EAAvesdropping: Career Services

Showing posts with label Career Services. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Networking in DC

Back in time ...

On October 27, with the midterm elections right around the corner, DC alumni penciled in a swift night of networking.

I spoke with Julie Clements 02C, director of legislative affairs for the American Mental Health Counselors Association, who organized Emory's DC Networking Night, to get a sense of the feeling on the Hill.

Emory graduates from all kinds of career backgrounds came together to share the tips of their trades with other alumni. Thanks to the event's gracious host, George W. "Sandy" Mayo, Jr. 67C, alumni set up camp on the 13th floor of the influential DC law firm, Hogan Lovells US.

Alumni with careers in law, business, government affairs, health care, and the nonprofit sector hosted their informational tables.

Creating a festive atmosphere, people milled about, chatted and asked questions well before the event started--and continued after it ended.

Many post-millennium and earlier alumni attended and staffed the tables. But most of the alumni who came to the event were either still in graduate school or DC-based alumni looking to change their work environments.

"There was a lot of talk about Congress changing hands and what that would mean," Clements said. "Many of the alumni in attendance have political jobs. Those on the Hill are in pretty safe seats, so there was not concern about the member losing his seat."

Clements also met a reporter from NBC Nightly News who came out to the event and spoke about her reporting related to the election.

Throughout the night, alumni followed the proper "DC networking etiquette." Now for those of us who only know the fork-and-knife kind of etiquette, this kind means alumni showed up with business cards in hand ready to talk about their careers and ask questions.

About 100 Emory alumni turned out for the event, and with elections right around the corner, alumni working on the Hill were the last to leave.

--Lindsey Bomnin 12C, EAA communications assistant

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Surviving isn't enough

It’s all about thriving!

On Friday, August 27, the Emory Alumni Consulting Group sponsored its first professional development event, “How to Thrive During Turbulent Times.” Featuring a powerhouse panel of consultants and other experts (many of them alumni), the speakers delved into the skills that create value in challenging, and in good, times.

• Focus on the relationship with the client, not just on a project; personal relationships drive business.

• Have a flexible skill set that will allow you to transition to other industries if your own industry is impacted by a downturn.

• The closer you are to the revenue stream, the likelier you are to survive a downturn.

• Keep up with the latest trends to help “weatherproof” yourself.

• Network, and invest in your network to reap its benefits.

Panelists, pictured above, left-to-right, included Joe Durbin 97C, McKing Consulting; Gary Cruze, Emory Center for Lifelong Learning; Mike Van Den Eynde 92MBA, Deloitte Consulting; and Reatha Clark, PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Aditya Rao 08MBA, Deloitte Consulting, moderated the panel.

Visit the EAA's Facebook fan page for more photos.

-- Carolyn Bregman 82L, director, alumni career services, EAA

Thursday, June 24, 2010

"Awesome" opportunities in DC

The expression most frequently exclaimed by alumni attending the multischool consortium alumni job fair in Washington, DC last Friday, June 18 was "awesome."

Joining the dark-suited crowds of hundreds of job seekers carrying resume-filled leather portfolios and bags of employer swag, Emory alumni mingled in the Grand and Continental ballrooms of George Washington University's Marvin Center with approximately 70 employers and reported making excellent contacts and getting great leads on opportunities.

Alumni traveled from as far as Georgia to participate in this pilot venture with other schools, including George Washington University, University of Southern California, University of Illinois, and Dartmouth, and MyWorkster.com, who organized the fair.

Emory alumni made the most of opportunities to connect with recruiters, who noted the high quality of the candidates they met from all schools. Alumni commented that the "phenomenal" opportunity was a "continuation of the Emory tradition" and was "very productive." One happy alumna said, as she left the fair, "give Emory a hug for me!"

A happy hour at local watering hole McFadden's, organized by alumni volunteers of the Washington, DC Chapter of Emory Alumni, followed the event.

--Carolyn Bregman 82L, director, Alumni Career Services

Friday, April 9, 2010

Wine ... women ... career growth

A group of 45 Emory alumnae, friends, and colleagues enjoyed a wine tasting at New York Vintners in Tribeca while a panel of women representing legal, finance, publishing, and creative fields discussed their experiences as successful women navigating through their careers.

The March 22 panel discussed the current state of female participation among the management and executive roles in various fields. Panelists recounted their own personal experiences throughout their careers, and provided advice to the audience on how to find success and happiness in their chosen fields. Popular tips included identifying the right career, choosing a mentor, and how to network with other women and within the larger corporate world.

Closing remarks were provided by Carolyn Bregman 82L, the director of alumni career services for the Emory Alumni Association, who discussed the variety of career coaching and support offered by the University.

-- Carey Bertolet 96L, Alumnae and Women of Emory, New York

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Networking nights

Braving bitter cold temperatures, students, alumni, and employers celebrated Emory talent in Washington and New York last week at Emory Network Nights, networking events co-sponsored by The Career Center, the Emory Alumni Association, and local alumni chapters.

In addition to enhancing their personal networks and making connections with alumni and other employer representatives, alumni served as resources to students who attended while on winter break.

“Given the economy, it’s so important that alumni serve as resources to our students, providing industry insights and internship leads,” said Paul Fowler, executive director of the Career Center.

Marni Galison 98L agreed. Gallison (seen above, in the background, wearing black pants) is a former prosecutor who practiced law at prestigious New York firms before founding Sunday at Noon, a selective professional matchmaking company in Manhattan.

“Contacts I made through the Emory network with other alumni directly resulted in associate positions with New York firms," she said. "There is no question that students and alumni need to tap into the network and that all alumni need to lend a hand whenever possible.”

The next Emory Network Night will be held in Atlanta on February 18.

-- Carolyn Bregman 82L, director, alumni career services, EAA

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Consultants going 'Loca'

About 130 Emory alumni are members of the Emory Alumni Consulting Group (EACG), a new EAA-sponsored group whose goal is--as the name implies--to bring together alumni who are professional consultants. A decent amount of those 130 attended the first mixer for Atlanta's EACG members on Friday, November 13, at Loca Luna in Midtown. Steering committee members (left to right) Adrian Tonge 02C 07MBA, Aditya Rao 08B, Adriana Hernandez 04PH, Will Porteous 06B, and Joe Durbin 97C, are pictured above.

Brian Rutter 03MBA, a member of the Emory Alumni Board (EAB) and a consultant himself, offered words of encouragement and stressed the importance of building the Emory network. He noted that all alumni play vital roles in building and expanding the network, not just for themselves, but for current students--the next generation of Emory alumni.

The EACG provides opportunities for networking, professional development, and online collaboration among alumni and students. This fall, Atlanta members of the EACG provided mock interviews and seminars for students at Goizueta Business School and through The Career Center. More service activities and continuing education are planned for the spring.

Membership is open to alumni from all Emory schools who work in consulting. Getting involved is easy, visit E-Connection, Emory's online career networking site (registration is required), find the “Emory Alumni Consulting Group,” and submit a “Group Membership Request.”

-- Carolyn Bregman 82L, director, alumni career services, EAA