Halfway done

By: Brian Rivera

With the heat starting to get ridiculous and the end of June coming faster than we like summer break is almost halfway gone. That being said all of us are busy at our summer jobs and internships, and if you’re like me, finishing up a major project you have been working on for a while. Now that you’re finished you might be thinking that you’ve reached the end, and the call of the pool and grill outs is stronger than ever. However, this is not the time to slack off and lose focus. These are some things I do to help myself get back in the groove at the halfway mark of anything that I am working on.

Do something fun

You just finished something major at work; I think that it is ok to take a night off. This can be a slippery slope though, and you have to be careful you don’t get too comfortable and lose focus.

Revaluate your goals

Now that you have something accomplished look back at the goals you set earlier in the month and see if anything has changed or is accomplished. Then readjust them as needed and set new goals for the rest of the summer.

Look ahead

Start thinking about what you need to be doing next and try to organize yourself. If need be do things like set a timeline, or start collecting materials you might need for future projects. If you’re an overachiever start working ahead!

These are just a few things to help you get over the midway hump and still be as focused and productive as you can be at work.

Summertime

By: Cristin Coons

Summertime means cookouts, swimming trips and applying for fall internships. That’s right, while you’re relaxing at home this summer, working a part-time job or you’ve already landed a dream summer internship, the time has come to search and apply for fall internship opportunities. 

Several websites are devoted specifically to helping college students find internships year-round. A great resource to take advantage of at this time of year is YouTern.com. They have postings for all sorts of jobs as well as a search engine that could help you find and land your dream internship. Follow them on Twitter for up-to-date postings and articles with advice. 

Another great resource for internships is located right here at Purdue. The Center for Career Opportunities offers its own job search on their website, cco.purdue.edu. Sign up for their CCO Express, where you can search for internships by region, major, paid or non-paid and more. You can also stop by their office in Stewart Center for one-on-one help with applying and interviewing for positions. 

Also don’t forget to use LACD for all of your career/internship needs. Check out our website, purdue.edu/cla, for access to Are You Career Conscious, a handbook with tips on everything from resumes and cover letters to the job search and graduate school.

The beauty of working in groups

By: Brian Rivera

Plenty of us have had to work in a group environment, especially in classes or jobs where big projects are present, but whenever anyone even mentions “group work” we all moan and groan. Although I too have had my share of unruly group members, coasters, and “lost work” overall I feel that a group dynamic cannot only enhance the project on hand, but it can also help you learn useful skills for the future. What can you learn you say? Well here are just a few things you can gain when working in a group.

Task assignment:

One thing you will learn very quickly is which tasks to assign to each other. Most groups usually go into the project with thoughts of everyone doing the same amount of work in everything, but this ideal is a little naïve. Instead group work should be assigned by a combination of interests as well as skills. For example if someone knows there way around a certain computer program, assign them the work that corresponds to that, while you let someone else edit the work they produce. Learning to know where you and others fit into the group will not only let the work go faster, but it will also better the project.

Communication:

Obviously there will be moments where not everyone can meet, or you need to get in contact with the entire group at once. Learning the importance of communicating ideas and work via email and so on will help the group accomplish work, even if not all schedules can coincide. This also brushes you up on proper email and phone etiquette, which is something we should keep in mind, since the majority of us will use these skills when pursuing our careers in the future. Teaching yourself to always communicate with your group on your progress is also very helpful, because it keeps confusion to minimum, which leads to a faster, smoother completion of your work.

Problem Resolution:

More likely than not, groups of people will find conflict in something when working together. Whether it’s someone like not communicating or unsatisfactory work being presented, to someone not completing there part of the work there will come a time where two or more people will butt heads. So what now? This is the perfect time to practice problem resolution with your fellow group members. Proposing a compromise or even reprimanding someone when work is not being done is good practice for when problems like this arise later.  The better you get at resolving issues, the faster your work is completed.

Although these are just a few of the things you can learn from working with people, it is important to remember that regardless of what we do we will most likely end up working with groups of different people, and the faster you learn to glean the positive things from those experiences, the better your work will be.

Starting my first Internship

By: Brian Rivera

After four summers of part-time jobs landscaping people’s yards, and folding clothes at the mall, I am finally starting my first real internship and I am excited and nervous at the same time. I am excited, because I feel like I am finally beginning to take the final steps towards adulthood, and the first steps towards my future. I know that the experiences I get from working at the LACD are invaluable, and are going to be a great foundation for the path that my life will take me on. I am also excited about the team that I will be working with this summer, and the projects we will be working on, especially being a project manager for the Professional Pathways newsletter!

These new experiences can also very nerve-racking! The thought of the success or failure of a project, because of the decisions I make can be stressful, and I am also nervous because this will also be a sort of “test” of how my abilities are transferred from class to my work. Since I just picked up Professional Writing as a major a year ago, I feel the extra pressure to test my limits and see what I truly like and what I am good at. Although I am nervous, the excitement I feel is balancing it out. I guess that the nerves I am feeling right now are just the same as the anticipation you get when you are going up a rollercoaster. When you get to the top you feel your stomach ball up, and for a split second all your “worst-case” scenarios race through your mind, but when you are heading down all that stress lets go and it makes the fall that much sweeter.

Right now I am at the top of the roller coaster and looking out at what my summer will be like, and although I know that I will be working hard and pushing myself, the knowledge and experiences I will get from this internship are going to be worth the “fall”.

Getting to work on time

By: Brian Rivera

As the summer continues to unfold many students have begun their internships, and for those of us with unpaid internships a second summer job as well. Unfortunately juggling two work schedules can be hectic, and when you throw in traffic, construction detours, and unexpected surprises at work, you might be finding yourself racing from one place to another to get there on time. Being late to anything reflects poorly on you, but being late to work is definitely something you don’t want to do. I found that by following these tips I not only make it to work on time, but I better prepare myself for anything life throws at me.

Plan ahead:

I know this sounds simple but I think that a lot of people don’t truly take this advice to heart. Lay out your clothes for work the night before. Make sure that they are clean, ironed or pressed, and all together. Nothing is worse than trying to change quickly, and having to waste precise minutes trying to find your tie! This goes for your shoes as well. If you don’t have time to eat lunch make it the night before so that it is ready to eat on the go. Basically if you can get it done the day before just save yourself some time and get it done then.

Be prepared for anything:

Make sure you have an arsenal of things ready to combat any surprises that might lurk around the corner throughout the day. Carry a tide to go pen so you can clean up any stains you may have picked up from lunch. Keep a charger in your car in case your phone didn’t charge properly the night before. Have a small sewing kit at hand to sew back any loose buttons on your shirt. Though these are just a few examples, there are plenty of things you can have at hand to help keep life’s “surprises” at bay.

Communicate:

Scenario: You have just finished at your last job and are about to head home to prepare for your next one when your boss says they need help with a crisis right now. You don’t want to simply be rude and say you have to leave, so make sure your employers know your schedule as soon as possible. That way they can try to find someone else to help them, and you can leave on time. They might also be flexible and help you change your hours so that you have plenty of time to get your things done on time. Most employers are extremely terrific to work with and will want to help you succeed.

Following these few tips may not help you in every scenario, but they will definitely help you time manage and hopefully get you where you need to go on time.

Social Media How-to

By: Cristin Coons

With so many social media outlets on the Internet, it’s hard to keep focused on each one and utilize each to its full potential. As a summer intern for LACD, one of the projects that I am managing is updating our social media accounts. With my recent experiences and encounters, here is a short breakdown of how to use social media for your company, business or organization.

Facebook

As the most popular social networking site, with the projected user amount reaching 1 billion by this August, facebook is very user-friendly and interactive. With new features such as timeline and pages, more and more people are using facebook to promote their businesses and organizations. But when doing so, it’s important to keep in mind your professional brand. Be sure to use proper grammar and punctuation (unless your brand is built around the opposite) and keep your page void of any inappropriate commentary or images. There are many features that facebook offers its users (such as ads and insights), so be sure to explore them and use what benefits your company the most. 

Twitter

Twitter, though it has less users than facebook, is not far behind in popularity or usefulness. This site allows you to post tweets up to 140 characters, so be sure to use your words wisely! The same general rules apply here, comply with basic grammar and punctuation rules and stay true to your professional brand. Also make sure you are using twitter properly (i.e. don’t post lengthy tweets that are better suited for facebook or your company’s website). Instead, twitter can be used as a supplementary social media tool. Post links to interesting articles about or pertaining to your company. Tweet pictures from events or company gatherings. And be sure to promote upcoming events (with proper links to registration forms/more information).

Pinterest

This is one of the latest crazes to hit the social media sector and one that is still largely untapped for companies. One way that we plan to use pinterest here at LACD is to share products, apps, links and articles that are beneficial to students on their job/internship hunt. For your company, create boards that are cohesive and practical for your business and brand. Be sure to include links to all of the pins that you upload so that your followers can then find the product. This is especially helpful when trying to sell a product of your own. 

These are only a few tips that I’ve found helpful. Be sure to research these topics for more information as articles tend to pop up daily on the Internet about these very subjects.

Dress to Impress

By: Cristin Coons

With June upon us and progressing quickly, many students have begun their summer jobs and/or internships. However, in the hot summer heat, one might wonder what appropriate attire for the workplace is. As an LACD intern and an employee at the Dauch Alumni Center, I dress business casual every day. This means no jeans, no shorts, nothing too revealing…pretty self-explanatory, but some people may find it difficult to balance comfort and appropriate attire. In the heat, it’s important to be comfortable as well as professional.

As a student, I have found it easiest to invest in several pairs of slacks that I can wear in different seasons and that go with a variety of tops. The great thing about a business casual setting is that you have a little wiggle room to work with. You don’t need to wear a button up and blazer every day to work but rather, you can mix it up with some cute, casual and comfortable (yet work appropriate) tops.

Check out this recent article from Career Builder with great tips on how to dress to impress in the summer heat: http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-626-The-Workplace-Rules-for-Summer-Work-Wear/.

Don’t forget to check with your employer/boss on the dress code before purchasing a whole new summer wardrobe. It also helps to observe others in your workplace to see what style of clothing they wear on a day-to-day basis to see what is acceptable.