Gonzaga University Career Center Blog

It really is that simple!

Frequently Asked Questions about GAMP:

1. Is this program just for business students?  I am a liberal arts major, how can it help me? This program is designed to help all students regardless of major or academic program! We have a wide variety of mentors in a great spectrum of fields ranging from non-profit to government, business, higher education and more!  The GAMP team is happy to work with students one on one to find the best mentor match for you!

2.  I have already been matched, is it possible to be matched again? I have changed my mind of where I want to work or my future plans.  Yes!  We welcome mentees to contact our office if your needs for mentoring change and you’d like to contiune to expand your professional network. We strongly encourage however the you are able to properly maintain relationships with mentors.

3.  I have contacted my mentors, but I haven’t heard back…what should I do? Contact them again!  Do not be a pest or a bother, but remember…these mentors are typically very busy professionals.  Keep e-mails brief but well thought-out and be considerate of their time and needs.

Tags: GAMP, GAMP Orientation, Gonzaga Alumni Mentor Program, Networking

So, how did you spend your Spring Break?  Was it filled with sunshine and basketball watching in Vegas?  Or did you get the chance to visit numerous Fortune 500 companies like Google, McAfee, Wells Fargo and Marsh in the Bay Area, hosted by Gonzaga friends and alumni?

Last week 35 students and recent alumni joined up in San Jose and San Francisco to participate in the 3rd Annual Bay Area Treks.  Participants were given the chance to visit corporate offices of Google, McAfee, Stryker, Wells Fargo, Blue Shield and more.

In addition to visiting the corporate offices of these esteemed companies, students were given the chance to network with enthusiastic alumni who offered advice and knowledge.

Interested in joining us?  Let us know!  E-mail: gamp@gonzaga.edu that you are interested in more information about the 2011 Treks to Portland, Seattle and Bay Area.

Next Trek?  New York City!  Applications coming soon.

Tags: California, Career Development, Class of 2010, GAMP, Networking, Success in Economy, Trek

Here are the top three reasons why you should consider attending this year:

1. Tours specifically designed for Gonzaga students at industry leaders in both Silicon Valley and San Francisco.
2. Insight to recruiting and hiring processes for both internship and full-time positions.
3. Networking opportunities with key alumni and friends of Gonzaga.

• Silicon Valley Excursions will take place March 11^th with visits to Google, McAfee and Stryker Endoscopy
• San Francisco Excursions will take place on March 12^th with visits to: Wells Fargo, Marsh, Blue Shield of California, Deloitte, Baker Street Advertising

Cost: $35 per day or $60 for both Treks.  If you refer a friend to join you on the Trek you receive a $10 cash referral bonus!

Bay Trek Registration Deadline is Quickly Approaching!

Deadline for registration and payment is Friday, March 5^th

To register, simply go to: https://gonzaga-csm.symplicity.com/events/BAT2010

If you have questions or concerns regarding this amazing career development opportunity, please contact the GAMP office at gamp@gonzaga.edu or 313-4048.

We hope you join us for the 3^rd Annual Bay Area Trek!

Tags: Bay Area, California, Class of 2010, GAMP, Networking, SF, Silicon Valley, Trek

We all know that Google is the world’s best search engine, but have you ever considered them as an employer?

Although it may seem odd to run a search engine on the world’s largest search engine, you may be surprise at what you come up with.  For example, did you know that Google has been ranked in the top five as “Best Place to Work” by Forbes Magazine. (4th place in 2010 and 2009 and 1st in 2008 and 2007)  Curious why Google has those outstanding rankings? Among other things like flexible work time (20% of staff time is spent on projects of their choice.)  but the benefits to employees are incredible both on and off campus.

Nervous about applying?  Sure it’s pretty competitive, but Google makes available information on putting together a polished resume or acing the dreaded interview. (Just a tip from me to you…most companies don’t make information available so opening to potential applicants.)  If you are curious on what type of opportunities are open right now, they have that easily accessible too!

Curious to see what a day in the in the life a googler looks like?  Check out a cool video from Google’s YouTube Channel!

Are you dying to see the Google campus for yourself?  Join us for the 3rd Annual Bay Area Trek March 11 & 12 where Google is a excursion host company.  Our visit to Google will be hosted on March 11th along with visits to McAfee and  Stryker Endoscopy.

The event for single Trek day is $35, to participate in both days the cost is $60.  To register, go to:

https://gonzaga-csm.symplicity.com/events/BAT2010

Tags: Bay Area Trek, Best Places to Work, Career Development, Class of 2010, Engineering, GAMP, Job Search, Networking, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Success in Economy, Trek

What is the only moving national landmark?

Answer: The San Francisco Tolley Car!

Are you interested in seeing this national landmark in person, while visiting corporate offices and networking with Bay Area Alumni?  Well, you are in luck! Join us for the 3rd annual Bay Area Treks featuring visits in Silicon Valley and San Francisco.

Gonzaga University Silicon Valley Trek

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Corporate Excursions 11:00 AM-5:00 PM
Excursions to four different corporate headquarters will allow students to gain an inside perspective of these dynamic companies:  Google,  McAfee and  Stryker Endoscopy

The Networking Social with Keynote Address 5:30 PM-7:30 PM
Santa Clara University, Nobili Hall
Students, alumni, and area employers are invited to join us for a hosted social on the Santa Clara Campus.

Gonzaga University San Francisco Trek

Friday, March 12, 2010

Women in Leadership Symposium 9:00 AM-10:00 PM
San Francisco Downtown Marriott Courtyard, Rincon Room

Corporate Excursions 10:45 AM-3:00 PM
Excursions to various different corporate headquarters will allow students to gain an inside perspective of these dynamic companies.

The Networking Social with Keynote Address 5:30 PM-7:30 PM
Bechelli’s Flower Market Café
Students, alumni, and area employers are invited to join us for a hosted networking social

Cost: $35 per day or $60 for both Treks.

https://gonzaga-csm.symplicity.com/events/BAT2010

(Note: If you are a Young Alumni (Class of 2008 or 2009) in the Bay Area and would like to participate in the Trek program, please contact the GAMP office at gamp@gonzaga.edu.)

Tags: Bay Area Treks, Career Development, GAMP, GAMP Trek, Networking, San Francisco, Silicon Valley

The GAMP/Career Center staff spend months planning and preparing for the Portland and Seattle Treks.  The logistics of transporting 130 students in Portland and 220 in Seattle with consideration for weather, meals and traffic can be a logistical nightmare. We make itineraries with emergency contact numbers, and on the day of the event we are prepared to handle anything that may come our way.   Sometimes however, the best elements of the Trek are the moments that actually are not planned for.  Instead these are “Ah-a!” moments, where we staff members see students appreciating magnitude and caliber of these events.

We wanted to share a handful of these stories here in our blog, to highlight the amazing moments the students experienced this year.  Thank you for your continued support of these programs.  If you would like to contact us to be involved in the 2011 Treks please contact the GAMP office at gamp@gonzaga.edu or 509.313.4048.

A Moment with One Tough Mother

25 students were greeted at Columbia Sportswear by recruiters to be lead through a tour of a facility then to do Q&A discussion about applying for internships and full-time jobs.  When the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Columbia, Gert Boyle, found out that Gonzaga students were touring the facilities, she immediately invited them directly into her office.  The students had 15 minutes with a well respected international leader. Students walked away slightly star struck, but inspired by her powerful message.

A Change of Direction

“Mark”, a senior majoring in Business with a concentration in Marketing, attended the Nike and Regence excursion on the Portland Trek on January 5^th.  At both excursions panelists urged students to consider life passion when planning their future careers.  Through exploring passions, students (and job hunters alike) will know what their passions are and in turn know who they truly are.  The messages in fact were so powerful that this “Mark” decided that attending graduate school next fall wasn’t the best plan for him.  He canceled his GMAT test scheduled for the next day to instead participate in the Seattle Trek where he attended the Nordstrom and Redhook excursion.  Through both events, “Mark” honed the ability to network face-to-face, a powerful and important skill in the day in age of social media.

A Panel of Leaders

In Seattle, the Women in Leadership Symposium is a special event organized for our female Trek participants .  This event brings together Gonzaga alumnae from various fields and industries to share advice.   The panelist are quite honest with the students answering to work-life balance, the glass ceiling as well as developing an overall career plan.  This unique event gives students the chance to meet and network with alumna from influential companies in a personal manner.

Did you attend the Trek and have a moment of surprise or “Ah-a” while Trekking?  We’d love to hear from you.  Swing by our office 2nd Floor of Crosby or e-mail us at gamp@gonzaga.edu.

Tags: Career Development, Career Fair, Career Research, Coaching, Event, GAMP, Networking, Portland, Resume, Seattle, Trek

At this time we are no longer accepting registrations for GAMP Trek 2010 Corporate Excursions.

We are inviting students to join us for both the Career Fair & Networking Socials in Seattle and Portland.

Portland: January 5th, 2010

Career Fair 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Representatives from over 25 area employers will be on hand to discuss available opportunities and career development tools. This event will take place at the Broadway Room of the Doubletree at Lloyd Center.

The Networking Social with Keynote Address 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Students, alumni, and area employers are invited to join us for a hosted social at the Doubletree Hotel, Pacific Northwest Ballroom. Kent Lewis , President of Anvil Media, Inc. will deliver the keynote address.

Both events will be held at: Doubletree Hotel, Lloyd Center, 1000 NE Multnomah, Portland, OR 97232

Seattle, January 7 & 8^th

The Networking Social with Keynote Address 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Jan. 7^th)

Students, alumni, and area employers are invited to join us for a hosted keynote social at F.X. McRory’s, 419 Occidental Avenue South, Seattle.  Gonzaga Alumnus Jabez LeBret of Jabez Productions will be our guest speaker.

Event will be held at: FX. McRory’s, 419 Occidental Ave S., Seattle

Career Fair 10:00 AM  – 12:00 PM  (January 8^th)

Representatives from over 35 area employers will be on hand to discuss available opportunities and career development tools.

Event will be held at: Washington Athletic Club, 1325 Sixth Avenue Seattle, WA 98101
To RSVP for any of these upcoming events, please contact the Career Center/GAMP office at careercenter@gonzaga.edu or 509-313-4234.

Many thanks!

Tags: Career Fair, GAMP, Networking, Networking Social, Portland, Seattle, Trek

Think you missed the boat when registering for the 2010 Seattle and Portland Treks?  Think again.  Although space is becoming limited on some excursions (which have gone to a waitlist), there is still space available for excursion in both Portland and Seattle. There are still spaces available on the following excursion pairings.

Portland:

• Hp/Daimler
• Columbia Sportswear/Widmer Brothers

Seattle:

• Expeditors Intl & Accenture
• Xversity & Amazon.com
• Boeing
• Starbucks & Experience Music Project

Curious what some of these companies have been up to recently?  Through the magic of Google News, I was able to pull up snap shots of the Portland companies to give you all examples of their recent news-worthiness.  (I can guarantee you that the companies in Seattle will also have similar news articles… give it a shot.)

The final deadline for registration for the 2010 Treks is next Monday Dec. 28^th. 

To register, go to the following link: https://gonzaga-csm.symplicity.com/events/TREKS2010.

HP News:

• Dec. 20, 2009: HP Proves it Still has Legs in Competitive Marketplace
• Dec. 18, 2009: HP researchers dig into social networking
• Dec. 16, 2009: HP swooping in on Sun customers

 Daimler News:

• Dec. 21, 2009: Daimler receives order for 59 US-school buses with clean SCR technology
• Dec. 14, 2009: Daimler CEO Says North American Truck Market Recovery Started
• Dec. 11, 2009: November Class 8 sales continue autumn trend, up 4.2%
• Dec. 8, 2009: Daimler Truck Financial Rated Highest in Dealer Satisfaction Among Captive …

Columbia Sportswear News:

·         Dec. 17, 2009 Helping hands help others

·         Dec. 16, 2009: Wednesday’s Wall Street roundup

·         Dec. 10, 2009: Oregon’s most admired companies named

Widmer Brothers News:

• July 2008: Redhook investors praise merger
• August 2009: Post-merger Widmer reports profit
• Dec.10, 2009: Oregon’s most admired companies named

Tags: Career Development, Company Research, GAMP, Job Search, Networking, Portland, Registration, Seattle, Success in Economy, Trek

—

• Are other schools participating? Nope! This event is exclusive to current Gonzaga students only. —
• What does the $35 cover? Transportation to excursion sites as well as lunch and food at networking social. —
• Do you provide transportation from Spokane to Portland/Seattle? Unfortunately, at the time we do not. Contact the GAMP office to placed on a list for ride share though.
• —Where should I park? Portland: Park at the DoubleTree hotel at Lloyd Center.  Seattle: Park near Fx McRory’s (where social will be) then take public transportation/cab to Washington Athletic Center.
• —What should I wear? ¡Professional attire as though you were going on an interview.  (Yes, this includes pulling out an iron.)  Wear shoes that are dressy, but comfortable to walk in. —
• Is lodging in Portland/Seattle provided?  No, but contact GAMP office for reduced rates at partner hotels.  Also, consider staying with friends/family. —
• I am a liberal arts major, why should I attend?  Regardless of your major, the education and networking opportunities the Trek provides ares universal.
• —Why should a freshman attend?To get a snapshot at these companies now, rather than later, gives you a competitive edge in the future.

Space is becoming very limited for the 2010 Seattle & Portland Treks.  If you are still on the on the fence about attending this year, I’d recommend making a decision fairly quickly.

The link to register is: https://gonzaga-csm.symplicity.com/events/TREKS2010.

Tags: Career Center Service, Career Development, Event, GAMP, Portland, Seattle, Success in Economy, Trek, Trek FAQ's

Ahh… Thanksgiving dinner.  A banquet table of food set where friends and family gear up for the feast.  Typically in preparation for the big annual event, some people will actually limit the pre-Thanksgiving meals as a way to preparing for the dinner.  Or wear their favorite (and comfy) sweatpants for extra room.  Don’t giggle, you know it’s true!

Now, this is when I am going to suggest a whole new idea in getting ready for turkey dinner with Aunt Mildred and Grandpa Fred.  When they turn to you with the probable question of, “What are you doing after graduation?” Instead of getting sheepish and asking for more mashed potatoes, what if you had a confident and smart reply?

For example, your response can be, “Well, I am planning on attending a program Gonzaga sponsors called the Trek which brings GU students and leaders in top companies in Seattle & Portland together.  I’ll get an edge on job/internship hunting, networking all while learning about corporate culture.”  (Your reply doesn’t have to be exactly like this, but it gives you the right idea…)

For talking points with family and friends, ten facts of the Treks that will impress everyone!

1. Portland is in it’s 8th year and Seattle is in it’s 10th.
2. Majority of the excursions are hosted by fellow ZAGS.  Who better to tell you recruiting secrets than a zag?
3. In tough economies, networking is the key that opens the door.  Treks help you get started at top companies.
4. Corporate excursions are exclusively for Gonzaga students only. (We get requests from Ducks, Beavers, Huskies and Cougars but the answer is always no.)
5. Learning how to conduct research on companies is a critical job hunting skill.
6. The Women’s Symposium in Seattle brings together top female leaders with current students to give insight towards career development.
7. Need to polish your networking skills?  This is your chance to deliever your elevator pitch.
8. Curious what a corporate culture is really like? Check out what it’s like to work Nordstrom, Starbucks, Nike, adidas and MORE.
9. Keynote speakers in both cities are the best of the best.
10. Good food and good networking with alumni and friends of Gonzaga.  What more do you need?

If you missed last week’s info session for the 2010 Portland & Seattle Treks, not to worry. There are two sessions planned for Dec. 1st, Noon (Road to Bali, Crosby) and  7pm (Jepson).

Curious what the Treks are all about? Want to know exactly what the corporate visits entail? Or how to prepare for visiting headquarters? Come join us for a Trek 4-1-1 Session allowing you to get all of your questions answered regarding the upcoming Portland & Seattle Treks.
Ready to register?  Go to: https://gonzaga-csm.symplicity.com/events/TREKS2010.

From all the staff here at the Career Center, a very Happy & Safe Thanksgiving!!

Tags: Career Development, Event, GAMP, Networking, Portland, Seattle, Success in Economy, Trek