Baby Step

By: Yameng Zhang

It has been at least 12 years since we are students. I feel good being a student because I have got used to that. Here is comes, graduation, sooner or later. There is time to wait, but the longer you wait, the scarier it becomes for you to step out. It is time to think about paying back the student loans, moving out of mama’s house and make a living on our own. The first step is the hardest one, but once you get on track, things will start rolling and you will say “hmm, that was easy”.

Measure Measure Measure

Nobody knows you better than yourself. What you have experienced is what made you, so brainstorm about what you’ve been through, what you’ve learnt and what you are proud of. Make a list and discover the skills the list demonstrates about you.

Ask yourself the question—“what do you want to be?” Hopefully you know the answer before you went to college.

Specify what positions you are interested in.

Whatever companies you’d like to work for, put them in your company list. Don’t hesitate to bring them on just because you think they are out of your league. Bring them on, thinking you may get them all.

Click Click Click

Google yourself. Keep one thing in mind—whatever you wouldn’t like your grandma to see, erase them. This doesn’t mean you have to be dull online to get a job, you can be fun and you can be interesting. As long as it says positively about you, it can stay.

Google the companies. Don’t be the one who cannot pronounce the companies’ names right. Be the one who knows everything comes to your dream companies.

Add those companies as your “friend” to all your social networking accounts. Make yourself an active visitor on their pages. It takes time, but you can keep on top of their latest status and you will be noticed.

Tailor Tailor Tailor

Be the matchmaker for you and your dream job. Once you measured yourself and learned enough about the companies, read each job description carefully and make your profile right for the job, tailor your resumes and cover letters to the positions in those companies. The point is to make yourself irresistible to your dream job. 

Keep trying, so you are not the one who gives up, because we all know the rule is“it always pays off”.

Beware of burning bridges

 By: Nora Kish

The old saying goes that it's not what you know, but who you know. The director of LACD, Lisa Snodgrass, told us at our weekly intern meeting this morning that some percentage over 60 (I can't remember the exact number so I don't want to misquote her) of jobs acquired now are through networking and relationships. During Career Week at the etiquette dinner, Anthony Cawdron emphasized the importance of being polite to everyone you come into contact with - you never know who they might be or what kind of impact they can have on your life. I personally believe that you should treat others how you'd like to be treated and this holds especially true once you reach college.

Whether you're super involved with internships, clubs or jobs or not at all,  during college  you meet a lot of people along the way that can influence your professional future. If you don't get a letter of recommendation from a boss or a club advisor, you might seek one out from a professor. The issue there is - what are your relationships with these people like? Would you feel comfortable asking your former boss for a recommendation? Would you be confident they'd give you a stellar review? All the answers to these questions and more are completely in your control.

I held a position for some time that ended up no longer working out. I was not getting what I needed or wanted from the organization and could no longer give them what they wanted or needed from me so I made the decision to leave. In my haste, I certainly burned some bridges. Looking back, I know I couldn't have stayed the rest of the term for the sake of my sanity, but I wish I would have at least had a little more grace and composure when I decided to leave. Now, some of those relationships I once had are tarnished and I cannot get a recommendation that would positively reflect my time there.

I learned a very valuable lesson from that decision and its results - relationships mean more than you think. Some may be fleeting and some may be lasting, but they are all a part of your life and can play a bigger role than you may give them credit for. If you think you don't have to be courteous or even nice to someone because you think they won't play a role in your future, or you'll never see them again, or whatever the case may be, you are wrong. It is often those relationships that you think about that way that end up being valuable and worth nurturing. When it comes to developing your future, you should do what you can to provide yourself with as many options as possible. Be careful not to act in a way toward someone that will limit opportunity; make sure you're the kind of person that someone will want to provide with opportunity.

Career Conscious Decisions

By: Rebekah Beachum

Last fall, I got my first tattoo. I had thought about it for a while, and finally decided that moment would be a good time to do so. It took some time, but I eventually told my parents that I got it. The first thing my dad said was "Be careful about your future interviews and job. Some employers and even clients will judge you negatively in an instant just because you have a tattoo. Remember that." While I was shocked by his response (he had always said that he greatly disapproved of permanently marking your body in this way and would be disappointed if his children ever did so), he made a great point. What would employers think of my tattoo?

I had gotten it in a fairly obvious location (my wrist), but I had determined it could be easily covered with a watch, bracelet, or long sleeved shirt. It proved easy enough to do this, because even a few of my friends didn't notice for several weeks that I had gotten it. The people I worked with didn't even notice until I decided the environment was safe enough to show them. I was lucky in this aspect: I had thought about the location and realized that my tattoo would need to be covered in the future.

Think about the career you want. Are there many people with tattoos in that field? Are there people with multiple piercings in strange places? Do other professionals in this area have an unnatural hair color or extremely long nails? A graphic designer would less likely be subject to prejudice than an office manager would. Take this into consideration when you're thinking about getting a tattoo or piercing. If your chosen career field is clean cut, think about getting your tattoo in a place that will be hidden, or don't get one at all. Be career conscious in your outward decisions and you'll be one step closer to doing what you love.

When Wikipedia Just Does Not Cut It...

By: Maureen Corbett

As college students, I’m sure all of you have had some kind of experience with a research paper. When the topic is related to something you are interested in, this paper can seem like a breeze. But if 17^th century pre-colonial artwork or the history of the Cambodian civil war isn’t your cup of tea, research assignments can be extremely difficult. It is hard to motivate yourself to spend extensive time researching a topic that you could care less about. This is where I would be tempted to just Google my topic, click on the first link that appeared, and have all my research come from a single source. However, I have to keep in mind that I am currently attending one of the top schools in the nation, which has countless resources available to me. These resources have the potential to make my research go much more smoothly, and it would be a shame to let them go to waste.

One of the best resources that Purdue has to offer is its online library services. By just going to http://www.lib.purdue.edu/, students can conduct all their research without ever leaving their apartment. The online library lets students do advanced searches through hundreds of different academic databases. There are a plethora of articles, catalogs, and eJournals that are bound to have the information you need for your assignment.  And if for some reason you cannot find a specific book or text that you need, the interlibrary loan system can rent the book from another university and have it ready for you in a matter of days. In addition to this, the library also has a live chat feature which allows students to directly message a Purdue librarian with specific questions. These people are very friendly and enjoy helping students, and they are very good about responding quickly to questions.

Some research assignments require students to discuss and analyze current events, which in this case might render library books useless. For projects such as these, I would recommend that students read the Exponent. This campus newspaper is a great starting place if you are interested in world events. And the good news is that the Exponent targets college-aged readers, so the articles are easy to read and usually pertain to many students’ interests. This can be a very accessible way to get the information you need to complete your paper.

Now imagine that you have completed the paper, but you are still unsure and have a few questions about your writing style. The Purdue Online Writing Lab is a great resource that can help students solve many problems. This website guides students through APA and MLA style, offers grammar and mechanics rules, and provides information about how students can avoid plagiarism. You can also make appointments for tutoring or editing help at one of the several Writing Lab locations on campus. Here students are able to sit down with tutors that can help assist them with their writing. With all these different kinds of resources available at Purdue, there is no question that your next research assignment should be an easy A!

The Ripple Effect of Attitude

By Lauren Farmer

There are a lot of aspects to consider when evaluating your performance as a career professional: relations with others, judgment, dependability, ability to learn, quality of your work, problem solving skills, initiative etc.  The most important quality, that could positively affect the others, is attitude.  I believe if you have a good and positive attitude then the rest will as a result be positive as well.  For example, if you remain positive about your work and are enthusiastic, you will work well with others and will be well accepted by your co-workers.  Your quality of work will be better because your positive attitude will reflect in your work.  It is always better to be happy and enthusiastic rather than negative because it will get you a lot farther in the long run.  So for all you "Debby Downers" out there, stay positive! You will benefit from it in the work place.

My Experiences

By Michael Mustradi

Albert Einstein once said, “The only source of knowledge is experience.”  Throughout my experiences, I have learned so many lessons and valuable ideas that have shaped me to become who I am today.  Three internships have showed me that learning in the classroom is essential, but it is entirely different to personally experience it.  

My three internships have provided me not only with excellent experience, but they gave me a variety of experiences.  My first true PR experience at Business Solutions Group gave me a taste of what my career may look like.  The owner, Dan, was an ambitious man with a brain full of ideas.  On my first day he said to me, “I will not be giving you much direction so it is up to you to make things happen.”  Since this was my first internship in the field, his words startled me a little.  However, I listened.  I took the initiative to edit the company’s website, fixing grammar mistakes and providing its publics with an even-toned voice.  Later into the internship, as my confidence grew, I worked on the beginnings of a non-profit benefit dinner for Worldwide Impact Now; a non-profit that Dan was thoroughly involved with.

Once my internship with BSG had come to an end and I was back on Purdue’s campus for the 2011 fall semester, I was hungry for more experience.  I wanted to build upon what I had started while at BSG.  This is when I obtained an account associate position with Boiler Communication.  This student-ran PR firm was my best experience yet.  Working with a team, I managed the PR for Operation Christmas Child’s Purdue branch.  I had freedom to do what I thought was best for our client.  Obtaining donations, pitching PSAs, advertising, and administering social media was what I was doing in order to make our event, “Operation Ship a Smile” a success.

While many of my classmates were planning on taking a break during their last semester of college, I was about to take on the most challenging internship I had yet.  I obtained an internship with Purdue’s Liberal Arts Career Development office, working with a team of interns to put together “Career Week”.  This week involved 16 events in a four day stretch.  As donation coordinator, I managed over $2,500 in donations to give away as prizes to students who attend our events.  I am also currently utilizing my editing skills and editing the student career handbook.

During these experiences I have learned many different PR tactics and strategies.  However, I believe that it is not the most valuable things that I have learned.  I have shown that I have been able to take what is given to me and adapt to the situation. 

Post Spring Break

By Yameng Zhang

Spring break is a gift. We go on a trip to get rid of our stresses or crunch at home to take a breath after the tide-scheduled school works. The excitement of spring break has been over for a week, everyone is trying to get back to track on business, because what comes after the break is another round of high pace time chasing hard work.

We are out of the break, but seriously, are we? I don't know what you are at, but I am weirdly feeling low for nothing. Every morning, I know I have to get up but I can hardly get my eyes open. I guess this is what a shrink would call the “post-holiday syndrome”. Feeling blue and finding difficulty to function normally are the most common symptoms. If you are having any of the two symptoms, don’t overact, just follow some tips and you'll be fine.

Make a list
There must be things you need to do and may be they are cluttering your mind. There can be things that start falling apart and errands you need to handle. No matter how bad the situation seems like for you, get yourself together to make a list. List what you need to do in order. Stick to the list, whenever you are done with one thing, cross off it from your list. Believe it or not, when you see the things on your list are being crossed off one by one, you will be half way to your usual rhythm.

Be around people
When you are blue, be away from your blue friends for a while, otherwise both of you may turn bluer. Hang out with colorful people. If you don’t want to talk, just be quite and listen to the laughter, watch their laughing face and squeeze out a reason to laugh. Being alone can only make you bluer if you are already blue, so anyway, go out, find a crowd of laughter and stick around.

Eat like a kid
When I was a kid, chocolate, candies and chicken nuggets were my favorite but my parents never let me have enough. Give yourself a treat. Forget about diet, workout plan and healthy lifestyle. Have something that you are long for as a kid, have some childhood favorite food. Buy yourself an ice cream. I know this trick works almost on everybody.

It is common to take a break and can't get out of it, no worries. If you are blue, try if you can be the bluest one. If you lose your clue of work, don't give up but pick them up and deal with it. If none of these tips work on you, I bet you had a good break.

Busywork

By: Rebekah Beachum

Throughout our school career, we eventually find that the homework we had to do in first grade was really preparing us for the "busywork" we had all through school and even today. Do you ever find you’re in a class in which your professor constantly gives you excessive work that may or may not be related to what you’re actually studying? I’m in a class like that now. Due to the nature of the course, it doesn’t seem as though homework would be of any benefit to me or my classmates: it’s an elective, off-major, exercise, “filler” class to give me an appropriate amount of credit hours for the semester. I enjoy the class, don’t get me wrong, but (as I found today when I missed turning in an assignment on time) discovering the history of the exercises we’re doing just doesn’t seem like a good use of my time.

Then I started to think more about it and I realized that what I may think is insignificant could actually prove helpful in the future. When I eventually find a job, my boss has the freedom to ask me to do almost anything. Having the right attitude toward the little things (filing papers, copying, scanning, filling out tedious paperwork…) can go a long way to impress your boss and co-workers AND you’ll help move things along that are often forgotten. It can even help you enjoy your workplace and appreciate the work that others are doing at the same time.

Be a Team Player

By: Julie Smith

Be a Team Player

Group work. The dreaded words we see on our syllabus each semester. Now, some of us do not shy away from it- but most us know that group work means that there will be at least one person who slacks off while the rest of us pick up their loose ends in order to salvage our own grades.

But group work has its own advantages. Each group setting you work with is most likely going to be a learning experience for you. You will see what works, what does not work and even probably learn something new from your peers.

Group work also helps a lot in job interviews and even job settings. The difficulty of group work will provide you answers to the interview question, “Tell us about a challenge you faced and how you dealt with it?” It will also help you explain situations where you were both a leader and a team player. Group work forces you to take charge at times, but also how to be given a task and produce results.

No matter what the group situation is, you want to be a team player. Remember that your actions reflect either positively or negatively on the group. Take the chance to be an outstanding group member and others will notice. 

How to Survive Group Projects

By: Maureen Corbett

We all fear it. That dreaded moment when your professor announces to the class, "Our next assignment will be a group project involving...(insert boring task that no one in the class wants to take part in)." Great, now you scan the room, looking for potential partners that you could tolerate working with for the duration of the assingment. Life experience has taught you that you will most likely end up with the least-competent students in the class, forcing you to do most of the work yourself.

I know in my personal experience, it is not the specific assingments that make me wary of group projects. They are for the most part very interesting, and the idea of sharing the amount of work that needs to be completed with a few other peers seems like a great idea. It is when conflict starts to brew among team members when group projects turn into nightmares. This can result from a variety of reasons: communication failures, students not completing work on time, or conflicting personalities/ideas among group members.

The best way to avoid these issues is to learn the most appropriate ways to deal with conflict. Conflict management is a life skill that every student should know. Soon enough we will all be immersed in the working world, where working in teams occurs every day and conflicts are guaranteed to occur. When a team of people can effectively collaborate on a project and work through any issues among individuals, productivity increases and great ideas are born. This semester, the LACD interns worked together to plan Libera Arts Career Week 2012. It was a lot of work, but because we were all able to work together responsibly and rely on each other, Career Week was a huge success.

Want to learn specific tips on how to handle conflict among group members? Check out this article providing just the advice you need to make your next group assignment a piece of cake:
http://www.developleadership.net/Crisis-Conflict-Management/how-to-effectively-handle-conflict.html

Thinking about Grad School?

By Lauren Farmer:

As the end of your undergraduate college career draws near, the option of going to graduate school may come to your mind. You may want to go to grad school if you want to further your degree past bachelor status. Graduate school differs from undergraduate school in that it is more demanding and specific to your major. It typically includes not only coursework but hands on experience in your field to help prepare you for future careers outside of college. There is less credit hours in grad school, but they require more work and time. It may sound like a lot more work, but if you are wanted to further your education in your field of study, grad school may be right for you. If you are considering grad school be sure to check out LACD's Career Handbook found on our home page cla.purdue.edu/careers

It Is Not Just Your GPA That Counts

By: Maureen Corbett

All throughout high school, I was one of those kids who was very good at playing "the school game." I'm sure all my readers know what I'm talking about. Everyone knows that girl who always knew exactly what to write in her papers to make the teacher give her an 'A', or the guy who never studied but always managed to get better grades than you on exams. That was me. I always assumed that because of my 4.2 weighted GPA, by the time I was ready to graduate employers from high-end companies would be begging me to come work for them.

But then I got to college, and reality set in.

It turns out that your GPA is just one small bullet point on your resume. While employers do care whether or not you are a good student, they are more interested in the skills you know. I attended my first career expo last week during the Liberal Arts Career Week, and the experience was eye-opening. When I would approach a booth and strike up a conversation with the company representatives, not one single person asked about my grades. Everyone wanted to know about my previous work experience, why I was interested in their company, or what skills I had that I could bring to the table that would benefit their business. It made me realize that successful people are well rounded and don't just focus on getting the 'A'. It's all about the life experiences that make you stand out, or the work that you have done that helps set you apart from other applicants.

I am not saying that grades are unimportant by any means. They number one reason people go to college is to get an excellent education, and that is not something that should be taken lightly. However, the point is that good grades should not be the only thing you have accomplished by the time you graduate. Take advantage of all the opportunities that Purdue has to offer: apply for an internship, volunteer for an organization you are passionate about, or talk with one of your professors about getting involved in a research project. There are countless ways to develop your career skills and it is never too early to start.

Spare some change?

By: Nora Kish

Humans are creatures of habit. Most people are uncomfortable with changes in their routines or lives, whether they're big or small. Some people have a tremendous fear of the unknown and others welcome it and become excited by the thought of it. We should all try to strive for change in our lives, or at least welcome it. Change breeds innovation, uncovers new interests and passions, and opens up countless doors to countless opportunities.

Imagine your favorite restaurant. Think back to the first day you ate there. Now think about what you would be missing out on had you not tried that restaurant and stuck to restaurants you had been going to for forever before that. You would have never experienced what is now your favorite place to eat! This situation is applicable to all aspects of our lives - if we don't open ourselves up to change, we'll miss out. I'm not sure what's worse - missing out on great experiences, or never knowing what you missed out on.

In May, many of us - myself included - will experience one of the biggest changes in our lives so far: graduation. Instead of being afraid, be excited and embrace the new direction your life is about to go in! Change is life, and life happens whether you're ready for it or not so you might as well have a positive attitude about it and make the best out of what you're given. Life has too much to offer to be content with just staying in your comfort zone. Take advantage of what's out there and, if you don't go looking for change, at least welcome it with a smile when it finds you.

Start Something

By Lauren Farmer:

Last week was Liberal Arts Career Development's Career Week and we put on some great events and had wonderful speakers give speeches.  One speaker that spoke to me and that I think everyone should have gotten the chance to hear was Brad Dickason.  One message he sent to his listeners was to not be afraid to start something.  If you have an idea in your head why not actually do something and try to create it? Don't feel like you are stuck because you are still in school.  Who knows what could come of what you create if you don't try? It could be anything and doesn't particularly have to correspond with your major.  Do something that you have always dreamed of doing. Also, don't be afraid of failure.  Most likely at some point in your life you will make something and it will be a complete failure.  Try to look at your failures as learning experiences and own your failures.  Steps to success are not complete if failure isn't included.

I was very inspired by this speaker and wanted to share some of it with you all.  Everyone should find something to be inspired by and allow that inspiration to help you become successful and accomplish your goals!

The little card you need.

By Yameng Zhang

"Can I have your name and contact, please?"
"Sure, let me write down for you."
I can spend 20 seconds writing down my information at the sign-in table, but I should not let a recruiter spend 20 seconds watching how bad a person's handwriting can possibly be.

A career fair is a professional occasion for business, which gives you the perfect reason to bring out the thing called "business cards".

A business card says things about you.
If you got a business card having a person's name in Times New Roman, black and white, on a perfectly cut rectangle small thicken paper, what do you think? Professional, huh?
There is nothing wrong with being safe, but it is wrong to be boring. Imagine the people who got your business card will only go home with your card, so to those people, besides the memory you left after the interaction, what they got is just your business card, no matter how interesting you are, the boring card is a proof that says you are actually not.
If you are an interesting person, let your card show that as well.

Keep it simple.
It is still just a card, don't brag too much.
What you have done in the past, those should be on the resume, not on your business card.
Your name, present identity, address, phone number and email. Those are needed.
May be put one of your picture, maybe a motto related to your career of course, or maybe some appropriate decorative design, but that should be all.
Don't crowd your card with all words, leave some room, for notes, or just for a breath in case there is too much information.

Make it yours.
If you give out your card in a career fair, unless your card is on fire, it will be drowning in a pile of cards. I bet you have done learning how to let yourself standout in career fairs, but is your card ready to defeat the other business cards?
If you are an incredibly unforgettable type of person, make sure your card is the same type of business card.
Paper is not the only thing can be used for business card, how about metal, candy wrap, or glass? Too wild? If you prefer papers, pick one that has some texture, which is practical and durable, so people know that you are detail-oriented.
Rectangle is not the only shape for business cards. Try put your information in a circle, star, or at least you can try make a square business card. When the people who got your card are organizing all the cards they received from the career fair, your card would definitely standout because it won't fit. Your card may be left on the people's desk for a while, which will give you more chance to be reminded.

No matter what you decide to do about your business cards, at least don't let the little cards drag you down, if possible, do some work, let it tell some good things about you when you're not around.