What I learned over the last year at the CCO

Over the last year I really enjoyed working for the CCO. It’s been a wonderful experience and I learned so much about myself, marketing, working, and life in general. Trying to capture all my experiences into one blog would be impossible or at least a very long read. With that in mind, I have summed up some of the key things that I learned as a student, an intern, and a career advice columnist.

Start early, be passionate- As I meet students who have exceptional internships or have great experiences that put them in the view of the recruiters for the companies they like I noticed a pattern. These students got involved with their professors and their organizations to work on projects and subjects where they have a passion. Even if they don’t have a career path planned, they concentrate on finding out how to turn their passions into a career. It seems the sooner you get started on things you are passionate about the faster you find what you want to do with your life.

The people here REALLY do know A LOT!- I came to the CCO a fairly good student. But no matter how good of a student you are, the job search process requires more than book smarts. The job search has been a long journey for me. I was very fortunate to have advice from all of the career counselors. I encourage anyone reading this to seek them out. They can help you figure out what you are doing right and wrong in the job search.

Take projects and make them yours- I soon realized after beginning my internship that I had a lot of control over taking on side projects. These side projects were what helped me develop many of the skills that I wove into my job interview questions. You can take on side projects in your internships, jobs, organizations, and even classes! I challenge you to take on at least one side project next semester!

Attend a professional event- Purdue brings in phenomenal speakers every year, at least one person for every college if not every major. I attended many of these events this year and I wish I would have attended more. These people can give you insight into careers and life advice as well! If you stick around after a speech, you can often meet the speaker and begin networking with them. You can find information about professional events from the CCO, your organizations, and your school.

Evaluate what you want from a career- One final thing I want to stress is to try to evaluate what you want from your first professional job. If you know this going into the job market you can clearly define yourself to employers. It also sets you up to be in a company where you “fit”. Trust me. Going into an interview knowing what you want will make it much easier to evaluate offers when you get them!

In short, I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed my internship and what a great experience it has been for me. I hope throughout the last year I have been able to share this with you. Best of luck in your career and thank you for a wonderful year of writing!

Lessons from Athletes to apply to the career search

When you think about a star athlete like Drew Brees, it is hard to imagine him standing in line to speak to a recruiter at a job fair. You might even be wary of taking advice from some athletes on certain subjects ( for example  baseball player Mike Camerons once said, “The sun has been there for 500, 600 years.”). However, athletes’ actions are the perfect guide for the career search.

Practice, Practice, Practice As they say, practice makes perfect. Be sure that you practice for interviews, elevator pitches, and any other events you are not sure how to handle.  The CCO provides professional critiques if you should want one.

Start Early-Some of the best athletes were preparing to get into the major leagues in high school. Follow this method by attending career fairs and professional events in your areas of interest beginning your first semester of college. At first it may seem futile, as there are employers who only recruit juniors and seniors. However attending these events will allow you to gain experience and network with employers which will be very useful in the future.

Stats matter…but that’s not all that counts- This note corresponds with GPA’s.  GPA ‘s are very important to recruiters but they are not the only criteria they judge on a résumé. Recruiters also look at developed through your involvement in organizations, work experience, and other experiences. Cultivate these areas of your college life for a well rounded résumé!

Strategy is important-Before attending anything career related, have a game plan. Determine the companies or people you are interested in and research them. Another good strategy is to warm up by speaking with recruiters less important to you—it’s kind of like a tune-up game.

Don’t let an injury stop you- Purdue’s own Robbie Hummel tore his ACL twice but is still trying to play again! Take a lesson and don’t let speed bumps stop you in pursuing your dream goal. Did you have a bad experience on an internship? Did you completely botch an interview? It is important to reflect on these not so positive career experiences, and then move forward.

Get a coach (and listen)- Most good players had a coach behind them that encouraged and taught them to become the great players that they are today. You can find your own coach by developing a relationship with professors. It can also help to speak with a career advisor to make sure you are on target to hit your career goals (or create career goals).

Don’t quit working on your skills just because it is summer- Summertime offers you the opportunity to be free of school commitments. It can also be tempting to forget about your career goals as well. Don’t let your professional skills get soft though!  Keep your skills strong by:

• networking with friends, family, and professionals
•  keeping up to  date on trends in your industry
•  conducting at least 1 informational interview
•  working or volunteering
•  updating your résumé
•  creating/updating your LinkedIn account

 

Crashing a Career Fair

I attended the engineering EXPO a few weeks ago. It  was a daunting task for me. It was an engineering fair. Would I, a management student, even be welcome among such a technical group of people? Would recruiters scoff at me for even attempting to attend this fair? But it wasn’t that bad. In fact, I got interviews and second interviews from the companies I spoke with. It made me think about the fact that there are some similarities between the rules in the movie “The Wedding Crashers” and crashing a Career Fair that is not specifically for your major.

Always have an up  to date family tree.-If you’re going to another major’s career fair it is especially important to research exactly which companies you want to speak with before you arrive. Know their “family tree” aka company history. Be sure you know exactly what that company does before you attend. Also be sure to research what they have done in their industry in the past and any present news articles about them.

Don’t look for opportunities; make them.-When a company you’re interested in is attending a fair visit their booth! It doesn’t matter if they mark your major as their desired major in the career fair booklet. Be sure to rehearse an elevator pitch before you meet them though. You want to be sure that you can communicate your enthusiasm for the company so the recruiter may consider you for the position you like or when those positions become available in the future.

Blend in, By standing out.- Are you nervous about attending a science based fair because you’re a liberal arts student? Don’t be. That difference can be your unique selling proposition to the employer. Try to find ways to show how you can offer your employer something different based on your major. Think of the creative projects you have worked on, and the technical skills you have learned.

Shoes say a lot about the man (or woman).- Be sure that you are dressed appropriately for the event. If you’re not sure how best to dress, aim for the more conservative approach. This means full business professional dress. Be sure to wear well polished shoes as well. Recruiters often look at this detail to determine if you are someone who thinks about small details like shoes.

No excuses. Play like a champion.- It is fine to tell an employer that you realize that your major is not generally sought after at the particular career fair. However, be sure you have a good grasp of the company’s product before you talk to them.  You want the recruiter to think you know the company well enough that any major related issues could be solved quickly because your transferable skills.

If you get outted leave calmly. Do not run.- Some recruiters simply aren’t comfortable talking to students not in the major they are recruiting for. If this is the case, simply thank the recruiter for his/her time and move on. Don’t take it personally, and don’t cause a scene. Just be polite!

Have fun crashing the career fairs! For more advice, come down to the CCO Stewart 190!

Elevate your life with a great elevator pitch

It doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman or a victory lap senior, you need an elevator pitch. This short, prepared, and rehearsed speech will help you ride the elevator to the top level of your career. Elevator pitches are helpful when running for student organization offices, selling a business idea to a potential investor, speaking with recruiters at career fairs, or speaking with your boss about promotions. They are also perfect for that dreaded and common interview question: “Tell me about yourself.” Below are some guidelines for developing a great elevator pitch.

Review some great pitches. :  One of the best ways to get started on an elevator pitch is to read over some good ones. Create an account on Buzzuka to get a step by step fill in the blank guide for developing an elevator pitch. Be cautious though because the elevator pitch it creates for you needs to be fine tuned. Also check out these sites for some great elevator pitches, as well as some examples of what NOT to do.

Elevator Pitch Examples for college students

Elevator Pitch Strong/Weak Examples

The CCO’s CareerSpots

George Mason University’s personal Pitch

Start with a summary sentence:  You have your audiences’ attention the most at the beginning of your speech. Take advantage of this by hooking them in with a compelling summary of what you plan to tell him/her. This will create enough interest in the person to make them pay attention during the rest of your pitch. You should then make sure the most important information of your speech comes first. This makes sense if you think about it like a news article. Do you read every single article in a newspaper? Of course not! Most of the time you will read the headline and if it interests you read the first paragraph or so.  Remember this when creating your pitch.

Include the important information: Now that you have their attention you must back up how awesome you are with the rest of your pitch. Make sure to include who you are plus a hook. The hook is either something that differentiates you from your competitors, or creates a relationship between you and the audience. Next give your specific objective for the conversation. For example, at a career fair this may be learning about opportunities in your field with that company. When talking about yourself don’t just talk about your interests; show how you put them into action! An example could be how you learned to create QR code while working on a social media project. Make sure you also highlight why you are qualified for the position you want including leadership, expertise, relevant experience, and the impact you made.

Give your audience two options: At the end of the pitch you should give your audience two options. Why two? Most people feel when you only give one option you are not really asking for something but commanding it. If you give them two options they are more likely to commit to one of your options. For example, if you were asking about information on a career at a company you might ask if they can tell you more about positions in that company or put you in contact with someone who can.

Write it down: When creating your elevator speech you may be tempted to put it together in your head. This is not a good idea because you need to be able to remember it to improve your speech. You should also write it out because you want to make sure you are limiting yourself to about 250 words. Any longer than this and your audience will lose interest.

Practice: Once you have written and refined your pitch it’s time to practice! Give your speech to a mirror, your dog, your family and/or your friends. The more you practice the pitch the better you will get at remembering it. Be careful to make sure that you remember your main points to just memorize the speech. Memorized speeches are awkward for everyone involved!  If you are comfortable with your speech you will communicate confidence through your body language.  Be sure to stop by the CCO and practice your pitch. You don’t even have to make an appointment! Just drop in between 10 and 4 on Monday-Friday.

Shocking Real Life Interviews

Since it is April Fool’s Day I wanted to share with you some real interview horror stories. Not only are these stories entertaining but they provide the perfect examples for interview advice as well!

I’d like to begin with one of my own interview mistakes. I was applying for a marketing internship with a meat packing company. The interview was going well until I was asked, “Are you comfortable with the meat packing process?” Before thinking I said, “Yes, I have read The Jungle and none of that really scared me.” Needless to say, I did not move forward with that company LESSON: Think before you speak!

A colleague of mine was interviewing for a position with a company she was really excited about. The interview was a grueling day-long process. She was so excited about the job she asked question upon question at the all of the events prior to the interview. When she finally got into the interview, she was flawless, but then by the end of the interview she was asked if she had any more questions. She replied, “No, they have all been answered.” She was surprised when she didn’t get the job. LESSON: Always save a few unique questions for the interview!  

Another friend had an interview with a company that was a multiday event. At the end of the interview he was out to dinner with the company and was informed that they were very excited about moving forward with him. Feeling elated, the student decided to drink with the interviewers. Before he knew it he was completely drunk and making a fool of himself. The interviewers had been more conservative with their drinks and watched the student’s drunken and very inappropriate actions. After that the student was not surprised when he did not hear back from the company. LESSON: Don’t drink alcohol in excess at any professional function.

A recruiter shared the following story with me. “As a recruiter for a drug company the most common thing I hear that makes me cringe is when a student tells me about the drugs that he or she is on. It does tell me that they are familiar with the company’s products but it also tells me more about the person’s health than I really have a right to know. It honestly scares me a little that they would divulge this information to me. This is the type of mistake that makes me not consider them further.” Lesson: Be honest, but don’t give too much information!

Another recruiter asked an applicant, “Why should I hire you? What would you bring to this role?” Without hesitation the applicant answered, “Because I am AWESOME!” Nothing else. End of answer. The interview went downhill from there. Lesson: Prepare ahead of time for common interview questions.

Finally a former grad student provided this great last interview story. She had applied for a position and had a great interview. Later she received a call from the employer, who told her she would not be offered the position. Without missing a beat, she thanked the interviewer for his time. The interviewer paused for a moment and then told her they wanted to consider her for another position. She has now been in that position happily for 5 years. Lesson: Even if you don’t get the job you for which you applied, a good interview  and good manners can do wonders for your career!

Building a Résumé: It’ like building a house

Whether you’re building a house or a résumé, you’re working on something you want to represent you to the others who see it. It can also be daunting because you have a lot of tools at your disposal, and so many different possible designs. But with a little forethought, you can create a résumé you can be proud of.

Decide on a form before construction: There are many types of résumés out there. The three basic forms are: chronological, functional, and combination. The most commonly recommended type for college students is functional. It allows you to display your skills and experience more than a chronological résumé, which is better suited for job candidates with a solid work history. Use this design to determine what type of information you want on the résumé. The design will also help you determine where you want this information to be placed. For ideas on layout, consult the CCO Handbook.

Use your best materials: Be sure you use your best possible jobs, experiences, leadership positions, and skills on your résumé. Everything that goes on your résumé is fair game for a recruiter to ask you about on an interview. This means you should be prepared with stories that represent your professional abilities about every single item on your résumé. A great way to find these stories is to look for transferable skills you gained from your experience. These are skills that you can “transfer” from one position to another such as skills related to working with people, things, ideas or data.

Be prepared to defend any weak spots: Everyone has a part of their résumé that isn’t as impressive as the reset of the résumé. It may be a lower GPA, limited work experience, few leadership positions, or something else. Be prepared to defend these parts of your résumé, and show reasons for weak spots. For example, a low GPA might be explained by a difficulty adjusting to college life. Explain how you got your grades back on track after developing study skills that were effective for you.

Be prepared to make small outer changes for potential new owners: Sometimes it may be helpful to target your résumé to the company when you apply. Think about it, if you were trying to sell a house and new that a potential buyer had a lot of dogs, you would be keen to show the dog-friendliness of your house. When trying to target your résumé look at the company’s organizational culture. Try to make your résumé reflect the key traits of that organization.

A little bit of maintenance is key: Houses always need a little maintenance, such as repainting or repairing cracks in the wall. The same is true of résumés. Just because you have written it once doesn’t mean you can forget it. Try to go back to your résumé about every 4 months and brainstorm additions you can make, or ways to improve what is already on the résumé. It always helps to get a second opinion, so bring your résumé by the CCO (Stewart 194 Monday-Friday 9-4) for a quick review by our wonderful staff (I am biased, but they really are great).

Is Grad School Right for You?

Like many undergraduates I find that as I advance through the years in college I get more and more mixed messages about graduate school. Is it right for me? What type of degree should I pursue? When should I pursue it? The answers to these questions are personal choices. However, I have found general advice that can help when making your decision to go to graduate school or not.

• Look at your professional goals. Make sure that going to graduate school will fit with your professional goals. Some common reasons to get an advanced degree including wanting: to teach, to conduct research, to switch careers, or to make oneself more marketable. One of the best ways of determining how grad school fits with your professional goals is to speak with professors in your field. Express your feelings to them on going into grad school and ask their advice on the how, when and what questions.  The professors may be able to help you make an informed decision. They can be helpful when you gather recommendation letters as well.

• Don’t go just for the money. Articles abound on the internet that state the net worth of an MBA, MA, Ph.D. And the news isn’t always positive. The best way to avoid paying a lot of money for a wall ornament is to carefully research how a specific degree will help you earn more. Don’t expect an MBA to be a cure-all for your salary. Instead look at many different types of degrees and how others have used them in your field of interest.

 

• Don’t use grad school as a way to avoid the real world. Many graduate schools see a rise in applicants when the economy is low, as it is now. However, grad school is not an escape from the real world. If you don’t enter grad school with focus, you could find yourself in the same place job-search-wise two years later, with lots more debt.

• Prepare to commit to school. Graduate level classes are more difficult than undergraduate classes. This can make going to school after college more appealing, as recent college grads usually have fewer family commitments and have sharp study skills. A different dimension of commitment is being prepared to remain on a college student budget. Grad students don’t make a lot of money during school so be sure you can commit yourself to this type of lifestyle.

• Don’t let the cost of tuition get in your way. Tuition at any graduate school is expensive. But don’t let this make the decision for you. The world abounds with scholarships, assistantships, and other sources of financial aid. If you make the decision to go to graduate school be sure to speak to the financial aid office when you tour potential campuses. They can be a wealth of information. Also don’t forget to fill out your FAFSA forms!

The above points of advice are not easy statements to evaluate. Deciding on the when, what, and how of grad school is a very difficult process. However, by determining your wants and needs for an advanced career you will give yourself the most opportunities for professional development and the highest chance for success. The following resources can help you look at different programs:

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools

http://www.gradschool.purdue.edu/students/prospective/resources.cfm

http://www.quintcareers.com/grad_school.html