Texas SHRM College Corner

Student Case Competition and Career Summit
This month SHRM kicks off the Student Case Competition and Career Summit.

2015 EVENT SCHEDULE
West: March 13-14, 2015, Ontario, CA
East: March 20-21, 2015, Baltimore, MD
Central: April 24-25, 2015, Covington, KY (Cincinnati, OH metro area)

You can compete in any region, but here are five top reasons that you should attend:

Compete in the Case Competition.Winners will receive a $2,500 prize and free registration to the SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition; the world’s largest HR event.
Connect with the Future of HR. Make new friends and mingle.
Sit Down with HR Professionals. What better way to position yourself for a successful career.
Enjoy a New City.Take an extra day at the beginning or end of the Case Competition and Career Summit to explore the city or visit with friends in the region.
Hear from Inspirational Speakers.Expose yourself to new ways of thinking and discover how to be more successful in your HR pursuits.

So now that you know why you should attend, now you have to get there! This is where your local chapter comes in by providing financial support; if possible, to help you with this endeavor.

Interns and Job Seekers: How to make a better impression
You are seeking an internship for the summer or maybe a full-time job, because you will be graduating this year. Have you thought about moving beyond the cover letter and resume? Yes, you have a great resume, but what about the first impression that you make when faced with talking with a recruiter or an interview panel.

Now is the time to make sure your approach will seal the deal for you and land that internship or job. With the tips provided you can make that strong impression that might just seal the deal for you.

Company Knowledge: Your knowledge of the job could be the tiebreaker between you and another candidate. Do your research beforehand. Have an understanding of the company’s vision, mission and goals. Know what their core business is and how you can have an impact on same.
Be a Good Listener: What you say is just as important as being engaged when others are talking. Make good eye contact and ask meaningful questions to show you are interested in what is being said.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep: Make sure you are well rested before an interview or convention. Not only will you look fresher and be more alert in the morning, you will also think clearer as well.
Dress to Impress: To be taken seriously read up on professional style and not what is just fad. What you wear communicates a lot about your personality and who you are
Prepare Your 30 Second Elevator: Being able to communicate your strengths and goals in a clear concise manner can say volumes about you. You never know where a conversation with a hiring manager may lead, so be sure to tailor it to each person you speak with so it does not sound over rehearsed or unnatural.
Know How to Explain Any Gaps or Inconsistencies in Your Resume: If you have taken time off from college or maybe your grade point average (GPA) is not at a 3.0 GPA or above, be ready to explain why.
Update Your LinkedIn Profile: The maxim often holds true that, "it’s not what you know; it’s who you know." Be sure that your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and showcase all your recent work, volunteerism and accomplishments. Connect with headhunters, friends, family or even other classmates and coworkers to learn about opportunities you may not have heard about.

Ask Scotty: What can I do differently to enhance my net worth?

Simple – study abroad.

Having the experience of living another cultural lifestyle or learning a second or even third language, greatly adds value to your personal portfolio. So while you immerse yourself in a non-English speaking country, find an English speaker (which you can in most corners of the world) and start learning the language from them, take a foreign language course before you travel, or seek on-line or audio presentations of the language you are seeking to learn. There is even an App (Transparent Language Mobile) for that as well. You might be amazed at how enriched your life will become, especially in the global society that we now live in.

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