Duke Data Science Panel

I am also including the livestreaming and replay link for those who have a schedule conflict or are available but for whom the trip to Durham presents a problem.  

Career Fair

Last Friday, September 21st, the University Career Center hosted the annual Fall Career and Internship Fair. All UNCC students, alumni, and community members were welcome to attend. The event was held from 10am to 2pm in the Student Activity Center. There were over 200 employers recruiting for full time jobs and internships that included Duke Energy, Fastenal Company, Lowe's, Wells Fargo, and XPO Logistics. Save the date for the Spring Fair in February! Upcoming fair events can be found on the UCC's webpage.

Explore UNC Charlotte

Last Saturday, September 22nd Niblock Student Center staff along with Peer Advisors talked with prospective freshman and transfer students at Explore. This event gives future students the opportunity to meet faculty, staff, and students to discuss educational goals and get a real taste of campus life at UNC Charlotte. Have a friend that is looking to come to campus? Direct them to all admissions events here.

We invite prospective freshman and transfer students to come to campus and take advantage of an opportunity to meet faculty, staff and students to discuss educational goals and get a real taste of campus life at UNC Charlotte!

Join in conversations and learn more about your specific areas of interest by attending three informational presentations and touring academic spaces, campus and housing.

We are excited to provide a thorough look inside Niner Nation!

*For available walk-in times, please click here: Walk-In Schedule

How to Write a Great Cover Letter That Employers Want to Read

Cover letters can be somewhat daunting to write. Figuring out how to brainstorm just the right words about why you would be a great hire is challenging. Yet, cover letters can be an additional opportunity to “wow” an employer.

Photo: Andrew Neel

What’s the point of the cover letter?

The goal of a cover letter is to intrigue the reader enough so that they want to take a closer look at your resume and further consider you for an available position. A resume already lists your most relevant skills and experiences. Therefore, a cover letter should expand on the highlights: a few of the most important things about you that are relevant for the job and the overarching “story” about why you are interested.

Start with the basics

The first paragraph is your introduction paragraph. Identify the specific position for which you are applying and how you heard of the opening. Include a summary statement about your qualifications for and interest in the position.

Make it easy for the employer to understand why you’re a good fit

The second paragraph, and possibly a third paragraph if you need it, are the “meat” of the cover letter. This is where you go into detail about the qualifications you mentioned in your introduction. Mention 3-5 specific "selling points" of your background that directly relate to the position.

Make sure you get specific and use examples. Simply writing, “I have developed strong leadership skills from my involvement on campus” does not tell a reader very much. Instead, include specific information about what your involvement is like and skills you actually developed or utilized. Talk about using communication skills when running a student org exec board meeting. Share how you utilized organizational skills to overhaul your fraternity’s financial and membership record keeping system. Explain how you learned about delegation and team dynamics in a leadership workshop and then implemented those strategies to lead a committee. Use examples and share real stories about how you actually put skills into practice and what results came of your efforts.

Then, take it one step further by connecting the skills illustrated by your example(s) to what the employer is seeking. What will your leadership, communication, organizational, and other skills allow you to do for them? To do this effectively, research the employer and read the position description carefully to know what skills and experiences are most relevant. 

End strong

The last paragraph is the closing paragraph. Conclude by reaffirming your interest and desire to work for the company. If you haven’t already, include specific details about that company that drew you to the position. Let them know your contact information (phone and email) and thank the reader for their time and consideration. 

Double check

When writing a cover letter, always use professional business letter format. Try to address the letter to a specific person. If the contact person is unknown, use a job title. Review your letter for grammar and punctuation.

That’s it! Remember to tailor your cover letter for each position for which you apply.

Want more cover letter help? Check out the cover letter resources in the Career Guide or bring your draft cover letter to University Career Center drop-in hours.

Take a Break! Stop by the Niblock Student Center for coffee and cakepops!

Join the Niblock Student Center staff at our next Belk Break on Thursday, October 4 from 11:00am-12:00pm for coffee, cakepops, and the opportunity to learn more about career skills and what employers are looking for in new hires!

Take a break from studying and stop by any time between 11:00am-12:00pm for snacks, advice, and a little relaxation! See you in 302 Friday building. Bring your student ID!

PD Treks: Fall 2018

Professional Development (PD) Treks are a chance to join existing community events to network, learn, and start the process of finding your place in the professional community. The first PD Trek was to Pitch Breakfast, a monthly event at the Packard Place Garage which provides start-up companies with the opportunity to pitch to the audience and a professional panel. The pitch is followed by feedback from the panelists and questions from the audience. Belk College of Business student Miguel Avila joined us at Pitch Breakfast but also works for Start Charlotte and covered the event! Read his write-up here.

The next PD Trek is coming up quickly on Friday, October fifth. This PD Trek will be to Creative Mornings, also a monthly event that features networking, a featured speaker and theme for the month, and more. To read more about Creative Mornings, check out their about page. This month, the theme is Honesty and the guest speakers are Page Fehling and Jason Harper of Good Day Charlotte.

The theme for this fall’s PD Treks is entrepreneurship. For a start- up business, successfully pitching is undeniably important, but so is building your network and finding your community. In this second PD Trek, you will get a taste of just one of Charlotte’s communities, but it is a supportive and very fun one!
Space is very limited, so sign up soon if you would like to join. Transportation will be provided from the school.

By Meagan Glasco

Network of Executive Women Mentoring Event

Join the Network of Executive Women for their upcoming Mentoring Night on Thursday, October 4. This event is designed to connect local college students to business professionals, who will discuss the importance of mentoring and how to utilize mentoring for professional development.

The FREE event begins at 5:30pm at Hygge Coworking - The Music Factory. Register HERE.