Following Directions!

Dear Students,

Happy Holidays. I know you are not in the mindset to be thinking about career development.  During your down time with the family keep a few things in mind for when you are ready to job search.  Follow directions--sounds simple, yet many candidates are eliminated from the job pool because they did not follow directions. Points to remember:

1. Send a cover letter
2. Check grammar and typos
3. Do not send to multiple people (over kill)
4. Send the application or resume by the due date
5. If you do not hear form the employer it is ok to send a follow-up email within two weeks HOWEVER do not cyber stalk!

Enjoy being home with family during the season and take time to refresh.  

Lorraine Massiah,
Assistant Director

Resolutions

We’ve all made New Year’s Resolutions. Some have stuck, some haven’t. What’s your resolution for 2015? Whether it’s to quit smoking, go to the gym, get organized, kick the caffeine addiction, or find an internship, here are some tips that might help:

• Write down your resolution and put it someplace where you can see it.  A visual reminder will help keep your resolution in the forefront of your mind.
• Make sure your goal is attainable and realistic.  Resolving to be the CEO of Google by the end of 2015 might not be the best way to go about it, but resolving to get an internship at a tech company might be.
• Tell others. Telling friends or family about your resolution will keep you more accountable.  Knowing that others might ask about your progress can help with your motivation.
• Break your goal down into smaller steps.  If your resolution is to get an internship secured for the summer, maybe your first step is to make a list of companies that you would like to work for.  Then, the next step could be to visit The Career Center to work on a resume and discuss internship options.
• Give yourself a timeline for each of these smaller steps.  For example, tell yourself that you will have your resume updated by February 1.
• Keep your eye on the prize!  Think how good it will feel once you can look back at the end of 2015 and know that you accomplished your goal. 

Don’t forget that The Career Center is here for you and can help you set you plans into action!

Darlene Johnson,
Director of External Relations

Sharing Your Career Successes

It is the time of year for giving, and we in the Career Center want you to consider that one of the ways you can give to your peers and classmates is to share your career successes with them.  When we see others pursuing and making progress toward their goals, it can inspire and encourage us to know that we can do the same.  So, in that spirit, here are three ways you can share your successes with others to help them along their path:

1.      Graduating seniors, complete the “Cap & Gown” survey about where you are headed after graduation.  This information gets used by the Career Center, academic departments, current and future students and parents.  It truly helps the whole community when you share your first destination upon graduation.  And if you don’t have that worked out yet, please schedule an appointment with one of us soon!

2.      Many departments on campus host events that allow current and former students to discuss their experiences with others.  Whether it is a formal panel or informal talk or simply a conversation, volunteer for these opportunities.

3.      Let the Career Center interview you for this blog.  We love spotlighting student success stories here and would love to talk with you about your experiences – internships, studying abroad, student teaching, research experiences, student organizations and more are all interest to us and to your peers.

While these are relatively formal approaches to sharing your successes, it can be just as (or more!) meaningful to simply talk with your friends and classmates about your steps along your Path of Pride.  Don’t think of it (or approach it) as bragging, but rather taking the opportunity to inform and inspire.  It’s a great way to give back during this, or any, season!

Gary Alan Miller, Executive Director

Alumni Blogger: My Adventure In The Green Industry

What experiences led you to this position? 

Everything from my senior year of college onwards has led me to the position I am in today. During my senior year at Hofstra, I spent lots of time at the Career Center which really prepared me for scoring interviews and then interviewing well. Right out of school, I worked in the audit department at KPMG for a little over two years. Having a background in audit really provides a great foundation for understanding any type of business. I then worked in private accounting where I was able to gain experience in business management. After my client service work, I spent some time working in internal accounting and then began working as the Financial Controller of DuJour magazine. This was an incredible experience as it was a small company and it allowed me to utilize all of my skills while also learning how to manage a business. Finally, wanting something a little different and closer to home, I came across this role at Gotham Greens. Every single one of my experiences mentioned above has really helped me to prepare for the role I’m in today. If you are an accounting major, I’m sure you’ve heard that “accounting is the language of business.” I’ve learned, it’s so true.

What drew you to working in a sustainable company? 

I’ve always been really healthy and environmentally conscious. I was lucky enough to find the Gotham Greens job posting on Linkedin and even more ecstatic when I was called in for an interview. I had been following Gotham Greens for a while and was a big fan of their products and environmental stewardship. Gotham Greens is a Brooklyn based urban agriculture company founded in 2009 with the mission of growing premium quality, local and pesticide-free produce in cities. They’ve quickly become a worldwide pioneer in the growing urban agriculture industry and are one of New York State’s leading greenhouse growers. Not only does Gotham Greens provide a local and delicious year-round product but they’re also considering the environment while doing so. For example, Gotham Greens’ sustainable farming practices utilize 1/10th the amount of water as traditional soil based agriculture with 20x the yield. Another surprising fact is that even though their greenhouses are located in cities, they still have to combat agricultural pests. Instead of using harmful chemicals and pesticides, Gotham Greens introduces beneficial insects into their greenhouses, creating their own mini ecosystem where “good bugs are battling bad bugs.”   

What particular skills or talents are most essential to be effective in your job? 

Aside from having the accounting degree, it’s really important to be on top of things. I always try to think a step ahead. For example, if I have a deliverable or if I know that someone might request something, I try and be proactive to get everything done before its needed. This prevents last minute “fire drills” and allows people to trust that you are responsible and accountable. Another important skill is resourcefulness. If you can be resourceful at a job, it saves you and the company time and money. I always like to make sure that I am doing things in the most efficient ways.

How well did your college experience prepare you for this job? 

Hofstra has a great career center so I highly recommend utilizing its services to prepare for getting interviews and interviewing. The career center also has a great network. When I was interviewing for jobs, I was put in touch with Hofstra alumni at the jobs I was applying for. It was really helpful. I also felt that I had a great education and my professors were always willing to take the time to help. I also recommend going to your professor’s office hours. It shows a lot when a student takes that initiative and it’s also helpful to you.

Which reading materials or professional associations would you recommend to someone looking to enter your field? 

I recommend reading the newsletter from www.hortidaily.com for your most up to date news on greenhouses and sustainability. I receive their daily newsletter and it keeps me tuned in to what’s going on in the agriculture world. In terms of finance, I like reading the finance section of yahoo. Another perk of working in the sustainable agriculture industry is that reading food blogs can be considered “research.” One of my favorite food blogs is www.tastingtable.com.

What advice would you give to someone looking to enter your career field? 

For someone who would like to work in the finance world in a sustainable company, I recommend having a strong business foundation. Once you develop the business and accounting skills, you can really work at any company. If your ultimate goal is to work in a sustainable business in finance, it may help you to have the audit or public accounting experience beforehand. It’s also really important to network and utilize all opportunities you are given. Go to career fairs, network with your classmates, seek help from the career center, and most of all, be open to new things. Good luck!

Allie Schiffmiller, Gotham Greens

Events for Week of 12/15/14

Events for Week of 12/15

The Career Center is wishing the Hofstra community a warm, happy, and safe holiday after a successful finals week!

The Career Center will be closing for the holiday season on December 23, 2014 and will re-open for regular hours on January 2, 2015!

Check out this Candid Career video with advice on acing your face-to-face interview and for other career-related advice!

Need to get your resume critiqued or your cover letter edited? Stop in during our Quick Question hours, no need for an appointment!
QUICK QUESTION HOURS:
MONDAY - FRIDAY: 10AM - 11AM and 2PM - 4PM

The Best Places to Work

This past week, Glassdoor came out with their annual list of the best employers to work for in the U.S. and the U.K . Google was rated #1 not surprisingly, especially if you saw the movie, The Internship with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. Google looks like a dreamland: free food, a slide, bikes, being surrounded by brilliant and creative people, Quidditch matches, nap pods and more!  However, if you read the employee reviews of Google, even the most magical place on earth has reported cons, such as the hiring process and the immense size of the company.

What strikes me about the Glassdoor List is that employees report working hard, and in many cases working very long hours. Yet, in most cases it is employees’ values that impact their happiness at work. For instance, being able to go home for a kid’s soccer game, appreciation of their work, being assigned interesting and creative work, being able to learn from senior staff, and even bringing pets to work directly contributed to higher ratings.

Have you ever given time to thinking about what is important to you in work?  Sometimes, when looking for a job or internship we get caught up in the name and prestige of an organization, and the salary.  We tend to forget about the work we will be doing, the culture of the organization, and the other aspects of work that we value. For instance, it is very important to me that my place of employment appreciates and acknowledges my abilities and knowledge, and the work I produce.  I would not be happy nor would I rate an organization highly if this was not the case.  For others, it may be work that allows them to travel, or an organization that offers extensive time off, or work that directly helps others.  What is important to you?

So, begin researching organizations early and often, network with employees both in-person and online through sites like LinkedIn, and when you land that all important interview, ask them questions that will allow you to see if they can support your values.

Suzanne Dagger, Director of
Career Development and Assessment

You Can Find Family Just About Anywhere...

It could be the stress from finals, but it's at this time of the semester that you know you have to turn to your support systems, wherever you may find it. I'm feeling very fortunate to have had found a mini-family and source of support, right here at the Career Center! Being brand new to the Hofstra community and being this year's graduate assistant, I've been exposed to a group of supportive and knowledgeable people that made work not feel like work, and they truly have made me feel welcome at Hofstra.

The Career Center Family (Missing MaryBeth!)

I find it's important to realize that when stress levels are high because of that big presentation or internship/job deadlines are looming, that you take a moment to ground yourself and turn to your support system to get you back to a working state.

Stop and think who make up your support system. Friends? Family? Co-workers? Teachers? I'm sure there are multiple groups and people you can turn to. And similarly to how pleasantly surprised I was to find a family here at the Career Center, we welcome you all with open arms to join our family! Give us a call at (516) 463-6060 or go online to hofstra.edu/career to make an appointment and let us support you when you need it!

Anne Monique Concepcion,
Graduate Assistant

If You Like Tinder, You’ll Love This…

Have you ever heard of the old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words?”  When it comes to your profile pictures, this can very well be the truth! Anyone who is familiar with the popular dating site Tinder, will be familiar with the concept that this new website I’m going to tell you about has to offer.

Now, I don’t use the dating site Tinder because I’m happily married (love you Matthew), but from what I know users make quick judgments about people based on their photo.  I can only imagine the controversy a concept like this might instigate being that we, as people, are much more than one good photo.  However, what is undeniably true is that photos can make a “first impression” online. Do you look confident, fun, friendly? 

As a career professional I’m not exactly here to support your love life (although a career as a match maker might be cool).  My goals are more in line with supporting your career.  One of the major resources we encourage students to use is LinkedIn.  However, many students either don’t have a profile picture or they have an inappropriate photo up.  Well a new site is here to help: photofeeler! 

I signed up for an account and tested it out.  You can sign up for free and connect it to your LinkedIn or other social networking accounts.  After you vote on a few photos of other users, you get credits that you can use to get others to vote on your photos.  It is all free!  You start to see the results instantaneously as to the “competent, likeable and influential” look of your LinkedIn profile photo.  The feedback is objective and helpful!  The more votes you get, the more reliable your results are.  You can also use it to get feedback on your social and dating accounts – bonus! 

Try it out and let me know what you think in the comments section!

Deanna Rodin, Associate Director

Events for Week of 12/8/14

Events for Week of 12/8

Check out this Candid Career video with some cover letter writing advice and for other career-related advice!

Finalize Your Brain Week:
December 8, 2014 - December 12, 2014
The University Tutorial Program presents Finalize Your Brain Week for students looking to get some last minute refreshing before finals! Check out the flyer for which subjects will be covered each day!

Need to get your resume critiqued or your cover letter edited? Stop in during our Quick Question hours, no need for an appointment!
QUICK QUESTION HOURS:
MONDAY - FRIDAY: 10AM - 11AM and 2PM - 4PM

Check out PrideCMS for all job, internship, and volunteer opportunities posted by employers for Hofstra students!

The Career Center will be closing for the holiday season on December 23, 2014 and will re-open for regular hours on January 2, 2015!

Renovate Your Resume!

If you’ve been to The Career Center in the last couple weeks, you saw that we’ve had some BIG changes going on in our front lobby area! Thanks to a generous gift from LIREG (Long Island Real Estate Group), we were able to update our front desk and check-in area to give a new, modern feel to the office, and it looks awesome!

Seeing the carpeting get ripped up and new furniture get delivered got me thinking about how when looking for jobs and internships, sometimes you have to renovate your resume as well! Your resume is a constant work in progress, and even if you don’t have any new experiences to add, just a quick look at your current experiences can give you ideas on some new skills that potential employers would want to know about!

Looking to renovate your resume as you apply for internships and jobs? Let us help!

Amy K. Smith, Assistant Director