Monday, February 17, 2014

Why Worry When You Have Us

By Alysha Gomes, Toppel Peer Advisor

With all the stress of courses, jobs, and even social events, University of Miami STUDENTS AND ALUMNI often overlook the resources the Toppel Career Center offers.

As a student myself, I walked into the building and was amazed with its structure and technology; however, Toppel’s purpose is not to mystify, but to educate and assist. I did not realize all the opportunities Toppel offers until I was hired as a peer advisor.

Growing up, my parents portrayed the professional population as being in one of two fields: Food service or healthcare. Simply put, I could either become a doctor or I would end up working at McDonalds (flipping burgers, not as a corporate worker). However, now that Toppel has opened my eyes, I now know how many occupations and professional fields there actually are and how simple it is to request help in acquiring a desired position. I encourage you all to, as cliché as it may be, let Toppel open your eyes as well.

Don’t know where to start?

  • Come in for a tour! – A tour will give you an overview of all our staff members and services we offer.
  • Don’t feel like coming in? –Go online to HireACane.com! You can find anything and everything Toppel with just a few clicks.

Don’t know what professions are out there?
  • Come to one of our information sessions! Companies from big to small come to Toppel every week to provide information on their company. These can be found on our programs/events calendar at HireACane.com!
  • Companies that you may have never heard of but are absolutely amazing come to Toppel! Also, they provide new information each time they come, so don’t assume you know everything about them. In actuality you can never know enough if your going to invest you time into applying!

Don’t know what professions to pursue?
  • Schedule an appointment to speak to an advisor! Simply go onto HireACane.com and click request an appointment on the right side column. They will help you:
    • Pick a major
    • Choose a professional field/career
    • Figure out your life
Need help in applying to a(n) internship/job/school/anything?

  • Come to walk-in hours on Monday-Thursday from 10:00am- 4:30pm to get help with your resume and cover letter!
  • Schedule an appointment for a mock interview to practice your interviewing skills or go over personal statements and applications.
  • Come to one of the countless workshops Toppel holds on how to:
    • Interview
    • Resume Build
    • Utilize Social Media
    • Organize/Time Manage
    • AND SO MUCH MORE
Need help in getting hired/chosen?
  • Come to one of our fashion shows on how to present yourself professionally! (This is actually really useful because things you would think are presentable are actually not.)
  • Come to a networking event! Toppel has amazing connections! They can help you connect to pretty much anything anywhere.
Toppel offers even more beyond this! If you can think of anything career related, we have someone you can talk to that not only knows about it but is an expert on it and can get you in touch with a recruiter/school/anyone regarding it. It is truly a wonderful resource that is not utilized as often as it should be. I love Toppel and use its connections/resources all the time in my professional life- so should you!
           

Monday, February 10, 2014

Career Symposium and Expo!

By Maura Gergerich, Toppel Peer Advisor




If you are looking for information on networking and career opportunities you happen to be in luck! This week Toppel is hosting two events that aim to help you advance your future.


Wednesday February 12, Student Activities Center 12-8 pm

Learn from our successful Miami alumni and hear about how they utilized their degree for the best opportunities. You also get a chance to network with local recruiters and UM faculty and alumni. This is a one-day conference that provides an amazing opportunity to all students. For more information and to register go to: http://www.sa.miami.edu/toppel/mainsite/Students/CareerFairsandEvents/CareerSymposium.aspx


 

Thursday February 13, Herbert Wellness Center 3-7 pm

This is your opportunity to get your resume out there to future employers. There will be over a hundred companies attending looking to hire ‘Canes in all industries. You will get a chance to learn about internships, employers, full time positions, and networking.

Requirements:

  • you must be a UM student or alum
  • professionally dressed
  • have your cane card
  • have at least 20 copies of your resume

For more information and to see a list of attending employers visit: http://www.sa.miami.edu/toppel/mainsite/Students/CareerFairsandEvents/CareerExpo.aspx

What to do to Prepare?

Get your resume critiqued at Toppel so you know it’s at its finest. Walk-in advising happens Monday-Thursday from 10 am-4:30 pm. Attend as many of our programs as you can leading up to these events. You can find our calendar here. Research the companies that peak your interest so you can walk in informed and ready to go. Also, make sure you collect business cards while you are there in order to follow up after the event. 

Hope to see you all there!