ALPFA UNCC Presents: Navigating Your Career

Meet Arjun!

Marketing Careers Panel 9/25 Recap

The Niblock Student Center and University Career Center partnered together to host a Marketing Careers Panel with current industry professionals. Audience members spent an hour hearing from panelists on a variety of topics that included:

• What a typical work day looked like
• Trends in the field-- Data Analytics is now a necessity!
• How success is measured
• Ways to stand out in the internship/job search
• Graduate School options
• How to network and build connections

Students were also given the opportunity to ask questions and network. All of the panelists were excited to keep in touch and encouraged connecting on Linked In.

Panelists included the following UNC Charlotte alumni:

Andrew Baker '15 Marketing Director for Member Experience at YMCA of Greater Charlotte
Erica Redinbo '16 MBA '19 Content Marketing Consultant at Brighthouse Financial
Dave Stroud MBA '14 Head of Digital Marketing at Foodbuy
Megen Waugh '02 Global Channel & Programs Marketing Director at Corning Incorporated

Special thanks to Jessie Simonik who moderated the event and Meagan Glasco and Sarena Taylor who helped organize it. Be sure to stay up to date on all events by looking at the Hire-A-Niner events tab and the Niblock Student Center calendar.

5 Ways to Be Productive Within a Small Amount of Time

Throughout the day, you may have extra time in between classes, before work, when studying, or after attending an event. Those 10-20 minutes between events and tasks can add up to be 1 hour or more at the end of the day. How do you currently utilize this extra time? Are you interested in maximizing this time?

Here are 5 productive things you can do when you have a small amount of time:

1. Plan ahead. Create a to-do list or utilize a calendar/planner to organize the things you want to accomplish by the end of the day. This helps you decide on what is most important and encourages you to be intentional about how you spend your day. If you have additional time, plan out the rest of the week or for the upcoming weekend. Here are some events happening this week in the Niblock Student Center.                                                                                                    
2. Read. Before leaving for the day, pack a book you’ve been wanting to read but could not find time to do so. When you have a few minutes throughout the day, read a couple of pages from the book. See how much information you are able to retain within those few minutes. Also, there are apps you can download on your phone or tablet to read books on your device.

3. Write in a journal. Utilize a journal to write any ideas, interests, or thoughts throughout the day. This can be helpful in expressing emotions, setting goals, or reflecting on events that happen within your day.

4. Focus on a different task. I know this may seem counterproductive. However, taking a break from one task and focusing on another can be beneficial. You can increase your overall productivity level by taking a quick 10-minute walk, eating a snack, or completing a smaller task. In order to avoid burnout, you should give yourself time to focus on something else and then go back to the task once you have more energy to give it.

5. Practice mindfulness. Take some time for yourself whether that includes setting intentions in the morning, breathing exercises, or listening to relaxing music. Practice focusing on the present and finding ways to achieve a clear mind. These activities range from 1 minute to 30 minutes and will provide you with a mental break during a full day of activity.

After reading this post, I hope you are inspired to calculate the amount of extra time you have between class, work, meetings, or other activities. This extra time can be used to manage your energy, learn about a new idea or topic, plan for the future, read, or keep you motivated throughout the day. Please remember that small amounts of time throughout the day can equal up to a larger amount of time at the end of the day.

Meet Kaiah!

PSA about PSA (Public Speaking Anxiety)

PSA about PSA (Public Speaking Anxiety)

September 24th (Tuesday), 10:00am-10:30am

or October 3rd (Thursday), 4:00pm-4:30pm

Workshop Reservations: universityspeakingcenter@uncc.edu

9/19 Lunch & Learn Recap!

On Tuesday, September 17th, the Niblock Student Center hosted Sarah Walsh, Staffing Manager, and Mike Moran, Staffing Director, from Sherpa. Sherpa is an employment agency that specializes in assisting companies and job seekers navigate the employee and job search.

 After reviewing resumes and application materials on a daily basis, Walsh and Moran have great experience in knowing what makes a candidate stand out. During this Lunch & Learn, students got the opportunity to hear tips on how to perfect their resume, appropriate interview skills, and effective post-interview follow up strategies. Furthermore, students exchanged resumes with each other to implement recommendations given by the Sherpa presentation.

Be sure to come out to our next Lunch & Learn on October 3rd, which will cover the topic of what employers look for in technical skills!

Study Abroad this Spring Break!

Part of the mission of the Belk College of Business is to create leaders who are globally aware. A great way to work on this skill and to develop your competency in intercultural awareness is to Study Abroad. There are several options to study abroad this Spring Break (see a full list here) with three options for students to receive business credit.

Read more about them and be ready to submit your application and fee by November 1st!

Global Marketing Practicum (MKTG 3000) will go to Paris and Prague. For more information about the travel schedule and cost, visit the website. Marketing professor Cindy Fox ctfox@uncc.edu is leading the trip-- contact her for more information!

China: Experience Chinese Culture Through Historical and Modern Banking (FINN 3000) will start in Beijing and explore world heritage sites. For more information about the travel schedule and cost, visit the website. Contact trip leader, Dr. Yongling Zhang for more information.

MGMT 3000 Working Successfully Overseas- Understanding International Employees, Teams, and Leaders will allow students to understand what makes international employees successful. This experience in Berlin, Germany allows students to explore international organizations and visit several historical sites. Visit the website or contact trip leader Dr. Anita Blanchard anita.blanchard@uncc.edu for more information.

Be sure to check in with your Academic and Career Coach to see how these courses could count toward your degree!

Financial Services Career Fair

Career Fair is drop in and come anytime between 5:00-7:30. We recommend students arrive by 6:45 pm at latest. Best to arrive early if possible.

Peer Advisors have Mentors and YOU Should Too!

Finding a mentor can be very important for your personal and professional life! Forbes certainly thinks so (read thoughts here and here) and so does the Niblock Student Center. Identifying a mentor is a NSC Guide goal for your freshman year and can help develop your teamwork competency.

One of the benefits of serving as a Peer Advisor in the Belk College of Business is that Peers are matched with Academic and Career Coaches for a year long partnership. Not only do they meet each week to talk about the job (how to speak with students, policy review, deadlines) but are also given tips and insight into their own professional development. This includes a resume review, networking tips, and how to find an internship.

Last Friday, Peers and ACC's participated in their "Mentor Reveal" and are looking forward to working together this  year. If you haven't already identified a mentor in your personal or professional life, the time to start is now!

DeAndrea Salvador '13 - TED Talk

How we can make energy more affordable for low-income families | DeAndrea Salvador

"Every month, millions of Americans face an impossible choice: pay for energy to power their homes, or pay for basic needs like food and medicine. TED Fellow DeAndrea Salvador is working to reduce energy costs so that no one has to make this kind of decision. In this quick talk, she shares her plan to help low-income families reduce their bills while also building a cleaner, more sustainable and more affordable energy future for us all."

Check out this TED Talk from 2013 UNC Charlotte alumna, DeAndrea Salvador. As an advocate for environmental justice, Salvador founded and is the CEO of Renewable Energy Transition Initiative (RETI) and JouleScout. Her nonprofit organization works with the City of Charlotte and other companies to help low-income families reduce energy costs and gain access to cutting-edge technology.

Now, you have the opportunity to hear from DeAndrea Salvador at the Fall 2019 CEO Speaker Series! Students are invited to attend the program on September 26 at 10:00 a.m. Light refreshments will be provided.

Learn more about the CEO Speaker Series and RSVP today at https://belkcollege.uncc.edu/CEOSpeakerSeries

Lunch and Learn: Standing Out In Your Job Application

Hopefully, you're starting think about your next steps after graduation. Perhaps you attended the Career Fair last Friday? Or maybe you are applying to internships and jobs?

Sherpa, a staffing partner in Charlotte, will be on campus on Tuesday, September 17 leading a Lunch and Learn focused on standing out in your internship and job application. They will be sharing their recruiter perspective on what makes candidates stand out, as well as best practices when applying for opportunities. We are serving a light meal during the event, and we hope you can attend!

Lunch and Learn: Standing Out In Your Job Application

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

4:00pm-5:00pm | FRI 302 (Niblock Student Center)

Click Here to Sign Up!

Please contact Sarah Haley – sarah.haley@uncc.edu – if you have any questions!

Meet Bank of America on 9/18/19!

If you are a business major with a focus on finance, business analytics, accounting or MIS, come out and join Future Leaders of Accounting and Alpha Kappa Psi as they host Bank of America (BOA) on September 18th from 6:15pm-8:00pm in the Cone Center Rom 261. Headquartered in Charlotte NC, BOA is an incredibly large company that boasts $2,325 billion in assets, $91 billion in revenue as well over 200,000 employees. It is a Fortune 25 company.

Representatives from BOA will be providing an overview of BOA, as well as their perspectives on topics ranging from interviewing approaches, professional certifications, graduate school and anything else you would want to discuss. They will also be providing an overview of their summer 2020 internship program. Come and learn how to prepare for and make key decisions about your future career.

This event’s intimate setting will allow you the opportunity to directly interact and network with professionals at a company that can offer you an internship and/or full-time job!

Dinner will be provided.  You MUSTregister for this event in advance:

https://bankcampuscareers.tal.net/vx/lang-en-GB/candidate/postings/3663

Welcome Caitlyn Mercier!

We are excited to welcome our new Graduate Assistant, Caitlyn Mercier to the Niblock Student Center team! Caitlyn will serve as an Academic and Career Coach and work with pre-business and some finance majors.

Caitlyn is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Mathematical Finance at UNCC and will graduate in May 2020. She completed her undergraduate degree from Queens University of Charlotte in Mathematics. She worked as middle school math teacher previously and completed an internship with Wells Fargo in Quantitative Analytics this past summer. She grew up in Wilmington, NC.

We are excited to have Caitlyn on board!

Meet Melisa!

Work for the Belk College! We are Looking for a Video/Multimedia Temp!

Apply Now at Hire-A-Niner!

Meet the Peer Advisors!

Peer Advisor Spotlight

Meet Your Peer Guides!

Intellectual Property Seminar

Atkins Library is sponsoring a half-day intellectual property seminar on Thursday, September 19, 2019 in the Halton Reading Room. Managing Trademark Attorney Craig Morris is the special guest speaker. Beth Scarborough, Patent and Trademark librarian at UNC Charlotte, will conduct a patent workshop following Mr. Morris' presentation. 

Register here

The seminar is free and open to all students, faculty, staff and the general public. A flyer is attached. Please feel free to distribute information.

Details include:

Trademark Basics overview:

1.      How trademarks, copyrights, patents, domain names, and business name registrations all differ.

2.      Why any new business should select a trademark that will be both federally registrable and legally protectable, highlighting factors critical when choosing a mark.

3.      The importance of doing a complete search and whether to use an attorney.

4.      What to do if another trademark owner sends a "cease-and-desist" letter.

5.      What happens after registration.

Patent Searching:

1.      Basic information about patents

2.      How to search by classification via Espacenet and USPTO databases

3.      Tips for legal assistance

Special Guest Craig Morris' biographical information:

Craig Morris works within the Office of the Commissioner for Trademarks in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Alexandria, Virginia.  Currently, he is the Managing Attorney for Trademark Educational Outreach. For 14 years prior, he was the Managing Attorney for the Trademark Electronic Application System. Mr. Morris has been with the USPTO since 1983.

Get Ready for the Career Fair!

On Friday, September 13th, the University Career Center will be holding the largest career fair of the Fall!  At this event, students can find over 200 employers offering 5,000+ full time jobs, internships and co-ops.

In order to best prepare for the career fair, the Niblock Student Center provides Professional Development Meetups. Meetups are 30 minute workshops regarding a particular topic to encourage career readiness.

There will be three Professional Development Meetups this week:

●     Researching Employers at theCareer Fair (9/10) - 1:00 pm

●     Standing Out at the Career Fair(9/11) - 11:15 am

●     Approaching Employers at the Career Fair (9/12) - 2:30 pm

All meetups will be held in the Niblock Student Center. Come out to a meet up to acquire skills and tips to navigate the career fair! No sign up required!