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

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  

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

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 :::

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

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

THANK YOU LETTERS!!!

Thank you letters! How important do you think they are? To be honest, they are extremely important and believe it or not most people never think of writing a thank you letter after an interview. There are a couple of reasons why they are so important. First, it is a great way to show gratitude and thank the employer/recruiter for taking the time out of his or her day to meet with you. Second, which is the most important reason, is a thank you letter puts your name and face back into their minds when they are trying to make a decision on who to choose for the vacant position. Third, it shows you want the job while giving you a last chance to say a few things that you might not have mentioned in the interview. Lastly, if the position comes down to two people that have the same qualifications and one wrote a thank you letter and the other did not, most times than none the applicant with the thank you letter will receive the job.  

When writing a thank you letter you want to write it as soon as possible after your interview. It might also be smart to send them a thank you email as well the day after the interview just in case your letter gets lost. In the thank you letter you want to include when your interview was, what you talked about, something you never mentioned, and that you are still interested in the position. 

After thinking about what you need in your thank you letter, the question now becomes should I hand write it or type it. This is a very controversial issue. It honestly depends on the employer and what they like. I personally will always send hand written thank you cards because it is more personal and that’s who I want them to remember me by. For me the hand written thank you letter has helped me numerous of times in getting jobs and internships because the employer liked how personal I made them. But on the other hand some people like the professional thank you letter, typed and printed on resume paper. So when it comes down to it, it is ultimately up to you unless you are in KO's Hospitality class where it is required to type your professional thank you letters for the class. So ultimately decide depending on the situation you are in and no matter what you choose your thoughts and considerations in writing the thank you letter is more than enough! If you need some help writing them or want us to look over your thank you letters bring them in to drop in hours Monday-Friday 11am-2pm located on the 5th floor! 

Aloha- Nate

ELEVATOR PITCH!!!

Have you ever wanted to approach someone and talk to them at a career fair, group networking event, or even at a random venue like an elevator but did not know what to say? Or even what to do? Do not worry you're not the only one; this is one of the toughest things to do. Everyone has some kind of problem when they are trying to pull words out of thin air, while feeling comfortable when introducing and talking to their ideal employer or business partner. The perfect way to solve this problem is to create an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is normally a 15 to 30 second speech or pitch of who you are, what you do, why you're the best, and your call to action. This short summary speech of who you are will help break the ice and start communication in the lines of a possible job opportunity or future business endeavors.

The elevator pitch got its name because individuals who were seeking a job or future business endeavors would try and get into an elevator with a executive. In doing so they had a opportunity to talk to the executive from the first floor to the ideal top floor with no interruptions and no possible way for the executive to get out of the conversation. The elevator pitch can be used whenever you are meeting anyone but was ideally to get your foot in the door and land yourself a job. It is a great way to introduce yourself and give a summary of who you are. So if want to create one but do not know where to begin, this website will help. It is a basic template where you answer questions and it formats your elevator pitch for you. Website: http://www.15secondpitch.com/new/index.asp But it is essential to be prepared before attending an event and you should practice your elevator pitch now because you never know when it might become useful. So if you need any help creating your specialized elevator pitch, come into our office on the UC 5th floor during drop in hours which are 11am to 2pm Monday through Friday. Your elevator pitch could possibly land you a job that you could never imagine! 

Aloha- Nate

INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS!!!

Hi All, 

I know its midterm week and everyone has test, papers, and projects due before spring breaks hits. But it is also a great time to prepare and set up some INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS with people to gain information about something you're interested in or even expand your networking for future endeavors. I will be going back to Hawaii for spring break and have set up a few informational interviews with professionals in financial based occupations. Its quite easy to set one up and can be done with any free time you have, not just only over breaks. All you need to do is search for members of professional associations in the industries your interested in or network and contact a family friend that is in interest field of work. You can basically contact everyone and anyone that might interest you. 

So you might ask why set up a informational interview? There are a lot of reasons, including learning firsthand what it is like to do a particular kind of work at a particular organization, or to develop contacts in key positions with people who hire or who make recommendations, or to even find out about jobs and career paths you did not know exist. 

Once you have found a possible informational interview contact them and tell your contact that you are in the process of making some decisions about your career, and you want to learn more about his or her field. In particular, you want to learn whether, and how, someone with your background might enter and succeed in that field. But always remember you are not yet in a job search! After giving your contact some background information and a brief summary of what you want to know. Ask the professional to meet either in their office or over Starbucks or Jamba Juice. 

Once you have set the informational interview, prepare questions but remember that you are NOT asking this person for a job. An example question would be: In the position you now hold, what do you do in a typical day? But for more information come into CSC to check out some handouts for possible questions on Informational interviews on the UC 5th Floor or check out the PDF on our website: http://usfca.edu/uploadedFiles/Destinations/Offices_and_Services/CSC/docs/Informational%20Interviews.pdf. Also don't forget to offer to pay for Starbucks or Jamba Juice because your contact did take time out of his or her day to meet with you and don't forget thank you card, thank you card, send a hand written thank you card, thanking them for taking time out of their day to talk to you. Let them know you want to keep in touch. 

So set those INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS UP!

Aloha- Nate

NETWORKING DOES WORK!!!

Hey All,

Are you guys looking for a job or an internship? Have you heard of those ridiculous stories of how a friend of a friend got an internship by networking and didn't believe it? Tell me about it, I heard about them all the time. But guess what? Most of the time they are true, NETWORKING DOES WORK!

For me personally I have received 2 great internships by networking. Statistically about 80% of people that receive a job/internship receive them because they have networked or know someone that knows someone, essentially networking. I received my first internship by letting people know that I was looking for in internship, which is a great way to start networking. After a few emails and a few calls around, my dad's friend contacted me back with a family friend of his who was looking for an intern over the summer. It turned out perfectly. I received great experience and my network grew to a pretty large group in Hawaii.

My second internship is based on the idea you never know who you might meet and what a thank you card could do for you, ANYTHING COULD TURN INTO AN OPPORTUNITY. It started off when my uncle visited me in San Francisco and took me with him to a conference in Napa Valley. My thought was to hangout at the pool and have a good time in Napa while my uncle attended meetings. As I started to relax a man approached me and asked if the waiter had messed my order up and we both realized that I had his burger and he had mine. WE started talking about all kinds of stuff from sports to career options to school, after a while he told me that he was a partner in a finical advising firm. We hit it off and before I left I got his card. So a few days later I come back into the city and send him a hand written thank you card, thanking him for talking. A few weeks later I get a call from him and he offers me an internship. He stated that this internship would include spending the day by his side working with him on hedge funds, multi-million dollar accounts, and customer relationships in New York City. Which turned into a great opportunity and experience. 

You honestly will never know who you might meet or what they might have to offer, so be ready for anything that might come your way. If you want to learn more about networking come to our office located at UC 5th floor. We have some handouts or check our website for events on mentorships or networking. NETWORKING DOES WORK!!! and hand written thank you cards do work.

Aloha, 

Nate

The 23rd Annual Career and Internship Fair

Can you feel it in the air? It's my favorite time of year again. What, you ask? Why, the career and internship season of course. The time of year when students finishing their degrees begin to seriously question "what's next", and when all the underclassmen start contemplating how and when to get the best experience for their resume. It's daunting, yes, but it's also quite exciting. A world of possibilities is open at your feet.

We here at career services want to help make this time as easy and straight-forward as possible. This is where our annual Career and Internship Fair comes into play. What easier way to network and find out about internship or job opportunities than by having all the employee-seeking companies here for you, under one roof? No easier way, that's what. So make sure you take advantage of this opportunity!

When: Friday, March 4th, 11am - 3pm
Where: McLaren Complex
What: 50+ employers in the health, financial, tech, hospitality, public, nonprofit, education, fashion, and marketing industries.  Find the full of employers list here.

Important Info: Make sure you bring several copies of your resume, do your research on interesting companies before attending the fair, and dress to impress.

I'll be writing another post in a few days with more details on how to best prepare, so keep an eye out. Until then, keep this fast approaching event on your radar - there's nothing but possibility awaiting you.

-Sarah

This Could Be You

Hey everyone, I hope this post finds you well. I just posted a video introducing Ankit Chovatia. He's a awesome guy who graduated in May 2010 and is set up with a schweet job because he used our services. See for yourself!

Have a good day!

Tips from the Careers in Finance Panel

Thanks everyone for a great turnout last night at the Careers in Finance Panel. If you weren't able to attend or jut want a neatly typed recap, here is a brief summary of tips/discussion points:

• Read. Read as much as you can, as often as possible about all things going on in finance. All panelists mentioned reading the entire Wall St. Journal and the Financial Times every day. They read The Economist and Barrons cover-to-cover every week. It's easy to spot in an interview who is well read and who isn't.
• Communication and writing skills are essential. One panelist told of recently firing a UCLA, 3.9 GPA Economics major because he didn't handle himself professionally on the phone with clients.
• Hours in finance are insanely long, even after you've been in the business for a long time. 3 of the panelists, all age 45 or older, wake up at 4AM or earlier every workday and typically work until around 6. Lynda Sullivan, who worked for many years in corporate finance for both Goldman Sachs and Montgomery Securities, reported working 80-100 hour work weeks (you do the math) for the first 10 years of her career. 
• The panelists mostly agreed that New York is a great place to start a career in finance. "If you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere!" Also, panelist noted that in New York, while the hours are just as exhausting, the social life is much better for people in their 20's. In San Francisco, everyone is too tired to go out at night because they all wake up at 4AM!
• Just like many careers, passion is key to a successful career. If you don't love this, don't do it. Joe Morford, a Research Analyst, said "I get paid to keep up with my hobbies. How cool is that!?"
• "Who you know" is most important as far as getting a job. All 4 panelists said that they rarely go through a pile of resumes but instead hire people who they know or who come recommended by friends or colleagues, even for entry level positions.

That's it for now. There was so much more discussed last night and I'll post more thoughts later if I have them. 

-Alex