Your Major!

Hi Guys

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

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

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

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

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

Aloha- Nate

GRADUATE SCHOOL AND CAREER FAIR

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

Graduate School & Career Fair

Attention Students:

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

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

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

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

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

Getting Back in the Game

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

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

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

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

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

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