September « 2013 « The Career Development Center Blog

Ready to get inspired for your job, internship, or career search? Each month we will spotlight an OSU student that has inspired us when it comes to their career development. Check out their success stories—besides inspiration, they also show that academic major does not have to restrict your goals and that there are many ways to define success.

Want to nominate an OSU student or alum for the Student/Alum Spotlight series? Or do you want to share your own success? Then please fill out this quick form and Career Services will contact the person nominated.

Name: Nick Reed

Major: Business Administration (options in Management and International Business)

Year you graduated: 2010

Company: Adaugeo Healthcare Solutions

1. How did you find out about your job?

I attended the fall career fair as an alumnus in November 2012. I spent nearly the entire day interacting with potential employers, including the company that I now work for.

2. What do you do in your position?

I manage our company’s medical laboratory operations in central Oregon, work on projects on the clinical side of the company, as well as train in clinic management.

3. What advice do you have for others interested in finding a job?

First I would encourage persistence and patience. In the span of 6 months I went from being the one applying for jobs, to the person responsible for hiring. If there is one thing that both helped me get into my current position and continues to help me find qualified candidates for positions that I have open, it is the persistence of the candidate. It shows that you want the position you have applied for. It also keeps your name in the forefront of the hiring managers’ mind, versus being buried by busy days. Second is requiring professionalism from yourself. This encompasses many different areas of your life and job search including, how you dress, what your social media reflects, how you speak to potential employers, your resume, cover letter, and letters of recommendations. Finally be open to new ideas of what your career could look like. You may find difficulty getting your dream job directly out of school, so be prepared and open to look for jobs that can help you build your resume and work towards your dream job.

4. Did Career Services or anybody else assist you with your career development? If so, how?

I received assistance from career services. I had help with career guidance, resume editing and my job search.

Thanks Nick for being our Student/Alum Spotlight! If you are interested in learning more about Career Fair, there are many resources available to you on the OSU Career Services website. Here is also a great link to help you prepare for the fair.

Regardless of what your major is or if you graduated with honors, there are specific skills all employers are looking for in their new hires. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2013 Job Outlook report, although degrees and majors in demand may vary from year to year, the key skills and qualities that employers seek in their new college hires remains nearly identical year after year.

Ability to:

1. Verbally Communicate

In today’s world of text messages and social media, the ability to effectively communicate verbally is in decline, but is still in high demand. Start improving this skill by putting the smartphone away and engaging in conversations.

2. Make Decisions and Solve Problems

With the increase in standardized testing, there has been a decrease in the teaching of critical thinking, but this is still a skill employers are expecting of their employees. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and risk being wrong in order to solve problems.

3. Obtain and Process Information

Listening and understanding is an important part of success in the workplace. Employers are looking for someone who is able to understand directions presented to them in verbal and written methods, but don’t be afraid to ask clarifying questions if you are unclear of the expectations.

4. Plan, Organize, and Prioritize Work

Employers are looking for people who are able to effectively manage their time in the office. Practice developing this skill by utilizing organizing software or apps and making and completing “to do” lists.

5. Analyze Quantitative Data

Statistical analysis is what drives decision making within companies. Employees don’t need to be statisticians to be effective in their jobs, but they must be able to disseminate quantitative information presented to them to assist with problem solving in the workplace.

6. Understand Technical Knowledge

Every job will have specific hardware and software specific to that location and it is expected of employees to constantly learn and adapt to the new technical information presented.

7. Be Proficient with Computer Software

Just like the technical knowledge requirements, employees are expected to be proficient with the most common computer software applications (Microsoft Office for example) and be able to learn and adapt to new software specific to the company.

8. Create and Edit Written Reports

Effective professional written communication is vital in the office. Remember that all written forms of communication should be professionally composed, including text messages and emails.

9. Sell and Influence Others

In 1936, Dale Carnegie wrote “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. Over 70 years later, this is still one of the most popular references for business communication skills.

Think about which of these skills you do well and a personal example to support your claim. For the areas you need to improve, think about how you can start improving these skills and implement a plan to gain these skills. Keeping your nose in the books and graduating with a 4.0 GPA won’t cut it when you get out into the workplace.

Posted by Jennifer Edwards, Career Services Career Advisor

I receive a fair amount of requests for LinkedIn recommendations, and I usually oblige without hesitation. However, a recent e-mail from an old colleague made me realize there are plenty of “networkers” out there who just don’t get it.

“Yo, would you give me some props for that time we volunteered at SunLight.”

I thought he was kidding. But unfortunately, he wasn’t.

Here are two important facts you should know about my business relationship with this guy:

I haven’t heard from him in years.
We barely worked together.

His request of a recommendation was awful, there was zero effort applied. Apparently I’m only worth 14 words of this guy’s time.

(If you want to know how he could have taken a better approach to asking for a recommendation, you can read my advice on asking for LinkedIn recommendations.)

If only this “dear friend” of mine knew about the new LinkedIn Contact product.
Had he known, he may have received more than a laugh from me. He may have actually gotten his recommendation.

All LinkedIn users need to follow these three tips to stay current and ask for help more skillfully.

Oh, if you don’t have the new Contact app, you can sign up for the beta release.

1. Understand Not All Contacts Are Created Equal

In her book, Is Your “Net” Working, Anne Boe suggests you categorize the people in your network into one of eight possible choices:

Keystones: The core of your network.
Experts: The people you respect in your field.
Tangential Helpers: The people who help you get your job done.
Mentors: The people who provide you with guidance.
Role Models: The people who have achieved what you are aspiring to.
Hubs: The people who connect you with other helpful people.
Challengers: The people who cause you to look at your direction and challenge your assumptions.
Promoters: The people who recommend you to opportunities.

With LinkedIn Contacts, use the Tagging feature (see below) to put your connections into one of these eight categories.

Ask yourself, “Who do I need to stay in touch with? Which category can I apply?”

2. Set Contact Reminders

My friend’s failed request came out of nowhere. Yet, I’m also sensitive to the fact he probably has an above average network.

How can he possibly stay in touch with everyone, right?

(Glad to know I’m somewhere at the bottom. LinkedIn is probably a numbers game for him.)

Well, don’t wait until you need something to touch base with your network. That’s poor practice and is usually pretty obvious. Instead, use LinkedIn’s Reminder feature to remind you to consistently stay in touch.

Rule-of-Thumb: You should reach out to your most important contacts at least once every 30 days. Other contacts don’t need to hear from you more than once every few months.

Before you forget, go into your contact’s list and set these reminders for yourself.

3. Pick Up Where You Left Off

With LinkedIn Contacts, the e-mails sent to that person can be found in their profile. This is what it looks like:

This means you can pick up where you left off in your last conversation.

For example, three years ago, this friend of mine and I were talking about creating a website together. The platform never materialized but our idea seems to have become popular, kind of an ironic and fun shared experience.

Tip: By linking together past conversations with your latest notes, you help the contact see the nature of your relationship. Your connections are busy (like you) so they may need gentle reminders about why they’re linked up with you.

Joshua Waldman, author of Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies, is recognized as one of the nations top authorities in Social Media Career Advancement. To learn Joshua’s secret strategies for shortening the online job search and getting the right job right away, watch his exclusive video training here to learn How To Use Social Media Find a Job

NOTE: This post was written by a guest blogger and the content for the post approved by Oregon State University Career Services. We are not responsible for the content on the guest blogger’s personal website and do not endorse their site.

To view this job/internship listing, you must be a currently registered OSU student and have an existing Beaver JobNet account. If you are eligible and do not have an account, register now. Beaver JobNet is a great way to get your job or internship search started. Meet employers from a variety of organizations.

Job/Internship of the Week

Marketing and Communications Specialist

Description:

Oregon State University’s Colleges of Business and Engineering, in collaboration with the Office of Information Services, seeks an interested individual willing to assist with marketing and promotion of an upcoming event. The internship begins immediately and culminates with the event on Wednesday, October 30, 2013. There may be some time commitment following the event for debriefing and wrap up.

Young women embracing technology is at an all-time low. Society continues to reinforce the stereotype of people in technology, having young women believing technology is not for them. NetApp, a world premier provider of storage or storage solutions for technology, is working to dispel the image by hosting an event titled, College to Careers. The public/private partnership is targeting young women with the intent of increasing interest in careers in the technology field, by inspiring, empowering and leading the way. This position is instrumental to the success of the NetApp event at OSU.

Outcomes

Help with the marketing and promotion on the OSU Campus.
Work directly with the contact(s) at NetApp and may require participation in a weekly 30-minute planning update conference call.
Develop and deliver print and electronic communications
Assist with webpage management, manage Twitter and FaceBook feeds and more.

If you are interested in serving in this internship position, please prepare and submit through Beaver JobNet a current resume and cover letter that describes your experience and/or skills and abilities you possess which will contribute to the success of this event.

For more information on how to apply, check out the posting in Beaver JobNet.

With summer coming to an end and the academic year fast approaching you may find yourself trying to squeeze in a few last minute trips and moments of relaxation. Take the next few weeks to also think about some goals you have for this coming academic year, whether they are academic, professional or personal. Here are a few tips for starting the academic year off right!

Organize

If you don’t already have one, go out and get yourself a planner: writing out assignment due dates, work schedules, classes and midterm days and times can help you stay on track
Write out a list of all your commitments for this coming academic year including classes, clubs, organizations, work responsibilities.

Set Measurable Goals

Write out goals for yourself, both short term and long term, and make a list of the steps you can take to accomplish those goals. Set a timeline of when you want to have them completed. Once you have completed one goal, set another.
Meet your Academic Advisor or visit a Career Counselor.
Make a point to meet with your Academic Advisor early in the term to plan out the academic year, talk about career goals and make sure you are on track with meeting your degree requirements.
If you find yourself struggling to choose a major, consider meeting with a Career Counselor; they can help you outline your strengths and interests as well as prompt you with questions to start thinking about your future.

Get Involved:

Depending on your level of commitments, consider getting involved with a new club or organization on campus, completing an internship or getting a part-time job. All of these opportunities will build your resume and enhance your skill set. You can check out internship and job opportunities on Beaver JobNet.

Posted by Ciara Lynn – Career Services Internship Coordinator

Job/Internship of the Week
Assistant Buyer
Stahlbush Island Farms, Inc.

Description:

The mission for this position is to perform daily tasks as specified by the Raw Product Buyer to provide assistance in the collection and documentation of information required to meet customer quality standards and maintain the status of the farm’s certification as a sustainable and organic farm.

Outcomes
-Interact with contract growers, including scheduling, field scouting and collection of necessary documentation.
-Support raw product procurement as needed.
-Support internal audits of the farm for compliance to meet sustainable and organic certifications.
-Support in overall raw product logistics and scheduling as needed.
-Review pesticide records.
-Provide and track harvest-timing estimates for all crops.
-Develop and manage systems for collecting and using historic data.
-Develop field standards and measures to better meet the quality standards for the finished products.
-Perform other duties as assigned.

For more information on how to apply, check out the posting in Beaver JobNet.

When I was five years old, I took cat testicles to my kindergarten classroom for Show-and-Tell (remember Show-and-Tell, version 1.0?? Now it’s called “Facebook”). I brought them in an orange Tupperware that my parents happily supplied, and in some solution that kept them in their (almost) original shape and form. Looking back now, I can clearly see the giant thought bubbles popping out of my beloved kindergarten teacher’s head as I confidently shared the story and knowledge I had regarding said testicles (removed from my big gray cat at home, on the piano bench, by our family veterinarian). The thought bubbles screamed, mostly unintelligible, with a few question marks here and there, but bless her head—she let me share. And she let the other kids ask questions. And she defended me (and her choice) to any other parents who may have questioned why their kid came directly home and asked about feline balls. And thus, curiosity and an insatiable thirst for knowledge was protected, nurtured and encouraged to grow.

Growing up on a farm, I had the magnitude and minutiae of the world at my fingertips. Birth and death and everything in between surrounded me and I was encouraged to ask questions about all of it. When a teachers’ strike closed down my elementary school for three weeks one winter, my mother carried on with lessons at home, based in the constantly changing flow of activity on the farm: weighing chicks, counting elements in pond samples and writing about observations in the fields and trees. There was always space for learning, space for expansion, space to be awed by even the most mundane.

As I’ve grown up and moved through an undergraduate program in English, several jobs that held various levels of inspiration, travel and study abroad, a Master’s degree in counseling and the most recent expansion into being a parent and professional in higher education, I’ve learned that the space to be curious is not confined to the lucky and charmed experiences in my childhood. Sometimes, curiosity is met with fear by others: skepticism, sarcasm, even avoidance and hatred, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t the most crucial of necessities in so many ways. To be a lifelong learner—someone who is active and engaged in seeking out new knowledge and experiences and sharing those with his or her community and world, is to be a contributor and uniquely influential. It allows for adaptability and the ability to adjust when the currents change. It allows for one person to recognize another person’s passion and uniqueness and to step in to help those grow—either by asking the right questions, saying the right thing, or by simply stepping back and letting a kid share with the world what she finds to be most fascinating.

As a person currently involved in higher education, I recognize the emphasis placed on managing a schedule and meeting structured expectations, in class, work, sports, clubs, and beyond. The expectations are important—focus on grades, achievements, and meeting or exceeding standards in your education and career. But don’t forget, in your pursuit of answering all the necessary questions, to ask some questions of your own. Be curious, even about the day-to-day, and share what you learn so others can be excited with you. In fact, in recent research on career “success”, as published in Perspectives of Psychological Sciences, it was found that curiosity (along with conscientiousness) is a much better predictor of success and achievement in academics and career than your level of intelligence! So, learn simply for the sake of learning, and you will be surprised at how far you might go.

Oh, and if your kid ever wants to take testicles to school, my advice to you is: let her. Just make sure you know which Tupperware she used before packing lunch the next day . . .

Posted by Malia Arenth, Career Services Career Counselor

Name: Jessica Hua
Major: Public Health & International Studies
Year in school: Junior
Internship: South Africa: Pre-Med Rotations

1. How did you find out about the internship?
It has always been a dream of mine to go to Africa to volunteer and now, I’ve been given the amazing opportunity to serve as an intern with Child Health Family International and IE3 Global Internships. I discovered this internship primarily through a career fair last winter while visiting IE3 Global Internship’s booth. There, the representatives gave me pamphlets and flyers leading me to further resources online, which all helped me find the program I was passionate about.

2. What will you be doing in your position?
Within this internship, I will be traveling to both Durban and Cape Town. Starting off in Durban, I will be working on community development projects to identify the post-apartheid public healthcare system revolving around HIV/AIDS, environmental health, and other underlying causes. In Cape Town, I’ll be rotating through various clinics, hospitals, and emergency services to shadow health professionals to follow patients through their treatments while observing the healthcare team.

3. What advice do you have for others interested in finding an internship?
The best advice I have for others trying to find an internship is to not be afraid to ask for help or fail. I wouldn’t be anywhere today if I didn’t reach out to others for help, whether it be to ask for a second opinion, for a reference letter, or to find out more about a program. Everyone genuinely wants to see you succeed and will help in any way they can. Besides, the worst thing that someone can say is that they don’t have the time to help, which in that case you just continue to ask others for help- which leads me to say that we can’t be afraid of failure. It has always been one of my biggest fears but without failure also means we do not learn because we have nothing to build upon. I’ve looked and applied to internships before this and have been denied positions. Despite the feelings of disappointment I had felt, failure works to our advantage because success will come to us at the right time through hard work and determination.

4. Did Career Services assist you anyway? If so, how?
Career Services played such a big role in helping me get this internship! Right from the beginning, they were already helping me with this internship because they are the ones who host career fairs. Following that, the internship application required a resume and cover letter so my friend had suggested me to visit Career Services because they are a great resource to proofread those kinds of papers. I had never gone to Career Services before but the process in setting up an appointment was very easy through Beaver JobNet. There, I met with Jen and she was an amazing help in making my resume and cover letter the best that it can be. I was a little shocked at first when she scratched up my initial resume, which I thought was pretty decent, but it looks so much better now. Jen was really great in her willingness to help someone she just met; she was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely wanted to hear the goals I had accomplished which I included in my resume. She was flexible with my constant emails after our initial meeting to read over the many “final” drafts and offered me advice on how to keep improving my speech. I couldn’t have done it without Jen; Career Services was definitely a very big factor in my internship process and I am very glad that I went in to see them.

Thanks Jessica for being our Student/Alum Spotlight! If you are interested in learning more about internships, there are many resources available to you on the OSU Career Services website. You can also find out about International Internship opportunities through IE3!

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The Career Development Center Blog

Explore. Educate. Empower. Engage.

Monthly Archives: September 2013

Student / Alum Spotlight – Nick Reed

Skills: What You Need to Know

Job/Internship of the Week – NetApp & OSU

Start the Academic Year off Right

Job/Internship of the Week – Stahlbush Island Farms, Inc.

Curiosity and the Cat: Being a Lifelong Learner

Student/ Alum Spotlight – Jessica Hua

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