Contact: Maridith Geuder
To introduce Mississippi State students to job successful strategies that can help launch their careers, the university is sponsoring Career Awareness Week.
Coordinated by the university's Career Center, the Sept. 10-14 employment information marathon will include daily presentations ranging from Internet job searches to dining etiquette. Students also will have the opportunity to learn more about the center's numerous services.
"Our goal is to provide a comprehensive introduction to resources that can help students make successful transitions from higher education to the workplace," said director Luther B. Epting. "We are encouraging every university student to attend, including those who may only be seeking internships, cooperative education work experiences or part-time employment."
Some Career Week events include:
--An 11 a.m.-1 p.m. registration blitz on Monday [the 10th]. The first 500 picking up instructions at the Drill Field registration table will receive a free T-shirt and a free snack from corporate sponsor Nabisco.
--Concurrent 4-5 p.m. Monday presentations exploring different options for academic majors and ways to develop effective resumes. Career Center staff members will address the former at Mitchell Memorial Library. A discussion of the latter will be led in the Colvard Union's third-floor small auditorium by representatives of corporate sponsor ADTRAN, a Huntsville, Ala.-based developer of high-speed digital transmission products.
--An 11 a.m.-noon session Tuesday [the 11th] at Mitchell Memorial on Internet job search strategies. Library staff members developed the program.
--Also Tuesday, corporate sponsor Cintas will offer a 4-5 p.m. session in Colvard's small auditorium on successful interviewing skills. The Cincinnati, Ohio-based company specializes in corporate identity uniforms.
--Wednesday [the 12th] sessions include another 11 a.m.-noon offering by library staff members on Internet job search hints and a 4-5 p.m. presentation in the Colvard auditorium on how to assess job offers. In the second session, representatives of Schlumberger Ltd., a global technology services company, will provide tips on what to look for in a job offer.
Epting said few openings remain for a 5:30-7:30 p.m. meal in the Colvard Union ballroom that will introduce students to proper business dining etiquette. The Tennessee Valley Authority is sponsor.
--On Thursday [the 13th], a 4-5 p.m. session in the Colvard auditorium will introduce both male and female students to appropriate business attire. Titled "Dress for Success," it's presented by Men's Wearhouse, a specialty retailer serving the United States and Canada.
--Closing activities on Friday [the 14th] will include an informal discussion with representatives of the Mississippi State Alumni Association and a barbecue luncheon sponsored by the Southern Co., parent firm of Mississippi Power and a number of regional power companies. (Students who attended any of the week's sessions other than the dining etiquette presentation will receive a free ticket for the lunch.)
For more information about Career Awareness Week or year-round Career Center services, visit http://www.career.msstate.edu/ or telephone (662) 325-3344.