Many Fulfillment Fund Scholars will be the first in their family to attend college. But what happens after they graduate from college?
As an auxiliary line of the Fulfillment Fund, the Scholar Bridge Network is dedicated to the post-graduation development and success of all Fulfillment Fund Scholars. Through a diverse and committed group of professionals, entrepreneurs, executives, mentors, and organizations, Scholar Bridge offers valuable connections, career advice, professional skills development, internship and job opportunities to guide the scholars as they navigate the path from college to career.
Photo Credit: Andrew Chenault
Photo Credit: Andrew Chenault
To prepare college students to apply for an internship, the Scholar Bridge Network held the College to Career Workshop: How to Land an Internship on March 30th, 2017, at Toyota Automobile Museum, a space that was kindly donated by Linda Iannone, Chief Compliance Officer at Toyota Financial Services. Through a series of interactive workshops and one-on-one sessions with professionals and executives from various industries, Fulfillment Fund Scholars learned the skills necessary for effective networking and applying for internships.
The workshop began with a keynote speech by the CEO of Pressed Juicery, Hayden Slater, introduced by Stacia Kato, Vendor Management Consultant/Supplier Diversity at Toyota Financial Services.
Photo Credit: Andrew Chenault
Fulfillment Fund: College to Career Workshop
First Impressions: Building a Solid Resume
Fulfillment Fund: College to Career Workshop
Led by Irene McKenna, Vice President, Compensation, Benefits & HRIS at DIRECTV / AT&T, the first workshop discussed the correct formatting and content of a resume, and provided students with the opportunity to perfect their resumes with the help from professionals. Companies receive and review hundreds of resumes, McKenna pointed out, and “most resumes are scanned in 30 seconds or less, so make every second count.” She added, “Your resume is really a marketing tool” that helps you obtain the interview you want; it is the first impression a company will have of a candidate. That is why we should see it as an asset, a living document that is always evolving based on our experience, skills, and the jobs we are applying to. Using a sample resume of a Fulfillment Fund Alumni, McKenna highlighted more tips in resume building. For example, a resume should be one page in length, structured to highlight the applicant’s strengths; it should also include a number of “action” words and quantifiable figures to add validity to one’s achievements.
Rules of Engagement
The next workshop, led by Sabrina Garba, CEO and President of Glass Ladder Group, explored how to build relationships and interact with professionals in an appropriate manner. As an experienced global communicator, program developer and manager, Garba is well-versed in all things cross-cultural and cross-generational. On cross-generational interactions, she discussed with the students a variety of ways a millennial, a Gen Xer, and a Baby Boomer would respond to and interact with each other. Whereas Baby Boomers dislike being hounded, prefer a stable job, and expect to work slowly through their growth, Millennials desire and seek immediate progression and growth. Garba also highlighted the importance of cleaning up one’s social media accounts prior to applying for an internship, as employers often use social media, in addition to a resume and interviews, to determine whether a candidate is a good fit for the organization.
Photo Credit: Andrew Chenault
Photo Credit: Andrew Chenault
The workshop was followed by a mock networking lunch themed “Putting Yourself Out There”, introduced by Linda Iannone, and guided by Summer Sepulveda, Vice President of Plan the World, Inc. During this session, executive volunteer mentors from various industries rotated from table to table to engage with students, provide an opportunity to network in a simulated professional luncheon setting, answer questions about their specific career paths, professional interests, and close with an ask for business cards.
Photo Credit: Lindy Huang Werges
Photo Credit: Andrew Chenault
Photo Credit: Andrew Chenault
The final workshop “Make It Happen,” led by Jacqueline Hantgan, Director of Marketing at Keshet, went over the importance of follow-up and thank you note etiquettes. She advised that thank you notes, whether emailed or handwritten, should be personalized and reflect the conversation.
We are especially grateful to Toyota Financial Services for providing such an incredible opportunity for these Scholars to receive professional mentoring and tour the Toyota Automobile Museum!
Photo Credit: Andrew Chenault
Photo Credit: Andrew Chenault
The Fulfillment Fund would like to thank the following sponsors for providing food and drinks at the workshop: Suja Juice, Milk Jar Cookies, Tarte Catering, Pressed Juicery, Coffee Bean, Boom Chicka Pop, and last but not least, Yoobi for their generous donation of school supplies!
Photo Credit: Andrew Chenault
Photo Credit: Andrew Chenault
Photo Credit: Lindy Huang Werges
Special thanks to all those who donated their time to provide their guidance and insight to these Scholars: participating executives from AEG | Staples Center Foundation, Asian Business Association LA, BLKBX Creative Group, Grant Thornton, Insight Collective, Love Goodly, Messner Reeves, LLP, Nu-Set, Plan the World, Inc., The Siegfried Group, Toyota Financial Services, Toyota Motor Sales, and VEC Tech.
Photo Credit: Andrew Chenault
Photo Credit: Andrew Chenault