In this issue:

Articles:

• Lead by Example
• A Glimpse of Life in a Jobshare
• To Ph.D. or Not
• Road Trips to the Real World
• New Hiring Requirements Bring Changes to Processes
• A Word from our DAC Winner
• Employer Perspective: John Hancock
• UB Buffalos Seen 'Round the World
• Get to Know Your Board
• Welcome New EACE Members

Announcements:

• 2007 Conference Save the Date
• Join the Small Colleges Network
• Action Without Borders Career Fairs
• EACE Author Alert
• Creative Careers Network
• Network Leadership Positions Available
• Diversity Advancement Committee
• Are We There Yet? Tools for Strategic Planning and Assessment of Career Services
• 39th semi-annual New Jersey Collegiate Career Day

Lead by Example
by Adam Forbes, Global University Relations Manager at Honeywell and EACE President

Change is around us. For some, change is feared, for others it signals opportunity. Where do you fit? In our jobs there will continue to be factors that influence or force us to change - financial constraints, organizational change and dynamics, market trends and issues, program or project failures, or lack of department or organization direction. When it comes to change, how do you react? Do you hide from it? Resist it? Ignore it? Embrace it? Participate in it? Or do you lead it?

Change requires leadership. As with most change efforts, the success of the change stems from a leader who is willing to embrace the change, engage to drive and change-manage the effort and is willing to champion it. It is easy for most to identify a gap or weakness. We criticize things we don’t like, we complain, then speculate on what “should be,” “could be,” and “would be” if done differently. We have opinions about the work and efforts others put into the work they do.

When faced with a challenge, stepping up to be a leader takes courage—courage to persevere, tenacity to endure highs and lows, vision to see the light at the end of the tunnel (and acknowledging those successes while en route and at the end). How do you get others to surround you and join in on the effort? Lead by example! Lead by empowering those involved. Communicate openly and regularly. Consider all views of stakeholders, even those you might think have little to no influence or will be impacted less.

Leading by example means taking an intelligent risk. How many of us have said, “I can’t,” when what we really in our mind mean to say is “I have not done that specific project or action before therefore am afraid of failure?” As you think about our association, EACE, are you willing to be a leader? Have you challenged yourself to take an intelligent risk and try something new? Have you thought about what “should be,” “could be,” and “would be” if done differently within the association? As you begin a new day, ask yourself, “What am I going to do differently today?” “Is today the day I am going to lead by example?!”

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A Glimpse of Life in a Jobshare
by Laura Sibson, Assistant Director, Swarthmore College Career Services

“Did you see the email from the alum in New York?”
“Yes, he sounds interesting. I replied to him. What’s the status on the chat session?”
“We’re all set. It’s been advertised and we’re ready to go. Are you still able to staff it?”
“Yup. And you are still going to the panel tonight?”
“Yes, I think we’ll get a good turnout.”
“Great! I’ll look forward to hearing all about it when I get in to work tomorrow.”
“Cool, I’ll see you in the morning.”

This type of interaction sounds common for many people who work together. But when Jen, my jobshare partner, and I have these conversations, one of us is at home while one of us is working. Though Jen and I work like a well-oiled machine, it took some time to reach that point. When I answered a call from my old boss about Swarthmore needing help on a part-time temporary basis, I learned that the Career Services office was in a state of transition. After two long-time employees became seriously ill, the office needed help and they needed it fast. A new, energetic director came on board; she hired a new employee but was still short some staff hours. I emailed my resume, interviewed with the staff and suddenly found myself part of a dynamic group at a small, intellectually stimulating school.

Still facing the need for increased staff in the office, the director sought and was approved to change the status of Jen’s half-time position to a full-time position. While a boon to the office, this was difficult for Jen. Like me, Jen chose to work half-time to achieve work/family balance. One week later, my boss met with me to present an innovative solution that she and Jen were considering. Noting that Jen was an asset but did not want the full-time position and acknowledging my contribution to the office, the director asked if I would consider a job share. The position would be one full-time permanent position with Jen and I each working half-time and sharing the responsibilities. Seeing little downside, I agreed to try it out.

There were growing pains in the beginning. Jen and I each needed to find our stride and learn to mesh our different work styles. Initially we functioned as separates units, each responsible for different programs within the position but knowing little of the other’s work. Soon, it became clear that the job shadowing program that I managed required much more than my 17.5 hours per week allowed. After a particularly draining semester, Jen and I took a long walk and I asked if she would consider being my partner on the project. Working even more closely necessitated increased communication, not to mention acceptance of our different approaches to our work.

We spend only one half of one day per week together but we produce great programs while also managing our counseling load. I’ve learned better time management from Jen and she says she’s learned to think differently about programming from me. Our co-workers laugh when we finish one another’s sentences. Not only have we developed a strong and effective working relationship, we’ve developed a wonderful friendship in the process.

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To Ph.D. or Not
by Darwin V. Kysor, Ph.D, LPC, NCC, Director of Career Services, Juniata College

When an individual travels around the state, the region or the entire United States as part of the Career Services Profession, one of the typical conversations revolves around whether or not the benefits of completing doctoral studies is worth the time and effort necessary. Does the degree put you ahead? Or would the several years of additional experience that one could acquire during the same time period of time be more beneficial? Obviously, as I often tell my students, there is no simple answer to this question, for if there were, the question would be irrelevant.

Before answering this question, one must ask him/herself what the real goal is? Do you wish to simply enhance your knowledge and skills to allow yourself to perform better in your current position? Or do you have plans to move to a bigger, better or more prestigious college or university? Or do you aspire to "higher" level administrative or faculty positions at a college or university? Ultimately, the answers to these questions can provide clues to the bigger question, to Ph.D. or not?

Having earned my own Ph.D. in College Student Services Administration from Oregon State University in 1994, I can truthfully say that my Ph.D. has been beneficial to me. At the same time, if I ask myself if I would be where I am at today without the Ph.D., I must say that it is certainly possible, and if not, there are many places in the world in which I could be happy. So, what motivated me to begin working on my Ph.D.? My motivation was entirely forthright, in my first professional job after completing my Master's degree, I worked a lot with a man who had a Ph.D. and he was dumb as a rock and a jerk besides! I figured if he could do it, I certainly could, so I did.

What did I learn in the process? I learned some things that I otherwise would not have known: Oregon is not rainy all the time, in fact, much of the state, east of the mountains, is a desert. I am also able to do some things that I otherwise would not have been able to do. At student/parent orientations, I can joke with them that the truly hard workers in the world use a Post Hole Digger, not a Ph.D. However, my Ph.D. did teach me a couple of things. Persistence pays off and writing a dissertation teaches one to be persistent. You will jump through more hoops than you ever knew existed. I also learned that completing a Ph.D. did not automatically earn me the respect of faculty, administrators or students. It didn't even automatically earn me respect from my own kids. Respect is earned with time, effort and competence, not paper. Lastly, I learned that the important titles in life are those like dad, mom, brother, sister, friend, not "doctor."

This may sound negative, but it is not meant to. I am very proud that I earned a Ph.D., I would do it again and I would encourage others to. All I ask is that you not use me as your "dumb as a rock" mentor. For those of you considering a Ph.D., good luck in your educational endeavors and don't forget the rest of us when you are Phinally Done!

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Road Trips to the Real World
by Jennifer Wickersham (Villanova University), Network Co-Chair

The Liberal Arts Network is once again pleased to present the annual "Road Trips to the Real World" program -- a series of employer site visits for students of all majors during the winter break. Each of the Road Trips is planned by an employer and staffed by a member of the EACE Liberal Arts Network. Site visits may include employer presentations, panel discussions featuring employees and interns, site tours, and/or networking sessions. The programs are free for students and provide an exciting way to engage students in the career exploration process.

This year, EACE will host 20 site visits in seven states between January 3 and 12, 2007, providing the opportunity for more than 800 students from EACE member institutions to experience the “real world.” Participating employers represent a broad cross-section of industries and career fields, and include: Bloomberg, Collette Vacations, Department of State, Federal Bureau of Investigation, The Fresh Air Fund, Investor's Bank and Trust, Liberty Mutual Group, Makovsky & Co, McCann Erickson, MEDITECH, The Morning Call Newspaper, Museum of Science, National Security Agency, NBC Universal, New England Aquarium, Pearson Education (2 branch locations), Rodale, Inc., The TJX Companies, and Vanguard.

Registration for the program was launched in mid-November and although some of the sites -- including Bloomberg, NBC Universal, McCann Erickson, and the National Security Agency -- filled within the first few hours, there are still spots available at many of the other sites, including MEDITECH, a leading software vendor in the health care information industry; Collette Vacations, the oldest vacation tour operator in the United States; and Pearson Education, a global leader in educational publishing.

For more information on the Road Trips to the Real World program, or to access student registration, please see our website at: http://www.eace.org/networks/liberalarts.html.

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New hiring requirements bring changes to processes
November 8, 2006
by Cynthia Tang, Senior Reporter

Students applying for jobs this fall will experience some changes in the procedures from previous years. This is due in part to new regulations issued by the federal government regarding the hiring practices of federal contractors. In particular, the focus of most applications for these companies has shifted to an online format.

In October 2005, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs instituted a new regulation for all federal contractors. It stipulated a number of parameters that defined an applicant and what protocols would be necessary in the hiring process. The department gave until February 6, 2006, for all federal contractors to comply, possibly requiring them to redefine their hiring process entirely.

Adam Forbes, Global University Relations Manager of Honeywell, agreed to discuss how his company had to change its hiring process and how this would affect applicants. Though Forbes’ description was specific to Honeywell, many corporate federal contractors also had to interpret the new regulations and redefine their hiring process.

According to Forbes, Honeywell internally clarified the new regulations and now has a single clearly defined process for hiring. All prospective employees must apply through the company website. Forbes also mentioned four key points that define an applicant as an individual who submits an expression of interest, is considered by Honeywell for a particular position, meets the basic qualifications for that position, and does not withdraw from the process.

With these new regulations, the interactions between RPI’s Career Development Center and companies have become more critical. CDC Director Tom Tarantelli explained by saying, “Employers need a place and people on campus who can help them to identify talent for their respective organizations.” As a result, the Center is in constant dialogue with the recruiters about these issues. Even more than before, the CDC administrative specialists have to be active participants on a national level so that employment trends and regulations are understood and students can be adequately advised.

Despite this, the CDC supports the new regulations because the purpose is to ensure fair and equitable treatment of applicants. The OFCCP began to develop changes last year, specifically in the spring semester, when students had to be more proactive in their searches by applying online and reading job descriptions more carefully.

Both Forbes and Tarantelli emphasized that students need to be proactive. They need to be spending time reading the details associated with the employers they are interested in. Additionally, students are in charge of their own search for employment. No professor, staff member at the CDC, or parent can be in charge of the direction of their job hunt.

Some companies are accepting resumes at career fairs while others are not. In the end, the best idea is for students to be vigilant and to research companies they truly want. “This extra step acts like a self-selection activity with students having to do it to be considered,” emphasized Tarantelli.

In light of the changes, many students might wonder about the purpose of a career fair such as the annual NSBE/SHPE Career Fair held [on the Rensselaer campus] last month. Forbes and Tarantelli were both adamant in their opinions that the career fair remains an integral part of hiring, even with these new regulations. Forbes believes students need to redefine the way they view a career fair. He said, “The career fair should be more exploratory and students should capitalize on the people from the various companies.” He continued, saying that the motivation for students should be focused on learning the story of the company, and as a result making a more informed decision about the company they would ultimately like to work for.

As the hiring season continues, students should be informed of the various policies for different companies. There are specific differences in hiring regulations between companies that are considered federal contractors and private companies, and students need to take charge of their job search with many companies moving to mandatory online applications.

©Copyright 2006 by The Polytechnic. Reprinted with permission.
Editor’s Note: The Polytechnic is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s student newspaper.

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A word from our Ernie Andrews EACE Diversity Advancement Scholarship recipient…
by Alysa Turkowitz

I am so thankful that I was awarded the Ernie Andrews EACE Diversity Advancement Scholarship that enabled me to attend the 2006 EACE Conference in Virginia. Though the days were scorching hot, one could hardly notice the heat in the air conditioned sessions that were running throughout the conference. I spent my days escaping the heat, busy learning as much as I could about the organization, best practices around diversity and also found time to mingle with members throughout various social events.

The conference inspired me in my personal, professional and academic pursuits in issues related to diversity and social justice. I became engaged in the conference starting with Lawler Kang's talk about passion and then working up to the powerful message about the importance of talking about diversity given by Dr. Gerda Govine. In between those inspirational talks, I had the opportunity to find out more about best practices by other educational institutions. I have already followed up on what I heard so I can execute similar practices around how to address diversity in an educational setting for students and job seekers alike. In line with this year's conference programming, I plan on continuing to "explore the sea of possibilities" and hope to add value to the Diversity Committee and other members who honored me with this amazing scholarship.

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Refining Relationships: Connecting with Colleges
by Oona Harrington, Staffing Specialist, and Yvonne Rogers, Relationship and Program Manager, John Hancock

John Hancock has a long history in Boston. The continuous growth of the company has required the Staffing and Recruiting department to deepen its investigation into best practices in building pipelines to reach strong talent and recruit hundreds of new employees each year. Boston, known as an intellectual city and an academic hub, offers John Hancock vast resources. To focus recruiting efforts and to strengthen its programs, the Staffing and Recruiting department formed a Relationship and Program Management team to delve closely into ways of improving relationships with the community. Because of the large number of colleges and universities in the city, college relations is a strong focus of this new team.

Connecting with colleges is necessary for the company’s continued success. While John Hancock recruits in various parts of the country, the company’s headquarters reside in Boston, so much of the college relations focus is on the Boston area colleges. With over 30 colleges and universities in Boston, college students make up approximately 23% of the city’s population. Boston is one of the few cities in the U.S. that creates more jobs than it has residents; while the number of graduating students creates a wealth of talent for John Hancock, the efforts to recruit the best students are in competition with the many other job opportunities that are available in the city. In addition, around 50% of Boston’s college graduates leave the city after receiving their degree, creating even more competition for those remaining. This “brain drain,” combined with the large number of job opportunities outside the company, requires John Hancock to close the gap and improve the connection between the company, colleges and its students.

John Hancock’s college relations efforts are plentiful but focused. Work, both internally and externally, is being done to build a path that leads to strong connections with academic communities that make business sense for both the company and college students. The company wants to motivate quality candidates to apply for available jobs, identify and cultivate potential candidates, increase positive relations on campuses, build and maintain a consistent brand and enhance on-campus recruiting results. John Hancock is working to achieve these results through a number of methods.

Leveraging both existing and new relationships, John Hancock’s interaction with students and college staff has increased over the year by being involved in various activities including activities in conjunction with Career Services departments, academic faculty and with student organizations. Resume reviews, interviewing workshops and a range of presentations by John Hancock’s professionals all play a large part in creating a connection on campuses. John Hancock becomes involved because of the mutual benefits; the company is able to make a positive impact on talented students, and students are exposed to the company and the vast opportunities that exist for them.

At events and programs, John Hancock is represented by a number of individuals, ranging from senior executives to HR professionals to managers within the businesses. For example, John Hancock recently worked with the Boston Chamber of Commerce to host students from surrounding colleges for a Hub Crawl which exposes them to Boston-area companies. Students were invited to John Hancock’s headquarters to learn more about the company and to hear from people from different areas of the company, ranging from mutual funds to underwriting. Providing students with networking opportunities such as this helps them make important connections to people who can truly assist them in their job search and careers, and it introduces John Hancock to the available talent while they are still early in their job search.

In addition to being involved on campuses, John Hancock further shows its commitment to college relations with the creation of a new webpage for students. The newly launched “Student Opportunities” page on the John Hancock website provides information directed to students who are currently enrolled in school and for students and recent graduates looking for full-time opportunities. Students are made aware of upcoming events on campuses, provided with information about student programs and the website offers career exploration. The webpage supports the efforts that are being made to refine relationships with college communities and allows access to upcoming activities so college students and staff can be fully involved with strengthening the connection.

College relations is just one part of the Relationship and Program Management team’s responsibilities, but it is significant for John Hancock’s continued success. The need to draw students in before they consider leaving the Boston area requires the work with campuses so John Hancock becomes a natural employer of choice. Conveying a consistent message to students throughout their tenure at school is necessary to keep them in Boston and to attract them to the company: John Hancock provides a vibrant culture, a wealth of opportunity and is a company with a conscience – all important attributes of a successful company and workforce. www.johnhancock.com/about/careers/student.jsp

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University at Buffalo Career Services Uses a Creative Contest to Enhance Relationships with Employers and Students
by Bob Orrange & Judy Applebaum, Associate Directors, UB Career Services

Have you seen a buffalo roaming around? He's been spotted from the California shore to the Catskill Mountains. He's been racing a locomotive, swimming in a lake, overseeing the construction of a bridge, and playing with preschool children.

Yes, the University at Buffalo (UB) squeezy buffalo has been seen across the country in some interesting places—including interacting with a certain gecko! He's the focal point of the UB Career Services' “UB Buffalos Seen 'Round the World” contest, which has created a buzz among both employers and students.

Employers were asked to enter the contest by taking a creative photo of the small, foam version of the UB Buffalo somewhere in the world along with an accompanying caption, their company/organization name, and website address.

It has been a popular item, distributed to thousands of employers at conferences, provided to recruiters when they visit the campus, and given to employers participating in the contest. The photos have been creative, in some cases showing great use of technical photo editing resources and composition.

Employer entries appeared on the UB Career Services website during the fall semester, and students were asked to vote for their favorite photo. Prizes were given to employers for the winning photos, and a drawing was held among the student voters with the winner receiving an IPod. More than 1,450 individual students voted in the contest!

The contest has had a real positive impact! It has helped further relationships with existing employers and has opened the door to some new relationships. It brought employers and students together (at least electronically) while increasing Career Services visibility to both constituencies – everything you could ask for from a marketing campaign.

As the first contest was such a rousing success, UB Career Services has begun a second contest called “UB Buffalos Seen 'Round the Campus” in which employers will be asked to vote for the best student organization photo.

Check out the first contest page at: http://www.ub-careers.buffalo.edu/contest

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Get to Know Your Board

Name: Helen Brown
Title/Company Name: Campus Relations Manager Northeast Region/Vector Marketing Corporation
Years in EACE: 5 years
Board Role: Treasurer. I handle anything with money!
What’s on your holiday wish list? To spend time with family and friends.

Name: Kimberly Joy Dixon
Title/Company Name: On-Campus Recruiting Coordinator/Stony Brook University
Years in EACE: 6 years
Board Role: Director, Diversity and Member Services. I serve as the liaison to the Diversity Advancement Committee, Newsletter Committee, Consulting, and the Mentoring Committee. I engage in activities to promote a multicultural membership and advance diversity initiatives. I promote EACE services to membership through various activities.
What’s on your holiday wish list? Quality time with family, world peace, Christmas gifts for all children, and of course a private jet that will take my family to our private but beautiful island in the Caribbean!

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Welcome New EACE Members!

Ronald Alley, SPAWAR; Becky Anderson, Fastenal Company; Patricia Bazrod, Saint Joseph's University; Maggie Becker, College of Saint Rose; Melissa Berkey, Yale University; Colleen Bolton, University of New Hampshire; Cathleen Borgman, Fairfield University; Richard Bottner, Babson College; Kate Bourdow, Virginia Wesleyan College; Bridget Bowers, Georgetown University; Leatrice Buck, Enterprise Rent a Car; Stacey Buck, The George Washington University; James Buliszak, L-3 Communications Titan Group; Dolores Ciaccio, Farmingdale State University of NY; Gregory Colbert, L-3 Communications Titan Group; Doug Couchon, Elmira College; Kathy Del Guercio, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.; Kathryn Doughty, Dartmouth College; Heather Drumm, Wilson College; Paula Marie Dugal, Williams College; Martye Earp, RTI International; Susan Eisman; Donna Esposito, Tufts University; Lisa Fentress, Virginia Wesleyan College; William Flanagan, L-3 Communications Titan Group; Kathleen Forkin, University of New Haven; Stephanie Fox, Commerce Bank; Jennifer Friel, Tufts University; Laurie Garris, Lycoming College; Deanna Goddard, Yale University; Emy Goldsmith, MIT; Susan Gordon, American University; Rachel Greenberg, MIT; Emily Grey, Columbia University; Wilmer J Gutierrez, Goucher College; Joshua Halmi, Yale University; Tammy Halstead, Franklin & Marshall College; Teaira Hardimon, The Sherwin Williams Company; Molly Hayes Sauder, York College of Pennsylvania; Mike Hertel, Arcadia University; Lauren Hiegel, GEICO; Rose Howard, NDW-Naval Academy; Anna Hunter, Washington and Lee University; Amanda Isaac, McDaniel College; Roberta Kaskel, Clarkson University; Kate Kavanagh, Brandeis University; Kirsten Kirby, Franklin & Marshall College; Tony Kyles, Maxim Healthcare; Jonathan Lawniczak, Sherwin Williams; Linda Lawton, Temple University; Dale Leyburn, University of Rochester; Todd Lotcpeich, Laboratory Institute of Merchandising; Jennifer Martin, Havard University JFK School of Government; Emily Mcdonnell, St. Lawrence University; Matt Mcneeley, The Bozzuto Group; David Meihoefer, Enterprise Rent a Car; Joan Milnes, Montserrat College of Art; Bob Morgan, Landmark Communications/Virginian-Pilot; Donna Morrison, Saint Vincent College; John Murphy, First Investors Corporation; Caroline O'shea, Brandeis University; Yvonne Rogers, John Hancock; Amy Saul, Lehigh University; Kate Scahill, University of Rochester; Brian Schwarz, UMass Amherst - Engineering; Jennifer Scott, Grove City College; Brandi Sexton, Ferguson; Michaeline Shuman, Allegheny College; April St. John, Binghamton University; John Stafford, Immaculata University; Janice Sutera, George Mason University; Yvonne Thurston, L-3 Communications Titan Group; Mariela Torres, Laboratory Institute of Merchandising; Frank Tortorello, Franklin & Marshall College; Alysa Turkowitz, Columbia Business School; Lorene Ulrich, Roger Williams University; Nancy Urbonas, Long Island University - C.W. Post Campu; Carrie Urso, Shenandoah University; Davina Viviano, Maxim Healthcare; Richard Weibl, Center for Careers in Science and Tech; Lauren Wiedl, American University Career Center; Paula Wijnhoven, Smith College; Laura Wilkinson, Medical Information Technology, Inc; Martina Witts, University of Massachusetts - Lowell; Kelly Woods, Elms College; Kelly Woodside, Simmons College; Jodyi Wren, University of Rochester; Donna Yamanis, Briarwood College

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