Say Bye-Bye to Mommy and Daddy

Hi everyone,

I'm not one to squander any opportunities that come my way.  As my December 2010 graduation approaches, you can be sure that I won't be refusing to shake hands and network.  But however fearful I am of failure and rejection, I know I can't lean on my parents.  They've helped me get this far- now it's my job to...get a job!  That means I'm going to be networking till my wrist is sore from shaking so many hands, my fingers bruised from typing up cover letters, and my throat raw from interviewing until I get that job.

However, if my parents were to ask me one day if I wanted to meet so-and-so because their company needs interns, I'm definitely going to jump at that chance.  Even if their company is a part of an industry I'm not majoring in, I'm not gonna be closing any doors until I've explored all my options.  That doesn't mean that I'm going to wait for my parents to hook me up with a job through their connections, but I'd be open to it.

The point I'm trying to make here is this: you've got the skills and the tools after years of post-secondary education to get a job.  Just because the economy isn't doing so hot doesn't mean you have a free pass to let your parents take care of getting a job for you.

Best of luck,
Seghel

How to Succeed in a Phone Interview

While it's hard to imagine that a phone interview is just like any other interview, it essentially is.  There isn't much of a difference, except that interviewers and interviewees can't view each other.  Here are a couple things to remember to help ensure that you'll ace that phone interview, along with any other interview for that matter.

• Personality: A couple of attributes that make any interviewee a joy to interview is being personable.  That means smiling- and yes, people can hear you smile over the phone.  It's not about slapping a smile on your face just so that your voice sounds different over the phone.  Just try to relax, be yourself, be calm, and be honest (but not self-deprecating) and don't make too many jokes.
• Promptness: It is just as important to be on-time and ready to go during a phone interview as it is for an in-person interview.  That being said, if you have a phone interview in the morning, wake up plenty of time before the phone interview, because just like people can see sleep-crust in your eyes, they can hear morning-grog in your voice when you just wake up (which is just as unpleasant to encounter).
• Clarity: In any interview, it's imperative to be clear, but brief, when answering any questions, while making sure to give some interesting detail.  However, when interviewing over the phone, the importance of being clear doubles because 1) it's usually easier for people to understand what you're saying when they can also see your facial expressions and 2) it's more difficult for the interviewer to gain clarity from asking you follow-up questions because they can't see you pause or stop talking (aka, they don't want to interrupt!).  The best thing for you to do is, at the end of answering a question, to ask, "Did that answer your question?"  Also, it's okay to pause, but don't be quiet for an eternity.  You can say something like, "Hmm, let me think about that for a second" if you need to gather your thoughts before answering a question.  It's totally okay to take a minute to answer a question thoughtfully and clearly.  If you're nervous, that's okay, it's normal.  If you start stuttering or rambling, just try to laugh it off while literally apologizing and acknowledging that you're nervous.  Stop, take a breath, and think before you say anything! 

I hope that helped!  Best of luck with your interviews!
-Seghel

The Throwaway Game

Hi Everyone!

I hope your summers have gotten off to a good start.  I've noticed that a lot of students have been coming in to the Career Services Center trying hard to get summer jobs.  I think you've all been doing a good job of trying to get employment, especially if you're seeking out our services.  However, I think there are some startling facts the rest of you need to know if you haven't been giving your all in applying for jobs.  In this economy, employers are obviously hiring a lot less, but that doesn't mean that tons of people aren't applying for jobs.  To sort through all those applicants, employers will resort to some unsettling tactics:

• Deadlines: When it comes to deadlines, earlier is ALWAYS better, especially if you're applying by email.  Employers will often check out just the first few resumes that they receive because they're bombarded with so many resumes.  So don't wait longer than it takes to get your resume polished to send it in- try your best to send it in the same day the job was posted!
• Cover letters:  A seasoned professional can tell whether or not you spent 5 minutes copying-and-pasting what you wrote for a past cover letter, as opposed to taking the time to address the specific position at the specific company you're applying for.  Make sure that in your cover letter, you write down at least one reason why you want to work for that company you're applying to (e.g. do you like it's mission statement and/or values?) and how you feel you can contribute to that company.  Be specific and concise.  And ALWAYS include a cover letter with your resume, even if no one asks for one.
• Resume length: If you think it's not that big a deal if your resume is slightly longer than one page, think again.  Employers spend about 15-20 seconds glancing through your resume, which is why resumes need to be organized so specifically: employers want to find specific information super fast, such as whether or not you're a student (e.g. that's why an "Education" section is first for all current students).  Remember to consider that when an employer is sorting through hundreds of applicants, a one-page resume versus a resume that's more than one page will be most likely to avoid being thrown into a shredder.

I hope this helps!  Best of luck!
Seghel

How to Be Top Dog- Even as an Intern

The other day, I started my summer internship at an awesome, not-for-profit organization in the city.  I stuffed envelopes for five hours.  I'm not joking.  It was five, straight hours.

There were a couple of moments when I sat there wondering what exactly I'd gotten myself into.  But then I realized- hey, wait a second, I'm working at a grass-roots, non-profit organization that actually cares for people and provides incredible resources for people in need.  If stuffing envelopes for five hours straight is what it takes to make it happen, then I'm happy to do it.

Yesterday also made me start thinking about companies as a whole and how teamwork is integral to actually getting anything done.  If you've ever worked in an office or a restaurant or anything like that, you get what I'm saying: upon a customer's entry through the door, they need to be greeted, directed to point A, further assisted, directed to point B, and thanked on their way out.  That's at least four steps, and this is a simplified version of what actually happens in an office, restaurant, or other business.  That means that whether or not anyone is acknowledging your existence or telling you what an excellent job you're doing, know for yourself that you're contributing something valuable- even when you're fetching coffee or scrubbing out the office fridge.

What I urge you to remember is that, as an intern, you need to be a sponge.  Not only are you responsible for learning the tasks that are taught to you as quickly as possible, but you also need to pay attention to everything around you.  Observe how the place works: is it a fast-paced environment?  Are people usually pretty stressed out?  Make yourself indispensable!  Offer an extra hand, even when both of yours are buried underneath 1400 letters that need to be signed and stamped.  Try not to feed into the frenzy either- just because others may appear busy and stressed out doesn't mean that you automatically have to mimic that sentiment.

Good luck with everything!
Seghel

It’s STILL Not Too Late to Get a Summer Internship

Hey everyone-

I know it’s scary to face the music. You may be thinking that since summer vacation has already started, you’re never going to get that internship you were hoping you’d be working this summer. And maybe it’s a result of the luck of the draw, and maybe it’s a result of bad timing on your part. All that doesn’t matter now; what matters now is gearing up to give it another shot- your best shot. What does that mean? Let me give you a play-by-play of how to get a summer internship:

1. The best way to start is by registering with Internship Exchange, an amazing online database with hundred of available internships. This database is great because it’s only accessible by about 20 schools in the United States- that means that your chances of getting an internship are boosted way up! Plus, you can see internships all over the States: San Francisco, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, etc. Easy instructions for how to register can be found on our website at www.usfca.edu/career.

2. Bring us your resume. There’s no way around it. If you thought getting an internship was competitive before the summer started, think of how many other people are scrambling for internships. That means that you need to be in tip-top shape to even be a competitor. Employers look at a resume for an average of 15-20 seconds- and those are the good ones! If your resume is a mess, those employers are bound to take one glance at it before tossing it in the shredder. We are offering Drop-In Hours Monday-Friday from 11am-1pm. You don’t even have to make an appointment to see us if you come during those hours.

3. Fine-tune for the position. This means that for EACH position you want to apply to, you need a stellar cover letter. We can also help you edit it during Drop-In Hours, but get a head start on writing one by again visiting our website and accessing the Job & Internship Resource Guide under the “Quick Links” on the right-hand side. Fine-tuning also means practicing your interviewing skills. We help students do this by setting up mock interviews with our professional staff members and videotaping you so that you can see what the employer sees during an interview. Sounds scary, right? It can be, but it’s ridiculously helpful.

We look forward to seeing you!

-Seghel

signing out...

Dear whoever's out there...

This is my final blog for the Career Services Center, and I want to take a minute to reflect on my year here, and offer up any words of encouragement and/or advice that I can think of...

My time at CSC has been an incredible experience. I have learned SO much from the professional staff members, student staff, and from all of you. I hope you all understand what a valuable resource the counselors and student staff are and are able to use them throughout your time at USF. They all have so much knowledge and experience to share to help guide you along your path, whether you're a freshman looking to draft your first resume, or an alumni who is ready for a career change, and everyone in between.

I also want to give you all a heads up about the changes with CSC and all of University Life in general. We are now officially located on the 5th floor. It's going to take us awhile to get used to being with so many other offices and to work out the kinks, so bear with us!

Our drop in hours are now officially on summer hours, 11am-1pm, Monday through Friday, and to make appointments with the professional staff, you'll still call the same number 415-422-6216, and let the person on the other end know that you'd like to make an appointment with a career counselor!

Again, I just want to say what an amazing and knowledgeable group of people work at the Career Services Center, and that I hope you are able to utilize them in your job preparation and search along the way!

It has been a complete pleasure working with each and every one of them and you! Have a fantastic summer, and enjoy the rest of your time at USF!

-Allison

A Response to J.'s Comment

Dear J.,

That's definitely a rough boat to be in.  Like I said in a previous post, rejection is difficult to deal with.  There are multiple factors involved in not being selected to fill a job position though.  It may just be that the economy is creating an extremely intense level of competition for jobs, simply because companies can't afford to hire as many people as before.  It could also be that you need to brush up on some interviewing skills and strategies with our professional staff members here at the Career Services Center.  However, from your comment, it seems that you prepared yourself very well for the last interview you had.

All I can say is to not be discouraged.  I know it stinks, but letting it affect you intensely may also come across in your demeanor with the next interview you land.  It sounds like you're trying your best though, and that's great- keep it up!  Lastly, as soon as you have enrolled at USF, come by our office.  We're moving to the 5th floor of the University Center (the UC) after May 17th.  We have drop-in hours everyday, where you can come without an appointment during the allotted time of the day (usually between 11am to 2pm) and talk to a career counselor about the job rut you're in.  We look forward to seeing you!

Take care,
Career Planning Peers

J. said: 


I feel like T______T about this summer.

I applied to over 70 paid and unpaid summer internships and jobs ever since December 2009 and received either rejection letter or no replies at all. It's all disappointing because in the past, I usually received a couple of interviews and managed to get a job during school years and summers.

Then a top company, whose products I always admired since childhood, offered me an exclusive interview. AND the position was paid, which would greatly help me pay off some of my college tuition, since my family's economically burdened. But what I cared most was gaining new skills and insight about one of my favorite industries -- and possibly have a future job there. I had the experience and requirements of this position, so I felt extremely determined about getting this.

I spent 3 days researching this company -- their promotions, background, products, tasks of the department I applied for ... everything. I also studied what to say/not to say during an interview and rehearsed my answers a few times.

At the end, I tried my best ... but I guess my best wasn't good enough. Last week, I received information that I wasn't picked. Being overly sensitive, I agonized for days. "Was it because a student from a better, more famous and prestigious university got the job?" "Did my answer stray off from what they asked?" "Maybe it's also because I don't have the major that's related to their department, even though I stated my interest and related job skills..." All my flaws and mistakes I believed I made still haunts me.

I pretty much gave up, but I'll still apply for more jobs. I might have to fork over some cash for summer classes this year, since my current college won't offer them. I'm transferring to USF this fall, but since I'm not an official student yet, I won't get financial aid for this summer. T______T