How your Involvement(ality) can help you with your Career Path

As I transition into my role at the Hofstra Career Center, I cannot help but reminisce on my journey of how I got here. Like most students, I went to college to learn and get a degree which would help me with my future. The college experience is different from being in high school because you are able to learn and grow in ways that you did not imagine, both in and outside of the classroom. The expectation is that you will make friends, study all night, and graduate from the best years of your life. However, what I learned was that the most influential part of my college experience, one that no one clued me in on, was getting involved on campus.

The best aspect of getting involved is that it plays an important role in your career development.  Here are a few ways getting involved on campus can do that:

·       Discovering a career path: Whether you already know what you want to do or if you are still searching, being involved can play a role. Join clubs, organizations, honor societies, or get involved in an office on campus, you never know where it can lead you.

·       Networking: Being in college is a time to open your horizons, meet others that share your interests and background, as well as those who don’t. Involvement in different offices on campus, clubs, and organization helps you build a diverse network of people that are either professionals or will be in a few short years. Plus, you never know who they may know or bring in as guest speakers.

·       Learning how to work with others: Being involved means you will most likely work with others. Working in groups outside of the classroom can teach skills that group projects in the classroom cannot: how to reach a common goal that is not for a grade. Collaboration, compromise, and flexibility are just a few of the skills that will be important for your future job.

·       Leadership Development: Being able to hold leadership positions teaches you effective ways to manage and work with others. It can also help with your self-esteem and public speaking skills. Employers want to hire students that take initiative, are well rounded and show they can bring the company forward. These are skills you can develop or enhance in a leadership role.

·       Diversifying Experience: Having a wide range of interests and experiences shows that you are adaptable and can work well in different environments. Companies want more well-rounded candidates because it brings innovative ideas to the table.

·       Feeling Connected: Getting involved on campus brings a sense of connectedness and loyalty to the college you attend. Studies show that students who feel more connected to their college are more successful both academically and on their jobs after graduation.

·       Being in the know with opportunities: Knowing people on campus means that you are in the know of important opportunities on campus. Whether it is a job fair, or a one on one with a CEO that wants to give back to their alma mater, being involved means you will hear about these opportunities first hand. 

AND BEST OF ALL…

It is a sure-fire resume builder: As a college student who may or may not have a lot of professional experience, being involved in campus adds depth and skills to your resume. Employers want to see leadership, initiative, and teamwork. Who better than a students made the most out of their college experience.

SO… Join a club, or organization, get involved in the student leadership office by being an orientation leader, join student government, a Greek letter organization, or find a on campus position in any of the offices. Whatever it is that interests you on campus GO FORTH IN YOUR CAREER PATH.

Sabeen Sheikh, MHC

Career Advisor | Career Center

I went to the Fall Career Fair, now what?

It was great seeing so many of you at the Fall 2017 Career Fair and we hope that you had a positive experience. For some of you, it might be clear what your next steps are, and not so much for others. Either way is completely okay! Hopefully these scenarios and suggestions can help.

·       Met with great companies, but they don’t have positions of interest:

In this scenario, you have the advantage of having connected with some recruiters, and this is the first step of the relationship building process. One suggestion is to message the recruiter periodically (maybe start with once a semester) and keep him or her informed with your updates and what you are interested in pursuing; the updates will help keep your name and story top of mind for when opportunities of interest do open up within the company. Another suggestion is to use the insights that you gathered from the conversations to help you gain more clarity around what attributes you are looking for in a company and then you can articulate that in conversations with other companies as part of your reason for why you want to work with them.

·       Met with great companies, and they have positions of interest, but you don’t qualify for them:

 In this scenario, you have connected with recruiters, which is important. The next step would be to do some introspective reflection and assess why you don’t qualify for the positions of interest. Is it because the position requires a certain class year? GPA? Other experience? Have no fear, you are not the first person to encounter these obstacles, nor will you be the last. If you weren’t able to address these perceived barriers in your initial conversation, we would encourage you to follow-up with the recruiter and share with them your value proposition for why you are a great candidate for the position, even if you don’t check off all the boxes they are looking for in an ideal candidate. This scenario is all about selling your story, hustling hard (see post "It's ALL about Hustle"), and applying anyway. Feel free to schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor to help you develop and sell your story.

·       Didn’t see any companies of interest:

We thank you for coming to the Career Fair anyway and hope that you were able to have some good conversations even if they didn’t pique your interest. Although this scenario can be frustrating, it can also help you gain some more clarity around what it is that you are looking for in a company; sometimes the best way to figure out what you want is by knowing what you don’t want. We recommend that you schedule an appointment with at Career Counselor to debrief on your Career Fair experience and what your strategy should be moving forward.

We at the Career Center are here to help you throughout your different scenarios, so don’t hesitate to come in for our drop-in hours (between 10-11am and 2-4pm every day the university is open) or schedule an appointment with a counselor. Happy Fall!

Ava Danville, MBA

Assistant Director

The Career Center, Hofstra University

P.S. As a reminder, if you have not yet sent follow-up thank you emails to any recruiters you spoke with, we recommend that you do that as soon as possible and include some information about your conversation to refresh their memory.

How Non-Verbal Clues could be Career Miscues

Hello From The Career Center!

As I sit here, in the lobby of The Career Center, I am in the midst of our accounting on-campus recruitment interviews.  Students are meeting with employers, chatting about their experiences, school activities and academics.  Many of these students are well-prepared, having practiced their answers to common interview questions such as "What are your biggest strengths?"  However, it's more than what you say during an interview that gets you hired; it's also those important non-verbal communications skills.

For example, how is your handshake?  Don't know?  Go shake someone's hand and ask for their opinion (go ahead, I'll wait...)  Done?  What was the critique?  Did you crush the other person's hand? Did you give them the "fish" handshake, where your hand is limp?  When an employer comes out to get you for an interview, he or she will undoubtedly shake your hand. You want that first impression to be a good one.  Come on in to The Career Center to shake my hand and I would be happy to give you my opinion.

How you dress is another important factor in an interview. While many students are aware of this, they miss some important points. For example, you may be wearing a black business suit, but if the skirt to that suit is way too short, you are not making the impression that you were intending to.  Same with a wrinkled shirt.
Finally, don't forget to smile! A smile goes a long way in your everyday conversation, and this is the same for an interview.

Need more interview tips?  Make an appointment for a practice interview with The Career Center.

Best Regards,
Darlene Johnson

Taking the Fear out of “Adulting”

In business attire and a coffee in hand, I set out to start my work day. However, as I proceeded with my daily routine, I couldn’t help but think how different life was just a year ago. The fall of 2016 consisted of me rolling out of my dorm bed in my coziest sweats and messiest bun, heading to class with a PSL from Café on the Quad. Although my taste in coffee has not wavered, it is safe to say that the picture of my life is being painted by a new artist.

My undergraduate years may have come to a close, but this next chapter has turned out to be surprisingly rewarding.  Whether you choose to go onto graduate school or to start your career, you are surrounded by a new kind of learning. At this point, you start to obtain information only in the field you are interested in, which makes the learning process that much more rewarding. You also begin to branch out on your own as an adult, graciously accepting the freedom that comes along with it. The time following your undergraduate years is a time to find out who you are as an individual, so embrace it! For the first time, you are determining your next step without the guidance of the path most traveled. Although it may seem scary, trust me, you’ve got this!

So, what comes to mind when you hear the term “adulting”? Are you ridden with fear? Do you become excited and/or motivated? It goes without saying that many college students struggle with the transition into adulthood and the workforce. It is often a dreaded concept associated with a lack of sleep, limited free time, the stress of bills, and the thought of not making it on your own. That being said, I am here to tell you to take a deep breath, exhale, and have a little faith in yourself! Be proactive and view the next chapter as something you are absolutely ready for. Have a goal and create a to-do list of the necessities to achieve that goal. With the perfect amount of effort, and support from your professors and your friends at the Career Center, your dreams can be far more attainable than you realize. Just think, a year from now, you could be sitting in my shoes, wondering why you ever dreaded this amazing time in the first place.

All the best,

  Sabrina Iaria

  Career Center Graduate Assistant

How to Lose a Student in 10 Seconds

Making the Most of Your On-Campus Recruiting Event!

College students are complex individuals. They say they want one thing, but often lack the enthusiasm to put themselves out there to go and get it. It is assumed that the reason they are in college is to get a degree and eventually a job. While this is understood, it can be difficult for them to see past the present moment and go after their future goal. Students live in the now. They are more concerned with their upcoming exams, going out over the weekend, and spring break plans than what they are going to do after graduation. Whether this prioritization stems from fear of the future or love for the now, employers need to spend their time recruiting on campus in the NOW where students live. As an employer you may be asking yourself, “How do I get the students to come talk to me?” As a student and the Career Center Marketing Assistant, here is what works:

1.   Quality Freebies

Notice the word quality is in bold. This is because students do not really need another pen or frisbee. They are more inclined to walk up to a table that is giving away something that provides value to their life. The most successful tables I have seen pass out food or vouchers for food. Students are drawn to this because it solves two essential needs: saving money and getting nourishment. The winning component for you as the employer is that the student is going to feel like they owe you something in return and be more willing to have a conversation about opportunities at your company!

2.   Make Your Table POP

While it is understood that different organizations prioritize marketing in different ways, a little in terms of presentation style can go a long way. Put forth the effort to make your display pop; Incorporate colors and graphics! Students view your table display as a representation of your company culture. If there are balloons, a banner, and eye-catching flyers, students are more likely to want to know more. If there is not even a sign to advertise what you are doing there, the odds of students walking right by are going to increase significantly. Like students are expected to be their best selves on Career Fair day, your company needs to be its best self on recruitment days!

 

3.   Integrate an Element of Competition

While this might not be as applicable for Career Fairs, general tabling events that have had great success involve opportunities to WIN. Successful ideas I have seen include raffles and “pong” events! These do not take a lot of effort and if it gives students an opportunity to compete to win a prize, they are all in! Plus, I have seen employers utilize this strategy to gain student information i.e. email addresses and phone numbers to continue the recruitment process past the tabling event.

4.   Be Approachable and Fun!

Put yourself in the shoes of the student for a minute. Maybe they are really interested in your company but are too nervous to walk up and introduce themselves. Alleviate some of their anxiety by standing up, smiling, and positioning yourself in a way that seems welcoming to students. Just by saying “Good Morning” to students as they walk by will leave a positive impression of your company on campus. While it’s definitely easier to sit behind the table and make small talk with your fellow recruiters, students are going to pick up on a vibe of exclusivity and not want to engage with you because they feel left out. Now this does not mean to act like “Recruitment Robots” because that is a turn off too. But a little friendliness and personality can go a long way.

My final words of wisdom are this: understand you are marketing to a generation that lives in the NOW. College students have college student priorities and the best way to get them to think long-term is to appeal to them in the short-term. I promise if you take any or all the tips above, students are going to have a greater interest in your company and want to learn more about why you are standing there recruiting. Hopefully, this will provide you with a stronger and wider pool of candidates that would have otherwise been too afraid to step up to the plate and introduce themselves!

Just my two cents, 

Maggie Tardif 
Graduate Marketing Assistant