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Show Monday, March 28,2005 The Signpost Business Editor: Candice Dallin Business Phone: 626-7624 Networking essential for job placement By CANDICE DALLIN business editor | 7/ie Signpost // The biggest problem for students at Weber State is that they wait too long. Start now" There's a cliche" that says, "It's not what you know, but who you know." According to Pat Wheeler, - Pat Wheeler, career and employment WSU Career Services adviser for Weber State University's Career Services adviser Center, 80 percent of jobs are not advertised. So, how are these jobs being filled? By online they need to get to know their professors. networking. Wheeler also said she knows There are many different ways a human resource manager for a college student to network. The first way is through joining at a local company who gets the clubs and organizations 1,000 applications for every position she on campus. Most of these engineering organizations have a national advertises for. When someone calls her and organization that the student says, "This student applied, chapter is affiliated with. These and this student applied, and organizations give students an this student applied," she said opportunity to network with the manager depends on those professionals in the field they recommendations to sort are majoring in. Second, students can get to through the resumes. A third way to network know their professors. Wheeler said students could go to their while still in college is to professor's office hours or stay take advantage of the "Take a Wildcat to Lunch" program after class. "The most powerful through the WSU Alumni references they have, when Center. Students have the they graduate, are from faculty," opportunity to sit down with Wheeler said, "because faculty an employer from the field verify that the graduate can in they are studying. fact do and say what he says he Deby Nordfelt, employee from can do on his resume." the Department of Workforce Wheeler stresses that even Services, said students should if students are taking classes use informational interviews to Bonnie Evenson of Guardian Park Avenue Securities talks with two bikers, Gino Smith and Shane Stratton. Smith and Straton attended Thursdays event to promote a their fund raiser, Bikers Against Child Abuse. network. She said it would give them an opportunity to know whether or not they are in the right field. Another thing Wheeler suggests is that all students, whether freshman or seniors, attend the WSU Career Fair and start networking with the employers in attendance. "The biggest problem for students at Weber State is that they wait too long," Wheeler said. "Start now." Jeremy Everts, WSU alumnus, spent Thursday afternoon networking at the Davis Chamber of Commerce "Nothing but Networking Luncheon." Everts also advises students to get involved now. Everts graduated in graphic design and started his own business. "The reason why I have my own business is because there was nothing in my field," Everts said. He suggests that students find the field they want to work See Networking page 7 EBay: Not just a hobby Student organization helps local chamber Alumna makes career out of online auction her," Hansen said. "She said she wanted more than $20, but we were able to get over $450 for it. People don't realize that they have things in their attics and old boxes that people will pay good money for." By ANNA RABE By BRANT D.JUDY In another case, Hansen said, a man correspondent | The Signpost correspondent | The Signpost came in with his little toy Tonka truck that he still had from his childhood; it sold for $150. Business students don't often get'a Forty-eight thousand people in the Hansen advertises chance to participate in local businesses United States use through the before graduating. The Weber Affiliate eBay as their entire Standard-Examiner, of the American Marketing Association source of income. but said that word participated in a survey by Weber State Tammie Hansen, of mouth is the best University students to help the Ogdena 1995 Weber State way to advertise Weber Chamber of Commerce, giving University graduate, her business. She them experience in community business has her own eBay explained some of practices. ; consignment bu. ness. the negatives to having one's own Blake Bailey, recent WSU graduate "People bring their items in and we consignment business. First, a lot of and past president of WAAMA, played a take care of everything for them," Hansen work goes into it, along with charges crucial role in the survey. said. and service fees that customers aren't "We contacted them and they said Hansen originally started buying always happy with. But the pay can be they were interested," Bailey said. different items on eBay, which led to good. Hansen averages $13,000 every "They wanted to know what they auctioning things off. Many items appear 60 days with her business, according to needed to do to retain membership, so at her consignment store. her personal eBay account summary. we decided to rate their services and "People bring in all sorts of things EBay has a traveling seminar group find out what they thought abut those from clothing, collectables, snowboards, called the "EBay University." Hansen services." electronics, antiques and event tickets," has attended these seminars in Salt Lake The Ogden-Weber Chamber of Hansen said. City. Commerce has about 1,300 members She takes care of everything as far "Dream big and don't let anyone throughout the area, so it is important for as posting the items, the shipping and discourage you from your dreams," them to know what their members think. handling, and any necessary logistics. Hansen said. "We basically told them we'd help Hansen has seen many items make 1\venty-six-year-old Ryan Terry, a create a survey for the Chamber of enormous profits. resident of Layton, has also used eBay as Commerce and what they thought "A lady brought in a figurine that she - their perceptions of the Ogden-Weber got at a yard sale and asked us to sell it for Chamber of Commerce," said WSU See EBay page 7 student Alan Christensen. Students then met with the chamber to review products and services that are offered to chamber members. The survey was created, and about 400 businesses were selected to receive the survey. "We randomly selected business and mailed questionnaires and a cover sheet and gave them a business reply envelope," Christensen said. "Mail-order surveys are hard because the return rate is only about 10 percent, so we were hoping to get 100 back," Bailey said. "We ended up getting close to 70." That meant Bailey and Christensen would have to follow up with about 100 other businesses by meeting with them directly. Some of these businesses were the Ogden Auto Body Shop, Warren's, McKay-Dee Hospital and Javier's. The information was collected and analyzed. The students found that the chamber could make improvements in several areas. "There was advertising that could have been utilized," Bailey said. "Many businesses weren't participating in the events, and there needed to be more communication between business and See Chamber page 7 |
