While I’m sure some of you may be wishing you had a few more days of summer, I for one am happy to have the campus abuzz with students once more.  Summer is a time for planning in the Career Services office, efforts that you will hopefully take advantage of this semester by utilizing new resources and participating in upcoming events.  More to come on those two topics later.

Today, with the semester barely underway, I just want to offer a few words of greeting and encouragement.  Have fun, study hard, and use the resources available to you. 

·         New students –welcome to this wonderful community!  We look forward to meeting you and helping you in any way we can during the next 4 years.  As I’m sure you’ve been told many times already, this is an exciting transition – one we are thrilled to be a part of.

·         Returning students – thanks for making this a wonderful community!  We are here to help you plan for your next steps, whatever they may be.  If you haven’t been in to see us, then this semester is the perfect time to change that!

As the academic year comes to a close, our office is looking forward to getting ready for 2010-2011.  It always seems as though the spring semester goes by incredibly fast and I can’t believe it’s already mid-May.  While I’d like to offer a sincere ‘congratulations’ to all those graduating seniors out there, I also want to applaud the achievement of finishing out the year to ALL students.  Regardless of how far away you are from commencement day, every year is a milestone to celebrate.

Graduates: 
Whether you are off to graduate school, have accepted a job offer, or are still pursuing job leads, remember that your days of learning are not over just because you have your diploma in hand.  You are off to new places and beginning a new chapter in your life, equipped with what you have gained during your time at LVC.  Always know that our office is here to assist you anytime help is needed, and that we offer resources for alumni, and/or new professionals.  On behalf of our office, I wish you good luck!  We hope you will keep us updated on how/what you are doing!   

Students:
While you are enjoying your summer vacation, be sure and catch up on past blog postings, as well as our Career Corner newsletters - April’s edition offers some excellent summer tips to keep your career planning on track.  Also, please know that the Career Services office will be open throughout the summer, with office hours of 8:00am-4:00pm. 

Lastly, I will be taking a break from the blog this summer, but plan to resume postings closer to the Fall semester.  Our office has been pleased with the readership thus far and we’re hopeful that students and alumni are finding it beneficial.  As always, feel free to send me topic ideas or articles to be used in future posts.  Until next time, enjoy your summer! 

As you (hopefully) know, Career Services invites employers to come to campus and set up a table in front of the dining hall where students can stop and speak with them about their companies/organizations and gather information about opportunities that may be of interest to you.  What you may not realize is that these recruiters are often recent college graduates themselves and can be great professional resources who know a thing or two about making the transition from college to the work place. 

Zac Ufnar, of the Catholic Network of Volunteer Service, was set up as a table recruiter on April 19^th in Mund.  As someone who finished college 3 years ago, he offers insight into the benefits of pursuing “golden opportunities” through service that you might want to consider. 

Read his Letter to LVC Seniors and remember, table recruiters are interested in talking to you about opportunities that are out there-take advantage of this valuabe resource!

Matt Haines ’09 works as an economist in Philadelphia, PA.  He responded to the recent follow-up survey of graduates with a suggestion for conducting some training on the proper e-mail use in the workplace. I decided to take Matt up on his idea and concluded the Simply Impressive 11:11 Series last week with e-Etiquette: Critical mistakes can happen with the click of a mouse.  You may have missed the program, but be sure to read this timely advice from him… 

Among the interruptions at work that can ruin your chances for good time management, e-mail is one of the top distractions. E-mail has blossomed as the main medium of communication in the workplace (for good reasons), but oftentimes it can slow things down if not managed efficiently and effectively. As a college graduate that has spent the last four (or more) years perfecting procrastination, it is easy to become consumed in your e-mail instead of focusing on critical work tasks. While e-mail communication is very important in the workplace, the ability to manage it (instead of it managing you) is even more important. There are some strategies that an entry-level employee can take to optimize learning in a new environment, stay informed via e-mail communication, and perform his/her job efficiently and effectively.  Read more advice from Matt Haines...

Did you know?

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a pollution prevention internship program for upper-level university students….
• The University of Georgia offers a one-year internship in its Marine Education Center and Aquarium in Savannah, GA….
• The Catalina Island Conservancy, a small nonprofit dedicated to the conservation and preservation of the island, has a hands-on internship program for those with bachelor degrees….
• The Environmental law Institute in Washington, D.C. has an intern tasked with researching aspects of natural resource protection and pollution protection open to students who have completed at least their freshman year of college….
• The Florida Department of Environmental protection offers specialized internships in environmental resources, watershed management and planning, waste management, water facilities and administration/technical services…

I found this information on April 12 on the home page of Career Insider (recent articles section).  You will find Career Insider offers even more, including an online career library featuring downloadable career guides, employer profiles, discussion boards, industry blogs, news covering the latest trends and issues, green programs, etc.

“I never knew we had access to such a resource,” you say.  These resources are not “hidden,” but you may miss them if you don’t spend a little time looking around on the Resources for Students page of the Career Services website.  Additional resources for finding employment/internships can be found there including:

• Current Jobs for Graduates:  This job vacancy bulletin largely features entry-level opportunities. There are seven electronic publications including: Current Jobs in Liberal Arts; Writing, Editing & Communications; Management & Business; Education; International; Art; Performing Arts. 
• Internships USA: This site provides information on more than 2800 organizations offering internships to students. Opportunities exist in community & social services, international affairs, women’s rights, media, sports, environment, state parks, law & public policy, resorts, Congress, human rights, history, advertising, etc.
• JOB CENTER: Hopefully you are already aware of this resource, but if not, I encourage you to log into your account today to check out the jobs and internships posted there.  To view all current listings, simply choose the Search button.  All jobs/internships are listed in reverse chronological order, beginning with most recent postings. 

Search away………………….

You’ve heard it before and will likely hear it again: be careful with the information you choose to put on the internet!  (I.E. social networking sites, blogging, videos, etc.)  What you put online has the potential to cause damage in ways you might not expect, including your career success.

When done correctly, your social networking habits can open doors for you to meet new people and network extensively.  For example, utilizing the professional site LinkedIn to connect with groups, companies, and professionals in your field can certainly boost your chances of interacting and getting noticed.  However, when not monitored, your social network can also seriously harm your professional reputation and could possibly prevent you from getting a job you’re going after.

A recent article brings to light several common things that people do on the site Facebook that might damage your career success.  I want to mention that I am not trying to ‘pick-on’ Facebook at all, as these mistakes are transferrable to all social networking mediums.  I only hope to utilize the article to caution students before they post that next video or blog or status update, or anything on the internet.  Once it’s out there, it can prove difficult, if not impossible, to take it back!  

Click here to read '6 Career Killing Facebook Mistakes'

After looking back at past blog postings, I realize that I don’t mention one of our best resources nearly as often as I should – the Career Services website! 

Many of the emails sent out by Career Services constantly refer students or employers to their JOB CENTER accounts, but there is much more on our office web page that could also be very beneficial.

Below is a picture representation of what students would see if they went to our website and clicked on the Resources for Students option in the left column.  I would certainly encourage any population of readers to check out the page that might be most beneficial to them, or to browse through all of our resources.  However, in this post I’d like to focus on a one of the resources in particular, ‘What Can I Do?’

The ‘What Can I Do’ resource is an excellent link for any student looking to learn more about career fields that correspond with their major.  Not only is it a starting point for undecided (or undeclared) students who are exploring what to study, it is also a great site to learn of potential areas and employers to pursue when looking to enter the professional world of work.   It might give insight into areas that correspond with a particular field of study which you may not have thought of before, as well as strategies to keep in mind during college years to help you get there.  Another excellent feature of the ‘What Can I Do’ resource is that under each major there is a Links button that takes you to a listing of Professional Associations and Career Information that’s relevant to that field.  This is a MUST if you’re interested in exploring careers and majors!

No, I’m not referring to To-Do lists or Shopping lists.  I’m talking about the Book of Lists that Central Penn Business Journal publishes yearly.  Although it may not sound like ‘light reading’, it can certainly be a beneficial publication to be familiar with.  Now you’re probably asking why you would want to look through a 218 page book filled with list after list.  Well…did you know that within those lists you can find information on more than 1,800 companies in industries ranging from construction to corporate to health care to real estate (and many in between)?     

As a local business reference guide, the Book of Lists can provide endless information on places in nearby counties that can be very helpful when looking for job leads.  It names fastest growing companies and successful establishments, facts about each industry’s market, and then goes on to provide basic information about specific companies. 

If you are interested in researching industries in Central Pennsylvania, the 2010 Book of Lists is the place to start.  Career Services has a printed copy in our office that you can browse through and make copies from.  This is definitely a valuable resource!

With last week’s post on the Do’s of Writing a Spectacular Cover Letter, I thought I’d post a few other articles that I’ve recently found.  Remember, there are many opinions out there on how to write a winning resume and cover letter, as well as the best techniques to master for an interview – the important thing is to make sound judgments on what works best for your particular set of qualifications in the specific field/industry/job you are applying for.  Gathering as much information as possible will help you be more informed.

‘How Long Should Your Resume Be? Expert advice and 5 tips for determining the right length’ 

‘50 Worst of the Worst (and Most Common) Job Interview Mistakes’  

*These articles certainly are not the only ones out there on these topics and should not be taken as the final word-just things I happened to find and wanted to share!

As you enter into a job search, you are hopefully utilizing as many resources as possible to learn about open positions.  While it is a good idea to attend career fairs or reach out to networking connections, it is also highly recommended that you browse through JOB CENTER for leads, apply through online websites that you uncover (those belonging to individual companies and those that list jobs for many places), and mail out resumes with letters of inquiry to organizations you are interested in.  Keep in mind, though, that especially with search tactics that involve sending things out, you are likely going to be required to include a cover letter along with your resume.  If you have never written a cover letter, don’t stress too much – there are plenty of resources to help you!  Just be sure to tailor each letter toward the job/company you are applying to and give yourself plenty of time to have it revised. 

The purpose of a cover letter is to persuade the employer to read your resume and grant you an interview.  It does not repeat your resume in paragraph form; it does provide support and examples of ways in which you meet their qualifications.  For assistance in writing your cover letter, come to our next Simply Impressive 20 Minute Clinic on Cover Letters!  Additionally, take a look at the following article that gives tips on The Do’s of Writing a Spectacular Cover Letter:    

Writing a stellar cover letter becomes even more important in today’s job market when there are so many applicants competing for the same position.  Click HERE for tips on how to make yours stand out!