Your Career at Your Fingertips

By: Courtney Carter, Peer Advisor

Are you looking to get a head start on your career search? Do you want to know how to stand out to employers? Are you wondering where you can go to find a job or gain experience? Being a part of the 49er family, means there are several resources available to you! Two major resources that I’ve used are the University Career Center (UCC) and Hire-A-Niner. Both resources helped me to get my first on-campus job and with future opportunities.  

When I was an incoming freshman, I was looking for an on-campus job and did not know where to look or go, until I heard about Hire-A-Niner. Hire-A-Niner is UNC Charlotte’s very own job listing and hiring portal. This is where internships, jobs, and other opportunities are posted by employers to hire UNC Charlotte students. I went here to find different on-campus job listings for UNC Charlotte. I uploaded my resume for approval first and then started applying to different jobs I was interested in. After a couple of weeks, I got contacted by the employer for an interview and received a job offer as a Data Entry Assistant for the University’s Career Center. Without using Hire-A-Niner I would have never found out about the different jobs available to me as a student at UNC Charlotte. I still use Hire-A-Niner when it comes to looking for internships, part-time jobs, and professional development opportunities. Using Hire-A-Niner also helped me to see what employers were looking for when it came to the job descriptions and if I felt like I would be a good applicant for the position. There are so many opportunities listed on Hire-A-Niner, do not be afraid to take advantage of them! 

While being a Data Entry Assistant within the UCC I got to see the different kinds of professional development sessions, career resources, and career talks the Career Center offered. I’ve used the UCC to help me with my interview skills by doing a mock interview session with employers, got my resume reviewed by one of the peer professionals, and got my professional headshot taken. From doing this I was able to interview better and have a solid resume for potential employers. I would say that this had a big impact on me getting my internship with PwC. I was well prepared and stood out to them from my resume and my interview. Although I have only been to a couple career talks, they are very insightful and informative. The talks range from how to transition to corporate life to how to properly eat at an etiquette dinner. The UCC also hosts job fairs and summer leaderships fairs on campus. This is where you can go to meet with employers face to face and talk to them.

Going to both the career and summer leadership fairs helped me to put myself out there to employers. It was overwhelming at first, but I was able to get comfortable with speaking to potential future employers. Although I did not get job offers at both events, I left with the experience of going to a job fair and found different companies I was interested in. It also helped with connecting with different employers and reaching out to them afterwards. I would say that this helped by leading me to an internship opportunity with PwC. As a freshman I went to the Summer Accounting Leadership Fair, this is where I met with recruiters from PwC. I was not qualified to apply for their internships, but I was able to apply to their Career Preview program, where I got to know more about the firm and what it had to offer.

The Niblock Student Center is another great resource for your career. The professional development team offers a variety of activities to provide experiential learning opportunities for students. They help with things like resume tips and host professional development sessions throughout the year. In these, you might learn things such as time management, your personal brand, and getting involved. They also host Lunch and Learns. See the upcoming events here!

I’ve worked with the professional development team and have been to a couple of their sessions since my time here and each time I walked out learning something new or a way to better my professionalism. If you would like to participate in professional development on your own time, the Niblock Student Center has a 24/7 access Canvas page where different assignments are posted that you can complete on your own time. The page also gives you access to upcoming events within the Niblock Student Center.

Using these career resources will help in multiple ways. I know that getting an internship or a job offer is the main goal, but they also help in enhancing your professionalism, networking, finding your interests, and getting connected with the university. Being engaged and utilizing these resources will not only prepare you for meeting professionals, but make you stand out to them!

Bank of America Campus Fall Web Series Opportunities

Fall 2021 Campus Web Series 

Are you interested in opportunities with Bank of America? The company is offering a web series this fall, and you can see those opportunities and register here. 

Getting Involved on Campus with the Office of Leadership and Community Engagement

By: Aleksandr Wittemann, Peer Advisor

The Office of Leadership and Community Engagement is a great way to get involved at UNC Charlotte. They provide several programs to students to develop leadership skills, offer community engagement and volunteering opportunities, personal and professional development opportunities, as well as the Forty-Niner Forum and the Jamil Niner Food Pantry.

According to their website, “the mission of Leadership and Community Engagement is to provide UNC Charlotte students with Leadership skills and developmental opportunities through individual programs, retreats, and experiential learning. These students will develop lifelong leadership skills that can be utilized within diverse educational, social, and business settings. The experiences students gain through academic-sponsored leadership programs and courses will influence the campus socially and culturally.”

I was a part of Leadership Fellows during the Fall 2020 semester. I went through an application and interview process where I was selected to the cohort. Currently, I am serving as a STAR Mentor who helps lead and facilitate the program with a small group. Through my time at Leadership Fellows, I have improved my public speaking, learned more about my unique leadership style, learned to be more professional, and how to creatively solve problems.

One of my favorite things that I have gotten out of Leadership Fellows is the community. As a STAR Mentor, we all work together and interact quite often which has led to some great friends at UNC Charlotte. It has been the biggest example of making friends via Zoom to having those same friends in person. The program has allowed me to meet and interact with students from other colleges on campus that I otherwise wouldn’t have ever interacted with.

One of the highlights of the Leadership Fellows program is the retreat. Each program, students are required to attend an overnight, off campus retreat where there will be speakers, games, activities, and community bonding. This year, Leadership Fellows is going to York, South Carolina where we will get to spend some time getting to know the fellows and the other peer mentors.

The Office of Leadership and Community Engagement offers many other programs outside of Leadership Fellows: 

• Emerging Leaders is a program geared towards first-year, first-time students who are looking to develop their leadership skills while making friends and having mentors. Deadline for current freshman to apply is September 30th!!
• LEAD team (Leadership Education and Development) is a group of student ambassadors who facilitate workshops on a variety of leadership topics.
• PILOT program (Programs in Leadership and Organizational Training) provides participants non-academic credit for leadership training. 
• The Women’s Leadership Development Program is offered for students who are nominated by faculty and staff across campus to join a conversation series to develop leadership skills.
• The Executive Leadership Program focuses on the transition from undergraduate leadership to leadership as a new professional.

There are also countless Community Engagement opportunities through the office. SERVE team (Students Engaging in Rewarding Volunteer Experiences) is another great opportunity that offers monthly events. SERVE team assists in planning, recruiting, and implementation of monthly community engagement events that are mutually beneficial for the community partner they serve.

Q&A about the Office of Leadership and Community Engagement

What should be my first step in getting involved? You can check out their website (leadership.charlotte.edu) where you can find information on every program that they offer as well as contact information to people who work in the office that can answer questions.

Where can I find the office of Leadership and Community Engagement on campus? They are located in Student Union 280 and are there during normal business hours.

Why should I be concerned about developing my leadership skills? Many employers today are looking for applicants who have soft skills. Therefore, it is important to jump at every opportunity while you are at UNC Charlotte to develop interpersonal skills that will transfer over to the workplace. Having these skills and experiences on your résumé will help set yourself apart from other applicants.

Thanks for your time in reading today Belk College of Business students! Have a great week!

--Aleks

Making the Empire Work: Property, Labor, and the Early Silver Industry in the Production of a World Commodity in Potosi

Join Us on Zoom: Link Meeting ID: 974 0761 5184 Password:609404

It's Career Fair Time!

It's Career Fair week! This Friday, September 17, over 180 employers will join the Fall Career & Internship Fair. You can find out more about the fair here. 

The career fair holds value for students at all levels:

• Seniors can connect with employers for full-time, post-grad positions.
• Sophomores & Juniors can meet employers offering internships and co-ops.
• Freshmen can explore career options by talking with professionals and get a head-start on applying for internships.

The virtual career fair will be in Hire-A-Niner - you'll be able to videochat one-on-one with recruiters. Watch this video to see how the fair will work. 

If you're looking for resources to help you prepare for the fair, please check out the Niblock Student Center's 24/7 resources here, or join a Career Fair preparation meet-up with the Career Center. 

Peer Guide Recap of September 1st Lunch & Learn

 

Hello Business Niners and Welcome Back!

The Peer Guide Team is Axe-Cited to welcome you back to campus! Can you believe how quickly the first two weeks of the semester have flown by?

On Wednesday September 1, 2021, the Niblock Student Center held its first Lunch and Learn for the Fall 2021 semester on the topic Risk Analysis. This event was presented by Bryan McNees who is currently a Senior Quantitative Manager at Fifth Third Bank and has received his M.S. degree in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in which he has held a role as a Graduate Assistant in the Economist department whilst studying at the University. 

Some things that stuck out to a fellow member of the PG team were risks involved with banking directly and indirectly in addition to the different levels of people in a company and their importance.

We are grateful for Bryan McNees taking time outside of his busy schedule to come and speak to us.

For more information about future events held by the Niblock Student Center this semester, you can refer to our events calendar located here.

If you would like to learn more about the Niblock Student Center and what we do you can refer to this link. 

Our upcoming Professional Development events are also listed below:

PD:Q&A about Getting Involved outside of the classroom which will be hosted via Zoom 9/3/21at 12:00 p.m.; more information located here: https://belkcollege.charlotte.edu/events/2021-09-03/pd-qa-getting-involved-outside-classroom

PD Meet Up: Maximizing Your Professional Development in Your 1st Semester at Charlotte which also be hosted via Zoom 9/9/21 at 11:30 a.m.; more information located here:https://belkcollege.charlotte.edu/events/2021-09-09/pd-meet-maximizing-your-professional-development-your-1st-semester-charlotte

We hope to see you there!

Welcome Belk College of Business Students!

 

Whether you are new or returning to campus, we are so excited to have you here! We have some useful information to help you succeed as we all return to campus.

First let us introduce ourselves! 

Amy Kidder and Bailey Harris are Senior Peer Advisors in the Belk College of Business. Amy is a Senior majoring in Accounting and Bailey is a Senior majoring in Marketing Analytics. You might be wondering what exactly Peer Advisors do, well let us tell you!

 

Who are the Peer Advisors?

Belk College of Business Peer Advisors support undergraduate Pre-Business Administration, Pre-Accounting, and Pre-Economics students by offering supplemental academic advising; helping them understand the major declaration requirements and process; clarifying their academic and career goals; providing mentoring to students classified as at-risk by the university; and assisting students in their transition by helping them discover and connect to involvement opportunities both inside and outside the Belk College of Business. Peer Advisors are declared, Belk College of Business students who work to support undergraduate students as they progress through the pre-major curriculum. To make a Virtual or In-Person appointment with a Peer Advisor:

1. Login to your my.uncc.edu page. 

2. On your student homepage, select the Connect link.

3. Click Make an Appointment for Advising  and a series of drop down menus will appear. 

4. Choose Peer Advising and then select Niblock Student Center, Friday, suite 305 or Virtual.  

Important Services the Belk College of Business Offers: 

• Academic Advising Team : 

• The Niblock Student Center provides centralized Academic and Career Coaching for all undergraduate business students. Each Department and School in the Belk College has an Academic and Career Coach appointed as their primary liaison and the primary advisor to students with declared majors in their area. Pre-Business students are assigned an Academic and Career Coach based on their last name. Academic and Career Coaches are located in the Niblock Student Center on the 3rd floor of the Friday building. A currently enrolled, Belk College of Business student may meet with his or her Academic and Career Coach through either an Advising Appointment or Drop-In Session. Click to Schedule an Appointment. 

• Professional Development Team: 

• The Niblock Student Center Professional Development team believes every undergraduate business student can graduate with the skills and mindset needed to lead, to cultivate a meaningful career, and to navigate challenges not yet known. The team facilitates employer connections and provides intentional experiential learning opportunities in order for students to develop in-demand professional skills that fit their diverse aspirations. We work with faculty, student organizations, and other campus groups to integrate career and professional development topics into business courses, meetings, or events and often partner with staff in the University Career Center and Belk College graduate programs. Professional Development staff and resources are located in the Niblock Student Center on the 3rd floor of the Friday building. Workshops, networking opportunities and events are listed on the Niblock Student Center Calendar.

Important Dates for Fall 2021:

• September 6th: Labor Day-No Classes 

• September 22nd: Deadline to Apply for December 2021 Graduation

• September 23rd: Founders Day-No Classes 

• October 11th-12th: Student Recess-No Classes 

• October 22nd: Last Day to Withdraw From Course

• November 1st: Registration for Spring 2022 Begins

• November 24th-27th: Thanksgiving Break - No Classes 

• December 8th: Last Day of Classes 

• December 9th: Reading Day   

• December 10th-16th: Final Exams 

Tips On How to Be Successful During the First Few Weeks of the Semester 

• Get Organized! 

• Have a calendar (physical or virtual) that has all of your assignment due dates from the syllabus written down! 

• Get Involved! 

• Don’t be scared to try something new. Attend an interest meeting for a new organization!

• Get Connected! 

• Introduce yourself to your professors. Visit their office hours throughout the semester to maintain the connection.

• Talk to the students you are sitting next to in class. Get their contact information to create study groups before the first exam.

Whether it is the first day or last day of class, the Faculty and Staff of the Belk College of Business are here to help you throughout this semester and academic year! We urge you to use your resources and to have fun as we work our way through the Fall Semester. Go Niners!

Interested in Opportunities with Blue Cross Blue Shield NC?

Blue Cross NC is hosting several events in September called our Virtual Learning Series discussing topics like how to succeed in their recruitment process and candid panel conversations with young professionals at Blue Cross NC. 

Register Here: https://careers.bluecrossnc.com/global/en/events?category=Campus%20Recruitment&date=ALL_DATES