It Begins...

I am setting in the middle of NACE Quarter having just experienced my first NACE opening session and the exhibit hall. Wow! The marching band sure got things started and the jazz was top notch.

Although I have been a NACE member for a number of years, a Community College Career Center Director doesn't often have the budget to attend conferences out of state. Career Services was not my career of choice; it found me and wouldn't let go despite many interviews and job offers in other fields. Perhaps it was because I didn't consciously choose this path but I never felt like part of a profession. I have always been excited about what I do but a benefit from my new institution is certainly attendance at the NACE Conference. Sitting in the hall with approximately 1900 others, I felt differently about myself and my career. If I get nothing else from this conference (highly unlikely) I will have that new feeling. I am thankful to Iowa State University and my Director, Steve Kravinsky, who believe in professional development.

To all those who have never attended a NACE national conference, who don't know what you're missing.

Let the 2008 Conference begin!

La Nouvelle Orleans Ballroom - 5:38

The Jazz infused opening session is about to begin. The hall is filling with weary travelers and Habitat volunteers, but a buzz, as every year, hangs int he air with networking and reconnecting with old friends and colleagues.

The session kicked off with an energetic jazz marching band leading a NOLA-styled parade complete with beads tossed into the crowd. Welcome to the Big Easy!

Louisiana Association of Colleges and Employers Annual Conference

Later today I speak about how employers can destroy their brand by incorrect using Facebook, MySpace, and other social networking sites. Today's presentation is at the University of New Orleans for the annual conference of the Louisiana Association of Colleges and Employers.

One of the interesting things that I've been encountering these past few months about this topic is that the vast majority of employers still have no presence on Facebook and no strategy for incorporating it into their recruiting strategy even though it is far and away the highest traffic site used by Gen Y. But for those employers who are starting to use Facebook, the consensus is that it is not a place to source but instead to network. Makes sense, doesn't it? A social networking site should be used for networking, not directly for hiring.