A Job-Search Timeline

Throughout the past couple months, I have been wondering whether or not I was on schedule with the job search process and if I was sending out resumes and cover letters to hopeful employers at the right time. This past Friday I had a phone interview with University of Dreams for a spot on their summer staff in Manhattan for the summer. After reading an article that was posted on FastWeb, I realized that I am on track for landing a job by the time summer approaches. At least that's the plan. Here is the timeline by Peter Vogt that was posted, to help with certain deadlines and to help keep you focused. Within each list of criteria, there are links with further advice from Peter's post.

February and March

In these two months, you should be determining which type of summer job you would like. You should list certain criteria to help with your search:

Where you want or need to get a job.
How much money you'd like to make.
Key skills to build.
Areas of interest and/or organizations to explore.
Assess your current skill set, either by yourself or with a counselor at your school's career center, to determine which key skills an employer might need this summer.
With guidance from a campus career counselor, develop a basic resume and cover letter to apply for summer positions.
Begin looking for specific job opportunities using:
Online resources like MonsterTRAK and Monster.
Friends, family members, relatives, professors and others who can direct you toward job possibilities.
City-specific resources.

April

Continue looking for job opportunities.
Start applying for jobs, being sure to follow the employer's directions. Some companies require a resume and cover letter. Others want you to fill out a company application.
Ask professors, previous coworkers and supervisors, and others who know you professionally if they'll serve as references. If possible, have each person write you a one-page letter of recommendation to give prospective employers.
Follow up with companies you've applied to. Make sure your materials have been received and that each company has everything it needs to consider you.
If possible, schedule interviews with companies of interest.
Start researching housing options for summer if applicable.

May

Practice answering summer job interview questions, either with a friend or a career center counselor at your school. Research companies and jobs before the interview.
Finalize summer living arrangements.
Schedule job interviews.
Go on job interviews, and follow up with thank-you notes.
If the right job is offered, accept it.
If you don't have a solid line on a job, get some help from your school's career center -- preferably before spring semester ends if your summer plans will take you away from campus. You can also step up your networking efforts. Ask your parents, friends, professors and others if they know of available summer jobs.

June

Show up for your first day on time and prepared.
Talk to your new supervisor about the skills you'd like to further develop.
Go beyond the minimum to make a good, lasting impression on your supervisor and coworkers.

And lastly, if you are looking for another place to send out a resume, here's a video that gives an inside look into Google, in which Fortune Magazine describes as the best company to work for in America. Talk about a fun work day!

Managing Stress

I'm back from Spring break and I've come to the conclusion that I need another week to relax from the events of the break. I was definitely not ready to go to my 10 a.m. class this morning and I'm definitely not ready to continue the "sending out resume slash job hunt" process. There are only about six weeks of classes left and with end of the semester projects and tests for classes, graduation details, and the real world job search, I don't know about all of you, but I'm a little stressed, actually A LOT stressed! I found some tips on the University of Pittsburgh's health education website that can help you manage those stressful moments and to make the next couple months go smoother.

TIPS TO MANAGE STRESS

1. Manage Your Time Effectively: Making to-do lists and using a daily planner can allow you to map out all your class assignments, work hours, meetings, and of course time for yourself. You should prioritize the most important activities and do them first.

2. Exercise: Physical activity is one of the best ways when it comes to dealing with stress. While releasing endorphines, it is able to give you a natural "high."

3. Avoid Using Drugs or Alcohol: Drugs and alcohol will only mask the symptoms of stress and once you stop using them, the stress will return.

4. Take a Break: During the day, you should schedule time for short breaks to help minimize your stress. Stretch, visit a friend, or go for a walk. These short breaks will help you work more efficiently.

5. Minimize Interruptions: When you have something really important that you need to get done, make sure to block off a time so that you will not be disturbed or have any distractions. Go to a place where no one can find you and turn your phone to silent.

6. Eat Healthy Foods: Make sure to pack healthy foods if you are going to be gone all day and avoid food that is high in sugar, fat, and sodium. Make sure not to skip meals because that will make you have less energy.

7. Think Positive and Learn to Control Worry: Instead of focusing on the negative thoughts, focus on the positive things in your life and say at least one positive thing about yourself and your life everyday. Worrying about things you can't change or always expecting the worst is a waste of time.

8. Know When You Need Help and Get It: Seeking help is not a sign of weakness. There are many resources, especially at universities, available to students to help deal with stress and other problems.

9. Learn to Say NO: Don't feel guilty when you have to tell others no. If you take on additional projects or work for others when you are already busy will cause more stress that you don't need.

10: Put Stressful Situations in Perspective: You should think to yourself, "Will this really matter in a month or a year from now?"

11. Get Enough Sleep: Most people need around 6-9 hours of sleep per night, but if you're under a lot of stress, many people will just forget about sleep when they have to finish work. Don't let this happen.

To read more about dealing with stress from the University of Pittsburgh's health education website, click here .

How To Dress

So before I leave for Spring Break, I have a few tips for those of you who have been called back for an interview. Appearance is very important and so are first impressions. According to Allison Doyle, here is a little appearance advice on how to dress for your interview. And although, each work place may be different when it comes to the specific attire, but you should introduce yourself with a sharp appearance and a good first impression.

Men's Interview Attire
Suit (solid color - navy or dark grey)
Long sleeve shirt (white or coordinated with the suit)
Belt
Tie
Dark socks, conservative leather shoes
Little or no jewelry
Neat, professional hairstyle
Limit the aftershave
Neatly trimmed nails
Portfolio or briefcase

Women's Interview Attire
Suit (navy, black or dark grey)
The suit skirt should be long enough so you can sit down comfortably
Coordinated blouse
Conservative shoes
Limited jewelry (no dangling earrings or arms full of bracelets)
Professional hairstyle
Neutral pantyhose
Light make-up and perfume
Neatly manicured clean nails
Portfolio or briefcase

What Not to Bring to the Interview
Gum
Cell phone
Ipod
Coffee or soda
If you have lots of piercings, leave some of your rings at home (earrings only, is a good rule)
Cover tattoos

Interview Attire Tips
Before you even think about going on an interview, make sure you have appropriate interview attire and everything fits correctly.
Get your clothes ready the night before, so you don't have to spend time getting them ready on the day of the interview.
If your clothes are dry clean only, take them to the cleaners after an interview, so they are ready for next time.
Polish your shoes.
Bring a breath mint and use it before you enter the building.

So keep Allison's information in mind when you begin shopping for interview clothes and make that first impression stick in your hopefully future employer's mind.

For more information about dressing for interviews, visit, Tips from Allison and others

University of Dreams

I know that I've talked about my summer with University of Dreams a lot, and I swear this is the last time I'm going to, it'll be hard not to, but I'll try my hardest, I just might break a promise, sorry. But since I had such a fantastic summer with this internship program and the deadline to apply is getting close, I thought that I'd spend this blog promoting the program for those of you who are looking for an internship during the summer to help with gaining experience in the field that you're intereseted in.

University of Dreams is an all-inclusive summer internship program for college students. You spend two months in one of the following cities: Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, and Barcelona. You are able to choose your own internship and meet many different people from not only the United States, but throughout the world. Within the program, you get a professionally revised resume and interview coaching with the help of a placement agent, housing, your meals provided, academic course credit, transportation to and from work, weekly seminars from inspirational speakers, weekend activities, and a summer of a lifetime.

University of Dreams offers internships in many industries, including: Advertising, Fashion, Marketing, Finance, Theatre/Arts, Hospitality & Tourism, Non-Profit, Real Estate, Legal, Photography, Publishing, Technology, Event Planning, Public RelationsTelevision and Broadcasting, and Music Radio.

This is a guaranteed internship program, which means, you are guaranteed an internship in the city of your choice, and if not, you are given your money back. But the chances of not being placed are extremely unlikely. According to the program's website, in the six years that they have been running their summer internship programs, they have successfully placed over 99% of enrolled participants. Not a bad deal right. To be eligible for the progam, you must be a full-time college student at a four-year university or have graduated with a Bachelor's or Master's Degree, but you must be within the age of 18-26. Your GPA should be 2.5 or higher and all majors are welcome.

The cost of the program differs according to which city you choose to live in.

New York: $7,499

Chicago: $6,499

San Francisco: $6,499

Los Angeles: $7,499

London: $8,999

Barcelona: $7,999

The dates of the program also differs according to which city you live in:

New York Session 1: 5/27 - 7/21

New York Session 2: 6/10 - 8/4

Chicago: 6/17 - 8/11

San Francisco: 6/10 - 8/4

Los Angeles: 6/24 - 8/18

London: 6/11 - 8/4

Barcelona: 6/24 - 8/18

The application deadline for San Francisco, Chicago, Barcelona, Los Angeles, and London is May 1, and the deadline for both sessions of New York is April 1.

My experience in New York City was the best experience I have ever had. Throughout the summer, I interned at BlackBook Magazine in NoHo, (BlackBook's office on Broadway seen below) in the advertising section. I loved every second of it. I took the subway to work everyday, ate lunch in little cafes on cobblestone sidewalks, delivered packages throughout the whole city, attended parties at VIP clubs in which the magazine hosted, and was able to sell ads for the magazine's 10th Anniversary Issue.

I lived in one of NYU's dorms, located in Union Square, was provided with dinner everynight and a little extra money on my I.D. card for groceries in the dining hall and the Dunkin Donut's next door. I lived in an apartment style dorm with three other roommates from different schools, who I am still in contact with now. I attended weekly seminars every Wednesday night, with guest speakers such as Patrick Combs, who inspired us to break a 1-inch board in half with our hand, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, a Ghanaian who overcame a disability to achieve his dreams, and Eric Lochtefeld, the company's founder.

Throughout the summer I was able to go on a double-decker bus tour through Manhattan and into Brooklyn, see the Broadway play "Rent," attend a Yankee's game against the Chicago White Sox, travel to Atlantic City for the fourth of July weekend, hop aboard a sunset cruise around NYC's harbor, and party at a VIP club the progam rented out just for the dreamers.

On my day's off, I found myself shopping at Bloomingdale's, constantly visiting the Today Show until I finally was able to meet Matt Lauer (seen below signing his autograph for me), walking through museums, sitting on the beach at Coney Island, and walking around Greenwich Village.

I have nothing but great things to say about University of Dreams. The program and the staff were so organized and for me, it was probably the biggest and scariest thing I had ever gotten myself into, and each member of the staff was so helpful and made it so easy for me to make the transition from a small town to a big city. It really was the summer of a lifetime. I met so many great new friends and made so many memories that will last forever.

If you would like to hear former dreamer's speak about the program and their experience, you can watch this video. Apply now and have the summer of dreams!

The Job Hunt

The Job Hunt...probably the most crucial part of getting settled into the Real World. And you wouldn't have a job without the hunting part of the process. This past weekend I spent a lot of time job hunting. With both my resume and cover letter perfected, I filled out applications for a summer staff position with University of Dreams and an associate editor position at Conde Nast. As stressful as it may be, I still find when I push the "APPLY" button so exhilerating.

So as I was searching the web for job hunting advice, I found tips, like I posted last week about Interviews, that make you aware of who to take tips from and to "Steer Clear of Bad Job-Hunting Advice."

Penelope Trunk, a former pro-volleyball player and now an advisor with careers and businesses, gives these eight tips for Job Hunting and who to take advice from, as the job world, in which I like to refer to as the real world, is changing:

Bad Rule 1: Draw a clear picture of yourself:
Trunk says that "a resume is not an autobiography, it's a marketing document." So instead of telling everyone everything about yourself, use this as your key in getting interviews. Your resume should make the employer want to know more about you, almost making it like a "tease," as Trunk states.

Bad Rule 2: Don't be too narrow:
"If you want to stand out, you have to stand for something." You want to appear unique to employers, almost like a specialist. Like Trunk says, "it's the specialists, not the generalists, who get what they want. That's because the specialists are the hardest to replace."

Bad Rule 3: Don't job-hop:
Trunk actually disagrees with the saying, "don't job-hop" because she says that job-hoppers are the happiest. She says, "Who cares about loyalty." Apparently, a person who changes jobs has a less boring lifestyle compared with the one who does, because their everyday work may get a little consistent. Unless you like consistency that is.

Bad Rule 4: Don't have gaps in your resume:
Gaps are sometimes seen as a place to grow with your resume and branch out with other activities and other employment opportunities. Unless your job is your only thing in your life, then gaps may be fine and they may work out for you. Gaps are sometimes an interesting point to talk about in your interviews, like other things that you may try out.

Bad Rule 5: Don't have typos in your resume:
Trunk's advice on this one may be a little wierd, but she says that she's not telling you to misspell words on purpose, but rather to not fret over a small typo in a resume. Not everything is perfect. Trunk states, "Look, if proofreading were such an easy job then publishing companies wouldn't have to hire proofreaders. So don't make yourself crazy about the typos, because while 10 typos is a sign of incompetence, one typo might be a sign that you have a moderate and healthy standard of perfectionism."

Bad Rule 6: Clean up your online identity:
Trunk says not to fret over pictures of yourself online when you were drunk that one time. She says that it's out of your control. Instead she says, is to build up your online identity with one that may pop up first when an employer googles your name or looks you up somewhere like a blog. Trunk feels that a blog is a place that may take the place of the drunk pictures and show employers what you want them to see.

Bad Rule 7: Treat a job hunt like a project and be a project manager:
Trunk says that that is great advice if you're looking for a job four times in your life. By building up your networks, you don't have time to take a break because Trunk compares being a good networker to being a good friend. She says to "treat your job hunt like a personal development project."

Those are some of Trunk's bad rules for job-hunting and either agree or disagree, whether you do or not, good luck with the job hunt!

For more of Trunk's advice: http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/careerist/19128

What Not To Do In An Interview

I've never really had an interview experience, other than on the phone that lasted all of 15 minutes. All I know is that I was extremely nervous and made sure beforehand that my phone was fully charged, there was no outside noise, and to make a point of speaking as clearly as possible.

When reading tips for interview techniques, usually they are how to make the best of an interview and techniques on what to do right. So I came upon 10 tips on what not to do on an interview, by Joe Turner and I thought it was appropriate to clue people in on what to avoid when in on a job interview.

Turner compares a job interview to a date. He says, "When you're on a romantic dinner date, you try to avoid 'mood killers' - talking with a mouth full of food, cursing an ex-lover, or complaining about a foot ailment. During a job interview, you have to avoid similar spoilers if you want to make a good impression."

Here are Turner's "most common 'advantage killers:'"

1. Not Knowing Your Aim: Many people think that what they need to do in a job interview is to ask for a job. That seems obvious...But what you're really there is to explain to your possible future employer how fit you are for the specific job.

2. Being Too Needy: "Neediness is probably the No. 1 advantage-killer in an interview. Remind yourself before walking in the door: you do not need this job. You do need food, you do need air, and you do need water. Keep things in perspective."

3. Lousy Nonverbal Communication: First impressions are very important and you need to demonstrate that you have confidence. When walking into the interview, you need to make direct eye contact, stand up tall, and give a strong handshake.

4. Compromising Your Position: Always conduct yourself as an equal during the interview, not a subordinate to your interviewer.

5. Falling Into the Answers-Only Rut: An interview isn't just about you answering the questions that they ask. You should treat it as a conversation between the two of you. It is helpful to prepare what Turner calls "prepared stories" when highlighting your accomplishments and to also have a follow-up question of your own after answering their questions.

6. Rambling: "Telling your interviewer more than they need to know could be fatal. Your stories should be 60 to 90 seconds long and they should have a relevant point." Don't utilize unnecessary talk with silences. Your prepared stories and research should be your main focus when answering questions.

7. Being Overly Familiar: Just because an interviewer will make you feel comfortable after a little while doesn't mean that they have become your new best friend. You should keep treating it as a professional business meeting, with never letting your guard down.

8. Making Incorrect Assumptions: You know what they say when you assume something...Always make sure you are understanding what the interviewer is asking you or talking about, there are no stupid questions. Always ask for clarification if you don't understand something and make sure to take notes on what you're being told.

9. Getting Emotional: "At times the interviewer may hit a nerve or consciously try to provoke you into an "outburst." Don't fall for it. Clear your mind of any fears or expectations, so you can maintain a calm, open-minded perspective at all times. When emotions enter into an interview, failure follows."

10. Not Asking Specific Questions: It is always a good idea to go to the interview with a list of prepared questions having to do with the company, the position you are applying for, and the other employees that work there. Avoid questions that will just have a yes or no answer, but rather ask questions that begin with "what," "how," and "why."

If you'd like to read more in depth answers to Joe Turner's Interview techniques, visit: The 10 Biggest Interview Killers

Good Luck!

Networking

Networking...what does this word mean? Well, about 8 months ago, I had no idea what networking was and how it could have such a great impact on making the adjustment into the "Real World" so much easier. I know that I have mentioned my summer in NYC a lot in my past few blogs, but last summer is my whole reason that I'm excited about getting a job and I did really learn a lot, I mean that is why my parents sent me there in the first place...(I just have to post one more picture of the best city, this time of the Manhattan skyline taken from a sunset cruise around the city's harbor). So back to networking, about 8 months ago, in a seminar held by Andrew Hewitt and Luc d'Abadie, the authors of The Power of Focus for College Students, I learned that not only who you know but who knows you is a large factor in where and how far you can go in the working world. It is an especially good way to get started.

According to Cheryl Ferguson, Networking in the 21st Century "is more than just a buzzword. It's probably the best opportunity you will ever have to make connections, build relationships and help yourself and others in the networking group succeed." It "is also a great way to explore new career options, learn more about a specific industry, gather insights from peers on critical business issues and grow professionally.

She first says that you need to begin networking with a goal in mind. By thinking about what you want to accomplish, whether it's looking for a job, trying to develop new business or becoming like the go-to person in your industry or the industry you would like to become a part of, is what should be going through your mind as you begin to find contacts to network with.

The way to obtain networking contacts is easy. If you see a keynote speaker, get their email address, ask if you can contact them and discuss future job plans or if they are able to give you advice, search for contacts on the internet and send them an email, ask advisors and teachers in your major for different people that you may be able to contact, and even ask friends, you never who they might know.

Cheryl says to make sure that when making a new networking contact, just to listen and see what they have to say. By using this technique, she says that it "helps you gain insight as to how that contact can help you, making the connection stronger. It's not about collecting the most business cards; it's about collecting the right ones."

She also adds, that "if you're networking correctly, you'll find you have more visibility, greater knowledge, and a wider circle of reliable contacts; and that you can leverage those assets to further your career."

People that I began my networking with was my boss at BlackBook Magazine, a former dreamer, turned staff member, now starting her own editing firm in Manhattan, and my placement agent through the program. See, very easy.

If you would like to read more about Cheryl Ferguson and her networking techniques, visit: Cheryl's Tips.