What kinds of behaviors and attitudes seperate successful people from average people? 9 simple ways to change your mindset and become more inclined toward success!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Improve the Look of Your Resume: Tips from a Graphic Designer
By Angela Cooley
No matter what field you’re going into, attention to the visual details of your resume are important. The resume is often the first thing an employer sees when considering a candidate and creates a lasting first impression before you even set foot in an interview. Now, a spruced-up design won’t magically make a sub-par resume more impressive, but it will reflect how you present yourself and the pride you take in your work. With just a few simple tweaks, you can set yourself apart from similarly-qualified competitors—all without leaving the conservative “comfort zone” most industries demand.
This week's tip: Create a visual hierarchy.
Good organization should be the backbone of any resume design; it's extremely important that the reader be able to easily find specific information at a glance (employers don't exactly spend hours poring over each applicant's qualifications). What this means for us is that we need to establish headings and sub-headings that clearly distinguish each section of your resume from each other. You have a whole arsenal of tricks at your disposal!
- Font choice
- Font size
- ALL CAPS
- Bold
- Italic
- Underline
- Color
- Spacing/indentation
Sound simple enough? Good! Work on polishing that resume and stay tuned for more little tips that can make a big difference!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Thanks to everyone who attended Career Week! It was an amazing success! Sincerely, everyone in the @purdueLACD team
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Thanks to everyone who attended Career Week! It was an amazing success! Sincerely, everyone in the @purdueLACD team
Lesson Learned from Career Week
By: Caitlin Charles
Before Career Week 2011 began, the LACD team had set certain goals on what we hoped to accomplish throughout the week. One of those goals in particular was to raise our average event attendance from 15 the previous year, to 25. This coming week we are going to be crunching the numbers and tallying the results to see exactly how Career Week turned out, but I can already tell we are going to be much closer to our goal of 25. The lesson I learned during the week however, was one of quantity versus quality. I noticed this during, what I feel was one of our more successful events, Get LinkedIn.
Set up in the Beering lobby from 10:00am to 2:00pm on Wednesday, I went into the day hoping that we would have a very large number of students stop by to sign up for LinkedIn accounts, or ask questions. I found that the success of this event, however, was not measured by the number of students who stopped by during those hours, but the quality of help we were able to give to each one. We had a fairly steady attendance of students, and we ended up with around 20 total at the event. While under our original goal of 25, I left that event later in the day feeling so proud of what we had done. I was able to sit down and spend about 15 to 20 minutes with each student, fully developing each of their account's and answering all of their questions. While I am no "expert" myself, as I learned in the LinkedIn Workshop later in the afternoon, I felt that each student left feeling more comfortable and confident in their ability to use LinkedIn to network, and gaining LACD as a resource for their professional lives. While however cliche it may sound, it truly felt good to sit down with my peers and help them utilize LinkedIn as a networking resource, and see them get excited about all of the connections they were going to make.
With Hotbox Pizza and Hungry Boiler there to join us and support us, in addition to how successful I felt this particular event went, Get LinkedIn has been set as my "lesson learned" and my favorite Career Week 2011 event.
Before Career Week 2011 began, the LACD team had set certain goals on what we hoped to accomplish throughout the week. One of those goals in particular was to raise our average event attendance from 15 the previous year, to 25. This coming week we are going to be crunching the numbers and tallying the results to see exactly how Career Week turned out, but I can already tell we are going to be much closer to our goal of 25. The lesson I learned during the week however, was one of quantity versus quality. I noticed this during, what I feel was one of our more successful events, Get LinkedIn.
Set up in the Beering lobby from 10:00am to 2:00pm on Wednesday, I went into the day hoping that we would have a very large number of students stop by to sign up for LinkedIn accounts, or ask questions. I found that the success of this event, however, was not measured by the number of students who stopped by during those hours, but the quality of help we were able to give to each one. We had a fairly steady attendance of students, and we ended up with around 20 total at the event. While under our original goal of 25, I left that event later in the day feeling so proud of what we had done. I was able to sit down and spend about 15 to 20 minutes with each student, fully developing each of their account's and answering all of their questions. While I am no "expert" myself, as I learned in the LinkedIn Workshop later in the afternoon, I felt that each student left feeling more comfortable and confident in their ability to use LinkedIn to network, and gaining LACD as a resource for their professional lives. While however cliche it may sound, it truly felt good to sit down with my peers and help them utilize LinkedIn as a networking resource, and see them get excited about all of the connections they were going to make.
With Hotbox Pizza and Hungry Boiler there to join us and support us, in addition to how successful I felt this particular event went, Get LinkedIn has been set as my "lesson learned" and my favorite Career Week 2011 event.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Twitter 101: Key Terms
By Megan Fingert It was such an honor and privilege to speak to students on Social Media day during Career Week 2011. My fellow panelists and I realized after our discussion that many of you may have been lost when we used some Twitter Jargon during our discussion. Because I firmly believe in the power of Social Media in professional brand building, I thought it might be interesting to bring you a series of posts that give you a breadth of information regarding my favorite tool: Twitter.
In your classes, you might receive Key Terms, or definitions, from a book or from your professor that you must memorize or be familiar with if you want to master the material. Twitter is the same way. So, here is a list of 4 key terms that every new tweeter should know.
Hashtag \hæʃtæg\
1. noun. a word or phrase following a hash symbol, #, that allows twitter users to better organize and categorize their tweets for optimum exposure
Example: Does anyone have a ticket to tonight’s basketball game that they would sell me? #purdue #boilermakers #basketball #BoilerUp
Mention \ˈmen(t)-shən\
1. noun. when someone places the username of another twitter user into their tweet as to call attention to them or to send them a message
Example: @PurdueLACD Where can I find the lsit of businesses that attended today’s career fair?
Example: It was so nice to see @CRRipley in class today!
Egg \ˈeg, ˈāg\
1. noun. what a twitter user is called when they have not updated their profile with a picture, referring to the standard egg image that serves as a placeholder for your image until you upload one.
Trending Topic \ˈtrending tä-pik\
1. a hash tag, word, or phrase that has been mentioned an incredible amount by twitter users in a particular area or across the world.
I hope some of these definitions help you as you discover the professional powers of Twitter! Thank you again to our students and sponsors alike for your support for Career Development and Liberal Arts Career Week 2011.
Professional Forum and Career Fair is Today
The grand finale! #purdueLAcareerweek2011 Job Fair and Professional Forum! Bring your resume to PMU 118 starting at 11 and impress recruiters! http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Looking for the list of companies who are going to be at the Career Fair tomorrow? Check out this link: http://bit.ly/geNLxB
Looking for the list of companies who are going to be at the Career Fair tomorrow? Check out this link: http://bit.ly/geNLxB
Today is Community Engagement Day!
#purdueLAcareerweek2011 It's Community Engagement Day! Today’s events: Volunteer Fair in PMU 118. Get involved with some excellent nonprofit organizations from the West Lafayette community. http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Quick Take: Speed Intervewing Boot Camp!
I'm not sure how many of our readers made it out to speed interviewing on Tuesday night, but the event was excellent! We had about 20 students in attendance and 9 amazing companies. The students were all given approximately 3 minutes to chat with the representatives and give their answers to real life interview questions. After the student provided an answer, the representative gave immediate feedback on the answer, explaining why it was a good or sub-par answer. The students all seemed very excited for the opportunity to practice their interviewing skills. No doubt LACD director Lisa's favorite part was blowing the whistle that indicated the end of a round. The whistle kid of sounded like a train and we joked that the people outside were going to think that Boilermaker Special was going through the Union!
If you missed out, Try and make it to our future events this week! There's much more to learn and some great career opportunities just around the corner!
If you missed out, Try and make it to our future events this week! There's much more to learn and some great career opportunities just around the corner!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
A thousand thanks to Hungry Boiler for sponsoring Social Media Day!
We want to give a big shout out to Nick at Hungry Boiler for sponsoring social media day today. Nick is amazing to work with and so generous! Please follow him on twitter @HungryBoiler or go to hungryboiler.com to recieve great deals on local Lafayette restaurants! #purduelacareerweek2011
The Last Two Days!
by: Adam Beasley
Career Week is going great so far because you guys keep coming out to events! We've had a ton of great events already this week. On Monday, we had a talk with LACD Director Lisa Lambert Snodgrass about resumes and how to get them ready for your next job interview. Then, we had a great resume workshop with the CCO after that. We also got to hear from Yvonne Harvey Williams, one of the featured speakers of this week and Monster.com #1 speaker. She talked about how hard work and dedication can overcome any odds when it comes to shaping your future.
On Tuesday, we had another set of talks that mostly focused on finances and how you can prepare to handle money in the future. We also hosted a Speed Interviewing Boot Camp to help students sharpen their interviewing skills. My favorite event during the day was Roger Stewart's talk about negotiating a salary and benefits once you get a job offer. I would have never knew that could "seek to understand", which is asking without challenging, if I could get a higher salary. Even more than that, I would never have thought to try to negotiate my benefits. I would have just taken the money and ran!
If you haven't been able to attend any of our events yet this week, you still have a chance. We have five events going on today as well as the Volunteer Fair on Thursday and the Career Fair on Friday. Visit our website for more information at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/students/careers/. Remember to keep coming to events so you can get your five stamps and be entered in for a chance to win a free iPad!! If you tag us in a tweet you will also be eligible to win other prizes such as gift cards or breadsticks and pizza for a year.
Career Week is going great so far because you guys keep coming out to events! We've had a ton of great events already this week. On Monday, we had a talk with LACD Director Lisa Lambert Snodgrass about resumes and how to get them ready for your next job interview. Then, we had a great resume workshop with the CCO after that. We also got to hear from Yvonne Harvey Williams, one of the featured speakers of this week and Monster.com #1 speaker. She talked about how hard work and dedication can overcome any odds when it comes to shaping your future.
On Tuesday, we had another set of talks that mostly focused on finances and how you can prepare to handle money in the future. We also hosted a Speed Interviewing Boot Camp to help students sharpen their interviewing skills. My favorite event during the day was Roger Stewart's talk about negotiating a salary and benefits once you get a job offer. I would have never knew that could "seek to understand", which is asking without challenging, if I could get a higher salary. Even more than that, I would never have thought to try to negotiate my benefits. I would have just taken the money and ran!
If you haven't been able to attend any of our events yet this week, you still have a chance. We have five events going on today as well as the Volunteer Fair on Thursday and the Career Fair on Friday. Visit our website for more information at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/students/careers/. Remember to keep coming to events so you can get your five stamps and be entered in for a chance to win a free iPad!! If you tag us in a tweet you will also be eligible to win other prizes such as gift cards or breadsticks and pizza for a year.
Today is Social Media day! We've got some amazing events planned! Click the link the learn more!!
#purdueLAcareerweek2011 Social Media Day! Today’s events: Get LinkedIn, Tweet Your Way to a Pro. Identity, LinkedIn Workshop, and guest speaker Kyle Lacy! http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Today is Financial Matters Day!
Today is #purdueLAcareerweek2011 Financial Matters Day! Today’s events: The Art of Salary Negotiation, Finding Balance in Your Budget and Speed Interview Boot Camp for a full schedule of events visit: http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Don't forget to vote for your favorite elevator pitch!
Visit http://tinyurl.com/4d6ot6z to see yesterday's elevator pitch contestants! Vote for winner at cla.purdue.edu/LACW! The winner recieves a free suit and shopping experience at JC Penney!
Thanks for participating in Mondays Events!
We had a great turn out for Monday's Career Basics Day! Hope you enjoyed our live tweets from the events. Be sure to check out the events for the rest of the week at http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Monday, February 21, 2011
Career Week is Here!
By Angela Cooley
That's right everyone, it's finally here! We've had some great events this morning already. The day started with our Elevator Pitch Contest, where students gave it their all in front of the camera - be sure to view their YouTube videos and vote for your favorite. The winner gets a free suit from JC Penney! Liberal Arts Career Development Director Lisa Lambert Snodgrass gave students tips on resume writing at "Keeping Your Resume Out of the Circular File," and Stephanie Farlow explained how to use CCO Express to its fullest in her presentation, "Maximizing Your Job Search Using the Web." The CCO also offered critiques to help students fine-tune their resumes.
There's still more to come! Tonight at 6PM, nationally acclaimed speaker Yvonne Harvey Williams will present "How to Actively Engage in Your Job Search" in Lawson 1142. Yvonne speaks from her own personal experiences to inspire others to pursue their dreams; when she visited Purdue in the fall of 2009, I was wowed by her life story. I know I can't wait to hear her speak tonight! A reception with food provided by HungryBoiler.com will be held in the Lawson lobby prior to the presentation.
And this is just day 1! Remember, if you attend 5 events throughout the week you can enter to win a free iPad provided by www.BoilerCribs.com! Simply pick up an event scorecard and get it stamped by a Career Development rep at the end of each event. Once you get your 5 stamps, turn it in before 5PM on Thursday, February 24 to enter the drawing. Check out our full schedule of events and get to work filling up those scorecards!
That's right everyone, it's finally here! We've had some great events this morning already. The day started with our Elevator Pitch Contest, where students gave it their all in front of the camera - be sure to view their YouTube videos and vote for your favorite. The winner gets a free suit from JC Penney! Liberal Arts Career Development Director Lisa Lambert Snodgrass gave students tips on resume writing at "Keeping Your Resume Out of the Circular File," and Stephanie Farlow explained how to use CCO Express to its fullest in her presentation, "Maximizing Your Job Search Using the Web." The CCO also offered critiques to help students fine-tune their resumes.
There's still more to come! Tonight at 6PM, nationally acclaimed speaker Yvonne Harvey Williams will present "How to Actively Engage in Your Job Search" in Lawson 1142. Yvonne speaks from her own personal experiences to inspire others to pursue their dreams; when she visited Purdue in the fall of 2009, I was wowed by her life story. I know I can't wait to hear her speak tonight! A reception with food provided by HungryBoiler.com will be held in the Lawson lobby prior to the presentation.
And this is just day 1! Remember, if you attend 5 events throughout the week you can enter to win a free iPad provided by www.BoilerCribs.com! Simply pick up an event scorecard and get it stamped by a Career Development rep at the end of each event. Once you get your 5 stamps, turn it in before 5PM on Thursday, February 24 to enter the drawing. Check out our full schedule of events and get to work filling up those scorecards!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Tomorrow is the Big Day! Career Week begins!!
Career Basics Day begins tomorrow morning! Get ready for an amazing week! http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Personal Professional Branding
In anticipation of Kyle Lacy coming to Purdue and Career Week in general, I have started thinking about my own personal brand and professional identity, especially on the internet. Going into Career Week events, it is important to have an idea of who you are and how you would sell yourself as a professional individual. With our kick-off event being the elevator pitch contest in the Beering Lobby Monday morning, this would be a great opportunity to think about your personal professional brand and how you would incorporate that into an elevator pitch. Kyle Lacy, the author of "Twitter Marketing for Dummies" and more recently "Branding Yourself" will then be speaking on Wednesday about using social media to land a job. We will learn that an online, social media brand is a very important asset when going into the job market. In preparation for these events, I have looked at Kyle Lacy's list of 10 Ways to Maximize LinkedIn for Personal Branding as a resource, and would like to highlight a few points.
1. Complete as much of your profile as possible. Spending the time to fill in that information will allow your connections to not only see all of the great information you have added, but that you took the time to really take advantage of this outlet. Your LinkedIn profile acts as a personal resume that your connections can see without you having to have an opportunity to give it to them, so it is important to do it right.
2.Utilize the recommendation tool. Testimonies are such a strong influence and a great resource to promote yourself. Letting others speak for you can allow your connections to get to know you as a professional, and learn what they can not from your resume content alone.
3. Use the status updates. Taking a moment to update a status keeps your profile in view of your networking connections more frequently. So, when the time comes that that connection may be looking to hire, your name and profile are always fresh in their mind.
Time flies when you are preparing for Career Week!
T minus 24 hours until Career Week begins! There is still time to sign up! http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Saturday, February 19, 2011
It's Not to Late to Sign up for Career Week Events!!
Get excited for all the awesome events we have planned next week! Career Week starts on Monday! Log onto http://bit.ly/g1o4zI to sign up for the events!
What a Young Professional Can Learn from Our Sponsors
By Megan Fingert
Career Week, beginning on Monday, will offer countless opportunities for you to network and begin building your professional brand. Though, our amazing events and guest speakers aren’t the only places you can learn. In fact, you can learn a lot from the beautiful speaker gifts we will present to our guest speakers donated Follett’s Bookstores and University Bookstore and even from our grand prize iPad donated by Boiler Cribs.
Career Week, beginning on Monday, will offer countless opportunities for you to network and begin building your professional brand. Though, our amazing events and guest speakers aren’t the only places you can learn. In fact, you can learn a lot from the beautiful speaker gifts we will present to our guest speakers donated Follett’s Bookstores and University Bookstore and even from our grand prize iPad donated by Boiler Cribs.
We have been so incredibly honored by the support we have been given by local business owners right here in Lafayette. Their generosity is an example you should always follow throughout your professional life. Whether it’s sponsoring a Little League team or provide food for a local event, philanthropic efforts can help you in more than one way. Of course, everyone enjoys the extra advertising, but more importantly it builds a reputation that is more lasting than any well-placed logo. As one of your peers, I think it’s important that you know which companies and businesses in our community were so excited at the prospect of helping you to develop a professional network and brand. So, when you attend an event this week, I urge you to pay special attention to the page within our event programs that contains the list of our sponsors.
These companies have left such a positive impression not only on the LACD team, but also on countless faculty, staff, and students at Purdue. Their charitable actions make the choice to visit their businesses an easy one and a frequent one.
I hope that you’ll take the time to show your support for these generous supporters just as they have shown support for your future career. I also hope that, in that future career, you will make the same choice to give back to your patrons and the greater community. It will bring you business karma that is invaluable.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Career week countdown 3 days!
Career week countdown 3 days! Sign up for events at http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Next Friday is the Career Fair and Professional Forum!
Get your resumes printed and ytour business cards ready because you are about to network with some amazing companies! http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Career week countdown 4 days!
We are four days away from the beginning of Career Week! Look for an insert in tomorrow's issue of the Purdue Exponent for more information about our awesome events. Or just visit: Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
One week from today is the LA Career Week Volunteer Fair!
Next Thursday is the Volunteer Fair. Get involved in the West Lafayette community and expand your leadership skills! http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Resumes Resumes Resumes....
By: Stephanie Grebe
The first event is called "Keeping Your Resume Out of the Circular File aka Trash Can," by Lisa Lambert-Snodgrass, Career Development Director. This will break down resume building from the beginning and walk you through the best way to showcase your experience.
If you already have a good start on your resume, you can take it to our Resume Review, where the CCO will be helping students tweak some of the details on their resumes.
These events are both in PMU 118 on Monday, February 21st. Don't let the thesaurus ruin your resume! Visit cla.purdue.edu/LACW for the full schedule of events and to register!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Preparing for a Job Interview!
Preparing for a Job Interview! (A Chronicle of My Intense Week!)
By Christina Ripley
This week I received an email from a company asking me to interview for a summer internship position. I was really excited because the company does some really cool projects, but at the same time, really nervous! I have never really been intensely interviewed for a position before. For most of my jobs, the company has already decided that they are going to hire me and they do an cursory interview (just to make sure I'm not psychotic or anything). This was a chance to put everything I've learned so far at Career Development to work!
Here's what I've been up to this week:
1) Putting together a print portfolio- Just so the interviewer could get a good idea of the kind of work I have done in the past. I wanted it to look really professional so I designed it to match my personal website.
2) Research the company- I looked up past projects they had completed, their mission statement and tried to learn a bit about the top guys. That way, it will be easier for me to relate my interview answers directly to the company. It also makes you seem more interested in the job!
3) Think about potential interview questions- Not that you want to sound robotic during the interview, but it's always good to anticipate some questions so you aren't caught off guard.
4) Create questions you want to ask the interviewer- Ask about his favorite project or who the ideal employee would be. It gives him a chance to talk and makes you seem more interested and personable.
5) Go shopping!- I bought a really cute, new outfit. Let's just hope it gives me the extra confidence boost I need!
Alright everyone! Wish me luck tomorrow!
By Christina Ripley
This week I received an email from a company asking me to interview for a summer internship position. I was really excited because the company does some really cool projects, but at the same time, really nervous! I have never really been intensely interviewed for a position before. For most of my jobs, the company has already decided that they are going to hire me and they do an cursory interview (just to make sure I'm not psychotic or anything). This was a chance to put everything I've learned so far at Career Development to work!
Here's what I've been up to this week:
1) Putting together a print portfolio- Just so the interviewer could get a good idea of the kind of work I have done in the past. I wanted it to look really professional so I designed it to match my personal website.
2) Research the company- I looked up past projects they had completed, their mission statement and tried to learn a bit about the top guys. That way, it will be easier for me to relate my interview answers directly to the company. It also makes you seem more interested in the job!
3) Think about potential interview questions- Not that you want to sound robotic during the interview, but it's always good to anticipate some questions so you aren't caught off guard.
4) Create questions you want to ask the interviewer- Ask about his favorite project or who the ideal employee would be. It gives him a chance to talk and makes you seem more interested and personable.
5) Go shopping!- I bought a really cute, new outfit. Let's just hope it gives me the extra confidence boost I need!
Alright everyone! Wish me luck tomorrow!
Social media master, Kyle Lacy, will be at Purdue for LA Career Week next Wednesday
Check out the latest post from next Wednesday’s guest speaker Kyle Lacy at http://kylelacy.com/. Follow his twitter @kyleplacy
Next Wednesday is Social Media Day! #purdueLAcareerweek2011
Next Wednesday is Social Media Day! Learn how to use Twitter and Facebook to your professional advantage http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Why it's important to go to Career Week.
by: Adam Beasley
We all know it's coming up fast...the dreaded job search. Some of us have already started it and some of us need to get started. This semester I have been talking to a lot of my friends and classmates about their job searches and how they are doing when it comes to finding a job. From what I have found, I have concluded that there are two types of people out there. First, the people who buckle down and find a job. They start looking during the junior year and by senior year either through internships or intense searching they have secured a job. The second type of people wait until their last semester in college to try to find their job. This is the category that most people fall into including myself. It just seems like something that should be put off so that you don't have to go through all the worrying and stress. This post is intended for those people in the second type.
The time is here. We all have to go out and find our futures. Some much rides on us finding a job that we can excel at and create a life around. Now that it is time for us to start finding these jobs it is important that we are prepared to beat out the other competitors when we are applying for those jobs. This is where Career Week , "The 9 to 5 Know How" comes into play. Next week, during the week of February 21st through the 25th, the College of Liberal Arts Career Development will be hosting a career week. Throughout the week you will be able to sharpen your job acquiring skills so that you are able to land that dream job you know you have to have. There will be events that will help make your resumes and cover letters as good as they can be. You can also learn how to balance all your finances and negotiate a starting salary. There will be a variety of speakers that will tell you tips and tricks on how you can mold your job search to fit your style and excel over all the rest. It's not time to panic yet, there is still time to find a great job. You just have to be prepared when the opportunity presents itself and that starts with attending events at this year's Career Week.
We all know it's coming up fast...the dreaded job search. Some of us have already started it and some of us need to get started. This semester I have been talking to a lot of my friends and classmates about their job searches and how they are doing when it comes to finding a job. From what I have found, I have concluded that there are two types of people out there. First, the people who buckle down and find a job. They start looking during the junior year and by senior year either through internships or intense searching they have secured a job. The second type of people wait until their last semester in college to try to find their job. This is the category that most people fall into including myself. It just seems like something that should be put off so that you don't have to go through all the worrying and stress. This post is intended for those people in the second type.
The time is here. We all have to go out and find our futures. Some much rides on us finding a job that we can excel at and create a life around. Now that it is time for us to start finding these jobs it is important that we are prepared to beat out the other competitors when we are applying for those jobs. This is where Career Week , "The 9 to 5 Know How" comes into play. Next week, during the week of February 21st through the 25th, the College of Liberal Arts Career Development will be hosting a career week. Throughout the week you will be able to sharpen your job acquiring skills so that you are able to land that dream job you know you have to have. There will be events that will help make your resumes and cover letters as good as they can be. You can also learn how to balance all your finances and negotiate a starting salary. There will be a variety of speakers that will tell you tips and tricks on how you can mold your job search to fit your style and excel over all the rest. It's not time to panic yet, there is still time to find a great job. You just have to be prepared when the opportunity presents itself and that starts with attending events at this year's Career Week.
Next Tuesday is Financial Matters Day!
One week from today is Financial Matters Day! Learn about salary negotiations, budgeting and speed interviewing! Don't miss out! Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Monday, February 14, 2011
Do you have your resume ready? 7 days until LA Career Week http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Next Monday is Career Basics Day aka Day One of Purdue Liberal Arts Career Week. Get personalized tips from Purdue staff members on improving your resume, enter the elevator pitch contest and win a free suit from JC Penney and learn job search tips. Career Week begins in 7 days! Get excited for an amazing set of events! http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Perfect Your Elevator Pitch and Win a Free Business Suit
By Angela Cooley
Your "elevator pitch" is a brief summary of who you are and what you can do, and as the name suggests, it shouldn't last any longer than a standard elevator ride. Whether you're networking with industry contacts or you've finally reached the front of the line at that job fair booth, you truly only have a few moments to make a stellar first impression and hook that person in to want to learn more about you. So, what does it take to craft a great elevator pitch?
1. Be brief. Don't launch into a huge list of everything you've done and try to recreate your resume; an overlong spiel will make your audience wish you would stop talking, which is exactly the opposite of what you're trying to achieve. Keep it down to 60 seconds or so.
2. Play up your most relevant skills and experiences. If you're having a hard time deciding what you can say that packs the most punch, brainstorm and create a list of all the good qualities, skills, and experiences you have to offer. Then, it's time for the elimination round: cut the list in half. Get rid of redundancies and focus on the claims that have the most evidence to back them up (saying you're "motivated" or "hardworking" isn't going to do any good if you can't think of an example of that trait in action). This isn't, however, just a platform on which to wax poetic about how awesome you are; make sure to convey how your skills can benefit the company.
3. Be flexible. Just like your resume, your pitch can (and should) be tailored to match your audience. Prepare a few different speeches for different situations, and if you know who you're going to be talking to, research the company and make sure to speak to the qualities they value.
4. Practice, practice, practice. Trot out your little speech as often as possible so it comes naturally, even when you're anxious. Try videotaping yourself so you can pick out nervous fidgeting or rushed speaking that you might not notice otherwise.
5. Don't fizzle out at the end. Concluding with "and, um, I guess that's it" isn't going to impress anyone. End your moment in the spotlight with a request to exchange business cards or meet for an interview, depending on the situation.
It's time to polish up those pitches! On Monday, February 21, Liberal Arts Career Week will kick of with an Elevator Pitch Contest in the Beering lobby. Entrants will pitch to our camera crew and videos will be posted to our YouTube channel for voting. The student with the top video will win a shopping session with JC Penney for a free business suit! Join us next Monday in the main lobby of Beering between 10AM - 12PM and show us what you've got!
Your "elevator pitch" is a brief summary of who you are and what you can do, and as the name suggests, it shouldn't last any longer than a standard elevator ride. Whether you're networking with industry contacts or you've finally reached the front of the line at that job fair booth, you truly only have a few moments to make a stellar first impression and hook that person in to want to learn more about you. So, what does it take to craft a great elevator pitch?
1. Be brief. Don't launch into a huge list of everything you've done and try to recreate your resume; an overlong spiel will make your audience wish you would stop talking, which is exactly the opposite of what you're trying to achieve. Keep it down to 60 seconds or so.
2. Play up your most relevant skills and experiences. If you're having a hard time deciding what you can say that packs the most punch, brainstorm and create a list of all the good qualities, skills, and experiences you have to offer. Then, it's time for the elimination round: cut the list in half. Get rid of redundancies and focus on the claims that have the most evidence to back them up (saying you're "motivated" or "hardworking" isn't going to do any good if you can't think of an example of that trait in action). This isn't, however, just a platform on which to wax poetic about how awesome you are; make sure to convey how your skills can benefit the company.
3. Be flexible. Just like your resume, your pitch can (and should) be tailored to match your audience. Prepare a few different speeches for different situations, and if you know who you're going to be talking to, research the company and make sure to speak to the qualities they value.
4. Practice, practice, practice. Trot out your little speech as often as possible so it comes naturally, even when you're anxious. Try videotaping yourself so you can pick out nervous fidgeting or rushed speaking that you might not notice otherwise.
5. Don't fizzle out at the end. Concluding with "and, um, I guess that's it" isn't going to impress anyone. End your moment in the spotlight with a request to exchange business cards or meet for an interview, depending on the situation.
It's time to polish up those pitches! On Monday, February 21, Liberal Arts Career Week will kick of with an Elevator Pitch Contest in the Beering lobby. Entrants will pitch to our camera crew and videos will be posted to our YouTube channel for voting. The student with the top video will win a shopping session with JC Penney for a free business suit! Join us next Monday in the main lobby of Beering between 10AM - 12PM and show us what you've got!
Speaker/author, Yvonne Harvey Williams, will at at Purdue for LA Career Week next Monday
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Next Monday LA Career Week begins!
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Next Monday is the 1st day of Career Week! Career basics day: get advice on your resume, job search techniques and more! http://bit.ly/g1o4zI
Sunday, February 13, 2011
How to use twitter to help you find a job
Social media can be used for more than just chatting with your friends. Check out ways to use twitter to land professional interviews. And remember, Liberal Arts Career week is going to have a guest speaker, Kyle Lacy, who will be giving an in depth presentation on this topic as well.
Click here to read the full article
Click here to learn more about the events at Career Week. It's only 8 days away!
How to create a great objective statement
Objective statements can be tricky. Learn how to craft an eye catching objective statement that will make a positive impression on employers.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Speed Interview Bootcamp
By: Caitlin Charles
Career Week will be here before you know it, and one event that I am very excited about is Speed Interview Bootcamp. Taken from the concept of speed dating, this this workshop is going to allow students to bring their resumes and interview with 10 different business professionals in one night.
Students should bring all of the information they would normally bring to an interview and really practice their elevator pitch. The first impression is going to be even more crucial with only 2 minutes with each business leader. Each professional will ask different questions and offer instant feedback on what is working, and what needs to be improved upon in the student's interview skills. In an hour and a half, each student will be able to leave with constructive feedback from 10 local business leaders. It is like condensing the skills learned from 10 separate interviews in the length of one. This will be a great chance for students to get great practice with interviewing, without the pressure of landing the job. This workshop is also a great way for students to fine-tune their personal presentations before meeting companies at The Professional Forum career and internship fair on Friday.
Speed Interview Bootcamp will be taking place Tuesday Feb. 22nd from 6:30pm to 8:00pm in PMU 118. There will only be 30 spots available, and registration is required. Students can register online at our website: cla.purdue.edu/lacw
Click HERE for an article on some more tips and information on speed interviewing.
Career Week will be here before you know it, and one event that I am very excited about is Speed Interview Bootcamp. Taken from the concept of speed dating, this this workshop is going to allow students to bring their resumes and interview with 10 different business professionals in one night.
Students should bring all of the information they would normally bring to an interview and really practice their elevator pitch. The first impression is going to be even more crucial with only 2 minutes with each business leader. Each professional will ask different questions and offer instant feedback on what is working, and what needs to be improved upon in the student's interview skills. In an hour and a half, each student will be able to leave with constructive feedback from 10 local business leaders. It is like condensing the skills learned from 10 separate interviews in the length of one. This will be a great chance for students to get great practice with interviewing, without the pressure of landing the job. This workshop is also a great way for students to fine-tune their personal presentations before meeting companies at The Professional Forum career and internship fair on Friday.
Speed Interview Bootcamp will be taking place Tuesday Feb. 22nd from 6:30pm to 8:00pm in PMU 118. There will only be 30 spots available, and registration is required. Students can register online at our website: cla.purdue.edu/lacw
Click HERE for an article on some more tips and information on speed interviewing.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Informational Interviews
by Megan Fingert
It’s frustrating when a particular company or industry isn’t currently hiring in your field. Sometimes the fluctuation of the job market leaves open spaces for many and none for others. It may be a fantastic time to be a senior graduating with a degree in PR and other times it may be better to be a senior graduating with a degree in education. Many people use a lack of job openings as an opportunity to branch out and try something new. Whether you’ve been thinking about starting your own business or becoming a consultant, one thing that can really help you stay on the job search horse is an informational interview.
Informational interviews are not an opportunity to get hired and promise no possibility of an offer, but they can help with networking, advice, and can help build your reputation with a company for being hired in the future. As well, if you’re interested in beginning a new business venture, they can help you to learn more about the particular industry or endeavor you are about to enter.
A fabulous article about informational interviews in the New York Times by Marci Alboher offers some advice for the informational interview process that I believe is critical to keep in mind:
“1. The other person is doing you a favor, so it should be about what’s convenient for the interviewer, not you. Follow his or her lead as to whether meetings will be in person or by phone.
2. These meetings are not about asking for job leads; the point is to learn something.
3. Think about informational interviews as a way to build a relationship and expand your network, not as a way to get a job.
4. Wait for the right time. So often we get a number and feel as if we should call immediately. But if you’re not ready, you may bungle a meeting. Why wouldn’t you be ready? When you’re overextended and it’s hard to find time on your calendar or if you haven’t done enough research about the industry or the company where the person works.
5. Don’t overstay your welcome. It’s always better to signal the meeting is ending and let the other person say he or she is open to continuing the discussion.”
Often in hard job markets, it’s easy to get down on yourself and easy to give up. I urge you instead, when job searching gets tough, to remember that your network is constantly being built. Whether you search out an informational interview with a complete stranger at a large company or a family friend who owns a small business, a contact is always worth having. You’d be surprised who, down the road, could give you the professional opportunity of your dreams.
As well, remember that an entrepreneurial spirit is a worthwhile trait to have in a tough job market. While many students can become wrapped up in working for a large corporation, your professional life may lie in your own hands. Have you had a wonderful idea for a local service or store? Do you have a passion that could be profitable? Look into becoming your own boss. Your professional fortune could be a creative idea away.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Win an iPad while landing a job? Sign me up!
By: Stephanie Grebe
Liberal Arts Career Week is quickly approaching, and the Career Development interns have been hard at work to award you for your professional development!
We have some incredible prizes that are sponsored by local businesses that any student who attends 5 of our 18 events will have the opportunity to win!
Boiler Cribs has been generous enough to provide us with our grand prize, an iPad! Working with Marc from Boiler Cribs has been such a blast. He is so enthusiastic about Career Week and the opportunities available for CLA students. We are so excited to be working with them. Check out Boiler Cribs to see their fantastic housing options near Purdue’s campus!
Hungry Boiler has also been an incredible supporter of Liberal Arts Career Week. Not only are they sponsoring the two receptions for our guest speakers, Yvonne Williams and Kyle Lacy, but they are also sponsoring the week! You can come meet Nick from Hungry Boiler at our Speed Interview Boot Camp AND check out their booth at The Professional Forum. While you are working to get your resume in tiptop shape for Career Week, make sure you check out hungryboiler.com and order some brain food!
Hot Box Pizza is providing two grand prizes of FREE breadsticks for a year! They have also donated several pizza vouchers and will be sponsoring our Get Linked In Event! Make sure to swing by the BRNG Lobby on February 23rd to meet the Hot Box team and thank them for supporting Liberal Arts!
Marco’s Pizza has donated another fabulous grand prize. Listen to this: FREE pizzas for an entire year! One lucky student will walk away with 24 pizzas. We are so impressed with Marco’s and hope everyone checks out their webpage (it makes me hungry just looking at it!)
Our final grand prize is a suit and personal shopping session provided by JC Penney! This grand prize allows you to pick out the perfect suit for your interviews with the help of the West Lafayette JC Penney team! What a fantastic supporter!
Along with these grand prizes, students have an opportunity to win gift cards from Arby’s, Boiler Market, Bruno’s, Hot Box, Wabash Landing Movie Theater, AJ’s, All Fired Up, and Marco’s.
So get your business suit and resumes ready, because the Career Development team is ready to reward your professional success!
How to quantify accomplishments on your #resume #Purdue
Don Goodman for Careerealism writes:
Many of the job hunters I work with tell me their accomplishments aren’t really quantifiable. They just aren’t in jobs where they can say, “Saved the company $4 million a year…” If you have those numbers at your fingertips, by all means use them. If you’re like most of us, you need other ways to quantify your accomplishments
Read the full article at http://www.careerealism.com/quantify-accomplishments-resume/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+careerealism+%28CAREEREALISM%29
what you should know before pursuing a career in social media
Thinking about becoming a professional tweeter or facebook friend? Check out these tips and considerations before you start sending out your resume!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Why You Should Create a Professional Portfolio!
Before my LACD internship interview I was told to bring in a portfolio full of writing samples to present to my supervisor, Lisa, so that she could get a good idea of my writing experience and style. It sounds simple, but the truth was, I had never created a professional portfolio before! So, how did I go about making my portfolio? Why is it important to have one?
Portfolios are excellent tools that can give job interviewers a concrete idea of the type of work you produce. Including class projects, work for extracurricular activities and samples from previous employment is a great way to start building your portfolio. Afterwards, you should carefully think about the professional image you are trying to portray. Do the samples you have included adequately demonstrate this image? It isn't easy to make a complete portfolio, but it can help you provide proof to a job interviewer that you really do fit in with their company.
The month I have been working really hard on my portfolio when I had a great idea. A print portfolio is great, but it can't reach a large audience. So, I decided to move my portfolio online instead. I reorganized all of my samples and set up a website to host them. Already, the results have been promising. It's hard to make a stellar impression using just a resume, but ever since I started giving out my portfolio website I have had multiple people show interest in me. As of yet, no job interviews. But, I have only had the site for a month and I am still working on spreading the word.
An online portfolio will definitely set you apart from the competition. In such a tough job market it's becoming increasingly important to demonstrate your talents before you can even land an interview!
How to nail a phone interview
Job interviews are always stressful, but how do you handle a phone interview? How are they different from an in person interview?
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
4 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Resume
by: Adam Beasley
Crafting a effective resume is one of the most crucial things that needs to be done when becoming a young professional in the job world. There are so many different candidates out there that will be competing for the same jobs that you are trying to get. The main purpose of the resume is to get an interview wherever you are applying and you won't be able to do this if the hiring manager looks at it and then tosses it in the pile of other unworthy resumes. Hopefully the four tips included in this post will help you make your resume worthy of a second look.
1. Craft your resume specifically to the job you are trying to obtain.
When it comes to sending in a resume, many people will just send out their generic resume to every place they want a shot at. This is not how you want to go about your job search. Do some research on the company and get to know some of their goals are and what is important to them. Once you know a little bit about the company you can shape your resume to make it better suit their company. If you make them think that you are good at what they need then they might want to see what else you can do.
2. Be concise and have focus.
When a hiring manager is looking at your resume, he or she may spend around 30 seconds to a minute looking it over before they make a decision. You need to make sure your resume has enough focus that the manager knows what you can do in that small amount of time. If your resume is wordy or doesn't get to the point then they will lose interest.
3. Focus on what exactly you have done and just not your duties.
When setting up your resume, you need to tell the person who is hiring exactly what you did in your previous employment and how it is important. If you are just telling them what your duties were then you aren't telling them what you did in particular. You need to make them think that this is a person who gets things done. If you increased sales by a certain percent when working for a company then tell them that. Don't just leave it at "working in sales".
4. Make sure your resume is up to date and doesn't have errors.
This should be self-explanatory but you would be surprised at the number of people who have mistakes on their resume. If a hiring manager starts to read your resume and there are mistakes, they will throw it away. As for keeping it up to date, this is something that will come when you tailor the resume for the specific job that you are applying for. Ask yourself, "Why do they need you?"
Check out Career Week "The 9 to 5 Know How" at Purdue University on February 21st through the 25th. There will be many events that will help you sharpen your image and brand as a young professional. For more resume help, there will be events that focus on just that on Monday, February 21st. For more information about Career Week visit the College of Liberal Arts Career Development website at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/students/careers/
Crafting a effective resume is one of the most crucial things that needs to be done when becoming a young professional in the job world. There are so many different candidates out there that will be competing for the same jobs that you are trying to get. The main purpose of the resume is to get an interview wherever you are applying and you won't be able to do this if the hiring manager looks at it and then tosses it in the pile of other unworthy resumes. Hopefully the four tips included in this post will help you make your resume worthy of a second look.
1. Craft your resume specifically to the job you are trying to obtain.
When it comes to sending in a resume, many people will just send out their generic resume to every place they want a shot at. This is not how you want to go about your job search. Do some research on the company and get to know some of their goals are and what is important to them. Once you know a little bit about the company you can shape your resume to make it better suit their company. If you make them think that you are good at what they need then they might want to see what else you can do.
2. Be concise and have focus.
When a hiring manager is looking at your resume, he or she may spend around 30 seconds to a minute looking it over before they make a decision. You need to make sure your resume has enough focus that the manager knows what you can do in that small amount of time. If your resume is wordy or doesn't get to the point then they will lose interest.
3. Focus on what exactly you have done and just not your duties.
When setting up your resume, you need to tell the person who is hiring exactly what you did in your previous employment and how it is important. If you are just telling them what your duties were then you aren't telling them what you did in particular. You need to make them think that this is a person who gets things done. If you increased sales by a certain percent when working for a company then tell them that. Don't just leave it at "working in sales".
4. Make sure your resume is up to date and doesn't have errors.
This should be self-explanatory but you would be surprised at the number of people who have mistakes on their resume. If a hiring manager starts to read your resume and there are mistakes, they will throw it away. As for keeping it up to date, this is something that will come when you tailor the resume for the specific job that you are applying for. Ask yourself, "Why do they need you?"
Check out Career Week "The 9 to 5 Know How" at Purdue University on February 21st through the 25th. There will be many events that will help you sharpen your image and brand as a young professional. For more resume help, there will be events that focus on just that on Monday, February 21st. For more information about Career Week visit the College of Liberal Arts Career Development website at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/students/careers/
CBS Money watch- 9 job search tips for new grads
Check out these tips from CBS Money Watch on some simple job tips that could really aid your employment search!
Monday, February 7, 2011
get hired: 6 steps to leadership
Employers want to see young professionals engaged in activities that demonstrate leadership and integrity. Head over to Monster.com where they have outlined the 6 steps necessary to developing leadership skills.
Need to Get Motivated? 10 Songs to Kick it Into Gear
By Angela Cooley
Everyone has a hard time getting motivated from time to time, and the recent snow recess proved no exception. Students throughout the Midwest pondered that critical dilemma: do I use this snow day to forge ahead on that important project looming ominously on the horizon, or to indulge in an all-day marathon of watching Dexter and “decorating” the neighborhood snowmen with Hawaiian Punch?
When the landscape around you is constantly screaming “SLED ON ME,” it can be hard to buckle down and get to work, but unexpected free time really is a great chance to accomplish all those things that are simmering on your back burner. With Liberal Arts Career Week just around the corner, this is no time to futz around—there’s an elevator pitch contest, resume reviews, a career fair, and so many networking opportunities to prepare for! When I’m not feeling particularly motivated, I find that the right music can really kick me into gear and get me to focus on the task at hand. So, in the hopes that we can all overcome the powerful urge to hibernate until spring, I present to you my top ten GET PUMPED* songs.
Waiting for Bulletproof at First Sight – DJ Paul V
Take On Me – A-Ha
Blitzkrieg Bop – The Ramones
Back in Black – AC/DC
Gasoline - The Airborne Toxic Event
Can’t Stop – Red Hot Chili Peppers
I Will Survivor – DJ Lobsterdust
Take On Me – A-Ha
Blitzkrieg Bop – The Ramones
Back in Black – AC/DC
Gasoline - The Airborne Toxic Event
Can’t Stop – Red Hot Chili Peppers
I Will Survivor – DJ Lobsterdust
*Most effective when taken with regular doses of RANDOM DANCING.
Share your favorite “get pumped” songs in the comments!
How to get an employer's attention in 20 seconds! #Resume tips #Purdue
Jessica Holbrock - Hernandez writes:
I review a lot of resumes, and they often land in my mailbox with the exact same titles: resume.doc or resume.pdf. Can you say boring? Try these alternatives to stand out as an interesting candidate:
Check out the tips at http://www.careerealism.com/how-get-employers-attention/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+careerealism+%28CAREEREALISM%29
Sunday, February 6, 2011
A YouTube resume??
Employers like to see people who think outside the box. How do they feel about video resumes posted on YouTube?
Saturday, February 5, 2011
3 Personal Public Relations Blunders to Avoid
by Megan Fingert
From our choice of words to the way we dress, young professionals are constantly putting out an image to the people around us. Like a company or a high-profile celebrity, we must make sure that we are always portraying the sort of image that we want others or publics to have of us. These images sometimes change as our audience changes, but we naturally wish to show consistency in our social behaviors.
As a student who grew up in the digital age, you’re aware that it’s easier now more than ever to constantly be putting out an image, whether that is in a short Tweet or a picture you just posted to Facebook. If you’ve just picked a new profile picture or are simply walking through the Union, someone is bound to be looking and listening--and that someone could be a potential employer or network! Don’t doubt the ability of one remark to ruin your image and cost you the job.
It’s important that as you develop your personal “brand” (something you can learn about from our keynote speaker Kyle Lacey at Career Week) that you avoid having negative ideas attach to that brand. As a PR student, it is my job to understand how to create positive connotations and how to minimize and eradicate negative ones. Here are three personal PR blunders I hope you can avoid.
1.Solo Cups in your Profile Picture
While it’s still very easy to keep your Facebook private, one thing that always shows no matter your privacy settings is your profile picture. Because Facebook is constantly updating and changing, it comes up first in an online search if someone Googles your name. If a potential employer decides to click just out of curiosity, even the most locked-down Facebook profile will show your default picture.
So, to avoid making a bad impression, always have a profile picture that is conservative and mature. A picture of you doing a keg stand isn’t going to send your resume to the top of the stack and neither is the picture of you looking incredibly inebriated, scantily clad and holding a red Solo cup. Instead, pick a picture of you dressed nicely with friends or at a dressier occasion like a formal or wedding. These sorts of pictures will make you appear more mature and more appealing as an employee.
2. Having Loud, Inappropriate Personal Conversations
I can’t tell you how many odd things I’ve overheard while enjoying Starbucks in the Union or studying in the HSSE library. I often wonder as I catch short snippets of conversations across campus why people choose to have certain conversations in public, especially those of explicit or gossip-y nature.
With the sorts of visitors we have on campus it isn’t wise to talk about your make-out session with a cute boy at the party last night or how you think Jill is well, something that starts with the letter “b.” There are campus recruiters, local business owners, and important organization leaders everywhere around us.
We are so lucky that Purdue brings these sorts of visitors to us as resources, but we must make sure we’re on our best behavior, for the sake of our professional image and Purdue’s. Keep private conversations private, on campus or anywhere else!
3. Constantly being Late
This blunder is so important not to make when it comes to just about, well, anything! You should always strive to make it to appointments, class, meetings and work on time. I don’t think there’s a faster way to tarnish your image than by constantly being late.
While sometimes emergencies arise, it is important to know the impact of being late to events. It says to the leader or organizer of the event that you don’t find them very important. It says that you are disinterested in attending. It also shows a general lack of disrespect towards everyone connected to the event. Being on time and showing up prepared speaks volumes about you as a professional. It shows that you are engaged and anticipating the meeting or interview. It shows that you respect the organizers and that you are going to be an active participant in the program.
unpaid interns: should they still have to pay tutition to their college?
It's become a heated debate in the college world: should students participating in unpaid internships still have to pay tutition to recieve credit? After all, they are forgoeing a salary already. Should students really have to pay to work?
Small Steps to Taking Advantage of Your Time
By: Caitlin Charles
In light of the fact that today appears to be Snowmageddon round two, and I am once again cooped up inside, I began thinking about how I could best take advantage of my time. I can only spend so much time on the couch before I need to get up and take a walk around my apartment. With Career Week coming up, there are so many things that I could be working on in this time. So how can you take advantage of those snow days, or lazy Sunday afternoons?
There are always small steps you can take to make sure you are prepared for your future. Its best to take these steps before attending events on campus like career fairs and networking events, but you should always be prepared because you never know when you might meet a future employer.
Step one: re-read your resume. It may have been a few months since you have updated it, and re-reading it may spark ideas on how to refresh it. Make sure all of your contact information is correct, and fix any areas that might be confusing. If you have not yet started creating a resume, this is a great place to start writing down small bits of information that you can gradually start putting together into a cohesive resume.
Step two: Develop your elevator pitch. How would you describe your skills and assets in 30 seconds? You may meet a potential employer while waiting in line at the coffee shop, so have a rough idea of what you tell him. Be confident and conversational. You don't want it to sound perfectly rehearsed word for word, it should sound extemporaneous. Simply highlight some key points that you would hope to say and practice different ways of expressing them.
Step three: Start creating a business card if you have not already. Business cards are much easier to carry around than resumes. So when you meet that business professional you hope to keep in contact with, or potentially get a job with, you can hand them your contact information without giving them a full page resume. If you aren't sure where to begin, ask your friends for ideas. Start laying out designs and content, and ask around for feedback. Then invest $25 dollars in an online printing service, so that you can have some with you at all times.
There are many other small steps you can take in a spare 30 minutes to make sure you are always prepared. So the next time you find an afternoon with nothing good on television, consider taking a few moments to make sure you are ready for your future.
In light of the fact that today appears to be Snowmageddon round two, and I am once again cooped up inside, I began thinking about how I could best take advantage of my time. I can only spend so much time on the couch before I need to get up and take a walk around my apartment. With Career Week coming up, there are so many things that I could be working on in this time. So how can you take advantage of those snow days, or lazy Sunday afternoons?
There are always small steps you can take to make sure you are prepared for your future. Its best to take these steps before attending events on campus like career fairs and networking events, but you should always be prepared because you never know when you might meet a future employer.
Step one: re-read your resume. It may have been a few months since you have updated it, and re-reading it may spark ideas on how to refresh it. Make sure all of your contact information is correct, and fix any areas that might be confusing. If you have not yet started creating a resume, this is a great place to start writing down small bits of information that you can gradually start putting together into a cohesive resume.
Step two: Develop your elevator pitch. How would you describe your skills and assets in 30 seconds? You may meet a potential employer while waiting in line at the coffee shop, so have a rough idea of what you tell him. Be confident and conversational. You don't want it to sound perfectly rehearsed word for word, it should sound extemporaneous. Simply highlight some key points that you would hope to say and practice different ways of expressing them.
Step three: Start creating a business card if you have not already. Business cards are much easier to carry around than resumes. So when you meet that business professional you hope to keep in contact with, or potentially get a job with, you can hand them your contact information without giving them a full page resume. If you aren't sure where to begin, ask your friends for ideas. Start laying out designs and content, and ask around for feedback. Then invest $25 dollars in an online printing service, so that you can have some with you at all times.
There are many other small steps you can take in a spare 30 minutes to make sure you are always prepared. So the next time you find an afternoon with nothing good on television, consider taking a few moments to make sure you are ready for your future.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Use LinkedIn to move your #resume to the top of the stack
The Internet has changed the way professionals network. Check out these tips on using LinkedIn to network with the human resources directors. It could help move your resume to the top of the stack!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
They're Hiring! 25 Best Companies have 700 openings each! That's 137,000 jobs! #Purdue
These 25 Best Companies to Work For have at least 700 openings each, totaling nearly 137,000 available jobs. What are they looking for? See what their recruiters say at http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2011/pf/jobs/1101/gallery.best_companies_most_hiring.fortune/index.html
They're Hiring! 25 Best Companies to #work for have 700 openings each! That's 137,000 jobs! #Purdue
These 25 Best Companies to Work For have at least 700 openings each, totaling nearly 137,000 available jobs. What are they looking for? See what their recruiters say.
Read the full list at http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/fortune/0901/gallery.bestcos_mosthiring.fortune/index.html
Snowmageddon 2011!
By: Stephanie Grebe
This week, our team had a very interesting obstacle, SNOW! 
The blizzard truly shut down the Purdue community for 2 entire days. Campus was closed, power went out, and our team had trouble staying connected. This was a very interesting dilemma, because the LACD team is always in constant contact with one another. We are also preparing for a HUGE event in 3 weeks, Liberal Arts Career Week that consists of over 18 events and 2 nationally acclaimed guest speakers. We need all the time we can get!
It made me realize that while the team dynamic is so important in a work environment, it is also crucial to be independent and self-motivated. Sometimes disasters happen; there are sicknesses, vacations, weather, and other unforeseen circumstances that can compromise a team's communication and success.
My lesson of the week is to be able to pick up the pieces individually in an emergency. We learned that as a team we need to communicate enough that if a member had to leave, we could continue with our progress. During the snow storm, our interns were able to individually continue with their work, and used their discretion to problem solve.
As a whole, I was proud of what we were able to accomplish individually. Though it definitely affected our work, it did not destroy our progress. Being able to critically examine a situation and not let an emergency stop work is key. The LACD team survived Snowmageddon 2011.
(nothing can stop our fearless director Lisa from getting to the office)
swearing on twitter...it could cost you a job interview
Check out this USA Today article about the using bad language in your tweets. Watch out because employers will check out your social media applications:
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The 5 Types of Job Interviewers and How to Prepare
Believe it or not, job interviewers are not the analytical robots they are sometimes made out to be. They are people with different personalities and interview styles. Read up on 5 of the most common job interview styles so you can be prepared!
Writing a Resume: What To Do If You Don't Have Much Experience
By Christina Ripley
When I'm not busy working at the LACD office, I tutor students on resumes, cover letters and personal statements as a Business Writing Consultant in the Purdue Writing Lab. One complaint I usually hear from many students (usually freshmen or sophomores who are just starting to build their resume) is "I don't have any real experience to put on my resume!" Well stop worrying about all the blank space on your resume, because here are a few tips on how to strengthen it up.
First of all, think long and hard about what you are considering "experience." Maybe you don't have any internships or full time jobs to put on your resume (yet!) but summer jobs, campus jobs and even participation in clubs or activities can be considered experience. If the resume still looks sparse think about getting more involved on campus. Check out this article from US News and World Report that names some on campus jobs that look impressive to employers. (http://www.usnews.com/education/paying-for-college/articles/2010/12/13/10-paying-college-jobs-that-look-good-on-your-rsum)
OK, so now you've figured out some job experience (albeit brief and unimpressive). What is the next step? Think of how to frame your job experience in terms of what skills are required by the job that you are applying for. This is probably the most difficult task so don't worry if you are having a hard time. Look through the job ad and identify the skills the employer is looking for. Now, figure out how you demonstrated that skill at your job. Here's an example:
The job ad is looking for leadership. I was a lifeguard is high school during summer break. Here is how I am going to frame the description of my life-guarding job:
Lifeguard
- Responsible for maintaining safety in the pool area
- Built trust with parents and patrons while enforcing facility rules
- Certified for CPR and First Aid
Get the gist? It's all in how you frame your work experience! Think hard and you'll see that you have more experience than you are giving yourself credit for.
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