Author Archives: arenthm

The Opportunity in Every Opportunity

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There is so much information out there about how to find an internship that’s right for you, one that relates to your field of study, or one that will boost your experiences. We’ve covered topics such as:

But the topics hardly ever discussed are those such as: “what to do with your experience after the internship” or “how to hone in on the various skills and lessons you learned from your experience,” even if the experience wasn’t what you expected it to be.

I’ve done two internships during my time at Oregon State, and one the sumblog pic erica 11 29 2013mer following my junior year of high school. I know you must be thinking, “Wow, this girl started early!” But, with my indecisiveness on what to major in, I had to start early.

See, the important thing to understand about internships is that, while you may be able to earn college credits for them, they above all serve as important tools in your career development. For example, the first internship I did following my junior year of high school was through a class at The Art Institute of San Diego. At the time, head over heels for art and computers, I was interested in Computer Animation. Attending a small, private high school, I had no access to Computer Animation classes or an opportunity to experience with the subject. In doing research, I was able to find a Computer Animation summer class offered by The Art Institute, and found it the perfect opportunity to explore the subject. This experience assisted me in exploring computer animation as a potential career, developing hands-on computer animation skills, and networking with top computer animators in the country (my teacher drew Pink Panther and Spongebob)! What this experience also taught me was that Computer Animation wasn’t the right industry for me. The tedious drawing of each and every movement and shift was something I didn’t have the patience for. While some might deem this an unsuccessful internship experience, I ended up learning a lot about myself, including the types of jobs I saw myself a part of in the future. I couldn’t see myself sitting at a drawing board or computer all day; I wanted to be more engaged with others and I decided a job that allowed me to work with people would be one I would succeed most in.

My second internship experience brought similar results. Still unsure of what I wanted to major in, I continued to take opportunities to assist me in figuring it out. As an IT and Investigations Intern at the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office, I was able to further develop my IT skills, as well as explore Law Enforcement as a potential path. This experience was beneficial, as I was able to note Law Enforcement as a potential degree path and add numerous skills to my resume. I was able to, again, increase my computer skills, gaining knowledge in databases, as well as serve as a right-hand to attorney’s, first-handedly gaining insight on what being an attorney entails.

My third, and most recent, internship was with the Disney College Program. This experience, much different from the two mentioned previously, brought back my desire to work with people. While my second internship sparked my interest in Law Enforcement, the Disney College Program sparked my interest in the Tourism and Hospitality industry. I was working in the Florida summer (so hot!) in outdoor foods, which I knew I didn’t want to do for a career. While the job itself wasn’t interesting to me, I was able to note various aspects of the job that I enjoyed, such as my love for providing exceptional customer service. I realized that I enjoyed the District Attorney’s Office internship because I was serving the attorney’s; I was assisting them in their court cases by printing photos, recording testimonies, listening to and editing testimony transcripts, and other relevant tasks. Assisting guests at The Walt Disney World Resort helped me recognize my natural passion for customer service and the importance of customer service as an element of my future career.

The point here is, that if an internship opportunity arises and sparks your interest, I encourage you to go for it! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Even experiences that show you what you don’t want to do, will surprise you in ways you never thought, many times teaching you a little more about yourself. The cool thing about internships is that they exist to help you learn. An internship is defined as any official or formal program to provide practical experience for beginners in an occupation or profession. From this definition, it is important to keep in mind that an internship provides ‘practical experience’. You may be interested in the study of a particular field or subject, but it is equally important to gain experience working hands-on in that field, in order to confirm it is right for you. So I encourage you to take advantage of the many internships that are out there, because there is ALWAYS opportunity in EVERY opportunity! And for those of you that have participated in internships you thought were a waste of time, you completely disliked, or weren’t what you expected, I encourage you to look back at those experiences and make note of the things you did learn from them.

 

 posted by Erica Evans, Career Assistant

 

Disney College Program Experience: An interview with Erica Evans

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Erica Evans, one of Career Services very own Career Assistants was a part of the Disney College Program experience in Florida this past Spring term and Summer. I had the pleasure of talking with Erica about her experience and here are some of the details she gladly shared with me:

11-22 photo

How did you find the opportunity to apply for an internship with Disney?

I found out about the internship at the Career Services office.  Sometimes we have flyers or other resources for internships and jobs that may not be posted on Beaver Jobnet . . . and that’s exactly how I found mine! After that I did a little more research and read A LOT about the program to see if it was really something I would want to do. I read blogs from students who had done/were doing the internship, and I also connected with the Disney College Program Facebook, Twitter, and website so I could get updates on application deadlines and other cool tips and information about the program.

 

How did your Disney College Program internship help with your career development?

It gave me transferable skills for after college such as communication skills, team work, exceptional work ethic, it’s a good resume builder, and working for such a huge company like Disney shows commitment and dedication.

 

What kind of work did you do? How did it apply to your education?

I was assigned different roles based on my experience. I used to be a manager at Jamba Juice so I was assigned to outdoor foods where I worked at food carts during different times of the day. Working at these carts pushed me to use my communication skills that I study while pursuing my degree to make “magic” for all the guests! I worked 40-50 hours a week with 10-12 hour shifts so it was exhausting, but well worth it in the long run.

 

Would you recommend the Disney College Program to your peers?

YES! I enjoy talking to students that come into Career Services as well as friends about the experiences I had in Florida. It’s a great resume builder, like I said earlier, as well as a good life experience because I got to go away and live at Disney World! Really, how many people can say they got to do that?

How did you work it out with your college to receive credits for this internship?

I started by talking with my advisor in speech communications and she had me write an internship proposal on the internship and how related to my academic goals. In my proposal I described areas of my internship where I would be encountering different communication theories. My advisor set it up to where I wrote journal reflections while I was there and at the end I submitted a term paper. I also received an evaluation from my manager at Disney which I also gave to my advisor.

In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently to prepare for or use the internship experience?

I think I would have liked to network a little bit more and take advantage of more career development offerings while I was there. Disney offered different courses, much like the things we do in our office, like writing resumes, interviewing tips, professionalism, etc., as well as guest speakers from different top-level positions at Disney. I would have liked to have attended more of those, because, looking back now, I feel it would have been an opportunity to network with those outside of my Outdoor Foods area.

 

If you’re interested in getting more information about the program you can access this website (http://cp.disneycareers.com/en/default/?ss=paid) or contact Erica via her e-mail, evanser@onid.ost.edu, or here at Career Services, (541-737-4085) to ask her any questions!

posted by Carly Larson, Career Assistant

 

Panama Experience: Volunteer Abroad

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Freshman year caused drastic alterations in my life. Being away from my home of 18 years, including all family, most of my friends, my loving Great Dane/Pit Bull…it was difficult for me. I spent my four years of high school involved in a variety of volunteer activities, ranging from being a member of the PAL’s program at the Southern Oregon Humane Society to enrolling in the Buddy Program which entails interacting and becoming a helping friend to an elementary school student throughout the Springtime. When I transferred to the college setting, I had to depart from all of my old responsibilities and begin new ones. The best way I discovered to find a range of volunteer opportunities was being involved in the Civic Engagement Club. This club sends out weekly emails that include multiple different opportunities to get involved in the community. Since it was only the first few weeks of school, I was still very new to everything so I  ended up spending hours skimming through each opportunity that was presented. I came across a volunteer abroad opportunity, titled Public Health Global Brigade, which immediately struck my interest.

First of all, I love traveling. Studying abroad has been my dream ever since I was old enough to understand what it even meant! I signed up and began going to the meetings to get further knowledge about the program. Knowing I would have to set myself back financially made me want to rethink if it was really worth it or not, but my heart quickly trumped the thoughts. After going to the first few meetings, I could not come up with any potential negative consequences that would make me regret the experience so I stayed committed and it eventually led me to the Darien region of Panama.

Our mission was to improve the overall health of the communities we visit by building/completing latrines. From this, children and adults will have better access to a clean bathroom which will help reduce the chance of obtaining diseases that can lead to a serious illness or even death. Alongside 23 other women and 1 man, all from OSU, we spent seven days rebuilding ten latrines that were not finished by previous Public Health Brigades and started and completed one main latrine at an Elementary school outside the Darien region.

We assisted and worked with certified Panamanian contractors so we weren’t completely clueless as to how to build the structures. We worked through 90% humidity, through the downpour of rain (and “downpour” is an understatement), through pools of perspiration, through laughs, jokes, smiles and committed dedication. All of this led up to an everlasting bond between the student volunteers, the Panamanian contractors, the Panamanian directors in charge of the Global Brigade program in Panama, and the families in each of the communities we visited.whitney blog pic

Returning home was saddening, but also reviving. I learned a tremendous amount of culture differences and experienced what life is like outside the US. It is true when American travelers of the world say “be thankful for what we have here in the US.” Every single one of us volunteers came back thankful, inspired and lively. You honestly can’t get that sensation from anything else. As a volunteer abroad student, I now have an expanded heart and more of a passion to make a difference here in this world. I hope others will take a chance, open themselves to  “one-time” opportunities so they will one day achieve the same experience and awareness as I have.

 

 

Have you had a memorable volunteer or volunteer abroad experience? Tell us about it!

posted by Whitney Cordes, Career Assistant

Student Business Card How-To

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Something I think not a lot of students realize is that you can definitely make student business cards, and, in fact, it’s highly recommended that you do. They’re a great option for Career Fairs, so you can leave your information with an employer even in situations where it might not be appropriate to leave your entire resume. Business cards are very professional and are a great resource for networking.

I recently personally made some new business cards so I wanted to share the process and some thibusines card photongs I noticed.

In terms of what information to include, the most important pieces are:

  • First and last name
  • University name
  • Major
  • Phone number
  • Professional email address

I personally also included my expected graduation date, and on the back a QR code that goes to my LinkedIn profile. Make sure you only do the latter if your profile is complete and you are going to make sure to keep your profile up to date and professional.

For the design, make sure your business card looks professional but don’t be afraid to use it to showcase your personality a little bit. A business card that’s too boring and doesn’t stand out at all is probably just as bad as one that’s unprofessional. Here are some options for ways to design your business card:

  • Online sites (Vistaprint.com, Moo.com, etc.): Some sites have an option for free business cards, but make sure you pay the couple dollars to take off their ad on the back of the card! Leaving the sites ad on the back will detract from your professional image
  • OSU Printing and Mailing (for OSU branded cards)
  • Use MSWord to print your own using the templates options and special paper
  • Retailers (such as Staples, Office Max, etc.)

Make sure you triple-check everything to eliminate any mistakes before you place your order! You can even get a business card holder if you want, or just use whatever method you want to keep your cards nice. Now you’re ready to start networking!

posted by Deirdre Newton, Career Assistant

References:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/04/27/college-students-business-cards/

http://www.internqueen.com/blog/2011/08/how-to-make-savvy-student-business-cards

High School: When is it time to say goodbye?

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richards blogWhen I applied for my first job out of high school, my entire resume was made up of activities and clubs that I had engaged in during high school to make myself look impressive to the world. I was proud of the long list of things I had done: math team, speech and debate, and the like. I was convinced that I had picked up a plethora of skills that I could take with me for the rest of my life. But then I got most of my way through the first year of college here, and was told suddenly and harshly that it was time to take high school off of my resume. That was it— the long list of accomplishments that I had spent four years developing was erased in the time it took to hit the backspace key. Then I looked at my resume, and surprisingly it wasn’t empty. It was a good time to take high school off, to make room for more opportunities.

So when is the optimal time to break free of your past? My first recommendation is to start moving away from high school as soon as you can once you get to college; college is a great place to start forming new and exciting relationships with professors, and to get involved in clubs and activities, sometimes even the same activities you did in high school. These sorts of things will make great references and talking points on your resume that would draw any employer’s eye. And really— let’s face the facts— you’re in college now. Everybody knows that you went to high school, and did at least reasonably well, so it is definitely time to take your diploma or GED out from your education section of your resume.

There are other sections of your resume though. One big aspect of a resume will always be to choose relevant experiences to include. Sometimes the most relevant experiences will be from high school, and it is okay to use those for your first few years of college, but by the time you are an upperclassmen, it’s time to lose the training wheels. While you are in your first two years of college, though, you can pull from those things you did in high school- volunteer opportunities, and even select clubs and activities, they can all be relevant to a job you are applying for.

There is one last aspect of your high school experience, and that is one that will never have to be omitted from your resume— the skills you developed. By the end of high school there are some skills we might have developed: proficiency with Microsoft Office, intermediate skill in a foreign language, technical writing, public speaking, etc. These are all skills you can always boast on your resume all the way through college.

Remember when you are constructing a resume that you only want to put down the most relevant experiences, and sometimes those will come from high school, but college is a place to start developing new and exciting sets of skills to show off to employers.

 

What are the skills you attribute to your high school experience? How are you building on those in your current academics and career opportunities?

 

by Richard Thomas, Career Assistant

Grad School: Now or Later?

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blog photoHow do You Know When it’s Time to Go?

Graduate school requires a commitment of time, money, and energy. Determining the ideal time in your life for pursing a graduate degree is often difficult, however; if you are asking yourself whether or not now is the time for graduate school that may be an sign it is at least an appropriate moment to seriously consider applying to a graduate program.

For individuals in any situation three important factors to consider before applying to graduate school may be motivation, financing, and feasibility.

Defining your motivation for enrolling in a graduate degree program requires you to think about the things you hope to accomplish by earning your graduate degree. These goals will be different for every individual, but having a general understanding of your motivations for pursuing a graduate degree may help you evaluate if getting a graduate degree is the best way of achieving those goals.

Attending graduate school costs money, thinking about the ways you plan to finance your graduate school education is an important step in determining if it is financially possible and responsible to attend graduate school in the near future. Upon inspection you may discover you need to develop a longer term plan to explore scholarship, grant, or assistantship/fellowship options or build up your savings to offset the costs of school.

Determining feasibility entails taking a look at how graduate school will fit into your life, this includes consideration of the amount of time you expect to be in graduate school, and other personal goals you may have such as starting a family or moving to a specific city, state or country. It may also include determining the amount of debt you can reasonably acquire and your current situation in the workplace.

After taking time to think about the factors discussed above you may have a clearer picture of the appropriateness of attending graduate school in the near future and the type of program you would like to apply to. It may also provide a starting point for establishing a plan for success in graduate school.

Graduating from an Undergraduate Program

If you are currently a college student, you might be thinking of going straight to graduate school. Your area of study and your professional goals should help you make this decision. You may want to pursue a graduate degree because it is absolutely required for your intended career path or you may feel a need for more training in your field. These are good reasons to consider immediately enrolling in graduate school following completion of your undergraduate degree.

Some undergraduate programs offer advanced standing graduate programs enabling students to earn a graduate degree by completing 1 additional year of study immediately following completion of their undergraduate education.  If your program offers an advanced standing option it may be worthwhile to consider continuing your education without taking a break between your undergraduate and graduate studies.

Even if you are certain graduate school is in your future, it can also be a great idea to get a little real world experience prior to enrolling in a graduate program. Spending some time in the real world may give you a better understanding of the area of research you would like to specialize in as a graduate student or you might want to see how much you really need a graduate degree to follow a particular path.

Assistantships are a great option for students thinking of enrolling in graduate school immediately after earning their undergraduate degree. Earning an assistantship means you may be able go to school without paying tuition. You can also gain valuable work experience.  Even though the stipend you receive for that work might not be great, the free education and benefits might outweigh the small amount of pay – especially if you are not already accustomed to a higher salary and you do not to have too many financial demands.

Experiencing Difficult Economic Times

Earning a graduate degree may be a good strategy to help change the course of your career. Even during healthy economic time’s unemployment, underemployment, and job dissatisfaction are causes for concern among the working population. Graduate school may offer individuals the opportunity to network, gain new knowledge and skills, and refocus their career. Graduate school may enhance a person’s current resume helping them gain advancement within an organization or grab the attention of a hiring manager at a new firm. The time and financial commitments of a graduate degree make it important for individuals making the decision to enroll in graduate school to make a full commitment to the process and do everything possible to get the most out of their time in a graduate program.

There is some controversy in the blogosphere about the benefit of graduate school for unemployed individuals concerning whether or not it is a wise decision to take on additional debt during a time of financial hardship, however; while the decision to advance your education is timely and costly it may be a good option for individuals who are truly invested in the idea of gaining more knowledge and expertise in their field or interested in entering into a new career path. Be sure to carefully consider your personal circumstances before enrolling in a graduate program. Carefully weigh the costs and benefits of graduate school against your personal and career objectives and explore a variety of program offerings and formats before making your final decisions.

During your Career

If you have been working for a while and feel compelled to get more education, see if your employer will pay for you to earn a graduate degree. It isn’t an option in all fields, but it makes even more sense financially than an assistantship; you will be gaining the same work experience while you earn your degree, but you will be getting paid a regular salary rather than a more meager stipend. The downside, of course, is that it can be very demanding on your time. (Assistantships are built for graduate students; most other jobs are not).  Still, if you have the motivation to get your school work done in your spare time, it can be a great option.

Some programs are designed especially for working professionals; they might not be tuition-free, but they might enable you to earn your degree quickly enough that the out-of-pocket cost to you will be manageable. For example, summer programs are increasingly available for teachers who wish to earn a master’s degree. They can go to school full-time while they are not working and thereby finish the degree in just one or two summers. Evening programs are also popular in a number of fields. You might need more time to complete one, but you can probably afford the monthly part-time tuition if you are still working.

Individuals who plan to work full time while attending graduate school should also find out if the graduate program they are interested in has any field work, research, travel or practicum/internship requirements. These requirements may affect a person’s ability to work at their current job during normal office hours and may create additional time constraints. Discuss any potential conflicts with a school advisor and your work supervisor in advance to determine the feasibility of completing this type of educational requirement while maintaining a full time job.

If working and going to school at the same time seems like too much of a time commitment, you might want to consider taking some time off for full-time study. This is an especially good idea if you are thinking of some sort of change in your path. It will undoubtedly mean a financial sacrifice, though you can still benefit from an assistantship or fellowship as well as from your own personal savings.

Information compiled by the GradSchools.com team – January 2013

 

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.

 

 

Event Networking as an Introvert

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How to prepare for a networking event:

As an introvert myself, I find that preparing is the key to being successful at these types of events. The initial idea of going to a crowded place, where the goal is to have some conversations with strangers, does not sound like my cup of tea. In my younger years, I had many similar experiences that were not beneficial for me and only resulted in a few very awkward conversations and free pens.  However, it is a valuable use of time if one is prepared. Bintroverty researching companies and people that are coming, preparing casual conversation topics, and preparing questions, you can have a successful experience at the event. Introverts feel most comfortable in situations in which they feel knowledgeable about the topic of conversation. If you have questions prepared and know a little about the companies and people you want to talk to you, it is going to make the conversations flow a lot easier. You will be empowered to initiate a conversation and feel knowledgeable enough to contribute to it. Introverts often feel that if they are going to say something, it should be something valuable. Having a basis of knowledge about the company and what they are working on will provide you with valuable things to say. However, don’t hesitate to talk about topics that you think the employer probably already knows about. Just because they know it, doesn’t mean that they don’t want to know that you are aware of it as well. The goal is to demonstrate your knowledge to them.

Making connections:

Now comes the hard part. Taking a deep breath and actually going to the event. Put it in your calendar and give yourself a deadline for researching companies and people that will be there, so that you will have no excuse not to go. It is too easy to “forget” to prepare for it. Don’t take the easy way out. Hold yourself accountable and make sure you get there. You could even ask a friend to go with you.

Once you walk in the door and wander around for a bit, you might feel the urge to quietly slink out the door, to breath in the sweet relief of solitude. Don’t give in! Do what you came to do and talk to some people. You might want to make a goal ahead of time. For example: I will have at least two successful conversations before I go.

Unfortunately, it might take you more than two conversations to meet this goal. Humans are unpredictable creatures and as much as you would like your conversations to go as you had planned, they don’t always. Some people might be more willing to chat with you than others. Sometimes certain people are very popular and you might have a hard time finding an opportunity to chat with them. You might encounter a fellow introvert who might not always give you enough information to initiate further conversation. But be sure and use the questions and knowledge you prepared. Even introverts can have great conversations about a topic that they are knowledgeable about, but they might need prodding more than others. If an employer has a very popular table, you might want to wait and come back later. If that is not an option for you, try to make yourself heard and visible.

How do you start a conversation?

For most extraverts, this is a very natural process. But introverts can have a difficult time initiating conversations. You of course are prepared with your lists of questions and interests, but social norms dictate that you don’t jump right into these. Here are some simple steps for making conversations:

  1. Say “hello”, introduce yourself, and smile. I also would recommend adding something along the lines of “how is it going?” Sometimes people at professional events don’t get asked questions about themselves and it really makes them feel like you care about them and not just a potential job.
  2. Identify a topic of conversation that can apply to most people. For example: Think about what day of the week it is. If it is on Monday, you could say something along the lines of “I can’t believe it is Monday already, the weekends just fly by.” If nothing else, this shows that you are capable of small talk.
  3. Remember that body language is also important, so try to have upright, confident posture. Also, a common trait among introverts is to look around as you speak. Try to limit this. It can appear as if you are disinterested in the conversation. I often role my eyes while I am thinking about what I am saying, but this can come off as nonchalance.

Once you have successfully had some chit chat, you can move into your comfort zone- the reason you are talking to them. Try to confidently articulate the conversation topics you researched ahead of time. When you have exhausted your conversation capabilities, end with attaining some contact information from the person you talked to. “Do you have a business card in case I think of any more questions?”  I recommend bringing your own business card or resume to hand out as well.

Congratulations! You did it! That wasn’t so bad, right? Once you have met your conversation goal for the event, you may swiftly make an exit. However, you are not done. Don’t let the connections you made go to waste. File the business cards you received with notes to remind you about who they were. For example: Jo Shmoe with Apple Computers- Brown hair, green polka-dot tie, and we talked about internships in HR. Shortly after the event, send Jo Shmoe an e-mail thanking him for chatting with you and inviting him to talk again in the future. Be sure and remind him who you were with some specifics about the conversation you had. Ask Jo Shmoe if he would mind connecting with you on LinkedIn (if you don’t have a LinkedIn, get one). Once Jo Shmoe e-mails you back and says “of course”, you are assured of the beginning of a new relationship that may be useful in the future. But, don’t let your relationship die! Stay in touch and in the near future invite him to coffee for an informational interview.

These steps will ensure that your time at the event was not wasted. You now have contacts that might be able to help you get a job someday. By showing interest in them, you are demonstrating your good qualities. There is no need to let intimidating situations deter you from having the career that you want. Everyone has unique qualities and passions to contribute, but you have to make sure that others are aware of those qualities. Networking is a key component of the world of work, so start building those skills now.

 

Posted by Rebecca Schaffeld, Career Services Graduate Assistant

Let Your Passion Lead

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I wrote this after watching Larry Smith from the University of Waterloo give a TEDx TALK on “why you will fail to have a great career” , an interesting video to me  especially because I work in the Career Services department. I hope that you will take the time to watch the video that inspired me to write this blog post.

I am writing you today because…

  • I want you to reach your fullest potential.
  • I want you to find your true passions, those that go deeper beyond mere interests..
  • I want you to influence the world in positive ways and become a person whom you admire.

One of my favorite quotes is “I am Human. Nothing Human can be alien to me.” – Terence.  This quote means to me that if a human being dares to change the world, dares to be a doctor, dares to be Martin Luther King, or dares to be the person they admire, it means so can you, because you are human being also.

Reaching your fullest potential is hard and maintaining it is even harder. We all have looked at someone close to our heart and felt a sense of sadness because they are not being the great human being that they could be. I personally have watched a friend of mine who has a vast amount of potential constantly veer away from becoming the amazing woman she could become. I notice though that we are constantly assessing our friends and family trying to help them reach their fullest potential, but what are we doing for ourselves? It is time to practice what you preach. So here is a self test that is currently working well for me in my life to ensure I reach my fullest potential and self-actualization.

Do a self-assessment of the person you are and the person you are becoming. A good way to see if you are in line with becoming the better and greater you is to see if you are in line with your life purpose. If you don’t have a life purpose, take the time to write one now and do a check in with yourself to make certain you are choosing the right career, the right mate, and the right friends. If you realize you are not, then it is time to make changes. Below is my life purpose:

“My life purpose is to nurture my community and the people that surround me. I wish to become a person in leadership where I will empower, educate, and embrace new ways of thought that will lead to overall success in my life and that of my team’s. I want to make people feel worthy of my time and attention. When I leave the room I want to people to have many good things to say about me instead of bad.  I want to mentor my future kids to be successful, active members of society that do good for the world and their local communities. I want to be an example, leader, husband, father, family member, and mentor. By doing these things in my life it will help me feel fulfilled, thankful, happy, and healthy”.

By assessing what your life purpose is,  I hope that you choose a career path that supports your values and goals. Finding passion in the career you choose that is also in line with your life purpose is going to be difficult but finding this out earlier rather than later will save you lots of money, time, and energy. We all have interests and sometimes our parents tell us what our interests are. This can lead to us choosing a career path that we are not totally in love with. I met a woman recently who found out she hated accounting and now has a bachelors degree in a field she hates. She is now pursuing sales and that is her real passion. We may end up in a career that makes us feel miserable and at that time it may feel it is too late to make the switch. But it is never too late to discover your passion. Everyone in your life will respect you more if you do this for yourself.

Now hopefully you are running full force for your full potential. Your passion is driving you there. So now what are you going to do for humanity? When you leave a room, do the people you’ve affected have more good things to say about you than bad? I love to give back, it makes me feel so good. Part of that comes from my job. But what else are you going to do? What imprint on the world will you leave? How will what you do for others affect the generations that come after you? Doing something for the greater good  will make you feel full. Be grateful that you are here and you still have the opportunity to do something .This will also get you connected with bright, enthusiastic people who share the same passion as you.

In conclusion, be the person who you admire, be the person I would admire. Go for the career that will bring the greatest passion into your life. I cannot wait to read about all the great things you are doing!

 

What do you think about the video? What is your passion? Please comment and share!

 

Posted by Zack Sperow, Career Services Assistant and Human

Social Media Cannot Be Taught

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I was teaching a class of career advisors over the last few weeks on how to instruct their clients on the proper use of social media in their job hunts.

social media pic for blog

Several of their clients had lost their jobs because of inappropriate comments on Facebook.

Other clients had lost potential opportunities because of not having a photo on LinkedIn.

Shortly after the second class on Facebook Privacy, Facebook changed its privacy settings, makin

g about 2 hours of training obsolete.

That’s fine with me, in fact, the pace of change is one thing that attracts me to this business.

However, some of the students asked the director to ask me for step-by-step instructions.

Step-by-Step Instructions Don’t Work

I had to decline this request for three reasons.

First, Facebook already looked a lot different than it had in our training. If I were to send them instructions, they wouldn’t recognize anything. Likewise, in another 3 months LinkedIn’s interface may change.

The reality is that the question of “Where to click” is the least of our worries when using social media.

Second, YouTube has a plethora of free video training on all aspects of social media. In fact, when I’m selling my webinar training services to Career Centers at universities, my biggest competition is YouTube.

It isn’t until I explain that the value in what I do, as different from YouTube, is that I’m not just showing people where to click. There is an actual strategy, with clear proven steps, that builds on mere technical knowledge.

And I never stopped the career advisors from taking notes.

You Can’t Advise What You Don’t Know Yourself

In a strange way, I really want to give people a magic sheet of paper with all the answers to their social media questions.

As advisors, we must be the answer. The value that I strive to impart was the reason behind learning social media.

The reason they should learn this stuff …

That 80 percent of employers are going to look their clients up online. That their first impressions are likely to be online impressions. That flippant comments on Facebook could cost you your job.

My goal when teaching social media is to impart the importance of really understanding the benefits of using it.

Social Media is not a silver bullet by any stretch of the imagination. It is just another tool to be used by a job seeker.

Getting comfortable with these technologies takes time. So when you are just getting started, try to resist the desire to have a sheet of paper with all the answers.

In due time, you will develop an intuition for the best ways to use these tools. Trust me.

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.

Skills: What You Need to Know

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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.

I-got-a-skill-set

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