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Category Archives: Finding a job
Best Places to Work for Recent Grads
Experience.com says that the following companies (in alphabetical order) are the best places to work for recent grads.
Do you have your “Elevator Speech”?
By The Wise Job Search
Imagine you walk into an office building for an appointment. You’re looking sharp because you’re on your way to a meeting with a recruiter on the 22nd floor. You step onto the elevator, and you notice someone that you used to live next door to in the past, but haven’t seen in years. You say “Hi” to each other, and they ask what you’re doing there. You say you’re meeting a recruiter. They say “Oh, I didn’t know you’re looking for a job… how can I help? what are you looking for?”
You now have approximately 30 seconds to tell them what you’re looking for, and give them some ideas of how they can help before the elevator door opens and either you, or they, have to step off and they’re gone!
Are you ready?
CNBC: America’s Most Stressful Jobs 2010
10. Real Estate Agent
Stress Rank: 191
Stress Score: 73.063
Unemployment: 4%-7%
Hours Per Day: 9.5
Time Pressure: High
Competition: Very High
“Real estate agents and brokers work long, erratic hours, spending much of their showing properties to clients. They must be extremely independent, and able to handle sales quotas and deadline pressures. Because they work in an extremely competitive field, successful agents and brokers are expert salespersons,” says CareerCast.com.
Forget about Sex – Let’s Talk about Hair
By Frances Cole Jones
For those of you scratching your heads (Sorry, I’m in a punning kind of mood) at the title—and the topic—of this piece, here’s a newsflash: many, many people spend as much (or more) time thinking about how they’re going to wear their hair at their presentation as they do thinking about what they’re going to say at their presentation.
(And while I will admit the preponderance of these conversations tend to be with women, I have had in-depth hair conversations with my male clients, too.)
My trouble is that I can think of few people in the world less qualified to talk about hair than myself. Mine mystifies me, which is why I outsourced the whole project to my wonderful stylist, Dickey, and why I sat down with him recently to get the answers to some of your most pressing questions:
For the Asian Job Seekers
Courtesy of Susan Kim ’09.
Are you Asian? Do you need a job? Then, you might want to free your schedule for the 7th of May!
9th Annual Diversity Career Expo
Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Friday, May 7, 2010
Yes, you will be missing out on Kid Cudi’s performance; but I’ll try to record parts of his show for you.
Just think of the awesome-ness that awaits you in NY:
• Unprecedented support from the Asian American community, corporations, as well as federal, state and local government agencies.
• Heavy coverage in ethnic and mainstream media.
• Working professionals in finance, transportation, defense, retail, government, telecommunications, law, healthcare, pharmaceutical, IT, consumer products and other industries will be present. Highly qualified individuals representing a variety of majors including business, political science, engineering, computer science, communications, psychology and natural science.
Think about it.
http://asianlife.com/ems/ems_main.html?mode=event_view&event_id=28
Don’t Have a Job Yet?
Ok, so Britney doesn’t have a job for you. But, you should follow her advice. Why don’t you do somethin’? GottaMentor writes about how you can “up” your chances of being employed.
Top 10 Job Sites for Recent Grads
By Education-Portal
Job hunting is always a challenge for recent college grads, especially with the economy and job market struggling to recover. Read on to discover some of the most useful (and free!) career resources on the Web for students and graduates.
1. After College
After College is a networking and job hunting tool for students and professionals. Sign up to connect with alumni and employers in your field, create a profile and apply for jobs.
2. Alumwire
Alumwire provides an Internet platform for businesses, grads and schools to connect. They offer job listings, recruitment and career enhancement services such as virtual career fairs.
3. Alumni Central
Alumni Central is part of the College Central Network (CCN). They offer a huge database of entry-level jobs geared toward recent college grads, as well as tools for resume building and referrals. Current students and advice-seekers can hop over to College Central for career services info and resources on useful topics like personal finance and health.
Career Talk with “Nobody” director, Rob Perez ’95
[middmedia CEDE1C397A55B39393FF8EFC0759AB44 skiel RobPerez_Medium.mp4]
Employers Reveal the Outrageous and Common Mistakes Candidates Make
Career Expert Offers Tips on How to Stand Out for the Right Reasons
CHICAGO, February 24, 2010 – With competition hot for open positions, the pressure is on for job seekers to have flawless interview skills. Sometimes that pressure can cause candidates to make unusual, and sometimes unfavorable, interview mistakes. A new CareerRookie.com survey of more than 2,700 hiring managers reveals the outrageous and common mistakes that some candidates have made in job interviews.
- Candidate wore a business suit with flip flops.
- Candidate asked if the interviewer wanted to meet for a drink after.
- Candidate had applied for an accounting job, yet said he was “bad at managing money.”
- Candidate ate food in the employee break room after the interview.
- Candidate recited poetry.
Senior Spotlight: Annabelle Fowler ’10
![afowlerpic[1]](https://sites.middlebury.edu/csoseniors/files/2010/02/afowlerpic1.jpg "afowlerpic[1]")
Annabelle Fowler is a perfect example of someone who secured a position for next year by taking full advantage of on-campus recruiting. Looking to directly apply her majors, Annabelle searched mainly for jobs in consulting and economic development. Her search revolved around on-campus recruiting including info sessions, round-table discussions, panels, applying on MOJO, and interviewing on campus. Click here for her interview.
Remember 100 Days?
Despite the whole senior class not fitting into Atwater Dining Hall all at once (thank you underclassmen who crashed our party), Middlebury Class of 2010 conquered its 100 days reconnecting with old MOO buddies, dancing to Backstreet Boys, and drinking with best friends.
That party took place a week ago. Do you know what that means? Seniors now have about 92 more days until graduation.
Still looking for a job? Considering graduate school? Maybe an internship?
8th Annual Spring Job Fling
Tuesday, March 2.
12:00pm-2:00pm
Be there.
5 Keys to Choosing the Right Job References
By Gina Chung
Most job seekers focus all of their energy on resume and interview preparation, forgetting to gather information for their references. They typically remember this detail when asked by the hiring manager. References are generally checked near the end of the recruiting process. It is important to remember that the job reference can be the deciding factor in whether or not you get the a offer. Here are 5 keys to selecting the best job references:
1. Choose Your References
Be strategic about who would be the best references for you: ideally select a mix of people to get different viewpoints. Select a minimum of three people who you have worked with; former managers or co-workers are ideal, as they are most familiar with your work style and character. They can vouch for your knowledge, skills and accomplishments. If possible, include a reference from your most recent job. Avoid listing personal friends or family members. If you are a college student you can use references from internships or volunteer work in addition to your professors or coaches.
2. Ask Permission
Once you establish your references, ask permission to use them as a reference. It is important that they are comfortable serving as a reference for you. Have a list of back-up references prepared, should anyone decline.
3. Collect Details
Make sure you get complete and current contact information for your references, like: full name, current company, title, email and phone number.
4. Communicate
Prepare your references to talk about you by keeping them informed of your search. Provide the basic details of the job you are applying for and ask them to call to let you know they have been contacted.
5. Thank Your References
Once you`ve landed your job, don`t forget to share your news and thank your references for their help. This is common courtesy that is so important because these people helped you get the job.
5 Signs that Your Resume SUCKS
By Ronald Mitchell
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You have inconsistent fonts.
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Your resume is more than one page long.
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You have listed a class, task or experience for which you cannot speak for at least 30 seconds in detail.
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You have an unprofessional email address listed such as theman@hotmail.com or ivybeauty@gmail.com
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The bullet points under your work experience do not tell a complete story.
5 New Year’s Resolutions to Help You Get a Job
15 Ways to Blow your Job Interview
By John Q Recruiter
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Giving attitude to the receptionist? Not such a good idea. She works for us, too.
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I may in fact be “hot” or “smoking”, but sharing that with me in the interview is kind of negative.
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When I give you a chance to ask me a few questions, your very first inquiry should not be, “When can I take vacations?”
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Attending a meeting is not the same as “co-leading team events or “serving as part of project brain trust.”
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Since email accounts are free, how about a basic first initial/last name combo instead of snoopyluv@aol.com?
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Yes, we hire smokers. That being said, we prefer employees who don’t smell like they moonlight as chimney sweeps.
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Wondering if today’s applicant applied her perfume with a hose instead of a mister…Jeez.
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I get that you want to keep your resume to one page, but agate is for stock tables and box scores, not resumes.
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Telling me about the girl you are dating at work that you need to get away from isn’t a good answer to why you want a new job.
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Our website has 100 pages of content and we’re in the press daily. So how is it that you know absolutely nothing about what we do?
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A weekend beard may work for your interview at GQ, but now here.
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Telling me that you’re hanging onto this job until what you “really” want comes along doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
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You wouldn’t have your [friends] to an in-person interview. So why would you have them with you on a phone interview?
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Seriously? The candidate went to the University of Connecticut and identifies it on her resume as YUKON?
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“You’re my first interview since the summer.” Me (in my head): “Great, every employer had the sense to pass on this guy except me.”
GovCentral: Feds to Hire 600,000 Employees by 2012
By Chris McConnell
600,000 over three years. 273,000 deemed mission-critical. That’s how many people the Partnership for Public Service projects the federal government will need to hire by 2012 to fill growing needs as well as replacing a baby-boomer workforce set to retire. These numbers and other hiring projections are listed just in time for some Labor Day reading in the third edition of the Where the Jobs Are report issued on Thursday.
That big number of 600,000 is the total hiring during the four years of Obama’s current term for all types of federal government positions. This is equivalent to nearly one-third of the current federal workforce.
Etiquette Tip of the Week: Business Card Protocol
By Culture and Manners Institute
A business card is a representation of the person, so show it respect. Do not write on a business card in front of the person who just handed it to you. When you accept a business card, look at it for a moment. If you like the card, compliment the person on the business card. Present your business card with your name facing the person. Do not cover the business name with your finger or thumb.
When working with people from other cultures, learn their business card protocol. In China, present and receive business cards with two hands. Spend at least a minute or two looking at the card, as a sign of respect. In areas of the Middle East and Africa, present and receive business cards with the right hand only.
Spring Recruiting Event in D.C.
Capital Consortium (CapCon)
Interview Day: February 5, 2010 in Arlington, VA
Application Deadline: January 6 — Apply over winter break!
What is the Capital Consortium? Basically, it’s a one-day interview extravaganza. Students from Middlebury, Connecticut College, Colgate, Hamilton, Smith, Tufts, Trinity, and Wesleyan apply to interview for jobs.
This event is an easy, efficient way to avoid the job-search panic of spring semester — especially if you’re going to be in the D.C. area for February break. Numerous Middlebury graduates have received job offers from this event!
15 employers are currently registered to interview students at the event and more are anticipated to register before the January 6 student application deadline date.
Don’t forget LACN!
Hopefully you’ve got the hang of using MOJO to apply for jobs and keep track of on-campus recruiting events. It’s a great resource that focuses on employers who actively recruit Middlebury students, so the chances of them liking you are high! But, how often do you head over to LACN from MOJO?
LACN…”lackin”… is that even a word?
No, it’s not. But it is another place to search for employers who are actively targeting students like you — smart, hard-working, multi-talented liberal arts kids. You can get to LACN by linking to it from MOJO. Unfortunately, the process for linking directly is complicated and you would have to register, etc. The easiest way is to head to the MOJO home page, and under “Jump to” click LACN. The format is almost exactly the same, but there are a lot more jobs!
The Elevator Pitch
You’re a student, not a drone in a high-rise office building, so you may never have heard of an “elevator pitch.” I hadn’t until I read about them on the Harvard Business blog.
The personal elevator pitch is basically a 30-second commercial all about you. The hard part is that you have to write, direct, rehearse, and perform this commercial by yourself. But how great would it feel to have the perfect answer to “What are you interested in?”or “What do you do?” So great.
One of the tricky things about elevator pitches is that they are not just for whipping out in elevators at big companies. They’re great for talking with employers in any informal setting, like talking to recruiting reps at CSO’s Spring Fling or Recruiter-in-Residence hours, or to someone sitting next to you on an airplane, or to that weird neighbor you only see at holiday gatherings. You never know where potential employers might be hiding! And even if the person you’re talking to isn’t an HR rep, they might be able to give you a personal “in” with the employer of your dreams.
Daisy Wademan Downing at the Harvard Business blog wrote this article about perfecting your personal elevator pitch. It should get you started.
MiddNet is for us too!
You thought MiddNet was just for alumni? INCORRECT. MiddNet also helps undergraduates find alumni who can help with career networking. Secret: alumni love current students. They also love to talk about how successful they are and how much they’ve learned about their chosen career. Search MiddNet for alumni in your field, in your region, or even in a specific company if you want an “in.”
Peer Advice for your Job Search
PCA Megan Nesbeth sat down with several Midd seniors to talk about the progress they’ve been making in their plans for after graduation. Employed for next year or not, your peers have some good advice. So straight from your fellow seniors, remember…
1. Know the company or organization you’re applying to.
”Talk to as many people as you can. Talk to the Midd alums. Talk to the representatives. If you can, visit a classroom [or the company or organization that you’re applying to] to see what it’s like.
– Sarah Elkhayat
Job Search Myth: The More Research the Better
Advice from Human Resources at Berkshire Capital:
Students should make themselves very familiar with the company and the history of that particular company. There is an abundance of information located on the Web site of each company. Students should also follow instructions very carefully. If we request a writing sample, transcripts, SAT scores, cover letter and resume that’s what we expect from each student. All the required materials are what we use to make our decision on who we want to interview.
The main problem with over-researching is that it steals from other activities: namely, meeting people directly.