networking

Meet Employers & Unlock Opportunities: Your Guide to the 2024 Fair

Posted on by Rachel Wood

Are you exploring career paths, searching for that perfect summer internship, or just looking to build connections with future employers? Then mark your calendar for the Kalamazoo College Employer Connection Fair, happening Wednesday, October 9, 2024, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in Dewing Commons.

This informal event is open to all Kalamazoo College students and recent alumni, giving you a chance to meet recruiters, get valuable insights into different industries, and start laying the groundwork for your professional future!

Who Should Attend?

Whether you’re actively job hunting or just starting to think about potential career paths, this fair has something for everyone:

  • Curious about career options? Meet representatives from a variety of industries and learn about what they do.
  • Looking for internships or jobs? Speak directly with recruiters who are hiring.
  • Want to build your networking skills? Practice introducing yourself, delivering your elevator pitch, or getting feedback on your resume in a low-pressure setting.

Who’s Coming?

Get excited about the range of employers attending this year’s fair. Here’s a sneak peek at some featured organizations:

  • Atomic Object: Specializing in custom software design and development, Atomic Object collaborates on a range of products across web, mobile, and desktop.
  • Bronson Healthcare Group: The largest healthcare provider in the region, offering a full range of services from primary to critical care.
  • Consumers Credit Union: Known for its exceptional growth and member-focused approach, Consumers is a leader in the financial sector.
  • Greenleaf Hospitality Group: A top player in hospitality with properties including the Radisson Plaza Hotel and Wings Event Center.
  • Helix Scribe Solutions: Provides healthcare students hands-on experience by working closely with medical providers as scribes.
  • Kalamazoo County Government: Offers diverse employment opportunities in law enforcement, health, administration, and more.
  • Lake Michigan Credit Union: The largest financial institution in West Michigan, known for putting its members first.
  • Northern Biomedical Research: Supports pre-clinical research in gene therapy, stem cells, and biologic therapeutics.
  • Peace Corps: Volunteers work globally on projects in education, health, environment, and community development.
  • The Kalamazoo Promise: Provides full-tuition scholarships to Kalamazoo high school students for community colleges and public universities in Michigan.
  • Zhang Financial: A prominent wealth management firm recognized for its client-centered, evidence-based approach.

How to Get Ready

To make the most of this event, prep your materials ahead of time:

  • Bring Your Student ID: This will speed up the check-in process.
  • Have Copies of Your Resume: Employers will appreciate it if you’re ready to share, especially if you’re actively seeking an internship or job.

Not sure if your resume is up to par? Swing by the Career Studio in Dewing 102 during Drop-In Hours (Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Wednesday/Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.). There, you can get personalized feedback on your resume, help crafting questions for employers, and answers to any other burning questions you might have.

Why Attend?

This is your chance to gain valuable face time with recruiters and learn about a wide range of career options. Even if you’re not looking for a job or internship right now, building connections early can give you a head start when you’re ready to launch your career.

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to network, explore, and take one step closer to your future career! We can’t wait to see you there.

Chemistry Connections

Posted on by Rachel Wood

I want to share how excited I was to be a part of the planning group for our 4th annual Kalamazoo American Chemical Society (KACS) networking event, co-sponsored by Kalamazoo College and KACS. Over the past several years, we gathered in person in the Hicks Banquet Rooms on campus. Given the enthusiasm of wanting to continue this type of program, we shifted to the virtual format and I am happy to report it was a success!

On January 26th, Dr. Blakely Tresca and Dr. Jeffrey Bartz led this award-winning program virtually using Zoom. Participants met in this virtual space to talk about their shared interests in the chemistry field. Zoom breakout rooms provided one-on-one meeting space for students to ask specific questions based on mentors’ career paths. Industry professionals served as mentors and talked about their professional pursuits.

“I started attending the yearly KACS Speed Networking event as a freshman and it was helpful in making meaningful connections and learning more about what I could do with my chemistry degree. Currently, as a senior, I am planning to attend chemistry graduate school in the fall, and being able to talk to Ph.D. scientists has given me a perspective of what I could do with a Ph.D. I’m thankful for having the opportunity to attend the speed networking events during my time at K and for the impact it has made to my career.” – Subi Thakali, K’21, Chemistry​

“The KACS Speed Networking event was a great experience that helped me develop professional communication skills and provided me with the opportunity to make real connections with mentors throughout many different fields of chemistry. Additionally, the conversations I had with the mentors were fascinating and inspiring… these conversations made lasting connections that could be very helpful in the future.” – Marissa Dolorfino, K’23, Spanish and Chemistry

In between the student/mentor conversations, K Chemistry faculty, Ed Thomas (local American Chemical Society President, and Dr. Tricia Zelaya-Leon (our CCPD Director) made announcements and shared resources. Dr. Ben Maxey also spoke, highlighting Pfizer’s lead in the global development of the COVID vaccine.

Group planning members Dr. Tomasz Respondek (Principal Scientist, Zoetis Inc.) and Dr. Lucas Chadwick, K’95 (Sr. Scientist, Bell’s Brewery), lead outreach efforts.

We are hopeful that these area industry professional mentors and students will continue their conversations, well-beyond this event.

Jacqueline A. Srodes
Assistant Director, Center for Career and Professional Development
Kalamazoo College

Making LinkedIn Actually Work

Posted on by Rachel Wood

Here’s a common refrain in my coaching practice:

kalamazoo college alumni network on linkedin

Me: “Do you have a LinkedIn profile?”

Student: “I have one, but I’m not doing anything with it. It’s blank.”

Me: “I get this a lot. Here’s what you can do with a free profile that will actually help you get an internship. You might be surprised, but it has virtually nothing to do with searching jobs posted…”

Almost 95% of recruiters use LinkedIn to search for candidates, but the majority of our students have a basic profile with the title of “student”. They created it, probably because someone told them they should, and maybe they have added their roommates or a few friends.

But there’s so much more you can do with this platform to advance your career.

Take charge of your future and attract more attention from potential employers. Try these tips for designing and using your LinkedIn profile.

Designing your LinkedIn Profile:

1. Edit your headline. Start by writing a specific headline. Tell employers what value you add and make them want to learn more. Keep your audience in mind and avoid technical terms that may be unfamiliar to them. You have 230 characters here. Examples might be “Aspiring policy-maker looking to gain experience on the ground in the nonprofit sector”, or, “Creative programmer seeking opportunities to utilize data analytics skills”

2. Update your summary. Your summary is where you can add more details and showcase your achievements. Provide statistics to describe your impact. Add multimedia attachments like videos and work samples to help you stand out.

3. Choose your photo. Pick an image that looks professional and clear. Focus on your face and use flattering natural light. Consider your background photo—do you see others in your industries of interest with creative backgrounds? What makes sense for you?

4. Add keywords. Help recruiters and automated search tools to find you. Browse through job descriptions and resumes for keywords that are popular in your field and include them in your profile, including the headline and summary.

5. Choose your URL. LinkedIn gives your profile a URL, but you can change it to something that you like better or might work more effectively for you. If your name is already taken, use a slight variation with your middle initial, a hyphen, or an underscore.

6. Welcome recruiters. Is your profile visible to recruiters? Go into your privacy settings to be sure that you’ve opted to let them know that you want to hear from them. You’ll need to reset this switch every few months if you’re still looking.

7. Be consistent. Your resume is usually written for a specific opening while your profile is a more general statement. Still, you want them to be similar enough to avoid causing any confusion. If you are searching for multiple types of roles, talk with a career professional about how to make a headline/summary that keeps you open.

8. Check the meter. LinkedIn provides a profile strength meter to help you rate yourself. It will give you helpful recommendations about additional steps you can take, such as adding more information about volunteer work and foreign languages.

Actively Using Your LinkedIn Profile:

1. Find Kalamazoo College alumni doing things you find interesting. Check out their (often circuitous) career paths. How might you get where they are now? What skills do they have? Check out this >2 minute video on how to use the Alumni Tool.

2. Gather recommendations and endorsements. Recruiters want to know what others say about you. Ask former classmates, professors, employers and other contacts for recommendations. Use your endorsements to advertise skills that are in high demand. Not sure how to ask for a recommendation? Write one for someone else! If you’re generous about helping others, they’ll be more likely to return the favor.

3. Write and publish. Share your knowledge and insights on the LinkedIn publishing platform. You are already writing for your classes, why not share that writing publiclly?

4. Follow companies of interest. Like/comment on their posts.

5. Join groups. Look for groups in your subject area and participate actively. Post articles and answer questions.

6. Monitor your connections. Stay on the lookout for valuable connections to add to your network. Send them personal invitations that will make a positive impression. Did someone recently give you a business card? Add them that evening! Did you meet an alum at an event on campus? Reach out!

7. Encourage others. Think of LinkedIn as a community where you can exchange ideas and support. Comment on posts from other users and share them with your own connections.

Your LinkedIn profile is much more than just an online resume. Utilize it to maintain and develop your network— without ever having to change out of sweatpants!