Carolina Alumni Review - March/April 2009

Administration

GAA

DOUG DIBBERT ’ 70, president doug_dibbert@unc.edu; 962–7050

Staff

STEVE SHAW ’ 82, director of finance & administration steve_shaw@unc.edu; 962–3599

LISA BEERS, controller lisa_beers@unc.edu; 962–3575

LINWOOD BLALOCK, mail room, 962–3979 MARYCATHERINE KURZENSKI, alumni center coordinator marycatherine_kurzenski@unc.edu; 962–7052

SUSAN LANE, accounting assistant susan@gaa.unc.edu; 843–8974

TOM MAY, printshop coordinator tom_may@unc.edu; 962–3741

ELIZABETH MORGAN, telephone receptionist, 962–1208 JENNY ROUTH ’ 82, assistant to the president jenny_routh@unc.edu; 962–7051

Membership and Marketing

STEPHANIE MILLER ’ 83, dir. of membership & marketing stephanie_miller@unc.edu; 962–7058

DIANA KOONCE ’02, coord. of membership administration diana_koonce@unc.edu; 843–0151

SARAH LAMM ’ 99, manager of marketing sarah_lamm@unc.edu; 962–1276

JORDAN MYERS ’08, coord. of membership services jordan_myers@unc.edu; 962–3577

Programs

RICK DAVIS ’ 85, director of enrichment programs rick_davis@unc.edu; 962–3581

ANN-LOUISE AGUIAR’ 76, manager of alumni education & travel ann-louise_aguiar@unc.edu; 962–3574

KAT BUTLER ’07, coordinator of student programs kat_butler@unc.edu; 962–7053

LINDA CONKLIN, manager of alumni career services linda_conklin@unc.edu; 962–3749

C. HAWKINS ’00, coordinator of student membership c_hawkins@unc.edu; 962–7054

STEFFI KINTON ’05, coordinator of alumni education & travel steffi_kinton@unc.edu; 962–0313

TANEA PETTIS ’ 95, coordinator of affinity reunions &

alumni admissions programs tanea_pettis@unc.edu; 843–9694

CASEY PRIVETTE ’01, coordinator of alumni clubs casey_privette@unc.edu; 962–6705

LINDA RAINEY ’ 95 (MA), manager of alumni activities linda_rainey@unc.edu; 962–3576

LAURA SHEPPARD ’08, programs assistant laura_sheppard@unc.edu; 843–5115

ANITA WALTON ’ 92, manager of homecoming & affinity reunions; anita_walton@unc.edu; 962–3582

Publications

REGINA OLIVER ’ 75, editor regina_oliver@unc.edu; 962–7056

KATE NEWTON ANTHONY, art director kate_anthony@unc.edu; 962–3572

SARAH MCCARTY ARNESON ’ 96, associate art director sarah_mccarty@unc.edu; 962–4794

DAVID BROWN ’ 75, senior associate editor david_brown@unc.edu; 962–7057

DAVE DRAKE ’ 92, online coordinator dave_drake@unc.edu; 843–9712

ANDREA IDE ’08, advertising account representative andrea_ide@unc.edu; 962–8820

KEITH KING ’ 82, associate editor keith_king@unc.edu; 962–3903

Records and Information Systems

ROGER NELSEN, director of alumni records & info. systems roger_nelsen@unc.edu; 962–7055

TRACY CHRISMON, records assistant tracy_chrismon@unc.edu; 962–3737

STARLA GLENN, records assistant starla_glenn@unc.edu; 962–3584

JULIE GONYA, network administrator julie_gonya@unc.edu; 962–5788

COURTNEY KROLIKLOSKI ’07, records assistant courtney_krolikoski@unc.edu; 962–3586

JEREMY MCCAMIC ’03, records assistant jeremy_mccamic@unc.edu; 962–4412

MARTHA MILLS ’ 80, records assistant martha_mills@unc.edu; 962–3585

RACHEL ORR, records assistant rachel_orr@unc.edu; 962–3739

JOAN PENDERGRAPH, assistant director of alumni records joan_pendergraph@unc.edu; 962–3580

KEMESHA D. STANLEY ’08, records assistant kemesha_stanley@unc.edu; 962–3738

Careers
Get Them at ‘Hello’

There was a classic line in the 1996 movie Jerry Maguire: After a big blow up, Jerry is trying to persuade his love interest, Dorothy, to give him another chance. As he waxes on and on telling Dorothy how much he loves her, she says simply, “Shut up, just shut up. You had me at hello.”

We can all learn a lesson from that line: You need to get them at “hello.”

As a job seeker in today’s highly competitive job market, you need to focus on getting the employer’s attention from the start. You need a marketing strategy to instantly distinguish you from the crowd. You need to be able to sell, not just tell.

■ Use a targeted approach. Identify five to 10 companies that can use your skills and experience. Research each company by going to its Web site, talking with employees and competitors, reading its annual report, doing a Google search, connecting with alumni through the GAA’s Alumni Advisor Network. You want to learn about the culture, challenges and needs of the employer. Then you can decide what you have to offer that is of interest to the company.

■ Employ extreme networking. Networking is about people. With extreme networking your goal is to meet face to face. Use your daytime to expand your network in person; surf the Web and post your resume at night.

■ Gather information, advice and support. Networking is not about asking everyone you know for a job. If you can keep this distinction clear, networking is much easier. If you find a job online, network your way into the company. Find someone in the company who is willing to hand-carry your resume to a decision-maker. LinkedIn and other professional-networking sites can help find people within a company.

■ Be dynamic, not dismal. Create attention-getting marketing materials — resume, cover letter and personal commercial. Get them at “hello” by using a summary statement on your resume that tells the employer what you bring to the table that matches the employer’s needs.

■ Forget the generic resume. Tailor each resume to the employer’s needs. You

your career,
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LINDA
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using the employer’s language in your resume. If the employer wants someone who has marketing experience and is a team player with great communication skills, be sure you include those words. Use accomplishments to prove you are as good as you say you are.

■ Put quality before quantity. Don’t waste time applying to every job opening you see. Put effort into the jobs for which you are most qualified. If the employer wants a financial analyst and you have no education or experience in that area, you will be frustrating the employer and yourself by applying. However, if you have most of what the organization wants, apply. Focus on your transferable skills and help the prospective employer see how your past experience will enable you to perform the job.

■ Punch up your opening line. Start your cover letter with a power statement that leverages your past to get to your future. Eight years’ experience as a top-pro-ducing sales professional combined with key account-relationship management is what I would bring to the position of sales manager at your company has a lot more punch than I am applying for the position of account-relationship manager I saw in your ad.

■ Use a proper name. Always opt for a professional image in your marketing materials as well as your appearance. Get a serious e-mail address. Cute may be fine for personal e-mail, but e-mail names like “beautyqueen” or “bikerdude” make the employer wonder whether you are looking for a job or a date. Just use your name in the e-mail address.

Avoid the quick goodbye by getting them at hello.

■

Linda Conklin, GAA manager of Alumni Career Services, provides career coaching and monthly teleclasses. The April 20 teleclass will be “Networking.” Conklin’s advice and other career-related information can be found on the Web at alumni.unc.edu/career. Contact her at linda_conklin@unc.edu or (919) 962–3749.