Calling all campus recruiters!  SXSW might just be the next NACE conference. When I was asked to attend SXSW for PepsiCo, I wasn’t sure why a campus recruiter needed to attend a film and music festival, but I wasn’t going to ask any questions.  I had heard Jake Gyllenhaal was going to be there and it was my sole purpose to meet him (a girl can dream, right?).  Well, turns out, SXSW has a whole week dedicated to “interactive”, which was the business case for me attending.  The website describes this week as “five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology…and an unbeatable lineup of special programs showcasing the best new digital works, video games and innovative ideas the international community has to offer.”  Seeing that my technical abilities don’t span beyond Facebook and online shopping, I was still a little skeptical,... Read more

In a previous post, I laid out five tips on how to use your college experience to prepare yourself for a career in the “real world”.  Hopefully, those suggestions were so helpful that you’ve come back looking for more – well, you’re in luck, below are five new tips! 5. Join a student organization. Scratch that – don’t just “join” a student organization, but take on a leadership or project management role.  Often times, students will join every group they can to beef up the activities section of their resume; but remember, its quality not quantity.  It will be much more beneficial if you are a contributing member of one organization versus just a dues paying member of ten organizations. 4. Enroll in a public speaking class. – I have often heard hiring managers say, “He may have a 4.0 GPA, but if I can’t put him... Read more

If you ask most students why they decided to go to college, they will likely respond with “to get a job”.  However, many of these same students probably aren’t doing everything they can to prepare themselves for the “real world”.  Although college is very different from a professional career in many ways (i.e. no naps, no pajamas during daylight hours, no fake ID’s), you can learn very valuable transferable skills.  Below is a list of simple actions you can take in college to make the transition from student to professional a bit smoother – because even though they say college is the “best four years of your life”, I can honestly say “it gets even better with a paycheck”: 10.  Upgrade your writing. – Stop communicating in abbreviated language (your boss probably won’t know what you mean when you email to say “I’m running to lunch,... Read more