Careerniversary

This month marks the 3^rd year that I have been working at Hofstra University, and my 2^nd anniversary working at The Career Center. The past few years have brought about a lot of life changes, learning moments, and a career change. You may also be celebrating an anniversary at the job or campus club you are currently a part of. In this blog, I have listed some “resolutions” you can make to have your experience count:

Review your accomplishments

Make a list of all the accomplishments you have had in your job/campus club, and do the same for your prior positions. This information can be used to: update your resume; identify your strengths and interests that could be used either in the industry you are working in or an industry you want to pursue; and answering interview questions.

Ask for a raise and/or performance review from your boss

Even if you have a part-time job, you could be eligible for a raise after 6 months to a year of working at a company or retail establishment depending on your performance. Some places have periodic performance evaluations for all of their employees (full-time and part-time). But if your job doesn’t, ask your manager if you can meet with him or her to go over your performance and ways in which you can grow as a professional and help your boss achieve the goals of the company.

If you are a member of a campus club, meet with an e-board member (e.g., President, Vice-President) to go over your contributions to the club, and stay tuned to any e-board elections coming up if you want to run for e-board.

Reviewing your accomplishments can help in this process.

See if you can purchase stock at the company you work in

Did you know that companies like Whole Food and Starbucks allow their employees to buy stock of their company? If you are a college student, you may know nothing about stocks and how to buy them. Now can be the time to get more educated on this great way to start saving money, which can grow to a great amount years from now. Buying stock from the place that you work, especially if it’s a popular, growing company, can be a great way to safely start getting “stocks savvy” and make your money grow interest along the way.

Decide if you need a new job

A lot of students have a part-time job, but really wish they could have a part-time job or internship in a company or career field that they like, or join a campus club that relates to their career. Before you decide on leaving your job or campus club, see if there are responsibilities you can take on at your current position that could give you the related skills you need to be prepared for your dream career.

If, after careful consideration, you realize that your job is not getting you one step closer to your career goals, then start applying to jobs/internships of interest and make an appointment with a career counselor at The Career Center to get advice on how to make yourself the best applicant you can be. If you are worried about the possibility of taking on an unpaid internship while also trying to pay your bills, consider researching some internship scholarships or possibly doing a summer internship while also working part-time as some options.

You can see the full listing of campus clubs on CollegiateLink. There is pretty much a club for anything you can think of. And if you have an idea for a club that doesn’t exist at Hofstra yet, start your own club.

Catch up with your network

The start of a new year (and winter break) can provide the free time you need to catch up with your professional contacts and update/start your LinkedIn profile. You can also utilize Alumni Student Konnection to reach out to alumni, ask them career-related advice and hear their stories.

If you want help in figuring out how to get off to a great start in 2015, The Career Center is here to help. Check us out at www.hofstra.edu/career and 516-463-6060.

Sources:

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Nayelli Perez, Assistant Director