College to Corporate: Professional Networking Skills Seminars

Posted On: January 5, 2016

Being successful in college is not the same as being successful in the workplace. Getting admission into college is not the same as acing an interview and getting a job. The transition from college to corporate IS a culture shock for many students. While college is a training ground for the future workplace, often some of the essential skills needed to move from college life to professional life may be missing. Authentic Journeys has helped to fill that gap by offering some College to Corporate, also known as C2C, programs in India and in the U.S. over the years.

College to Corporate Programs Held in India and the US

College to Corporate Program in the US – Binghamton University

Binghamton University has an innovative program called Executive in Residence at the School of Management (SOM).

From the Binghamton University website:
Our Executive in Residence Program partners the School of Management with successful alumni, recruiters, HR professionals and business executives to offer career guidance and feedback to current students.

Executives visit the school during the semester to interact with students one on-one or in a group setting during office hours. Executives answer career questions, provide résumé critique and/or information about positions in the industry, share their unique insights into the business world, and respond to students’ concerns as they prepare for their careers in business. The executives act as student mentors, career advisors, classroom guests and links to industries.

Executive in Residence visits take place throughout the semester and will be advertised to SOM students through the website and our listserv. Students pre-register for time slots and the length of the visit is at the discretion of the visitor. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, call the SOM Career Services office at 607-777-6176. Appointments are available for freshmen through graduate students in all SOM majors/concentrations.

Executive in Residence – Resume & Interview Preparation Critique
Binghamton University – School of Management

In this Executive in Residence event, I had the opportunity to mentor bright and promising international students perusing their Master’s degree in the School. In sessions we worked on:

wording on resumes
how to conduct oneself in interviews
role plays on handshakes and first impressions
role plays on professional small talk
tips on follow up and thank you letters
how to refer to interviewers (use of titles)

As this Executive in Residence program was geared toward international students, individualized sessions focused on some of the cross-cultural differences the students may face in interacting with professionals of various experience levels.

Due to the confidential nature of the interactions, photos and names of participants are not disclosed. One exception to this was a student coached in 2017. The department wanted to collect feedback and post it to LinkedIn. Here it is.

Resume and Employment Consulting for International Students Testimonial

College to Corporate – How to Prepare for the Real “Work” World for International Students in the US

In an effort to help international students in the U.S. have the opportunity to learn about the cultural expectations in American corporations, Authentic Journeys hosts College to Corporate (C2C) programs in universities and colleges in the U.S.A. The workshop given at Binghamton University, detailed below gave international students an orientation to what could happen the first day of their first job.

How to Prepare for the Real “Work” World
Binghamton University: Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development

International students representing different disciplines and majors received a brief on what to expect their first day at work. In this discussion we talked about and practiced:

Do’s and don’ts of professional small talk
Dress codes
Introductions & Handshakes
Body Language

None of this would be possible without the guidance and help of Wren Fritsky, Career Counselor from the Fleishman Center. Thank you, Wren!

College to Corporate Programs in the US for international students

The images above are two slides from the 2014-2015 Authentic Journeys Program Portfolio that highlighed C2C programs delivered to domestic students in India and international students in the U.S.

More photos from the U.S. Cross-Culture Training Programs

Posted by Authentic Journeys – Cultural and Lifestyle Mentoring on Saturday, April 18, 2015

These programs are helpful to both domestic and international students. Though keep in mind, that just because an international student (or expat worker) is in the US, it doesn’t mean that the cultural lessons will be absorbed just by living in the US. I talk more about this in the video below.

Learn more about the C2C programs:

Expat predeparture training programs

Contact Jennifer Kumar, Authentic Journeys

Jennifer Kumar, the Managing Director of Authentic Journeys has been coaching international students and expats in the US as well as offshore workers in India working with US Americans on virtual teams since the late 90s. Get in touch with us to see how we can help you to find comfort and success with American English and culture!