THE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

*BREAKOUT SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

Technology and the Job Search

When it comes to finding a job, technology can be a bit overwhelming or it can offer a wide array of helpful tools for organizing and streamlining your search.  Our panel of HR and recruiting professionals will guide you through the ins and outs of how to use technology to your advantage, including the following:

• The power of social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook)
• How to best use  the job/resume boards and advertising cites (Monster, CareerBuilder, Craigslist, DICE, The Ladders)
• How to use Job aggregators (including Indeed, Simplyhired, and mysearch)
• What companies do with your resume from a technical standpoint
• The power and limitations of technology as a tool in your job search

FACILITATOR

Chris Rubacky is the Founder and President of CVR Search & Staffing, LLC. Chris started CVR Search in 2002 in the San Francisco Bay Area and opened a second office of his company in Washington, DC in January of 2010.  A former teacher, certified mediator and conflict resolution trainer, Chris got started in legal recruiting in the midst of the dot.com boom and started CVR Search in the subsequent dot.bomb bust. A Gonzaga graduate (’83), Chris earned his Bachelor’s Degree in History from Emory University (’87) and his Master’s Degree in Education from American University (’89).  Chris has spoken at many universities and professional associations on both coasts on various aspects of career development. 

PANEL

Jesse Samuelson is a Corporate Recruiter at LivingSocial, one of Washington, DC's fastest growing companies over the past couple of years. At LivingSocial, he's had the opportunity to recruit on a wide range of positions in HR, Marketing, Finance, Accounting, as well as Engineering.  Jesse got his start in recruiting and talent acquisition at Bloomfield & Company, where he specialized in recruiting administrative and human resources professionals for Fortune 500 and other established DC area companies.  Jesse earned his Bachelor’s degree in Finance from James Madison University in 2005. Finally, he is a big DC sports fan, and especially cheers on the Redskins and Capitals.

Katie McNerny is President of LeaderFit (www.leaderfit.org), an executive search firm she founded in 2009 to identify and hire top talent for nonprofits, foundations, and social enterprises.  Prior to LeaderFit, Katie was Vice President at The Endeavor Group, a consulting firm advising high net worth individuals on their business and philanthropic investments.  Katie graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is an alumna and Trustee of Georgetown Visitation.  She is the aunt to two current Gonzaga Eagles and a Visitation Cub.

Garrison Lindsey is the Managing Director, Temporary Staffing-Commercial & Government Services at Contact 1, Inc., an established Washington Area Staffing Agency.  A graduate of Eastern Illinois University, Garrison has over fifteen years experience in staffing and recruiting with over twelve year in the temporary staffing industry.  Garrison has recruited professionals to work in administrative and accounting roles and has had the pleasure of working with individual from all across the professional spectrum, from recent graduates to those with twenty years of professional experience.  

Preparing for Behavioral Interviews

In the past 10 years, the interviewing process at most large companies has shifted from being largely informal and varied to a method that is much more predictable and standardized. Behavioral interviewing is focused on asking questions that discover how the interviewee acted in specific employment-related situations. The logic is that how you behaved in the past will predict how you will behave in the future i.e. past performance predicts future performance.  Our panel of business professionals will help you prepare to be successful in responding to behavioral interview questions, as well as traditional interview formats.  They will share tips and strategies to help you to best present your skills and competencies to future employers to land the job.

• What are typical behavioral interview questions?
• How can you prepare answers beforehand when you don’t know the questions?
• How can you use the job posting or the position description to highlight your strengths?
•  How can you customize your resume and cover letter to align with the position for which you are applying?

FACILITATOR

Lulu Gonella is the founder of LWG Consulting LLC, a Human Resources Management and Executive Coaching firm established in 2007.  She spent just shy of 20 years providing human resources and organizational development expertise in the Big 4 public accounting firms of Price Waterhouse and Ernst & Young.  She has a sophomore at Gonzaga and a future Eagle currently at Mater Dei.  

PANEL

George Nash is Regional Vice-President of Production for Union Mortgage Group, a subsidiary of Union First Market Bankshares. He has over 25 years of experience in recruiting, coaching, and managing sales leaders. His son Ryan is a senior at Gonzaga and his father graduated in the class of 1943.

Lisa Ridgway Slater is currently involved in several philanthropic projects with the Academy of the Holy Cross and Gonzaga. She recently worked in the professional recruiting field for several years with Champion Recruiting Associates. A Certified Public Accountant, she earned her degree in Accounting from Boston College and then worked in the Public Accounting industry for many years before going to the private sector. Lisa attended Holy Cross as did her two daughters. She has two sons currently attending Gonzaga and has had three nieces attend Visitation. 

Reggie Taylor is currently the Director of Human Resources for the Law firm of Boies, Schiller and Flexner LLP. A human resources professional with 20 years of experience, Reggie has a deep background in recruiting, employee and executive compensation, retirement (401K/403B) plans, employee relations and organizational development. After graduating Gonzaga in 1985, Reggie went on to receive a BA in Human resources from The Catholic University of America and an MBA from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. Reggie is in his seventh year as a member of Gonzaga’s Board of Trustees.

Networking is for Everyone: Beyond “Working the Room” 

Effective networking is an invaluable skill that, when done right, has the potential to be exponentially beneficial beyond the initial job search and throughout the career span.  In this program we will take a look at individual style differences and our panel of speakers will discuss different approaches, providing tips and strategies for networking effectively.    Whether your roots are Gonzaga, Visitation, or Academy of the Holy Cross, the key to making networking sustainable is self-awareness and a strategy that works for YOU!  The members on the panel will share their own success stories and best practices, and discuss how to:

• Initiate and foster long-term connections
• Develop a professional network
• Tap into your network
• Become a contributing member of your professional network
• Elevate your profile in any industry

FACILITATOR

Michelle Nash is the Managing Director for Talent Development at The Shannon Group, Inc. and has over two decades of concentrated experience in the area of legal professional development. As a managing director with The Shannon Group, she develops curriculum and presents seminars, programs, and workshops on a wide variety of professional development topics. She is the co-author of Learning from Law Firm Leaders (ABA publishing) and a contributing author to The Lawyer's Career Management Handbook: Your Bridge to a Satisfying Career (Thompson Reuters). Her son Ryan will graduate from Gonzaga this spring.

PANEL

Michael Fitzgerald is the Founder, President & CEO of Bank of Georgetown. Mr. Fitzgerald has more than 25 years of experience working in the Greater Washington area commercial banking industry. Mr. Fitzgerald has been active in professional, community and charitable organizations throughout his life. He is presently a Board Member of Catholic Cemeteries and Support Our Aging Religious, Inc. (SOAR!); Alumni Trustee for Georgetown Preparatory School; and Secretary of The Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Washington, D.C. He graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School and earned a Bachelor’s degree from Fairfield University as well as a Master’s in Business Administration from Loyola College. Mr. Fitzgerald’s two daughters, Katherine and Elizabeth are graduates of Georgetown Visitation.

Sean Glynn is a Director with the law firm Goulston & Storrs. He focuses his practice on commercial finance and non-profit representation and has extensive experience with regard to complex financings, including the securities, corporate, tax and real estate issues arising out of non-profit transactions. He represents a wide range of clients including nonprofit organizations and developers, lenders and credit enhancers, underwriters and trustees. Mr. Glynn is an active member of the community and serves as Finance Committee Chair for the Archdiocese of Washington Board of Education, and is a Board Member for both Connelly School of the Holy Child and Don Bosco Christo Rey High School. Sean Graduated Gonzaga in 1982 and has a son, Brendan, who will graduate this spring.

Susan Strayer LaMotte is the founder of exaqueo, a workforce consultancy. She leads organizations and individuals to create powerful talent strategies and employer and personal brands. Susan’s worked inside and consulted for some of the most renowned global brands including The Ritz-Carlton, The Home Depot, Marriott International and Arthur Andersen. More importantly, she’s recognized for the results of her work. In 2011 she was named a top 100 influencer in HR and a top 100 HR/Recruiting Industry pro. In 2012 she was named a Top 100 Branding Expert and a top 60 Career Pro on Twitter. Susan’s spoken to hundreds of audiences from C-level executives to college students. She’s the author of two books including The Right Job, Right Now (St. Martin’s Press). Susan has an MBA from Vanderbilt University, an MA in Human Resource Development from The George Washington University and a BA in Communications from Virginia Tech.