Online Job Application Tips

By: Maureen Corbett

Like many young and eager Purdue students, I attended the Krannert Career fair last week in search of my next summer internship. During my time there I found a reoccurring theme throughout all of the companies I talked to. Every single recruiter told me that while personally handing them my resume, I also needed to apply online in order to be considered.

Applying online for a job can be a tricky thing to do. I always feel that once I hit the submit button, my resume disappears into cyberspace never to be seen again by anyone, let alone an employee at the company I’m interested in. According to an article in US News written by Miriam Salpeter, almost 50% of businesses today use an applicant tracking system to screen resumes and filter out possible employees from those not qualified. In order to make it through this ATS system, here are a few tips and tricks to help you get your online resume noticed:

1.       Read the job description

The ATS systems will automatically filter out any applications that don’t match the qualifications needed for the job. Make sure you fully read everything that is required of the specific position and make sure you fit the criteria before deciding whether or not to apply.

2.       If reapplying, only create one user profile

If you try to resubmit your application or apply for a different position within the same company, make sure you don’t create multiple accounts. This can cause confusion with the system and ultimately lead you to get looked over.  Make sure to remember your password and reuse the same account information if applying again in the future.

3.       Attach a cover letter

Sometimes a cover letter is more carefully read than a resume. If the application site offers the option to attach a cover letter, make sure to do it. Use this as an opportunity to vocalize your skills and interest in working for that specific company.

4.       Tailor you resume

Take a second look at the job description and make sure to include the same “action verbs” they use in their language. ATS systems will search your resume of these key words and flag you if you match the description. Also, make sure you take the opportunity to fill out all information in the application, not just the sections that are required. This further demonstrates your interest in the company and shows you’re dedication to providing all available information possible. 

For more information and additional tips, visit: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/07/11/the-9-best-tips-for-submitting-an-online-job-application

Stand Out from the Grad School Crowd

By: Shelby Oyer

So you want to go to grad school. Maybe you know exactly where and when you want to...or maybe you don't. Perhaps you're not even sure yet that you want to go at all. According to Dr. Don Martin, former dean of admissions for graduate schools including Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, taking some time off before going to graduate school is perfectly fine. Regardless of whether you choose to wait or go straight out of your bachelor's degree, you should know how to make yourself stand out from the other applicants.

Dr. Martin is a fountain of information and tips for students seeking to go to grad school (read his various articles here: http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/graduate-school-road-map). In one of his most recent articles, he gives advice on how to "Succeed as a Nontraditional Grad School Applicant." He reassures applicants that even if they've been out of the game for a few years, anyone can offset this fact, as well as a lower GPA or poor test scores, by being successful since graduating.

Dr. Martin advises applicants to "highlight all of the experience you have garnered since college" since it can do almost nothing but bring a positive effect. Here are his examples of things to highlight:

1.      Discuss travel experiences. Many students decide to take time off after graduation to do some traveling. Since this provides an opportunity to expand your horizons, admissions committees view the experiences highly.

2.      Emphasize participation in community service. Other college grads may decide to spend time serving their community rather than traveling. These experiences still hold the same value as traveling to admissions committees.

3.      List all successful employment experience. Another valuable asset for anyone to have is work experience. Performing well and getting recommendations is always a plus.

4.      Include solid research and writing. If you spent time doing independent research or writing a book, for example, include this in your application. It’s unique and the committees will appreciate that.

5.      Highlight entrepreneurial achievements. Even if you feel you failed at your entrepreneurial attempts, the fact that you tried in the first place shows discipline and “willingness to take a chance,” which committees like to see.

If you’re not sure whether you want to go to grad school right after graduation or not, rest assured knowing you still have high hopes of being accepted after taking some time off. If you do decide to give grad school a try right after college but don’t have the highest GPA, make sure to take full advantage of these tips. Even if you’re an excellent student who also chooses to continue your education right after college, these tips will help you stand out from the crowd.

If you’re even the slightest bit interested in attending grad school, be sure to check out the Advance Yourself grad school fair on October 3^rd from 11am-3pm in the PMU West Main Lobby. You'll also have a chance to ask representatives from various schools questions at the panel discussion at 9:30am in the Union, room 230.

To read Dr. Don Martin’s complete article, click here: http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/graduate-school-road-map/2013/08/16/succeed-as-a-nontraditional-grad-school-applicant

Sound Like You Know What You're Doing

By: Janna Parke

 

I sit back and wonder if all of the professors, teachers, and leaders really knew everything they were doing. I mean, after all, we are all human. As a leader this summer during my internship, I honestly didn’t know what I was doing sometimes, and in this situation if I didn’t take charge, I would probably have been asked to step down from my position. In a new situation, internship, or job, everyone needs a little bit of time to adjust, so in order to keep confidence from your boss, mentor, or employer, you have to sound like you know what you are doing until you really get a handle on it.

Before I give you a few examples of how to do this, understand that asking for help is OK...

Have a sense of humor and humility. Understanding that when you find yourself in cases where you really don’t know what you are doing, ask for help. Going to a boss, employer, or leader for help is not a bad thing—it is sometimes necessary. I’m not telling you otherwise! Don’t fake it if you don’t think you will make it. There is nothing wrong with asking for help or getting advice from others in a new situation, that is what they are there for—to mentor and lead you to success.

Now this is for those of you who are in a situation where you are capable of success, but need time to adjust...

Listen. Your employer will be giving you jobs and assignments from the start. The first step in getting the job done is to understand what to do. Although you might not know how to get the job done, taking time to think through and process your instructions is the first step in teaching yourself to do the assignment.

Do your homework. This summer on the new internship, I had no idea how to plan a 5k. The first few days I spend with people who’d been there for a while and asked them for advice and for suggestions on how to go about getting the job done. This helped me to develop a plan until I started to see more of how the company works and how I am able to work. Taking the time to prepare from the suggestions of the co-workers helped me show that although this was a new experience, I was jumping in with confidence

Act like a duck. Ducks look so calm and serene from above but, underneath the water, they're actually paddling like they're being chased by alligators. New situations are scary, and it's human nature to be afraid of the unknown, but the truth is that the way you feel isn't necessarily evident to anyone else. At the first few team meetings I was in charge of, inside I was nervous and panicky, and yet nobody ever noticed a thing. I was getting compliments on how I took charge of the team so quickly.

Some of this information and advice was from this article:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-57472492/how-to-sound-like-you-know-what-youre-doing/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=linkedin#!

So you want to find a job via Social Media?

By: Neysa Herrera

If you are in the job market: got recently fired, soon to graduate from college or university or looking for career opportunity; this information might be useful for you. All you need to keep clear is that searching for a job is all about marketing a product, you.

Immediately, when you are looking for a job, an entire process begin. You build your resume obsessed by applying to every opening you find, to make sure you find something that fits well in you background. You also begin to remember and contact old friends to let them know that you are in the market and to ask for placement help. Then, you have created all a networking campaign emailing your contacts, using online tools like LinkedIn, hoping that someone knows of a job opportunity that feeds your needs.

Since many people find jobs in the traditional way: chasing jobs and companies through webpages and newspapers, you need to know that Social Media offer an interesting new way to interact and meet potential employers. An example case of the above is David Murray’s who found his ideal job via twitter as assistant webmaster of client services for the Bivings Group; several months later, he was promoted to director of social web communications.

As people interact and connect with many others, Social Media offers very powerful opportunities to network. David Meerman, in his article The New Rules of Marketing and PR, makes an analogy to cocktail parties: “(…) Just like a physical cocktail party, if you are unemployed and looking for work, the people you meet may be I a position to introduce you to that perfect employer”. The best part about Social Media is that the opposite is also true: Nowadays, smart employers are looking for the perfect asset to their companies in a certain job via online.

So, knowing that employers are looking for employees through the Social Medias if you want to make Social Media part of your job search, you have to know how to market yourself in the virtual world. The most important things for you to pay attention the most  are: First, content, (what you publish should be interesting for employers and should show your abilities and skills); and second, the ability to understand that Social Media could be a great instrument to get job opportunities, as long as you use them in a strategic and professional way.

In conclusion, if you want to get a job, go viral in social media sites such as Facebook, twitter and LinkedIn. In order to do it, instead of being ad advertiser, you have to become a publisher of content that employers are eager to consume. Keep always in mind that, once you decide doing your job research though Social Media, you have to realize that it is not for make friends, and post hot photos. Remember that you want to target employers, not to increase your list of party contacts.

What I have learned

By: Bronwyn Huddleson

The first day I walked on campus as a freshman at Purdue University I knew I was going to have the best four years of learning thus far in my life. I was correct.

My freshman year I thought I was learning a lot of new things in my classes. I may have learned a few things in each of my classes, but I realized later on that year that I learned much more outside of the classroom. I didn't enjoy every class I was in freshman year, so of course that made it more difficult to comprehend what was being taught. I would read my books, occasionally, and take notes in class so that I would have material to study for exams, but I started to notice I was not retaining much of what I was taught once the exams had passed. I learned the information temporarily because my interest was not strong enough to keep me motivated in learning the new material. About halfway through freshman year I started to reflect on how my year had been so far and noticed many things I had gone through in that short amount of time that had really started to impact me. I was learning from my experiences. I knew I was starting to develop skills outside of my general education because I was surrounding myself with new situations and different people to learn from. The experiences I endured were impacting the way I learned in the classroom. This continued into my sophomore year, by which time I had changed my major to Photography and Related Media. I was beginning to get more intellectually involved in my classes and really trying to retain everything the professors were teaching me. Even so, I didn't fully comprehend until the beginning of my senior year that I had learned more these last 3 years than any time I spent in school before college. A lot of people seem to think that you go to school just to get an education in the classroom, but there is so much more to it than that. I have been able to take things I learn outside of the classroom, whether it be personal encounters, jobs, activities, tragedies, etc., and relate it to how and what I learn from my professors. Something that I have been taught, maybe subconsciously by myself or by my professors, is that every single moment, every experience, and every conversation teach us more than we realize because majority of the time we are not able to connect those learning experiences with academics. Why is that? I believe that through the right people, we can develop our minds and our ability to comprehend to unspeakable levels. A lot of what I have learned I use everyday unknowingly. The person that I am today is based on the things I have learned in my past, and my goals and ambitions for the present and the future. I feel that I have the power to become anything I want, because I know I can learn anything I want. Thanks to my broad education, my wide networks, and my deep connections with people and areas of study, I have learned more than how to read a book or operate a camera. I have learned what it takes to be something in the world, to make a difference in my life and the lives around me. I have been able to grasp the idea that I learn at least one new thing every single day. My hope is that other people start to realize they are learning more than what the books they read teaches them, and that with everything we learn, we grow. Our minds work endlessly. New experiences and new people promote that work, and I utilize that power daily. Think about all the experiences you have had in the course of your college career, and think about how you can use what you have been taught to grow and to build yourself into something you have always envisioned. New is forever changing, but it is always different. With time comes change, no matter what. The challenge is to take advantage of those changes and make something of yourself. Next time you ponder learning, ask yourself, when was the last time you tried something for the first time?

Boosting Your Creative Process

Written by Tanvir Rahman

In today’s world creativity is everywhere and it is something you definitely need to outshine the competition. In today’s business world new ideas, better strategies, and creating something new is always desired. Creativity is an amazing thing that takes a lot of work to produce but nothing feels better than coming up with your own original idea. Although creativity is something that happens in the mind there is actually an overall planning and preparation that goes into it if you want that powerful lasting idea.

Before you start drafting or brainstorming, try to familiarize yourself with a process that will get you from start to end. Ask yourself questions that will answer the basic needs of your client or project. Imagine yourself as the customer of your client or project and look at your project from all points of view. This will give you a sense of what needs to be done so that your ideas aren’t all over the place.

The creative process is all about balancing the extremes. When an amazing idea hits you, your fist impulse is go with it but you may be blinded by the idea that you have something great. When that brilliant idea comes to you draft it out and put it on paper or the computer and look at it the next day. Save it for a time when you’re not in the heat of the moment and have fresh eyes. I know personally, when I create a work of art I am so eager to start going with my amazing idea but I don’t always feel the same as I did the next day. It’s all about looking at your ideas from different angles to push your creativity.

Although that amazing idea may not hit you right away, it’s important that you don’t force your creativity. Whenever I am looking for new ideas for projects I always fall into what I call designers block. I just cannot think of anything good and it is very frustrating. The important thing here is to find your inspiration and let it come to you naturally. Now I am not saying to just sit around until something just comes to you, because that most likely will not happen, but you should go out and find what inspires you. For example, I try to get out of the house and look at my surroundings, I do research on similar projects or concepts I am going for, and I simply do a lot of brainstorming of ideas. Inspiration gives life to your creativity and it’s important to find what inspires you.

Creativity can be a complex thing and it’s not as easy as turning on a switch but nothing feels better than coming up with that brilliant idea for your projects. Learning about yourself and what inspires you is key to boosting your creative process!

 reference: http://justcreative.com/2012/07/18/improve-creative-process/

You Are Not Your Major

Written By Shahd Khawaja

Joining Purdue as a Liberal Arts student, I started off as a Communication major and ended up adding Political Science and a minor in French along the way. When asked what it was that I wanted to do with all of this, I had no answer. Coming from a family of engineers, doctors, and scientists, being a liberal arts student meant confusion. I wasn't studying premed to become a doctor, or engineering to become an engineer. My fields of study provided endless opportunity for those viewing it with an open mind, but ambiguity in the eyes of those who surrounded me.

I realized that our problem as Liberal Arts students is that we look at our majors the wrong way. We are put under pressure by those of different fields (not directly, but by ourselves when we compare ourselves to others) to see ourselves the way they see themselves, and we try to become something we’re not rather than be great at what we are. Entering Mass Communication, I thought this meant that I should only stick to career paths involving mass media, such as working for CNN the way engineers stick to engineering career paths. When I added Political Science, I told myself, “Well now you can work in either media related fields or politically oriented fields.” It finally hit me that my major wasn't preparing me for a type of job, it was giving me skills I could use anywhere.

I truly realized the extent of this when I got my first real job working for L'Oreal Middle East over the summer. They didn't ask me what I was studying in school so much as what it was I could do and how I did it. I was able to assure them that unhappy clients would not be an issue for me as I had been learning ways to communicate effectively and successfully from my communication major. When I received calls from French clients or received emails in French, it was a plus that I had been studying French in university, and being able to write in a professional manner and understand complex information was something I definitely gained from being a Political Science major, even if what I was reading had nothing to do with politics what so ever.

To make the most of your time in university, look at it as an opportunity to gain as many skills as you can. This does not in any way mean that you should solely study what major corporations want from them employees. You have to love what you learn in order to do great things with it. Just remember not to trap yourself in a box. A Liberal Arts student can truly do anything.

Read the Job Description

By: Maureen Corbett

It can be discouraging for students to apply for what seems like hundreds of jobs online, and still never get so much as a phone call or an interview. However, according to an article written by Hannah Morgan on Youtern, it’s not the quantity of jobs applied for but rather the types of jobs applied for.

In her article, she discusses that the most important part of responding to a job posting is taking the time to actually read the job description. She talked about how most job seekers only spend an average of 60 seconds reviewing a job description before deciding whether or not to apply for the position. This can lead to problems such as:

1. Applying for positions you are not qualified for
2. Submitting your application in the wrong format, to the wrong person, or after the deadline.
3. Excluding additional information requested by the employer, such as a reference list or college transcripts

Luckily for you, there is an incredibly easy way to fix this problem: take the time to read about the job you’re applying for! Recruiters will appreciate the time you spend and your effort will definitely shine through in your application.

To read Hannah Morgan’s full article and to get inside tips on what company recruiters are looking for in job seekers, follow this link: http://www.youtern.com/thesavvyintern/index.php/2013/09/02/want-the-job-invest-time-reading-the-job-posting/?utm_source=the-savvy-intern,-by-youtern&utm_medium=gazetty&utm_campaign=09-05-2013

5 Tips for Time Management

Written by Shelby Oyer

It's easy for students to get stressed out in their busy college lives. Many of us not only have full class loads but are also involved in clubs, jobs, and other activities. In order to stay on top of homework and classes while balancing everything else in our lives, it's crucial to learn good time management skills. Below are five tips and tricks to help you do just that.

Get a Calendar 

Whether it's a desk calendar, wall calendar, mortar board or any other type of calendar, get one you can write all of your important information on. Make it one that you will actually use and that you will see often. Personally, I have a dry erase calendar hanging on the wall right above my desk that I use to write down everything important, like work shifts and meetings, in addition to having a mortar board I use to jot down all my homework assignments. Find one that works for you and put it to use so you never miss an important event or assignment.

Write Everything Down   

And I do mean everything. Don't just tell yourself "Oh I'll remember that," write it down. Every homework assignment, work shift, meeting, callout...everything, no matter how small or seemingly unimportant it may be. If it's written down on a calendar you see every day (funny how it all ties together) you're sure to remember it.

Create Reminders   

Write down important events or assignments that you're scared you might forget on a post-it note and stick it to your desk or mirror. Create an event or reminder on your phone and have an alert tell you when it's nearing the time or due date. These things give you added security that you won't forget something that needs to be done.

Make a Schedule

Use Google Drive, an Excel spreadsheet or just a plain piece of paper and make a schedule for yourself, blocking out chunks of time to get things done. This is especially helpful during extremely busy times like finals week. If you mark down that you're going to study your Com notes on Tuesday from 3-4 pm, you're more likely to actually study since you have specific time already carved out in your busy schedule.

Commit!

All of these tips do no good if you don't commit to doing what you say you'll do. If you mark on your calendar that you're going to study at a certain time and set up a reminder to do so, but then ignore them both, they will be of no help whatsoever. Have the commitment to stay on top of writing things down and doing them when you tell yourself you will. Treat homework assignments and time to study or exercise or whatever else as if they were a work shift. You wouldn't just not show up to work would you? So don't blow off your other activities by making the excuse that you'll "do it later." Do it now.

Go Somewhere

By: Janna Parke

Growing up I traveled the world. My family lived in England, traveled through Europe, Mexico, Belize, the Bahamas, and all around the United States. The love of traveling and seeing the world has been instilled into my life from a young age, which is why I want to study abroad.

Studying abroad can be a scary thought, at least for me! Don’t get me wrong, I am just as adventurous as the next person, but when it comes to leaving the things you know and love most and creating a new journey alone, it can be an intimidating thought. When telling people that I plan to study in Sydney, Australia in the spring semester, they all seem impressed and are very encouraging. Studying abroad won’t only lead me to new experiences and trials, but it will also teach me about my skills, passions, my future, and myself.

Not only will this experience benefit my personal life, but also my professional life. There are endless reasons to go abroad, and I know that they outweigh the less positive aspects.

1.     Well -rounded

As I touched on before, studying abroad shows employers, friends, and family that you desire to be a well-rounded person. This opportunity requires maturity, responsibility, and openness. These qualities are desirable in a person for any job on the market. Showing that you are able to go into a new situation with an open mind and eagerness to experience a new culture is something that helps you to create a well-rounded college experience.

2.     New Perspective

Studying abroad provides new perspective on education, relationships, culture, and more. By taking classes in a new environment, students are able to see learning from a new view. The relationships formed between your friends, professors, roommates, and others abroad will be different than those you form while at Purdue. The interactions through a new community should open new doors and push your own ideas to a new level.

3.     Personal Growth

Studying abroad is a challenge. I can’t imagine packing everything up, getting on a plane alone, and finding my way around Australia. I am nervous thinking about it! Students who study abroad come back with a new sense of confidence in their skills and a sense of responsibility that cannot be gained while feeling safe and sound at home. Stretching to your limits is the only way to grow and learn about what you can handle. This responsibility and confidence is vital to careers these days. A worker that is responsible and confident in their abilities is a worker who is more likely to be hired.

4.     Career Skills

The skills that make a student marketable are found through studying abroad. Students can gain critical thinking and problem solving, confidence, teamwork, communication, leadership, flexibility, adaptability, creativity, a worldview, and new perspective. All of these skills tie over to any future career. For communication, I can see myself learning a lot about interacting with others in various situations and applying them to my classes I have taken here at Purdue. “On average, about 23 percent of 2011 college graduates studied abroad at some point, based on data reported by 339 ranked schools in an annual survey by U.S. News. The participation rate was less than 1 percent at a handful of those schools.” This low number gives students the opportunity to be set apart from the rest of the bunch in the resume process.

After reading these points I hope you have a fire in your soul to travel! I understand the factors of time and money, but scholarships, rescheduling, and a little extra planning can help to make this a possible dream. I am about to submit my application to study at the University of Sydney, and I couldn’t be more excited!

For more information about Purdue’s study abroad programs, you can visit their website.

Some information and key points were found on these websites:

http://www.vistawide.com/studyabroad/why_study_abroad.htm

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/2013/02/26/10-colleges-where-the-most-students-study-abroad

There is a whole world in there

By: Bronwyn Huddleson

From Purdue to California, from school to work, from dreams to reality.  My experiences and knowledge have broadened my horizons over the past year. Even so, I feel that they expanded enough to direct me toward a rewarding career, doing what I love.

Purdue is a good, sorry, a GREAT school that I am so grateful to call my own. I came to Purdue freshman year having no idea what I really wanted to do with my education and career path. I started with a major in Movement and Sports Science with the intentions of going to PT school after my first four years. Well, that did not last very long because I quickly realized that math and science were not my fortes anymore. I started to contemplate my decisions and rethink the things I truly loved learning and doing; I rediscovered my passion for photography. With the encouragement of my parents, I decided to change my major to Photography and Related Media, so that I could soon turn my dreams into reality. 

I began this change, unknowingly, as soon as I switched my major after freshman year. I am in the College of Liberal Arts, and more steadily becoming aware of its benefits. I slowly, but surely, worked my way into the lifestyle of an art and design major with the help of my other courses. Little did I know, studying Liberal Arts has made one of the biggest impacts on my visions and goals. Every course I have taken through Liberal Arts has expanded my knowledge beyond the narrow/specific study of Photography. I have been able to obtain such a diverse education, learning anatomy and physiology all the way to economics. This is what makes the College of Liberal Arts stand apart from other colleges keeping their majors strictly in their specific dynamics. 

Not only has the College of Liberal Arts taught me a lot about many different subjects, but it has taught me to expand my horizons outside of the classroom as well, and to get involved with things beyond the boundaries of this university, or even this state. For example, I successfully landed a job at a day camp for elementary aged kids in Sunnyvale, California this past summer. I thank my diverse education for the courage to explore outside of my focus, and gain experience that would, indubitably, earn me a career. Although Camp Galileo was not directly improving my photography skills, it was improving my networking and professional skills. I was able to travel and live somewhere I had only dreamt to have an opportunity in. I discovered that when I looked outside of my living quarters during school, I found a whole world out there. This world was somewhere that I wanted adventure in, explore through, and learn from. I have gained so much knowledge over the last 3 years that have helped me with more than just photography, because I was able to take a chance and experience something completely abstract in comparison to what I am getting a degree in. Even so, I realized that it was not abstract, because I have been learning about things for all majors, and have been able to tie every single subject to each other and then to photography. 

That statement above makes it clear how much Liberal Arts has done for me as a student and a professional in general, not just for one subject. The depth of my education grew physically, as I traveled and made connections with people and places, and mentally, as I feel well educated in so many subjects that are still relate-able to my major. I saw the world on the outside when I was in, and after experiencing a small portion of that, I have discovered that, well, Liberal Arts... there is a whole world in there, too. 

Make them believe that no one can do it better than you

By : Neysa Herrera

Nowadays, the job field is very competitive. Like a pool full of sharks. Every single professional these days is supposed to be a shark. It is not enough just to be good, you have to be great; you have to be the best to get it.

In order to get there, to be the best, you have to accomplish many levels of training, which means you have to go through a long path to prepare yourself as a competitive professional. It is not a one day thing. That path starts since we are little, right when you start to figure out what you are passionate about. That passion will be the motor to achieve your goals and to stand up every time you fail, because…yes! You will fail many times but those experiences are steps in the training. They help you to learn from your mistakes and to do everything better than you did it before.

After knowing your passion, “you start to move your life in that direction and every decision you make from what you eat to what you do with your time at night turns you into who you are tomorrow, and the day after that. Every single day when you look at yourself in the mirror you visualize who you want to be, and start sculpting yourself into that person”[1]. So, you got to start doing things that suit you in that profession that you believe in. That is what the best professionals do. First of all, they have to believe in themselves to, then, make other people (recruiters) believe in them.

When the job search starts, the way you organize your application, your resume and letter of interest shows if you are a good candidate or the best.  You must know what recruiters are looking for and if you could be the best asset for their companies, if not, don’t apply, you will be losing your time. Remember, good is not enough, today good jobs are reserved for great professional.  So, at this point, my tip for you, is to take a fair time to read the entire job application – it will make you understand what you should highlight in your resume to stand up in the pool of  applicants-; research about the company you are applying for and establish contact with some intern members to know it better with the purpose of learn what the company culture is, and if it fits with your expectations – you don’t want to work in a place where you don’t feel comfortable with-.

Once your application is accepted, and you get an interview, you must be ready to show yourself as a product that companies want to buy (it’s a little hard if you put it this way but is the ugly truth) as they are going to pay you for using your skills to benefit the company. In this sense, make sure you show yourself as a very important candidate for that position from the beginning, from your outfit to the way you sit on the chair. Remember, if you don’t show a winner attitude and have self-confidence; if you don’t demonstrate to them that you are the one and only person that they need for that position, they will choose someone else.

 

[1] Source: http://lolchamp.com/make-the-decision-early

Do What You Love, Love What You Do

Written by Tanvir Rahman

When thinking about your future career I think it is important to choose something that you really want to do. Something that you are passionate about and know you will work hard at. For me, my passion lies in Visual Communication Design/Graphic Design. Although this is my passion now, I didn’t always know that. I came into Purdue majoring in engineering. I thought it would be fun creating the things that make this world work but I just did not like the work I was doing and felt that this is not what I signed up for. So after talking with different counselors and taking career tests I found VCD and have stuck with it ever since.

Now, just because you are doing something you enjoy or have fun with does not mean your future job is secured. It takes a lot of hard work and tenacity to get where you want to go but when dealing with your passion that journey can be a positive and eventful one. For me, I want to become a graphic designer but I can’t just jump into it. It takes years of studying and practice to improve your skills and knowledge. Right now I am working to get my degree and also working on projects outside of class to better my skills as a designer. Getting that degree is important because it shows how much work you went through and the skills you have obtained in that long journey. It’s a lot of hard work but in order to be “great” you have to do “great” work. 

The phrase “hard work” may seem like a negative one but it really isn't. In my field projects with short deadlines are assigned all the time and it takes dedication and commitment to meet those deadlines. However, I am doing what I enjoy so when I am working on graphic design projects I spend a lot of time on them but there’s no other work I’d rather be doing. I can see what I’m learning and how I’m growing and it makes me want to learn and grow more. My philosophy is that when you are doing something you are passionate about the hard work, commitment, and desire to do great all come naturally. I was always a slacker when I was younger and ever since I switched to VCD I have never worked harder in school and in my professional life. My cousin once told me, “do what you love and the money will come.”

So if there's anything to take from this article it's that you should be working in what you are passionate about and have a desire to succeed in. It takes a lot of work to get to that dream career but you will have a strong desire to put in that work when dealing with your passion. I love my major and whenever I am in class or working on projects I am so interested in what I am doing I just want to keep learning more. I think it is very important to enjoy what you are doing or won't have any motivation to succeed in it. So when you're doing what you love, you'll love what you do.