So You've Graduated - Now What?

Take a look at this article from the official LinkedIn blog. This is helpful to all who just graduated this last May and to all who are curious about steps to take after graduation. LinkedIn is a great professional tool while starting out your career. Here are some tips on how to better utilize LinkedIn.

http://blog.linkedin.com/2013/06/06/three-ways-recent-grads-can-leverage-linkedin-for-long-term-success/

-Elaine

"Take the Advice of a Senior" - Now What?

Matthew Percival a USF senior graduating in May 2013 has written a great article in the Foghorn that everyone should read. He is giving advice to those freshman and sophomore from his experience. Please take his advice to heart and think about your future. MAKE USE OF YOUR FREE TIME & GET AN INTERNSHIP!!! PREPARE!!!

Read his article (link posted bellow):

http://foghorn.usfca.edu/2013/04/graduating-senior-asks-peers-now-what/

And please stop by our office just to see how we can help you! I am sure we can help you in one way or another. Stop by for a quick 15 minute appointment during drop in hours Monday - Friday 11am to 2pm. Located UC 5floor. Or contact us at 415-422-6216 or careeerservices@usfca.edu

Have a great week! And think its "your future."

Aloha,
Nate

Decisions and Milestones

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Hey students,

As a sophomore, I feel as though I have reached a fork in the road with my academic career. Many other students like me probably also feel this. As with any major, there comes a time to decide what you want to do with that degree and what field you want to enter. After all, I am deciding what I want to study and do the rest of my life at nineteen…and I seriously hope I’m making the right decision so far. With that huge responsibility, comes a lot of indecisiveness.

There are a lot of questions I have, such as do I want to make money and get a job straight out of school? Do I want to apply for graduate school? Or my nightmare: take a few years off before applying to graduate school to work and make some money, but not be able to find a job, and have to move back in with my parents and work at Starbucks or something to pay off my ridiculous private school debt.

In two and half years, we will (us sophomores at least) have to make some big decisions that, to me seem too far away. I wish someone told me my freshman year to start buckling down a little more and at least apply for a few internships or something. As a whole, the attitude of freshman year was a blend of feeling grateful you were done with high school, and embodying the ‘let’s get wasted’ persona because it was expected of us from each other on some level socially. Maybe you didn’t drink at all, but either way, freshman year was about making friends and getting adjusted to the college experience. It wouldn’t have hurt to be a little more proactive in exploring career options, or post USF options in general though.

For me, all I wanted in coming to college was to have the chance to be more than the cashier at the local grocery store in my hometown (not kidding, that was one of my first actual jobs). I just hope that at the end of these two and half years I will have a better idea of what that will look like and start trying to be as prepared for graduation as possible.

I know I do have some control over what will happen after the next two and half years. There are internships, more job experience, and research opportunities I can shoot for. People have been telling me that as a sophomore, asking these questions now is probably better than to start wondering about all this your Junior year, or even your Senior year. It’s better to be proactive and start applying for internships or whatever else now, and learning from that experience, than it is to be applying for your first internship your senior year. Procrastination, while it has gotten the better of me most nights I do homework, won’t do me much good on my four year track to the “real world”. 

Thanks for reading,

Elaine Ortega

Career Fair

Students!
Follow the Green & Gold Road to jobs and internships at the 25th annual Career & Internship Fair next Friday, March 1, 2013 from 11:00am-3:00pm in the McLaren Complex. Many companies and organizations will be here including Kaiser Permanente, AT&T, Oracle, WellsFargo Bank, Kiva, Peace Corps, Square, Flixter/Rotten Tomatoes, Apple Retail, First Republic Bank and more!

For a complete list of exhibitors, just click HERE or copy/paste the web link below:
https://usfca-csm.symplicity.com/events/students.php?mode=list&cf=2013CareerFair

MORE CAREER FAIR WEEK EVENTS!
The week will be packed with events to help you impress the employers attending the Fair. Here's a list of our upcoming activities:

RESUME REVIEW DAYS!
Get your resume reviewed by a real-world recruiter BEFORE the March 1st Career & Internship Fair. We have recruiters visiting on the 3 days from 12:00-1:30pm, UC 1st Floor (in front of USF Bookstore). See who's coming and get your resume reviewed:

February 26, 2013
Gary Russ (Management Consultant) * Advantis Global (IT Consulting Firm) * Novogradac (Accounting Firm)
February 27, 2013:
Omni Hotels * KGO-TV * Scherer Smith & Kenny (Law Firm)
February 28, 2013
Enterprise Rent-A-Car * Japanese Community Youth Council (Nonprofit Agency) * Indeed.com (Jobs Web Site)
CAREER FAIR PREP WORKSHOP
February 27, 2013
5:30 - 7:00pm
Maier Room Fromm Hall

Meet a panel of experienced recruiters and get tips on how to make a great impression at the March 1st Career & Internship Fair!

WICKED RESUME CONTEST
Due Date: 3:00pm, February 28, 2013
Enter the Wicked Resume Contest for a chance to win a Kindle or Skullcandy Headphones! You don't have to be present to win. It's easy to enter:

Submit your resume to USF Career Services Center, UC 5th Floor, OR email it to careerservices@usfca.edu and write "Wicked Resume Contest Entry" in the Subject Line by 3:00pm on Thursday, February 28th.

Questions? Contact USF Career Services at 415-422-6216, careerservices@usfca.edu, or stop by UC 5th Floor. 
USF accommodates individuals with disabilties. If you need a disability-related accommodation or wheelchair access information, please contact Elizabeth McMurtry, USF Career Services Center at 415-422-2165 orealand@usfca.edu. Requests should be made by 2/18/13.

-Nate

My very own success story in the making! PART 1

I just recently got offered an internship with indeed.com and I wanted to share my WHOLE experience with you through blog posts from the very beginning of my journey to the day I got the offer. It's actually quite an interesting story I am sure many of you will relate to some aspects of it. I will be doing it in parts as it is a somewhat lengthy reflection and I don't wanna bore you. I guess it also adds to the suspense... so here we go! Part 1.


Anyone who knows me knows that for the past 3.5 years the Career Services Center has been the center of my professional life. I am definitely not complaining. As a matter of fact, I always look forward to going in to work because I absolutely love doing what I do at the CSC and the wonderful people I work with! :)

There have been some times, though, where I couldn't help but feel a bit of incongruity within myself. After all, here I am counseling my peers during drop ins, strongly encouraging them to have at least 3 internships before graduation, and yet, I hadn't been pushing myself to live up to the same standards. :/ I had managed to convince myself that my position as a Career Planning Peer was sufficient enough of an 'internship'. I would also reflect on the fact that I was more than content with what I had professionally and thought there was no need to look for something else. I was afraid. Afraid of rejection and afraid of not being able to balance something new.

But that BIG million dollar question every senior repeatedly gets asked when people figure out you're graduating soon was adding a lot of pressure. You know the whole, "so what are you doing after graduation?" question.... If it were up to me I would stay at USF forever but the reality is, that can't happen. I know I will soon have to leave my comfort zone here and needed to start pushing myself to start exploring more diverse experiences in an effort to figure out what I want out of life. I couldn't be afraid anymore.

I started telling myself it was time to be selfish and take advantage of the many platforms USF offers for networking and finding new opportunities rather than just promoting them. My first step was going around to speak to the employers and grad schools at the Fall Career Fair...

*Part II: 2012 Fall Career Fair, Where it All Began coming next ;) stay tuned!

Rosie

CAREERS IN FINANCE

WHEN: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 07, 2012 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

WHERE: FROMM HALL BERMAN ROOM

A panel of business professionals discuss their career paths and success strategies. 

Topics include: 

• Is now a good time to be starting a career in the financial sector? 
• What types of internships are important? 
• What's life really like in the world of finance? 
• What are the current financial career trends? 
• What are the different career options in finance? 
• How important is an MBA or CFA?
• What does it take to make it in investment banking? 
• What is essential daily reading for your career? 

Please feel free to leave early or arrive late if you need to come from or get to a class!

Aloha,
Nate

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to school!

I hope everyone had a great first week and is ready for an amazing semester. We have a lot going on this semester, from On Campus Interviews to the Non-profit Expo. Below is a listing of the many activities we will have this semester. 

Career Fairs:

- Non-profit Expo; Thursday September 6th, 2012, 11:30am-2:00pm, Gleeson Plaza

- Fall Career Fair (Career/Grad Fair); Tuesday October 16th, 2012, 11:00am-2:00pm, Gleeson Plaza

Info Sessions & Tables: 

- Peace Corps; Tuesday September 18^th, Wednesday, October 17th; Wednesday November 7th, and Thursday November 8th, all on the UC 5th Floor

- Across the Pond; Tuesday October 2nd, 2012 10:30am - 2:30pm, UC 2nd Floor Market Cafe

- Aspire Public Schools; Wednesday October 3rd, 2012, 12:00pm-1:00pm, UC 503

- FactSet Research; Thursday October 4th, 2012, 6:00pm-7:00p, UC 503

On-Campus Interviews: 

- Deloitte - resume due Sept. 19th, 2012; Wednesday October 3rd, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Burson - Marstellar - resume due Sept. 4; Tuesday September 18th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- KPMG - resume due Sept. 17; Monday October 1st, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Deloitte - resume due Sept. 19; Wednesday October 3rd, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Rothstein Kass & Co. - resume due Sept. 20; Thursday October 4th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- FactSet Research - resume due Sept. 21; Friday October 5th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Sensiba San Filippo - resume due Sept. 25; Wednesday October 10th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Armanino McKenna - resume due Sept. 27; Thursday October 11th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Hood & Strong - resume due Sept. 28; Friday October 12th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Novogradic & Company LLP- resume due Oct. 1; Monday October 15th, 2012, 9:00am-     

  5:00pm

- Grant Thornton - resume due Oct. 3; Wednesday October 17th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Consolidated Electrical Distributor - Stop by their table at the Fall Career Fair on Oct. 16th

  for a chance to interview on Thursday October 18th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- OUM and Co. LLP - resume due Oct. 4; Thursday October 18th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Pricewaterhouse Coopers - resume due Oct. 2; Friday October 19th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- EisnerAmper LLP - resume due Oct. 8; Monday October 22nd, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

- Seiler & Company - resume due Oct. 10; Wednesday, October 24th, 9:00am-5:00pm

- DZH Phillips - resume due Oct. 11; Thursday October 25th, 9:00am-5:00pm

- The Travelers Companies Inc. - resume due Oct. 15; Monday October 29th, 9:00am-5:00pm

- AT&T - resume due Oct. 25; Thursday November 8th, 2012, 9:00am-5:00pm

Workshops Events: 

- Resume and Cover Letter Workshops; Tuesday September 18th, 2012, 5:00pm-6:00pm,

   Fromm Hall Maier Room

- Resume Review Day; 12:00pm-1:30pm, UC 1st Floor 

     Thursday October 11, 2012 

     Friday October 12, 2012 

     Monday October 15, 2012 

     Tuesday February 26, 2013

     Wednesday February 27, 2013

     Thursday February 28, 2012 

- Career in Finance; Wednesday November 7th, 2012, 5:30pm-7:00pm, Fromm Hall Berman  

  Room

- Job Search and LinkedIn Workshop; Wednesday November 14th, 2012, 5:00pm-6:00pm,

  Fromm Hall Maier Room

To find more details click the link Career Services Website and then click the Events tab. 

Hope you are all excited about this new semester! 

Aloha, 

Nate  

Top Tips for 2012 Graduates To Find Jobs

Hey recent grads! How's your first summer as an alum feeling?? ;)

If you are still having a hard time finding a job, here are some interesting tips Ron McGowan, author of the international bestseller “How to Find WORK in the 21st Century,” offers:

Clean up your online presence.
The first thing employers will do is to see what they can find out about you on the Internet. Are you ready for that? They may look at your Facebook page during the interview. Are you ready for that?
 
Think.
Put yourself in the shoes of any employer you plan to contact. Why would they be interested in you? What exactly do you have to offer them? Show them in your first contact with them that you know about them, the type of work they do and the industry they’re in. NEVER send out lots of resumes in a shotgun fashion.

Why should we hire you?
Assume you’ll be asked this question during the interview and be ready to answer it. Focus on the key points you made in the material you sent to them. Those are what got you the interview.

Bite your tongue.
Talking too much in the interview is among the biggest mistakes graduates make according to employers and recruiters. The more prepared you are for the interview, the less inclined you’ll be to ramble on.

Do your homework.
There’s a wealth of information available on the employer’s web site. Amazingly, many graduates never take the time to thoroughly analyze this information and be ready to answer questions about it in the interview. It will also help if you can talk about some of the key issues going on in their industry.
 
Create your own job.
Instead of waiting for someone to offer you a job, consider what millions of graduates around the world have been doing for years; i.e. operate as a freelancer. The following will give you an overview of the world of freelancing: http://www.elance.com http://www.odesk.com http://www.vworker.com 
Finally, you may get some business ideas at: http://www.springwise.com




And of course, use our resources! You have access to unlimited Career Services Center resources for your whole first year after graduation.


Take advantage of it!

~Rosie~

SOCIAL MEDIA

How important is Social Media? 
Social Media is progressively getting more important in this growing futuristic changing world. There are many different ways Social Media can be utilized and exploited when finding a job.
1. Landing a job (there are more and more Careers/Jobs in Social Media due to the new demand)
2. Great Networking Tools (For example adding people you might have meet/worked with on Facebook and updating you statues or giving updates make them know or feel like they still know you or what you have been doing- is a great way to keep the big boss looking at your progress just in case they know someone that knows someone)
3. A way to be approached for jobs (Linkedin has many employers looking and searching for the ideal candidate for a job opening they have)
4. Searching tool for jobs (Linkedin has a section where employers post jobs looking for future employees) 

5. Information/news (updates that might help you have a successful interview or networking opportunity) 
+ More!!!! 

Things are changing on the fly and it is important to stay ahead of the curve so attend the Careers in Social Media Panel! 

Aloha,
Nate

CAREERS IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Panelists (including Twitter & Zynga) share their work experiences and provide tips for students
Thursday, April 26th, 5:30-7 PM, Fromm Hall - Berman Room

A panel of professionals from Twitter, Zynga, IBM, and Viator will provide insight into the world of social media by sharing their experiences in their line of work. Other topics that will be addressed include: Trends in social media, important skills to gain to become prominent in the field, and challenges and successes on the job.

Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Center
University of San Francisco
 2130 Fulton Street, UC 5th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94117-1080
415-422-6216
www.usfca.edu/career

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

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

Should I? Should I not?

People always ask, when do you send in a cover letter? or Do you need to send a cover letter in even if they didn't ask for one? The answer is yes, yes, yes. Always send a cover letter no matter what, unless the job description says "please do not send in cover letter" or if the company’s website doesn't allow you to post a cover letter. It is always better to send a cover letter even if not stated because most employers think it is expected and it looks really good, showing your research and knowledge. It also looks bad when you do not send one in and another applicant sends their cover letter in.

A cover letter is also a great way to introduce yourself and show how you can contribute to the company you're applying to and why you're not only the best candidate but you have the experience and knowledge they are looking for. So the best thing to do is try your best and get a cover letter done and send both the resume and cover letter, but do not forget to stop by the USF Career Services Center located on the UC 5th floor, so we can take a look at it and help you. Our drop in hours are Monday through Friday 11am- 2pm. 

-Aloha Nate

GRAD SCHOOL???

Are you thinking about going to grad school? Do you think it’s right for you? Is it needed for you to reach your ultimate goal? Need a game plan? Come into the Career Services Center on the UC 5th Floor if you answered yes or even hesitated to answer one of these questions. We have things that will help you in the tough process of grad school from exploring, to planning, to the application and more. Grad school is both important and expensive, not to mention a huge decision. If you are having trouble laying out your options or making a life changing decision come to meet with a counselor that will help you determine what might best fit you as an individual. Our office also provides handouts and online resources about the test process and different grad schools. You can also check out the Career Service Center Graduate School Link  for addition information or to start your grad school process. Don't hesitate, were only an appointment away! So Drop in and ask for some help. We welcome every student with open arms!

-Aloha Nate

Hey seniors!

Hey seniors! Graduation is coming, and it's coming FAST. It feels like yesterday was the first day of the semester, and I'm afraid to blink, because then it will already be May. This can be such an intimidating, possibly overwhelming time of life, but don't worry I'm right there with you! The opportunities feel endless and minuscule at the same time, huh? So where are we supposed to start?

My general advice, from one confused senior to another?

We all have to start somewhere, and no matter where that is, we can always change our paths down the road, so take a deep breath of relief!

I'd also say that wherever you start, stick with it for a couple of months. If it feels too difficult, it might be an opportunity for you to really push yourself, and you don't want to abandon it before you find out why it's making you try so hard.

So how do you know what the first step is?

Use us! Use our resources. You don't even need to come into the office to do this. Use our website. Click through some of the options under the student tab, such as, well, all of them…. Under quick links- check out the major handouts. Figure out what you can do with what you've been studying, and take the first step. That's the scariest part; the rest will fall into place. You never know when the opportunity you never even thought of is going to come knocking on your door and change all your plans. Be flexible. This is a time of trial and error.

Be proactive and don’t forget to breathe!

Good luck, and come talk to the peers! (M-F, 11-2, T&W 4-7 too!)

-Allison

P.S. Stay tuned for feedback (written and video!) from the Careers for Social Justice panel!