I hope you all had a relaxing spring break because this is the busiest time for the CDC. Meaning, I'm going to need your help and need you all to step up to the plate. Answering EmailsNot all of us are the best about being observant with new emails, but that's going to change because you are going to start helping me answer easy email questions. Newhouse Network questions: For the most part I'll handle these, but there is one question that you can help me with. If an alumnus reaches out and says that they have missed a deadline to activate their profile or if they are wondering if we can send them another activation code, please respond by saying something along the lines of, "No worries. You are always welcome to register as an alumnus at network.newhouse.syr.edu. Please let me know if you have any questions." Too easy, right? Employer inquiries about posting a job or an internship: If an employer is wondering if they could advertise an open position with us, respond with, "Thank you for thinking of Newhouse, we really appreciate when employers/alums reach out with opportunities. The easiest way to post a job or an internship through the Newhouse Career Development Center is by completing the online form at https://newhouse.syr.edu/career-development/employers/post-job-or-internship (Hint, hint... It's on our website). Once you have completed the form and click submit, the opportunity is sent immediately to us. The CDC staff can then promote the position on the appropriate platforms." Pretty easy... Because I'm lobbing them at ya. AlumNus Appointment ReminderI am now going to schedule alumni appointments on our main nhcdc calendar. You will now be able to see if a counselor has a phone appointment. Also, I will be instructing the alumnus to call the mainline at the time of their appointment. When an alumnus calls for their appointment, you will greet the alum and ask if you can put them on hold while you see if the counselor is ready for the alum. If so, you will take the alumnus off hold, tell the alum that the counselor is ready and you will be transferring them in now. Then without passing go or collecting $200, you will hit FLASH and dial 3 then the four digit extension. Once you hear a ring, hit FLASH again and hang up. These instructions and our extensions are literally right next to the phone. All you need to do is read. Closing shift- Not only will you be sending out seminar reminders, now you will be sending alumnus appointment reminders. YAY! The good news is, like seminars, we do not have alumnus appointments everyday. You will need to check the calendar, though. EVERYONE should be checking the calendar so you know what to expect during your shift. Putting this very blunt, you look like a ding dong (the nicest word I can think of) if an employer walks in or an alumnus calls and you're caught off guard. The process has not changed (just the calendar) for scheduling alumnus appointments. You will be taking the alums information and I will be scheduling the appointment. So the hard part is taken care of. No Seminar? Now What?Seminars will be coming to an end. If you hadn't noticed, Finding an Internship is done for the semester. So, what should you tell students when they inquire about internships? Well, they are always welcome to schedule an appointment to speak one-on-one with a counselor. It's that time of year and appointments fill up fast, though. So for immediate assistance, students are welcome to listen to the Finding an Internship podcast by visiting newhouse.syr.edu > Career Development > Students > Resources > Click on the hyperlink for our podcast series. The blue internship handouts go right along with the Finding an Internship podcast, so make sure they take the handouts with them. I did notice that there has been more and more students stopping in to inquire about interview help. Just a reminder that we do not do mock interviews, rather we offer interview prep. For those that struggle to remember all of our resources, there is a handout out in the hallway, and I will work on putting one at the front desk, that gives a rundown of what students could be utilizing, like the handouts, Big Interview and the podcast. Please RememberSome things that I know are easy to forget, but we need you to step-up on:
Newhouse Recruitment CollectiveThis is everyone's favorite event of the year. Just kidding. We pretty much all hate it and it is extremely stressful for all of us. So, I rely on our student staff to help me prep for this event because there is a lot to do. Here's a brief rundown of what to expect: The Newhouse Recruitment Collective (NRC) kicks off Thursday, April 11 with a career fair from 4:00-7:00 PM in Panasci Lounge (upstairs), Schine Student Center. This is a time when any and all students can mingle with recruiters, introduce themselves, pick up information and secure interviews for the following day. That is followed by an employer reception at the Sheraton. The next day is a full day of interviewing in Underground in Schine. Employers select students to interview at the career fair! We have a few seminars and events to help students prep for the seminar, which start next week.
Extra Shift Opportunities For the NRCAs I mentioned, there is a ton of prep work for the NRC. I am offering some extra shift opportunities to help prep and run the career fair.
Important to MentionThis is the only time I will ever ask you to come in sick to work. Please be on time and be in business casual attire for your shift. You will be holding down the fort on Thursday and Friday. I absolutely do not have time to cover the front desk on these days. So be on time and if you have a shift at the CDC on Thursday, April 11 or Friday, April 12 please wear business casual attire.
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I have a few additions to include from our last post:
CDC Weekly BulletinYou probably realized the new CDC Weekly Bulletin on the desk. Along with the NRC info, every student that walks through our door should be given the CDC Weekly Bulletin.
Strong statement right off the bat, eh? But, let's go through everything that I need you to be mindful of because you are creating more work for me and you're killing me.
New Edition and New Schedule Below is our new and last schedule for this semester, plus updated contact information. You'll notice we have a new edition to our staff. Caroline Beek, a TRF major, will be helping us our tremendously and taking those pesky Tuesday/Thursday shifts. So, swing by and introduce yourself. Spring 2019 Contact Info Brittany Wallace [email protected] C: 315-592-1111 O: 315-443-1209 Kelly Barnett [email protected] C: 315-380-4155 O: 315-443-1910 Bridget Lichtinger [email protected] C: 315-664-3110 O: 315-443-1913 Danielle Harvey [email protected] C: 315-727-0257 O: 315-443-7386 Laura Angle [email protected] 908-809-0176 Nia Shaw [email protected] 908-914-5301 Sean Dorcellus [email protected] 732-609-7028 Jewél Jackson [email protected] 502-608-6898 Brian Ho [email protected] 347-419-2804 Caroline Beek [email protected] 508-768-8448 Please request shift coverage via email only at least 24 hours in advance. Remember to CC Brittany on every email! March Customer Service MadnessThis March we are going to focus on giving great customer service all the time. I think everyone does a tremendous job helping students and answering phone calls. It's time to be rewarded for it! Let's make it a friendly competition. Every time I hear something I like, I will be adding a pom pom to your cup. March 1, those cups will be high up in my windows, facing the front desk, for all to see. The winner will get their choice of Newhouse swag and not just from my closet. We will be going shopping......... To the Newhouse swag office. As a member of the unofficial Newhouse Tchotchke Committee, I have to say we do have some pretty cool stuff that you can not find at the bookstore.
My ears are always out, but come March they will be extra listening. Welcome back to campus, CDCers! I made myself a new year resolution and that is to do a better job at updating the blog. So 🤞. Let's get this show on the road... I am so proud of the progress that you have all made in such a short time, but like every job there is always room for improvements. This is what this post is all about. How we can make Spring 2019 our best semester yet. The Easy FixesThese are the easy things we can fix immediately:
Improvements With TrainingI think our customer service can use improvements and I will help you along to get to the level that I feel our office needs to be at. One easy thing to fix right away is to acknowledge every person that walks through the door. Even if you are assisting another student, if you simply excuse yourself and say hi, someone will be with you in a moment you have greeted the person and you have alerted me to come out and assist. It's easy and super helpful. Knowing the material in CDCNews, opening the Outlook calendar so you can see the week's events and looking through the appointment calendar in Handshake will help you assist students. It's so easy to just open and read. Too often I hear students catch you off guard when they ask something so simple as where is the seminar today. It's not a good look for the office. Also, maintain a pleasant attitude. On a few occasions I have heard a few sassy attitudes. If I am chiming in to correct you, guess what... It's because you are going down a path that I didn't like. Not to mention, I'm your supervisor. Not to toot my own horn (🎺🎺), but I am a pretty laid back supervisor and I give everyone a lot of slack. So if my feathers are being ruffled, it's for a reason. That's your warning. Fashion has certainly changed since I've graduated college (seven years ago, FYI). The style is back to mid-90s, which was a comfortable era, but let's be real not the most professional. Not judging, back in my day Ugg boots and mini denim skirts with a puffy vest was a thing. A climate confused thing, but a thing. I'm not asking you to go out and buy a new wardrobe, but just be mindful that you are coming into work. Seriously, with the phones and computers. I know it's hard to wait to text your friends and that crush back, but words from the wise: Absence makes the heart grow fonder, keep 'em on their toes and put your phone and your laptop away before I lose my mind. Along those lines, I love that your friends come in here and they are more than welcome to, but visits need to be short. If they are working they need to be in the Sip'n'Study and you need to stay at the front desk. Lastly, clean up at the end of your shift, especially the Keurig. It's not fair that the closing shift has to clean up a big mess every night. It should be something we all take responsibility for. I mean, it's your job and all. Go through those housekeeping items posted at the front desk and get in a routine of completing them during your shift. Alumni AppointmentsWe are changing the way we handle alumni appointments. Student staff members will write down all alumni information on the form shown below. It is very important that you write down all of the information. There will be copies at the front desk. When you are completed, you will hang the forms outside of my sliding door. I will be scheduling all alumni appointments, you will just be collecting all of their information. Handling of Student AppointmentsThe student check-in process could go smoother. When you greet students to check-in for their appointments, refer to their name listed on the Handshake schedule. That way you know which student has checked-in for each counselor. Meaning, get the right student to the right counselor. Then get up from the desk and tell the counselor that their appointment is here. Using the students name is a tad more informative and professional. This goes for students who just drop by to visit a counselor. Ask their name, ask if the counselor is expecting them and then tell the counselor the name of the student that is here to visit. Customer Service FocusedThis semester we are going to spend a significant amount of time focusing on what great customer service is. Remember, you are sometimes the first interaction a student will have with our office. If they have a bad, unhelpful experience do you think they will come back? We never want to tell a student no. We want to find a way to help every student even if we are unable to help them at that very minute.
I am so proud of each and every one of you! You are all catching on to Handshake and the new seminar lineup so quickly. It's making my job much easier! So, thank you! 💕👍 Let's keep this train rolling and get you on the 90s office phone... ALumni Phone CallsBefore I begin my long, agonizing training plan, let's go over what should be open on the front desk computer during your shift. There seems to be a little confusion as to what should be open and when. I've created a list and then explain why:
Now that your tools are in place, let's go over what to do when an alumnus calls. You may notice, we receive several alumni phone calls a week. A benefit of attending Newhouse is that the CDC is a lifelong, free service. Even though some alums are several years out, does not mean they do not need guidance throughout their career. In our last post, we went over how to schedule an appointment for an alumnus. Let's go over the steps and some minor adjustments I've made to better help serve alums: Using Handshake as reference and GOING BY THE PRESENT COUNSELORS (counselors that are in the office at that very moment):
Try not to schedule more than one alumni appointment in a counselor's appointment block!!! Alums are unable to schedule appointments by email. They can however, email their résumé and cover letter to [email protected] for review. Let's say that the alumnus is looking for an immediate response, but all counselors are busy at the moment. You can refer them to our website newhouse.syr.edu > Career Development > Alumni > Career Search Toolkit. Salary negotiation is the most common immediate question. You can also have the alum email [email protected] with any quick questions and a counselor should respond by the end of the day. What do you do when an alum calls at the time of their appointment? transfering CallsAt the time of a phone appointment we have the alumnus contact the CDC's mainline at 315-443-3270. Then, the student staff will let the counselor know that her appointment is on the phone. When the counselor gives you the OK, you can then transfer the alumnus in. How do you do this? It's easy, but you're going to mess up a million times. We'll practice, though. To transfer a phone call:
All of our extensions are listed right next to you, but you should never send in a caller without informing us who it is and what they want first! Student Phone CallsStudent phone calls are really easy. Usually students have a question about an upcoming event or seminar and in that case you can definitely assist them because you read CDCNews and all... If a student is calling to schedule an appointment, inform the student that they can schedule the seminars themselves on Handshake or stop in to the CDC. If a student gives you pushback on this explain that due to our student traffic, scheduling phone appointments is difficult. Right now students are fresh to Handshake and may need help navigating, walk them through the process on the phone! They will appreciate the push to get them started. Too easy. Employer Phone CallsYou are probably noticing a theme and it's you're like a triage service. That's exactly what you're doing... You're vetting phone calls, so we are not bombarded. You're our gatekeepers. So, employers are the group that really needs vetting. When some employer's call they almost always ask immediately for Bridget. I don't know why, maybe because they are cruising the website prior to calling. Typically if Bridget is expecting a call, they will call her office phone. Side note: If any employer, alum or student call and ask for us by name it is always appreciated if you tell them we are either with a student or on a call. In this case, we will stick with an employer is on the phone:
nhcdc email responsesYou're going to start answering nhcdc emails... Yay! Of course, if there is a difficult question that you need help with, forward it to me, but for the most part I'm counting on you to help me manage these things. homeworkBefore your next shift, I want you to go over our website. I want you to be familiar with all of the information and where it is. Bonus TrainingSeminar Prep!!! I will always be there for guidance, but you are going to start prepping for seminars on your own. It is your job to know what is going on the day of your shift and to assist to prepare for them. All seminars require a sign-in sheet created in Excel. Sign-in sheets are created from the registration forms in our nhcdc Googe Drive. All sign-in sheets need to be:
Wrapping upRemember to complete the homework and study this information. There will be a quiz! ✌️
We sure are starting the Fall 2018 semester off with a (crash) bang! I am still optimistic that the changes to our seminars and the introduction of Handshake to the office will make your (our) job easier. For those of you that are new to the CDC, this is our staff blog. I know you all receive 100 emails a day, so our staff blog is our solution to deliver updates and training aids to refer back to during your shift. I will always alert you when I write a new post, but you should check at the beginning of your shift. You never know when I may give you a little homework. 😉 Let's begin by checking out the updates I've made to the blog during the summer. For our CDC returners the first thing you have noticed is a different design, but you have hopefully spotted that I have added some emergency resources. Hopefully we will never need to use any of these procedures, but you should review what to do during an emergency situation. I have also included some of the common tasks that you will need to know for Handshake. Please use your downtime during (your shift or at home) to read through the resources I have included. I want to recap our training thus far. Please use this as a reference during your shift: Scheduling Appointments For Students in HandshakeEventually students will schedule their appointments through their own Handshake accounts, similar to scheduling advising appointments on OrangeSUccess. I am hoping by next semester students will catch on, but in the meantime I want you to be well versed on Handshake to assist students until they get the hang of Handshake. When a student makes an appointment in the CDC, you will have to "feel them out" to assure you schedule them for the correct appointment type. Begin by asking the student what their year and major/program is. This will not only confirm if they are a Newhouse student or minor, but it will also help you decipher what their needs will be. Newhouse undergrad majors and their abbreviations:
Newhouse graduate programs and their abbreviations:
Communications@Syracuse is our online master's program through 2U (you may hear us refer to the program as 2U). Online students receive a MA in Communications specializing in Advertising, Public Relations or Journalism Innovation. 2U students do a have a different process of career development through their program. If you do have an online student call the front desk, please let me know. After asking the student their year and major/program. Ask what the student would like to talk about during their appointment (appointment type). Newhouse appointment types for Handshake:
If the student has fulfilled their seminar requirement, you will begin the appointment process in Handshake. From the home screen (dashboard) of Handshake, make an appointment by clicking:
Handshake will then bring you to an Appointment Request Details page. Confirm the start and end date and time, but DO NOT CHANGE UNLESS YOU HAVE ACCIDENTALLY CLICKED ON THE WRONG TIME. Select S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications as the office location. Ask the student their name and type it next to Student. If multiple names appear, you can confirm by asking for the student's syr.edu email address. DO NOT CHANGE THE STATUS OR APPOINTMENT MEDIUM. All student appointments will be in person. Give any details the student may give in and INCLUDE THAT THE STUDENT HAS FULFILLED THE PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENT in Help Requested. For example, you may add a note that the student is planning to apply to Creative Artist Agency at the end of the week and the student has attended the Résumé & Cover Letter Writing Seminar. This will help the counselor prep for the appointment. When finished click Create. An appointment confirmation page will appear and you can inform the student that they will be emailed by Handshake. You may also offer an appointment reminder card. If you scheduled an appointment to review student materials, be sure they bring HARD COPIES TO THEIR APPOINTMENT. They will NOT be able to print in the CDC. Let's say the student has not fulfilled the seminar requirement for their requested appointment type. What do you do? How to Suggest to Students to Attend The SeminarsOur seminar series has changed, but for the better. Whereas Finding an Internship has not changed, it is NOT a required seminar for students to schedule an internship appointment. Of course we strongly suggest that all students looking for an internship should attend the seminar, you should really "push" the seminar to students that seem "lost in the sauce". These students may request an internship appointment by saying something along the lines of "I need to find an internship, but I don't know where to start". In an upbeat manner, open the seminar schedule and suggest that the student attends a Finding an Internship session. You can "sell it" by highlighting that the student will learn a six step-by-step process of finding an internship, along with learning about resources the student can access on and off campus. As a bonus, you may reveal to them that students in attendance will receive the access code to CareerShift. CareerShift is an awesome subscription service (it costs money) provided by the CDC that offers job and internship listings, company contact information for networking and other handy tools to assist students in boosting their career search. Students interested in résumé or cover letter assistance are suggested to attend the Résumé & Cover Letter Writing Seminar. Although the seminar IS a prerequisite to scheduling a résumé or cover letter appointment, that is NOT how we want to market it. Instead, suggest to the student that attending the seminar is the best use of their time to learn how to create a one page communications résumé. When students give pushback to attending the seminar, I always assure them that scheduling an appointment AFTER attending the seminar and making the changes to their materials will be beneficial because instead of correcting the basics, like layout, the counselor can focus more on content. I may also suggest that without the seminar, students will have to make several appointments to complete their materials and our appointments can book about two weeks out. Nine out of ten times, a student is satisfied with this suggestion. If the student is still not happy with the process, please grab my attention and I will speak with the student. Students that have taken VIS 207/607 or GRA 217, can fulfill the cover letter requirement by attending the second half of a Résumé & Cover Letter Seminar. VIS 207/607 is usually a requirement for PR, Graphic Design, Photo, Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism and some Advertising students. We also have a video that will suffice as the Résumé & Cover Letter Seminar. I only offer this to students if the student is adamant that none of the times will work with their schedule. I do suggest that they try to make the seminar work with their schedule because it is more in-depth and the student will be able to ask questions. If the student still wants to watch the video please do the following:
The Job Hunt Series is open to graduating seniors and graduate students. To schedule a senior or grad student for a career or networking related appointment, they must attend sessions 1 and 2 of the Job Hunt Series first. Of course we do not want to seem restrictive with the term prerequisite, so when I inform students of the Job Hunt Series I use a process approach, I will usually begin by saying that they begin the job hunt process by attending the Job Hunt Series. If students are informed that it is a process, in my experience they are more likely to be receptive to the idea. Break down each seminar session. Session 1 will cover how to conduct a proactive, self-directed job search. Session 2 will cover the best methods and practices of networking. Inform the student that completion of sessions 1 and 2 will give them access to our alumni database, the Newhouse Network. Session 3 is a not a requirement to receive access to the Newhouse Network or make an appointment, but it is strongly encouraged. Describe session 3 as a career study hall. Students will put to work the skills they learned in sessions 1 and 2 with the help of CDC staff. STUDENTS ARE ALSO STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND THE JOB HUNT SERIES IN ORDER BEGINNING WITH SESSION 1. There is no make-up for the Job Hunt Series. Students must find a time and make arrangements to attend sessions 1 and 2 of the Job Hunt. Please make note to students that they are required to register for ALL seminars using bit.ly/cdcseminars. When to offer the drop box and quick counselThere will be times when we will be booked two to three weeks out. If a student would like to make an appointment but is in a bit of a time crunch, the student may drop off their résumé and/or cover letter to our drop box service. The drop box is HARD COPY ONLY. Student staff members will keep a log of the drop box use by logging student information in our common folder > Seminars > Attendance > Drop Box '18-'19. Students may NOT print their materials in the CDC, they will have to go to a lab. To be eligible to use the drop box, students must have:
Quick Counsel is for QUICK 10-MINUTE questions. Quick Counsel are drop-ins, meaning students may NOT schedule a time. Quick Counsel days rotate between the first and second Tuesdays and third and fourth Fridays of the month. Quick Counsel dates for the 2018 fall semester: Tuesdays: 9/4; 9/11; 10/2; 10/9; 11/6; 11/13; 12/4; 12/11 Fridays: 9/28; 10/19; 10/26; 11/23; 11/30 Student MUST have attend the required seminars (Résumé & Cover Letter Writing Seminar and Job Hunt Sessions 1 and 2) to participate in Quick Counsel. Please ensure that all students have HARD COPIES of their materials they would like reviewed. Students may NOT sign-up for Quick Counsel and then leave the room. Their spot will not be saved and will have to sign-in again. We Never Want to Say NoThe CDC wants to help ALL Newhouse students that walk through our door. Students have required legwork to do on their own, but we are a small office serving many students and alumni. Attending seminars will give students the foundations and tools needed for a successful career in the communications industry and will always make more progress during their scheduled appointments. If a student seems resistant towards seminars, there are other ways we can help them: Students are available to make internship appointments without attending the Finding an Internship Seminar. Of course we will try to sell it but if students are not taking the "bait", we do have the Finding an Internship podcast. You should use this as a last resort, in situations where there is a time restraint or as a refresher. THE SEMINARS SHOULD ALWAYS BE SUGGESTED FIRST. You can stock the student up with all the blue internship handouts that go hand-in-hand with the podcast. The podcast can be found at: newhouse.syr.edu > Career Development > Students > Resources > Click here for podcast episodes > Podcast #5. You may find that a student looking for résumé and cover letter help want a more immediate solution than attending the seminar or watching the video. You may offer them the orange résumé or grey cover letter handouts. We will be unable to review their materials via appointment or drop box until they fulfill the prerequisite. If you have any pushback on this policy, please let me know. A common spur of the moment issue that will happen during your shift: A student will run into the CDC in a panic because the student just got off the phone with a company and the company scheduled an interview for the next day. It happens every year. We can help, though! If the student has an upcoming interview and we do NOT have an available appointment or an upcoming Quick Counsel, give the student the green interview handouts and instruct them to listen to the Interview Prep podcast. The podcast can be found at: newhouse.syr.edu > Career Development > Students > Resources > Click here for podcast episodes > Podcast #4. Big Interview is another resource that students have access to as a Syracuse University student. Big Interview allows you to learn about interviewing by watching instructional videos. After learning about interviewing, you can then practice by recording yourself answering questions. These recordings will help you to learn what you're doing well and what you need to improve before your interview day. You can find Big Interview at: career services.syr.edu > Networking & Interviews > Before the Interview > Big Interview. MAking Appointments For AlumniThis may be where we get a bit clunky. We may change the process but for now, we will be scheduling appointment in Outlook (nhcdc email). Using Handshake as reference and GOING BY THE PRESENT COUNSELORS (counselors that are in the office at that very moment):
Try not to schedule more than one alumni appointment in a counselor's appointment block!!! Wrapping upFor the majority of the student staff, this is about where we left off. You will have a quiz on this material because it is imperative that you know this. Be sure to ask questions! I rather have you ask than guess. Also, review our seminar registration page at bit.ly/cdcseminars and the seminar schedule. To help students, you have to know the materials! Avoid me having to make this face at you three months down the road... I will be covering a different training topic in the blog for the next several weeks. Please use the blog as a reference while on shift. I will be transparent with any changes that are made. This new process for our office will be a "trial and error" period.
Lastly, I have a slew of students that WANT YOUR JOB. I cannot afford to keep around student staff members that are consistently absent minded. Even if you are a returner, we have changed almost all of how the CDC operates. Whereas some has remained the same, returners will also need to absorb our new procedures. I promise to be patient while you are learning the ropes, but there will come a point where I feel like you should on it. YOU NEED TO STUDY THIS NEW MATERIAL! The rules I outlined for you at Monday's meeting apply to EVERYONE no matter how much I like you. You were all hired because I felt like you were a good fit for this job. Keep me thinking that way. Let's finish the first week of class out strong! <- Hint, study this material! It's that time of year... Not just the end of semester/graduation time, but the time of year when my student staff usually lose their minds and go on a mental vacation. Let's not do that this year. I think the friend visits tie into that. I love that all your friends pop in to say hi, but I think we need to cut down on the chatter. It's becoming excessive and distracting. So quick hi's are OK, but wrap it up quickly. Stay focused, don't get crazy. Stop making me be the bad guy. I don't want to be the bad guy. Finals Week Schedule The finals schedule is on the front desk. The last day of classes is Tuesday, May 1. We will be on our normal schedule on Monday, April 30 and Tuesday, May 1. Finals week will run from Wednesday, May 2 to Wednesday, May 9, however I did include schedule availability on Thursday, May 9 and Friday, May 10. If you are going to be here and would like to get a few hours in, please sign-up. Please schedule yourself for at least one shift. Like always it is first come, first served. I appreciate everyone's time, but share the love a little bit. Post-Grad Services How to sign a student up for post-grad services, you ask... Easy, open the Excel sheet in the center of the front desk's computer. Ask for the student's email address. Let them know that if they wish to sign up using their syr.edu account, they may do so. Their syr.edu account is theirs for life. Hand them a blue Make It a Reality booklet. Extras are in the brown boxes in the cabinets where we keep seminar handouts. Also, tell them that the CDC is a lifelong, free service. Too easy, right? End of the Year Luncheon I want to plan a little get together to honor our graduating seniors, Alicia, Daniel and Katie. The event will be catered, obviously (say obviously with extra sass). I would like to plan it on Wednesday, May 2 because that's like the only time we have left. Let me know if this is good for everyone... Like soon. Wanted: Weebly Users Looking for someone to help me with designing this Weebly page because I have no patience with it.
CDCers, let me start by saying I adore each and everyone of you, BUT sometimes you kill me. Let's start with shift duties. If you are reading this from the CDC's front desk, turn to your left. Notice the CDC Staff Workflow sheet. Find your shift. Learn your responsibilities. For real, it's right there. There's no excuse to forgetting a task on your shift, your responsibilities are right there. Speaking of tasks and duties... If you have a shift at the front desk, the main desk computer screen should never turn off. You are all in charge of the [email protected] email account now. Answer the emails that you can. If you receive an email that you do not know the answer to or you are second guessing your answer, ASK ME! DO NOT GUESS. That also goes for in-office student questions. For example, if a student is asking you questions pertaining to their resume, cover letter, networking, internships, etc direct them to the handouts, suggest they make an appointment or attend quick counsel. I say this in a loving way, you are not career development professionals. You have a leg up because you work in this office, yes, but do not give advice or guess. It's OK to answer the easy questions, but if a student appears to be struggling with seminar or video content please ask for help. Moving on... You are also responsible for managing the nhcdc account calendar, so QUIT MOVING APPOINTMENT BLOCKS AND ADDING RANDOM ONES. This is an easy thing to fix, just pay attention to what you are doing. Be mindful when you are scheduling and looking at appointments. Too easy. I'm not sure if we covered this or not, but if someone cancels their appointment for that day and another person comes in looking to schedule an appointment. Do not offer any appointment times for that day unless you ask the counselor. When someone cancels that frees Kelly, Bridget and I up a bit to work on something else. It throws us off when suddenly, another appointment appears. Lastly, everyone is sick, it's that time of year. Be sure to wipe down the desk and phone at the end of your shift. Don't be patient zero that wipes out the CDC. Good News As most of you know by now, our new hire is starting on Monday, February 26. Yay! Her name is Danielle and she is a Syracuse native. Her background in career development includes career counselor positions at Colgate and LeMoyne. I am sure you will all have a chance to get to know her a little better, but she will have a busy schedule for the next few weeks. As I am sure you have noticed, she will be setting up shop in the back. It's not our ideal situation, however it is only temporary. This summer we will have a remodel and for our returning students, you will come back to a new layout. Do I know what that will be? No. Do I have a timeline? No. We will all be surprised together. Until then, no more group projects or meetings in the Sip'n'Study. If you see one about to unfold, let me know. THE BACK IS A QUIET WORKPLACE ONLY. The microwave and refrigerator are for staff use only. If you see someone heading to the back with some spicy curry ready to stink up this office, please stop them. There will be signage soon. Students may still use our Kuerig machine, though. Quiz Please hand in your written answers at the beginning of your next shift: 1. You are prepping for a seminar and we run out of a booklet or handout. What should you do? 2. You are cleaning and refilling the Sip'n'Study and we run out of cups. What should you do? 3. You are beginning or finishing a transcribing shift. What should you do before you start and after you finish? have a Good Weekend!
I’m sorry your vacation is over, but I hope it was relaxing and you are all ready to get back to work. The spring semester is our busiest semester because it is when we hold our big career fair, the Newhouse Recruitment Collective (NRC). There is a ton of prep work to do for the NRC and there will be many opportunities to pick-up a few extra shifts and make a little extra $$$. We’ll get into that, though. First thing’s first... Spring ‘18 Student Staff ScheduleSpeaking of Shifts...I think we had a strong semester as a team, especially with five new staff members on board. However there are still things I would really like us to work on: 1. Be sure to check the workflow chart before and after each shift. Our closing, in particular, was a little weak. We were doing things like leaving the door unlocked, not flipping the sign, not sending appointment/seminar reminders and leaving the Keurig on. There is a sheet at the front desk to remind staff members of their shift duties. Last semester you were new. This semester you are vets. There will now be repercussions for forgetting every day tasks during shifts. 2. I don’t mind your roommate swinging by to drop something off or a quick hello to a friend you haven’t seen in a while, but there will be no more lingering. Of course your friends and classmates can work in the CDC while you are on shift, but they have to sit in the Sip’n’Study. 3. If you have a special shift, you must work in the back with me. There should never be a Mac station chair on the side of the front desk. We need to cut down on the chatter at the front desk, not because I don’t want you to all have a good relationship, but the excessive talking can be very distracting. I love hearing all about your day, but let’s not do it across Kelly’s door. 4. Please, please revisit the post from 8/28 and pay attention to the abbreviated majors and minors. We were all over the place last semester. Just all over the place. Let's tighten this up when adding students to roster's and sign-in sheets. The abbreviations are not optional. No News & Good News No News: As you may have realized, we did not hire anyone new. Unfortunately, it did not work out with either of our candidates. We are still reviewing applicants and we will hopefully be conducting interviews in the coming weeks. The CDC student staff will again be involved in the interview process and I send an email around to schedule students when I have a time. Good News: New York increased the minimum wage. You all got a raise. Yay! Back to the NRC What/Where/When: The Newhouse Recruitment Collective is a multi-day event beginning with a career fair on Wednesday, April 11 from 2:00 to 5:00 PM in the Panasci Lounge, Schine Student Center. This is the time when all students interested in the public communications field can mingle amount recruiter tables, introduce themselves, pick-up information and secure interviews for the following day(s). There will be an employer reception after at the University Sheraton. The time is tentative. The next two days, Thursday, April 12 and Friday, April 13, are interview dates at various location in Schine. More than 30 national companies will come to SU to interview students for anticipated job openings and internship opportunities. Some companies may look for interns for summer '18 and even summer '19. Companies will select which students they would like to interview AT THE CAREER FAIR on Wednesday. Kelly will make announcements and add details in CDCNews and CDCGradNews, but you can direct students to: bit.ly/nrcinfo, as well. How Does it Work?: Companies register online from January through late March. Students view the job and internship descriptions located at: bit.ly/nrcinfo. Dates to Remember: NRC Interview Prep Tuesday, March 27 4:00-5:00 PM in 432 N3 How to Score and Interview Friday, March 30 3:00-4:00 PM in 250 N3 NRC Resume Prep- 2 Sessions! Monday, April 2 12:00-1:00 PM 432 N3 & Tuesday, April 3 4:00-5:00 PM 463 N3 Resume Walk-In's- 3 Sessions! Wednesday, April 4 & Thursday April 5 10:00 AM-12:00 PM & 2:00-4:00 PM 313 N3 & Friday, April 6 2:00-4:00 PM 313 N3 *Students MUST have attended a resume seminar and have a hard copy to have their resume reviewed. Making it Official Muahaha... Welcome back to campus.
I know... Vacation is so close we can almost taste it, but we are going to get through it together. Plus, I have some exciting new things to share: Holiday Get-Together Typically, during finals week I plan a fun little luncheon for the entire staff and we eat and talk about how excited we are about our winter break. We can still do that.... BUT I want to throw another idea on your plate: A few of us have been talking about the upcoming movie, The Disaster Artist, that is coming out next week. It's based on the true story of the making of the world's most terrible movie, The Room. (Please see hilarious videos below.) Right... Pretty hilarious. It received a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. I was thinking if this is what we wanted to do, we could meet at the movie theater (Destiny) after work on Wednesday, December 13. There are no listed movie times yet, but the movie's run time is 1 hour and 43 minutes. Another thing... Unfortunately, we, the CDC, is unable to swing 10 movie tickets. Budget would probably have a problem with that. Probably. So, everyone would have to provide their own ticket and snacks. If this is something we want to do, I can try to get a group rate. Tickets are about $13.10 for adult admission. I want to know your thoughts on this. If everyone is on board, we'll make it happen. Down to Like... FR Business For those that do not know, we are hiring a fourth person to our office. This person will deal primarily with employer relations. We would love have a few members of our staff have the opportunity to ask the both our interviewees a few questions. Kelly, Bridget and myself really value each student staff member's opinion. Please let me know if you are available on the following dates: Thursday, December 7 at 1:30 PM Friday, December 15 at 1:30 PM Please let me know ASAP if you are interested in participating. If you have a shift during one of these times, unfortunately we are going to need you to stay at the CDC to keep things up and running. Next Semester's Availability I need just about everyone's availability for next semester. Availability. Not your schedule.
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