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

Advice from the Professional Todd Slattengren of Travelers

Todd Slattengren, CPCU |  Account Executive | Travelers National Accounts spoke at got a job/internship lunch celebration on May 2 and left both the interns and new graduates with some great advice listed bellow. All great things to know for student that got internships or jobs. 

USF – Got a Job/Internship Lunch Celebration – May 2

Advice for Interns

*Congratulations – This is a long interview process for both your employer and YOU. 

*Be an enthusiastic member of the team.  Make sure you are completing the projects/tasks they specifically ask you to do on time and done right.  Once you do that, I encourage you to raise your hand to volunteer for additional projects/assignments, teams, etc.

*learn the Internal culture – don’t assume, ask around if you are not sure

*Take advantage of opportunities to meet people in other divisions, units, departments, clients/peers.  Be prepared for the meetings and ask for business cards if available.

*Maintain list of contacts you made within the company during your internship; be sure to thank all of them at the end of the internship.  At minimum, ask your Supervisor/Manager for a letter of Recommendation.

*Stay in contact with your Manager/Supervisor next year, even after the internship.  Your engagement will help you stand apart from other interns or potential new hires.

*Establish a LinkedIn Profile, and be careful what you post on Facebook!!

*Interviews – sign up for all you apply for, learn about the company/role, ask questions during the interview, Thank the person afterwards (email, hand-written note, do not call)

*use the USF Alumni network to build your personal Network to help in your job search

*Keep an open mind – you may not land your “dream job” right away, or your “dream job” might not exist right now. 

Advice for Graduates/New Job

*Congratulations – this is an exciting and nerve racking time in your life. 

*Embrace change – it will be your only constant through the next 40-50 years

*Be attentive to the requirements and expectations of your job.  Raise your hand to volunteer for projects, assignments, committees but only if you can handle your current responsibilities well.

*Seek out Feedback from your Manager/Supervisor (Formal as well as Informal)

*Set up and Invest in a retirement plan – 401k, IRA, 403B, etc.  If your employer offers a match, put in at least as much as needed to earn the company match.  You are giving away free money if you do not do that.

*Adapt to the Company culture (work style in office/mobile, dress code, participation, etc.)

*Continue Professional Development in your field, especially if your company supports it

*Pros of Millennial Generation – Technologically advanced, adaptable to flexible work schedule, highly conscious to social and environmental issues

*Cons of Millennial Generation – Impatient/overconfident, sense of entitlement, cannot handle constructive criticism

*Seek out Mentors (within the Company/Organization) and outside as well.  They do not have to be in the same industry, in fact there are a lot of benefits of having a mentor in a different industry

*use the USF Alumni network to build your personal Network – also, join and be active and available for the students coming up behind you

*keep an open mind – opportunities may come up that requires you to relocate to another state or internationally – could be short term or permanent

*Be engaged in your community – education, healthcare, Arts/Music, Environmental causes

*Money is not everything and the key to all happiness – in time, you will find the right mix for you regarding compensation, benefits, challenging and engaging work, fit in company that matches your core values, work/life balance

*Establish a LinkedIn Profile, and be careful what you post on Facebook!!

 -Nate

"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

INTERNSHIPS WORKSHOP-TUESDAY, 4/9, 5PM, MCLAREN 250

 LAST CHANCE FOR INTERNSHIPS WORKSHOP
 Learn How To Get An Internship And Why You Should Have One
TUESDAY, April 9, 5:00-6:00 PM
MCLAREN 250 (PLEASE IGNORE POSTERS STATING FROMM-MAIER)

*The Best Internship Resources
 *Paid Vs. Unpaid Internships
 *How much should you be paid for an internship?
*Get a full time job from your internship
 *We will announce fresh, never before seen internships during the presentation!

 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/csc

-Nate

Interested in Internships? Here's A Good Start...

Previously I discussed how difficult it could be to make decisions in college. Today I am going to talk about something else. I recently met a junior who was looking for an internship. She told me she had looked on DonsCareers in hopes of finding an internship she liked. In short, she had an idea of what she was looking for, but didn’t have any previous job experience. This is a common problem for many students.

Our homepage, www.usfca.edu/career, has a four year plan checklist of where you should be at each year of your undergraduate education.  If you are having trouble looking for an internship, there are a few things you can do that can help you along the way. Bring your resume with you to our drop in hours (11am-2pm Monday through Friday); let a counselor edit your resume or cover letter. Most importantly, I can’t stress enough how important it is to be proactive.

Keep looking on DonsCareers (include the search agents feature) because it is updated all the time. Try Nacelink, Indeed, UCAN Internship Exchange, and even go to your professor or advisor’s office hours to express your interest in internships or part time jobs. This website: (http://spirit.usfca.edu/stuemp/on_campus.htm) has on campus jobs if you prefer to work on campus. Is there a certain company you are interested in working for as an intern? Look at the company or organization’s website to see if they have any internship programs available.

The main thing to keep in mind is to keep looking; there are internships and jobs out there, and as students our job is to be proactive in looking for the right one for us.

If your resume is lacking job experience, consider getting a summer job to build your resume. Even if your summer job is not your dream career, that’s completely alright. It’s better to have some job experience than none at all, and it will give you something to talk about when you get an interview for that dream internship you’ve been wanting.

Happy internship hunting!

-Elaine

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

Part 2: Fall Career Fair - Where it all began...

The Fall Career Fair we hosted in early October was the perfect opportunity for me to overcome my fear and begin the search for a real internship. It helped that 1) I worked the event as a Student Assistant for CSC so I had to be there and 2) that I had the physical support of one of my closest friends going around with me to the different tables as I asked questions, learned about the companies and picked up their free goodies! One organization in particular I had never heard about and I sincerely wanted to know who they were and what they did. Little did I know, that moment of intrigue was going to start the phenomena our counselors like to refer to as  

planned happenstance.

And it all started with the question: "Can you tell me a little bit more about what indeed.com does?"

I really enjoyed the enthusiasm and energy Sara, the recruiter, had as she explained that indeed.com is the #1 search engine for jobs (the Google of job searching, if you will). She went on to tell me how they were recruiting for a few sales interns at their Mountain View location. We small talked about school and other things and at the end of our conversation she asked for my resume. I had not gone prepared with any copies since I was working the event so she gave me her business card and told me to email it to her.

It's one thing to be super in the moment and really excited/determined to apply right then and there and it's another thing when you leave the hype of the moment and get back to your daily routine and have time to think about or simply forget about things... that was my issue. After the fair I was so tired I did not want to think about resumes or employers or anything CSC related. (This is actually pretty typical for everyone in the office after a major fair... :p )

The few days after the Career Fair, the critical period for following through with an employer, were days of hesitation and procrastination for me.

Coming Next... Part 3: The Hesitation and The Screening

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

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

Summer Internships!

Hey guys!

Are you looking for something to do over the summer? Are you looking for a summer job or even better a internship to gain some experience? Well its that time of the year again when many companies are looking to hire summer interns. CHECK OUT DONSCAREER for postings of internships in the bay area and also come into see us during drop-ins so we can check out your resume and cover letters.

We also have a workshop to help students find internships:

Last Chance for Internships Workshop

When: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Where: Fromm Hall, Maier Room

Description:

Learn how to get an internship and why you should have one.

• The Best Internship Resources
• Paid vs. Unpaid Internships
• How much should you be paid for an internship?
• Get a full time job from your internship
• We will announce fresh, never before seen internships during the presentation!

So get your internship on this summer! There are a lot of opportunities out there.

Aloha,
Nate

Get in on the best kept Jesuit secret!

Hello, all!

So, you are graduating and moving somewhere new. Or MAYBE you are not graduating quite yet and going home for the Summer. Trying to find a job can be tough, but it might be a little easier if you take advantage of your Jesuit University opportunities. Stand back because I’m about to share with you one of the community’s best kept secrets: The Reciprocity Program. If you were headed to or near St. Louis, and would like to see the their “DonsCareers” job postings, all you would have to do follow the instructions below. There are 27 Jesuit Universities in the U.S. participating in this program (Georgetown does not participate in Reciprocity) , use your resources! Every University’s reciprocity program is different, you may be able to use it free or for a small fee.
Here is CSC's reciprocity policy to give you an idea of what a reciprocity policy is.
CSC Reciprocity of Services
Who is eligible to receive reciprocal services?
* Alumni from other Jesuit and private colleges/universities are potential reciprocal students.
* Alumni from the University of California and California State University systems receive reciprocity within their own systems.

What does reciprocity include?
* We have two levels of Reciprocity services.

Level One entitles alumni from other institutions access to CSC’s job listings database, DonsCareers. The annual fee for this is $50.

Level Two entitles alumni from other institutions access to CSC’s job listings database, DonsCareers, as well as access to CSC workshops, handouts, career fairs, one drop-in (15 minutes) session, and one individual counseling session (50 minutes). It does not include On-Campus Interviews. The annual fee for this is $100.

How do individuals receive reciprocal services?
* Their school's career services center must send the CSC a letter indicating that the alumni's home college/university will provide reciprocal access to USF students (usually for a fee).
* We require a letter by email for each graduate from that school seeking access to our services.
* We ask that the alumni seeking reciprocity contact CSC indicating that level of service they wish to receive and submit cash or check for fees.

Please address questions or comments to: careerservices@usfca.edu

--Victoria
Stay informed!
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HIRE ME!

     Welcome back to the Spring Semester everyone! Hope you had a relaxing break. It’s now time to get back to work.
 

     Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a network of people to reach out to when you are looking for employment? Don’t be on the outside looking in! Get an internship, get EXPERIENCE, get to know real people in the industries you see yourself working in.
No experience making a resume? No problem! Check out our resource guide online at our website to see examples and start creating your resume! Next, stop by DROP-IN hours (11am-2pm, M-F) to get your resume and cover letter looked over.

*There is still time to get an internship for Spring (if you hurry!)
*If you want to get a Summer Internship, start looking NOW and this semester!


  See you at drop-ins!


--Victoria

University of San Francisco
Career Services UC 5th floor
FB: USF Career Services
Twitter: @USFcareer

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/

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