Career Chat

I’m sure that as a job seeker, you’ve often been told to use the professional networking site LinkedIn. Perhaps you played around with it, had a bit of success… or maybe not. Anyway, I just came across a great article on using LinkedIn for a job search, 9 Tips to Use LinkedIn to Help You Get Your Ideal Job on Gotta Mentor’s website. Check it out!

Tip 4 suggests that you join your School Group on LinkedIn – just search for the very active Loyola Alumni Group. And while you’re at the GottaMentor site, check out their other great articles for job seekers.

This is part two of “The 4 Year Plan”. Juniors and Seniors, listen up! Freshman and Sophomores, see Part 1 here.

Junior Year

Get some experience. It’s time to seriously consider an internship or part-time work if you do not yet have any work experience relevant to careers you are interested in pursuing post-graduation. You probably do not need to be reminded about the current state of the job market, but remember that competition is steeper than ever for a limited number of positions. Having one or more internships under your belt at graduation time will only work in your favor. Internships are a great way to gain experience: they tend to be short-term, can be for academic credit, and are tailored for students who are learning and may not have loads of work experience yet.

Expect a re-evaluation. It is common and natural for juniors to experience a period of re-evaluation. This shift in focus can bring up a lot of anxiety and worry for students who have been steadily working through their major courses. It makes sense that at about halfway through your program your values and interests will change. You have changed! Talk with a career advisor if you are experiencing this and wonder what it might mean to your career path. Sometimes it can help just to get a fresh, objective perspective about what you’re experiencing as you continue to learn and grow.

Attend events. This is also when you should start attending some of the more advanced workshops at the Career Development Center. Do you know what to expect at a job fair? Do you know what not to wear to an interview? How are your interviewing skills? Start polishing your job search skills now. It will make your life a lot easier when it comes time to put them into practice.

Senior Year

Develop relationships with professors. By now, you’re well into the upper level courses relevant to your major. Chances are your classes are getting smaller and more intimate. Is there a class you particularly love? Professors are excellent resources for career information! They want to see you succeed, not only in class, but after Loyola, too. Whether you’re considering graduate school, work, or volunteering after you graduate, professors can serve as excellent references – but only if you develop a relationship and let them get to know you!

Plan your next steps. Are you going to hit the job market? Apply to graduate school? Travel? Volunteer? Early senior year is when you need to start putting these plans into place. Applying to grad school takes a lot of time and research and often involves many deadlines. If you know what you want to do, but don’t know how to get started, talk with your career advisor about coming up with a to-do list of concrete steps to get you closer to your goal.

Reflect on your success! Take some time to give yourself credit for your hard work and accomplishments! Graduation is a time of great transition. While you may not know what the future holds for you, remember the many challenges, big or small, that you’ve overcome during the last 4 years. Many more challenges are sure to come, but you are equipped with the knowledge that you’ve navigated through them before. Graduation is just the beginning to a whole new learning experience, even more rich than the one you are completing now.

Are you…
Not sure what to do after graduation?
Not satisfied with your job and considering other options?
Not fnding a job and thinking of things to do besides work?
Not ready for the real world?
Not qualified for advancement at your current job?

As earning a graduate degree becomes more and more common, we must ask ourselves: is it right for me? Yes, that’s right…although earning a graduate degree might seem ideal, we cannot assume it’s ideal for everyone. Deciding on whether or not to attend graduate school is the perfect reason to make a classic pro/con list.

Some of the questions you might what to ask yourself include:
Am I prepared to be a student for another 2, 3, maybe even 4 years?
Can I afford graduate school?
Can I afford to live on loans?
Will I be compensated for my graduate degree?
Do I need an advanced degree to get the job I want?
Am I attending graduate school to avoid getting a job?
Are my parents putting pressure on me to get an advanced degree?
Is this a good time to continue going to school or go back to school?
Am I tired of taking exams, writing papers, and/or doing research?
Is this something I need? Is this something I want?

Deciding on earning a graduate degree is oftentimes a very difficult and stressful decision. Make sure you allow yourelf plenty of time to weigh your options. The following are links to websites that provide valuable tips, advice, and resources that are geared towards helping you decide if graduate school is right for you.

What is the payoff for going back to school?

Should you go to graduate school now or wait?

Is grad school right for you?

Answer these five questions before you decide.

Is graduate school right for you?

Career development is multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary, and a lifelong process. Sound overwhelming? If so, understand that although you will be participating in the career development process throughout your college career and beyond, there are ways to approach it that are very manageable. At the Career Development Center, we are happy to help you with any of your career concerns along the way.

If you’re early on in your college career, you may not think you need to worry about your post-graduation plans quite yet. While you might not be looking for full-time work right now, there are definitely some things you can do to move toward a satisfying career. If you are a Junior or Senior, it’s not too late to heed to following advice. Stay tuned for part two of this article for tips geared more toward Juniors and Seniors.

Freshman Year

Get your footing. Starting college requires many adjustments. Even in the best of circumstances, adjusting to new living arrangements, roommates, or a new culture takes time. Once you start to settle into your weekly routine, allow yourself to explore the many opportunities to create your home away from home through student organizations, community service, and on-campus activities. Find out what services are available to you as a new student. Some offices include the Wellness Center, Career Development Center, and Student Life. Take advantage of the resources these offices have to offer. Although you may not need them now, it is better to know of them sooner rather than later so you know where to go when you do need help. Most importantly, even though it’s awkward and sometimes scary, do your best to enjoy this year and remember you have plenty of time to work toward your career goals. Your priority should be establishing your new environment so that you can best succeed in the years ahead. Loyola strives to help you make this first year (and the following years) a success.

Maintain contact with family and friends. Don’t go it alone. Stay in touch with friends and family who may be back home or in new pursuits of their own. While you develop new relationships at Loyola, don’t neglect where you came from to maintain your sense of connection.

Take advantage of Core and Electives. Whether you’ve been sure of your career path since you were in diapers, or you are coming to college undeclared, it’s always beneficial to use your core and electives to explore new and interesting subjects. You will likely discover new fascinations, and develop new skills by taking courses not directly related to your intended major.

See what’s out there. It never hurts to start exploring what types of opportunities are out there. Browse through eRecruiting and read job descriptions to see what types of internships are available. Even if you don’t apply, knowing what will be expected of you will put you a step ahead when it is time to apply. You should also start working on a resume. You do not want to write your very first resume in junior or senior year. You will be writing resumes for the rest of your life – so it’s not too early to start learning how. The Career Development Center has resume writing guides and other helpful guides available online and in our office at Sullivan Center, Room 295.

Sophomore Year

Refine your focus. Are you still unsure of what it is that you want to focus on? Choosing a major can be a source of anxiety for many students. Maybe you were able to develop two or three good possibilities through your classes last year. Or are you less sure than ever? If you’re still far from sure, don’t fret! This is the perfect opportunity to start to participate in some real self-assessment. Often we have many interests, or those close to us have ideas of what we ought to do. This all adds to the confusion many students experience around the choice of major. Taking stock of your interests, skills, values and unique personality characteristics is a helpful way to focus your choices or validate a leaning toward one particular subject. Of course, the Career Development Center has different ways to help you through this process. Attend a Career Self-Assessment Workshop or consider enrolling in CPSY 224: Career & Life Planning.

Start thinking about internships. Even if you are still considering different majors and don’t have a career in mind for after graduation, it is a good time to seriously consider gaining work experience. This could be through volunteering, part-time work, or an internship. Although you will learn a great deal in traditional classroom settings, getting real world experience will teach you an incredible amount about yourself, your values and interests, and what you do and do not want to do for a career. If you’re considering graduate school, look into getting experience as a research assistant. Talk to professors for ideas about how to get involved.

Get involved on campus. Now that you’re feeling more at home in your new surroundings, it might be a good idea to get involved beyond the classroom. Student organizations offer great opportunities to network with fellow students, explore different industries in a supportive environment, develop specialized knowledge, and gain leadership experience.

Interviewing is tough… and we know it! Here are some quick and helpful tips to keep in mind on the big day.

1. It’s OK to be nervous!
2. Arrive 5 – 10 minutes early for an interview (do a test run and make sure you know where you are going)
3. Take extra copies of your resume, related projects/papers, and list of references
4. Turn off you cell phone!
5. Treat everyone you meet as important – the receptionist, the assistants, the cafeteria workers, etc.
6. Greet the interviewer, smile and shake hands firmly – establish a great first impression
7. Sit upright, look alert and make eye contact
8. Show enthusiasm
9. Remain aware of personal space
10.Professional dress and demeanor at all times!

For more information, make sure to set up an appointment with a counselor at the Career Development Center!

TOP 10 DO’s
1. Strive for depth rather than breadth. Narrow focus to one or two key themes, ideas or experiences
2. Try to tell the reader something that no other applicant will be able to say
3. Provide the reader with insight into what drives you
4. Be yourself, not the ‘ideal’ applicant
5. Get creative and imaginative in the opening remarks, but make sure it’s something that no one else could write
6. Address the school’s unique features that interest you
7. Focus on the affirmative in the personal statement; consider an addendum to explain deficiencies or blemishes– explain strengths AND weaknesses!
8. Evaluate experiences, rather than describe them
9. Proofread carefully for grammar, syntax, punctuation, word usage, and style. Typically, between 1-5 individuals read each application, mistakes will be noticed!
10. Use readable fonts, typeface, and conventional spacing and margins. Typical standards include one page single spaced, one inch margins all around, spaces between paragraphs, indented paragraphs, and standard font (e.g., Times New Roman) 10-12 point.

TOP 10 DONT’s
1. Do not submit an expository resume; avoid repeating information found elsewhere on the application
2. Do not complain or whine about the “system” or circumstances in your life
3. Do not preach to your reader. You can express opinions, but do not come across as fanatical or extreme
4. Do not talk about money as a motivator
5. Do not discuss disadvantaged backgrounds unless you have a compelling and unique story that relates to it
6. Do not remind the school of its rankings or tell them how good they are
7. Do not use boring clichéd intros or conclusions
o “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is…”
o “This question asks me to discuss…”
o “I would like to thank the admissions committee for considering my application.”
o “It is my sincere hope that you will grant me the opportunity to attend your fine school.”
o “In sum, there are three reasons why you should admit me…”
8. Do not use unconventional and gimmicky formats and packages
9. Do not submit supplemental materials unless they are requested
10. Do not get the name of the school wrong
11. Do not incorporate technical language or very uncommon words

Do you get the sense that when you submit your resume online it goes into a mysterious black hole never to be seen again? Read this article on why you might not be hearing back from recruiters.

When Recruiters Are “Just Not That Into You”
By Brad Karsh of JobBound