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Alumni Career Services is proud to announce the success of the third annual “Get Connected! Bringing UO Alumni and Employers Together.” Over 120 people spent the evening connecting with each other, including alumni and current students, individuals representing 20 different employers, panelists and a handful of staff, volunteers and sponsors. This was our largest turn out to date!

The night kicked off with a networking session that allowed attendees to connect with fellow alumni and employers of their interest. When asked what the most valuable part of the event was, one participant responded: “Speaking with employers about their experiences and what they look for in employees.” This portion of the night was an excellent opportunity for job seekers to learn more about specific companies and to expand their personal networks to include both alumni AND recruiters.

Once everyone had spent some time exchanging experiences, aspirations and insight, our panel of four human resources professionals entertained the crowd with an engaging discussion about what they look for in potential candidates and what they would recommend to individuals seeking employment.

This year’s panel of DUCKS featured:

Adidas North America: Paul Ehrlich, general counsel & VP HR/Business Affairs
Boly:Welch Consulting: Kathleen Everett, managing director
City of Portland: Joseph Wahl, employment and development manager
Group Mackenzie: Brett Hanson, project manager

After listening to the pros, another participant said the most beneficial part of the panel discussion was “hearing what they look for, how they work and getting an idea of how to be a better candidate.” Other feedback included: “The panel helped me to better understand the importance of personal contact with members of the organization,” and, “They gave me firsthand insight into how their companies operate, which will be beneficial to me.”

Other key points from the panel discussion include:

• Candidates should network with people within a company, even if a job isn’t posted
• “Fit” is a big part of why candidates are hired
• Be sure to use LinkedIn and prepare yourself by doing research about a company BEFORE the interview
• Show a positive attitude, a willingness to learn and a desire to make a difference within a company
• Don’t forget send hand-written thank you notes after an interview

Each panelist graciously agreed to have lunch with winners of a raffle as a way to share their insight in a one-on-one setting. Four audience members were chosen at random. One of the winners extended her appreciation by saying, “I enjoyed the event this evening, but winning the lunch made it extra worthwhile.”

Following the panel discussion and question time, attendees were given a final opportunity to network with others, which allowed them to put what they had learned from our panelists into action!

Thank you to everyone who made this year’s Get Connected! event a success, especially Boly:Welch Consulting ǀ Recruiting and UO Alumni Association! As always, we welcome any feedback you have so we can make next year’s event even more beneficial and worthwhile. If you would like to share your experience or suggestions, please email us at careerpdx@uoregon.edu.

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