By: Brooke Biolo
Posted In: News
Photo credit: Donna Harrington-Lueker
Seven Salve alumni return to speak about their career experiences.
What can you do with an English Major?
Freshmen English majors will spend the next four years attempting to figure out what they want out of the major. Senior English majors have to answer this question very soon as they begin to search for jobs. So to assist in answering this question, the Salve Regina English Department hosted an event in the Distefano Lecture hall on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010. Seven Salve alumni attended the event. The alumni stood at the podium and talked about their experiences at Salve and then what they proceeded to do after graduation in order to find a job. Graduate of the Salve class of 2009, Iain Wilson landed a job as a reporter for a local paper out of Jamestown, R.I. He spoke about taking advantage of things like the Mosaic and the English Guild here at Salve. He also mentioned starting small; new graduates can not try to go write for a paper such as the Boston Globe, “Look hard into local papers,” Wilson strongly recommends. Allison Smith, a newer graduate of May 2010, is now a copy editor for a Southern Rhode Island Newspaper where she is now writing about 72 articles a month. “Search every job site and take any opportunity you can find,” Smith advised. After the graduates spoke about their careers, Michael Wisnewski of Salve Career Development went up and spoke a little about the how-to’s of networking. Then he went on to present a power point presentation about how to make a resume. He explained that there is not one specific format to adhere to while creating a resume and that resume can and should be changed depending on the interview one is trying to obtain. Wisnewski recommended to, “put your best foot forward” when it comes to resumes. He used the Acronym SMART to explain how to compose a good resume. The resume must be succinct, measurable, use action verbs, contain reliable information and have times and dates. Job searchers must be sure to begin with their name and contact information and then highlight their achievements relative to the position. Following Wisnewski’s speech, attendees to the event separated into small groups, and had group discussions with the alumni. This gave students a chance to network with the alumni and ask individual questions. Overall, the event was a success in showing aspiring English majors and near graduates alike that yes, it is possible to be successful after graduation.
