2005 NACADA National Conference Presentation Code: Concurrent Session/518

1. 2005 NACADA National ConferencePresentation Code: ConcurrentSession/518 • Title: A Career Program for Fine Arts Majors without asking, “Would You Like Fries With That?” • Presenters: CAROL POLLARD and BECKY KING College of Music, Office for Academic Advising University of North Texas AL POLLARD, Countrywide FinancialTM • For further information, email: • bking@music.unt.edu or cpollard@music.unt.edu

2. How Not To Say….. “Would You Like Fries With That?” Presenters: CAROL POLLARD and BECKY KING College of Music, Office for Academic Advising University of North Texas AL POLLARD, Countrywide Financial TM

3. PLANNING a CAREER NIGHT PROGRAM for FINE ARTS STUDENTSThe Elements of Success • UNT College of Music 1000 Undergraduate Majors • Initial Plans and Goals Dream Big Be Flexible – Smaller Can Be Better • Money Isn’t Everything, but It Sure Does Help!

4. Why Have CAREER NIGHT? CHANGES Students Careers Advising

5. Students Have Changed • More involvement in activities related to their studies such as rehearsals, lessons, performances, extra curricular and academic core requirements, multi- majors • Desire more long term assistance from advisors • More outside responsibilities: maintaining a private studio, meeting financial needs, family • Career options are changing very quickly

6. Careers for Musicians • Musicians have many important job skills in addition to the obvious– problem solving ability to work in groups or alone presentation skills • Student creativity in the job market • Students must learn how to present themselves to a potential employer.

7. Advising has Changed • Students are asking for: - Assistance beyond classes Increased student services available partially funded by student fees - More programming beyond freshman year - More connections with faculty - More connections with other offices

8. Rationale for Fine Arts Career Night • Fine arts majors unique talents and goals • Traditional career fairs typically skirt non-traditional career areas • University recognition of need to commit more resources towards career development • Advisors’ desire to increase information on career development to students • Interest within faculty and on-campus resources to contribute to student career development

9. Build It and They Will Come… TIMELINE

10. How to Build a Career Nightfor Fine Arts Students • Start with the Obvious - Date, Time, Place - Who and What - How, including the schedule • Long-Range Planning 3 to 6 months out - Set the date and time - Reserve the rooms - Brainstorm for presenters and topics

11. Brainstorming in Detail • Dream Big • Consider the Resources at Hand • Faculty and Local Professionals, Degree Areas or Specialties • Keep a Planning File - - Learn from other Career Fairs, Collect Newspaper and Magazine Articles • Learn from prior year’s experience - - What worked? What didn’t? • Input from participants’ survey • List suggested topics for beginning discussions with presenters

12. PRELIMINARY BUDGET • Determine Fixed Costs 3-6 months prior to Career Night, including: • Room Rentals, Equipment • Print Materials & Advertising, Brochures, • Invitations, Handouts, Hall Flyers, Mailings, Postage • Speaker Fees (Yes or No) • Refreshments (Keep it Simple) • Refine your Budget 2-6 weeks prior

13. Write Presenter Rationale • Invitation to Present • Letter, Email • Make them WANT to be Part of this Special Event • Personalize • Hint at the Presenter’s Specialty

14. INVITATION TO PRESENT:FINE ARTS CAREER NIGHTWednesday, October 26, 2005 • PRESENTER’S NAME: _______________________ • Presentation Title (Brochure goes to print on: (date) ___________________________________________ • Brief Summary of Your Presentation: _______________________________________________ • Length of Presentation: (20 min. suggested)__________ • List Equipment Required: (electronic, audio-visual, etc. ) … A Word of Caution ______________________________________________ • Handouts?___ (suggested quantity) ___

15. 2-4 Months Before Career Night • Send Invitations • Contact Potential Presenters on Wish List • Provide Rationale • List Topic Ideas • Confirm Participation and Title of Presentation • Contact and Confirm Additional Presenters

16. Develop Event Schedule • Preliminary format • What makes sense ? • Number of confirmed presentations • Rooms available • Adjust schedule as needed

17. Event Brochure and Timetable • Simple DIY (Microsoft Publisher TM ) Minimal cost, time requirement • On-Campus Print Shop • Time Saver: email brochure to printshop • Colored Paper vs. Colored Ink • 1 Brochure = 2 Uses Advertising and Event Program

18. General Topic Suggestions • Resume and Interview Tips • Taking Care of Business (Example: professional music studio, taxes, etc.) • Considering Graduate School • Careers Outside of Music • Building a Portfolio or CV, or both • Thinking Outside the Box

19. Arts Education Topics • Researching districts on the internet • Large vs. Small Districts • Questions to ask in the Interview • Questions to not ask in the Interview • Relationship of Feeder Schools Your Responsibilities to those Schools • Does a Masters’ Degree Help? • Professional Organizations

20. More… • Dealing with Parents, Principals, PTA • Fundraising • Taking Students to Competitions • Grad School Possibilities • Grad School & Teaching • Budgeting issues – Fund raising, instrument purchases, music budget • Cooperating with other Fine Arts Faculty – combination programs

21. Topics for Performance Majors • Auditioning for Professional Performance Organizations • Auditioning for Graduate School • Masters, DMA or just a Bachelors’ Degree? • Why they say to not earn multiple degrees from the same University (rumor has it..) • Operating a Private Studio

22. Additional Opportunities for Post-Bacc. Students • Different options for Graduate Degrees – MA, MM, MME • Graduate Fields other than Performance • Music History, Theory, Composition, Librarian • Financing Graduate Study – Financial Aid • Grad School Scholarships • Fulbright, Rotary, how and when to apply • Resume Writing & Interview Skills • Entrance Exams: GRE and others • Choosing a Topic for Thesis or Dissertation • Teaching at a Community College • Choosing a Grad School – Some Things to Consider • Faculty & Specialization

23. Off-Campus Resources:TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS • Free-Lancing/Private Studio/ Composition/Publishing • Business Setup • What are work-related expenses? • Record Keeping • Copyright Information

24. ON-CAMPUS & COMMUNITY RESOURCES • Career Center • Student Leadership Office • Local Arts Professionals • Related Professional Contacts

25. Evaluations • Honest student reactions • Good source of ideas for next year • Construct questions to provide useful, honest replies • Feedback for thank you notes - A great way to show presenters how much they were appreciated by the students

26. Student Evaluation Form • Did this program meet your expectations? Y/N • If not, please tell us why. • Of all the sessions you attended, which was the most helpful to you? • Which was the least helpful to you? • Which mini-sessions did you attend? • Please list other topics you’d like to see added to this program next year: • How can we improve this program?

27. RESULTSExpected and Unexpected • Our faculty and students felt connected, appreciated, and needed in new ways. • We learned new ideas and approaches to getting information to our students. • Publicity gained within the College of Music and throughout the university paid dividends all year long. LAGNIAPPE

28. LAGNIAPPE • Appearances Can Be Deceiving • Do not be Too Quick to Judge

29. NOW….. When we discuss careers for music majors, we no longer have to include “Would You Like Fries with That?”