This month marks the 3rd year that I have been
working at Hofstra University, and my 2nd 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:
Website #1Website #2
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| Nayelli Perez, Assistant Director |
