preparing for interviews. Employers want to hire people who know the company.
• Improve your resume if you learned something which better reflects your qualifications or focus.
• Network: Every person you talk with has the potential to be a job lead. Other candidates can be very helpful. They may have interviewed with a company you had not considered. Share leads, resources and ideas with others
• And yes– GO APPLY ONLINE!

The IPFW Career & Internship Fair is Thursday, September 23rd from 10am-2pm in Walb Union Ballroom.

Job Fair Prep Sessions

IPFW Job Fair Prep Sessions
September 20 & 21, 2010
Drop-in hours 10 am - 4 pm / KT 109

Over 150 jobs and internships are available for students and alumni to apply for at the Career & Internship Fair!

Come to the Job Fair Prep Sessions for help with:
* Resume updates
* 30 second commercial
* Professional dress
* Managing and working the job fair

You can also check out this video on how to work a job fair:

The Career & Internship Fair is on Thursday, September 23rd from 10-2pm in the Walb ballroom.

2010-2011 Corporate Sponsors

IPFW Career Services would like to thank our 2010-2011 corporate sponsors. Their contributions will be used for our career library resources, equipment and career programming throughout the year.

For additional information about our corporate sponsors, please visit their websites.

BKD

WestPoint Financial Group

Northwestern Mutual Financial Network

To learn more about becoming a corporate sponsor, go to the IPFW Career Services website.

Drop-in Career Counseling - Extended Hours!

Drop-in Career Counseling

Drop-in Career Counseling is available without appointment during the hours listed below. Drop-in appointments take 15 - 20 minutes. Career Counselors answer general questions about majors or careers; critique resumes and cover letters; explain what resources are available on campus; and get students started on internship, job, and graduate school searches. If additional time is required, the Career Counselor will refer the student to an hour-long appointment.

Hours for Drop-in Career Counseling:

* Fall and Spring academic terms: Monday through Friday, 10:00 to 2 p.m.

Hour-long Career Counseling Appointments

For career-related needs and questions that extend beyond the drop-in appointment, including mock interviews and interpretations for career assessments, Career Counselors are available for hour-long appointments.

Questions? Contact Career Services at 260-481-0689.