Career Webinar Series Benefits Alums

Since the Alumni Association teamed up with the ND Career Center, the Mendoza College of Business, and the ND Law School to create ONWARD: Alumni Career Development, it has been able to help several ND alumni looking for career and networking guidance. Most recently, the program offered several free online video seminars, entitled “Savvy Landings: Career Transition Webinar Series,” aimed at providing job seekers with insightful advice on how to emerge as the ideal job candidate. The series also benefitted those alumni with jobs who sought general career education. More than 500 alumni participated in the webinars.

Divided into four 90-minute sessions, the webinars, which took place in August and September, included tips on executing a successful job search, strengthening self-presentation, making a strong first impression, communicating with confidence, and emerging as an effective leader.

Renee D’Aoust ’06 M.F.A. participated in all four webinars, hoping to make use of the career education opportunities. D’Aoust, who enjoys a career in creative nonfiction writing, appreciated the focus on maintaining a positive attitude, as well as the specific ideas and real-world examples that were shared in the webinars. She specifically cited the presentation on communication, and the discussion of leadership, as particularly useful, especially in her field of journalism and creative nonfiction writing.

“The point is not simply to memorize these suggestions, but to integrate them into daily life,” says D’Aoust, an adjunct faculty member at North Idaho College.

Lynsey Strand ’88 also participated in all four presentations, and says these webinars offer something for everyone and are helpful in any stage of one’s career. “I recommend these webinars to everyone, young to senior alumni, barista to barrister,” she says.

Strand also mentioned that busy professionals will benefit from the convenience of the programs being online. “You’re getting some of the best professional advice for free, and you don’t even need to leave your computer.”

Christy Raines ’05 currently owns her own wealth management firm in Denver. Though she only participated in one of the sessions, “How You Look: Winning the Impression Game,” she picked up valuable tips. In her profession, she explains, personal presentation can be the first step in establishing a mutually productive relationship.

“If you do not care about your personal presentation, then no one else will,” she says. Raines explains that the presenter focused on the differences that clothing, style, and attention to detail can have on one’s career. She also applauded the presenter’s efforts to cater to the audience by giving a brief survey at the beginning of the presentation.

In case you missed the webinars in August and September, recorded versions of the programs are available to download through the ONWARD website. (You must enter your Irish Online username and password to access the webinars on the ONWARD site.)