Follow the Leaders:  An Executive Leadership Dialogue Program

The USC Career Center is pleased to announce a new program designed to connect USC students with alumni who serve in executive roles.  Students can get involved in one of three areas of the program!  The components of the Follow the Leaders Program are as follows:  Individual one to one, Small Group and/or Large Group. 

Featured Alumni Executives for the 2013 Executive Leadership Dialogues Pilot:

Ms.  Tracy Bender, CEO & President Souper Bowl of Caring

Mr. Jeff Archie, Senior Vice President & Chief Nuclear Officer for SCANA

Mr. Heyward Bannister, President BANCO/Bannister Company

Read the details below to learn more about each format and the prerequisites to participate in each. 

As a result of participating in this program you will:
-  Develop a personal connection with an Executive or CEO that could lead
   to job opportunities down the road.  
-  Learn about the professional qualities that are most attractive to employers in
   potential candidates and new hires
-  Practice your professional networking skills both orally and online
-  Create/Review your LinkedIn Profile to maximize professional networking
   opportunities
-  Create a networking action plan to build upon & enhance your network! 

Cocky Conversation One-to-One Format
Pre-requisites: 
- Register for and attend one of the following 30-minute preparation Orientation
  sessions:
  Tuesday, January 15 at 12:30 pm
  Wednesday, January 16 at 4:00 pm
  Thursday, January 17 at 12:30 pm
  All sessions will be held in the Career Center, HW Close (BA) Building Room
  602B.
- Submit 5 questions that you would like to ask a top Executive or CEO
  regarding your professional interest.
- Participate in a 30 minute small group conversation with up to five additional 
  USC students and a CEO.
- Research the Executive and Determine one are of common ground to begin
  the conversation.
-  Identify two professional goals for the conversation.

Gamecock Small Group Format
Pre-requisites: 
- Register for and attend one of the following 30-minute preparation Orientation
  sessions:
  Tuesday, January 15 at 12:30 pm
  Wednesday, January 16 at 4:00 pm
  Thursday, January 17 at 12:30 pm
  All sessions will be held in the Career Center, HW Close (BA) Building Room
  602B.
- Submit 5 questions that you would like to ask a top Executive or CEO
  regarding your professional interest.
- Participate in a 30 minute small group conversation with up to five additional 
  USC students and a CEO.
- Research the Executive and Determine one are of common ground to begin
  the conversation.
-  Identify two professional goals for the conversation.

Student Leader Breakfast Large Group Format
Pre-requisite: 
Students who attend the large group must be leaders in a student organization or serve as a peer leader for a University Department or Program.

This exciting breakfast is held on the morning of the USC Career Center's job fair at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.  Students learn from an executive in a large group keynote and then are able to network the employers to discuss table topics and network regarding their career goals!  Students and employers alike enjoy this meaningful experience.

This exclusive event is only for student leaders and is by invitation only.  Remember your RSVP indicates that you will participate and employers will have access to the list of participants who have registered to attend in advance. 
Don't miss this special, first-time event!

WHO: USC student leaders (by invitation only)

WHEN: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 from 8:30 - 10:00 am

        Schedule for the morning:

  • Check in will begin at 8:00 am
  • Welcome 8:30 - 8:45 am
  • Employer Speaker 8:45 - 9:10 am
  • Breakfast and Professional networking opportunity with employers will be held from 9:10 - 10:00 am

    Table topics will be assigned on the following subjects identified as key skills that employers look for in new employees.  Please rank order the topics that you are of most interest to you. You will be assigned topics on a first come, first serve basis in accordance with your preferences that are provided.
     

  • Initiative

  • Ability to build a team

  • Professional relationships

  • Communication

  • Manage a project

  • Analyze, evaluate and interpret data

  • Continuous learning

  • Global understanding

WHERE: Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center

DRESS: Business professional dress is strongly preferred, but business casual dress is acceptable. Keep in mind that you will have the opportunity to network with potential employers. See http://www.sc.edu/career/Webresources/searchinterview.html for tips on appropriate professional and business casual dress attire.

HOW: Register in advance here .

IMPORTANT!!: You SHOULD NOT register to attend this breakfast unless you are fully prepared to attend.  Our employers have paid a fee to provide a meal for you and we do not want these meals to go to waste. Furthermore, as this event has limited seating, we wish to provide every qualified student who wishes to attend the opportunity to do so.  It is not proper etiquette to no-show to an event to which you have pre-registered or RSVP’d.

 As we recognize that some last minute cancellations are genuinely unavoidable due to illness or emergencies, we will keep a wait list. However, in order for us to invite someone from the waitlist to participate we must have your cancellation emailed to erlake@mailbox.sc.edu no later than 12pm on Monday, January 28, 2013.  Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.

 IMPORTANT!!: Seating is limited to the first 60 students who register. Please carefully review the email confirmation you receive to see if you were actually registered for the event or were added to the waitlist.  If waitlisted and we receive a cancellation we will attempt to contact you no later than 5 pm on the day before the event.


Click here to register!