Be. Aggressive. Be. Be. Aggressive. (but courteous)

It's official. Summer 2012 has begun! It's finally okay to relax and no need to stress about papers, assignments, exams or groups projects.

Although... now you may be experiencing another type of anxiety: waiting to hear back from the internships you've applied for.

So what do you do if you've been waiting so patiently for a response for days now and you don't hear back? How aggressive can you be in demanding a response, and how do you request it? How aggressive is too aggressive?

You have to keep in mind that not many employers will notify you if you do not get chosen. So, if its been more than 2 weeks past the deadline to apply, chances are you did not get chosen.

But if your mind will not be at rest until you hear back directly from the employer, follow these tips in requesting a response:

• Be sure to wait until the deadline of the application. Most employers may review on a rolling basis but if their posting had a deadline, wait until the deadline (at least 3 days after) to contact them.
• Follow up with a phone call to the contact information provided on the application or website first to ask if they can provide any information on the decision making process (ie, ask if they know if the position has been filled, or if they have a rough estimate of when the decision will be made) You may also ask if they send out notices to those who did not receive the position.
• A nice way to phrase it might be, "Hello, I'm calling to check on the status of my application for _____ position."
• If there was no contact information on the application, do some research and call the company's general information line and nicely request the contact information of the hiring manager for the position you are interested in.
• If indeed, you find out that you did not receive the position, maintain your courtesy, professionalism and above all positivity! Don't let it get you down and begin applying for other positions.
• In some cases (like if you received a personal phone call or email notification that you did not receive the position but got as far as an interview in the application process) it may be appropriate to ask the employer for his or her feedback on your interview and certain aspects you can improve on.
• Just remember: 
• Life is a learning experience. Focus on the positive lessons. 
• Successful job search requires a delicate balance of patience and perseverance, so don't be afraid to be aggressive, but be sure to uphold professionalism at all times.

~ Rosie ~

Don't Forget Your Manners...

A common theme has been arising in drop ins lately: SUMMER INTERNSHIPS.

It is great to see that many students are actively searching and applying for summer internships that will add to their resume experience! Many students are coming in for a resume review for that ideal summer internship, some are coming in for a cover letter review, a few for interviewing tips, and one student came in for a review on his THANK YOU LETTER!

Thank you letters are a small detail but a very important part of your job search process, nonetheless. Unfortunately, following up with a thank you letter does not get done as often as it should. It is imperative that you send a thank you letter soon after every interview, especially if you want to be remembered in a more positive way. In fact, many employers have stated that they will hire the person who sent the thank you letter over the person who did not.

The preferred method to send a thank you letter is as a greeting-card style in your own hand writing sent via snail mail. A thank you e-mail may be acceptable in certain situations though, when your handwriting is not legible or it simply slipped your mind to send the card and more than a week has passed.

Here is a sample on what to include in a thank you letter.

And as always, you are more than welcome to come in to a drop in for us to help you review your thank you letter.

Good Luck!
 ~ 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

Work Your Network!

Hello All!

       As a senior, I am trying to brace myself for the “real world”. On my quest to find a job, I am trying to use every opportunity to network. This week, I will be going out of town with a friend. Not only will this be a nice girls trip but also an opportunity to network with my friends business contacts while we are in that city. All in all, just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean the opportunity to find work isn’t there. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you’re networking:

Keep in mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic, building trust and relationships, and seeing how you can help others.

Ask yourself what your goals are in participating in networking meetings so that you will pick groups that will help you get what you are looking for. Some meetings are based more on learning, making contacts, and/or volunteering rather than on strictly making business connections.

Ask open-ended questions in networking conversations. This means questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those that can be answered with a simple yes or no. This form of questioning opens up the discussion and shows listeners that you are interested in them.

Be able to articulate what you are looking for and how others may help you. Too often people in conversations ask, "How may I help you?" and no immediate answer comes to mind.

Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor that and your referrals will grow.

Call those you meet who may benefit from what you do and vice versa. Express that you enjoyed meeting them, and ask if you could get together and share ideas.

--Victoria

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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

Interview Tips

      Hope you’ve had a splendid semester! It’s that time of year again! Our semester is dwindling down (43 days left officially), and Summer is upon us. Are you going to look for a Summer job? Or perhaps you are graduating and looking for a job. Either way, there is going to be that inevitable interview. Here are a few things to avoid:

Use slang You hit it off with the employer and get comfortable, that’s no excuse to turn off your professional mode. Show the employer that you can be both personable and professional at the same time.

How much does the position pay? Let’s not put the cart before the horse on this one. You haven’t even been offered the job yet. Wait for an offer or for the subject to arise later in the interview. If asked how much you should be paid, offer a range and not a set number.

What does your company do? C’mon now, we’ve been over this before. RESEARCH YOUR COMPANIES! Google them, find them on Facebook/Twitter/Linkedin! You should know what the company does before you walk into an interview. Ask a more specific question about their company, showing that you, indeed, know what they do and have come prepared.

Be prepared the first time around and amaze your potential employers with your interviewing skills!
Good luck!

--Victoria
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Don't get left out.... Get LinkedIn!

We have officially kicked off our first annual Best Senior Linked In Profile Contest!! 

Seniors, if you do not have a LinkedIn profile (and I have already met with a few of you that don't) NOW is the time to make one and enter our contest!! 

Why? Because you can win COOL prizes! 

1st: Kindle Touch

2nd: USF Gift Basket ($50 value)

3rd: USF Leather Portfolio

*must have Ellen Kelly Daley as a connection and mention in a personal message that you would like to be considered in the running.  

As if that's not incentive enough! Here are some of the benefits LinkedIn also has to offer:

- BRANDING: It allows you to market yourself in a professional manner.

- RESEARCH: It allows you to look up organizations in which you may be interested and offers the opportunity to communicate with the employers, recruiters and people who work for that company via messages. 

- JOBS: Some employers may post job openings in their companies and if you have them as a connection you will be the first to see it!

- NETWORKING: You can connect with poeple and companies that are relevant to your job search, ask questions and even set up an informational interview. 

- INVOLVEMENT/CONNECTIONS: You can join groups that interest you or are relevant to the work you are looking to do. You can also start discussions and post to them.

Last day to submit your profile is April 22nd!


~Rosie