Backyard BBQ

Summer is here! And what better time for a backyard BBQ?! And since we are always career-minded here at the Career Center – I often like to compare the elements of a backyard BBQ to a job search:

1. Who's on the guest list/in your backyard? (your established contacts). This would include people in your social circle, relatives, friends, professors, old bosses or co-workers. Have you told them you are looking for an internship or job? Do they know (if) you graduated?

2. Your tools - (in this case a resume, cover letter, linked in profile, portfolio, website) Only instead of a spatula, tongs and forks and knives - make sure you have all of the job essentials . You want to be ready if Aunt Bess tells you to send your resume to her boss.  

3. The grill - what's sizzling? (what's new and exciting in your career path, area of study or on your resume)? Do you have adequate gas for your grill? What are you doing lately to demonstrate that you are engaging in your career pursuits – are you a writer? What are you writing? Are you a bio-chem major? What are you researching? What are you making? What's a new and hot topic to discuss with a potential employer?

4. The menu – what are you serving? (skills and abilities). A variety or the same old, tried and true menu items? Is everything fully cooked or are things still too rare in need of some more time/effort/refining/refreshing? 

5. Who can help? – do you need a side dish, bag of ice or dessert? (a contact name at a company, interview practice, a ride to the bus or train station or to borrow a suit)? There is no shame in asking for a hand.

6. Decorations – are they modern or are they vintage? (how are you presenting yourself)?  Simple, classic, contemporary or elaborate - or are you maybe too fancy or ornate for a job interview?

7. Entertainment - band, DJ, Pandora or Uncle Harry playing the harmonica? (are you entertaining your guests/the employer during your interviews with stories and examples of your work)? What is going to set you apart from the other candidates?

The key ingredients for a successful backyard BBQ (and job search) should be planned out and prepared in advance. This should hopefully be a fun and memorable experience for you and your guests! So ready, set, take a deep breath, be yourself and have fun. And thank your guests for coming and for all of their help. 

A Few Job Search Tools to Consider...

While there can be many hurdles during a job search, finding interesting places to seek out opportunities is not one of them.  In fact, there are probably more tools for finding job postings right now than there has ever been in the past.   

Here are a few to consider:

• Of course, we want you to always remember that Pride-CMS is a great home base for job searching.  Access it through your Hofstra portal.
• LinkUp.com is my favorite jobs aggregator.  It is similar to Indeed.com and SimplyHired.com.  However, LinkUp.com produces results strictly from company websites, leaving out third-party sites and other job boards. 
• Assuming you have a LinkedIn profile (and you absolutely should!), Jojari is a site that examines your profile and recommends jobs based on its analysis. 
• Jobfox has been around a while (since 2005), and it provides an easy way to set up email alerts when positions that meet your keyword and location criteria are found.
• We know that having connections at companies where you are searching is always a plus for your success rate.  Jackelope Jobs is a site that analyzes your LinkedIn and Facebook accounts and lets you know at which companies you have the most connections first before directing you to job postings at those companies.

But, here’s an important thought about job postings and job boards – don’t think of finding job postings as the end-all/be-all of job searching.  We like to say when you submit your materials, you’re pressing “send,” not “end.”  It’s always important to try to connect with individuals whenever possible, do good follow up, and research as much as you can about the companies you are pursuing.  As always, we’re here to help you navigate everything!

Gary Alan Miller,
Executive Director

Events for the Week of 4/28

Crunch Time with Indeed.com
Monday, April 28, 2014 at 1pm in The Career Center
Seniors, don't wait until after graduation to start your job search! It's CRUNCH time! Hear from Indeed.com employees on how to use the #1 job search site to maximize your job search and CRUNCH on some snacks while you learn!

Target Information Session
Tuesday, April 29 from 5:30-7pm in The Career Center

Meet with Target representatives to hear about available employment opportunities within this retail corporation and gain insight on what it is like to work with the company!

True Hofstra Story: Internships

Tuesday, April 29 from 8:30-10pm in the Student Center Greenhouse
Don't be fooled when it comes to internships, hear the True Hofstra Story. Hofstra students "spill the beans" on internships at this tell all coffee house event!

Plug Into Your Career
Wednesday, April 30 from 6-8pm in the Multi-Purpose Room East
Learn from a panel of professionals in the fields of Information Technology and Business from both start-up and established companies. Gain insight on how they got started in their careers, and how you can find your own niche in the technology industry! Participating companies include CA Technologies, EGifter, Wolters-Kluwer, TEKsystems, and Uncubed/Wakefield Media.

EXPLORE Charter Schools Resume Drop

Thursday, May 1 from 4-6:30pm in the Hagedorn Hall Lobby, South Campus

Are you graduating in May and looking to teach? Join a representative from this network of high-performing Brooklyn charter schools to learn about opportunities for full-time teaching positions! Bring a copy of your resume.

Quick Question Hours:
Get your Resume or Cover Letter critiqued at The Career Center!
Monday – Thursday: 2pm – 4pm

Friday: 11am – 1pm

 Save the Date!

Macy’s Meet and Greet

Tuesday, May 6 from 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm (Drop in; No appointment necessary!)
Looking for a company that will provide management training?  Interested in a company that promotes from within? Bring a resume and meet with Macy's representatives who will discuss their full-time Supervisory and part-time Associate opportunities and answer all of your questions! Open to all majors.

________________________________________________________________________

Looking for information about different careers while building your professional network?

All you have to do is A.S.K.!

Get answers by using the Alumni Student Konnection, where you can communicate directly with Hofstra Alumni in a variety of fields to learn more about different careers and industries that interest you! Use this resource to build or add to your professional network and learn about ways to advance your career search!

To get started:

Log In to the Hofstra Portal at my.hofstra.edu

Click on “Hofstra Online”

Click on “A.S.K. Online - Alumni Student Konnection”

Search by Class Year, School, Major, or other keywords to Konnect with Alumni!

Looking for more information about the career search process?

Visit Candid Career!

Candid Career is a great resource for students, no matter where you stand on your Path of Pride. You can watch videos that show you what it’s like to work in a certain field, learn tips and tricks on interviewing, and more!

Things ARE Looking Up!

For so long now, we have been bombarded with images, news articles, and for many of us the stark reality of unemployment.  As a result, college students across the country have been left with feelings of confusion, disillusionment, and apathy.  Many college students still question if the economy is still suffering like it was a few years back and/or what is the purpose of their college degree if it is so hard to find a job?

As a native New Yorker who regularly reads Newsday and watches the local and cable news affiliates, I have become used to seeing negative reports on job prospects for college graduates. For instance, at our Spring Career Fair, which hosted 114 organizations looking to recruit students and alumni, WCBS produced a news segment with the message that it was still hard to get a job.

Hmmmmm.... that was indeed strange, since there were so many organizations at the fair that were looking to hire! Furthermore, I directly witness and see the data that Hofstra graduates find jobs at a strong rate and for the last few years on a national level, the hiring of college graduates was on the upswing, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.  So why, then, was the media still reporting how difficult the job market is for college graduates?

Well, to my pleasant surprise in Thursday's edition of Newsday, there were two positive articles on the same page with the headlines "Local jobless rate dips" and "Job outlook improving for new grads."  This is what I am witnessing at the Hofstra Career Center! It is getting better. Our graduates are getting hired. True, it may not be in their ideal position, but there are jobs out there.

If you are embarking on your job search, The Career Center is here to guide you. Make an appointment by calling 516-463-6060! Read our tip sheets to help you get started in your search by clicking here!

You can get a jump-start by coming to our Crunch Time workshop with Indeed.com representatives on Monday, April 28th at 1pm in The Career Center and learn how to use the #1 job search site to maximize your job search!

Suzanne Dagger,
Director of Career Services

When to Be Modern (and When to Go Old School) in Your Job Hunt

With the emergence of new technologies, software, and social media sites, there are many different ways to search and apply for jobs. That being said, when you are in the midst of searching for a job, it is important to find a balance between old and new job search methods. Although your application may look or sound different depending on the industry and organization (i.e. startup vs large corporation), there are a few solid job search and application rules to follow regardless of industry. This article from TheMuse.com provides a quick but useful overview of some tried and true "old school" job search habits to stick with and some more modern job search habits to be aware of. 

Kaitlyn Riley, Assistant Director 

Use LinkedIn to Volunteer!

Today, LinkedIn added volunteer opportunities to their Job Postings.  This is a wonderful addition to their already plentiful job board!  Not only is volunteering a super way to get more experience, but it is one of the top ways to explore careers and make connections!  

What I like about the job (and now, volunteer) postings on LinkedIn is that you can follow organizations to keep up to date on their announcements and future postings, begin to connect with people who already work there, and see related jobs that others have viewed.  Click here to read a short piece on the LinkedIn announcement.

Want more information on how to find jobs and volunteer opportunities or create a great LinkedIn profile? Come on in to The Career Center and let us help!

Suzanne Dagger, Interim Executive Director

Networking During the Holiday Season

If you think people don’t get hired during the holiday season, think again. The start of a new year can bring about many changes in a staff, which could mean open positions and perhaps a spot for you to join a work team.

You can use your downtime during winter break to keep up your career development and job opportunities by doing the following:

• Search for jobs or internships using our suggested websites
• Network - the holidays are a perfect time to connect with network contacts you have not communicated with in a while, either through LinkedIn, social events, etc.
• Update your LinkedIn profile, or sign up for LinkedIn if you have not done so already
• Use Alumni Student Konnection (ASK) to ask career-related questions to Hofstra alumni
• Meet new people by volunteering at a soup kitchen or other type of volunteering event

It's that easy! Happy Holidays, and Happy networking!

Nayelli Perez, Assistant Director

Don't Think Holidays and Hiring Can Mix? Think Again!

Many people still hold the belief that the holiday season is a dead time for hiring. I believe this comes from the era when employees who were looking to leave their positions would stick around in hopes of receiving their holiday bonuses--and then would make the break in January.

While this may still hold true in some corporate sectors, there are many employees who do leave their jobs this time of the year for a variety of different reasons, and hiring is still happening.  This recent article published on US News & World Report's website provides some useful advice for those seeking jobs this holiday season: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/12/09/7-tips-for-job-searching-during-the-holidays

Are you looking for a job this winter? Don't sweat it! Keep your holiday spirit up--you never know what you may find!

Suzanne Dagger, Interim Executive Director

Notes for the Week of 11/25/13

The Career Center would like to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgivukkah!

We hope you have a fun and relaxing fall break!

Quick Question Hours for this week:

Come get your resume or cover letter critiqued in The Career Center during our Quick Question Hours!

Monday 11/25 – Wednesday 11/27: 2pm-4pm
There will be NO Quick Questions on Thursday 11/28 or Friday 11/29.

The University is closed.

You know that over Thanksgiving dinner, you’ll be A.S.K.ed about your plans for after graduation…

…but did you know that you can A.S.K. too?

Get answers by using the Alumni Student Konnection!

Communicate directly with Hofstra Alumni in a variety of fields to learn more about different careers and industries that interest you! Use this resource to build or add to your professional network and learn about ways to advance your career search!

To get started:

Log In to the Hofstra Portal at my.hofstra.edu

Click on “Hofstra Online”

Click on “A.S.K. Online - Alumni Student Konnection”

Search by Class Year, School, Major, or other keywords to Konnect with Alumni!

 Looking for more information about the career search process?

Visit Candid Career!

Candid Career is a great resource for students, no matter where you stand on your Path of Pride. You can watch videos that show you what it’s like to work in a certain field, learn tips and tricks on interviewing, and more!

How to Market Your Retail Experience

 If you've come into The Career Center to get help building your resume (which, hopefully, you have!), then you've probably been asked about your work experience, especially the work that may not be related to what you’re studying in school. This is the point where we often hear:

“Well, I have a job... but it’s only retail.”

Only retail? It may seem to you that your position as a cashier/sales associate/stockroom employee/etc. is just a temporary placement to hold you over until you graduate and find a “real job.” But in reality, your experiences there allowed you to develop skills that are transferable to your future career and make you a desirable candidate to employers. Here’s an example of a few experiences and skills that can get you thinking about how you can market your own retail experiences:

Customer Service.

This is the most obvious skill you develop in retail, especially for cashiers or those who work in sales. Showing that you have a high level of caring for a customer’s experience, especially in resolving issues, can let an employer know that you’ll show that same amount of dedication in serving clients or performing tasks.

Interpersonal Skills/Conflict Resolution.

Have you worked on a team where differing opinions amongst co-workers resulted in a conflict that you mediated? You’ll be an asset to any company that requires a high level of interaction between co-workers, because they’ll already know well you can work with others!

Creativity.

Are you the one to whom your managers turn when they need a display created, or who is always asked to help decorate the store for the Holidays? Creativity is a highly transferable skill for any career path, especially for those studying marketing, the arts, or public relations. Employers are always looking for someone who can think outside of the box—and that’s you!

Promotions/Awards.

Have you been recognized for your efforts in your department, or even given a promotion to lead or supervisor status? Showing a progression of increased responsibility lets an employer know that you have staying power and a strong work ethic!

Management/Team-Leading.

If you've had experience managing a team of other associates, make sure you mention that, too! Employers look for someone who is not only accountable themselves, but can hold their co-workers accountable as well. This will only help you as you (eventually) rise up the ranks!

How do I know all of this? Because I've been there, too! The skills I just listed are the ones that are actually on my own resume to describe the four years I have spent as an associate and supervisor at a major department store. Your experiences in retail, though sometimes frustrating and seemingly unrelated to the “big picture,” are incredibly valuable in shaping who you are. Don’t undersell yourself by leaving this great information out of your resume or cover letters!

Do you have experiences in retail, but still aren't sure how to market them for your job search? Come into The Career Center and let me help you!

Amy Smith, Graduate Assistant

Some Simple Career Math

Last night The Career Center hosted Lindsey Pollak a Career Expert & LinkedIn Spokesperson to speak to about 60 Hofstra students about social media and LinkedIn. 

Lindsey offered a plethora of advice. Just to re-cap a few points:

• 85% of employers found good hires using social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook)  
• 70% of employers rejected a job candidate because if the info they found on line  - so be careful as to what you are tweeting and posting on Facebook.    Be smart!
• When setting up your LinkedIn profile use buzzwords from job descriptions and other similar profiles for professionals in your field.  However, make sure you use your OWN words and do not copy and paste someone else's exact profile. 
• When you build your network, personalize your requests to connect with others on LinkedIn.
• Use Google Alerts   to set up alerts about employers, industries, etc. so you can stay informed about the newest updates.
• Provide your LinkedIn URL on your resume, e-mail signature file and business cards so you can direct employers to your site.

Furthermore, Lindsey gave what I interpreted as, some simple math equations for social media success: 

1. Action = Results
• Small choices make a big impression.  Be selective to get the results you want and use social media to become an expert.  Follow companies you want to work for and professionals who inspire you.  Use Twitter and LinkedIn to research companies, industries and get news feeds.  By doing so you’ll find out the inside scoop on job and internship postings, while gathering tons of info about your potential future employer.   Unsure of who to follow?  Check out http://www.wefollow.com to search, by company and industry, for lists of who to follow.
2. Clicks + Mix = Ideal Way to Network
• When it comes to networking, you need to step out from behind your computer.  The ideal networking combination involves clicks (using online tools, like LinkedIn) and mix (meeting networking contacts in person).  Be sure to attend company information sessions, networking events, and invite your online contacts to meet in person.
3. Robust LinkedIn Profile = Featured High on Google Search Results
• Google is built on math.  Their logarithm is designed to display the most relevant search listings based on keywords.  Think about this when you are creating your LinkedIn profile.  Make sure that you have included the right keywords in your summary so your LinkedIn profile appears as the first listing when you, or a recruiter, do a Google search for you.  Not sure what keywords to use?  Look at job postings or people who have the job you want. 
4. Your Mom + Her Connections = An Internship

• Think you don’t have a network?  Think again.  Start small, with friends and family.  You’ll be surprised where that can take you.  Next thing you know, you find out that your mom’s college roommate works for your dream company.  Do I smell a connection in the works?  A potential internship opportunity?

Keep up the social media intelligence at our final event next Tuesday, March 20^th at 6:30pm in the Middle and East Plaza Rooms.  Hofstra alumna Emily Miethner will talk about how to go from Hashtag to Hired.

~ Fred Burke,

Executive Director

~Liz Ulatowski,

Career Center Intern