By Jeff Murphy,
December 3, 2020
WARRENSBURG, MO – Whether a student is looking for a new job or internship or simply
wants to get some tips in an area that may help them impress a potential employer,
University of Central Missouri Career Services offers plenty of new opportunities for students this spring. Four special events aimed
at helping students with career preparation and interaction with employers have been
announced for January-March, 2021.
Among these special events is a virtual session titled “UCM Students – Prepare for
the Career Fair.” This online program is planned for 1–3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, and
is hosted through Handshake. The event is designed to assist students in preparing
for the Spring 2021 Virtual Job and Internship Fair and the Nursing Virtual Hiring
Day. Students who participate in this career fair preparation event can sign up for
group sessions or one-on-one discussions with a Career Services professional who can
offer advice about what they can do to put their best foot forward in meeting with
potential employers or with those who will help them further their higher education.
In learning how to prepare for a career fair, students will gain practice in areas
such as making employment pitches, career fair registration, how to use privacy settings
in the virtual environment, and testing technology in advance. They also will have
the opportunity for questions and answers to gain more insight into the career search,
including using virtual networking.
After participating in this program, students can put what they learned to test at
the Virtual Job and Internship Fair, 1-4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4. This event gives students
the opportunity to network with employers and representatives of graduate schools
representing all majors. This includes the area of education, which will not hold
a separate career expo this year.
Another career-related event, the Nursing Virtual Hiring Day, is planned for 1-3 p.m.
Monday, March 1, and is specifically designed for nursing majors. Students seeking
healthcare-related positions will have the opportunity to network with representatives
from area hospitals, graduate schools, and other organizations that hire nurses.
Students interested in participating in the Spring Virtual Job and Internship Fair
or the Nursing Virtual Hiring Day should register for either program through their
Handshake account. They will need to upload a copy of their resume and set their privacy
settings to “Community” while also signing up for time slots for each program in advance.
Sometimes the pathway to landing a dream job may entail a dinner meeting. Students
can learn more about proper dinner etiquette by participating in the virtual “Dine
Like a Pro –Eat Like Your Career Depends on It!” Etiquette Dinner from 4-5 p.m. Wednesday,
Feb. 17. This event will be available via Zoom, and students can register through
their Handshake account by clicking on the “Events” tab. Carmen Binder, certified
etiquette trainer, will host this virtual program covering etiquette practice for
a formal business dinner. Bender’s presentation includes time for questions and answers.
For more information about these Career Services events, please contact Joni Porter,
employer relations, at jsporter@ucmo.edu or 660-543-4379.