Newswise — To land the first job after college and beyond, potential hires need to show how their life experience adds value to the workplace. “It's not just about filling out an application. Storytelling is key,” says Mike Summers, director of employer relations at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. “Candidates must research thoroughly the company where they want to work and be compelling when connecting their strengths to the needs of the organization. Prep is paramount.”

After three years building a resume for grad school, Wake Forest anthropology major Caroline Bertoni changed course, deciding the workplace would be a better choice. Fall of her senior year she applied for 20 jobs – each time honing her ability to tell the story of how her data analysis skills, writing talents and cultural understanding would add value to the workplace. During her interview at Lenovo, she embraced her major and offered a sales proposal showing which of the company’s products would help support anthropologists in their fieldwork. She was offered and accepted a position with the company in Raleigh, N.C.

Summers and Bertoni are both available for interviews.

As a national leader in rethinking the college to career experience, Wake Forest has been at the forefront of transforming the traditional, outdated concept of “career services” into a holistic, four-year approach to personal and career development.

MEDIA CONTACT
Register for reporter access to contact details