Hey everyone! Whether you're graduating, still in school or alumni, networking is key. Read this article about the importance of networking and how LinkedIn can help! Plus a quote by CSC's CPP Nate.

http://blogs.usfca.edu/its/2013/04/24/80-of-jobs-are-found-through-networking-linkedin-can-help/

Don't Put It Off

Lately a lot of non-Freshman students have been coming into drop ins with high school experience on their resume and this is a problem. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you are not going to get a job if you only have high school experience. These students look very desperate and scared when I tell them they need to take their high school stuff off and I understand their anxiety but it's my job to give them a reality check. So for any of you out there who are freshman (or beyond) and haven't been doing anything on campus, START NOW. I made the mistake of not doing anything on campus until spring semester of my sophomore year and now I need to get a lot of experience started in a short amount of time. Now, for those of you who are rising Juniors or Seniors, you're going to need to work even harder. First, join some on campus clubs and organizations! It's easy, they usually only meet once a week and it never hurts to make more connections. Second, get some off campus volunteer experience, preferably something related to what you want to do in the future. Third, get an on or off campus job ASAP. Fourth, internships. For internships you're going to need experience and relevant coursework so by following the previous steps you'll have the foundations of experience for an internship, which are key to getting a job after graduation.
A lot of people tell me they don't have time to do these things because of schoolwork and to them I have to say that that is untrue. I know many students who work hard academically and still have a strong activities and experience section on their resume. Your social life may need to become a slightly smaller part of your life but it will be worth it in the long run. I don't want to make anyone panic but for most of you there is still time so get going!

Advice from the Professional Todd Slattengren of Travelers

Todd Slattengren, CPCU |  Account Executive | Travelers National Accounts spoke at got a job/internship lunch celebration on May 2 and left both the interns and new graduates with some great advice listed bellow. All great things to know for student that got internships or jobs. 

USF – Got a Job/Internship Lunch Celebration – May 2

Advice for Interns

*Congratulations – This is a long interview process for both your employer and YOU. 

*Be an enthusiastic member of the team.  Make sure you are completing the projects/tasks they specifically ask you to do on time and done right.  Once you do that, I encourage you to raise your hand to volunteer for additional projects/assignments, teams, etc.

*learn the Internal culture – don’t assume, ask around if you are not sure

*Take advantage of opportunities to meet people in other divisions, units, departments, clients/peers.  Be prepared for the meetings and ask for business cards if available.

*Maintain list of contacts you made within the company during your internship; be sure to thank all of them at the end of the internship.  At minimum, ask your Supervisor/Manager for a letter of Recommendation.

*Stay in contact with your Manager/Supervisor next year, even after the internship.  Your engagement will help you stand apart from other interns or potential new hires.

*Establish a LinkedIn Profile, and be careful what you post on Facebook!!

*Interviews – sign up for all you apply for, learn about the company/role, ask questions during the interview, Thank the person afterwards (email, hand-written note, do not call)

*use the USF Alumni network to build your personal Network to help in your job search

*Keep an open mind – you may not land your “dream job” right away, or your “dream job” might not exist right now. 

Advice for Graduates/New Job

*Congratulations – this is an exciting and nerve racking time in your life. 

*Embrace change – it will be your only constant through the next 40-50 years

*Be attentive to the requirements and expectations of your job.  Raise your hand to volunteer for projects, assignments, committees but only if you can handle your current responsibilities well.

*Seek out Feedback from your Manager/Supervisor (Formal as well as Informal)

*Set up and Invest in a retirement plan – 401k, IRA, 403B, etc.  If your employer offers a match, put in at least as much as needed to earn the company match.  You are giving away free money if you do not do that.

*Adapt to the Company culture (work style in office/mobile, dress code, participation, etc.)

*Continue Professional Development in your field, especially if your company supports it

*Pros of Millennial Generation – Technologically advanced, adaptable to flexible work schedule, highly conscious to social and environmental issues

*Cons of Millennial Generation – Impatient/overconfident, sense of entitlement, cannot handle constructive criticism

*Seek out Mentors (within the Company/Organization) and outside as well.  They do not have to be in the same industry, in fact there are a lot of benefits of having a mentor in a different industry

*use the USF Alumni network to build your personal Network – also, join and be active and available for the students coming up behind you

*keep an open mind – opportunities may come up that requires you to relocate to another state or internationally – could be short term or permanent

*Be engaged in your community – education, healthcare, Arts/Music, Environmental causes

*Money is not everything and the key to all happiness – in time, you will find the right mix for you regarding compensation, benefits, challenging and engaging work, fit in company that matches your core values, work/life balance

*Establish a LinkedIn Profile, and be careful what you post on Facebook!!

 -Nate

"Take the Advice of a Senior" - Now What?

Matthew Percival a USF senior graduating in May 2013 has written a great article in the Foghorn that everyone should read. He is giving advice to those freshman and sophomore from his experience. Please take his advice to heart and think about your future. MAKE USE OF YOUR FREE TIME & GET AN INTERNSHIP!!! PREPARE!!!

Read his article (link posted bellow):

http://foghorn.usfca.edu/2013/04/graduating-senior-asks-peers-now-what/

And please stop by our office just to see how we can help you! I am sure we can help you in one way or another. Stop by for a quick 15 minute appointment during drop in hours Monday - Friday 11am to 2pm. Located UC 5floor. Or contact us at 415-422-6216 or careeerservices@usfca.edu

Have a great week! And think its "your future."

Aloha,
Nate

Summer Internships!

This week I wanted to write about something that's been on my mind and probably on many of your minds as well. SUMMER. I'm excited for summer but it's also stressful trying to figure out productive plans during that free time. So far, I've applied to about 7 internships, I've been rejected from one and I have an interview with another. I haven't heard back from a lot of the others, even though I sent a follow up email. My point is, apply to a variety because summer internships are competitive. 

Here are the steps to finding an internship smoothly:

1. Come into our office and perfect your resume (please bring a hardcopy)! 

2. Look for positions on DonsCareers, Internship Exchange (UCAN) and other internship websites (resources can be found on our website). You can also look up some of your favorite companies and see if they're hiring, keep in mind you'll probably be at the bottom of the totem poll doing classic intern duties like coffee and filing. 

3. Schedule an appointment with one of our counselors to get help on your cover letters. Keep in mind you'll need to print out the job descriptions for all the positions you're applying for and bring them to your appointment.

4. Update and contact your references about the positions you're applying for; collect letters of recommendation if you need them.  

5. Begin practicing your interview skills either on your own or through a mock interview with our office. 

6. Buy professional clothes for interviews. Guidelines on our website. 

7. After you've applied, you can send a follow up email 2 weeks later, checking in and expressing your continued interest in the position. 

8. If you get an interview, send a thank you letter soon after (examples can be found on our website). 

2nd Annual Best SeniorLinkedIn Profile Contest!!!!

HEY SENIORS: 

It's that time of year again!

The Career Services Center is proud to announce the 

 ~ 2nd Annual Best SeniorLinkedIn Profile Contest ~

Contest Dates: April 1 - 28, 2013

1st Place Prize - Kindle & USF Leather Portfolio
2nd Place Prize - USF Gift Basket ($50 value)
3rd Place Prize - USF Leather Portfolio

Contest Rules:
* In order to be considered for the contest you must connect with Ellen Kelly Daley (Associate Director of USF's Career Services Center)
* When adding Ellen as a connection, add in the personal message that you are applying for the contest
* Last Day to add Ellen as a connection and to be considered for the Contest is Friday April 28th at 11:59pm
* Tip for success: A more complete LinkedIn profile has the best chances of winning!

For help with your LinkedIn profile, resume, or any other career related services, please visit the Career Services Center, UC 5th Floor, www.usfca.edu/career, 415-422-6216. Drop-In hours Monday - Friday, 11 am - 2 pm.

Also, be sure to "Like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Interview Workshop and Professional Dress

Hi everyone, 

There was a big turnout at Ellen's CSC Interview Workshop and the information was relevant for all of us undergraduates so I thought I would share some of the highlights. 

The interview process can be really stressful and many students avoid applying to jobs for fear of the interview. It doesn't have to be so scary however, if you follow the advice Ellen gives. First, be on time, have a good handshake, smile and make eye contact. All of these things may seem obvious but they make a huge impression. There are a list of interview questions you can find on our website here. You should go through these and write out answers for each one in the days before your interview because you could be asked any of them. Ellen taught us the STAR system, situation, task, action and result. In your responses give specific examples of your experience and use these 4 points as a guideline, addressing each.

Professional dress was one part of Ellen's presentation that I believe it would be important to highlight here because after the career fair it seems obvious many people are not aware of how to dress professionally. To me, professional dress seems daunting and to be honest I don't have much professional apparel at the moment. I'm planning on going downtown to buy some things to be prepared for my summer internship interviews. Some stores for professional clothes are H&M, Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx and Macy's. You can find some great professional clothes, even on a budget. All of these stores also sell the opposite of professional clothes so be very careful in your selections, keep it conservative and don't show a lot of skin. My boss said to our office last week, "the more skin you show, the more you're viewed according to your gender, not as a professional." Professional dress may be a very sexist institution but in order to succeed you need to dress as much like a man as you can without seeming androgynous/we need to play this to our advantage and use dress to benefit us, not have it work against us. Your rule of thumb should be: if you would wear it out, it's not professional. A mistake many young women make is wearing high heels.Heels should be no more than 1-2 inches, keep it kitten. Men, you have it easy, a classy suit is all you need to worry about having. You can go here for a prezi on how to dress professionally. You can also find the video of Ellen's workshop here. 

 

Kelleen