Yeah - you are a SENIOR! A fabulous time in your life - trust me. Make the most of it.
You are getting ready to return to school. Packing all the essentials, spending time with family and friends...and counting down the days.
This fall, your school's career center will (hopefully) host companies interested in interviewing students for prospective roles.
How do you get past that first door?
Here are THREE critical tips...
1. This should go without saying, but for some reason it doesn't - look presentable. As you pack your things for school, include a suit/pants suit/tie, dress shoes, etc. When it comes time for the meeting, IRON. What does it tell your interviewer if you don't even take the time to iron your shirt before coming? Or have half your shirt hanging out? You'd be surprised, but this is how some people show up. Before one word comes out of your mouth, you will be crossed off the list. So get ready - literally!
3. Prepare PERTINENT answers. Check back here for a list of interview questions. Think about the answers. Do they apply to this particular company? Don't forget to think "WITFT" - What's in it for them. Why should they hire YOU. What do you bring to that organization that others do not. If you can convey this message, you will do yourself a service.
3. PRACTICE. Write out your answers. Read them. Re-read them. Fine tune them. Then practice them out loud. Pick someone you trust to "pretend" interview you. Why someone you trust? You must be open to their feedback.
Good luck!!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
The Dreaded RESUME!!!
ATTN: COLLEGE GRADUATES
Playtime is over....
Yes, the headline is sad. Camp College was a wonderful, 4 year (or so) adventure.
But now, you graduated from College.
You postponed your job search...or perhaps you didn't have much luck during your senior year utilizing your college's resources.
You spent June/July touring Europe, working PT, as a temp or just at home with family.
The bills are mounting.
College tuition.
Rent
Car
Insurance
Food
Slush fund...
It's time for a job.
Where do you start???
With your resume.
I have spent countless hours, writing and reviewing resumes for college graduates up to senior executives.
I have read them. I have reviewed them. I have written them. Thousands. Too many to count.
I have written the job descriptions the resumes target.
Writing a targeted, poignant resume is important. It is your first impression. It gets you to the "maybe" pile. But more importantly, it can propel you to the "NO" pile.
It is worth your time and effort. And just a little of mine.
THERE IS NO NEED TO SPEND $500 - $700 CREATING A RESUME.
Look online. Do the time. Do the research.
Then do your resume.
Take your time. You can do it.
Then send it to me.
I will review it for $75. I will redline the edits and send them back to you to finalize.
Save yourself time and money.
Email me for more information at readysetsucceed@gmail.com.
Once you have a resume, it is time to network. Get busy. Call people. Online searches will help see what's out there but will not get you the job.
Networking for a job - very exciting. You can do that too. I will help. My next post will have all the details.
But get that resume ready first. First impressions matter.
You can do it.
You can do it.
Did I mention that already?
Playtime is over....
Yes, the headline is sad. Camp College was a wonderful, 4 year (or so) adventure.
But now, you graduated from College.
You postponed your job search...or perhaps you didn't have much luck during your senior year utilizing your college's resources.
You spent June/July touring Europe, working PT, as a temp or just at home with family.
The bills are mounting.
College tuition.
Rent
Car
Insurance
Food
Slush fund...
It's time for a job.
Where do you start???
With your resume.
I have spent countless hours, writing and reviewing resumes for college graduates up to senior executives.
I have read them. I have reviewed them. I have written them. Thousands. Too many to count.
I have written the job descriptions the resumes target.
Writing a targeted, poignant resume is important. It is your first impression. It gets you to the "maybe" pile. But more importantly, it can propel you to the "NO" pile.
It is worth your time and effort. And just a little of mine.
THERE IS NO NEED TO SPEND $500 - $700 CREATING A RESUME.
Look online. Do the time. Do the research.
Then do your resume.
Take your time. You can do it.
Then send it to me.
I will review it for $75. I will redline the edits and send them back to you to finalize.
Save yourself time and money.
Email me for more information at readysetsucceed@gmail.com.
Once you have a resume, it is time to network. Get busy. Call people. Online searches will help see what's out there but will not get you the job.
Networking for a job - very exciting. You can do that too. I will help. My next post will have all the details.
But get that resume ready first. First impressions matter.
You can do it.
You can do it.
Did I mention that already?
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Applying to School Starts Now
Summer is halfway over.
Already.
Can you believe it?
Your senior year starts in a month.
Woooohooo!!!
Tell me the truth. How long have you been waiting to be a senior? King of the school? Cruising to the finish line???
Well, not exactly the finish line.
It is more like the start line.
The start line for school.
No. No. No. No and no. It is NOT the start line for the rest of your life. Your life is a journey. Just listen to your valedictorian's speach in May if you don't believe me. Your SAT scores, GPA and every other test you take DO NOT dictate your success or what kind of person you are or will become.
Now, I do not mean to imply by any means that tests and grades are not important. They are. But so is the rest. Leadership. Communication skills. Community involvement. Sports. Arts.
This is the rest.
And the rest is what needs to shine on your applications.
That is where I come in.
I have spent 14 years managing people for an HR consulting firm. I designed our new hire training program. I organized and managed our new hire interviewing process. I hired and I fired. Along the way, I raise the "newbies" - how to manage time, projects and people.
I also interview the college hopefuls for my alma mater - Cornell. Each year I interview prospective high school students and submit the interviews to Cornell as part of the application process.
Now I am sharing all the tidbits, the "pearls" of wisdom I gathered, with you.
So where to begin? Ahh yes...we're we started.
It's mid July. Do you know what you should be doing?
Perhaps you have a part time or even full time job. Perhaps you are traveling with family. Or perhaps you are just enjoying the lazy days of summer.
Well, in your free time, it's time to start thinking about which college is right for you AND which college you, in turn, are RIGHT for.
How do you do this?
You may have visited schools in the spring with your parents/guardians. That is a good starting point. Here is some questions to answer about yourself.
1. What is my gross budget (college tuition goes up every year, so develop a catchall figure).
2. Will I be relying on financial aid and/or loans? How does that impact my gross figure?
3. Who was my favorite teacher. Why?
4. Who was my least favorite teacher. Why?
5. What was my favorite subject. Why?
6. What is my least favorite subject. Why?
7. Do I want a big school - greater than 10,000 undergraduates, medium school (5,000 - 10,000) or small school (<5,000)?
8. Do I want to travel or be near home. If I am "going away" to school, what is the cost of travel? Have I included that in #1 above?
9. Do I want a city school, rural school or something in between?
10. And finally, based on the list above, what is the BEST school I can get into - perhaps a reach but that's ok.
THAT IS YOUR GOAL. Get into the BEST school that YOU can get get into.
If that is the only thing you take away from my advice, then I am happy. The BEST school - based on the list you created - will be the best fit for you and the one to which you will contribute the most.
Why?
You will be stretched. You will have to work hard at studying and balancing school/sports/extracurricular/social activities.
Because that is real life. Life is about being stretched. About balancing your priorities.
And remember, your entire life and your potential successes, do not rest on the choices you make here. But what you make of these choices.
Send me your questions about this process. Please! I want to help.
Thanks,
Stacey
Already.
Can you believe it?
Your senior year starts in a month.
Woooohooo!!!
Tell me the truth. How long have you been waiting to be a senior? King of the school? Cruising to the finish line???
Well, not exactly the finish line.
It is more like the start line.
The start line for school.
No. No. No. No and no. It is NOT the start line for the rest of your life. Your life is a journey. Just listen to your valedictorian's speach in May if you don't believe me. Your SAT scores, GPA and every other test you take DO NOT dictate your success or what kind of person you are or will become.
Now, I do not mean to imply by any means that tests and grades are not important. They are. But so is the rest. Leadership. Communication skills. Community involvement. Sports. Arts.
This is the rest.
And the rest is what needs to shine on your applications.
That is where I come in.
I have spent 14 years managing people for an HR consulting firm. I designed our new hire training program. I organized and managed our new hire interviewing process. I hired and I fired. Along the way, I raise the "newbies" - how to manage time, projects and people.
I also interview the college hopefuls for my alma mater - Cornell. Each year I interview prospective high school students and submit the interviews to Cornell as part of the application process.
Now I am sharing all the tidbits, the "pearls" of wisdom I gathered, with you.
So where to begin? Ahh yes...we're we started.
It's mid July. Do you know what you should be doing?
Perhaps you have a part time or even full time job. Perhaps you are traveling with family. Or perhaps you are just enjoying the lazy days of summer.
Well, in your free time, it's time to start thinking about which college is right for you AND which college you, in turn, are RIGHT for.
How do you do this?
You may have visited schools in the spring with your parents/guardians. That is a good starting point. Here is some questions to answer about yourself.
1. What is my gross budget (college tuition goes up every year, so develop a catchall figure).
2. Will I be relying on financial aid and/or loans? How does that impact my gross figure?
3. Who was my favorite teacher. Why?
4. Who was my least favorite teacher. Why?
5. What was my favorite subject. Why?
6. What is my least favorite subject. Why?
7. Do I want a big school - greater than 10,000 undergraduates, medium school (5,000 - 10,000) or small school (<5,000)?
8. Do I want to travel or be near home. If I am "going away" to school, what is the cost of travel? Have I included that in #1 above?
9. Do I want a city school, rural school or something in between?
10. And finally, based on the list above, what is the BEST school I can get into - perhaps a reach but that's ok.
THAT IS YOUR GOAL. Get into the BEST school that YOU can get get into.
If that is the only thing you take away from my advice, then I am happy. The BEST school - based on the list you created - will be the best fit for you and the one to which you will contribute the most.
Why?
You will be stretched. You will have to work hard at studying and balancing school/sports/extracurricular/social activities.
Because that is real life. Life is about being stretched. About balancing your priorities.
And remember, your entire life and your potential successes, do not rest on the choices you make here. But what you make of these choices.
Send me your questions about this process. Please! I want to help.
Thanks,
Stacey
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