SHU Career Corner

Winning Over Students With Popcorn

Today's post comes from Elizabeth Lowery, our Assistant Director of Career Placement for the Welch College of Business, and contains some great advice for students about to embark on their summer internships!

Most students think that internships were designed just for them.  Companies, out of the kindness of their corporate hearts wanted to develop various programs to help the student gain meaningful experience so they can build their resume and then bring that experience somewhere else after they graduate.  How sweet of them!

THINK AGAIN!

Companies, for the most part, have their own interests in mind when it comes to interns.  The goal of a company with a well organized internship program is to have that student return to them upon graduation.  Hiring a student still in college as an intern and training them, grooming them and showing them the ropes will not just give the student the opportunity to check out a company, but vice versa as well.  Think about it!  With the sky high costs of training new employees (approximately 30% of a salary) this is a win-win situation:  The new grad might secure a FT offer from their internship in this “iffy” job market, and the company will have their new FT employee hit the ground running from day one.

A company I used to recruit for would relentlessly hire interns year round.  During interviews, we would look not just for a summer employee, but for someone who might stay with us for the long term, that we could turn into great employees and build relationships with.  When they left us at summer’s end to return to school, we would send them care packages full of goodies, print ads in their school newspapers praising them for their service, and continue to invite them to fun company outings throughout the year.  Sure, we wanted them to enjoy these perks, but even more than that, we wanted to instill in them a feeling of loyalty to our company and win them over through Red Sox games and packages of microwave popcorn.

HOW DO YOU TURN YOUR INTERNSHIP INTO A FULL-TIME OFFER?

Simple.  Do your best—your very best.  Make sure to outshine other interns (without making them look badly, of course).  Anticipate the needs of your manager and get things done before you are asked.  Go above and beyond to volunteer for extra projects.  Who knows?  You may learn something new, too!  Don’t believe me?  Here is a recent article from BusinessWeek Magazine on the topic.  Make sure to check out the “Slide Show” to view profiles of 17 interns who have turned their internship opportunity into full time offers, and specifics on how they got there.

Rough economy, but jobs are there with some extra effort

If you just pay attention to the headlines it might seem like this year's college graduates have no chance of finding a job. Doom and gloom is the widespread and common perception. While job prospects for this year's graduates are less positive than recent years, for now they are still positive on the whole. The difference is that this year, you may have to work a little harder.

Each fall the National Association of Colleges and Employers publishes a hiring projection for the upcoming year. Each of the last three years has seen a double digit increase over the previous year, making the recent job market one of the best in decades. This fall was no different, with NACE projecting a 16% increase in hiring. In February, NACE downgraded their prediction to a 8% increase...but that is still an increase versus last year. Like the economy in general, there have been real downturns in the finance and construction sectors, where hiring has dropped 7.5% and 2.8% respectively. But hiring in many other areas is up.

A recent article in the Christian Science Monitor gives what is probably the most balanced view I have seen recently. There are challenges out there, but there are still jobs to be had as long as you put in the extra effort to find them and make a compelling case for yourself. Here is probably the most important point to be made: "Gone are the days when blanketing 20 different firms with a generic cover letter and résumé might have resulted in an interview". While prospects are still good for graduates in most areas, the market has gotten more competitive. That means your efforts need to match that reality.

• Develop a targeted list of companies that match with what you want to do and where you want to do it...then pursue them. Don't just submit a resume online and hope for the best. Research and network your way to a decision maker and follow-up.
• Every resume and cover letter must be targeted to the specific position you are after. Employers want focus.
• You need to put extra effort into researching the companies in which you are interested to make your presentation (both on paper in your resume and cover letter, and in your interview) stronger. Demonstrate to the employer that you know about them and that your skills and background can help solve their problems and meet their goals.
• In your resume and cover letter, and in your interviews, focus on your accomplishments even if they aren't related to your desired industry. Lots of people are smart, have good grades and have passion for their field. Show them by example that you can also make an impact.
• Network, network, network. Networking gets you involved in the "hidden job market". The hidden job market refers to the 80% of jobs that are never advertised. These positions are filled by hiring managers before they even need to advertise them based on referrals from friends and colleagues. Candidates must get in this loop. Start by talking with the people you know and have conversations about what you are seeking. Don't worry about the fact that you might not know anyone in the industry you are pursuing. Inevitably, someone in your network will. Get involved with free online professional networking resources like LinkedIn which can help with this process.
• Lastly, do at least one search-related thing everyday. Research a company, make a networking call, apply for a new position...but always keep the momentum going.

Finding a job in today's market will require some extra effort, but there is still opportunity if you conduct an organized, thoughtful search. If you need help planning your search, we are always here to help (even after graduation). It's never too late to come see us!

Still looking for work?

Some of you may have heard Lindsey Pollak speak here earlier last fall. She has a great book out called "Getting from College to Career:90 Things To Do Before You Join The Real World". You can check out more about her and her book on her blog.

She blogged recently about the mess at Bear Stearns that left a lot of interns and about-to-be-graduates jobless. Some of her advice to those indivduals applies well to anyone conducting a job search. Here are the main points, check her post for the details:

• Make use of your University Career Services office (no, I didn't ask her to say this!)
• Take action immediately, and every day
• Cast a wider net
• Consider temping
• Network consistently

Take a second to view her post and see the details of what she is saying. It's all good advice if you are struggling to find something (especially that first part about coming to see us!). We can help you put together a strategy for your search and help you to get the best results from your effort.

Don't panic, but don't delay!

Get off to a good start at your first job!

There is a good article in the Wall Street Journal about how to manage your first 90 days at your first job after college. Some good advice about something many recent graduates don't think about until they are half way through that time frame. Much of the advice can apply to interns starting off in a new company as well. Take a look!

Seniors...only 31 days until graduation. Still looking for a job? Just have questions in general? Need help getting ready for interviews or a job search? Our office is always here to help, even after graduation. Don't be afraid to get in touch!

The WWE is back!!

Many of our current students may remember WWE Career Action Day from last year. They are coming back again in another exclusive event FOR SHU STUDENTS ONLY!

After last year's successful event, World Wrestling Entertainment will again be coming to campus on Monday, April 28th to talk about their company and about job and internship opportunities throughout their organization. For those of you who think they are "just about wrestling", think again! This is a massive marketing and entertainment machine with a larger variety of opportunities than you might first imagine. I would encourage everyone who can attend to drop by general presentation in the Edgerton at 2:30pm. You can also check out more "stuff you may not know" by looking at their corporate website (not their entertainment website).

Here is the schedule for the day right now:

1:00pm-2:00pm Open Interviews in the Edgerton

No application, or advance registration is necessary for the interviews. However, all students interested in interviewing must have a resume approved by Career Development. You must also show up that day in professional attire. Interested students should arrive no later than 12:45pm and will be seen on a first come, first served basis.

2:30pm-3:00pm  General Presentation about the WWE in the Edgerton

This is a great overview of all the different aspects of the company. I learned a great deal that I was unaware of last year and I encourage everyone to attend. It will also give you a good idea of what breakout session you might want to attend if you are unsure.

3:15pm-4:15pm  Breakout Sessions by Department

These will be held in classrooms in HC and UC, exact room assignments will be announced later. Executives from each of the following business areas will give a brief presentation and then be open for Q&A. This is a great chance to talk to some high level people in a smaller setting. Departments on hand will be: Marketing, Consumer Products, Interactive Media, Creative Services and Digital Video Production.

Check back here for more details in the next two weeks, as well as, some highlights of the company and the different departments who will be attending.

If students have any questions, they should get in touch with our office (CareerDev@sacredheart.edu  or 371-7975). We will have additional info to follow, but if you want to interview make sure you get your resume approved ASAP!!

Networking Is A "Two Way Street"

You have probably heard before that, when it comes to finding a job, "it's all who you know". This is the essence of networking and it is a tremendously valuable tool in any job search. The thing to remember--and the thing that is hardest for many first-time job seekers to understand--is that networking doesn't mean asking everyone you know if they will hire you. Networking is about sharing information, building relationships based on mutual benefit--before you need them--and maintaining them over time.

Mary Jane Paris is a Sacred Heart University alumnus who runs a company called Positive Impact Consulting. Her business is geared mostly at helping businesses perform better, but what she says in her recent newsletter about networking to develop business opportunities applies directly to networking for the job search as well. Here's a bit:

"If you look at networking as a “two-way street” – a giving and receiving tool - your success as a receiver will be as great as your generosity as a giver.  Like a smile, give it away, and it will come back to you in ways that you’d never imagine.

• Be generous with information
• Share your contacts
• Help people help other people
• Do favors
• Ask for help
• And most importantly, thank those who have helped you! 

When you do, you will find people will be ready and willing to open doors, offer tips, make the introductions and connections for you in return.

Positive business-talk reinforces the fact that people do business with those they know, like and trust.  Networking is positively the best way to reach out and hold on to people who can make things happen – in a fraction of the time it would take you to accomplish the same goals on your own.  As noted by the Society for Human Resource Management, 95% of human resource professionals and job seekers claim networking is the most effective tool to locate job candidates or secure a job."

First time job seekers also often assume that they are powerless to network because they have nothing to offer. Certainly this is true in the sense that you, yourself, are probably not in the position to hire anyone. However, like everyone else, your networking worth comes from the power of your entire network not you individually. It isn't just what you can do it is who YOU know.

Take this theoretical example: Let's say you finally got connected with an employer who is looking to fill a position. After a short conversation you and the employer agree you are not the right fit. However, now that you know more about the position you realize that a friend of yours would be the perfect candidate. Connect the two. If it works out, great. If not, you still did the employer a favor and have effectively added him to your network. He will remember you and most likely be willing to help you as you helped him. It might be with a referral to another employer in his network, or another position in his company. The point is, he will remember you and have a reason to want to help you at some point in the future.

The other mistake most people make is in creating a relationship, using it to their advantage in the short term and forgetting it in the long term. Networks must be maintained or they don't function. Who are you more likely to help, the former co-worker you haven't talked to since you left that job five years ago or the one you talk to once every few months? There has been a rise in professional networking sites in recent years that are great tools to help with this. The biggest, LinkedIn, has over 20 million subscribers (think of it as a "professional" Facebook). We'll talk more about that in a future post.

If you would like more information, or some advice on how to get started, our office has some excellent tools and techniques for SHU students and alumni. Get in touch to make an appointment at CareerDev@sacredheart.edu

What can I do with a liberal arts degree?

We get this one a lot. Maybe you picked your major because you liked the subject and figured you'd deal with the job thing later. Or maybe you had a career in mind and now that you know more about it, it doesn't seem as appealing. There are as many reasons for this question as there are people. The good news is, you shouldn't feel "stuck".

Liberal Arts majors have a wide variety of career options from which to choose. In fact, if you take a good look at the list of companies who hire Business majors from Sacred Heart and compare it to the list of companies who hire Non-Business majors, you will see a lot of similarities. The fact is that the skills you learn while earning a liberal arts degree make you a valuable candidate for most companies.

On Tuesday, April 8th at 6:00pm in University Commons we'll prove it to you!

We have put together a panel of Sacred Heart Alumni with liberal arts degrees who will be on hand to tell you about their careers and how to get started. A quick look at just the job titles of the panelists gives you a great idea of the variety: Attorney, Community Development Coordinator, Accounting Consultant, Publishing Entrepreneur, Higher Education Administrator, Physical Therapist, IT Project Leader, Editor, Government Relations Associate, News Reporter and Senior VP.

Don't miss this chance to meet SHU alumni who can show you the path to where you want to be!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS!!