Career Fair, State Department Jobs Session Planned

The ACU Career Center is promoting two excellent programs this month for students interested in internships, jobs and career advice.   Add these events to your calendar:

• The West Central Texas Career Consortium is hosting a Career Expo from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 18 at the Abilene Civic Center.  This event is a career and internship fair for students that features career workshops, resume evaluations and the chance to do mock interviews.  Professional dress is required and students are encouraged to bring copies of their resume.  You may view a list of participating employers at http://www.wctcc.org/attendees.htm. 
• Come learn about working and traveling overseas when the U.S. Department of State visits ACU from noon to 1 p.m. on Feb. 25 in the Lynay Room of the Hunter Welcome Center.  Sponsored by the Career Center, this informational session will explore international careers with the U.S. government.  Students must RSVP to attend (lunch is provided).  To reserve your spot, RSVP via e-mail to careers@acu.edu. 

Act now to secure spring, summer internships

School is back in session and memories of Christmas are fading fast, so it's a good time to crank up your search for a great internship.  Now is the time to polish the resume, update the portfolio and start the search.

Here are a few of the many opportunities available:

• Zachry Associates, Abilene's premier advertising and marketing agency, is seeking a student to work this summer in their marketing research department, with work in other departments as needed.  The intern should have good communication skills both in person and on the phone and have an interest in marketing strategies.  The position reports to Tim Graham, research coordinator, who may be reached by e-mail.  For more information about Zachry Associates, visit www.zachryinc.com. 
  
• The Dallas Business Journal has two summer 2010 internships available, ideal for Ad/PR majors or journalism majors who are interested in business side of publications.  The DBJ is offering a 12-week internship for minority students with positions in advertising/sales, circulation, marketing and business operations.  Candidates must be college sophomores, juniors or seniors and a member of an ethnic minority.  The internship involves 40 hours per week of work and pays $10 per hour.  The DBJ also offers an advertising sales internship, with up to 12 hour of work for 40 hour per week.  The pay is $400 per week.  The deadline for submission is Wednesday, Jan. 20, so act now if interested.  Please submit applications to Claire Choisnet, marketing coordinator, by e-mail.  
• ConocoPhillips, an international, integrated energy company, is seeking applicants for a summer internship in the company's Corporate Affairs department in Houston.  Successful candidates will work a 40-hour week for a two-month period during the summer.  Applicants must be pursuing a degree in public relations, journalism or advertising and have completed their junior year of work by this summer.  Previous work experience in journalism, public relations or advertising is preferred.   Applicants should have a 3.5 GPA or higher.  Visit the ConocoPhillips Web site for more information, or e-mail me for details. 
• The U.S. Olympic Committee invites students to apply for a summer internship at its headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo.  The contact person is Andy Goyne, manager of video production.  E-mail me for more details. 
• Horizon Wind Energy seeks applications for a communications analyst internship this summer in Houston.  The position will involve a variety of public relations tasks, including writing news releases, assisting with event planning, creating PowerPoint presentations and organizing photo archives.   Undergraduates and recent graduates are invited to apply at the company's Web site.
  

 Many more internship opportunities exist.  Visit online job boards (one of my favorites is www.indeed.com) and visit the Web sites of student and professional organizations such as SPJ, PRSSA, AAF, IABC and PRSA.  For a more complete list of professional sites, see the left-hand column of this blog and look for "JMC Professional Organizations." 

PR rated as a top career choice

U.S. News and World Report recently ranked public relations as one of the top 50 career choices for the decade ahead.  Read why and learn more about what public relations professionals do by clicking here.

Part-time jobs, internships offer JMC experience in Abilene

Here's one more item for your "to do" list before leaving campus for the holidays: secure a part-time job or internship for the spring semester that will enhance your resume. 

Final exams and plans for the Christmas break may be dominating your thoughts right now but here are a couple of opportunities worth checking out before you pack the car, turn out the lights and hit the road:

• Abilene Christian University Press is looking for a part-time student worker (10-15 hours per week) who can perform a variety of public relations, marketing and administrative tasks.  Dr. Larry Fitzgerald, director of marketing, said he prefers someone who can work in December and January during the break and possibly next summer.  For the right student, this position may qualify for a JMC internship.  You can learn more about ACU Press (and Leafwood Publishers) by visiting their Web site.  You may reach Dr. Fitzgerald at lxf07a@acu.edu or by calling 325-674-2870. 
  
• West Texas Rehabilitation Center is seeking a part-time (20 hours per week) administrative assistant for their marketing department.  While this position is primarily administrative, it is a chance to gain experience in one of the city's busiest and most successful nonprofit marketing departments.  Applicants must be proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel, have an outgoing personality and a good work ethic.  This is a year-round position, not just for the school year, so the applicant must live in the Abilene area and be available during the summer and school holidays.  To apply, contact Deonna Galbraith, marketing director, at dgalbraith@wtrc.com or call 325-793-3525.

While we have no specific requests, keep in mind that Abilene's media outlets are often looking for part-time help or interns.  This includes TV stations, radio stations and the Abilene Reporter-News newspaper. 

Best wishes to everyone on final exams and your plans for the Christmas holiday. 

Apply now for summer 2010 journalism internships

Journalism majors seeking internships at major news organization need to put their search into high gear, since some of the best programs have deadlines in the next two to six weeks.  Here's a sampling, but also check the Web sites of journalism professional organizations (see list in the left-hand column of this blog) and major media companies for more opportunities.

• The Associated Press offers a paid summer internship for photographers and photo editors.  The application deadline is Nov. 13.  This annual program runs 12 weeks and is open to juniors and seniors.  The AP will select at least photo interns for next summer.  For more information, visit www.ap.org and look in the "careers" tab. 
• The Texas Associated Press Managing Editors Association (Texas APME) is seeking applicants for its annual Buster Haas Minority Internship Program.  The winning student will receive a 10-week internship at a Texas newspaper of 30,000 or less circulation, plus a $3,000 stipend and $1,000 for living expenses.  For more information, visit http://www.txapme.com/scholarships/.
• The American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) offers an annual, 10-week internship program each summer for students interested in careers with magazines.  The internships are at magazines in either New York City or Washington, D.C.  Since starting this program 44 years ago, 1,766 students and more than 200 magazines have participated.  Applicants must have completed their junior year, be returning to school full time next fall and have at least a 3.0 GPA.  The deadline to apply is Dec. 1.  For an application, visit http://asme.magazine.org.
• Minority students interested in a career in broadcast television will want to check into the LIN Minority Scholarship and Training Program.  LIN Television selects one student per year, who receives a four-year contract that includes two years of summer internships followed by two years of full-time employment with LIN.  The company will pay for the winning student's tuition, books, room and board for the junior and senior years of college.  The deadline to enter is March 15, 2010.  For more information, visit http://www.lintv.com/contact/careers.html.
• The Oklahoman and NewsOK.com plan to hire seven full-time and four stipend interns for the summer of 2010.  Interns can work in a variety of departments, including news, sports, business, features, photography, video, online communities and niche publications.  Full-time interns are paid $450 per week, while stipend interns will receive a $500 allowance and may qualify to earn college credit.  Other perks include free access to the newspaper's fitness center.  For more information, visit http://www.newsok.com/interns. The deadline to apply is Dec. 4.   
• The Detroit News is seeking applicants for its 2010 summer internship program.  This 12-week program is open to juniors, seniors and recent graduates.  Opportunities are available for reporters, copy editors, photographers, graphic artists/page designers and within the newspaper's online news operations.  Preference is given to students who have completed at least one prior newspaper internship and have worked on a campus publication.  Interns are paid $524.93 per week.  The deadline to enter is Nov. 20.  For information, visit www.detnews.com and e-mail me for an application.  The deadline to apply is Nov. 20.
• The Institute for Human Studies at George Mason University is seeking spring semester journalism interns for newspapers, major media networks and state policy organizations.  The deadline to apply is Nov. 15.  For more information, visit www.TheIHS.org/journalism. 
  
• Not every internship counts for JMC credit, but the experience is still valuable and looks great on your resume.  For instance, the Christian Chronicle, a nationally circulated newspaper serving members of the Churches of Christ, is looking for "virtual" interns willing to report and write from home.  This would require a student who is a self-starter and has a dual interest in journalism and religion.  We don't count virtual internships toward your JMC internship requirement, but the clips you could receive from this assignment would be worthwhile.  
  

Please note that there are many more internship opportunities at newspapers, TV stations and magazines, so don't stop your search with this list.  Check the organizations in the left-hand column of this blog or see me for more recommendations.

Beware Phony PR Job Come Ons

Not every job ad is legit.  Job seekers need to exercise caution when viewing and responding to job leads.  The following story is a good example.  Ad/PR majors are the most likely of all our majors to run into this issue, so if you are interested in a career in advertising or public relations, be sure to take time to read the story below.  It is from Ron Culp, whose blog, Culpwrit, is an excellent one for students and young professionals.

Beware Phony PR Job Come Ons

LinkedIn a great site for job hunting, networking

If you've had me as a teacher, you know how passionate I am about networking as a way to find jobs and build your professional presence.  Networking is absolutely essential.

LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) has emerged as the leading online site for professional networking.  LinkedIn is phenomenally popular, with 47 million users, including 5.1 million students.  Executives from every Fortune 500 company maintain profiles on the site.  If you plan to seek work after graduation and build a successful career, you need to join LinkedIn now.

You can think of LinkedIn as your online resume, but it's really much more.  LinkedIn lets you post your own profile, where you can list your education, work experience and skills, similar to a resume.  You can also include your photo and links to your blog, Web site or online portfolio.   Employers who are interested in hiring you can access your profile online. 

The real power of LinkedIn is the networking potential.  Similar to "friends" on Facebook, LinkedIn lets you "connect" with employers, peers and other contacts.  Hey, you can even connect with your college instructors.  Your networking can grow exponentially as you connect with groups, such as your college alumni organization or companies where you've interned or worked.   Venturing one step further, you can participate in professional discussion groups and begin to establish your interest or expertise on given issues. 

Similar to building a good resume, developing a highly professional profile on LinkedIn requires skill.  This isn't Facebook, so you want to be sure everything you post on LinkedIn is highly professional and career-focused.  A poorly executed profile on LinkedIn, just like a sloppy resume, can be a kiss of death with employers.

Lindsey Pollak, author of "Getting from College to Career" and a consultant to LinkedIn, offers these suggestions to students on building a successful LinkedIn profile:

1. Make sure your photo is professional and that it shows only you.  This isn't the place for that goofy photo of you and your roommate that you posted on Facebook (you know the one).
2. Think carefully about what to say in your headline.  It could focus on your area of study or your career ambition.  For instance, if you want to be an advertising account executive, say so in your headline or say you are an Ad/PR major.  Don't waste the headline by saying you wait tables at Chili's, unless, of course, your dream is a career in restaurant management. 
3. Use appropriate keywords in your profile.   What are the words or phrases that employers in your field typically list in job descriptions?  What software programs are important in your specialty?  Include keywords that will make employers stop and look at your profile.
4. It's OK to include internships, Study Abroad and volunteer experiences in your profile.  These activities reflect positively on you.  Don't limit yourself to only listing jobs.  
5. Don't neglect to include recommendations.  LinkedIn includes space for people who know you to write something nice about you and your professional skills.  Ask your internship supervisors, employers, college instructors and others who know your work well to submit recommendations for you. 
   

In today's job market, posting a profile on LinkedIn is almost as important as having a solid resume.  Take time now to visit LinkedIn and start your profile.  For more information, see "Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job" or visit LinkedIn's own site for college graduates at "Launch Your Career With LinkedIn."

Event-planning internship available at ACU

Ad/PR majors interested in a career in event planning may wish to apply for a part-time job and student internship available through ACU's Office of University Events.  This position will count for your official JMC internship.  If you need to complete your internship in Abilene, this is the best internship opportunity available in event planning. 

Keep in mind you need junior or senior status in order for this position to count as your official JMC internship.  Before accepting this or any other internship position for which you want ACU credit, also remember to e-mail me for advance approval and to review the necessary procedures and paperwork. 

For more details, click this link or e-mail me.