-- ColinSwindells - 24 Nov 2005

Brainstorming notes

• 75 minute panel, followed by a reception
• invite tri-mentoring folks
• Might like HR people to look @ resumes. Where are the holes? Co-op co-ordinators might not be helpful for this?
• Make sure to ask questions that focus beyond the entry level job, and looking at the career path.
• Possibly have students bring their resume to chat w/ tri-mentoring industry & work folks? to get feedback, not a job
• At start of reception... You mean like an ice-breaking activity? One good way to do that might be to end the panel by having everyone in the audience think of the answer to some common question (like "What's the single experience that has most shaped your career direction?") and then suggest that they discuss that with others during the reception.
• add more here

Overall structure

Date Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006

Time	Event	Room
5:00 pm	Introduction to Moderator & Panelists	DMP 110
5:15 pm	Forum questions -- Topic 1	DMP 110
5:30 pm	Forum questions -- Topic 2	DMP 110
5:45 pm	Lighting round questions	DMP 110
6:00 pm	Audience sheet questions	DMP 110
6:15 pm	Reception	CS X736 (Boardroom)

Panelists	Company
Ronald Rabin	Information Technology Architect, IBM
Theresa Roberts	Founder, TC Roberts & Associates Consulting
Gwen Litchfield	Internship Co-ordinator, Simon Fraser University
Mike Blackstock	Chief Technology Officer, Colligo Networks
Bob Campbell	Entrepreneur in Residence, Ventures West

Introduction

Description: Possibly ask Steve to moderate the panel session? Each panelist could give a 2-3 minute personal background summary.

Forum questions

Description: Longer answer questions addressed to the panel by the moderator. Possibly cluster these questions into 2-4 'themes'?

1. What could someone do in undergrad to prepare themselves for a non-traditional career (e.g., IT management, technical sales)?
2. What were the most important skills that you learnt during university, that have helped you with your career?
3. Pros and cons of further educaction (e.g., ARC, M.Sc., MBA, Ph.D., Professional degrees)?
4. How important is formal degree content such as courses & grades?
5. If you had to change careers, which career would you choose? Why? (Must be something technical)
6. What is the most disturbing trend among recent hires?
7. What other job opportunities did you seriously consider? Why? Other questions related to their personal network?
8. What would stand out from an
   • entry level resume?
   • management resume?
9. How would you describe your work environment?
10. What training programs exist in your company?
11. How did you get your first job? Importance of personal contacts vs. HR job postings?
12. How much experience did you learn on the job?
13. How do you manage / structure your day? (e.g., flex time?)
14. Describe a typical day on your job.
15. Eventually want to go into field X, what should I put on my resume.

Lightning round questions

Description: Short answer questions addressed to the panel by the moderator

1. Where did you think you would be right now, when you were in
   • 1st year of university
   • last year of university
2. If you could change one thing in your company, what would it be?
3. If you had to change careers, which career would you choose? Why? (Must be something technical)
4. How many hours did you work last week?
5. What do you enjoy most about your job?
6. What other job opportunities did you seriously consider? Why? Other questions related to their personal network.
7. where do you see yourself in 5 years?
8. What factors do you place the most importance: personal skills vs. technical skills?

Open session

Description: Questions asked to panelists by the audience.

Meeting on Dec. 2

venue

• trimentoring doesn't have any time constraints for early jan.
• steve spoke w/ lisa; it shouldn't overlap w/ co-op. it's also not something that co-op usually does, so the panel should be worth while and helpful. ubc career services sometimes gives simlar workshops and panels. Someone from EA came to one of these sessions last month. Michele will contact career services, but stay relatively on our own.
• cmns committee can allocate $200, if undergrad & grad affairs kick in some $$$ too. so, should get $200 - $400. Colin will contact will ask Mike Blackstock (on the grad affairs committee) and/or get to David Poole and Norm Hutchinson's attention. Steve will contact Paul Carter.

room

• DMP 310 seats ~200 people and might be good. DMP 110 seats ~100 people, and might be a nicer space for the panel. Michele will book DMP 110.
• could have reception near the reboot cafe.
• classroom will charge if lock / unlock after hours. faculty, staff, and grad fobs should work. colin will check if his fob works.

panel members?

• Would like 3-5 people total.
• Ron from IBM -- Colin will contact
• Sonya? -- Michele will contact (Michele also could recommend a similar peer, Teresa?)
• Mike Blackstock? -- Colin will contact
• Bob Campbell? -- Andrew will contact
• Gwen Litchfield? -- Colin will contact
• Pivitol, Business Objects, MDA.
• Good to get someone w/ a M.Sc.?

date

• Michele is away until Jan. 23, 2005.
• possibly push alumni panel as far back as possible. (Feb 8 - 10)
• Tentatively, Jan. 26, 2005 (Thursday); Possibly 5:00 - 6:00 for panel; 6:00 - 7:00 for tri-mentors.
• 60 minute panel should be good. Possibly 75 minutes.

food

• pre-embursement will be needed (possibly from Curtis).
• re-imbursement should be easier.
• try to book the 7th floor lounge & boardroom.

topics

• want to open up to questions throughout, but keep focus
• get people to run around the room collecting questions written on small pieces of paper. have people filling these out during the panel questions & lightning.
• contact the panelists beforehand, and go over the questions
• send out e-mail Juliana Villegas & Joyce Poon

advertising

• e-mail posting to ugrads & grads
• posters throughout the building

TODO

Date	Description	Lead
Dec. 19	Andrew & Colin	Write an e-mail ad to be sent to the mentors & mentees; send to michele
Dec. 23	Andrew & Colin	Good draft of panel structure & questions
Dec. 23	Andrew & Colin	Have a list of panelists