MICA Internship + Career Fair

Save the Date!

micacareerfair — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:22:11 +0000

CONNECT 2012 will bring 50 diverse employers to the Leidy Atrium in the Brown Center to represent a wide-range of regional art and design careers to MICA students and alumni seeking innovative internships and jobs.

A new addition to this year’s fair is an exciting series of alumni panels, featuring successful MICA graduates in the industries of Fashion, Film and Television and the Fine Arts. Students and alumni can select one of three panels from 6-7:30p to hear presentations about real world work experiences and ask career questions.

Leading up to the fair, the Career Development center will host various educational programming to prepare students for the fair, including two Prepare for the Fair workshops on Tuesday, March 6th and Wednesday, March 21st. We will explain how to write strong resumes and cover letters, practice mock interviews, and advise how best to apply for jobs and internships.

Registration for employers will open online Wednesday, February 1^st and close Monday, March 1^st. Stay tuned for more information to come!

Photos of the 2011 Internship + Career Fair

micacareerfair — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:30:34 +0000

How did it go?

micacareerfair — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:49:48 +0000

Thank you to all MICA faculty, staff and students for making the third annual Internship + Career Fair a success!

Please answer these ten questions and provide your feedback.

Employer Profile: Development Design Group, Inc.

micacareerfair — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:48:45 +0000

Baltimore based, Development Design Group, Inc. (DDG) is an internationally renowned planning, architecture and design company unique in its ability to deliver dynamic, extraordinary solutions to place-making in cities, towns and suburbs all over the world. With a strong history of providing superior expertise in many successful commercial endeavors notably Istinye Park in Istanbul, Turkey, the award-winning themed movie destinations of Muvico Theaters and the ICSC award-winning Easton Town Center near Columbus, Ohio the firm’s successful track record is reinforced time and again with numerous awards received for designs that work in the real world. DDG will formulate the highest and best use for property, utilizing our strongest asset: creative design.

Employer Profile: Maryland Film Festival

micacareerfair — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:50:44 +0000

www.md-filmfest.com

Maryland Film Festival is an annual four-day event that takes place the first weekend of each May, presenting top-notch film and video work from all over the world. Each year the festival screens approximately 50 feature films and 75 short films of all varieties — narrative, documentary, animation, experimental, and hybrid — to tens of thousands of audience members.

The festival itself takes place on screens in and around Baltimore’s burgeoning Station North Arts District, all within short walking distance of each other, including the 5-screen, independent art-house Charles Theater and the state-of-the-art campus auditorium of Maryland Institute College of Art. Workshops, panels, and parties open to the public take place concurrent with the festival in the Filmmakers’ Tent Village neighboring the Charles Theatre.

Year-round, the MFF maintains a membership support program, Friends of the Festival: 800 members and counting for whom MFF presents an average of 5 screenings each month in a variety of Baltimore venues. These include advance screenings of upcoming theatrical releases, as well as special events ranging from 3-D film festivals, outdoor family screenings, repertory screenings, and the popular “Gunky’s Basement” series curated and hosted by Baltimore cultural luminaries Dan Deacon and Jimmy Joe Roche.

The Internship + Career Fair is Today!

micacareerfair — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:27:49 +0000

Join us at the Brown Center today from 1 to 4 PM to connect with potential employers!

Don’t forget to….

1. Create a “one-minute commercial”

Think about how you will approach recruiters at the fair to introduce yourself and start a conversation. You can talk about your background and how it connects to what the organization’s need. Basically, you have less than one minute to tell them who you are and express your interest in their organization. If you come well-prepared you will already have some background on the organizations you plan to visit and can speak knowledgeably.

2. Proofread your resume

Have as many people as you can proofread your resume for spelling, grammar, and clarity.

3. Put together your materials

You will need a nice big stack of resumes (20+ copies is what we suggest). Optional materials are business cards and artist postcards. Portfolios are recommended if you are applying for design-related positions. (For more about portfolios, check here.)

Bring a notepad or sketchbook and pen. You will also want to be able to keep track of who you are visiting and meeting. Take names of employers you speak with, then you can follow up with them at a later date.

4. Dress

You should plan to dress professionally for the fair. It is always best to err on the side of overdressed–it shows an employer that you take them seriously and have made an effort to make a good first impression. Not conservative? Artsy/creative dress is fine, as long as you are clean and neat!

See you at the fair!

Have A Plan!

micacareerfair — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:18:42 +0000

The Internship + Career Fair is tomorrow afternoon! Have a plan including which employers you will visit and what questions you will ask. Refer to the chart and map below to see which employers are recruiting from your field and where they will be located. Click on the “Participating Employers” Tab to link to their profiles. Download or Print a copy here: Chart+FloorPlan (we will be providing this chart and map at the fair). UPDATE: Please revisit the list of participating employers as there have been changes due to cancellations.

Tips for the Internship + Career Fair

micacareerfair — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:34:21 +0000

Be yourself! Confidence, a positive attitude, and willingness to learn can go a long way. Make eye contact, give a firm handshake, and be respectful in your body language. Dress professionally and bring copies of your resume and business/artist cards.

Make sure your portfolio is portable, neat, and begins and ends strong. Include only your best work and be sure to have pieces that reflect the type of position you are applying for. You can choose to tailor your samples to one specific industry or show a breadth of your talent, depending on the type of employers you are targeting at the fair. Be prepared to discuss each piece.

Know the employers you want to speak with and research them using the Internship + Career Fair blog and the employer’s website. Look for the About Us, Mission, or Philosophy pages to learn more about the size and scope of the organization. Is the company regional, national, international? Where are they located and who are their clients or customers? What trends are happening in this industry? What is their mission/purpose?

When you approach a table, introduce yourself, share what position you are interested in, give the person your resume, and answer any questions they have for you, including showing them your portfolio. Also prepare 2-3 questions for each employer for any lull in the conversation. This setting is for you to learn more about them too! Some sample questions you could ask are:

What qualities are you looking for in the person you hire for this position?
Can you tell me more about the specific job responsibilities of this position?
What are the new directions your organization is going in? What are your next big projects?
What is one of your biggest challenges currently?
What is the work environment like?

DON’T Ask at the Fair:

What does your company do? (you should know)
How much will I be making? (appropriate to discuss before you accept an offer)
What is the vacation/leave time like? (appropriate to discuss before you accept an offer)

Take breaks between visiting tables and refocus yourself for your next conversation. Career Center staff will be on hand to give you a quick pep talk.

Don’t feel like you have to accept any position if offered on the spot. Thank them graciously for the offer, reiterate your interest, but ask if you can send them an email the following day.

Follow up all of your conversations with a thank you note via email or mail, within 48 hours, reinforcing your interest in the position. Get the business card of the person you spoke with, or write down their name so that you can research their contact information later. You may be judged on whether or not you do this, it’s important! So, bring a notepad and take notes!

Be honest, don’t lie about your skills or qualifications to get a job. But learn to “spin” your weak areas into areas for you to grow. Share your enthusiasm to learn, or discuss a project/program you are currently working on to improve in this area.

Be courteous, polite, and positive! Smile!

Prepare for the Interview

micacareerfair — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:22:42 +0000

Here are a few sample interview questions:

Tell me a little bit about yourself and your work.
Why are you interested in working for us?
What special skills do you have that you could bring to the position?
What are a few things that are important for you to gain from this job experience?
What questions do you have for us? (Have at least 3 prepared)

See a full page of potential questions here: sampleinterviewquestions

If you missed the Art of the Interview presentation by Erin Meyers of Threespot, you can view the handout here: ArtoftheInterview

The Fair is Tomorrow!

micacareerfair — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:00:39 +0000

Please revisit the list of participating employers as there have been changes due to cancellations.