Keep Calm and Carry On

By: Cristin Coons

My summer internship has been a true learning and growing experience. From my first day through now, nearing the end of my time with LACD, I have developed a stronger sense of who I am (and can be) in a professional work environment and I have become more confident in my abilities as an employee. It hasn’t always been like this. I can remember interviewing for internships earlier this year and being so focused on getting one that I allowed my nerves to take over in the interview process. By the time I interviewed for LACD, I knew that I had to remain calm and focused in order to impress the panel and I had a much more successful experience because of it. So here are a few tips on how to remain calm, cool and collected when in the interrogation…I mean, INTERVIEW, room. 

Take a Deep Breath

Sounds cliché, but it definitely works. You may have had a hectic commute to the office or maybe you had trouble locating the correct office but you finally arrived and have some time to spare before they call you in. So take advantage of it. Go to the restroom, run some cold water over your shaky, sweaty palms and look in the mirror to check that everything still looks as great as it did this morning. Then, take a deep breath. Reassure yourself that you can walk in there and impress your interviewer. If you tell yourself you can, chances are that you will. Or you will at least have a better chance than if you went in already doubting yourself. 

Really Listen to the Question

You may think you’ve heard every interview question there is out there. But your interviewer could take you by surprise and ask something you’ve never even thought about before. Be sure to listen to the question and allow yourself a moment to construct your answer (not a dramatic pause, but a second or two to compose your thoughts). This way, your response is one they will remember as being eloquent and well-spoken, not one that didn’t even answer the question. 

Remain Positive

Even if you think you bombed a question or you forgot your interviewer’s name, remain positive. A positive attitude can do wonders in any situation and there’s no exception for an interview. Walk out with your head held high and be proud of what you just accomplished—some people didn’t even make it as far as you did in their job search. A genuine smile and handshake at the end of the interview could be that little extra that gets you called back or maybe even the job. 

For more tips and interview expertise, check out LACD’s career handbook at www.cla.purdue.edu/careers/ or stop in Beering room 1114 to make an appointment with our director, Lisa Lambert Snodgrass.

Rain rain go away?

When you hear the phrase “rainy day”, a slow dread can creep over your body. For most people the only thing that a rainy day brings is boredom, and although you might think that rain is just an evil mastermind plotting to ruin your summer, a rainy day here and there might be exactly what you need. Why would you need something that traps you indoors and takes away your sunny days? All I need to say is one word…productivity. Rainy days, at least for me, are the perfect way to get some much needed work done, and whether that be actual work from my internship, or general things I need to get done, a rainy day is often the thing that helps me get it all done. Most of the time rainy days postpone plans and most people want to stay indoors anyways. So, if like me, you instantly begin to melt at the sight of that falling water here is some things you can do so that you don’t waste this watery opportunity.

Clean you room

God who am I your mother? I know this might be the last thing a college student wants to hear, but seriously this is the perfect time to clean up that mess of a room. Pick up some dirty clothes, dismantle that pile of old Exponents, and maybe even throw out that paper plate that may or may not be growing its own mini ecosystem on it. Trust me, nothing is more entertaining than realizing that you actually have a carpet underneath that battlefield of objects on the floor.

Get ahead in your work

Since the weather does not want to correspond with your tanning schedule why don’t you take a look at what work you need to do in the next couple of weeks. From school work to actual work, using this time indoors to get ahead start will not only leave you feeling better prepared for whatever projects you have ahead, but when our glorious golden friend comes to visit again you will have extra free time for more important things, like breaking the record for longest nap by the pool.

Laundry time

As much as I wish this were true there is no such thing as the laundry fairy to come clean your clothes, and if you’re anything like me your dirty clothes are days away from planning a coup. If this is you then a rainy day may be exactly what you need to tame the beast in your laundry hamper. Take a couple hours to sort and clean your clothes. You’ll not only have clean clothes a the end of it, but you can save yourself from doing the embarrassing “sniff test” on that t-shirt you wanted to wear out tonight.

Of course there are a million other things you can do on this rainy day: wash your dishes, clean your apartment, give yourself a haircut (not really recommended, but hey it will grow back). Hopefully you can look at your own “to do” list and figure out a better way to spend the day then by sitting around and staring out the window at the inclement weather. 

Taking Advantage

By: Cristin Coons

Being an intern for LACD this summer has opened my eyes to all of the great programs our organization has to offer. I always knew that there were programs for students, however now I realize how many there are and how few students take advantage of them. 

For example, coming up this fall, on September 27^th LACD will be hosting a graduate school fair for any students wanting to advance their education past their undergraduate degrees. Advance Yourself will feature around 25 graduate schools in an information fair and will also showcase several sessions on topics selected by previous undergrads. Be sure to check out this opportunity if you want to pursue a future education.

Another great program that LACD will be hosting this fall is The Applicant. Last year, in its inaugural year, 3 finalists were selected to compete in several competitions and were judged by five expert panelists. The Ultimate Applicant, Kara McIver, won a dream interview with Burston-Marstellar and also received $250. YOU could be the next Ultimate Applicant this year; callouts will be in the fall with more information available then. 

So the next time you hear or see an advertisement for a program hosted by LACD, remember to take advantage of it!

What to do when you get sick

It’s a beautiful sunny day. The birds are chirping, and there’s not a cloud in the sky. Yet, as you wake up you realize something crucial. You’re sick! Now getting sick is going to happen to you one day or another, but there’s nothing worse then it being on a summer day. Especially if you needed to work that day too! Now before you let your world come crumbling down, here are a few simple things I do to not only alleviate my symptoms, but also to help smooth any worry I might have about missing work.

Assess the situation

First and foremost try to figure out how bad you’re really feeling. Are you in desperate need of medical attention, or can a few Dayquil get you through the day. Assessing the situation truthfully will help you weigh the pros and cons of missing work or school that day. Taking a day for yourself when your sick is fine, but you don’t want to waste all your sick days before you really need them!

Communicate with everyone

If you have decided that you need the day, make sure you communicate with everyone and anyone you had plans with that day. Especially if you are missing work! You want to make sure and go through all the appropriate channels and protocols so that a headache isn’t awaiting you when you return. Plus it is just plain rude not to let everyone know the situation you are in, from your boss to the friend you had lunch plans with, not communicating can cause more friction than you may want later. For the most part people should understand and they will appreciate knowing what is going on.

Rest and medicate

I don’t know how many times I used to stay home from school when I was younger and I didn’t actually rest! By not allowing myself to actually sleep I would usually still feel crummy the next day, thus forcing me to still feel bad when I had to go back to school. The same idea applies to your work, if you have taken the day to get better, then make sure that is what your doing. Go and buy the necessary medicine you need, and sleep. You wouldn’t believe how great you feel after actually taking a nap instead of spending hours watching daytime TV!

By following these few tips, you will not only feel better faster, but there also wont be trouble waiting for you when you make it back to work or school.

YOUR Personal Brand

By: Cristin Coons

Personal brand. You’ve heard the term before, but what does it mean? How can you as a student build and develop your own brand before heading out into the professional world? Have no fear, we here at LACD have got you covered. Here are a couple of tips that can help you start working towards perfecting your brand.

First of all, what is personal branding? According to Dan Schawbel, author of Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success, personal branding is “the process by which we market ourselves to others.” Not just for established working professionals, a personal brand is a tool that you as a college student can use to impress recruiters and snag a dream job. Once you decide what it is that you want to stand for, represent or be known for, work towards making that synonymous with your name. 

Another way to make yourself standout is by using a resume, cover letter and business card that use the same font and design scheme. Something as simple as this builds up a consistent brand image that makes you stand out to recruiters and potential employers. 

For more detailed tips on how to create and develop your personal brand, check out this article by Schawbel: http://mashable.com/2009/02/05/personal-branding-101/. Best of luck branding!