Robert Gannone – Page 2

Holidays with The Family

As the Fall Holidays begin and you return home, the first question that relatives invariably ask is “How is school going?” But quickly followed by that is the “What are you doing with your life” prodding inquiry that many people dread. (You may be thinking must I decide now? How do I know what the rest of my future will hold?)

You may even have opportunities available or on the horizon, but maybe it’s still too early to say. The thing that’s important to remember is that all parents want you to be successful and they simply want to know that you’re on the right path. Therefore, you will likely need to share some uplifting news to them.

While it’s been a busy semester for all, you can start your search after the thanksgiving break by attending out Summer Job Search Workshop on Wednesday, November 30, from 12:00pm to 1:00pm at Huntsman Hall, Room 245.

For those that who are seeking full-time positions or internships next semester, there are several routes in which you can explore and inform your family. First, there is of course, PennLink, which posts job and internship information every day from employers. During the break, you can check out some of the opportunities that are available online. Currently, there are quite a few listings already for information sessions and internship opportunity for the companies that will be recruiting in the spring.

Don’t forget also that the Spring Career Fair is next year on Friday, February 17. Last year, there were over 100 employers that attended the fair.

Also, be sure to check our Career Services Events on the main Penn Calendar at:

http://www.upenn.edu/cgi-bin/calendar/calendar?category=3

or on our website at:

http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/undergrad/events.html

Hope you have a relaxing Thanksgiving break!

Seeking Opportunities Abroad

According to a recent USA Today article, job placement firms are reporting a surge in American worker interest in working abroad.

Quite a few students who study abroad find it to be a great opportunity that they seek to return for employment for a few years after graduation.

Whether you’re from another country and looking for a job back home or are simply an American with foreign language skills seeking opportunities in another country, we have an upcoming fair that would be great for you.

Next Tuesday, October 25th, is the International Opportunities Fair here at Penn. The International Opportunities Fair is open to Penn students interested in learning about job, internship, volunteer, graduate study, and scholarship opportunities abroad.

Quite a few companies with a global presence such as Morgan Stanley, A.T.Kearney, IBM, and The TJX Companies, Inc. are coming to the fair.

You can find the full list of companies coming here:

http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/undergrad/IntlFair2011info.html

Additionally, our website has a lot of information for students interested in international opportunities. Be sure to check it out here:

http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/international.html

We’ll see at the fair Next Tuesday!

Your Summer Experience

The season of going to the beach, taking long, relaxing vacations, and enjoying the weather outside always seems to fly by in a hurry.
Now that the summer will only last for a few more weeks, the time for reviewing your experiences is getting close.
What did you do this summer?

Did you work in a paid position? Did you volunteer? Take classes? Travel?
What did your experience mean to you? How might you translate it on your resume and in potential interviews?
For those of you who may have had the opportunity to pursue your summer experience full-time, you now have time to reflect whether it is something you wish to continue as a career after graduation. Was the organization a good fit for you? Did you enjoy the day-to-day experiences of it? Or would you prefer to explore other options and see what else is out there?
You can take these last weeks to gather your thoughts and decide upon which direction might be better suited for you as you gear up for another school year. Certainly, feel free to call us or come in to speak with one of our counselors to determine your next move.
An important element for us at Career Services regarding your summer is our survey reports, which we gather from your responses on the summer survey. We ask all undergraduate and engineering masters students to complete the survey. Your responses help us to determine current and future trends regarding summer employment issues, housing selections, and salary.
Please complete the survey here:

https://secure.www.upenn.edu/vpul/careerservices/forms/2011summersurvey/survey.php

To see what students in the past did during their summers, be sure to check out our career surveys here.
Be sure to check on our website when you arrive back on-campus for a list of all our fall programs and career events. And of course, enjoy these last few weeks of stress-free summer bliss!

Summer Housing Resources

Now that summer is almost here and you are lining up your summer internship or job, it’s time to start searching for housing.

Our website has some housing resources listed by different cities in the United States as well as resources for international housing.

You can check it out here:

http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/undergrad/housingresources.html

Some of the more general resources include Apartments.com, Sublet.com if you are looking to stay for only a short time, or the always popular Craigslist.

A lot of universities also offer affordable housing for students so be sure to see if there are any local colleges nearby.

If you are staying in Philadelphia, the Office of Off-Campus Services at the University of Pennsylvania has a great resource at http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/offcampusservices/

Also, be sure to join one of our Regional Network Groups. These groups are dedicated to sharing housing resources for the major metropolitan areas in the U.S. among Penn students and alumni.

Best of luck on your summer search!

Please Note: Links which are posted do not constitute an endorsement from the University of Pennsylvania or Career Services.

OCR: What You Need to Know

On-campus recruiting has started for summer internships and already we are getting many questions about the process. The first thing you need to know is that it’s necessary to view the online OCR orientation to understand the process. It will answer all your questions. You can view it here:

http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/recruiting/OCRSpring2011.pptx/player.html

Once a schedule deadline passes, the schedule is closed and you cannot schedule an interview. Your next option would be to deposit your information in the “Recruiter Add-On Interview Request Box” outside of Career Services. The drop box collection hours are 9:15 am – 2:00 pm one working day before the company interview date. You can pick up the Recruiter Add-on Interview Request Form at the front desk of our office. Your add-on request(s) will be given to the recruiter(s) when they check in to OCR the following morning.

We have asked employers to give interns until February 23rd, or one week, whichever comes later, to decide on offers. If you have any questions about this, please come and see one of our counselors by making an appointment or coming for a walk-in.

If a schedule is closed and you already accepted an offer, you will need to cancel the rest of your interviews. To do this, you must cancel your interviews as soon as possible but at least one hour before the interview by calling 215-898-4068 or by stopping at the receptionist’s desk in the OCR Suite. You must also send an apology email to the recruiter and copy OCR on it. For more on this policy, please visit here:

http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/recruiting/pennlink_faqs.htm#CancelInterview

Please note that failing to show up for your interview, or canceling less than 60 minutes before the interview, is considered a “no show”. If you no-show on more than one recruiting date, your recruiting privileges and PennLink access may be rescinded for the remainder of the academic year.

If you have any more questions, please view our OCR page here or call 215-898-7531.