“You are all at one stage or another of completing one of the hardest things you will ever have to do: find a job in one of the toughest markets we have seen in many years,” Bill Ayers told the 60 some college students and recent graduates who attended The Ayers Group College Day Seminar on June 5.  “We’re here today to give you a helping hand.”

“Differentiating Yourself During Your Job Search” was the theme of the full-day event, hosted by UBS Warburg and offered pro bono to family members of Ayers’ corporate community.  “It’s our way of giving back and providing our clients with value-added services,” says the firm’s CEO.

The interactive program, developed and presented by Ayers professionals and consultants, was designed to prepare graduates for the realities of the job search process by providing the intelligence, strategies, skills, and techniques that will set them apart in a highly competitive marketplace.
 

Morning sessions walked the attendees through the pre-interview process, teaching them how to turn college experiences into attention-getting resumés, write effective cover letters, make the most of available resources for researching, and network their way into interviews.  The focus of the afternoon was helping young job seekers present themselves well during and after interviews.  A workshop on making a successful transition from college to corporate life rounded out the program (see "From Sweats to Suits").  

Each participant went home with a workbook full of practical information, including sample resumés and cover and follow-up letters; research resource lists; resumé-building, networking, and interview-preparation exercises and tips; and a reprint of “Job Seeker: Know Thyself,” an article by Barbara Moses, author of What Next?  The Complete Guide to Taking Control of Your Working Life.  One lucky participant went home with a door prize from Sony.