Monday, November 14, 2011

You might have heard of MOCK INTERVIEWS being offered at the Career Center, but have you actually thought of going in for one yourself? USF's student Jared is in a Communications Studies class that was required to do a mock interview with the CSC. He had an interesting enough time to share his assignment with us!
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"Going into this mock interview, I was scared out of my mind. Of course, it wasn't for an actual job, so that was a bit of a relief, however, being interviewed for anything, whether it be a job, internship, college admission, etc. is just plain scary! Days before my scheduled appointment, I received a call from the Career Services Center, reminding me of my appointment, (awesome customer service!) and asking if I would like to be video taped. I quickly said "absolutely not" to that question, hoping to avoid even further humiliation. I felt bad enough that someone at CSC was going to have to suffer through my interview, there was no way I wanted to relive it! (Not this time around, anyways.) 

When I arrived at the CSC, to my surprise, I was met by extremely friendly students and staff who were eager to talk to me. When the woman came out and called my name, I instantly got even more nervous, however, my nerves were calmed by her kindness and friendliness. Before we got started with the interview, Ellen (that was her name), offered to look over my resume and cover letter again, as she had previously helped me with it for the last assignment. She picked out a few remaining errors, and offered great advice on how to tweak it to make it perfect. I now feel really confident about my resume.

So, on to the interview. This is where the fun began. I didn't go in with a job description, but rather told her about my current position at DNA and what I do, and she based the interview off that. At this point, I was shaking, sweating, and just plain freaking out! I'm not one for interviews (is anyone?), so this was not fun for me. As my voice started to get shaky and the questions started coming my way, I tried my best to answer them using my pre-thought out answers, even if the questions weren't exactly what I had expected. 

So the interview continued, and at the end, Ellen had a full page of notes scribbled down, front and back, on things she wanted to talk to me about. This made me question how horrible it actually was, but to my surprise, she had a lot of good things to say. She took me back to a few instances in my answers that she really liked...

1) My eye contact was very good. I didn't notice, I think I blacked out during the interview, so for all I know, I could have been looking at the gum under the table. But, apparently not!

2) I mentioned that fashion was what I am the most passionate about, and she asked "Then why not FIDM?" It took me a second to ponder this question, but she liked my answer. I explained how I wanted the University experience, a solid liberal arts education, and that pleased her. 

3) While talking about the wonderful liberal arts education we receive at USF, I had mentioned core classes, and she asked about them. I took a minute to talk a little about a few classes that I really liked, and when Existentialism came up, rather than bombarding her with a story, I asked her if she would like me to expand on why I loved this class. She said that this was great because I first gave a quick overview, and rather than throwing a story at her that she might not want to hear, I asked her if she wanted to know more about it, which intrigued her. I told a story about the class, and at the end, mentioned that "my mind doesn't work like an Existentialist's." She liked this because it showed her that even though Existentialism isn't something that I love, I do value my liberal arts education that I'm receiving. 

Anyways, you know what they say...when it rains, it pours, so let's move onto the bad...and by bad, I mean, I pretty much blew it!

The last question of the interview had finally arrived, the most important question, the one that I had prepared myself SO much for...

"Why should we hire YOU?"

My answer: "Uhhh, well, I want experience and I'm eager to learn and uhhhh..."

MY MIND WENT COMPLETELY BLANK. I had a five minute answer prepared for this question, and after 20 minutes or so of being interviewed, I lost it. I couldn't get a single word out of my mouth. So, the interview awkwardly ended, but to my delight, Ellen had tons of good things to say, which I already mentioned. She gave me her sheet of notes, and pinpointed what I nailed, and what I (obviously) blew. We spent another 15 minutes talking about ways to improve, and she gave me some awesome constructive criticism that I definitely appreciated and will use to improve my skills in the future. 

Moral of the story: the interview was extremely helpful and I think that I learned a lot about myself by doing it. I fully plan on utilizing CSC again, probably even before a real job interview comes about, just to practice my interviewing skills. I really enjoyed talking with Ellen, sharing stories with her about my experience and my current job (sometimes, it's nice to just talk to someone about what you love!), and getting her feedback on the whole process. 

And, it's over!"
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University of San Francisco
Career Services UC 5th floor
FB: USF Career Services
Twitter: @USFcareer

Monday, November 7, 2011

CAREERS IN FINANCE

Are you interested in Finance or even the business world?

Come to the Careers in Finance Panel 

A panel of business professionals discuss their career paths and success strategies. 
When: Wednesday, November 09, 2011 @ 4:00pm to 7:00pm 
Where Fromm: Berman Room 

Topics will include: 
What does it take to make it in investment banking?
What's life really like in the world of finance?
What are the current financial career trends?
What are different career options in investment banking?
How important is an MBA or a CFA?
What does it take to make it in investment banking?
What is essential daily reading for your career?




Monday, October 31, 2011

They SAY we're too young.

Some use the excuse, “I’m too young, they’ll never hire me!”, so much that they actually believe it. University of San Francisco’s Davina Adjani, has encountered ageism and challenged it every time. Miss Adjani began interning in  high school with her start at Autodesk Inc. back in 2006. Since then, she has managed to intern at (to name just a few) CBS Radio, Energy 92.7, and Ryan Seacrest Productions in her years here at USF.
These days, Davina is not interning because she landed a job this past year (with an actual office and door with her name on it, might I add) as the Online Content Coordinator at Clear Channel Radio in San Francisco, California. Luckily, this full time student and employee was able to clear some time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions for me.
***
Name: Davina Adjani  
Age: 21  
Major: English  
Minor: Media Studies Date of Graduation: May 2012 Position at Company: Online Content Coordinator
Favorite dessert:  Vanilla ice cream with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt- sounds peculiar I know, but it’s actually QUITE amazing!

How does your age affect your work environment?  I wish I could lie and say that I’ve never encountered people in the industry, who haven’t based my experience off my age but I have- it is inevitable. However I’ve learned that I am the one who is in charge of how much my age will affect me at work- no one else. My advice is to never say “I am only (insert number) years old”, at work as an excuse or reason for anything- you are not your age- you are your experience and you are your intentions.

What is Clear Channel Radio? Clear Channel Communications, Inc, is an American media company that serves 150 cities through their 850 radio stations. We recently just launched iHeartRadio which is a social media networking application in which people can listen to some of their favorite local and world renowned artists. We also had the iHeartRadio Music Festival back in September hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Elvis Duran, which included many artists such as Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj.
 
How has interning influenced your career path?  I have dealt with many different types of environments, bosses, and have encountered different types of situations.  Some of these situations have been fun and yes I admit it, some have been very uncomfortable! However each internship has helped me figure out what I truly want career-wise and as corny as it sounds, in life. I also have met some of the most amazing and life changing people during each of my internships and for that, I am forever grateful.

Future Goals?  I wish I could tell you, but I have no idea! What I truly believe is that you are your intentions as long as you work hard and show commitment, fate will bring you the opportunity your experience has prepared you for, at the right time. What I have learned is despite what I plan; fate seems to always upstage me! So I’m just enjoying the ride.  

Advice?  My boss at Ryan Seacrest Productions, Tony Novia who is Ryan’s right hand man and who really looked out for me while I was in LA always used to say to me, “You know what Big Dee, persistence wears down resistance,” and I have found that to be very true! However if there is one thing I can really emphasize is don’t waste too much time knocking at a locked door, for you may be missing the 10 other doors that are opening right behind you. * 

It’s never too late to update that resume and get experience in the field you want to enter or simply want to explore! Snag an internship, get a job, and let us help!

--Victoria

Keep Up With the CSC!
Twitter: @USFcareer
FB: USF Career Services
http://www.usfca.edu/csc/



Tuesday, October 25, 2011

BEST FRESHMAN RESUME


Hey Freshman – do you want prizes, everlasting fame in the Career Services Center, and the glory of being a winner? Of course you do. But how?!

The answer is easy: participate in our 2nd annual Freshmen Resume Writing Contest. The top three entries get prizes listed below and the first place winner will also get their resume proudly displayed in our updated Resource Guide utilized by students past and present. 

When: The competition takes place from October 20th – November 20th; Winners will be announced December 1st.

How: Submit your best resume to careerplanningpeer@usfca.edu by midnight on the deadline day (11/20/11) to enter.


Requirements: You must be a current Freshman. A minimum of 1 and a maximum of 2 drop-ins with our office are allowed to work on your resume formatting and content. Drop-ins happen every weekday from 11am-2pm. You must mention in the drop-in you are submitting to the contest to be eligible.

Prizes:  1st - Amazon Kindle e-book reader and resume featured in our new Resource Guide 

             2nd - iHome speaker system with built-in subwoofer 
             3rd - USF leather portfolio 

Easy, right? Right. So what are you waiting for?

Monday, October 17, 2011

CAREERS IN PSYCHOLOGY & GRADUATE SCHOOL ESSAY WORKSHOP

CAREERS IN PSYCHOLOGY-WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19TH, 5-6:30 pm, FROMM HALL, MAIER ROOM

A panel of 4 Psychology professionals discuss their educations and careers.

Questions include: What type of degree did you pursue and why? What's the difference between a PhD and PsyD? What are the pros and cons of having a private practice vs. working at a non-profit or educational institution?

GRADUATE SCHOOL ESSAY WORKSHOP, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20th, 5-6:00 pm, FROMM HALL, MAIER ROOM

Want to write a winning personal statement but are unsure of where to begin? Not sure how to tell your story of why you are applying to grad school? If you answered "yes" to either of these questions, then come to this workshop to gets tips and tricks on how to write a personal statement that will get noticed and remembered!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Your Major!

Hi Guys

I just noticed that Spring 2012 classes are up and ready to view. So do you know what classes you're going to take?

Picking classes is normally a difficult and long process by itself, but if you are having trouble and start asking yourself questions like, "Is this major right for me?" it makes it about a thousand times harder. There can be a lot of different questions that make it difficult when picking classes. For example, questions like, is this something I see myself doing after I graduate? Is my major worth the investment? Is this going to make me happy or rich? Is this what I want to do or is this what my parents want me to do? or even a question like, will I like the job opportunities that are related to my major and what are my options? These questions not only make it a thousand times harder but you probably want them answered sooner than later.

If you are in the same or similar situation do not worry, a lot of other college students are unsure and in similar situations. But you're going to have to do something about it if you want these questions to be answered. The first thing would be to do some research, go on to our website USF CAREER SERVICE CENTER WEBSITE . If you still need more help come into our office on the UC 5th floor to get some guidance and answers. You can call us to set up an appointment with a counselor at 415-422-6216. We also offer assessments that could help you better understand yourself making it easier to figure out your next steps in the journey of life.

Here is also an interesting article about majors, what you can do with them after you graduate and 5 degrees worth your investment. Take a look!
YAHOO ARTICLE

Don't be shy, come visit us, we would love to be part of your journey!

Aloha- Nate

GRADUATE SCHOOL AND CAREER FAIR

Do you know your career plans after you graduate? Perhaps you are thinking of going to Graduate School or looking for a job? Attend the Graduate School and Career Fair and get connected to Graduate School Programs across the nation and meet Employers looking to hire USF grads!  There will be over 80 Graduate School programs in attendance including UC Hastings Law School, Columbia University School of Journalism, UCSF School of Pharmacy, Boston College and many more.  Apple Retail, Target, and Oracle are just a few of the 30+ Employers that will be present. The fair will take place on Tuesday, October 18th from 11:00am to 2:00pm at Gleeson Plaza. In case of rain, please proceed to the McLaren Complex.  Bring your questions, and if you are looking for a job, don't forget your clean and polished resumes!

Graduate School & Career Fair

Attention Students:

The Graduate School & Career Fair will be taking place next week!  If you are thinking of going to Graduate School or looking for a job, attend the Graduate School and Career Fair and get connected to Graduate School Programs across the nation and meet Employers looking to hire USF grads!  There will be over 80 Graduate School programs in attendance including UC Hastings Law School, Columbia University School of Journalism, UCSF School of Pharmacy, Boston College and many more.  Apple Retail, Target, and Oracle are just a few of the 30+ Employers that will be present.  Bring your questions, and if you are looking for a job, don't forget your clean and polished resumes!

Stop by the Career Services Center to get your resume checked BEFORE the Fair!  Stop by UC 5th Floor 11am-2pm for Drop-In Counseling or call 415-422-6216 to make an appointment.

Details for the Graduate School & Career Fair:
Date: Tuesday, 10/18/11
Time: 11:00AM-2:00PM
Location: Gleeson Plaza (in case of rain proceed to McLaren)

University of San Francisco
Career Services Center
2130 Fulton Street, UC 5th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94117
www.usfca.edu/career
415-422-6216

Monday, October 10, 2011

Interviewing Questions


Hi Guys,

I know "On Campus Interviews" have begun and everyone is trying to prepare but I wanted to share an article I just read on Yahoo YAHOO ARTICLE This article could possibly help you out and give you insight on some questions you might be asked during an interview. The article title is "10 Companies with the Toughest Interview Questions" and it talks about what companies are known for their extremely hard questions.

For example at Red Ventures they ask their interviewees questions like "If you were an animal, what animal would you be?" or even "Tell me a joke."  There are also companies like Bain that ask questions like "What is the revenue of an inner city Sydney gym?" for an associate consultant position. Its a really interesting article that takes interviewing to a new level so take a look! If you need any help with interview preparation or just want to talk about interviewing, you know where to come the CAREER SERVICE CENTER on the UC 5th floor for drop in hours 11am - 2pm Monday through Friday. Also check out the new tab on your USF Connect account called “My Career Plan” for some interesting internships and hot jobs!!

Aloha,

Nate

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Success!

       Happy October!   
Have you met USF Alumna, Sarah Hirsch? Well, you should know her. Ms. Hirsch is an alumn very near and dear to our hearts here at the Career Services Center (CSC). She worked all of her four years at the CSC (2007-2011) and even helped to start and oversee the CPP (Career Planning Peer) program until she graduated last May. So, if you ever stopped by drop-in hours, you may have had the honor of getting your resume/cover letter checked or received sage interview advice from her.
        Although I knew Sarah for only a semester, it was clear that she was going to use all of her acquired CSC skills to land a job after graduation. Today, she works at a rising tech company, Square. The company was co-founded by the co-creator of Twitter (Jack Dorsey), and  has the former Executive Vice President of Paypal (Keith Rabois) as their COO; not to mention Larry Summers and other advisors on their Board of Directors.  A few months ago Square received another million dollars in funding, and have been mentioned in numerous news outlets (The New York Times, Forbes, The Washington Post to name a few). To check out more about Square take a look at the press page on their website.
       Apparently, this company is a pretty big deal. Sarah was oh so kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to answer a few lingering questions I had about what she's been up to, post-grad: 
_______________________
Name: Sarah A. Hirsch
Age: 21 
Degree: B.A. Communication Studies, Emphasis on Interpersonal Communication, Minors: Gender and Sexuality Studies; Child and Youth Studies
Super Power of Choice: flying or mind control

What is Square? Square is an incredible startup company in San Francisco that, in essence, allows anyone to be able to take a credit card payment on their mobile iOS or Android device. The application and card reader are free (just download the app from the app store, create an account and a reader is sent to you) and the only fees involved are a 2.75% transaction fee per swipe. Refreshingly simple. What this means is that those who historically could not accept credit cards due to the complication and cost (babysitters, farmers market vendors, caterers, food trucks, small business owners) are now given a platform to compete with the big guys. The goal of our company is to put people in business. Personally? I've used it when out to dinner with friends – a large bill comes and someone "didn't bring cash"? That's fine, just pay me with your credit card instead!

Will you please tell me a little bit about what you do? I'm an office admin at Square, Inc., which honestly means I do a little bit of everything. I coordinate office supplies, I help plan and execute office events. I communicate with caterers and food vendors, I create mailing slips and field questions on packages, I communicate with the building manager on facilities issues, I write fun office-wide emails about security and policy, I setup for our weekly all-hands meetings, I help manage our reception desk... I'm even working on creating a twice-weekly in-house smoothie bar (which means sourcing fruit, researching and buying the best blenders, creating a menu, etc.) I'm a project organizer/event coordinator/facilities manager/copy writer/help desk. The fun part about being an office admin in a tech start-up is that we've got an incredible amount of freedom – tech start-ups in particular strive to make their offices fun and exciting places to be, and we're the people who are tasked with making that happen.

Greatest thing you've learned while being out in the "real world"?
What you majored in during college means surprisingly little – in fact, it's fascinating how just a few months out your entire college experience just becomes a small "blip" in your overall history and life story. The things you've done and the people you know become far more important.

How did you get end up getting a job at Square?
Networking! Several people in my friend circles were employees at Square, and the timing for my need of a job and Square's need of a new admin assistant synced up perfectly.

What’s the best way to network? Be truly interested in other people and their stories; never stop asking questions. Be positive and engaging. Don't underestimate your social circle or your family circle – there's often possibilities there you would never expect. Maintain your connections via LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. Don't ever be afraid to ask for help and put your job search out there. Informational interviews x10.

What do you wish you would have known while studying at USF? With the exception of a few professions, don't get so caught up in having the perfect grades and picking the "right" major. Choose classes that fascinate you, join clubs and really participate in other campus activities, volunteer A TON, and try having a part time job or two. Really experiment more with jobs and internships. Start a project that's interesting to you – photography, writing, programming, guitar, whatever. Have fun. Cook more. Read (for pleasure) more. Be nice to others, and maintain friendships you have.

Lastly, where would you like to work for the rest of your life (or industry, basically where do you want to end up?) I used to know the answer to this. Two months out of school, everything has changed. Check back with me a few months down the road and see.
_______________________

You never know what's ahead of you! See what’s out there, and let us help.
--Victoria

::: Keep up with the CSC! ::: Follow us on Twitter, @USFcareer ::: Friend us on Facebook, USF Career Services :::

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Summer!!!

Aloha Everyone,


Welcome back to school! I hope everyone is looking forward to the new school year! Time to seems to be flying, I can't believe I am a junior already. So how was everyone's summer? Well I just wanted to give you all a heads up on how my summer went.
This summer I went to New York/New Jersey and interned at Northeast Private Client Group in May and June. They are a smaller private advising company, with higher end clients compared to bigger companies like Fidelity and Northwestern Mutual. It was a great learning experience and I gained so much from the people there. I attended appointments and meetings with the president and a few of the directors. I also put together financial portfolios and serviced the clients needs. During my last days at the company I was offered a job with the company upon graduation. They stated that I would work in New York for a few months to a year than move to Hawaii to create a new client base.
Many internships turn into jobs so I would suggest putting your best foot forward at all times, because you never know what could happen. I also would recommend if you're ever given the opportunity to take a job in New York, to take it. It is an extrodinary experience and a world on its own. So break out of your comfort zone and try something new, something different and grow. Not to mention it would be something great to put on your resume.
After interning with Northeast Private Client Group I came back home to Hawaii in June and interned at the Hawaii Visitor and Convention Bureau(HVCB), under the Hawaii Tourism Authority for the rest of the summer. It was also another great experience meeting people in Tourism and working in Waikiki. At HVCB I got to work on a few projects dealing with the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) that is coming in November and a new project that I created which was a green meeting planners guide for Hawaii coming out next quarter.
On weekends or when I had free time I would spend time with family and friends eating at all the local spots or going to the beach. It was an amazing summer and I gained so much experience and a better perspective of the world. So get out there and look for those internships and if you need any help come into our office in the UC building 5th floor for some advising.

I hope everyone had a great, fun filled summer!
Aloha,
Nate

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Getting Back in the Game

Welcome back to the land of papers, deadlines, and responsibility! I hope you enjoyed your Summer vacation to the fullest. Now that we are back for the Fall semester, it might seem daunting to think of going through classes AND working AND getting an internship. No worries, it is completely possible to get all of these things done and still have time to grab a coffee with your roommate! Just a quick warning, completing these tasks may require some work.

TIP #3  “All work and no play...”
...might just add to your stress levels. Just as important as it is to get your work done, it is important not to burn out. Don’t forget about yourself! Schedule a time during the week that is “me time”. Whether it is taking a 30 minute break to watch an episode of your favorite show or catching a yoga (or boxing) class at Koret, it’s healthy to take a step back from everyone and everything. Be careful to set an alarm on your cell phone or something, so that you don’t make a 30 minute break turn into a 3 hour break.

TIP #2 Note to self: Eating and Sleeping are NOT optional
Do not forget to eat, and when you eat, eat well (i.e. go for the water, not the sugar-filled soda). Remember, what you put into your body will be the energy that will get you through the day.
As crazy as it may sound, set a bed time and a wake time for yourself. Easy enough, right? Sometimes. It will take some work to keep to your schedule. Things come up and things fall apart, thank goodness you had a schedule. Getting a consistent amount of sleep every night will help keep you more alert for the next day!

TIP #1 Time Management:
“You will never "find" time for anything. If you want time, you must make it.”--Charles Bruxton
Unfortunately, not everything will simply fall into place this semester without a little grunt work. If you do not own a planner, get one, or some sort of organizing device (i.e. iCal, Notebook for planning...). It is essential to know what will be going on in your day or days to come. This will come in handy when you are scheduling those many interviews and appointments. By the way, if you need help with your resume/cover letter to apply to jobs/internships or are just looking for some career tips, stop by the Career Services Center! Regular drop-in hours are from 11am-2pm. (UC 5th floor)
“Ordinary people think merely of spending time. Great people think of using it.”--Author Unknown
There is a time to watch movies and a time to buckle down and get to business. Use your time wisely, so that you can actually enjoy your free time...granted that you scheduled in free time. Set aside times to research about your future job to make sure that you are on the right track, or to apply to internships in your field of interest. Think of the many ways you could brighten up your resume with more experience! You can explore your Dons Career for different jobs/internships you could apply for this semester.

There is so much more advice out there, but those are the few nuggets that have stuck with me throughout my college experience.
Carpe diem! It’s going to be a great year.
--Victoria

EXTRA TIP:
Use social networking sites to your advantage!
Be sure to check us out on TWITTER & Facebook for career tips and more information!
Tweet: @USFcareer
FB: USF Career Services
Rosie
rosie

Rosie is an outgoing Junior Psychology major who has worked in the office since her Freshman year. She wears multiple hats including president of her sorority Lambda Theta Nu Sorority, Inc. and Vice President of Internal Affairs for Greek Council. As a very involved student leader she is a great resource for all things USF
Nathan
rosie

Nathan hails from the tropical state of Hawaii. When he is not in his business suit for his business classes, he is just "chilling" and bringing the Aloha Spirit to the office. He has worked for the Career Services Center for three years and has extensive experience with other internships including his most upcoming internship with Bank of Hawaii in summer 2012