Archive for April, 2009|Monthly archive page
I Think I’ll Just Stay in College Forever
Filed under: career exploration, higher education, student affairs | Tags: careers, colleges, higher education, student affairs, student services, universities
Leave a Comment If you ask a student affairs professional how they ended up working in higher education, you’ll hear a lot of different stories, but most include something like, “I never thought about student services as something I could actually get PAID to do”. University administration is not a career most people decide upon purposefully or early on in life. Have you ever heard an 8-year old claim they want to be a residence hall director or an academic advisor when they grow up? Yeah, me neither.
My path to becoming a campus career advisor was equally winding. Now that I work in student affairs, however, I can’t imagine working in another field. The pros of working in higher ed? Glad you asked…
1. Lots of college campuses are exciting, energetic, dynamic places. There is never a shortage of things going on, issues to debate or thought leaders with interesting new research to share. It usually creates a great culture in which to work.
2. There is a shared mission among staff to contribute to the greater good and to help others. Unlike for-profit employers, our goal is not to make the company money (we’ll leave that for our friends working in the university development office). I work with extremely dedicated, friendly, altruistic and creative colleagues.
3. Though universities are not immune from economic downturns, relatively speaking, it’s a pretty stable industry. Especially since people tend to go back to school during tough economic times (even if some shouldn’t).
4. I am continually impressed by the students with whom I work. They are changing the world through social responsibility initiatives, running their own businesses, and conducting mind-boggling research. In contrast, when I was a college sophomore, I could often be found on my couch, watching Golden Girls re-runs with my roommates, eating EZ Cheez. Working with the students I see everyday gives me tremendous hope. (Though, I would argue Golden Girls helped shaped my personal growth and development in monumental ways, but that’s another post.)
5. College kids usually define what is “cool”, or are the first to find out about the next big thing. So, by association, I am instantly cooler.
Student affairs can include career and academic advising, student organizations and leadership programming, diversity and multicultural affairs, residence life, financial aid, international and study abroad programs, admissions, athletics and recreational sports and academic support services. With such a wide range of specialties, student affairs allows for a lot of different personalities and talents to find success.
Working in higher ed is not without its flaws. We are subject to office politics that can get in the way of helping students, our whole reason for being there in the first place. Few of us are getting rich, budget cuts are tough and opportunities for advancement are limited.
But, college was one of the best times of my life. As a first-generation college student, I felt privileged to even be there. Now that they let me in, I’m staying for good.
Three Easy Ways to Not Annoy Recruiters
Filed under: college students, job search, on-campus recruiting | Tags: interviewing, job seekers, on-campus recruiting
Comments (4) I’m not a recruiter, but I work with lots of them and the undergraduate students they are looking to hire. Sometimes little things can have a big impact on the application process. Three quick ways to be a better candidate:
1. Use your first and last name in your resume file name
I receive a lot of emails with attached files labeled “Resume”. Later, I have no idea which resume belongs to whom. Annoying. For HR people receiving hundreds of emailed resumes a day, that’s a problem. Make it as easy as possible for a recruiter to save, forward and find the information you send.
2. Don’t say, “I’ll do anything”
No, you probably won’t. Or, you’ll be hired into a position, figure out it isn’t a good fit and then quit. Recruiters don’t look good when the hires they recommended leave the company right away. Saying “I’ll do anything” does not demonstrate flexibility, it makes a candidate seem indecisive or impetuous and is a red flag. Know how your skills and experiences will add value to the organization. Don’t expect the employer to figure it out for you.
3. Treat everyone with respect
This should go without saying, but nerves or stress can change our normal behavior. Be polite to everyone you meet during company visits, from the parking lot attendant, to the receptionist, to the person in the elevator. It’s disappointing to see a stellar candidate totally blow the interview by behaving rudely when they let their guard down or get flustered. You never know who will have input in hiring decisions.
Rebounding from a Rescinded Job Offer
Filed under: college students, economy, job search | Tags: economy, job offers
Leave a Comment It’s that time of year, when career center staff track down all their grads in order to record post-graduation plans. In our office, lots of students are reporting exciting full-time and internship plans. A few, however, have had their accepted offers rescinded by employers, due to the economy. I feel for these students. They’ve done everything right, probably turned down other offers, and then all of a sudden, no more job. Here are some tips for job seekers who find themselves in similar situations:
Grieve
A rescinded offer is a total bummer. It’s okay to feel disappointed, sad, upset, and/or really angry. Once you accept how you feel you can begin to move beyond that and start taking steps to recover.
Get clarification about what happens next
Some companies who have to pull offers will provide compensation in some way. Some will let you keep a signing bonus, if you received one, or give you other monetary compensation. A few may even be able to offer you a different position in another division, department, etc.
Ask for a reference or referral
Many recruiters will serve as a reference as you re-launch your job search, figuring it is the least they can do. Their recommendation to other employers is valuable. You’ve essentially been pre-screened, and will be viewed as a highly qualified candidate because you’ve already survived the competition’s interview process. It’s like dating – people are attracted to people already in relationships because they figure they must be a good partner. Employers are attracted to candidates deemed “hirable” by someone else.
Stay in touch
Even though you might be disappointed and angry, be professional when communicating with the company. Maintain your relationship so when things turn around, you’ll be considered for new opportunities.
Contact companies that made you other offers
If you turned down other offers, swallow your pride and get in touch with those organizations to see if they’re still looking for candidates. You may find a company isn’t willing to hire you because they don’t want to be your second choice, but most will still be interested, if you were a strong candidate and they are in a position to hire. Checking back with other employers is much easier if you graciously turned down their offer and maintained professionalism in the process, so remember this when evaluating, accepting and declining job offers.
Contact your career center
Career center staff have relationships with lots of employers and may be able to direct you to employers they know are still hiring. They can act as your advocate as you negotiate for compensation or if you think you’re being treated unfairly.
Let your network know you’re looking
If you kept in touch with your contacts, they probably knew you accepted a position. It’s going to take some work to let them know that your situation has changed. Your story is one people can sympathize with though, so capitalize on that and ask for help.
Please stop complaining about the economy. Thanks.
Filed under: economy, job search | Tags: complaint-free, economy, job search
Leave a Comment This winter I read A Complaint Free World by Will Bowen. The basic idea of the book is that complaining is so common and so normalized by society we don’t even realize how much complaining we’re actually doing. Furthermore, we are often rewarded with a false sense of camaraderie with others as we all complain to one another, even though it leaves us feeling stressed, angry, and unhappy.
Have you ever walked into a co-worker’s office to vent about something? “Venting” is the code word for complaining. You unload complaints on your co-worker, unnecessarily involving them in whatever is going on, and you both walk away feeling worse than when you started. The initial situation causing the complaining isn’t resolved, either. Not productive.
Some researchers figured out it takes 21 days to develop a new habit. So, the complaint-free challenge is to go 21 days in a row without complaining, criticizing or gossiping about others.
Friends, let me tell you, this is more difficult than I thought it would be. I started on January 1 and have made it six full days complaint-free. That’s 6 days out of over 100. When I catch myself complaining I switch a ring from one finger to the next, to consciously re-train my brain to recognize complaints before they fly out of my mouth. It is a slow process, but I’m re-committing to a complaint-free world.
With the economy in the crapper, there is a lot of complaining going on. Lately, I’ve realized almost all my conversations with other career services professionals or employers begin negatively. Is on-campus recruiting on the decline? Are students panicking? Are employers reneging on offers? I answer – yes, some, a few – and then we talk, for the billionth time, about how tough things are right now.
Enough.
These conversations are pointless small talk from which no one gains. Instead, let’s talk about what strategies we’re using to help students deal with this tough market. Can we share ideas about how to work more effectively with recruiters? Can we share success stories about students who are getting job and internship offers? I’m tired of being bummed. I’m ready to put some positive energy out into the world.
If you’re a job seeker, this is even more important. I know it sucks right now so you don’t have to remind me of this. When discussing your search with others, maintaining some positivity will be especially impressive. Tell your contacts what you’re doing to overcome the challenges, and they’ll want to get on board and do what they can to help. According to Bowen, as we re-train our brains to focus on the bright side of things, we’ll feel happier, healthier and good things will come to us.
So, let’s collectively shut up about the economy, stop complaining and start dealing.
What I’ve Learned from House Hunting
In the last few months I have begun searching for my first home. I feel very fortunate to be house-hunting in an economy like this but looking at almost 50 homes without finding “the one” gets frustrating. I have learned a lot though.
1. Your type becomes evident.
I am an INFJ . I walk into a perfectly lovely home that has most of what I’m looking for – a logical buy – but it’ll be a no-go if it doesn’t feel right. I rely on the gut feeling provided by my Intuition preference. The thought of making an Excel sheet or point system to evaluate different properties kind of makes me shudder. But my Judgment preference means I also keep lists of houses on the wish list, the maybe list and the no list because I’m an organizational dork.
2. You should not try to HG-TV your home.
You are not a professional. The home improvements you make will not look as nice as it does on “Designed to Sell“. Borrow some ideas, sure. Take on a DIY project that requires major structural changes? Please don’t, unless you are incredibly handy or work in construction (in which case, please let me know if you are selling your well-maintained and recently updated home).
An important part of being successful is knowing when you can handle a project and when to get help. This still applies to your house.
3. Realtors have no work/life balance.
My realtor is available all the time. It’s really convenient – I get questions answered super fast and showings set up in less than 24 hours. She says the irregular hours work well for her because she can spend time with her daughter when she wants and work when she feels her best. I would not be able to handle that. It is important to know what you’re getting yourself into when you decide to pursue a certain industry. I would not be a good realtor, because I will not return your work-related email at 2am. Sorry, friend. Personal fit with a specific industry is important to consider before pursuing a career.
Know This Before You Move to New York City
If you live in a major metropolitan area and plan to move to New York City, this post is not for you. This is for those that have grown up in small cities, dreaming of someday moving to New York. I was one of those people. These are some things I wish I would have known when I relocated. It wouldn’t have stopped me from going, but it would have been nice to have a heads up:
1. You will be lonely.
Relocating to any new city usually means you know few, if any, people. It’s lonely when you wish you were going out with friends and you realize you don’t have any. It doesn’t help that living in New York is totally over-glamorized on television and in the movies. The TV/movie people want you to believe you’ll be going to fabulous parties and exclusive events with all your well-connected, super-fun friends. That is not realistic, not for the average twenty-something, anyway. It’ll suck sitting in your tiny apartment at first, wishing you had someone to call, but it will get better.
2. You have to put yourself out there.
To get over the loneliness, you have to try new things and put yourself in awkward situations in order to meet people. Some people are totally at ease with this. Many are not.
I am an introvert. I like interacting with people, but meeting random people often exhausts me. I knew I had to get over this, though. A benefit of living in New York is that there are tons of ways to meet people (for free!). I joined the Lunch Club. Basically, it’s a community of people who are interested in making friends. You sign-up for events online, show up and make friends with strangers. You can also look for events with the NYC chapter of your alumni association, join a pick-up soccer game in the park, talk to random people while waiting for the subway, whatever. Just find a way to interact with others.
3. Learn to read a subway map.
Ah, the NYC subway. One of the best transit systems in the world. Also one of the most confusing. The map really can really tell you everything you need to know, if you know how to read it. Ask your new friends to show you or look it up online.
If you want to cheat, use HopStop. Enter your starting point and your destination and it will give you door-to-door directions.
You can always ask others for directions (yes, it’s true: New Yorkers will stop to help you. Probably because they relocated, too, and want an opportunity to show off their new knowledge). Use the correct lingo when asking for help. Always refer to trains by the letter or number, never color. Know if you need to go uptown/Bronx or downtown/Brooklyn from your current spot because that’s how the trains are labeled. And don’t get on the express train unless you know for absolutely certain that it will stop at your stop. (You can’t go wrong with the local trains – they stop at all stops).
I like this advice about subway etiquette, which will help you feel like a local. Or at least look like one.
Of course, nothing helps you learn faster than getting on the train and making mistakes. The faster you learn, the more you’ll feel like you fit in. Your new subway navigation skills will be really impressive when your friends from the Midwest come to visit.
4. Prepare to pay lots of rent.
You’ve probably heard this a billion times: New York City is expensive. Duh.
I did not understand the reality of this until I was apartment searching in New York. Prepare to put down at least two months rent, maybe three. Plus, most people will probably need a broker. That means you pay someone to find and show you an apartment. Plan to pay a him/her 10-15% of the total yearly rent for your new place. Keep in mind that rent in New York can be thousands of dollars a month.
You will probably also need to prove you have a steady income, provide a rental history and pass a credit check. Have check stubs, bank statements and previous rental information ready to go. If you can’t do these things, you will probably need someone to co-sign your lease for you.
If at all possible, seek out a sublet or find a roommate on Craigslist to avoid the extra costs and hassle. Consider moving during fall or winter, when there is less competition for apartments.
5. Be prepared to be inconvenienced. Daily.
Life in New York is often a pain. You don’t have a car, so you have to walk a lot. My first Thanksgiving in the city, I carried a frozen turkey in a gigantic backpacking backpack on the subway, in the rain, while wearing 3-inch heels. At that moment, I really, really wished I had a car.
It is also likely that at some point in time you will have to deal with mice and/or cockroaches, no matter how clean you keep your place. It’s disgusting – I once trapped and kept a roach under a shoebox for weeks because the thought of squishing it grossed me out.
You also have to share a ridiculously small piece of land with millions of other people. It gets crowded.
6. No matter how many reasons not to relocate others may give you, you should do it.
Every inconvenience, every moment I spent feeling sorry for my friendless self, every time I got lost and ended up in a slightly sketchy neighborhood was totally worth it. New York City IS an amazing place, with one-of-a-kind opportunities. You’ll learn a ton about yourself and leave (if you ever do) a stronger person.
Students: No Internship? Do This Instead
Lately, I’ve met with quite a few students who are just beginning to think about their summer plans. I have to break the news that most recruiting is over and intern positions are filled. Many students give up; the motivated ones can follow these tips to build skills in other ways:
1. Conduct informational interviews
Students who meet with me know I cannot say enough about the benefits of informational interviews. I’ve had 8 jobs and internships since graduating college 6 years ago and of those, five were a direct or indirect result of an informational interview.
An info interview is exactly like it sounds: you find someone who works in a field of interest and discuss with them their career path, current position and their advice for new professionals. From this, you get insider information about industries and companies, but more importantly, you start to build a relationship. It’s a much more effective way of networking. You’re actually spending time getting to know someone, instead of passing a business card at some schmoozy social event. Plus, people love to talk about themselves.
2. Start a blog
Blogging takes time and persistence. Without classes, you’ll have lots of time – which gets you halfway there. If you blog about a topic related to your field of study or career interests, you have a personal branding and marketing tool. Build your blog over the summer, then add it to your resume and talk about it in interviews. It shows employers you are actively engaged within your intended profession and not afraid to put your ideas out there. See some examples here.
3. Work on your online networking
Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and you’re maximizing its potential. Are you participating in group discussions? Connecting with new people? Researching common career paths? If you’re not on LinkedIn, start here.
Check out Twitter, too. While Twitter is not as obvious a career resource as LinkedIn, it is still a great career tool. Unlike other social networks, it allows you to connect with total strangers, with a diverse range of interests and experiences. Use online resources to complement your face-to-face networking efforts. Some users post jobs and career advice.
4. Join a professional association
Professional associations often post jobs, organize networking events, put on conferences and allow you to meet new people in your field. Usually these organizations have less expensive student membership rates. The best part is that you’ll probably be one of the youngest people in the room at any organization event. The more experienced folks will be impressed by your motivation and initiative and many will be eager to help you out.
5. Leverage your seemingly unrelated summer job to gain related experience
So many students dismiss their part-time or summer work. “I was just a waitress.” Or, “I just did data entry.” Maybe you’re not working your dream job, but there are probably opportunities for you to learn more – if you ask for it. Talk to your supervisor about shadowing people in departments you are more interested in.
Or, if you see a problem or an issue needing attention, don’t wait for permission. Take charge and do something to proactively address it.
6. Plan for fall
Maybe you missed prime recruiting season for summer internships, but let that be a lesson learned for the future. Use summer to identify employers of interest. Get your resume up to date, brush up on interviewing skills and make sure you are building and nurturing your network.
If you need to, take a summer course to free up time in your schedule during the academic year so you can do an internship then. There will be less competition for intern positions. And, utilize your campus career center during the summer. Advisors often have more time on their hands during the summer months.
7. Create your own internship experience
During the summer between my two years of grad school I wanted an internship but there were zero relevant intern or job postings in the small northern Wisconsin town I was living in at the time. I contacted the local two-year college and asked if they could use the help of an unpaid intern. A few e-mail exchanges later, I was on-campus and learning tons about how a community college operates, something about which I knew next to nothing prior to my internship. This approach is especially useful with smaller organizations that may not have structured internship programs or don’t recruit on-campus.
Not all industries or companies are open to creating an intern opportunity. If companies won’t take you on, a non-profit organization might be able to use your skills. Consider volunteering instead.
8. Start your own business
Avoid employers all together. Start your own business. Employers love to see you can manage your time, prioritize responsibilities, lead others, work independently, communicate or organize data. You can do all this while running your own business, even if it is as simple as a lawn care or baby-sitting service.
