Economics Undergraduate Career Forum 2023 (Alumni)

 

The University of Virginia Department of Economics

Presents

The 2023 Economics Undergraduate Career Forum
Economics at Work

March 30-31, 2023

Charlottesville, Virginia

Program Description and Format:

The Economics Undergraduate Career Forum brings together professionals who hold undergraduate economics degrees with current students and faculty through networking events and educational programming to expose majors and prospective majors to potential professional experiences. The program combines informal networking opportunities with more structured career panels, talks, and office hours. Our hope is that these programs will provide valuable career-related information for students while facilitating and strengthening relationships between all participants.

By the end of the program, we hope that students will have an understanding of the industries, workplaces, and job functions of the panelists and some familiarity with entry-level jobs and career paths. Students will learn how to prepare to be strong entry-level candidates in the participants’ fields, which may include guidance about classes and extracurriculars, building industry-focused professional materials, and relevant networking and interviewing. We hope that students and alumni will have fun and will emerge with new connections and ideas for next steps.

TENTATIVE Program Schedule:

March 30       

  • 5:00-6:00 pm Industry Talk: South Meeting Room, Newcomb Hall (Open to Students, Faculty, Guests)
  • 6:30-8:00 pm Dinner (Guests, Invited Faculty, Selected Students) The Ridley, West Main Street, Charlottesville  (applications for students will be available March 1)

March 31       

  • 8:30-9:15 am Breakfast, Monroe 120 (Faculty and Guests)
  • 9:30-10:45 am Panel 1, Newcomb Hall Commonwealth Room; Office Hours, Monroe 113, 235, and 236
  • 11:00-12:00 pm Panel 2, Newcomb Hall Commonwealth Room; Office Hours, Monroe 113, 235, and 236
  • 12:30-1:45 pm Networking Lunch, Newcomb Hall South Meeting Room (Guests and Students)
  • 2:00-2:30 pm Gift Ceremony before Departure, Newcomb Hall South Meeting Room (Guests, Steering Committee)

Program Descriptions Follow in Order. Please use the Event Schedule you will receive on 3/20/22 for Your Assignments:

Industry Talk
Before the dinner at The Ridley, there will be an industry talk given on Grounds. Students, faculty, and alumni are invited to attend.

Meal and Break Room (Newcomb Hall, Conference Room 389)
Drinks and snacks are available all day. Tables available for work. Another work-room for guests will also be available. If you are seeking a more private environment, we have reserved Monroe Hall, Room 120.

Breakfast 
Fresh Bodo’s Bagels, pastries, coffee, tea, and assorted juices will be available. Please drop in at any time. Faculty have been invited.

Panels
Part I: Intro and Panel Responses, 25 Minutes

Moderator and panelists will meet 10 minutes before the start of the panel in a location TBD. The group will be escorted to the space for the panel. If an emergency arises, please contact Kaitlyn Ockerman or Jen Jones by text. Their contact information is listed below.

After a brief introduction, the moderator will be introduced.

The moderator welcomes and launches with the following questions:

  • Briefly, share your job title and employer, how you came to be in your current job, a description of what your organization’s business is, who its clients are, and what your job title means within the context of your organization. (2-3 minutes)
  • How has an economics background been helpful to you in your career? Is graduate school necessary to advance in your field? (1-2 minutes)
  • Aside from your undergraduate degree, what kind of training/experience has been helpful to you? What kind of knowledge/skills do you expect recent graduates to come in with now?
  • Take us through a project that illustrates your employer’s work and your role in it.
  • How is data literacy relevant? (2-3 minutes)

Optional questions if the clock has not hit 11:40:

  • What interested you in this organization/field? Anything from your time here at UVA that led you to this field? (1-2 minutes)
  • How may students here today pursue opportunities in your field? What opportunities may be available in your organization for entry level that are not in your particular field? (1-2 minutes)
  • What do you regularly read in your field? (Blogs, journals, websites, association newsletters) Who are the influencers in your field/your employer?

The moderator uses his or her discretion to redirect and pull from any questions in the question bank below.

Part 2: Student Q&A, 20 Minutes

Part 3: Last Question (The moderator may choose any of the following or ask you to choose)

  • How may students here today pursue opportunities in your organization/field?
  • What do you see as the coming trends in this career/field that we should know about?
  • What’s next for you? (If this hasn’t been asked)
  • Final piece of advice or information that you would like to share with our students but haven’t had a chance to do so/What do you know now you wish you had known while you were a student?
  • What job would you choose if you didn’t do what you do now?

Past student questions at career programs have included:

  • Do you have/have you had a mentor (formal or informal)? Have you been a mentor (formal or informal)?
  • What does a “typical day” of work look like for you? What kinds of projects are you involved in?
  • What projects have you loved and why? What projects/aspects of your work have you enjoyed less?
  • How would a student approach an internship or job search with your employer? Is graduate school necessary?
  • What are the most challenging and rewarding parts of your job?
  • What are next steps for you?
  • What skills/traits are beneficial for work in your field?
  • What should students do to prepare for an internship and/or full-time position in this field?
  • If you are familiar with the interview process for entry level candidates in your organization/industry, kindly share your insight.
  • How may students best convey their economics backgrounds as an asset to potential employers?
  • What career paths are available?
  • What kind of financial returns are available for those making this their full-time career?

Office Hours 
Office hours provide an opportunity for students to seek feedback about their career plans or contemplations and to ask questions about a guest’s background one-on-one.  Some slots may be pre-filled and others open for drop-ins. Your schedule will be included in your packet on 3/31. Each guest has 3-4 slots for appointments, scheduled during a time when you are not sitting on a panel. Office hours occur in Monroe Hall or Newcomb Hall. Student contact information will be listed on your attached schedule. We will provide opportunities for you to connect with your students before the Forum, which generates much enthusiasm. Students may be in different stages of their career development. In general, you may receive more exploratory questions from lower-level students and more specific industry/job-related questions from upper-level students.

Lower-level Students may ask:

  • For feedback on their resumes.
  • What is it that you do and how is your job (or past jobs) related to your major? 
  • What is an interesting project you’ve worked on?
  • Why study economics/Why did you study economics? 
  • What course/professor was influential and why?
  • What made the economics department attractive to you/what made it special/worthwhile?
  • What advice do you have for students about their time in the department in relation to preparing for next steps?
  • What do you know now that you wish you had known while you were majoring in economics/at UVA?
  • Who (or what) has been influential in your career and why?
  • What is on the horizon for you/other career goals you have in mind?

Upper-Level students may ask:

  • What coursework and skills would you expect a competitive entry-level candidate should have?
  • I'm interested in working for your employer and I've prepared my resume to submit for a job. Would you give me your feedback?
  • What are some trends I should be aware of as I consider entering this industry?
  • I was very interested when reading about your experience on your bio and on LinkedIn. Can you share more about your pivots and what led you to your next opportunity?

Networking Lunch 
Part 1: Set up and Introductions (20 minutes)

Cocktail tables will be arranged around the room and each guest will be stationed at a table as a “host.” Students will grab a lunch and find their way to a table for the first 5 minutes. Alumni will have a chance to eat (we hope!). Then, the event organizer will announce the program structure. Then, each guest will have 1-2 minutes to introduce him or herself to the room. Please begin by stating your name, your organization, industry, and a project that is indicative of your work/a fun fact about you.

Part 2: Organized Rotations (2 at 10 minutes each for 20 minutes total)

Students will have a chance to rotate between two different alumni tables. They should introduce themselves with their names, major, year, and a fun fact.

Part 3: Informal Networking (20 minutes)

Students will have a chance to freely move about the room and visit alumni tables.

Please be prepared to share any information you have about internship and entry-level recruiting for students with your organization/relevant past organizations. This may include information about diversity/affinity group hiring.  The ECO will set up your recruiting materials at this event if you ship them to us ahead of time.

Miscellaneous – but Important – Information!
Surveys, Bios and Photographs
The Alumni Logistics Survey will ask for you to send us your bio and a photograph, preferably a headshot. Sample bios are included on the last page of this document. We will use your LinkedIn photo as a default.

We also ask that you fill out a second survey to confirm that your marketing materials are correct. Please see the email from Brian Buck for this survey link. 

Student Engagement
We have found that it is helpful for students to connect with our alumni before the event through email. Once students sign up for your office hours or panels, we would like to send an email from you to the students or for you to write directly to the students. We will provide you with text to send to students or send this on your behalf. You may indicate your preference in the Alumni Survey accompanying this document. Please let us know if you prefer not to participate in this communication.

Accommodations
All out-of-town guests, the Draftsman hotel has your email and will be sending you a confirmation. If you would like to extend your stay to Friday night, please call The Draftsman Hotel (434) 984-8000 or email them at the email address on your confirmation. They will ask you for a credit card to secure the room. (The ECO covers your Thursday night stay and we wish we had the budget to cover a full weekend.) Please alert The Draftsman by 3/14, if you will not be using your room so that we may cancel the reservation and avoid incurring a charge for the room. 

COVID-19 Guidelines
https://uvapolicy.virginia.edu/policy/SEC-045

Reimbursement process for out-of-town guests whose employers do not reimburse for expenses:
All guests’ accommodations will be covered by the department. Hotel rooms are reserved at the Draftsman hotel in Charlottesville (434) 984-8000. Thursday night is paid for by the department. If you would like to extend a second night, you can reserve Friday night. An additional $200 stipend is available as a reimbursement for your travel. All meals will be covered by the department.

Please review the instructions below and contact the Economics Business Administrator, Ashley Watkins with questions.

adf2p@virginia.edu  

(434)-924-6590
1) For reimbursement, you will receive an invitation to register as a vendor from Debby Stanford. If you have not heard from her by 4/21, please write to her at her contact information below. Once you have registered you will send your reimbursement forms to Debby.

2) Travel reimbursements are required to be submitted within 30 days of your completed trip. Please submit:

  • All original receipts and boarding passes
  • If you use your personal car to drive here, proof of mileage
  • If you are a foreign national, a copy of your passport and/or Visa

3) Email/mail all of the above to:

  • Debby Stanford (djb4c@virginia.edu) or
  • The University of Virginia, Department of Economics, Monroe Hall
  • P.O. Box 400182
  • Charlottesville, Virginia 22904‐4182

We are incredibly excited about your visit. Please let us know how we may help along the way.

Contact Information:

Jennifer Jones, ECO Director 434 825 2858; jlh7b@virginia.edu