Home > Newsletter > Volume 3, Issue 1 (January 2004)

Brave Opportunities
Where Today’s Braves Look to the Future

Volume 3, Issue 1
January 2004

Inside this issue:
From a Land Down Under
Re-Runs: CSC Career Unscripted Series Continues for Spring Season
From the Director’s Desk
Career of the Month: Animal Scientist
Cool Jobs
In Every Issue: Career Bloopers, Job Search Tips, Ask Zelda, Little Known Facts, & Upcoming Events

Career Center Info:
Location: University Center, Ste. 210, 521-6270, cs@uncp.edu, www.uncp.edu/cs
Hours: 8:00 a.m.— 5:00 p.m. Appointments may be made for Career Consulting, DISCOVER, Resume Critiques, Mock Interviews, etc.
Staff:
Dr. Denisha Sanders, Director
Lori Bumgarner, M.Ed., Assistant Director
Lisa Chavis, Student Services Assistant

From a Land Down Under
During the holidays, I was fortunate to get to travel the Australian desert and coastal lands. For 25 days, I toured areas such as the Northern Territory’s Ayers Rock and Alice Springs and the east coast’s Great Barrier Reef and beautiful cities.
Going to Australia has always been a dream of mine. When I was in college, I thought about doing study abroad there, but I waited until the fall semester of my senior year to inquire about the possibility. By that time, it didn’t make financial sense because it was too late in my college career to do study abroad. Now, I always encourage students to start thinking early about study abroad. If you love to travel, or there’s a country you’ve always wanted to visit, then don’t make the mistake I did by waiting too late. Had I done study abroad, it would have cost me for 15 weeks a third of what it cost me for 25 days. Here at UNCP, there are opportunities for study abroad in over 35 different countries and it only costs you what you’re already paying in tuition, plus the flight. If this sounds like something for you, contact Dr. Alex Chen at 521-6224 or Beth Carmical at 521-6508.
During my trip, I got the chance to meet a lot of different people in some unique jobs: Royal flying doctors, crocodile farmers, Ayers Rock rescue rangers (for all the climbers who don’t make it to the top), scenic helicopter pilots, snorkeling and diving instructors, racing yacht crew, wildlife conservationists, cattle drovers, stockmen, sky diving instructors, entertainers (actors, musicians, comedians), tour guides, opal jewelers, surfing instructors, etc. So even if you opt not to do study abroad but would like to work a few months in a country like Australia, there are a variety of seasonal jobs available during the peak tourism season. Just remember, peak season in places such as Australia are during our winter months, so be aware that you’ll have to take some time off of school if you want to work during their summer months.
Lori Bumgarner

Re-runs: CSC Career Unscripted Series Continues for Spring Season
The Fall 2003 season opened with a new series of workshops covering career-related topics such as resume writing, interviewing, and the job search. The response to these workshops was so great that the Career Center plans to “re-run” our CSC Career Unscripted series this spring for those of you who may have missed some episodes. The schedule for the spring line-up can be found on page 4.
In addition to the CSC Career Unscripted workshop series, the Career Center will continue its annual UNCP Career Fair and the Teacher Education Fair, along with day-long events designated for a certain career-related topic. These events will be listed with monthly upcoming events found on p. 4.
Finally, the Career Center will be sponsoring a business etiquette dinner in April. This formal dinner will include a full-course meal with etiquette instruction from a nationally certified business etiquette consultant. Contact the Career Services Center for more details.
Lori Bumgarner
Pictures: Sydney Harbour (Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House), The Olgas, Ayers Rock, kangaroo, crocodile farmer with baby crocodile, Lori Bumgarner with koala, park ranger with mother and baby koalas, camel, stockman leading camels, sailing yacht captain, sailing yacht, and ferry at Whitehaven Beach.

From the Director’s Desk
You may remember that I started last semester by giving you the “Top Ten Career Strategies for College Students” in our September issue of this newsletter. This month I want to tell you what you can gain from those strategies that will help you face graduation and the inevitable job search.
According to Job Outlook 2004, from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers have some very specific ideas about the characteristics they are seeking in job candidates. The “Top Ten Qualities/Skills Employers Look For in New Hires” looks like this:
1. Communication skills
2. Honesty/integrity
3. Interpersonal skills
4. Motivation/initiative
5. Strong work ethic
6. Teamwork skills
7. Analytical sills
8. Flexibility/adaptability
9. Computer skills
10. Detail-oriented
Some of the best things you can do to develop these skills include completing an internship (or two!) and participating in volunteer and leadership activities. These experiences will give you the “real world” knowledge and experience that many employers find lacking in recent college graduates. Also, work on your communication skills, something else employers find lacking in job candidates, and be sure to keep your GPA up because many employers set a GPA cut-off around 3.0.
Denisha Sanders
Source: JobWeb.com – Career development and job-search advice for new college graduates, National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Career of the Month: Animal Scientist
The work of animal scientists plays an important part in maintaining the nation's food supply by ensuring agricultural productivity and the safety of the food supply. They study farm animals and develop ways of improving their quantity and quality. Animal scientists are concerned with the science and business of producing domestic livestock species, including beef cattle, horses, poultry, sheep, and swine. They apply principles of the biological, physical, and social sciences to the problems associated with livestock production and management. Animal scientists do research on the selection, physiology, breeding, feeding, management, and health of animals. They are concerned with foods of animal origin and strive to develop better, more efficient ways of producing and processing meat, poultry, eggs, and milk. Dairy scientists, poultry scientists, animal breeders, and other related scientists study the genetics, nutrition, reproduction, growth, and development of domestic farm animals. Some animal scientists inspect and grade livestock food products, purchase livestock, or work in technical sales or marketing. They are also involved with aspects of companion animals, including their nutrition, care, and welfare.
As extension agents or consultants, animal scientists advise agricultural producers on how to upgrade animal housing facilities properly, lower mortality rates, handle waste matter, or increase production of animal products, such as milk or eggs. Some animal scientists develop better feeding, sanitation, and disease control. Others may control breeding practices to improve strains of animals. Animal nutrition is another specialty. Some animal scientists may teach in colleges and universities. Others are consultants to business firms or to the government.
Quick Facts
Animal scientists work for:
agricultural service companies
commercial research and development laboratories
food-animal production farms
pharmaceutical companies
wholesale distributors
food products companies
feed, animal health, and breeding industries
federal, state, and local governments
colleges and universities
themselves, as consultants
Animal scientists indicate that they like working with animals, the challenge and variety of their work, good salaries and benefits, the opportunity to specialize and do research in their area of interest, and the opportunity to produce high quality food for society. However, they say the drawbacks of the job include the frustration involved with working in research, working long hours during studies, and the need for advanced degrees to obtain research positions requiring more responsibility.
Related Majors:
Agricultural Engineering, Animal Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife and Wildlands Management, Zoology.
Salary: The Economic Research Institute reported the following:
Starting Salary: $30,500 ($14.75/hr); Average Salary: $43,000 ($20.75/hr); Salary w/experience: $52,500, ($25.25/hr).
Source: DISCOVER Online. To learn about thousands of other occupations, you can access DISCOVER via our website.

This Month’s Cool Jobs Listing
Animal Interpretation Associate. Part-time. Provide animal interaction experiences for guests, care for the animals, develop related programs, research, maintain animal exhibit areas. Jersey City, NJ
Elephant Apprentice Trainer. Care for elephants and their areas, learn training techniques. Vallejo, CA
Elephant Keeper II. For the Louisville Zoological Garden. Louisville, KY
Keeper. Care for animals, provide informal edu services for zoo guests. Lufkin, TX
Reptile Keeper. Entry level. Perform daily husbandry duties for North American, African, and South American reptiles, amphibians, and fish at the Caldwell Zoo. Tyler, TX
Wildlife Rehabilitation Internship. Care for injured and orphaned wildlife, learn all aspects of wildlife rehabilitation. Pass Christian, MS
Wolf Pack Intern. 3-9 month position, for a non-profit organization. Individual will gain know of gray wolf behavior, anatomy, and ecology. Lewiston, ID
Zoo Keeper. Oversee the animal collections, care for the animals at the Houston Zoo. Houston, TX
Zoo Nutritionist. Oversee the zoo’s animal nutrition activities, design a new animal nutrition facility, analyze diets. St. Louis, MO
Full job descriptions and application procedures are listed exclusively in the Career Services Center Library.

Brave Ideas

“I can’t believe you did that!” and Other Career Mishaps
One candidate expressed more interest in inviting the recruiter to a party than in actually answering the interview questions.

CSC Career Unscripted Workshop Guide
Spring 2004
(every Wednesday @ 3:30 pm in the Career Services Library, UC Ste. 210 unless otherwise noted.)
1/21 CSI: Career Search Investigation
(Choosing a Major/Career)
1/28 Career and the City (Job Search) 2/4 A Resume Makeover Story
(Resume Writing)
Resume Bar, 11-2, UC Mall
2/11 8 Simple Rules
(How to Work a Career Fair),
10 am & 3:30 pm
2/18 UNCP Career Fair, 10 am, UC
Where Are They Now?
(Alumni Panel)
2/25 Career as Folk (Networking)
3/3 What Not to Wear & Show Your
Enthusiasm (Interviewing)
Mock interviews, 1-5 pm, UC 210
3/17 A Resume Makeover Story
3/24 CSI: Career Search Investigation
3/31 Career & The City (10 am)
Career as Folk (2 pm)
My Big Fat Portfolio (Portfolio
Development & Presentation) (3:30)
4/7 What Not to Wear &
Show Your Enthusiasm
4/13 Style & Grace Etiquette Dinner,
5 pm, Chancellor’s Dining Room
4/14 Fear is Not a Factor
(Grad School Planning)
4/21 Six Months Behind
(Last Minute Job Search)
4/28 Trading Spaces
(From Classroom to Office)

Dear Zelda,
I have heard that I should have a portfolio of my work to show employers during my interviews. I thought only art majors had to have a portfolio. What in the world can I include in a portfolio?
Signed: Uncreative

Dear Uncreative,
Well, you don’t have to have a portfolio, but having one will make you stand out among the competition. Putting one together is very simple. Gather samples of your school work (I.e. writing samples, group projects, etc.), flyers or programs you’ve helped create for events sponsored by your student organization, letters of recommendation from professors and supervisors, certificates, and anything else that shows your ability to achieve. Organize these items by skill categories and put them in sheet protectors and a 3-ring binder. Also, come to the Career Center’s “My Big Fat Portfolio” workshop to learn how to answer interview questions with your portfolio.
Zelda
Got a career or job search question? Ask Zelda at cs@uncp.edu

This Month’s Job Search Tip:
Utilize the UNCP Office of Alumni Relations to network. Many UNCP alumni are in hiring positions in their companies and may be looking to hire someone just like you!

Little Known Facts
The average person changes their career at least six times in their life. This is why it is so important to learn from the Career Center the skills necessary to conduct a successful job search. You will need these skills again in the future, and we’re here to teach you those skills.

Upcoming Events
CSC Career Unscripted workshops
Every Wednesday, 3:30 pm, UC Suite 210
Resume Day Wednesday, February 4th
Resume Bar, 11-2, UC Mall; Resume Workshop, 3:30, UC 210
UNCP Career Fair
Wednesday, February 18th
UNCP Homecoming
February 16th-21st

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