Connect with The Career Center: Anne Concepcion

1. What is your role at the Career Center?

As the Graduate Assistant of the Career Center, I find I dabble in a little bit of everything. I mainly manage our social media accounts (Facebook - Instagram - Twitter), provide resume/cover letter critiques during our drop-in Quick Question hours, send out weekly newsletters, and support the External Relations team by helping where I can with career fairs, on-campus recruitment, and answering employer questions!

2. What did you study in school OR what was your favorite class when you were in school?

I am currently enrolled here at Hofstra as a second-year Mental Health Counseling graduate student. My favorite class so far has probably been my Advanced Counseling Skills & Strategies that I took this past summer. I felt that it really integrated a lot of the theories I was learning/have learned about with specific techniques, and I feel a little bit more prepared for my future career!

3. Where is your favorite spot on campus?

I really love the woodsy area behind Spiegel Theatre. When I first started at Hofstra, I walked through that area and fell in love with all the trees and flowers. My favorite tree is the one closest to the entrance of Spiegel Theatre, the one that looks like it's made from the tops of pineapples :)

4. What is your favorite season and why?

I am 100% a Fall baby. I love the colors changing (red is my favorite color), the weather cooling off, Fall fashion (layers and scarves, all the way!), and the over-abundance of pumpkin and apple-flavored everything. 

5. What message do you have for the incoming class of 2019/returning Hofstra students as they begin their new school year?

College is where you'll experience a large amount of growth in a short amount of time. So anything that you have an interest in, find a place at Hofstra where you can foster it. Whether it be a class, club, organization, internship, volunteering experience, conversations with administrators/faculty, etc. there will be a place to further pursue it and learn from, in and out of the classroom!

Anne Concepcion, Graduate Assistant

Tips on Avoiding that Embarrassing Social Media Faux Pas!

You may have heard a story earlier this week about a teenager who was fired from her job at a pizzeria—before she even started!—because of a post on social media. She sent out a tweet to express her negative feelings towards starting the job the next day, and when a co-worker saw the post and showed the owner of the establishment, he tweeted back at her, firing her.

Situations like this are definitely embarrassing, but they can also be damaging to your personal and professional reputation. Even if your privacy settings are as tight as they can be, you still never know who in your network may be showing others what you’re up to. And in a time where things are screen-shotted and shared incredibly quickly, even cleaning up your posts and profiles may not be entirely fool-proof. That’s why we have our “Social Media Do’s and Don’ts” tip sheet, which you can check out by clicking here. Take a look and see if your online persona is up to snuff!

When in doubt, if you feel even the slightest bit unsure about the photo, tweet, or status you’re about to post, just don’t! For more info on how to use social media properly in your job search, come ask us at The Career Center.

Happy Posting!

Amy Smith,
Assistant Director

5 Platforms to Help You Make a Splash Online

Your resume is important. But, depending on your field, it may not be enough. A digital presence is impressive in most fields and downright required in others. But, you might feel that developing an online portfolio or pitch page is a big project. While they can be, here are five easy ways to get online quickly and showcase your work.

• Wordpress.com began life as a blogging platform and grew into a content management system. But, it is also very easy to use to set up an online hub to showcase your work. Making design choices is easy and adding files (video, photo, written works, etc.) is as simple as clicking upload. It is an old-school choice, but it's an easy way to get launched.
• LinkedIn.com is another obvious choice. But, what you may not know about it is you can upload files and work samples to turn your profile page into a legitimate portfolio site.  Of course, you want to leverage its networking capabilities, as well. But, it can also function well as your online home if you truly develop your profile.
• Slidingboxes.com is a stylish, mobile-friendly option for those looking for something a little more graphically interesting. While it would make an excellent choice for a photographer, graphic designer, or artist, those of you who have slightly less visual work can also make interesting portfolio sites here.
• About.me has been around for a while, but remains useful as an incredibly quick way to get a site developed.  It isn't the best choice for a portfolio site. However, it certainly is a good option to use as a home base if your work is spread across different platforms and social media sites.  
• Coroflot.com is another mobile-adaptive site that has been used heavily by the design and art world. But, there is nothing stopping creative-minded people who are pursuing any other fields from making a splash with their own page here. You can use this awkwardly-named site to create a Pinterest-like showcase for your documents and projects with speed and appeal.

In 2015 there is no shortage of ways to get yourself online in a professional manner that will impress potential employers with your motivation and tech savvy abilities. So, don't miss out on the opportunity to do so!

Gary Alan Miller,
Executive Director

Events for the Week of 2/17/14

Beyond LinkedIn: Using Niche Social Media Platforms in the Job Hunt

LinkedIn is the go-to platform for keeping up with news and staying in touch with professional contacts, but have you considered using niche social media platforms to help you get a job? FindSpark shows you how to use platforms like Pinterest, Polyvore, reddit, Instagram, and YouTube to your advantage!

Wednesday, February 19 from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.  at the Wix Lounge, 235 West 23^rd Street, 8^th Floor, NYC

For more details and registration, click here.

SOPHOMORES! Have you signed up for the ACE Trips?

The Office of Alumni Relations, the Career Center, and the Center for University Advisement invite you to join us for a Sophomore Academic Career Exploration trip into New York City for a behind-the scenes site visit! Tour the business and meet with a variety of team members from various departments, many of whom are Hofstra Alumni! Your trip includes lunch and LIRR train tickets on us! We will leave campus at 9:30 am, and return before 5 pm.

Our spring ACE trips are to:
Mashable - Friday, February 28, 2014
Harper Collins - Friday, March 7, 2014

First come-first served! SPACE IS LIMITED -- RSVP by emailing advisement@hofstra.edu with the subject line: ACE -- RSVP. Include your name, Hofstra ID, Phone Number, and trip preference!

Quick Question Hours:

Get your resume or cover letter critiqued in The Career Center!

Monday – Thursday: 2pm-4pm

Friday: 11am-1pm

Save the Date!

Skills-Based Panel with Zarb Alumni: What is Business Communication?

The importance of written and verbal communication skills for success in business will be discussed by Zarb Alumni that are currently business professionals. See what it takes to follow in their footsteps! This event is open to undergraduate Zarb students only.

Tuesday, February 25 from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. in The Career Center

Mock Interview Night with Zarb Alumni

Students will be able to participate in a practice 30-minute interview with a Zarb School of Business Alum. Pre-registration on Pride-CMS is required for this event. This event is open to undergraduate Zarb students only.

Tuesday, February 25 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. in The Career Center

Speech- Language-Hearing Sciences Career Open House

Are you looking for a rewarding career? Attend this information session to learn about opportunities to major in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences and truly make a difference in the lives of others!

Wednesday, February 26 during Common Hour in Davison Hall, Room 101

Film/TV Workshop
This interactive workshop will focus on careers and internships in the film and television industry. Come network with and learn from panelists working in the television and film industry who will cover topics including how to behave on a set, how to get an internship, and a typical day on set and in the production office, and what life is like after graduation! 

Wednesday, February 26 at 7:00 p.m. in Breslin Hall, Room 110

Social Media Makeover

Express your social media self!  Check out The Career Center table as a part of P.R.I.D.E. Week and have your social media profiles reviewed by a career counselor to ensure the effective free exchange of your personal virtual brand!  You will receive tips and advice from career professionals on your personal profiles, and have the opportunity to be photographed for a professional headshot to use on your social media accounts including LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter!

Friday, February 28 from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the Student Center Atrium

The Spring Career Fair will be:

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

11:30am-2:30pm

David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex (Arena)

Meet with employers who are ready to #HireWithPRIDE!

There are full-time, part-time, and internship positions available for 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!

6 Tips for Proper Social Media Etiquette

In my last blog post, I talked about the importance of "googleing" yourself to make sure your online presence is professional. Given that your online presence is so important and can have both positive and negatives effects on your job search, the article "6 Tips for Proper Social Media Etiquette in the New Year" serves as a great continuation of this topic. It is important to note that going forward, you should be aware of these 6 tips and practice them whenever you post something online. This mindset not only applies when your are in the process of looking for a job, but also when you have secured a position. 

Kaitlyn Riley, Assistant Director

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

Express Yourself! To Get Hired

With P.R.I.D.E. Week well underway, The Career Center is here to talk about what you can learn from the P.R.I.D.E. principles to help you manage your career.  The “E” in P.R.I.D.E. is all about expression and free exchange.  Great examples of free exchange are social media websites like Facebook and Twitter, which allow individuals to express themselves and share information online.  So, before you make that photo of you at the beach your profile picture, or tweet about how fun last night’s party was; ask yourself if you are you expressing yourself in a way that attracts employers!

According to a 2011 Student Survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers most of you (71% to be exact) already know that employers are looking at your profile and many of you (34%) think they should.  Knowing this, what can you do to put your best face(book) forward?  This is where social media month at The Career Center steps in! 

While this Friday marks the end of P.R.I.D.E. Week, it is only the beginning of a month-long series of events to help you use social media to master your job and internship search.  Stop by the P.R.I.D.E. Week table in the Student Center this Friday from 11am-1pm to learn more about how to professionally express yourself via social media.  While at our table you can gobble up some treats, including tons of interesting facts about how employers use social media and how you can express yourself as the best candidate for the job.  We will be putting your new found knowledge to test all month long, rewarding you with Amazon and iTunes gift cards!  Simply ‘Like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, then use your new nuggets of social media expertise to answer trivia questions about how to professionally express yourself via social media.  

The social media information train doesn’t stop here!  Be sure to attend our three-part social media career series, where you will learn even more about how to get employers to “like” you.  Come and hear it straight from the source(s) including employers who use social media, a LinkedIn guru, and a social media networking pro!  Events are held the first three Tuesdays in March at 6:30pm in the Plaza Rooms.  

--Elizabeth Ulatowski, Career Center Intern

Social media will help you land a job!

Over the break I came across this great article about social media’s role in the job search. Take a look, it’s a nice short read and really speaks to the role of Social Media in the job search process. 

If you have not had a chance to explore LinkedIn – please take some time over the winter break to check it out. A great place to start learning about LinkedIn can be found on their website. It’s so easy!  Once you develop your professional profile you can start to build your network. Remember when asking people to join your network be sure to introduce yourself.

Here are some examples you can use:

Dear XXX,

I am a senior at Hofstra University and I am interested in learning more about XXX organization. I see that you are a Hofstra Graduate and I was wondering if I may add you to my network?

Thank you ,

YOUR NAME

Dear XXX,

I am a junior at Hofstra University and I am interested in learning more about internships in XXX.  I see that you are a Hofstra Graduate and I was wondering if I may add you to my network?

Thank you,

YOUR NAME

Dear XXX,

I am a sophomore at Hofstra University and trying to decide on my major.  I see that you are a Hofstra Graduate and I was wondering if I may add you to my network?  I would like to know how my major may fit into your industry.

Thank you,

YOUR NAME

The Career Center is busily organizing social media programs for you this spring semester. Please keep an eye on our blog and weekly e-mails for more information!

Happy New Year!

~Fred Burke, Executive Director of The Career Center