Kohl’s Careers

In an effort to build its brand on campus, Kohl’s Department Stores was on the Cal Poly Pomona campus frequently in the first part of November. Both Mike Tack, University Relations Manager and Thomas Romero, University Relations Coordinator spent time in classrooms and talking to student organizations to spread the word about the opportunities that are available with Kohl’s. All events were coordinated with the help of the Career Center’s Job Location & Development Coordinator, Dawn Finley.

Here is a recap of each event:

Thursday, November 3rd:
Mike & Thomas spoke to the ATOMS (Association of Technology & Operations Management Students) group and delivered a “Kohl’s 101” presentation. It was meant to serve as an educational tool for the students to learn more about the retailer as well as its opportunities surrounding the Distribution Center (DC) internships. Mike provided great insight into the recently created internship and answered the many questions the students had. Following the meeting, Mike & Thomas joined the group’s executive board as well as TOM Professor, Dr. Halati for lunch where a further question and answer session took place.

Wednesday, November 9th:
Thomas returned to campus the following week to speak to a “Fashion Dynamics” class surrounding Kohl’s and its many processes. The classroom had about 20 students, all of which were in the Apparel Merchandising & Management (AMM) program. There were some beneficial discussions during the class and the students had some challenging questions about the retail giant.

Monday, November 14th:
Thomas was back on campus to speak to AMM students that were enrolled in an “Internship Prep” course. Although the classroom size was only about 15 students they were all interested in the possibility of a management internship. For each visit to the campus, Kohl’s gift cards were handed out to those students who were among the first to ask questions.

Overall, the visits to Cal Poly Pomona served as a good start to building that important relationship between the Career Center and Kohl’s. We definitely look forward to getting back on campus in the Spring!

California State University – Fullerton recognized its outstanding Marketing students with a networking breakfast on campus. The event took place on November 4, 2011 and was held at the Fullerton University Marriott. In attendance were about 120 students as well as numerous employers from many different industries including retailers, food/beverage distributors, insurance companies and many more. Several employers made it clear to the group that their intentions were to hire students from the event just as they have in the past.

As a Career Center partner, Kohl’s was a sponsor of the event and enjoyed the privilege of a table in front of the room. Each organization was given time to briefly address the students to inform them of the opportunities they were offering before the networking portion began. At that time, all students were free to speak to any and all employers they desired. Naturally, as Honors students they were very well prepared with resumes, cover letters and even business cards!

On November 2nd, 2011 representatives from Kohl’s Department Stores delivered an “Interviewing Skills” workshop on the University of California – Riverside campus. The workshop content was put together in conjunction with the campus Career Center. The workshop was intended to assist the students in preparing for their on campus interviews. Multiple topics were discussed including but not limited to:

• Resume writing & guidelines
• Professionalism during an interview
• Dress for Success

The workshop served as the perfect opportunity for current students to get input directly from campus recruiters. Additionally, the career center gained a great partner for future events to help connect employers with their outstanding students!

On Friday October 21st, Kohl’s sponsored a Professional Leadership conference on campus at California State University-Fullerton for 80 students. To attend, students had to submit an application complete with essay and their most recent resume. Students were then hand selected to participate in the eight hour conference, and came from various levels and concentrations across campus.

The day began with a presentation on “Managing First Impressions,” by Vu Pham – Partner at Spectrum Knowledge (corporate training for Fortune 500 companies). Students then attended a “Dress for Success” workshop facilitated by Kohls University Relations Manager Courtney Graf & Coordinator Thomas Romero regarding tips for business professional behavior. Kohl’s also sponsored a fashion show, where four CSUF students modeled business professional looks from exclusive designers Marc Anthony, Lauren Conrad, Vera Wang, and Billy London. Students also participated in a dining etiquette workshop, networking session, and ended the day with a “Women Leaders Panel,” which Kohl's Regional Vice President Tracie Wickenhauser, VP-District Manager Shelley York, and Courtney Graf led. Topics such as successful work/life balance, the importance of mentors, and the skills that employers look for in a recent graduate were all included in the two hour panel. The day concluded with a “Kohl’s Reception,” where students were able to network with Tracie, Shelly, Courtney, & Thomas regarding opportunities with Kohl’s.

All students received information on Kohl’s college programs, a Kohl’s pen, and green bag to hold their conference materials! Several Kohl’s gift cards were given as prizes throughout the day.

“I greatly appreciate the effort Kohl’s and your team put into the conference as well into our entire campus. I continuously see the Kohl’s brand around my campus, and recognize your company’s involvement with my University. I do now have a whole new appreciation for Kohl’s and I thank you very much for your contribution.”
- CSUF Student Attendee

Kohl’s will be back on campus at CSUF:
11/3 – First Interviews, Career Services
11/4 – Marketing Honors Networking Breakfast (Marriott, 7:30 – 9 am)

Come see us!