Category: Career

Beyond being close to family and friends, there are many benefits to living, working and playing in Indiana. Here are just a few:  1. Low Cost of Living Many millennials are seeking lower housing costs and Indiana ranks among the most affordable. According to U.S. News, Indiana ranks #2 in overall affordability with a cost of living 9 percent below the national average, and #3 in housing affordability with a median home price of $142,600. Whether you’re making a large (home, car) or small purchase (groceries, entertainment), it’s nice to…

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Why do people work? To earn a living, of course, but most of us are wired to want more. Indiana—and the world—need people who are in it for more than a paycheck. In fact, a 2016 survey* of adult employees found that 88 percent say their job is more fulfilling when they can make a positive impact on social and environmental issues. And a 2018 report revealed that “working with a purpose” is one of the main trends shaping today’s workforce.** Meet some Hoosiers who find meaning—not just a paycheck—in…

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Where do we start? Start local. Community foundations contribute funding, expertise, leadership and resources that have developed communities throughout the state for decades. The 94 community foundations in Indiana represent more than $3 billion in combined assets. You can contact your own local community foundation to see how you can get involved. Eric Hessel started working with the Hendricks County Community Foundation (HCCF) in 2003 as a youth grant maker and has since worked in both the direct service and funding areas of nonprofits. “The Community Foundation has been part…

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In March 2020, American thought leader, author and former tech executive Seth Godin observed that college students and recent graduates are accustomed to crisis. Just babies when the 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred and raised on dire warnings about climate change, this demographic group could be known as Generation C for their unique experiences—COVID-19, connection (never remembering life before the Internet or cell phones) and carbon (and its impact on the environment), according to Godin. Even if you don’t claim the name Generation C, there’s no doubt that the events of…

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In 2020, everyone had spring and summer plans that changed, in just a matter of weeks. For Hoosier native Ally Bacon, that meant leaving Milan, Italy—near the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak—and cutting short her Indiana University spring study abroad program. Sent home and quarantined for two weeks, Bacon soon learned that her summer apparel merchandising internship in New York City had also been cancelled, leaving her without a key professional experience entering her senior year. “I thought, ‘I need to think of something I can do in my house…

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The Ascend Network connects college students and recent graduates with part-time and full-time jobs and internships in Indiana through a unique combination of one-on-one guidance and an easy-to-use website – all at no cost. Ascend staff meet with students individually to learn about their technical skills, work styles and interests before onboarding them to the Network. Candidates explore internship and job descriptions at 350+ employers, which explain what the student (you) will learn and do in each role. Based on your skills and interests, the Network algorithm recommends relevant opportunities,…

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Need help navigating your career next steps? Check out this list of career boosters guaranteed to help you gain experience, boost career prospects and stand out from the crowd. On Campus Meet with Career Services. Your career services office is a bustling hub of opportunities and resources to prepare you for work and life. You’ll find help putting a resume together and interview advice, as well as actual interviews. Your university’s career services staff is dedicated to offering you professional, high-quality support, even after graduation. Network. Attend a networking event…

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2020 GRAD scholarship winner Charlee Krugler was raised in Anderson, Indiana, and in high school wanted to become a math teacher. “Upon my acceptance at Ball State University I struggled to find a path at first, but I discovered a new passion studying Health Education and Promotion,” she said. At Ball State, she thrived. She helped address the opioid crisis in Delaware County, won the Society of Public Health Education Case Study Competition in March 2020, joined the Ball State Women’s Bowling Club, and was an initiated member of the…

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Many Indiana companies have received recognition on a local, regional, national and even global level. When you’re seeking a career, consider referencing these “best of” lists and applying for a position at one of these standout workplaces. Best in Tech TechPoint’s Mira Awards honor the best of tech while PowderKeg recognizes the 50 top tech company cultures in Indiana. Indiana Chamber Best Places to Work The Indiana Chamber’s Best Places to Work in Indiana is an annual program honoring the top companies in the state as determined through employer reports and…

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New partnership with 180 Skills will enable 100,000 Hoosiers to quickly gain key workforce skills. A new partnership between the State of Indiana and 180 Skills will allow up to 100,000 Hoosiers to gain key workforce skills free of charge through an online library of courses. Individuals who enroll will have the opportunity to complete courses designed to improve general employability skills applicable across a range of job sectors or develop the foundational knowledge necessary to enter Indiana’s sizeable manufacturing industry. The 180 Skills partnership is part of Indiana’s “Rapid…

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Internships are a great way to try out jobs and develop your skills. Indiana INTERNnet can connect you with thousands of Indiana organizations across the state, making it easy to search and apply for internships all on one site. Amy Schrader, human resources and marketing coordinator for Backhaul Direct/Grapevine TMS, an Indiana-based logistics company, graduated from IUPUI in 2018, and landed an internship with her employer the same year through Indiana INTERNnet. “I do not think that I would have been able to get the exact job I wanted so…

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As senior director for talent acquisition for the global healthcare company Roche Diagnostics in Indianapolis, Terra Doyle meets countless college job seekers each year, and also compares notes with her industry colleagues. What do recruiters like to see in applicants? The usual rules apply, of course. Be professional in your presentation—even your email can speak volumes—and put your best foot forward, Doyle said. Tech skills may be in demand, and if you’re in finance, you better have a handle on accounting. But surprisingly, there are other key qualities employers want…

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Aishariya Bandyopadhyay racked up a lot of varied work experience during college, but that didn’t end when she entered her first full-time, post-graduation job at Roche Diagnostics in Indianapolis. A native of Munster, Bandyopadhyay was studying marketing at Indiana University when she had her first internship experience for a wedding planner in Chicago. The next summer, she left the glamour behind for an internship for ArcelorMittal, a steel and mining company. Her final college internship at consumer packaged goods company, Kimberly Clark, was closer to Bandyopadhyay’s career goals of consumer…

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So, you have just graduated from college and have or will be entering the workforce and you are already looking for ways you can advance. Vicki Brackett, author of The Leadership Toolbox: 14 Strategies that Build a Chain Reaction of Success, says, “Become a pseudo-leader without the title.” Fast Company shares 6 Easy Ways to Fast-track Your Career. The climb may not be as quick as you would like, but these 6 steps are a great place to start.

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Want to have a job lined up before you walk across the stage to collect your diploma? Indiana college and university career center professionals offer seven strategies most likely to succeed. Start early At Wabash College, students who visit Career Services in their freshman year are three times more likely to have a job offer or a place in a graduate program by commencement day,” says Cassie Hagan, assistant director of career services. Once you’re a senior, don’t wait until the spring to start applying for jobs. Some of the…

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All across Indiana, young professionals are taking over—and in some cases, making over—their communities, often with the help of locals who are ready for the next generation. Some hot spots: Elkhart “What’s Next?” college recruiting tours are aimed at jump-starting local workforce. Over one weekend in March 2018, the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce bused in 50 college students from throughout the region with the goal of attracting them to the Elkhart/Goshen area as new workers after college, offering interviews with local employers during the day and socializing at night,…

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As a college student, your days—and probably nights—are packed with activity and opportunity. Even if your time is limited, you can squeeze in some college-to-career planning in just a few minutes. Some ideas to get you started: In about an hour, you can: Visit your college career center. Hopefully, this won’t be your first visit, and it should not be your last. Your career center is likely to offer everything you need: access to job and internship leads, help with resumes and cover letters, opportunities to practice interviews or polish…

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Dengke Wang, 19, from Portage, Indiana, emigrated from China to northwestern Indiana at the age of seven. Now he’s featured in a new film, “State of Change: Innovation at the Crossroads” from documentary team Roadtrip Nation. The documentary sent three postsecondary students from Indiana on a life-changing road trip to see how Indiana-grown ingenuity is keeping their home state at the cutting edge of rapid technological change. They spent two weeks during the summer of 2017 exploring industries powering Indiana’s growth—including healthcare services, advanced manufacturing, biosciences, and technology—and connecting with…

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