Career Advising & Planning Services at UChicago

The End of the World As We Know It

2011-06-10T13:36:00.000-07:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

So, here we are. Today is the last day of exams, and tomorrow is Convocation. Though I did just channel Rebecca Black a little bit there (which seat can I take?), it’s actually a very deep and profound sentence—I’ve gone through the process of reading, writing and studying for finals like a maniac twice already this year, and here I am, finished with the third round. However, this time around, it seems much more...worth it. It’s incredible to believe that I’m done with my first year of college and even more incredible that so many students and faculty are moving on to do great things-—whether that’s starting an internship across the country or actually entering the full-time workforce. As a first-year student, it’s enough just to think that I’ll be going back home in a couple days, but I’m sure that in three years, I’ll be somewhere completely different—-maybe at CAPS again writing my billionth blog post or maybe, well, who knows? I’m excited though.

Speaking of the blog, I’d like to thank everyone who’s been reading and giving me feedback on my CAPS blogs. I hope my posts have been informative, thought-provoking and interesting. I’ve had tons of fun writing them, even LOL-ing here in front of the computer at times, especially as I’ve embraced my role as a 19-year-old college student who is, herself, discovering what she wants to do with her life. And of course, CAPS is always here to help (seriously. They don't even tell me to write that anymore).

So for one last time (before I come back in the fall), I’d like to wish you a happy weekend, and a great summer!

Thanks for reading!

Why I Love the U of C

2011-06-01T14:57:00.000-07:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

I’m glad to be back blogging after a long weekend, which I hope you enjoyed as much as I did (despite the fact that we seem to have skipped spring and gone straight to summer, as usual)! It’s hard to believe that I’m a couple classes, a reading period and 4 finals away from summer, and boy, I can’t wait. From what I’ve gathered, it should be a pretty relaxing summer—filled with the UChicago campus (sans the UChicago stress), rooftop pool lounging and lots of summer reading and shopping. But I have to admit that I will miss UChicago, because there really is a lot to love about this place. So in honor of our wonderful school, in no particular order...

Five things that I’ve learned to love about the University of Chicago:

Sriracha Hot Sauce: Sure, Bartlett has its rough days, but allow me to divulge my little secret for getting through them: Sriracha hot cause. Also known as rooster sauce, this Asian chili hot sauce makes any dish googolplex* times more delicious.

Exercise: I’m going to say this once and very slowly: waking up at 7:30 in the morning to swim at Ratner does the college student’s body good. I’m going to ignore that loud collective gasp you just let out and insist that it really, really does. As a prospie, I would have never thought to relate UChicago to exercise, but now I find that it helps me de-stress, get through the day, sleep better and burn off all that late night Sarpino’s pizza that I douse with Sriracha Hot Sauce.**

Speaking of Exercise...
The Core! Of course, all prospies are in “love” with the Core. But they’re so young! They don’t know what love is. Love is relating football players to Nietzsche. Love is seeing Freud everywhere—and I mean everywhere. And I hate to say it, but Love is knowing what interests you the most (Political Science and Spanish, in my case). Thanks for a great year, Core.

Chicago: Hot Dogs, Nuevo Leon, Garrett’s Popcorn, Chinatown, deep-dish pizza, the Art Institute, Al Capone and our president. Some may complain about the Hyde Park bubble, but quite honestly, one of the world’s best cities is a 15 minute Metra ride away. I highly recommend it.

CAPS! Of course, right? No—but really, I’d like to give a shout-out to my favorite Career Advising & Planning Services, especially my fantastic boss Laurel. [Ed. note: No, I did not tell her to write that.] I’ve learned so much here, from how to tame our monster of a Xerox machine to the importance of always being positive, as well as many design tips. Apparently, I’ve developed my “design aesthetic,” since I started working here, and I can’t wait to keep doing it!

So, there you have it--my five favorite things about the University of Chicago. Did I miss something? Leave me a comment!

*googolplex: “A googolplex is the number 10googol, i.e. 10(10100), which can also be written as the number 1 followed by a googol zeros (i.e. 10100 zeros)” –Wikipedia. I learned about googolplex in fourth grade and have always wanted to use it in a blog post ever since.

**Buy yours today! http://www.huyfong.com/no_frames/sriracha.htm

Top Places to Work

2011-05-06T14:12:00.000-07:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

"Top" (Top 10, Top 5, Top 100, etc.) lists aren’t always the most accurate—how can they be when being better or worse is majorly subjective? But, as you know, everyone looks anyway. The University of Chicago, as most anyone on campus can probably tell you, was ranked #7 last year on one list but dropped to #11 on another, but remains #1 on yet a another. (In my personal opinion the latter is the correct one.) But one “Top” list that I think is worth reading--especially if you're a fourth-year looking for some places to target in your job search) is FORTUNE’s 100 Best Companies to work for. Some of the perks are a little silly, but I mean, going to a beauty salon at work? Sounds good to me.

Here’s what I have to say about the top 5 companies:

5. NetApp
Location: Sunnydale, California
Perks: Free fruit Tuesdays, Free Bagel Friday and Free espresso daily
Verdict: Not impressed. The temperature peaked today at a toasty 68 degrees here in Chicago—who needs California? Just call us the Sunnydale of the Midwest. Plus, I get free fruit, bagels and coffee at peak event seasons here at CAPS, anyway. Maybe we should be on that list.

4. Google
Location: Mountain View, California
Perks: Free food, free laundry and a climbing wall
Verdict: Impressed. We sure don’t have mountains in Chicago. Plus, it’s GOOGLE—it’s a verb for goodness sake. And it’s been translated into various languages.*

3. Wegman’s Food Market.
Location: Headquarters are in Rochester, New York
Perks: “This year, 11,000 employees took part in a challenge to eat five cups of fruit and vegetables a day and walk up to 10,000 steps a day for eight weeks.”
Verdict: Pretty cool, I guess. Five servings of fruit I could do…but vegetables too? Plus, it might be kind of tough since you’d be working at a food market—after all, donuts are food too.

2. Boston Consulting Group
Location: Boston…duh
Perks: Generous Pay and commitment to social work
Verdict: Sending consultants to Haiti to provide on-the-ground support following the earthquake is awesome. Verdict reached.

1. SAS
Location: Cary, North Carolina
Perks: “on-site healthcare, high quality childcare at $410 per month, summer camp for kids, car cleaning, a beauty salon, and more -- it’s all enough to make a state-of-the-art, 66,000-square-foot gym seem like nothing special by comparison”
Verdict: Wowza.

Want more? Check out the full list here.

*"To google" in Spanish is "googlear". Also, Google in Chinese is 谷歌.

Things of a Logistical Nature

2011-04-22T11:54:00.000-07:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

I’ll be working on campus during the summer—it’s official! I’m pretty glad I have a job, but now it’s time to tackle some of the logistical problems. You see, I live in “Chicago”, which is not to say that I live in Chicago. You see, with quotation marks, “Chicago” refers the sprawling suburban Chicagoland area, and to write it otherwise irks “real” Chicagoans (those living within city limits) to no end. Believe me, I know from experience. Anyway, I, specifically, live in the northern suburbs, and though I told that one kid from Texas that I was from Chicago, I actually live a good hour away. I know a lot of other students who are working on campus as well, so allow me to divulge some information about transportation and what there is to do on campus (and in the ‘burbs!) during the summer months.

Transportation:

Though you could always commute to the city every day (and suffer through the notorious Chicago traffic), I recommend taking public transportation to save money and our planet. I plan to take the Metra every morning to Union Station. The Metra will also take you to the Ogilvie Transportation Center, depending on which suburb you depart from. To find out how to take the Metra from “Chicago” to Chicago, use their trip planner.

Now that you’re downtown, how do you get to the South Side? There are actually quite a few options. If you’re arriving and departing during peak commuting hours, you can take:

#192 University of Chicago Hospitals Express: This bus takes you from the Goldblatt Pavilion at the University of Chicago Hospitals to Union Station and the Ogilvie Transportation Center. It runs south from Ogilvie from 6:30-9:00 AM southbound from then back toward the city from 3:45 to 7:00 PM To find out more, download the schedule.

#X28 CTA Stony Island Express: This bus takes you from the southside to downtown and back. It runs from 63rd and Stony Island to Union Station from 5:52 am to 6:42 pm, Mondays to Fridays. Download the schedule here.

#6 Jackson Park Express: This will take you from Stony Island down to Michigan Avenue, if you just want to do some shopping, or bike along the lakefront, or… anything, really, even on weekends. It’s great. Download the schedule here.

Things to do on Campus

Now that you've made it back to campus, there are plenty of things to do:

Avoid the Chicago summer humidity and work out in the nicely air-conditioned Ratner Athletic Center! No excuses--you’re already on campus!

Print out one of my blog posts and find me on campus. I’ll be signing autographs. (Kidding. Mostly.)

Chicago’s 64th Annual 57th Street Art Fair: June 4-5, Saturday 11-6 and Sunday 10-5. We’re still in school at this point (unfortunately), but hopefully we’ll be well into summer by that time. Support our local businesses, and check it out!

Randolph Street Market Festival—-Okay, this isn't actually on campus, but it's still a great event. Vintage art and fashion, food, drinks and artsy things all around! What’s not to love? Click here for more information. And actually, since we're on the subject, going to any of the city’s open markets and festivals (Maxwell Street Market, Taste of Chicago, Pride Parade…to name a few) is a great idea.

Summer Dance--Also not on campus, but SO much fun. Shake your groove thing to a variety of dance styles all summer long. It's right downtown near Millennium Park, and even offers dance lessons! Check it out!

That's it for now! Happy 5 weeks until summer!

Things Are Looking Up

2011-04-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

Good news! According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employer hiring has increased 19.3% for the class of 2011. As a member of the class of 2014, I take that as a great sign—things are finally looking up!

In fact, this reminds me of a conversation that I had with a member of the CAPS staff yesterday, about how students have become much more practical about their collegiate careers. Going to college to get an “education” has now expanded to all include all senses of the word. So, in addition to, say, a liberal arts education, we also now mean securing “street smarts” and “soft skills” so that we have the abilities we need to succeed in any economy.

This shift is especially apparent at the University of Chicago. Though we're still known for being cerebral, academically rigorous and a little bit (okay, a lot) nerdy, we’ve made a couple of changes so that we can be all of those things and still be ready for the workforce. Interest in CAPS, especially, attests to this—-there has been a 68% increase in the number of first-years making appointments with CAPS to get their resumes reviewed, ask questions about summer internships and start getting another kind of education.

Personally, I think it’s a great movement. As long as we don’t forget the values of a quality liberal arts education, this new awareness of the importance of interpersonal skills and understanding the “real world” as something that's more than an MTV show should really take us to some great places—-and just in time for employers to start hiring again.

If you feel like you'd like to develop your skills, check out some of the resources we offer:

The "Chicago Careers In…" Programs (Business, Arts, Higher Education, Law, Health Professions, Journalism, Public and Social Service, and Science and Technology), which are designed to give you a quality pre-professional focus. Learn more on the CAPS website.

Interview Stream: Practice your interview skills anywhere, anytime. Click here to learn more.

Going Global, a resource for students interested in working abroad. Click to learn more.

And, as always, if you're looking for a specific resource or just want to talk about everything that CAPS offers, feel free to make an appointment!

Uncommon Resume Advice

2011-04-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant, and Laurel Mylonas-Orwig, Strategic Programming and Outreach Manager

Here at UChicago, we like to think of ourselves as outside-of-the-box thinkers. We fill out the Uncommon Application (supplement). We read the Uncommon Blog. And we spend the Uncommon Fund on things like a laser rave in Harper and puppies on the quads during finals (I'm pretty excited about that one). So, there's no reason that our resumes shouldn't be uncommon as well!

I’ve been doing some research about resume writing—as I continue to apply for summer jobs, I want my (and your!) resume to shine as brightly as possible. However, while we all know that a resume should be organized, easy to read and reflective of your past experience, you may not know about some of following tips (that just might help you get ahead):

According to an AOL Jobs article, the number one resume mistake is only writing about past job tasks and not elaborating on what was learned or achieved from that task. The article suggests asking yourself questions such as:
- What specific professional challenges did I face when I took this job?
- Do I have specific performance goals? How well did I do against these goals?
- What is my greatest achievement in this position? How did I do it?
- What were results and benefits to me and the organization?
By answering these questions on your resume, you will give the employer a clearer picture of what you have done and why you would be a valuable employee. The article also has several other helpful suggestions, so I highly suggest you take a look at it.

This Forbes article outlines nine pieces of advice about what to include/leave off your resume. I’ll just list my favorite ones:
- Don’t use heavy resume paper, elaborate designs and other embellishments.
- Don’t include an "objective", or a paragraph summarizing your skills.
- Don’t share information about yourself as a person—such as hobbies and memberships.
This article also says that you don't need to keep your resume down to one page, but until you've got a couple years of experience under your belt, you probably should.

The last segment of this US News article answered a question that I’ve always had about how long to leave experiences on my resume. They advise that you keep a “rolling four-year tableau—the resume should always reflect the accomplishments in the most recent four years.” Also the first comment, unfortunately, has applied to me; Eelynn Lee says that grammar and spelling errors are “quite common”. Asking others to proofread your resume before submitting it for a job is always a good idea, and remember that spell check is your best friend--but won't catch everything. (Editor's note: It's especially important to remember that spell check will not catch words where the misspelling is a real word, but in the wrong place/context. For example, I once saw a resume for someone who had experience as a "Pubic Account Manager". She did not get a call for an interview.)

Finally, I recently came across this AOL Jobs article about one typo that you should make on your resume. As you may have noticed, we favor "resume" on this blog over "résumé". This is an accepted spelling, but, of course, not strictly correct. However, in the age of online resume submissions, it is generally a good idea to omit the accent marks. The reason for this is that many database programs convert documents to plain text, which strips out text flourishes. That turns "résumé" into "r?sum?", which looks very much like a typo. To be on the safe side, unless you're submitting a PDF or a hard copy, leave out the accents. The French will survive.

I hope you all learned quite a bit about your resume writing—I know I did. If you’d like more, click on the article links or, better yet, make an appointment here at CAPS at (773) 702-7040!

What’s CAP-pening?

2011-04-01T12:22:00.000-07:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

See what I did there? It’s just been one of those punny days, I suppose, being April Fools Day and all.

Well, first things first: welcome back to school! I hope everyone had a relaxing spring break filled with sleep, if not also sun-drenched and coastal. I myself was in Southern Indiana hammering and carrying plywood with some members of the University of Chicago Habitat for Humanity chapter. It was a great experience, especially seeing the finished house at the end, though I am glad to be back in the city.

Anyway, we are now well into first week—the add/drop frenzy is slowing down, reading has been assigned and it’s now time to get yourselves into CAPS! Here’s what we have going on in spring:

CCIB information sessions (only for class of 2014): Come learn about Chicago Careers in Business and the application process. CCIB is a selective “Chicago Careers in…” program for students pursuing any major, as long as they are interested in business. Since CCIB is a three-year program, so this info session is only open to current first-years. Join us April 5, 12 pm in the East Lounge and April 14, 4 pm in the West Lounge at Ida Noyes Hall.

Exploring Business Careers: Careers in Advertising/PR/Marketing: Explore advertising, PR and marketing with a panel discussion with representatives from an ad agency, a public relations firm and in-house marketing. Talk about getting started in these careers and different internship and full-time job opportunities on April 14th at 5 pm in the East Lounge at Ida Noyes Hall.

Summer Opportunities Information Session: The fact that we have one of these on May 9 means that there are still summer opportunities out there for you! Don’t miss this chance to do something fun, productive and maybe even lucrative this summer. Stop by on May 9 at 4:30 pm in the West Lounge at Ida Noyes Hall.

Exploring Business Careers: Careers in Financial Services: Explore and get an overview of what it’s like working in the vast field of financial services on May 10 at 5:30 pm in the East Lounge at Ida Noyes Hall.

Those are just a few highlights of all the exciting things going on at CAPS this quarter. We are also part of the Hire Big 10+ Consortium, which is hosting a Virtual Career Fair from April 5-7. This online opportunity gives you the chance to network with employers just like you would at a physical career fair, but you can do it from the comfort of your living/dorm room (you can even wear your pajamas, if you want to). To learn more and sign up (required to participate), click here.

And, of course, don't forget that you can see all of the CAPS programs happening this quarter on the CAPS calendar!

Happy Spring Quarter!

Applying is Terrifying

2011-03-04T12:51:00.000-08:00

by Jonathon Baron, CAPS Marketing Assistant

We’ve covered a lot of information about applying for jobs and internships on this blog, and we’ve talked about the stress that goes along with the process.

No argument there. I’m a senior entering my last quarter here, and while I’ve found a professional niche that I now want to enter, I've also found that it doesn’t make the application process any less terrifying. I have to support myself next year, but I also want a job that I will actually enjoy. So I’m worried about all of the variables that go along with the search: that I’ve misjudged aspects of my application, that I’ll be rejected after getting my hopes up, or that I’ll miss possible opportunities because I haven’t extended my range far enough.

What can I do to reduce the anxiety? I've gotten advice about broadening my search, that I should network to the utmost and send resumes to as many employers as possible in order to maximize my chances of finding a job—-and one that is a good fit, at that. But I’ve put some thought to this, and I wonder if, at a certain point, it’s actually more useful advice to loosen up, let go, and place your faith in yourself to find what’s right for you through a narrower scope.

It’s tough to be graduating and to not know what you’re doing next year, and we’ve been trained for four years in working hard for the right results. Plus, UChicago does a fantastic job of introducing willing students to a large network of alumni (the Alumni Careers Network), and providing information and advising regarding employment. CAPS even provides on-campus recruiting (OCR) for UChicago students, and has a massive database of interested employers, looking for all kinds of people to hire in the Chicago Career Connection (CCC).

These are all fantastic resources. But because there’s such a wide range of information and assistance available to University of Chicago students, it can start to seem like sorting out the mass of information in front of you is even more stressful than sending in the applications. Even if you’ve narrowed your job search to one industry, and you’re only looking at employers in a single city, you’d be stunned when you notice the still enormous number of possibilities open to you.

So here’s my two cents, and you can take it or leave it: strike a balance. Try to put things into perspective. You can’t do everything. The resources at your fingertips are there to assist you, not to make the application process more complicated. If you start to feel overloaded, take a step back and take a breather. Don’t just go to CAPS to get the names of more employers or alumni to talk to—ask for advice on how to preserve your sanity while you continue your search. That’s part of the process, after all. You shouldn’t limit your search and bank on possibilities that could go south and leave you stranded come June. But you’re only human (even if you are a soon-to-be University of Chicago graduate—congratulations), and it’s more productive to develop a clear strategy for your job search than to overextend yourself and go crazy in the process.

Alternatives to Summer Internships

2011-02-23T14:10:00.000-08:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

As a first-year, I've already heard a lot about how important internships are, but I’ve also accepted that it’s pretty tough to get a Metcalf internship at this age. As I wait upon responses from other internships and opportunities, I’ve been brainstorming (with a little help from my friends, and from CAPS) alternatives to summer internships. So far, this is what I’ve come up with:

Get a job and do some volunteering on the side
Start contacting businesses to ask about working for them this summer, and don’t forget to mention that classes for us don’t start until the end of September—-this will set you apart from everyone else who has to go back to school in August. Volunteering on the side is a great way to do something that you like that you might not otherwise be able to do, and it also looks great on a resume. If you've been volunteering for the same organization for awhile, don't be afraid to ask if they have any paying positions that you might be able to fill.

Take the time to travel, either around the country or internationally.
Why, you ask? Well, why not? Not traveling is something many people regret, so make the best of your youth and get out there. Whether you want to visit all of the great Midwestern amusement parks (Wisconsin Dells, Cedar Point, Six Flags Great America…seriously, they’re great), go camping in Michigan or travel across Europe, summer is a great time to get away from all the reading and work of school and relax.

On a related note, my best friends and I are in the process of planning a road trip.
I moved away from them during my freshman year of high school, and I’m super excited to be dedicating a week of my summer to spending time with them. We’re not quite sure where we’re going yet, but using this time to catch up is great, especially when none of our schedules match up during the school year.

Contacting alumni in your area through the Alumni Career Network is always a great way to broaden your horizons.
Check out the Alumni Career Network on https://caps.uchicago.edu to find alumni who are doing something that you're interested in. E-mailing and networking with alumni is a great way to learn about what their UChicago education has done for them, and it may even inspire you to do something similar. These alumni have volunteered to dedicate their time to at least talking to curious students, so be polite, but also satisfy your curiosity and network!

Start your own business!
I did something like this with my friend last summer--we made flyers, talked to our neighbors and eventually had a little tutoring business going. It was nothing too big, but various family friends asked us to tutor their elementary and middle school students. It’s a great way to stay busy, earn some extra money and keep your brain fresh and active.

If you need help coming up with more ideas, or want to talk to someone about how to get started with a summer job/internship/research project, come visit us!

Interview Brainteasers

2011-02-16T14:38:00.000-08:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig, Strategic Programming and Outreach Manager

Most mornings when I arrive at work, there are already a handful of students in business attire loitering in our reception area. Since interview season officially opened at the end of October, I've observed a lot of different waiting room activities. Many students bring a laptop or a book while others read the newspaper; some pace nervously, while others sit, staring straight ahead, until an interviewer appears to collect them.

Let's face it, interviews can be nerve-wracking. While on one hand getting an interview is good news--at least you're being considered--on the other, getting an interview means that you have to prepare yourself for at least a 30-minute barrage of questions about who you are, what you do, and why you want to do it at Organization X. So, in summary, yikes.

The good news is that there are a lot of different ways to prepare yourself for an interview. As you may have heard before, CAPS offers practice interviewers (call 773-702-7040 to schedule an appointment with one) who can grill you as much as you'd like. We also have a new tool called InterviewStream, which you can access via your Chicago Career Connection account. InterviewStream allows you to record yourself answering questions, and then review it yourself or send it to us. Just a tip, though--even though you can use it anytime, anywhere, please, if you're going to send it to us, put a shirt on.

One of my favorite strategies for preparing for an interview is to review the company information and come up with questions that you think they may ask you (or that you want to ask them). This is an especially good strategy if you're interviewing with a company famous for its tough interview questions...like, say, Google. A recent article on Business Insider.com reviewed 15 of the questions that prospective Googlites have been asked in interviews. Take a look at a few of them below (answers are at the bottom; for all of the questions and more detailed answers, see the article). Although questions like these are certainly not going to be the norm in interviews, they're amusing/interesting to read (and if you are interviewing with Google, congrats and best of luck)!

How many golf balls can fit in a school bus?
How much would you charge to wash all of the windows in Seattle?
How many piano tuners are there in the entire world?
Design an evacuation plan for San Francisco.
Explain the significance of "dead beef".
A man pushed his car to a hotel and lost his fortune. What happened?
Explain a database in three sentences to your eight-year old nephew.
You are shrunk to the size of a nickel, and your mass is proportionally reduced so as to maintain your original density. You are then thrown into an empty glass blender. The blades will start moving in 60 seconds. What do you do?

Here are the answers:

This purpose of this question is to see if you can explain the challenge to solving the problem. When it comes down to it, this is really just a glorified math problem, like the type that your 5th-grade math teacher thought were tons of fun. The short answer is, ballpark an estimate for the size of the bus (we'll assume 8' x 6' x 20'), and then determine the amount of space inside the bus (960 cubic feet = ~1.6 million cubic inches, since there are 1728 cubic inches in a cubit foot). Do the same for a golf ball (V = 2.5 cubic inches, if r = .85), then divide the former by the latter to come up with the number of golf balls (~640,000, my math says, though the author of the article above claims 660,000). Assume some space will be taken up by things already inside the bus, like seats, so round down accordingly, leaving you with ~500,000 golf balls. The important thing about this question is not whether you get the answer exactly right--this isn't a math exam--but that you can explain the process clearly and show that you know how to go about solving the problem.

This problem is deceptively simple. While you might be tempted to try to figure out how many windows are in Seattle, and then come up with a lump sum for the total number. This is a good way of complicating your answer needlessly. Instead, think of something like $15 per window. This answers the question, without causing you to do a lot of unnecessary mental gymnastics.

This is a problem of supply and demand. There can only be as many piano tuners as there are jobs for, so that's the answer. If you want to be more specific, lets assume that pianos need to be tuned once a week, and it takes a piano tuner one hour to tune. If he works a 40 hour week, that's 40 pianos. So, one tuner for every 40 pianos. If you want to go deeper into this type of problem (a Fermi problem), check it on Wikipedia.

There a multitude of ways to approach this problem, so the first thing to do is ask what kind of emergency you are planning for. From there, you can proceed. This is another question that's designed to see how you attack the problem.

This is a tech problem, despite how it sounds. Here's the answer, cribbed from the article: "DEADBEEF is a hexadecimal value that has was used in debugging back in the mainframe/assembly days because it was easy to see when marking and finding specific memory in pages of hex dumps. Most computer science graduates have seen this at least in their assembly language classes in college and that's why they expect software engineers to know it." In all likelihood, you're not going to get asked this type of question unless you're applying for a job that is more tech involved.

He landed on Boardwalk! Yes, it's really just a bad joke.

There are a lot of different answers to this question, mostly because it's designed to test your ability to convey complex ideas in simplified terms. Here's what the article suggests: "A database is a machine that remembers lots of information about lots of things. People use them to help remember that information. Go play outside." (I agree, minus the last sentence.)

This is all about testing how creative and inventive you can be when put on the spot. So, put some thought into it!

So, there you have it. Remember, interview skills are like muscles--the more you work on them, the stronger they'll get. Good luck!

Summer Stress (And How to Kick Its Butt)

2011-02-09T14:44:00.000-08:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

It’s that time of the year again in Chicago: the snow that was once a novelty has become a relentlessly depressing visual fixture, midterms have been generously sprinkled into all of our schedules, and spring seems to be eons away. But it’s not! And neither is summer.

That’s why I’m blogging today about summer opportunities, the mere thought of which may be stressing you out right now (don't worry, I still have no idea what I'm going to do either). But that doesn't mean that you should become a ball of misery. Instead...

Come to the Summer Opportunities Info Session Thursday February 10! The Facebook invitation informs that the purpose of this program is to “Learn how to find and apply for internships, jobs, volunteer work, research experiences and College-sponsored programs at this presentation for undergraduate students”...and the 195 people who have RSVP'd as "attending" tells us that there are at least 195 people in the same boat. The good news is, there are still plenty of internships and other opportunities out there, so come to CAPS tomorrow and learn about them! And if you somehow miss this one (which you shouldn’t), come to the “Available Metcalf Opportunities Info Session” on Thursday, March 3rd from 5-6:30 pm and /or “Finding a Summer Opportunity over Spring Break” on Monday, March 7th from 4-5:30 pm.

I have also been advised by my college adviser and CAPS career counselor to look for internships and jobs for the summer in a wide variety of places. My adviser recommended Idealist, a website that's great if you’re interested in non-profit organizations and humanitarian efforts. My career counselor recommended that I actually call local organizations and businesses in my hometown (or in Chicago, if you want to be here for the summer) and just ask if they have any positions/internships available for college students.

Finally, another option is to get a job over the summer so you can make some bank/stay busy while also volunteering on the side. There are always worthy organizations that need your help—and this is a chance for you to explore future career opportunities and feel good about it too! Both the job and the volunteering will contribute strongly to your résumé, and you won’t have to go through long internship applications.

If you have questions about summer opportunities or need help starting/restarting your search, the folks at CAPS are always willing to help, so don't be shy--come see us! Have a happy College Break Day!

Don’t Stress!

2011-01-24T09:14:00.000-08:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

My stress levels were at an all-time high last night. Perhaps it was the amount of homework due for today, or the fact that there is a direct relationship between levels of stress and time passed into the night, but I went to sleep knowing that things had better be better when I woke up (because they weren't very good when I went to sleep!). And they were—because here I am sitting at CAPS writing a blog post, having survived Honors Calc and a double dose of Spanish.

As you probably know, college is stressful, especially when, now that fourth week is here, midterms are looming (or have already begun). Add to that thoughts about what to do this next quarter/this summer/for the rest of your life, and you may well feel overwhelmed. So allow me to share some of my favorite stress buster activities, many of which are unique to the University of Chicago.

Running down 57th Street to the Lakefront—Watch the bluish-gray palette of the waves in winter as you take a breather, and see if you can spot the Lake Michigan iceberg (it exists). Then run back past Powell’s Bookstore and take a look in the free box of books. I picked up On Being Happy and The Shining last time I went.

Cleaning your room—This is mindless domestic work, which is exactly what one needs sometimes. Whenever I clean, I also find lots of stuff that I've lost, so that makes me feel good too.

Going to a basketball game—This is very UChicago in the sense that it’s not. Oh, the irony?

Heading out to Hallowed Grounds (or whatever your favorite campus coffee shop is) with enough money to buy a cup of coffee, and nothing else—Stay and sit for a while. Bring a friend, watch people play pool or just soak in stuff that’s not inherently school-related.

Taking a moment to just breathe—Then organizing and prioritizing. Sometimes the best way to de-stress is just to get all the small pesky things that you need to do out of the way--like e-mailing someone back, paying a credit card bill, or doing laundry.

So, to quote the ever-inspiring J-Mac (Jesse McCartney): “Don’t stress, don’t stress, don’t stress. Girl, you deserve nothing but the best!” And by "girl," he means stressed out UChicago students. Enjoy your week!

What are your favorite stress release activities? Leave a comment below!

True or False?

2011-01-13T08:01:00.000-08:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

As we all settle into our winter quarter schedules, I’d like to play a little game of “True or False”—CAPS style. I would say CAPS is pretty well-known around campus--but in my experience, not everyone knows just how convenient or helpful their services are. So, play along by reading the following statements and guessing if they are true or false. (Also, you might want to cover up the part of the computer screen that says true or false.)

CAPS is a super long trek from campus.
This is false. I live in Max P, and it usually takes 7-8 minutes to walk over here. It’s a pretty scenic walk too, with passing by Rockefeller Chapel and all of the lovely Gothic architecture. But if you can't get over here (you're studying abroad, you broke your leg playing broomball, etc.), CAPS does phone appointments too, so go ahead and call us at (773) 702-7040.
You need to dress super nicely when you come to any of our meetings, events, or to our offices in general.
False (ish). First of all, dressing nicely is always fun—-why else would they have Full Suit Friday? (It’s a real thing, I promise.) Second, most of our events don’t require you to dress up. As long as you’re wearing something that’s weather appropriate (for your sake), feel free to stop by any of our events and meetings! But if you are attending an employer information session (especially with a financial or consulting firm) or coming for an interview, then it's time to don your professional wear. If you're even in doubt about what to wear to an event, feel free to call for advice! (And if you want more advice about what to wear and when to where it, check out this past blog post.)
Making an appointment with CAPS is intimidating.
This is false—I promise! I work here, and even I felt a little apprehensive going into my first career exploration meeting (which I had last week). I mean, I only had my high school resume in hand, and I NO idea what I was going to do with my summer, much less my future. But that’s totally okay because I came out of my 30-minute meeting with a more professional resume and a better idea of what my summer may look like. I also got activated for On-Campus Recruiting (OCR) during the meeting, which means that I can apply for tons of great internships and externships.
Ida Noyes is a neat building.
True! The exterior is very cool and detail oriented—I often see student photographers lurking around taking pictures of the stone cherubs or the cobblestones. They also have brass monkey door handles and other monkey-related details around the building (which is honestly a little creepy, but hey, they’re kind of growing on me. Not literally.)

I hope you had a fun—-and educational—-time playing! If you have more questions about CAPS, feel free to leave them in the comment box. Have a good weekend!

How to Hit the Ground Running

2011-01-04T13:26:00.000-08:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

"Happy New Year" seems to be the greeting of choice around the CAPS office this week—and with good reason, of course, as it is the first week of 2011—so Happy New Year to all of our readers out there as well! I hope you all had a great break/New Years/Holiday Season. I did a lot of shopping, sleeping and reading in my three week break, and now I’m back to class and ready to hit the ground running.

Coincidentally, that is also our theme today, and I’d like to show you how you too can hit the ground running in terms of getting ready for the future—whether that means this summer or further down the road. So read on to find out more about all of the great programs CAPS is offering to help you start the New Year off right.

Coming up this week…

Wednesday January 5, 12 p.m.: How to Dress to Impress for Interviews. Get a free lunch while learning important interview skills to help you make the right impression.

Thursday January 6, 12-4pm: Super Walk-Ins: Half Day. CAPS staff will be reviewing resumes, activating students for Chicago Career Connection and answering career fair, Metcalf and ABG questions. So bring your resume and get your behind in here!

Thursday January 6, 4-4:30pm: How to Work the Winter Career Fair. Learn how to make the most of the few minutes you have to talk to recruiters at the Winter Career Fair.

Friday January 7, 12-4pm: Winter Career Fair. Come peruse potential future employers’ booths—they have a wealth of information and, more importantly, freebies! This is a great way to explore and learn more about what you want to do.

All of these events will be held in Ida Noyes Hall.

Important Events in the Near Future

Wednesday January 12, 5pm and 7pm: Venture2Adventure—this is ONLY open to first years. I’m pretty sure we got a cute little blue flyer along with a luggage tag before we left for break about it—but in case you don’t know, Venture2Adventure is a great event for first years to learn about summer opportunities and resume writing, and catch up with friends over dinner. This will be held in Bartlett Dining Commons.

Wednesday January 12, 6pm: Summer Opportunities Fair—Open to all students. Come meet representatives from local organizations as well as University-sponsored organizations and learn about all the cool things you could this summer. This event will be in the Quadrangle Club, which is across from Reynolds Club (1155 E. 57th Street).

You can find out everything you need to know about all the CAPS Winter Quarter events on the CAPS calendar. And don't forget to join the Career Advising and Planning Services group on Facebook to get invites and updates!

Letting You Know What I Know

2010-12-06T08:11:00.000-08:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

Over the past several months of working at CAPS, I've learned a lot about all of the resources that CAPS offers. Here are the top 5 most important things that you should know (if you don't already):

We have some powerful, experienced Alumni

And thankfully, they love to talk to us. The programs we have here feature alumni who have gone through everything that we students are going through now, and who have used what they learned here to make it—-in every sense of the word. Just recently, I made a flyer for our January 4th event “Can you use your legal skills to change the world?” that featured two alums who are using their degrees to—-you guessed it—-change the world! Learning about our alums’ stories is inspirational and helpful, especially when trying to figure out your own story.

The staff here has tons of relevant experience

And they love sharing it. There are 40 people at CAPS who are focused on your future, whether that’s in business, health professions, journalism, arts, higher education, law or science and technology (yes, I did just list all the Chicago Careers In… programs off the top of my head). And what’s more,there are people who are here to help especially if you don’t know what you want to do! Each program CAPS puts on takes a lot of planning, and the staff here works really hard to make sure you are getting the most out of each program. They also take feedback, so don't be afraid to speak up if you have an idea about a program you want to see!

Ida Noyes Hall--where are the CAPS folks live--is on the Midway.

This is just a logistical question, since, sadly, I'm fairly sure there are a lot of people who have no idea where CAPS is located. To get here, you can take University down to 59th St, turn left, and find Ida on the corner of 59th and Woodlawn Ave. We’re right by the Booth School of Business and Rockefeller Chapel. It’s really pretty in here!

Lots of big names come through our doors

It’s kind of mind-boggling to look at some of the names that come to our career fairs and put on presentations for students—-the Boston Consulting Group, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Draftfcb,the CIA and Teach for America, just to name a (very!) few. Learning about these companies at career fairs and at their presentations can help you decide what to do in the future, or just give you a few more ideas. The resources are definitely here—and since you know now exactly where Ida Noyes is (see #3), there’s no excuse to not take advantage of them.

CAPS is all about Facebook.

Being a member of the CAPS Facebook group is a great start to having CAPS more involved in your life. CAPS puts all of their events on Facebook, and will even send you invitations (though you should always check CCC for employer information sessions, since those are separate from CAPS events). There are a ton of great events coming up in Winter Quarter, so be sure to join the Facebook group to get all the info!

So, there you have it—some insider information about all of the great resources at CAPS! Come over and say hi sometime.

P.S. I’ve noticed that I’ve been organizing my blog posts numerically for quite some time now—I’ll change it up once we get back from break! If you have any questions about careers, internships or your future, leave me a comment and I’ll try to talk to the right people and address them as I blog more.

A Career in Careers

2010-11-15T14:53:00.000-08:00

by Lauren Fish, CAPS Event Liaison

My freshman year, I had no idea what CAPS was, or what the letters in the name even stood for. Now, entering the second quarter of my third year, CAPS has become a bigger part of my life than I ever would have expected. For me, CAPS is much more than just a place to work: it is an invaluable resource, one that has already given me a good deal of opportunities and insider information.

I snagged my job as an Event Liaison through networking: a friend on the rowing team who worked here last year e-mailed the team listhost to see if anyone would be interested in applying for a job that had just opened up at CAPS. I replied immediately, and after sending in my resume and cover letter, I landed an interview with the office. When I came in for my interview, I knew right away that I wanted to work here: the woman who interviewed me, my potential boss, was incredibly friendly and welcoming, the other student workers seemed cool and interesting, and the job sounded stimulating and fun. I was thrilled when I found out I had gotten the job.

Working as an Event Liaison is as challenging and interesting as I had hoped it would be. My responsibilities range from setting up the sign-in computers (we call them kiosks) that you type your ID number into when you come to an event to meeting with employers from companies all over the world to help make sure their presentations run smoothly. I’ve collaborated with recruiters from Teach for America, The Boston Consulting Group, Citi Bank Asia, and the Peace Corps, to name just a few. I’ve also gotten to know the other members of the CAPS staff, from the practice interviewers in the 3^rd Floor Resource Center to the AV/Tech guys in their basement offices. I’ve gotten some really awesome career advice from the people I work with, who know about all kinds of internship and job opportunities. I’ve gotten to sit in on presentations from a wide variety of employers, broadening my knowledge of the kinds of careers available to students like me after graduation.

My job has allowed me to see, and participate in, all the things that CAPS does to benefit us, the students at this university. There are so many great things going on here at Ida Noyes and all over campus; CAPS really does everything it can to give us students every opportunity to excel during and after our time here. Honestly, it’s too bad it took me almost two years to realize this—but now that I know what CAPS has to offer me, I’m doing all I can to take advantage of this great resource while I can!

Several Seriously Spectacular Study Spots

2010-11-08T10:21:00.000-08:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

In addition to all the alliteration, this blog will be awesome for two reasons. First, I’m seriously going to discuss my favorite places on (and off!) campus to get some of my dense Sosc/Hum reading done. Second, for this blog post, at least, you don't have to hear about daunting subjects like getting a job and the future because with midterms and essays upon us, I figure we all have enough to worry about. Plus, it does relate to the general theme of this CAPS blog because studying = good grades = graduation + job. Obviously.

My first spot is the Reg, kind of. On the side facing Bartlett Quad, there are these cozy little niches underneath the Reg’s giant dripping gray concrete exterior. I understand that it’s outside and that it’s getting quite cold now (or trying to, anyway) but since the area is composed of large metal grates atop some component of the Reg's heating system, warm air actually blows up onto you, making for a very cozy, very unique studying experience.

If you’re a snack-while-you-study kind of kid, I’d suggest going to Bartlett or your preferred dining hall. I guess this only works at non-peak hours, but the several times I’ve found myself hungry and with an hour or so of free time between classes and work, I’ve gone to Bartlett and parked myself at a smallish table toward the back. The din of Motown and dishwashing provides nice background noise, and when no one else is there, it’s a great, spacious, well-lit area to study. I’ve also been thinking about going up to the second floor of Bartlett (where students used to run laps back in the day when Bartlett was a gym) and parking myself up there. I’ll do that soon. Facebook me if you want to know how it goes.

At the risk of sounding completely cliché, I’m going to say Harper. Cue the Harry Potter comments, the “I fell in love with UChicago when I saw this library” squeal, and cue the fact that admissions uses its picture every time a prospie receives a postcard. The fact is, Harper really isn’t an accurate representation of ALL of UChicago, but it definitely is beautiful. And well-lit, studious and quiet. I know those who go to Harper often say that the Harper reading room is where it’s at, but I’d like to rep the Stuart reading room, which is around the corner from the Common Knowledge Café. I like Stuart during the day because there are always people napping on the super comfy chairs, and when there are sleeping students, you know it’s going to be good and quiet.

So, there you have some of my favorite places to study. What are yours? Leave a comment, and I’ll spread the word!

Note: “Studying” is what you make it to be. These areas also work well for napping, cuddling, eating ice cream and generally spacing out.

Getting, keeping and managing a job as a first-year student

2010-11-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

By Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

Earlier this summer, I delved into all things college with gusto—changing my Facebook network, buying pink shower caddies, painting my nails a sparkling shade of maroon. Such collegiate gusto also included e-mailing University of Chicago employers to secure a job as soon as possible—a move that landed me with the marketing assistant job at CAPS. I’ve been coming to work Monday, Wednesday and Fridays ever since O-week ended, but lately, I’ve been getting a lot of “hey Sherry—hook me up with a sweet job.” So, now that my fellow first-years have apparently settled into their collegiate niches and are itching for some money, I’d like to offer some words of wisdom* for said first-years:

0. As a precursor to everything else, you have to realize that work actually means work. The concept of getting a job and working 5-10 hours a week sounds do-able, and it is, but it requires mental (or physical) work for those 5-10 hours.

1. If you really want a job, stop thinking about it, and start looking. The student employment site—https://studentemployment.uchicago.edu/ has positions for work-study, non work-study and even off-campus jobs. Consequently, you should also know whether or not you have work-study (as I learned, apparently, term-time employment is not the same thing and does not qualify as work-study). If this still baffles you, call the Financial Aid office to clarify things.

2. Once you land your dream job (as a sandwich maker or some kind of assistant, perhaps), you should enjoy it. Like anything, approaching a job with a positive attitude will make the 5-10 hours of work you do a week much more enjoyable. Here at CAPS, I’ve met so many great people just doing my job—sitting at my desk, standing by the water cooler, working the student registration booth at our recent Career and Graduate and Professional School fairs. Be friendly and start conversations—work won’t even feel like work. Of course, it also helps if your job interests you in the first place.

3. But remember, you’re a student first. If you honestly overestimated your capability to balance a job and do well in school at the same time, don’t be afraid to talk to your employer and adviser about it. Especially on this campus, employers realize that student workers are students first and foremost, and they want you to do well in school. So, talking about changing around/cutting down on hours shouldn’t be stressful.

Even if it is a little big stressful, getting, keeping and managing a part-time job is definitely worth it. Having this job at CAPS has helped to give my personal schedule some structure, and it has also allowed me to do something enjoyable that I wouldn’t do in class (design cool posters). The paycheck at the end of the two weeks isn’t bad either.

*Not really. I’ve only been working for a month and a half, but I have learned a couple of things.

Have questions about getting a job during the school year? CAPS isn't just for those students looking for full-time positions! Make an appointment by calling (773) 702-7040.

Lessons of the Uncommon App

2010-10-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

As Columbus Day weekend drew to a close, the waves of prospective students faded away—the voices of tour guides telling us that Bartlett was originally a gymnasium and that the gargoyles on the top of Hull Gate tell the story of a UChicago student grew quieter while both bright and bleary eyed prospies alike shuffled slowly away from the busiest walkways. In the past, Columbus Day had been nothing but a day off and a reminder that in 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue (or so they say). But this year, thanks to prospective student weekend, it took me back to a year ago—when I, along with the majority of the class of 2014, had no idea where to go and what to do.

The college application process was nothing less than painfully long, but to its credit, it also taught me a few things that are very much applicable to college—and beyond.

Don’t overdo it

Let your personality shine through

Don’t be afraid to ask questions

The CAPS staff if always happy to answer your questions about college and life beyond. Call (773) 702-7040 to make an appointment.

Confessions of a First Year

2010-10-12T08:55:00.000-07:00

by Sherry Cao, CAPS Marketing Assistant

If this is your first time ever reading the CAPS blog, you're probably wondering who writes it. Well, my name is Sherry Cao, and I’m a first-year. I’m a marketing assistant here at CAPS, which means I design various flyers and the cool tri-folds that we all read at Bartlett. I’m probably a lot like you--I'm still figuring out what the names of the campus buildings are, where to get food at 2 AM, and what the best study spots on campus are. I should also confess that I have almost no idea what I want to do with my life. I say "almost" because I know that I wouldn’t [read: shouldn’t] be a doctor or anything else that involves pointy objects and blood.

Anyway, I’m writing this post to allay any fears that first-years may have about the future, or at least, let you know that there’s someone else who’s in the same boat. Far too often, I hear conversations that are more intimidating than they are truthful—i.e. Sarah (not her real name) wants to double major in Finance and French while minoring in Eastern Asian studies and work for the United Nations at the same time that she's starting a nonprofit wildlife organization. These are all wonderful and worthy goals, but with all the stuff that I’ve learned in my Hum and Sosc classes during the 1.5 weeks that I’ve been here, I seriously doubt that I could plan out my life solely based on what I learned in high school.

Some people may already know what they’d like to do, but for everyone who doesn’t, I’d like to make a case for exploration, discovery and finally, surprise. In a school where AP credits hardly make a dent in the Core, one might as well embrace these requirements to their fullest extent...for example, take an astronomy class because you’ve always wondered about the stars, or take “Power, Identity and Resistance” because you’ve always wondered what the heck that class title actually means. My wonderful roommate said to me today, “Life is what happens when you make other plans.” I’m finally feeling the full extent of that-— and hopefully, you do too.

But in case you’d like to explore your options and perhaps get a better idea of what the world has to offer, feel free to come visit CAPS! To schedule a one-on-one appointment with a CAPS career counselor, call (773) 702-7040. To schedule an undergraduate same-day appointment, log in to your Chicago Career Connection (CCC)account from the CAPS homepage to sign up. Hours: Monday – Friday, 11 am – 2:30 pm.

Undergraduate walk-in appointments are available on a first-come, first served basis and are 15 minutes long. They are available Monday-Friday, 3pm – 4:45 pm for quick job-search questions.

Crescat scientia…

2010-09-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

by Neil Weijer, Project Administrator, Chicago Careers in Business

Greetings new first years! By now you’ll have left your parents behind in a drone of bagpipes, all of your carefully-acquired items will have been meticulously arranged (or thrown at random) into your new dorm room, and you’ll have even completed the whirlwind tour that is O-Week at the University of Chicago. But that’s far from the end of it. Soon you’ll be joining students from other years at the RSO Fair (October 1st: mark your calendars), and all that information about classes, calculus, professors, and PE requirements will be competing with a wave of potential extracurricular activities.

By the end of next week, you’ll likely be receiving more listhost email than you could possibly read, and come December you’ll wonder why you ever even gave your name to some of these lists in the first place. When they explained the motto of the University to you (“let knowledge grow from more to more…”), they couldn’t have been talking about this, right?

Not quite. At least for the moment, resist the urge to unsubscribe from the lists. Skim the emails when you have time. Who knows when something interesting might come up? Whether it’s a lecture, a one-time event, or just a chance to meet and talk with new people, there’s nothing like a flash of the unexpected once the grind of the weekly schedule (not to mention the Chicago winter) sets in.

The point of O-Week, and of events like the RSO Fair, is not to bombard you with more information than you could ever possibly need. Rather, it is to let you see just how much is out there for you to do and to see while at the U of C. It’s easy to feel like you’ve bitten off more than you can chew, especially in the first few weeks, but as you go on through the year you might find time to try some of the activities and clubs you’ve signed up for, and may very well end up liking them.

In just the same way as the activities fair can help you find clubs and societies that you’re interested in, it’s never too early to start looking for things to do over the summer or after you graduate. On October 1st, I’d encourage you to stop by another event –the Fall Career Fair, which happens right before the RSO Fair—to see what I mean. You’ll hear people from different companies and areas pitch their lines of work to you. You’ll put yourself down for even more e-mails. You’ll probably even get some free stuff. Most importantly, even if you’re not looking for a job, you might see something and think “I might like to do that,” or even “I might like to work there.”

At CAPS, we’re happy to provide all the resources we can to help you along the way: whether they’re structured (like our growing number of Chicago Careers In… programs), more general (like counseling), or even more listhost emails. If you’re eager to look at internships, industries, or specific companies, or if you’ve simply seen something interesting (a job posting, a seminar announcement) in one of our emails, come talk to us.

One thing that I wish I had known during my first year (and subsequently after) is that finding a job after graduation works much the same way as finding classes and activities does while you’re in school—the more you know, the better off you’ll be. While all the information may seem like a lot to process at first, you never know when something truly interesting may present itself, or when you might remember a club, an activity, or an internship or career area and think to yourself “that might be fun, let me try it.”

One of the most important things that you can take away from your time at the U of C is this: it pays to keep an open mind. It’s one of the reasons we make you take the Core (another is to provide fodder for t-shirt slogans). But even after your first quarters are done—after you know how everything works, after you “know” what you plan to do next year (and beyond)—keep looking, be curious, and don’t be afraid to ask for advice.

So if you’re new here, welcome. If you’re starting another year, welcome back. We’re happy that you’re here, and we’re just as interested as anyone else to see what you’ll do with the information we give you. After all, life isn’t going to simply enrich itself…

Is the Grass Greener? The Pros and Cons of Job Hopping

2010-07-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig, Manager of Strategic Programming and Outreach

For those of us who spend time every day on Chicago public transit, the RedEye newspaper (a bite size edition of the Chicago Tribune, for those not in the know) is a necessary distraction from the slow plod of buses through the city. And a week ago, while traffic meandered through the mess on Michigan Avenue (thanks, Transformers 3), a RedEye cover story caught my eye. Entitled “Confessions of a Job Hopper”, it discussed young professionals’ increasing propensity for moving from job to job in a relatively short period of time. One of the women interviewed has held six jobs in the past seven years. Her reason for so many transitions? To enhance her skills and challenge herself. But while she indicated that she enjoyed her many moves, such frequent shifts may elicit concern from prospective employers.

So the question for young professionals becomes, what is the appropriate balance? The days of graduating from college and going to work at the same place until retirement are certainly gone. Nowadays, experts expect that, over a lifetime, the average Gen-X or Y-er will hold more than 10 jobs over at least five different careers. That’s a huge change from the model our grandparents held to. But while few will begrudge someone who leaves their current job for one with more power, prestige, and/or higher pay, if that person has left three jobs in less than three years, prospective employers may begin to worry that this person will not be fully invested in the success of the company, and their own success in a given position. The bottom line is that you need to be aware of the story that your resume tells. There’s nothing wrong with being someone who enjoys change, but companies will notice frequent job hops, so be prepared to explain how each experience has benefitted you, and to combat an employer’s concerns about your early exits.

Some pros and cons of job hopping:

Pro: Pay increase. Moving from company to company can often be a good way to increase your pay grade at a much faster rate than you would if you were to stay at the same company, because with each move you bring more experience to the table.

Pro: Networking. Like it or not, networking is a HUGE part of today’s job market, as this blogger can personally attest (all but one of the jobs I’ve held were found through networking contacts). The more contacts you have, the more likely you are to find out about a position that fits your personality, interest and experience. If you’re frequently moving around, you’ll definitely meet more people than if you stay in the same place.

Pro: Learning new skills. Any new job will come with a new set of skills, which you’ll be expected to master quickly. If your learning curve has stagnated in your current job, a new position will likely offer a different set of challenges for you to tackle.

Pro: Figuring out what you love. Most people need to try something to know whether they like it or not. So, while you may feel that your college coursework has helped you figure out what you want to do with your life, the reality of your “chosen” profession may prove less exciting than you anticipated. By moving through a series of jobs early in your professional life (between the ages of 20 and 30, the average person will have eight jobs), you’re more likely to find out what your passion is.

Con: Moving too quickly. Most jobs require at least 6 months to one year of continuous learning before an employee has mastered the position. If you move on too quickly, you may be missing out on the chance to fully develop your skills in that position.

Con: Lateral (or backward) moves. If you end up in a job that you’re not in love with, moving to a different one may seem like a good idea. And it certainly can be—but be careful that you’re moving forward, not sideways (or worse, backwards). Each new job should reward you in some way, whether that’s in pay grade, increased responsibility, or the chance to do something you’re really passionate about.

Con: Burning your bridges. As someone who’s had more than one unpleasant employment experience, I’m very familiar with the urge to go out with a bang (euphemistically speaking, of course). But even if you hated every minute of your time at an organization, make the most of the connections you made there, and never burn a bridge if you can help it. It’s a networking world, and every contact can help (or hurt!).

Con: Turning off prospective employers. In the words of one hiring manager, “When I look at resumes, if someone has jumped from job to job very quickly, it makes me nervous—I never want to hire someone who may be using my organization as a stepping stone. That's why, in an interview, I often ask the question ‘How does this position fit in with your long-term goals?’” This concern is shared by many employers, and is something that you should be prepared to respond to if you’re frequently on the move.

Con: Losing sight of your narrative. Your experience is your narrative, and your resume is your record of that narrative. It’s important to make sure that your story makes sense, and that you can easily explain to an employer how each step led to the next.

Ultimately, the choice to job hop can be both risky and rewarding. When deciding what your next career move should be, make sure that you have evaluated your reasons for moving, and that you are being mindful of how the next chapter of your narrative will portray you to future employers. Most importantly, commit yourself to making a measureable contribution wherever you go. If, like most young professionals, your goal is to move quickly up the corporate ladder, make each step count, no matter how long (or short) your time with that company is.

Do you have a job hopping success or horror story? Leave a comment below! And remember, if you ever have questions about your career path or your personal narrative, CAPS counselors are here to help. Make an appointment today!

Know Thyself: A Guide to Your Summer Self-Assessment

2010-07-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

by Shoshannah Cohen, Associate Director, Administration and Planning

Whatever you’re doing this summer—whether it’s an internship, short-term job, studying, volunteering, writing your dissertation, teaching, or something else entirely—making even a little time for self-assessment in relation to that work will pay off for you.

A good way for all of us to learn about how much we enjoy, and how good we are at, certain tasks is to observe ourselves doing those tasks. In this article, I will discuss how to work some self-assessment into your summer, and how to get the most out of your self-assessment results.

How to do a self-assessment this summer
There are several ways to assess yourself in relation to your summer activities. You should choose the one(s) that best suit you, meaning the one(s) you’ll do consistently!

Some people like to write a short journal entry at the end of each day or week expressing their reactions to what they have been doing. This can be a nice way not only to get a record of how you’re liking (and how well you feel you’re doing at) your work, but also to get thoughts and feelings out on paper (or a computer screen).

If you choose this method, be sure to do it regularly—otherwise you may end up choosing to write, for instance, only when something extraordinary occurs, thereby disproportionately representing either (or both) very good or very challenging experiences. Be sure to including those middling “regular” days in there as well!

Others prefer a list of their tasks, and a ranking scale—rating each day or week, on a scale of, say, 1 to 5, how much you enjoyed each of your tasks. How well do you feel you did at each?

When writing down your rankings, it’s important to break the tasks down as much as possible. If you are working on a dissertation, for instance, don’t just say “Research” or “Writing”. Note the smaller pieces: “Reading recent secondary texts in my field”, “Performing bench work”, “going into archive to find primary texts”, “formulating an argument”, etc. If you are interning, don’t just say “helped plan event”. Think in terms of steps: for example, “visited possible venues for event”, “assessed budget”, “talked with clients about their goals”. These breakdowns help you identify where you’re strongest and where you’re happiest! (And, where you might need work or prefer not to spend a lot of your time.)

Some people do better with self-assessment in groups or pairs. To use this method, find a partner or a bunch of friends who’d like to sit down on a regular basis and talk together about how things are going—tell one another about your experiences, like what you’re enjoying or not enjoying, and what you think about your skill level. Listen carefully to each other, and ask follow-up questions to help each person delve into your experience this summer.

Using the results of a self-assessment
Your self-assessment lets you get to know yourself better, a valuable achievement in itself. It can also help you refine your career planning, by showing you more vividly what you like to do, what kinds of work energize you, and what work you may find draining or frustrating. A self-assessment also helps you to see what work you’re good at, and what work you find doesn’t come as naturally.

To understand your assessment, think about taking some or all of the following steps:

Ask yourself: does your self-assessment this summer surprise you in some ways? Or does it mainly confirm what you thought about your work preferences and skills?

Come talk with a CAPS staff member about what you’ve learned from this summer and how to use it to develop the next steps in your career planning.

Talk with friends about what you’re learning and ask what they think. Sometimes our friends have insights about us that can be very helpful in the assessment process.

Reflect on the self-assessment as you begin to write your next round of application materials or prepare for interviews—this is a useful tool for talking about yourself effectively in relation to work.

Finally, enjoy having gotten to know yourself a little better, and try to make self-assessment of this sort an ongoing practice. It’s something from which we can all benefit, at any stage of our careers.

Do you have a self-assessment success story to share, or an idea about another way to gain some perspective on your summer experiences? Leave a comment!

You've Landed Your First Job. Now What?

2010-07-06T11:34:00.000-07:00

by Pat Rosenzweig, Career Coach

You’re curious and analytical. You know how to ask questions and how to synthesize information. Of course. You’re a UChicago student or alum. For some, however, these very characteristics that are the foundation of a success at the UChicago are left on campus when they join the working world outside.

These examples are about recent grads, but they apply equally to undergrad internships.

A UChicago rhetoric major’s first job was for a small marketing and public relations firm. He wrote clearly and compellingly, and he was gracious with the firm’s clients and the rest of the staff. A significant part of his job was to interview clients and explore what about them was innovative and worthy of publicity. At the beginning of his tenure, the Account Executive would accompany him to the interviews to make sure that all avenues of inquiry were pursued. She also needed to see how well the interview was reflected in his written story. She was working to develop trust in his listening, inquiry and “translation” abilities, so that ultimately he could handle interviews alone.

One of the clients they met with was a not-for-profit housing finance agency that had just launched a new program piggy-backing on existing Federal and a city finance programs. Small, not-for-profit housing developers were the target audience for any article that came from the press release he would write. When the Account Executive reviewed his draft, she found that there was nothing in it about the programs’ requirements. “Why?” she asked. “We spent a lot of time on that.”

“It wasn’t important,” he responded.

“Why not?”

“It’s boring,” he said.

Was it that he couldn’t admit that he didn’t understand it, or that what was important interrupted his fluid prose? In either case, if he was going to build trust with his superior, he should have asked for an explanation, clarification, and pursued why it was significant. Where did his questioning ability go?

An investment banking firm had a lot of new hires from various schools on a rotational program. Most of them came from top tier colleges. But because the bank actively looked for “diamonds in the rough” from smaller colleges, there was one student who came from a very small liberal arts college in Michigan.

One of the young associates’ first assignments was to sit with a trader for a morning and document a trade. They had to write a small paper detailing the trade, explaining it technically and recording their observations. When the papers were submitted, the new grads from the prestigious schools had done a beautiful job of writing about all the steps from the trader’s first thoughts to the actual pulling of the trigger and closing of the deal. They had all clearly explained the mechanics of the trade and the technical details. However, one paper stood out.

The graduate from the small school in Michigan had not only documented the trade reasonably well, but also followed the trail. Obviously, a trade doesn’t just end with the trader; it goes to the operations area (back office) where the grunt work is done. Details and instructions are checked, contracts and confirmations sent, and the movement of monies carefully observed so that there won’t be an account in the red, or one with too much surplus.

This “diamond in the rough” received the highest grade because of her ability to look beyond what she had observed with her eyes and ears that day. Remember, any activity occurs within a context. Those who care to look for that, and who understand the whole process, will outperform those who are more academically gifted but lack a complete understanding of their role. Where did the curiosity of the students with 3.9 GPAs go?

A recent College grad was paired with two senior members of an organization and tasked with putting together a new employee training manual. The two senior staff members were seasoned HR professionals, but wanted the input of the new hire to give the manual a fresh perspective. When they got together to work on the training manual, the recent grad suggested revamping the new hire on-boarding process entirely. He had some great suggestions for using new technology to improve the training process, but the seasoned staff only wanted to make small changes to the procedures and update the employee manual, largely because they knew they were working within a limited budget and a tight timeline. Unfortunately, when the recent grad was told that his ideas could not be implemented, he felt slighted by the more experienced staff and argued that he was not being taken seriously. The more experienced staff members—who admittedly were not familiar with the technology solutions that the recent grad had proposed—felt that he was being stubborn and was turning a blind eye to the very real budget concerns their organization was facing. What could have gone differently? The recent grad could have asked more questions about project limitations—but instead of learning more about his colleagues’ concerns, he simply assumed that his idea was the most logical solution, and did not take into account other behind-the-scenes considerations. He could have used his ability to synthesize information to reach a compromise or staged implementation. What happened to his abilities to ask questions to understand the context and the operational challenges?

In all of these examples, the recent grads failed to consider the context of their assignment. In some ways, they didn’t respect the more senior members of their team. Rather than revealing their own ignorance, they avoided, challenged or limited their opportunity to build a relationship with their boss.

A marketing coordinator for a large architecture firm worked with the VP of Marketing at his firm to review a cover letter he had written to a prospective client. The VP and he spent about an hour reviewing the one-page letter, mainly discussing the differences between a letter of transmittal and a cover letter. Because he took the time to really understand what his boss wanted, the recent grad became the best cover letter writer in the group. Years later he told the VP for Marketing that he never, ever wanted to be criticized for his writing again, so when the opportunity to improve came along, “I really listened.”

Want to know more about how to approach your first job? Take a look at “So you’ve landed your first job. Now what?” in the Summer Undergraduate Newsletter. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact a CAPS counselor!

What to Expect (and Not Expect) from Networking

2010-06-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

by Susan Dennehy, Assistant Director of Graduate Services, Social Sciences

Many people feel awkward or uneasy about networking. Instead of thinking about networking as “making contacts” or meeting the “right” people, think of it as professional relationship building. When you enter a career path you are, essentially, joining a particular community. It behooves you to meet and connect with as many people within that community as possible. These are, after all, your potential future colleagues. If you’re interested in a particular organization/company or employment path, you should also be interested in meeting and getting to know the people who currently populate it.

It is often said that networking is an essential part of any job search (and it is). What is not always discussed, however, is how to set appropriate expectations for networking.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

Expect that it will take time to get used to networking. Be patient with yourself and with the process. Networking is a skill and, like all skills, it takes time to develop and hone. Set small, achievable goals at first, like talking with 2 to 3 people you don’t know at a reception or networking event. Then grow your goals incrementally over time. The more you approach people and talk with them, the easier it will get.

Expect that you will get better at it over time. Remember what they say about getting to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice! The more often that you make a point of talking with someone new about their line of work and professional experiences, the more naturally it will come to you. Again, this takes time, so be patient. (And be sure to keep an eye out for networking opportunities offered through CAPS, and take advantage of them! Hint: Any program with panelists is an opportunity to network.)

Expect that the people you meet will ask you a few things: What are you interested in doing? What is your background/training? What do you have to offer (in terms of skills, knowledge, and experience)? They may even ask for your business card. Be prepared. Work on your “elevator speech”—a brief introduction to your skills, interests and abilities—beforehand. Bring some business cards. If you have questions, come see a CAPS counselor!

Expect to ask questions yourself. In addition to your elevator speech, you should approach each networking situation with a set of questions like, how does someone get started in this field? What do you like about your occupation? What skills and qualities does a person need most to excel in this field or organization/company? Asking questions is a sign of respect. It shows that you’re interested in what the person has to say, and that you value their feedback. And as I mentioned above, since entering a career path is like joining a community, you should have a genuine interest in what people on that path have to say.

Expect to be organized. Keep notes on whom you have met (and where), what you have talked about, and how to contact that person in the future. Once you begin meeting and connecting with a variety of people, it can be difficult to keep everyone’s name and information straight in your head, so write it down. Review your notes before attending an event where you might meet that person again, and keep in touch with people when you have positive news to share (a job interview, an interesting and relevant article you’ve come across, etc.).

And now for what not to expect in networking…

Don’t expect that networking will always lead to immediate opportunities. Just as you have to be patient when building up your confidence and skills, take the long view here as well. It may be a few months, or longer, before someone you have met and have had great conversations with contacts you about a job lead. Don’t despair, and definitely do not give up. Remember that you are building relationships. If you do this right, they will last a long time—and when something eventually does come up, you may be the person they call on.

Don’t expect your degree, background, or even your experience to speak for you. You have to do the work of identifying what you bring to the table that is beneficial to employers. This means you have to identify the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the job you’d like, and make the case that you have what it takes to excel in that line of work. Consider all of these things as you are composing your elevator speech.

Don’t expect that someone has nothing to offer if they don’t match perfectly what you’re looking for. Think about the six degrees of separation—the idea that each person is six degrees away from everyone else. If you want to break into art, or sports, or financial services, or whatever, the person you just met may know someone (a spouse, a friend, a former co-worker) who works in that field. Don’t dismiss or ignore someone just because they are currently working in a field that is not your own target field. Instead, ask if they know anyone who might be good for you to talk to.

Don’t assume that all networking takes place “out there”. You can also network with your friends, family, and friends of your friends and family. You never know where you might find someone who works in an industry or organization that interests you (remember those six degrees again!), so keep an open mind and begin with the people you already know.

As a final note, LinkedIn is a great way to see who is connected to the people you know. Anyone who is connected to you in the first, second or third degree will appear with a 1, 2, or 3 next to their name in a LinkedIn search. This is a great way to see the extent of your own network.

Remember, CAPS is here to help you! If you would like help finding networking events, identifying your skills, composing your elevator speech, or with any other aspect of the job search, make an appointment to see a CAPS counselor by calling (773) 702-7040.

How to Make the Most of Your Summer Internship

2010-05-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

by Marthe Druska, Senior Associate Director, Employer Relations and Development

As the end of the academic year approaches, many students are preparing to begin summer internships in a wide range of fields across the country and around the world. Whether you’re headed off to your dream internship or into a temporary position that’s just meant to pay the bills, here are some important tips for making the most of your experience:

Be on time. This may seem commonsense (because it is), but being punctual at your internship is of the utmost importance. This doesn’t just apply to the first few weeks on the job--we mean the entire summer. Even the Monday morning after your significant other was visiting for the weekend? Yes. Even the day after you returned from a vacation with your family? Yes. Even the very last day of your internship, when all of your projects are done and you’re just showing up for a farewell lunch? Yes. Be on time to your internship every single day. Punctuality shows an employer that you are reliable and that they can count on you to be in the office when they need you. And since you likely want your summer employer to either offer you a full-time job or serve as a fantastic reference for future applications, you definitely want that person to know they can count on you.

Dress the Part. The transition from classroom casual (sweatpants and yesterday’s semi-clean t-shirt) to business casual (somewhat dressy clothing that is clean and ironed) can be a jarring one when first starting out. Dressing well for a position doesn’t stop after the interview (although check out this article for tips on proper interview dress and presentation). You need to dress professionally and appropriately every time you show up at the office. Don’t let the day that you go to work in ripped jeans and flip flops be the day that your supervisor calls in sick and asks you to deliver an important document to the director of the company. As a general rule, plan to overdress on your first day of work--that is, wear an outfit that you would wear to an interview. Take stock of how the other staff in the office dress, and then aim to dress slightly better than they do. Why? Because they already have full-time jobs. If you want to stand out as an intern, make sure you’re doing so on all fronts.

Do your work. You may be thinking, “Well, what else would I do?”, but picture this: it’s 3:45 PM on a Friday afternoon in July. The weather outside is perfect: 85 degrees outside, with a sunny blue sky. Your roommate has already texted you twice to say that he is on his way to the beach/pool/your favorite coffee shop with an outdoor patio. You, however, have been pouring over a spreadsheet, analyzing data for the past three hours, and you have at least three more hours of this ahead of you before you’ll be done for the day. What do you do? Don’t leave the office! Unless you have express permission from your immediate supervisor, resist the urge to cut corners, fail to see projects through to completion or just flake out in general. It only takes one slip-up to make a bad impression on an employer. And while you may think that it’s “only” a summer internship, the connections you make at your internship can easily influence your next step. Which brings us to…

Network. We know--you hate it. If you have to hear about the importance of networking one more time, you’re going to throw your laptop out the window. You don’t want to contact complete strangers, and you especially don’t want to become buddies with that weird guy down the hall who always wants to talk about his latest family vacation. Too bad. Networking--with your fellow interns, with other staff in your place of work, with alumni on the Alumni Careers Network (yes, that’s a shameless plug)--is crucial to your continued career development. Make an effort to get to know the people who work in your office. What do they do, where did they come from, and what advice do they have for a college student who wants to work in the same field they are in? Then, stay in touch. As you approach the end of your internship, ask your colleagues if you can take their business cards, and if you can be in touch in the future with questions about your resume and positions that might be a good fit for you. If you’ve made a really good impression, they may even contact you when positions open up that you might be interested in.

Be a team player. In many job descriptions, after the listing of responsibilities and qualifications for the position, there is the caveat that reads something like “Other duties as assigned.” For a summer internship, these “other duties” can range from pitching in on a brainstorming session to taking out the trash. So go into your internship prepared to do just about anything. Don’t be intimidated if you’re asked to be part of a high-level project--they hired you for a reason, and they value your work. Likewise, don’t turn your nose up at menial, clerical or manual labor that you might be asked to do. Like it or not, you’re an intern, which means you’re at the bottom of the totem pole. If someone asks you to do something unappealing, do it well, and do it with a smile. Being willing to pitch in and help out at all times makes you stand out, and standing out (in a good way) is what you want at the end of the day.

Stay late. We know. You’ve been at work since 8:30 AM. You had to get up at 6:00 AM and ride the subway for an hour and a half to get there. Now, it’s 5:00 PM and all the other interns are going to the bar downstairs for happy hour, but your supervisor needs help finishing up a last minute presentation. What do you? By now, we hope the answer is obvious—you stay late and help your supervisor. This goes back to being a team player. If there’s an opportunity to step up and help out, regardless of the time of day, take it.

Watch your behavior (and your mouth) outside of the office. It’s 7:00 PM and you've finally finished the presentation you were slaving over all day. Luckily, all the other interns are still at the bar downstairs, three drinks in and SO excited that you finally made it. Here’s the moment of truth. Are you going to be able to resist the urge to immediately drink four drinks—just to catch up—and make a fool of yourself? There is a time and a place for revelry, but that time and place is not when you're with your co-workers (not even if they're fellow interns). This means no over-indulging when you’re at the office happy hour, no gossiping about other interns or co-workers, and, if you learn nothing else from this post, no posing for inappropriate photos that will inevitably end up on Facebook! Seriously, we promise you won’t think they’re nearly as funny five years from now, so just avoid embarrassment and swear off cameras when you’re out socializing.

For more tips about preparing for your internship and making the most of your summer, make an appointment with a CAPS staff member by calling (773) 702 – 7040.

Still looking for a summer internship? There still a variety of summer internships listed on Chicago Career Connection. Log on today to view your options, and then come to CAPS for help creating a targeted resume and cover letter.

I Want To Do Sales, But I Don’t Like People

2010-05-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

by Keith Dipple, Assistant Director, Employer Relations and Development

“What can I do for you today?” I asked the student in my office.

“I wanna be a trader,” he said. “Have done ever since I can remember. I don’t want to do, try or be anything else. It’s trading or bust.” He’d convinced me up that point, so I thought I’d ask the most sensible question.

“You like taking risks then?”

He looked surprised, sat back slightly and said, “Ooh, no. I don’t like risk. Never have.”

There are many types of businesses that make up the world we refer to as “financial services,” and just because you are a good fit in one doesn’t mean you will be in another. They all require different skill sets and traits. Now, this doesn’t mean that introverts can’t be good sales people, but it sure helps to be a tad outgoing. What I offer here are some simple guidelines as to what you’ll need in just a few select areas—trading , sales, equity research, investment banking and private wealth management.

To be a good trader you need to buy low and sell high, for the other way around is a shortcut to a very quick end to your career. But that is no more than 20% of the job, because lots of people can do that when times are normal and markets stable. But what about when they’re anything but, you find yourself $500,000 down, and the boss is looking at you wondering what your next move will be? How will you react? Do you have that rare ability to think logically under extreme pressure while maintaining the same level of rationale that you had when you opened the position? Think carefully, because psychiatrists say that only one in 1,000 people can actually say “yes” to the last questions, which is why most people chose to do something else for a living. It’s 80% of the job, so the ability to think clearly and logically when chaos surrounds you is vital.

What about sales? Well you may have heard about the four P’s in Marketing 101 (product, price, place, promotion), but you need the three P’s in sales: product, price and personality. Imagine you’re on the sales desk at ABC Bank selling currency options. Your trading desk is great, especially the woman who trades the Dollar against Yen. So you have the product and you have the price, but so does DEF International, GHI Trust and JKL Bros. So how will you sell $/Yen to your clients when these things don’t differentiate you? Easy—make them like you more than they like the competition. In short, do you have the personality? Sales are all about dealing with people, and to do that, you’ve got to get them to like you. (And it helps if you like them too.)

With equity research, you need to know about equities, and you need to know how to, well, research. But once you’ve done your homework you will have to pitch your stock and convince your bosses or clients why the one you’re advocating for is the best at that moment in time. For this you will need superior presentations skills (no animation or sound effects on your PowerPoints, please) and the ability to write and communicate well. But you’re also going to have to defend your pitch in front of people who are there to pick it apart piece by piece, so you need to have a very thick skin and the fortitude to not take things personally. Those who are attracted to equity research—but offended if someone calls them a silly rabbit--need not apply.

Investment banking, or “I-banking” if you’re hip and trendy (or simply IB for those of us who are fully paid up members), is not for anyone worried about beauty sleep. It’s about hard, grind-it-out work, incredible attention to detail, and dedication that borders on the insane. But it’s also about immense creativity and finding new and inventive ways to satisfy clients’ needs while making money for your institution. To be successful here you have to be an innovator and a superior critical thinker. Is it good money? Sure. But that’s the worst reason to go into it. The best reason is because you want to work shoulder to shoulder with staggeringly smart, motivated and successful people in the ultimate meritocracy. Good money? Yes—but you’ll earn every single penny of it.

Private Wealth Management (PWM) combines many of the traits needed for all the roles I’ve discussed already. You’re going to have to understand markets like a trader, get on with people a la sales, be able to get your ideas across to experts and laymen alike, just like in equity research, and you’re also going to have to be innovative and work like a dog to be successful—as if made for IB. You always have to look good and display charm while inwardly getting ready to kill the competition. You are a living paradox because you must be a friendly, smiling assassin.

So there you have it. We have scratched the surface and taken a look at the most important qualities needed for a few roles in financial services. Ask yourself the question, which one do I like the most? Now ask yourself, which one do I best fit? Are they different? Hmmm…food for thought guys, food for thought.

Keith Dipple worked in financial services for more than twenty years before joining CAPS as an Assistant Director for Employer Relations and Development. Keith advises students who are interested in careers in financial services and technology. To make an appointment with Keith, call the CAPS reception desk at (773) 702-7040.

All the Right Answers

2010-05-03T12:59:00.000-07:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

Last week, I wrote about the importance of asking good questions in an interview. If you do your research prior to the interview, and think critically about why you want the position, you can impress the interviewer with your preparation, insight and interest. But as important as asking good questions is, an equally (probably more) important part of the interview is answering the employer’s questions well. After all, the point of an interview is for the interviewer to get to know you in a professional context! And no matter how good your questions are, if you bumble your way through the rest of the interview, you probably won’t get the job.

To get ready for an interview, consider what questions you might encounter, and then prepare yourself accordingly. Below is a list of ten of the most common interview questions—culled from experience and the all-knowing Internet—as well as advice about how to answer them. Of course, every interview will be different, and you should try not to over-prepare…you don’t want to sound like a robot or an actor just reciting lines. If you’re having a difficult time finding the right balance, remember that you can always schedule a mock interview at CAPS by calling (773) 702-7040. Your practice interviewer will be able to give you advice and feedback about your interviewing style, and pointers on how to improve. Remember: interviewing is a skill, and as with most skills, the more you practice, the better you’ll get.

Tell me about yourself.
This is one of the most common questions to start an interview with, and it can be a really tough question to answer because it’s very broad. Additionally, most people have a hard time talking about themselves, especially in a laudatory way. The best thing to do is keep your answer short and relevant. Touch on your education and work history, current life situation, and a few details about how/why you became interested in the position. The interviewer doesn’t need to hear where you were born or how you ended up in a particular city, but he or she is interested in learning why you are interested in the field that you are now applying to work in.

Why are you interested in this position?
If you didn’t include this information in your answer to the first question, this is the time for you to highlight how and why you’re great for this position. Try to avoid self-descriptions like the “ideal” or “perfect” candidate (no one is perfect), but feel free to talk about relevant experiences and accomplishments that fit well with the job description. You can also include information about why you’re looking for a job, but if you do, stay positive. Bad-mouthing a current or former employer won’t score you any points with the interviewer.

Why are you interested in working for XYZ Company?
This is a chance for you to let your preparation show. You will have done your homework, so address anything you’ve learned about the company that you found interesting or exciting. As always, stay positive and enthusiastic. “Because I need to make money” may be the honest answer, but in an interview, discretion is certainly the better part of valor.

What relevant experience and/or skills do you have?
If you have relevant experience in spades, this will be a straight-forward answer. If not, a little more creativity may be required. Draw on co-curricular interests and hobbies to paint a picture of why you’re qualified. Be careful not to lie, though—if you don’t know what a vlookup is, don’t tell the interviewer you’re a master of Excel.

How would your current/previous coworkers or supervisor describe you?
Hopefully, your coworkers and supervisors would use nothing but superlatives to describe you. However, if expletives are more likely, now is NOT the time for full disclosure. Again, don’t lie—you never know who the interviewer might know—but try to find a way to maintain a positive tone. If you’ve ever gotten a really nice compliment from a coworker, this is a good time for specific quotations.

How well do you work when under pressure?
The super-obvious (and correct) answer to this is “Very well” or something along those lines. You can say this in a variety of ways: you work well under pressure, you prefer working under pressure, you thrive on a challenge. Whatever you say, keep it positive and as close to the truth as possible. After all, if the reality is that pressure gives you hives, your employer will find that out if they hire you. If you have to lie to get the job, you probably shouldn’t be in that position.

What’s your greatest strength?
This is a chance for you to toot your own horn, which can be difficult for some people. If you have trouble talking about yourself, pick one quality you’re proud of and give a relevant example. If you could be Narcissus’ twin brother, try to keep your answer short. Arrogance, even when warranted, is never an attractive quality. Also important: the employer is looking for a work-related answer. This may seem obvious, but now is not the time to boast about your beer pong prowess. Instead, give an example of a skills that translate well into any work environment, like stellar organizational skills or the ability to do eight different things while walking and chewing gum (if one of those actually is a strength of yours).

What’s your biggest weakness?
The key to this one is positivity. Although there might be a number of things you feel you could improve in yourself, this is not the time to make a list as long as your arm. Answer the question honestly by picking one small, work-related flaw and giving an example of how you’re working to improve it. Whatever you do, don’t say that you don’t have any flaws (that’s just a lie) or that you’re “too good at your job” or some such nonsense. You might be great at your job, but everyone can improve in some respect.

Would you rather be liked or feared?
This is a trick question: you’d rather be respected. You don’t want to say “feared” because this gives the impression that you’d be hard to work with. You don’t want to say “liked” because this could mean you’ll be a human doormat. If your coworkers respect you, you can get the job done and still have friends afterward—the best of both worlds.

What kind of salary are you looking for?
This can be a tough one, especially for young job seekers. Be realistic, but be careful. If you throw out a low ball estimate, you may not be making as much as you could. If you go high, the employer may pass you over. The best answer is to ask about what this position has earned in the past and what qualifications they consider when making salary decisions. This is also another opportunity to show that you’ve done your research. Use sites like salary.com to get an idea of what an average employee at that or a comparable company makes. Then, if pressed, you can throw out a range. But always end with “However, I’m flexible with regard to salary, given my interest in this position/organization.”

Is there a popular question that got left off the list? Leave a comment below!

All the Right Questions

2010-04-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

There’s an old adage that says “no question is a stupid question.” Now, usually I’m the person grumbling in the back of the room when this particular axiom is trotted out at meetings or workshops, because I believe that there are, in fact, stupid questions. Personal feelings aside, however, I realized recently that this saying is very applicable to interview situations—albeit, in a slightly different incarnation. When you get the opportunity for an interview, it’s important to make the most of your time with an employer. One way to make yourself stand out is by asking questions—and asking good questions. Because as they (should) say, in an interview, asking no questions is stupid!

But what is a good question? To answer this, first think about the objective of a job interview. You want to show the employer that you are intelligent, interested, and well-qualified. You also want to show that you have thought about why you would like to be doing this job, beyond the monetary gratification of a paycheck. Finally, you want to demonstrate what makes you special—i.e. why an employer should choose you over another applicant. This is a lot to accomplish in a 20 to 30 minute interview. But if you utilize your time and ask good questions, you can put yourself head and shoulders above other candidates.

The first step is to do your homework. Before you go to an interview, research the company. Read their website. Find out what news they’ve been making lately. If you know someone who works in the company, talk to them. By the time you walk into the interview, you should have a good grasp of the organization’s mission and focus. If you’ve taken the time to do your research well, you can really impress the interviewer. One hiring manager told me that a candidate she’d interviewed recently had been so well-prepared that the candidate knew more about the company’s website than the interviewer! “It really gave her an edge in the process,” the hiring manger said. “I knew she was interested in the position because she’d taken the time to read through the entire website, and asked really insightful questions about the information on it.”

The second step is to consider what you need to know before you accept a job offer from the company. I know that nowadays it seems like any job is better than no job, but as someone who has suffered through some pretty awful jobs in the past, I think it’s important to be honest with yourself about whether a position—and a company—would be a good fit for you. Thus, in an interview, a good question to ask is “What is the corporate culture like?” You can usually get a sense of this from the company literature and by paying attention in the waiting area, but it’s still good to hear what the interviewer thinks. Another great question to ask is “If you could change one thing about the culture, what would it be?” This is a nice way of asking if there’s something you should know ahead of time—like that everyone is always expected to stay late. If you turn into a pumpkin at 5:00 PM, that may not be the position for you.

The third, and perhaps most important step, is to find out what the interviewer is looking for in a successful applicant. Somewhere beyond the dry language of a job description is a live person who will want you to meet their expectations. Therefore, you need to know what those expectations are. Ask, “What qualities do you look for in a successful applicant?” This question is great because it accomplishes three tasks: it tells you what you need to know, it gives you the opportunity to further address experiences you’ve had that would fit well with the qualities the employer lists, and it shows the interviewer that your priorities are in line with their expectations. A good follow-up to this question is, "How are candidates evaluated and what's the measure of success?" This will help you make sure that you know how to excel in the position if you get it.

At the end of an interview, the last question you should always ask is “What are the next steps in the process?” This will give you an idea of when you can expect a response, what the hiring time frame is, and if you will be expected to meet with anyone else before a decision is made. It will also let you know when you should follow-up if you haven’t heard anything, so that you aren’t left waiting and wondering indefinitely.

To help you get started on your own list of interview questions, see my sample list below. And remember, if you ever have questions or want to set up a mock-interview appointment, CAPS is here to help!

Great Interview Questions:

What is the corporate culture like?
If you could change one thing about the culture, what would it be?
What qualities do you look for in a successful applicant?
How are candidates evaluated and what’s the measure of success?
Why is this position available?
Is this a new position? How long has this position existed?
How many people have held this position in the last two years?
Who would be my supervisor?
How would you describe the supervisor’s management style?
With whom will I be working most closely?
What kind of turnover rate does the company have?
What projects and assignments will I be working on?
What are the current problems facing the company (or my department)?
What attracted you (the interviewer) to this organization?
Why do you enjoy working for this company?
What are the most challenging aspects of this position?
**My personal favorite: Is there anything I didn’t ask you that I should have?

What’s your favorite question to ask in an interview? Leave a comment below!

Are You Sabotaging Your Search?

2010-04-12T14:51:00.000-07:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

It seems like a college rite of passage nowadays—after a night of revelry, you wake up to find some less-than-flattering pictures of yourself tagged on Facebook. As a militant de-tagger, I have offended many a Facebook friend by refusing to allow their “cute” (read: hideous) picture of me to remain in my profile. But vanity aside, de-tagging certain types of pictures is pretty important when it comes to your job search. Now that anyone with an email account can create a Facebook profile—and thus search for your Facebook profile—surreptitious snooping on the part of potential employers, via Facebook and other social networking sites, is a growing trend. In fact, research commissioned by Microsoft in December 2009 found that 79 percent of United States hiring managers and job recruiters surveyed had reviewed online information about job applicants. Most said that what they find online is likely to impact their selection criteria—and an overwhelming 70 percent of hiring managers in the study said that they have rejected candidates in the past based on what they found out online. Suddenly, that funny picture of you in a toga with a pineapple on your head may not seem so amusing.

So what steps can you take to protect yourself from inadvertent online reputation suicide? First and foremost, know what’s out there about you. Act like you’re going on a blind date and Google yourself—then think seriously about what you would think about what pops up. If you didn’t know the story behind that facetious blog “rant” you posted, would you think it was funny? Or is it something that perhaps is best left unsaid? New CNN contributor Erick Erickson learned that lesson recently after he took flak for his past incendiary political statements. His response when asked about one of the particularly vitriolic quotations? “That was about the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.” Unfortunately, while he may know that now, the blog post that quote is from is still there for anyone to read. While this didn’t prevent CNN from hiring him, you may not be so lucky, so watch what you put out there. A good rule is if you don’t want your grandmother reading/viewing it, don’t put it on the Internet.

Second, embrace Facebook’s de-tagging feature. Yes, you may offend people, and yes, you may be sad to lose some of those pictures. However, in the contest between your favorite silly pictures and your professional reputation—well, there isn’t one. If you just can’t bear to part with them, download your favorites, or at least move them into an album that only you and a few select others can see. A word of warning, though: as long as you leave a picture posted and accessible to others, you will never be able to fully control who sees it. Thus, make sure you’re ready to deal with any consequences that may lead to.

As long as we’re talking about Facebook, remember to check your privacy settings. A great New York Times article published in January detailed how the changes Facebook made in December may have affected who can view your profile and personal information. If you haven’t manually selected your privacy settings since the updates were made, you should do so immediately. As the Times article notes, “…most Facebook users likely opted for the recommended settings without really understanding what they were agreeing to. If you did so, you may now be surprised to find that you inadvertently gave Facebook the right to publicize your private information including status updates, photos, and shared links.” Don’t wait until you get a nasty surprise—check these settings now and save yourself a future headache.

Finally, make social networking—and the Internet—work for you. If you’ve been to CAPS anytime in the last few years, you’ve probably heard about how important networking is. It’s not always the easiest thing to do, but if you ask any CAPS counselor, we can tell you tale after tale illustrating how beneficial it can be. Sites like LinkedIn make it easier than ever to establish professional connections, and I can tell you from personal experience that employers do use LinkedIn to check out their applicants. Thus, it’s to your benefit to make as many connections as possible, because you never know when your friend’s cousin’s sister might be able to help you get a foot (or at least a finger) in the door.

The bottom line is that nowadays it’s easier than ever to find out more about someone, and for job seekers that can be a huge benefit. However, the Internet, like any other tool, can be just as damaging as it is useful. As Microsoft Chief Privacy Strategist Peter Cullen said in a recent article, “Everyone should think critically about the image they’re digitally portraying.” If that portrait is not a favorable or accurate one, you may well be sabotaging your search, which is obviously not what you want to do. After all, getting a job these days is already hard enough! The good news is that by taking just a few minutes to assess your online reputation, you can make it work in your favor, and increase your chances of landing a great position.

Do you have questions about how to manage your online reputation? The CAPS staff is always here to help with any job search quandaries. Click here to make an appointment with a counselor!

Finding a Great Summer Opportunity

2010-04-05T13:27:00.000-07:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

Now that it’s April and the first week of Spring Quarter is already gone, you may feel the pressure mounting to find the perfect summer opportunity, if you haven’t already. As a student at this university, I had planned on taking classes in the summer between my third and fourth years. When I suddenly realized this wasn’t possible (for a variety of reasons), it was already the third week of April, and all of my friends had already secured internships and other opportunities. I was left feeling panicked and uncertain about how I would fill my time—and more importantly, how I would pay rent!

Fortunately for me, there were still a few Jeff Metcalf Fellows internship opportunities floating around, and the good folks at CAPS helped me pin down my own (nearly) perfect internship. If the beginning of this story sounds familiar to you, the first step is not to panic—with planning, a little bit of research and the assistance of on-campus resources like CAPS, you too can find you own happy summer ending. And it may be that that opportunity won’t necessarily be an internship—besides internships, there are a variety of other great options you may not have heard about. Read on to learn more!

Planning Resources and Involvement for Students in the Majors (PRISM)
The PRISM program was created to support the educational goals of the College, and to address three major concerns of liberal arts education: building a departmental, intellectual home for undergraduate majors, increasing student awareness of CAPS resources and services and, helping students understand and articulate the skills and knowledge gained through their liberal arts education. Run by Deborah Neibel, Associate Director for Undergraduate Preparation at CAPS, PRISM serves students in eight majors: Anthropology, Art History, English, History, Human Development, Philosophy, Political Science and Psychology. In addition to several departmentally specific programs, PRISM features two research grants: PRISM Research Grants, funded by the College, and Seidel Scholars PRISM Grants, funded by a generous donation from the Larry R. and Kathleen Gilles Seidel Charitable Trust. Both of these grants offer PRISM students the opportunity to propose and fund their own research projects over the summer. In addition, students have the chance to present their work at a Research Symposium in October. For students interested in doing graduate work in the future, or for those who have a specific BA project in mind, PRISM grants are a wonderful opportunity to receive funding to study something you love.

This year, PRISM Research Grant applications are due on April 23rd. Seidel Scholars PRISM Grant applications are due on May 3rd. To learn more about the PRISM program, find out how to apply for a grant, or read abstracts of the research done by past grant recipients, click here to visit the CAPS website.

Chicago Careers in Journalism (CCIJ) Internship Grant Program
The CCIJ program supports students who are interested in pursuing careers in publishing or journalism. Through College funding, CCIJ is proud to offer grants to students who have secured unpaid internships at established news organizations around the world. Each grant is $3000, and students are expected to complete 300 hours of work for the organization. This year, applications are due on April 22nd. To learn more about the program and find out how to apply, click here to visit the CAPS website.

The Jeff Metcalf Fellows Program
Likely the best known internship program on campus, the Jeff Metcalf Fellows program works with the College and external employers to offer paid, substantive internships to undergraduates during the summer and the academic year. This year, more than 350 internship opportunities have been posted. Although many deadlines have passed, internships are posted on a rolling basis, and many are still available. In addition, new ones are being posted almost every day. Check Chicago Career Connection (accessible through the CAPS homepage) often for a full list of internships still accepting applications. To find out more about the program, learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply, or read profiles from past Fellows, click here to visit the CAPS website.

Internships for Credit
As you may have read recently in the New York Times, unpaid internships, especially at for-profit institutions, can be illegal. To allow students to still be able to take advantage of unpaid internship opportunities, CAPS and the College have partnered to offer an internship for credit class. The class, which meets once in the spring and once in the fall, requires the student to submit a short paper after the internship is completed detailing the experience. To find out more, contact Rachael Ward in the CAPS office (rcward@uchicago.edu) or click here to visit the CAPS website.

Internship Databases and Career Fairs
If you’re looking for an outside opportunity, or feel that you have exhausted the possibilities in Chicago Career Connection, consider using the NIC and UCAN internship databases. These internship consortia draw on opportunities posted by a variety of schools, so that you can, in effect, have access to the internships posted for Harvard or Brown students, just as they have access to our internships. To start your search, log into your Chicago Career Connection account from the CAPS homepage using your CNET credentials, and choose the appropriate link.

For those students who have some free time this coming Friday, April 9th, the Big Ten Career Fair will be taking place at the DePaul Center (1 E. Jackson St.) downtown from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. More than 80 organizations will be in attendance, so this is a great opportunity to do some networking and find out more about potential internship opportunities. Log in to your Chicago Career Connection account to view a list of participating organizations.

No matter where your search takes you, remember that the staff of CAPS is here to help. Don’t hesitate to make an appointment by calling (773) 702-7040, or drop by for walk-ins. We are always happy to assist you in any way we can!

Cover Letters: Show, Don't Tell

2010-03-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

Let’s face it—writing a good cover letter is not an easy task. The ideal cover letter will highlight your relevant experience and qualifications, convey to the employer why you would be a valuable employee, and make you stand out of the crowd. To top it off, it needs to do all of that in a single page! This can certainly be a challenge, which is likely why many job seekers latch on to certain phrases and stick with them. These “career buzzwords” may seem like they get your point across, but such overused phrases usually only irritate the hiring manager. Instead of telling the employer about your attributes, a much better strategy is to “show” them, by giving examples pulled from your past work and volunteer experience.

Here are the top six phrases to avoid:

Reliable/Trustworthy

Team player

Good communicator

Problem solver

Well organized/Detail-oriented

Work well under pressure

It’s important to note that hiring mangers definitely are looking for these attributes, so I’m certainly not advocating that you avoid talking about them in your cover letter. But the fact is, just saying that you “work well under pressure” won’t convince the employer that this is the case. However, if instead you say “Translated the entire Facebook site into Arabic in 36 hours” (which, by the way, Facebook did not too long ago, though it took an entire team of engineers and translators to pull it off), that will definitely get your point across. Think of a cover letter as a very short paper for your favorite class (the class about you!). In a good paper, you would never simply make a statement without taking the time to back it up with evidence. The same is true of a cover letter. So, even though those career buzzwords are tempting when you’re rushing to finish an internship application, take the time to consider your experiences and give the employer some context that expresses why you’re so amazing.

Rephrasing 101:

Instead of “reliable”: “Within one month of starting at XYZ Co, was given responsibility of internship selection committee.”

Instead of team player: “Worked with a team of six to restructure department budget.”

Instead of “good communicator”: “Coordinated a campus-wide recycling drive that saved several tons of aluminum cans.”

Instead of “problem solver”: “Successfully resolved a conflict between student union and restaurant vendors.”

Instead of “well organized” or “detail-oriented”: “Indexed, edited and maintained clinic files for more than 1000 patients.”

A word about length: By showing your accomplishments off, your cover letter will likely get a little bit longer, since you’re using ten words instead of two. This can actually be a good thing, as it will force you to only detail the attributes that are especially relevant to that position. But if you’re torn between using a buzzword and spilling onto a second page, it’s better to run a little long (bear in mind that “a little” does NOT equal an entire second page. Or even half a page. Be concise!).

Do you have any suggestions for rephrasing buzzwords, or know of one we missed? Leave a comment below!

Get Excited About Online Networking: Alumni Careers Network

2010-03-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

As this internship and full-time recruiting season forges ahead, don't let resume drops and interviews let you forget about one of the best tools to use during the job search: networking. In recognizing the importance of networking, professionally-focused social networking sites have sprouted up all across the internet and have been quickly gaining popularity. Networking not only has the potential to help you get more information about a specific position or organization, but it can really give an edge in interviews. With the creation of online networking it's never been easier to reach out and connect!

Along these lines, one resource that is available to all student and alumni at the University of Chicago is the Alumni Careers Network. The Alumni Careers Network is an on-line database of nearly 15,000 Chicago alumni who have volunteered to answer career-related questions and/or provide career-related mentoring and informational interviews to students and other alumni. To access the database, go to the Alumni Careers Network. and on the right hand side click on “search career profiles.” Then, log-in with your CNET ID and password after hitting the big red sign-in button.

How it works:
Alumni listed in the network have created profiles, which can be divided into two key categories: career contacts and mentors.

Career contacts share only their professional information on their profile, usually listing the organization in which they work for and their official title at that organization. By listing themselves as such, these alumni indicate that they would be open to questions regarding career development, organization culture, and specific job responsibilities. In addition, alumni will often be open to talking about the city in which they work, and may be able to refer you to other contacts. This can be particular useful if you are considering exploring a career overseas or in other far-away and exotic lands. Christophe, a member of the class of 2010, spent his third year abroad at the London School of Economics. During his internship search in London, he was able to use Alumni Careers Network to find alumni who could answer his questions about recruiting in finance abroad. Through networking he was able to get insight on the main differences between American and British work culture and information on how the recruiting process worked in London. Many of the alumni that he contacted were quite excited to hear from a student at their alma mater. In the end, Christophe worked in investment banking in London for his third-year summer internship.

Alumni who list themselves as mentors are willing to share more comprehensive information about their career experiences. They are also open to providing guidance and advice that will help potential mentees achieve success in their specific fields. Mentors can provide an independent and objective point of view on career development and professional goals in their chosen industries, and are a great resource if you're looking to form more of a one-to-one professional relationship with an alumni who is currently in the industry that you are interested in.

Some tips on how to make contact via the Alumni Careers Network:

1. Start with an introduction of who you are.
In the subject line, include something that would indicate that you got their information from Alumni Careers Network. Tell them a little about yourself: for instance, your year, your concentration, and what you hope to achieve professionally. Providing an introduction not only seems more personable, but will also give the alumnus a clearer idea of the context in which they should be addressing your questions. For instance, answers to questions might be very different depending on whether you're a third-year in the College or a graduate candidate in the Statistics department.

2. Ask meaningful questions.
Make sure that the questions you ask are career-related. While it might be fun to find out what someone's favorite color or favorite food is, these types of questions might just be a little too personal for the context in which you're establishing contact.

3. Maintain a professional tone.
While the alumni that you contact are likely not recruiters or interviewers, they are still giving you their time and effort to help you in some way, so it's important to make a good impression. Although the communication that you initiate is through email, this still means that this is your only shot at making a good first impression. Keep in mind that first impressions will, more often than not, set the tone of your chain of communication.

4. Don't forget to say 'Thank you'!
As always, gratitude is appreciated.

Do you have any successful networking stories, or tips to share with other students? Leave a comment below!

Special thanks to Lucy Liu, guest author of this week's blog post.

Ditch the Dead Fish: What Your Handshake Says About You

2010-03-08T12:42:00.000-08:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

Winter quarter is prime season for internship recruitment. As students perfect applications and prepare for interviews, we’ve seen many of you for counseling appointments and practice interviews. You’ve probably heard the same tips over and over: tailor your resume and cover letter, dress professionally, learn how to tell your story succinctly, send a thank you note, etc. These are all important pieces of the application/interview puzzle. But one aspect you probably haven’t thought much about is the “mating ritual” of the professional world: the handshake. Although it may seem like an insignificant part of your interview, this seconds-long gesture can have a big impact on an interviewer’s first impression of you. And as the old saying goes, there’s no second chance at a first impression.

So, you might be wondering, how can I convey that I am interested, excited and engaged just by pumping someone’s hand up a down? More importantly, how can I avoid scaring the interviewer, or creating an awkward situation? Well, first things first. Here is a list of the five handshakes you should avoid:

The Bonecrusher
This is the person who seems to think that their interest in the position is directly related to the amount of pressure they can exert on the interviewer’s hand. In reality, this is just a good way to turn someone off from the very start. Unless you’re interviewing for a position in mud wrestling, avoid turning the other person’s hand into pulp.

The Eager Beaver
In many ways, a handshake is a bit like a first kiss, with both parties waiting for it but neither sure who should initiate it. Although there’s no surefire way to avoid this slight bit of awkwardness, make sure that if you do go for a handshake, the other person is paying attention. You should always avoid just grabbing the other person’s hand and pumping it up and down—this over-eager approach won’t earn you any points with the interviewer.

The Dead Fish
There’s almost nothing more off-putting than this type of handshake. When meeting a potential employer, you want to convey that you are assertive, professional and engaged—and the dead fish does exactly the opposite. If you’re uncomfortable shaking hands with someone, just remember to grasp, squeeze gently for 1-2 seconds, and release: polite and inoffensive.

The Cling-on
Not to be confused with the alien species featured on Star Trek, a clingy shaker is like an ex who just won’t let go. Nerves and excitement can be a heady combination, but battle through the fog and remember that three shakes is plenty. Now move on.

The Lefty Surprise
Sadly for the lefties of the world, the right-handed majority is keeping you down—or at least as far as handshakes are concerned. This is one case where it’s better to blend in with the rest of the crowd and just offer your right hand, since the alternative is ending up with an awkward dance as you both struggle to connect. Unless there’s a clear reason you can’t shake with your right (i.e., your hand is in a cast, etc.), jump on the right-handed bandwagon.

Now you may be thinking to yourself, honestly, it’s just a handshake; how important can it be? The truth is, if you have a good handshake, no one is likely to remember it. But if you have a poor handshake, it can become a stigma of sorts—and it can definitely impact your chances of getting a job, as a University of Iowa study proved. Business professor Greg Stewart conducted an experiment in which students were sent into mock job interviews. In the interview, they met with a hiring manager and an undercover handshake rater. Afterward, each assessor gave the subject a score. It turned out that the students who had the best handshakes were also considered the most favorable candidates. Could this be a coincidence? Maybe. But regardless, in today’s economy, you want to give yourself every advantage possible. So if you want to be a mover and shaker, ditch the dead fish and put your best hand forward.

Do you have a favorite handshake story? Share your comments below! And remember, if you have questions about anything from your handshake to your interview wardrobe, CAPS is here to help.

Internships for Graduate Students

2010-02-26T08:54:00.000-08:00

Gain Experience, Beef Up Your Skills, and Learn Something About Yourself
By Susan Dennehy, Assistant Director of Graduate Services, Social Sciences

Most doctoral students begin their graduate programs thinking they will pursue the traditional academic career path by seeking a tenure-track position at a four-year college or university. Over the course of your graduate career you may begin to have second-thoughts. Your priorities may have shifted. Or your life may have changed significantly. Perhaps you’re not willing to relocate anywhere in the country you get a job offer. Perhaps you have a spouse or a partner, and want to ensure that you can live in the same city or town (a radical idea, I know!). Perhaps you’ve decided the academic life just isn’t for you.

Even if the academic life is your primary goal, you might want to set up a Plan B in case you don’t obtain a tenure-track position. As you probably know, the academic job market has been hit hard by the bad economy, and the competition for tenure-track and other academic positions is likely to be very tough even after the economy recovers, given that every year, there is a fresh class of newly-minted PhDs. In the coming years there will be a bit of pent-up demand, as students delay graduation or take on adjuncting or other temporary positions while they wait for permanent positions to open up.

If you’re enrolled in a dedicated Master’s program, then you may already have some ideas as to the kind of post-academic jobs that interest you. You may have come to graduate school precisely to prepare for a specific career field or, if not, you may be thinking about what kind of employment to pursue after graduation.

In any of these cases, it behooves you to take some time in graduate school to explore your career options. Internships are a great way to do this. With an internship, you can:

Gain some experience in an industry or organization that you think you might like to work in after you finish school
Beef up your skills and to acquire new skills
Build or expand your professional network
Learn more about yourself—i.e., do you enjoy doing this kind of work, and can you see yourself doing this on a full-time basis?

Finding a rewarding career is a trial and error process. You have to try something out in order to learn fully whether or not you like it. Once you’ve worked for a little while, you can say with some certainty whether you like the job or not and, most importantly, why you like or dislike it. This helps you refine your career direction and identify a path that is more likely to be the right one for you.

Internships That Welcome Graduate Students

A variety of internships are available to graduate students in both the public and private sector, and many of them are paid. Some internships are available during the academic year, while others take place over the summer. Students can search for internship opportunities via Chicago Career Connection (in the "detailed search" tab, click on “internships”).

Here is a sampling of internships for which graduate students are eligible. This is not an exhaustive list. It is intended to give you an idea of the variety of internships that are out there.

Abbott Labs
American Cancer Society (Events Intern)
Argonne National Labs Robert Rathbun Wilson Graduate Fellowships
Bloomberg (OTC Derivatives Quant Internship)
Bayser Consulting (Market Research Intern-apply via Chicago Career Connection, Job ID# 5884)
Cato Institute (multiple)
Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation Internship Program (for the policy-minded)
Chicago Council on Global Affairs (multiple)
Genentech (multiple)
Latin United Community Housing Association Editorial Internship (email sdennehy@uchicago.edu for more information)
National Endowment for the Humanities (multiple)
RAND (multiple)
Students for New American Politics (work on a 2010 campaign)
Summer Links Program (University of Chicago program for students committed to public service, community building, and social change)
Symphono, Quality Engineer Intern (Apply via Chicago Career Connection, Job ID# 5739)
University Community Service Center (UCSC) at the University of Chicago (offers a wide variety of internships for the academic year. Apply via Chicago Career Connection)
Wolf Trapp Foundation for the Performing Arts (multiple)

If you are interested in learning more about internships opportunities, please see a member of the CAPS Graduate Services Team (call 702-7040 and identify yourself as a graduate student). For general information on internships, check out the Internships page on the CAPS website.

**If you would like to explore post-academic career options and you are a doctoral student in the social sciences division, consider applying to an externship.**

Do you have tips for fellow graduate students, or internship stories of your own? Leave a comment!

Resume or Curriculum Vitae? The Eternal Question…

2010-02-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

Recently, a friend of mine decided to leave the workforce after two years and dive back into the world of academia. Since she knew that it was best to give herself plenty of time to gather all of the necessary materials, her first step was to contact former professors to request letters of recommendation. Inevitably, the first question they asked was, “Can you send me your CV?”

My what?

The terms curriculum vitae (CV) and resume are often used interchangeably, but as my friend learned, they are not the same thing. If you’re thinking of applying to graduate school, research fellowships, grants, etc., it is definitely useful to understand the differences between a resume and a CV, and what information should be included in each.

Curriculum Vitae versus Resume

One of the main differences between a CV and a resume is cultural. In the United States, a CV is primarily used when applying to academic, scientific or research positions. Fellowships and grants also generally require a CV. In Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, however, a CV is submitted for nearly every application. This means that if you’re applying for a job outside of the United States, an employer will likely expect to receive a CV with your cover letter, not a resume.

Another key difference is the information contained in a CV versus a resume. A CV is intended to be a detailed portrait of the applicant, while the resume is a quick snapshot. A CV will contain a complete list of your academic achievements, work experience (both paid and unpaid), teaching and research experience, publications, affiliations, etc. It will also have details not usually listed on a resume, like date of birth and nationality (this is especially true outside of the United States). Because a CV is expected to include so much information, it will be longer than a resume. Curriculum vitaes are generally two pages, but can be as long as five, if necessary.

Finally, there are the nitty-gritty formatting differences. Resumes can be formatted in several different ways, depending on what attributes and experiences you are trying to highlight. They also include significantly less information than CVs. Because a CV incorporates so many different aspects of an applicant, it requires a certain structure. Thus, before you start writing a CV, it’s best to make a list of all your background information and organize it into categories. For a complete, detailed guide on what to include in a CV (since listing it all here would make this post go on forever), please see the CAPS guide to the Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Letter of Application, which can be found at https://caps.uchicago.edu/resourcecenter/academic.html.

Key Attributes of a CV:

Length: 2 – 5 pages
Includes all work experience, paid or unpaid
Lists all of your achievements in reverse chronological order
Details publications, affiliations, licenses/certifications, teaching and research experience, presentations, honors and awards

Key Attributes of a Resume:

Length: 1 page
Includes only work experience relevant to the job you are applying to
Highlights major achievements, awards and honors
May include a short “Skills” section detailing relevant abilities/competencies

Remember that CAPS counselors are always happy to help you write or revise your CV, so don’t hesitate to come see us!

Do you have any CV or resume tips, tricks or suggestions? Leave a comment below!

Mastering the Follow Up (or, How to Move Your Name to the Top of the List)

2010-01-29T14:38:00.000-08:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

Imagine this situation: you’ve just walked out of a final round interview for a job you really want. The interview was tough, but you feel like you did well. The first thing you should do is:

A. Call your mother/best friend/significant other to debrief.

B. Head to the nearest bar to de-stress.

C. Get a head start on spending that first paycheck (stress relief massages are a business expense, right?)

D. Pull out your laptop to send a follow up email.

The correct answer, as you may have guessed from the title of this post, is D. This is somewhat of an overstatement—you don’t need to send a follow up email the minute you walk out of the interview—and in fact, some employers have mentioned that it’s a turn off to get an email that was clearly sent from a Blackberry or iPhone. However, you do need to send it the same day. For most people, once the interview is over, the first instinct is to breathe a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, now comes the really tough part: waiting for the employer to make the next move. By following up after your interview, however, you can increase your profile with the employer and heighten your chances of getting that call.

When following up, there are three key factors to consider:

Timing: It’s best to send a short note the same day as your interview that thanks the interviewer for his/her time and touches on one specific point discussed in the interview. For example, you could say, “I really enjoyed learning about your methods for measuring success, and am very interested in assisting your team in meeting your goals for the year.” You can follow with a longer, more substantial follow up a couple of days later, after you’ve had time to reflect on what you learned in the interview. Try to avoid following up at the end of the week, when most people are slipping out of “work mode.” By reaching out earlier in the week, you’re more likely to be remembered. Finally, if the date that the employer said he/she would get back to you has passed, you can send a polite inquiry about your status while also restating your interest. Remember that hiring timelines can easily get pushed back due to several factors, so be patient.

Method: There is no consensus yet about the proper format for following up with an employer initially. If you are pressed for time the day of your interview, a short thank-you email is fine; the next day, you can send out a handwritten note with a little more substance. When deciding how to follow up, consider the company culture—the more formal the organization, the more formal your follow up should be. And regardless of how you choose to communicate, remember that proper grammar and correct spelling are essential!

Content: In a follow-up letter, three things should be absolutely clear to the recruiter: that you’re confident about your ability to do the job, that you paid attention to what was said, and that you’re excited about the opportunity. Your follow up doesn’t have to be long—in fact, try to keep it to two or three paragraphs. Make sure to thank the interviewer for his/her time, and if possible, refer back to or elaborate on something that was talked about the interview. Finally, reinforce your interest in the position, and be specific about why you want this job, as opposed to another one.

Additional follow up tips: For the adept job seeker (or for that position that you really want), three additional tips:

If there was a question asked in your interview that you don’t think you answered fully, don’t hesitate to send a follow up fleshing out your response. True story: an employer provided us with feedback regarding the follow-up a particular candidate sent after the interview. The applicant sent a thoughtful email, reminding the employer of a tough question asked during the interview, and providing a possible solution to the dilemma that the employer was facing. That wasn’t the only thing that sealed the deal, but the employer did ultimately hire that candidate—and definitely remembered the impact of that follow-up message.

Whatever you do, take care not to appear desperate. The employer is not more likely to give you the job because you’re about to be homeless; in fact, talking about this might have the opposite effect. No matter what your situation, be professional, polite and patient to avoid turning the recruiter off.

Finally, “Was gr8 2 meet u! Thx so much 4 your time!” is not an acceptable follow up. No texts. Period.

Do you have any great follow up success stories or tips? Leave a comment below!

Avoiding a Fashion Faux Pas: What to Wear to a Job Interview

2010-01-22T08:25:00.000-08:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

Now that Winter Quarter is in full swing, the CAPS office is humming with interviewees and prospective employers. The competition for a lot of on-campus recruiting positions is stiff, and applicant pools are often quite large. So if you do score an interview, it’s important to put your best professional foot forward—and that means dressing the part. After all, if the interviewer is concentrating more on what you’re wearing than what you’re saying, you aren’t very likely to get the position.

The most basic rule of interview fashion: dress for the position above the position you’re applying for. If you don’t think someone about ten years older than you would wear it, you shouldn’t either. This doesn’t mean that you need to dress like your grandmother—it’s possible to be fashionable and still be appropriate. But keep in mind that unless you’re applying for a job at a fashion magazine, potential employers are not too concerned about whether you’re up on the latest trends. When in doubt, it’s better to err on the conservative side and save your bangles for a night out.

The second rule: if you don’t know what to wear, wear a suit. True story: during Fall quarter, one prominent finance company was on campus conducting interviews for a full time position. At the end of the day, the recruiter remarked that he was having trouble deciding between two applicants for a second round interview. Later, we learned that the deciding factor had come down to a suit: one candidate had worn one, while the other hadn’t. You can probably guess which one got the second round interview.

The third rule: less is more when it comes to accessories. While nice earrings or an attractive necklace can make an outfit, the wrong accessories—or too many of the right ones—can really break it. For women, the best bet is to wear a single pair of earrings that aren’t too big. Large, dangling earrings can be distracting during an interview; the same is true for multiple necklaces or bracelets. Remember, this interview is the only chance you have to make a good first impression. You can always flaunt your fashion sense after you’ve gotten the job.

For men, the accessories rule might seem silly, but it still holds. Men should avoid jewelry aside from a nice watch and/or a ring. Earrings of any sort are inadvisable, and facial piercings (for both sexes) are best left at home on interview day. The same goes for strong perfume or cologne—interviewers shouldn’t be able to smell you coming!

The fourth rule: plan ahead. The night before your interview, pick out what you’re going to wear. More importantly, try it on. This gives you a chance to find that coffee stain you forgot about or that hole you hadn’t noticed before. It’s also your opportunity to make sure everything still fits, because let’s face it, sometimes pants are a little tighter in January than they were in December. You should iron your clothes, because messy wrinkles are never attractive. Lastly, be sure to check things like hem length—skirts should cover your thighs when seated; pants shouldn’t show your socks when standing—and color coordination—no brown shoes with black pants (or vice versa)!

The fifth rule: dress comfortably. This may sound like a contradiction, since most people wouldn’t consider suits nearly as comfortable as jeans or loungewear, but by “comfortable” I mean an outfit that you feel relaxed and confident in. If you get vertigo even looking at heels, wear flats. If that new jacket your mom bought you makes you look like a linebacker, don’t wear it. No matter what you choose, you should feel like you are going to be able to put your best foot forward, and look good doing it.

And one more thing, as long as we’re talking about feet: no open-toe shoes, not even in the summer. Most importantly, no athletic shoes. EVER.

For more tips on interviewing, check out the CAPS webcast at https://caps.uchicago.edu/resourcecenter/videos/#interview%20vid. Do you have a favorite interview outfit or a fashion horror story? Leave a comment!

I Want You to Want Me

2010-01-08T12:35:00.000-08:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

Welcome back! You may have noticed (since I’m sure you check for updates every day) that the CAPS blog hasn’t been updated in a while. In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season—and for CAPS, the beginning of the summer Jeff Metcalf season—I admit that I let the blog fall by the wayside. But good news! We’re back, and hopefully, my dear reader, better than ever.

This week, we’re delving in to the top reasons that a prospective employer wants to hire you. Now that the internship recruitment season is in full gear, the hallways of Ida Noyes are full of students eager to learn about and apply to a variety of opportunities. But while most students can easily list the merits of the companies they are interested in, have you ever considered what merits an employer looks for in an employee? Now more than ever, it’s crucial that applicants are aware of the assets they bring to the table, and how to convey them. Let’s take a look at some of the top characteristics employers look for:

Long-term potential
Even if you’re only working there for ten weeks, employers want to feel that they’re not training you for nothing. This is especially true for financial services companies, which will frequently make full-time job offers to interns who do a good job. While you may or may not return to that employer in the future, it is in your best interest to make them want you back. Demonstrate your interest by asking about career movement in the company, or giving an example of an activity or organization that you have stuck with for a long time.

Ability to collaborate and cooperate
When you’re working a full-time job, even if it’s just for ten weeks, you will spend a lot of time with your coworkers. Therefore, it’s important to employers that you exhibit a personable demeanor, since no one wants to spend eight or more hours a day with someone they can’t stand. During your interview, try to give examples of groups or teams you participate in—make that IM Broomball squad a point in your favor!

Relevant work experience
Here’s a well-kept secret: if an employer wants to see “relevant work experience,” that doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to have worked in that industry before. What employers are looking for is someone who has some useful skills and won’t require a lot of training or hand-holding. Instead of thinking strictly about what “relevant” means, consider what you’ve learned from other work/volunteer experiences. Did a table waiting gig teach you to handle stress well? That’s an important attribute in financial services. Also remember that course work you’ve done can stand in the stead of work experience. The bottom line is to make the most of your knowledge and skills, even if they don’t seem to fit perfectly with the job description.

Effective multitasking and time management skills
Most businesses today move quickly and expect their employees to keep up. Therefore, multitasking is a must in the workplace, as is effective time management. As a University of Chicago student or alum, you are well-equipped to handle these kinds of situations. After all, once you’ve lived through a killer finals week, everything else seems easy in comparison! When you’re interviewing for a potentially stressful position, don’t be afraid to talk up your academic experience. If an employer perceives you as ambitious and inquisitive, you will likely move up the list.

Good cultural fit
Most companies and organizations have a unique “corporate culture”. Before you interview with a prospective employer, try to get a sense of this culture, and whether you’d fit in well. If you hate wearing a suit and like to have a flexible schedule, investment banking probably isn’t for you. But if you’re an extrovert with graphic design sensibilities, you might want to consider an internship in advertising. Overall, if you can find an industry and a company that you’re a good cultural fit for, you’re more likely to enjoy your experience.

Remember, you can always come in to CAPS to learn more about the internship and full-time job search resources available to you. Other questions, quandaries, complaints or tips of your own? Post a comment!

Interview Dilemmas: Dos and Don’ts for Getting That Call

2009-11-04T17:07:00.000-08:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve had a bevy of interviewers roll through our offices. This is good news for students: even in a down economy, many companies are still hiring for entry-level positions. In fact, according to a September Chicago Sun-Times article, entry-level jobs are the least affected in this economy, because they’re the least expensive. Because of staffing shortages caused by layoffs, this is also a good time for recent graduates to get higher-level experience than they might otherwise.

So, that’s the good news. The bad news is that, as you might have guessed, this job market is even more competitive than usual. That means that job-seekers need to be on top of their game at all times to snag that illusive and all-important interview. You’ve probably heard the most important tips: make sure your resume and cover letter are targeted and polished; try to submit your materials to a person, not a database; do your research on the company and the position. You also probably know that setting up an appointment with CAPS is a good way to get advice and feedback on your materials and your job search, as well as practice for an interview. Once you’ve taken care of the obvious steps, however, here are a few more tips to keep in mind:

Get a business card. Even if you don’t have a title to list under your name, a business card is a lot less likely to wind up in the trash than a scrap of paper with your name scribbled on it. Printing companies like Kinko’s offer relatively inexpensive cards, as do a lot of web-based companies. Don’t try to be fancy—stick to your name, address, and contact information. The bottom line is that when you meet someone unexpectedly—on the bus, in the grocery store, at a cultural event—you want to give them a way to remember you. After all, personal connections can go a looong way when you’re looking for a job. And speaking of networking...

Look for a person, not a position. Try to figure out what company or companies you’re interested in working for, then look for people you know who can help you get there. Talk to anyone you can think of, because you never know who might know someone who knows someone who...you get the idea. According to the same Sun-Times article, 80% of jobs are filled by personal referral. The bottom line? Make your network work for you. And remember that your network also includes thousands of University alumni. Check out the Alumni Careers Network (find log in instructions at caps.uchicago.edu) to make contact with those working in the industry you’re interested in.

Dress to impress. True story: one prospective candidate wrote in her cover letter, “I have been in professional environments and I know when I need to pull my hair up and act like a lady.” Then, she showed up to her interview in jean shorts. Bad call. Whether you’re going to an interview or simply meeting an acquaintance for an information session, make sure that you’re dressed professionally and appropriately. Be mindful of your audience—i.e., whether you’re talking to someone in a formal or informal company—but when in doubt, wear a suit. One recruiter who was recently at CAPS told us that when making decisions about which students to invite back, how an interviewee dressed can make or break it.

Once you've gotten the interview...

Use your waiting time effectively. Keep in mind that you aren’t just trying to impress the interviewer—you can make important connections in the waiting room, too. One job-seeker found out that the receptionist at the company she was interviewing with was a friend of a friend, a connection that worked in her favor. While you won’t necessarily get that lucky, you can learn a lot from the waiting room, like the culture of the company and the types of personalities they are looking for. Whatever you do, don’t get on your cell phone and loudly recount your exploits from the night before. Be professional at all times.

And finally, mistakes not to make in an interview...

Nothired.com has built a website around funny, stupid, and in some cases, unbelievable mistakes that job-seekers have made in cover letters, resumes and interviews. But as you laugh, remember to proof your materials thoroughly...some of the resume and cover letter mistakes could happen to anyone.

Some of the top interview tips, courtesy of Not Hired:
• Don’t stretch out on the floor to fill out a job application.
• Don’t bring your dog to the interview.
• Don’t wear an MP3 player and tell the interviewer that you can listen to it and
him/her at the same time.
• Don’t challenge the interviewer to an arm-wrestling match.
• Don’t ask to see the interviewer’s resume to see if he/she is qualified to judge
you.
• Don’t tell them that if you’re hired, you’ll demonstrate your loyalty by having
the company logo tattooed on your forearm.
• Don’t whistle while the interviewer is talking.
• Don’t throw up on the interviewer’s desk, and then start asking questions about
the job although nothing has happened. Actually, don’t throw up at all.
• And most importantly, don’t offer the interviewer cocaine (or any illegal substance) at the start of an interview.

Check out www.nothired.com to read more hilarious, scandalous, and awkward job-search mistakes.

Questions, comments, tips or interview stories of your own? Post a comment!

How to Think Yourself Into a Job

2009-10-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

Chances are that at some point you’ve encountered a promise that sounded too good to be true. Marketing campaigns promising things like “you’ll lose 10 pounds overnight!” are usually at the top of my “To avoid” list, since I’m pretty sure the only ways to lose 10 pounds overnight involve stomach flu or the amputation of a major extremity. That said, don’t fear, wary job seeker: new research proves that you really can think yourself to job search success.

Here’s the deal. Researchers at the University of Missouri studied the efforts of 327 job seekers between the ages of 20 and 40. The goal of the study was to identify how personality traits—specifically positive thinking, extraversion and conscientiousness—influenced the job search process. Researchers conducted three surveys over the course of eight months, collecting data on demographics; personality; emotions; planning and goal setting; job search results; and job offers. What the study revealed is both groundbreaking and commonsense: it turns out that developing a plan at the beginning of a job search, sticking with that plan, and maintaining a positive outlook are all key to success.

Since we at UChicago are especially interested in theories, let’s break down this one a little bit further. According to the study, conscientiousness and extraversion are both important qualities. Job seekers with these traits engaged in more metacognitive activities, like setting goals, assessing their own skills, and keeping a record of their job search progress. These activities, in turn, led to a higher number of resume submissions and first round interviews.

Researchers also noted that conscientious job seekers had another edge: they conducted higher quality job searches and followed up with employers more effectively. When I was little, my grandmother went to great lengths to remind me that after-Christmas thank you notes are important. The same is true for after-interview thank you notes! Never waste an opportunity to make a good impression.

The final piece of the puzzle, according to the study, is the ability to think positively. The study questionnaires revealed that extraverted job seekers reported feeling positive throughout the job search process. Researchers also discovered that optimistic job seekers were more likely to score follow-up interviews, and thus received a higher percentage of job offers than other applicants.

At this point, you’re probably feeling pretty good if you consider yourself a conscientious, extraverted person. If you struggle with the whole job search process, however, don’t feel dejected: you don’t have to change your personality to get a job. What you can do is utilize the same set of behaviors that proved beneficial in the study. The first step is to set goals, and the second step is to make a plan. As you might have guessed, this being the CAPS blog and all, CAPS counselors are a great resource if you need help with these steps! We can assist you with determining realistic goals, figuring out where to start your search, and making an easy-to-follow plan.

Finally, it’s important to monitor your job search progress. If six months have passed and you haven’t achieved the goals you wanted to, be honest with yourself about it. Sit down and assess your goals and your accomplishments, and make a new plan. As Professor Daniel Turban, chair of the Department of Management and the lead researcher on the study noted, “Some of these recommendations seem like they are commonsense, but they are just not that common. People don’t have strategies, they don’t assess their plans, and they don’t think about their strategies and reflect on whether [they are] working or how to make them work better. They just don’t do it." By making sure that you do take these steps, and keeping a positive attitude, you can beat the odds and up your chances of job search success.

Source: Effects of Conscientiousness and Extraversion on New Labor Market Entrants’ Job Search: The Mediating Role of Metacognitive Activities and Positive Emotions.

What steps have you taken to make your job search successful? Please share your tips and leave your comments below!

The Real CAPS, Part 2

2009-10-14T10:29:00.000-07:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

Last week, I discussed three of the myths about CAPS: The Crystal Ball (we can't tell you what your future holds), The Box of Jobs and Basket of Internships (sadly, getting a job is not that easy) and The Secret Map to Success (everyone's path will vary). This week I’ll discuss the top three myths about CAPS, as well as some more information about the real resources that we have to offer, which are way better than a crystal ball.

3. The Incantation of Employability

Like the Secret Map to Success, this myth is related to the idea that one visit to CAPS is all it takes to find a job. While the CAPS staff is here to help in any way that we can, there is no incantation of employability to magically make you the ideal candidate. And yes, it often takes more than one visit to CAPS, and a fair amount of leg work, to reach your employment goals. The truth is, becoming competitive in the job market requires knowledge and skills that must be developed over time. As you go through college, and then enter the work world, this knowledge will become more substantial and more useful. When you're look for ways to build this knowledge after college, remember that CAPS isn’t just for undergrads. Our services can be used by alumni, too. Basically, we’re here for you forever.

2. The Unchanging Temple of CAPS

True story: My first two years as an undergrad here, I refused to visit CAPS. Why? Because I wasn’t interested in business or finance, and from everything I’d heard, those were the only industries CAPS was useful for getting into. As it turns out, this was another myth I’d fallen for. While there are a good deal of employers who recruit for positions in business and finance, CAPS also caters to students looking for careers in the nonprofit sector, the arts, law, journalism, teaching…you get the idea. In fact, CAPS has staff members specifically focused on bringing in employers outside of business and finance. These folks have worked in their industries, so they know how to make connections that will help students. The truth is, CAPS is not an unchanging, unresponsive organization that only exists for a narrow student population. We are here to help all students explore their career interests, regardless of what those interests are. We are also creating new ways to connect with students—services like Live Chat and same-day appointments—so that we’re working with your schedule, instead of asking you to work around ours.

1. The Magic U of C Feather

Okay, allow me a moment of school pride: the U of C is a pretty great academic institution. Whenever people ask me where I went to college, I puff out my chest (just a little) and smile like a mom whose kid just scored the winning goal. That said, here’s a reality check: just because you went to an outstanding school doesn’t mean that doors will magically open for you. In fact, as anyone who’s had to explain the difference between U of C and UIC knows, not every person on the street knows what U of C is. The same is true for employers. For each recruiter that’s impressed, there will be another one who could not care less. The truth is, what’s important to most hiring managers is not so much where you went to school, but what you have gotten out of your education. This is where the U of C experience becomes a key factor. Even if your interviewer has never heard of the University of Chicago, they will appreciate the skills you have honed here—like critical thinking and a strong work ethic. The key to career success is combining these skills with self-reflection and career exploration, so that you are able to identify your abilities, talents and interests, and understand how to use those to your advantage. And, as you’ve probably figured out by now, that process of reflection and exploration is exactly what CAPS is here to help with!

Are there any myths or misconceptions you know about that weren’t mentioned here? Leave them in a comment below!

Getting to Know the Real CAPS

2009-10-08T07:34:00.001-07:00

by Laurel Mylonas-Orwig

Now that the mercury is falling and the homework is piling up, summer might seem like a distant dream. In fact, looking for work is probably the last thing you want to think about as the quarter kicks into gear. But next summer—and for fourth-years, graduation—tends to come more quickly than you think. That doesn’t mean that you need to start looking for a job or internship today. But when you are ready to start, the good news is that you don’t have to figure things out alone. Whether you’re looking for a job in finance, the nonprofit sector, government, the arts or journalism (among others!), the CAPS staff is here to help you.

You may have been to CAPS several times, or never. Either way, you probably have a few ideas about what we do here…and a few impressions about how we do it. As an undergrad, I was fairly certain that it was CAPS’ job to get me a job, and I was a little disgruntled when I realized that CAPS is primarily a planning and career exploration service. Once I figured that out, I wondered what other myths about CAPS were floating around. So, to help you get to know the real CAPS, over the next two weeks I’ll be exploring, in descending order, the top six myths about CAPS, as well as explaining what we actually do.

6. The Crystal Ball

Imagine the following: John Doe, a fourth-year, is looking for a job, but isn’t sure what he wants to do. He figures that he should go to CAPS, since they can tell him what to do with his life.

Sound like anyone you know? The truth is that no one but you can tell you what to do with your life, or what’s in your future. Life is unpredictable, and the process of figuring out what you want to do is an internal one. While you might have wanted to be a ballerina or a firefighter when you were younger, your career goals have probably changed as you’ve grown up and figured out more about yourself. At CAPS, we offer resources such as career counseling, career exploration workshops, and a wealth of programs and networking events to help you learn about and explore your options. However, we can’t do it for you, just like we can’t look into a crystal ball and tell you what your future holds.

5. The Box of Jobs and Basket of Internships

When I started working for CAPS, more than a couple of my friends asked, “So you can find me a job now, right?” They were joking (sort of), but it reminded me of my mistaken assumption that it was CAPS’ job to find me a job. While it would be great if all CAPS counselors had a magical box of jobs or basket of internships under their desks to dispense to students, that’s not the case. The truth is, job and internship searching requires dedication and hard work, and it can be a long process. The old saying “looking for a job is a full-time job” is often true. That can seem daunting—but the good news is that CAPS does have a bevy of resources to help you out. First and foremost, we teach job-searching and networking skills, so that when you find that golden opportunity, you can take advantage of it. Second, we help connect students, employers and alumni, because networking is a big part of finding a job. Third, we have an extensive online job board, as well as several job fairs each year. If you invest some time in your search, and take advantage of the resources CAPS offers, chances are you will be well-positioned to capitalize on opportunities that come your way.

4. The Secret Map to Success

It’s commonsense that the most direct route between two points is a straight line. With this in mind, it would seem that there must be a “direct route” to the job or internship of your choice. The myth is that every CAPS member has this ”secret map to success” tucked away in a desk drawer, and that getting the job you want is as simple as following the prescribed steps. While this is partly true in some cases (you need to go to medical school if you want to be a surgeon, for example), for the vast majority of students there are a number of different ways to reach the same goal. Your path may have branches, loops or dead ends. The most important thing to remember is to be flexible and keep an open mind, because you are the one who determines your career path. What CAPS can do is help you learn more about the career(s) you are interested in, and connect you with people and resources in that field. One last thing: never feel that your major must determine your career. Film studies majors can work in finance, just like Economics majors can become actors. It’s all about how you choose to pursue your interests.

Check back next week to read about the top three CAPS myths...

Comments? Questions? Criticisms? Please leave your feedback below!

Cover Letter and Resume Tips from a Tired Resume Reader

2009-05-22T12:59:00.001-07:00

True story: this anonymous blogger works in an office that is currently hiring. The hiring process obviously involves reviewing the resume and cover letters that candidates submit for an open position. And after reviewing many, many cover letters and resumes, I have some tips about using key words and tailoring your cover letter to a particular position.

Here's what not to do, based upon my personal experience:
1) Do not state in your cover letter that you do not possess the skills that I am looking for. Instead, highlight the skills that you do have, and indicate how those are relevant to my position.
2) Don't be vague. Instead, use key words that are found in the job posting. If my job description says I am looking for a strong writer, in your cover letter discuss your strong WRITING skills.
3) Don't use a generic resume. Just as your cover letter should be targeted, the same is true for your resume. If my job description calls for management experience, your resume should indicate when you've MANAGED a project or a team.

The idea of using key words is also important, because in some cases it's not a person like me reading your resume or cover letter, it's a computer program. This can be true when you're applying to large organizations who simply do not have the human resources staff on hand to review hundreds of resumes a day. To help crack those software programs and get your resume into the hands of an actual living and breathing human being, here are some more tips, courtesy of Edison International's website:

To maximize our computer's ability to read your resumé, you should provide a "clean" original, and use a standard style. Follow these style tips:
• Use white or light-colored 8 1/2 x 11" paper
• Provide a laser quality original if possible
• Do not fold or staple your resume
• Use standard fonts such as Times or Courier
• Use a font size of 10 to 14 points
• Place your name at the top of the page on its own line
• Use standard address format below your name
• Use boldface and/or all capital letters for headings
• Avoid fancy treatments such as italics, and shadows
• Avoid vertical and horizontal lines, graphics, and boxes
• Avoid two-column formats
• Don't condense spacing between letters

A Word about "Key Words"
Because the computer extracts information from your résumé, you may want to include a few key words that will increase your opportunities for matching job requirements. Recruiters and managers access the résumé database in many ways, either to search your resumé or search for specific experience. Here are a few tips to get your resume noticed:
• Use enough key words to define your skills, experience, education, professional affiliations, etc.
• Describe your experience with concrete words rather than vague descriptions
• Be concise and truthful
• Use more than one page if necessary. The computer can easily handle multiple-page resumes
• Increase your list of key words by including specifics
• Use common heading such as: Objectives, Experience, Employment, Work History, Skills, Affiliations, etc.
• If room allows, describe your interpersonal traits and attitude
• Use jargon and acronyms specific to your industry (spell out the acronyms).

Bottom line: Tailor your resume. Because even if a person is reading your materials and not a computer program, trust me when I say that presenting your most relevant skills in an easily understandable format will really make that person really happy.

Questions or comments for today's blogger? Post them here.

When I Network I Feel: Dirty, Desperate or Discouraged?

2009-05-15T07:17:00.000-07:00

An article on MediaBistro(create a free MediaBistro account to read the article in its entirety) last week asked the following question:

I wish more people thought of me as:
a) Aggressive
b) Obnoxious
c) Annoying
d) Pathetic
e) Slimy
f) A name-dropper

This pop quiz is useful, because it explains why so many people, especially students and recent alumni who are entering the job market for the first time, cringe when they think about "networking." It can feel slimy, irritating and sometimes desperate to actively be seeking out individuals to talk to, in the hopes that they will help you land a job.

We talk about networking A LOT on the CAPS Blog, and with good reason - there is no way around it, you must network to find job leads, especially in this tough job market.

Some of our favorite points that this most recent article made, include:

"This is my mantra: Stop looking for a job and start looking for a person. The right person will lead you to the right job. This applies whether you're looking for a job or just personal and professional connections in general..." That's the thing with networking - it's about making personal connections. So even if your roommate's brother's girlfriend works in an industry that does not at all relate to your interests, she might have a friend, cousin, neighbor who does. The point being, don't discount the people you meet - they might have an insider connection that will help you out.

Also good advice - Be specific: "Don't tell people 'I'll do anything' or 'I'm interested in everything.' They can't help you without specific guidelines about what you want. You are not being flexible; you are being naïve. I'm willing to talk to you and open my Rolodex but I need parameters: specific jobs, industries, geographical areas. Help me help you!" This doesn't mean you need to know EXACTLY what you're looking for or EXACTLY what type of job you want - but it helps to provide a little bit of background information. For example, "Wow, I didn't realize you were a biology major in undergrad. I'm actually graduating with a degree in biology this spring, and I'd like to use my degree at work. Do you have any suggestions of organizations I could look into?" Simple, right?

Our favorite piece of advice from MediaBistro? Use your career services office: "These offices and associations range from the highly structured to informal or nonexistent; private institutions in particular place great emphasis on maintaining these kind of networks. You can call up the alumni association, career or magazine office, explain that you're interested in talking with alumni in your industry or area, and see what they come up with. Some schools have online databases or alumni magazines, some with "class notes" sections. Read these to find names of like-minded alumni and find out if they're willing to be contacted and what their preferred mode of communication is. Your class may have regional officers or representatives; reach out to them. The people who volunteer to serve in these roles are generally connectors. Attend local gatherings or reunion events." The good news - the University of Chicago DOES have an on-line database of like-minded alumni who are willing to serve as career contacts for students and fellow alums. It's called the Alumni Careers Network, and to log on, click here.

Sick of hearing about the importance of networking? Tell us about it - and post your comments, suggestions and ideas here.

International Experience Grants and Summer Action Grants awarded to 23 University of Chicago College students

2009-05-08T07:04:00.000-07:00

Today's post comes from guest blogger and CAPS' staff member Shayna Plaut, Assistant Director, Employer Relations, specializing in non-profit and government fields.

From rural China to downtown Chicago, from predatory loans to foreign diplomacy – this year’s recipients of the International Experience Grants and the Summer Action Grants span the spectrum of geographic region, thematic focus, class year and major – but all share one thing in common: ideas of action, generated by the student, and funded (at least in part) by the College.

Experiential education, the idea that learning takes place by doing, is a not a new idea. It was most formally promoted by John Dewey and has served as a cornerstone for liberal education. The University of Chicago has supported the notion of experiential education in many fields however, much of the support was tied to particular disciplines.

And there are times where students' ideas just don’t quite fit into a specific discipline.

The International Experience Grants and the Summer Action Grants were a response to this. The Grants allow students to propose their own ideas, to pitch themselves and explore the nitty-gritty of budgets, personnel and proposals. And when students are given such creativity and responsibility, they excel. This is the first year the College has offered the International Experience Grants and the Summer Action Grants and the student response to these opportunities was very strong.

We want to thank Dean John W. Boyer for providing the funding, the committee members for providing the time and energy and the students for providing the ideas. Due to the diverse and rich reach of the program, the funding for these grants will again be available next year.

Below you will find the recipients of the 2009 International Experience Grants and the Summer Action Grants; and please offer your congratulations to these students:

International Experience Grants

• Samuel Berkowitz, Economics, Beijing Global Village, China
• Lee Davidson, Economics, Community-based Conversation and Development, China
• Peter Slezkine, History, European Court of Human Rights, France
• Lady Velez, Biological Sciences, Hospital de Manta Rodriguez Zambrano, Ecuador
• Brittany Jackson, Anthropology, Marj Rabba, Israel
• Shashin Chokshi, Political Science, Self-Employed Women’s Association, India
• Jessica Dragonetti, Anthropology, Tshulu Trust, South Africa
• Karry Lu, International Studies, U.S. Commercial Service, Australia
• Anonymous, U.S. Department of State, Russia
• Shengziao Yu, Undeclared, Zhejiang, China

Summer Action Grants

• Rebecca Maurer, Interdisciplinary in the Humanities, interactive community mapping program, Chicago
• Charles Gerstein, Economics, Bronx Legal Aid, New York
• Rachel Cromidas, Law Letters and Society, Chicago Studies Olympic Bid, Chicago
• Lucy Little, Undeclared, CircEsteem, Chicago
• Isabela Blatchman – Biatch, Political Science, Center for Wrongful Convictions, Chicago
• Abimbola Oladokun, Political Science, Coalition for the International Criminal Court, New York
• Meredith Spoto, Law, Letters and Society, Cook County Public Defender, Chicago
• Jonathan Hartley, Economics, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Chicago
• Kathryn O’Mara, Public Policy, Glaser Progress Foundation, Seattle
• Lauren Winer, English, Global Witness, Washington, DC/London
• Dallas Donnell, African American Studies, Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, Philadelphia
• Alexander Abbott Boyd, Economics, Neighborhood Economic Development Agency, Chicago
• Pater Salib, Philosophy, STRIVE, Chicago

Questions, ideas or feedback about grants, internships and summer plans? Post them here.

The New Academia: Should Graduate School be Restructured?

2009-05-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week the New York Times published a somewhat controversial opinion piece about the current state of academia and graduate school programs. The author, Mark C. Taylor, who is the chairman of the religion department at Columbia University, boldly stated that faculty tenure should be eliminated, permanent academic departments should be abolished, and that graduate programs should focus on such broad, interdisciplinary topics as "water".

In the past, academia seemed to be a natural path for many University of Chicago students - the vast majority of a given first year class believes that they will attend graduate school immediately following graduation from the College - but as the years pass, this number declines, and more students push off grad school for a few years, or leave the ivory tower completely, instead pursuing full-time career paths in a variety of industries. Now, the academic market is as challenging as the full-time job market, with Ph.D. candidates vying for just a few select faculty positions, and most graduate students relying on adjuncting to gain work experience and pay the bills. Students in graduate programs grapple with the choice between continuing their work in academia, and hoping that job prospects will materialize, or leaving academia to pursue another career all together - an oftentimes frightening and jarring possibility.

Which begs the question: are undergraduates reconsidering the move to graduate school? And are graduate students thinking more about leaving academia? Is Professor Taylor right - does the American academic landscape need to be restructured entirely?

Post your comments and ideas about this topic here.

Want to hear more about the academic job market? Come to these upcoming CAPS programs:

Faculty Forum on the Economy and the Academic Job Market, May 4, 5pm, Ida Noyes Library Lounge (first floor)

Your First Year as a Professor, May 20, 4pm, Id Noyes Hall East Lounge (second floor)

Academic Networking, June 1, 5pm, Ida Noyes Cloister Club (first floor)

Preparing for the Academic Job Market, June 2, 4pm, Ida Noyes East Lounge (second floor)

Always check the CAPS Calendar for updated dates, times and locations.

The Inconvenient Truths of Finance

2009-04-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

During her lecture at the University of Chicago yesterday afternoon, which she presented as "The Inconvenient Truths of Finance" New York Times Best-Selling author Beth Kobliner introduced what she calls the "Suri Cruise Moment" - in which she stated that more young people in their twenties and thirties can identify Suri Cruise (TomKat's daughter) than know what the interest rate on their credit card is. Frightening. Ms. Kobliner provided several other sobering statistics to the crowd of roughly 30 undergraduate and graduate students, including:

*More adults under the age of 35 now spend 20% of their income paying off credit card debt than ever before.
*If you take inflation into account, people in their twenties and thirties are actually making less income today than our parents did at our age.
*The unemployment rate for individuals aged 20 - 24 is at 14% - higher than it's ever been since anyone's been tracking this stuff.

So what's one to do, faced with these daunting statistics? Kobliner also has some tips and tricks all of us, including what can sound like commonsense, but actually makes good financial sense. Read on if you're worried about your financial situation (and that's pretty much everyone these days):

*Preserve your credit score: According to Kobliner, missing one bill payment, on your credit cards, your car payments, your bills, can negatively affect your credit score almost immediately - so sign up for automatic payments for your regular bills and be sure to always pay them on time.
*Don't carry a balance on your credit card: Here's the example that Kobliner shared. Say you have a $1000 balance on your credit card, and each month you pay only the minimum payment. If you do that, it will take you 13 YEARS and cost you an additional $850 to pay off that original $1000.
*Save: Set up an automatic withdrawal system that takes money out of your checking account and puts it into saving. Even if it's $5, $25, $75 - save something everything single month.
*Don't spend what you can't afford: Sounds simple - but living on credit is what got us into this mess in the first place (ok, it's more complicated than that, but you get what I'm saying).

Looking for more tips on personal finance? Check out http://www.bethkobliner.com/ for more info from Beth and links to other financial planning websites.

Are you worried less about your personal finance, and more about actually having a paycheck after you graduate? Come into CAPS for an appointment (call 773-702-7040 to schedule) or attend one of our upcoming programs about finding jobs and internships in a recession. Check out the CAPS calendar for dates, times and locations.

Questions, comments, feedback or ideas? Post them here.

As Interest in Business Careers Wanes, What's Next?

2009-04-13T12:00:00.001-07:00

CAPS struggles sometimes with a common misperception on campus that our services are only available or useful to students interested in banking, finance or consulting. Time and time again we read editorials in the Maroon, or hear feedback from students, that rail against us for not serving the hundreds of other students interested in careers outside of the traditional business realm. What about journalism, science, non-profits, etc.? Nevermind the fact that with over 30 staff members at CAPS, our expertise ranges from the law, to communications, to the government, to market research, to, yes, even business. Students seem to ignore, or else just forget about, the non-business programming that we offer, which ranges from immersion camps in the sciences, arts and non-profit industries to workshops with alumni from a wide range of backgrounds, Chicago Careers in...Programs in not only business, but also journalism, law and health professions. Students who were interested in non-business careers sometimes don't come to CAPS at all - and as a result, they miss out on large portions of programming that may have been of use and interest.

Well, if a recent article in the New York Times is correct, maybe that's about to change. Because according to this article, finance jobs, once the most coveted by many graduating college students, are about to be replaced in popularity by jobs in the government, the sciences and public service. The article states, "And early indications suggest new career directions that are tethered less to the dream of an immediate six-figure paycheck on Wall Street than to the demands of a new public agenda to solve the nation’s problems...What will the new map of talent flow look like? It’s early, but based on graduate school applications this spring, enrollment in undergraduate courses, preliminary job-placement results at schools, and the anecdotal accounts of students and professors, a new pattern of occupational choice seems to be emerging. Public service, government, the sciences and even teaching look to be winners..."

So what does this mean for University of Chicago students? There are a variety of scenarios that may play out for you over the next several months - here are just a few, and ways in which CAPS can help:

1) You're about to graduate, or enter the summer, or you've been laid off, without job or internship plans, and like the students interviewed in the NYT article, you're interested in a government or public service career. Action: a) Attend the CAPS/UCSC Public Service and Non-Profit Career Fair, taking place this Friday, April 17 from 12 - 4pm in Ida Noyes. Meet with over 30 non-profit and government organizations that are hiring interns and full-time opportunities. b) Make an appointment with a CAPS counselor. We have several staff on hand with backgrounds in non-profit and government work, including Max Brooks and Shayna Plaut. Come in with your resume and work with them to put together a job search plan.

2) You're about to graduate, enter the summer, or you've been laid off, and you don't know what industry or field you want to go into. Action: Make a career exploration appointment with a CAPS counselor. Regardless of what stage of your career you're in (no internships, three internships, no experience, 5 years of experience) a career counselor can help you think about what you actually LIKE to do - and career paths that will help you do that.

3) You're about to graduate, enter the summer, or you've been laid off, and you ARE interested in a career in business or consulting (what does the NYT know anyway?): Action: Make an appointment with a CAPS career counselor. We have several staff on hand with backgrounds in investment banking and consulting, including Michael Paone and Lauren Baker. And just because the media is claiming that finance careers are "disgraced" doesn't mean you shouldn't go after the job you are interested in - as long as you are being realistic about your goals.

To make an appointment with a CAPS counselor, call (773) 702 - 7040.

Is the finance industry really disgraced? Were you considering a career in business or consulting, but are now looking elsewhere? Post your comments here.

Honesty is the Best Policy for the Job Search

2009-04-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

We've all been there - you tell a little white lie to make yourself sound better, or to avoid starting an argument. Or maybe you diffuse a tense situation by altering the truth just a little bit. While standard social graces may dictate when to bend the truth just a little, ("You look great in that dress you just spent $500 on. No, really, you do.") there is a time and place for half-truths like that - and the job search is NOT the time or the place. In fact, when searching for a job or internship, honesty is the only policy to follow. A recent article from Career Builder goes into greater detail about reasons why candidates sometimes lie on their resumes or cover letters - and the alternative, which is to tell the truth:

"Dates of employment
Why job seekers lie: People think it's necessary to cover up or omit potentially negative employment situations like gaps between jobs or short-term employment, Mininni says.
How to spin it: Address discrepancies about dates of employment in your cover letter. Be honest about what you did during the breaks between employments and identify any relevant transferable skills you learned during that time.

"If you've only spent one month at a job, it should still be included in your employment history," Mininni says. More employers are conducting background checks and/or confirming dates of employment, so take a paragraph in your cover letter to say that you're looking for a job where you can really thrive and grow professionally -- you just haven't found it yet.

Education
Why job seekers lie: There are many lies job seekers tell about education: alleging that they attended college when they didn't; declaring a degree at a school they never went to; or claiming to have a degree at all when they really never finished college.
How to spin it: "Companies are looking for the value you bring to the organization and often have 'or equivalent' statements in their job requirements," Mininni says. "If you have the equivalent amount of experience in lieu of a degree, you will want to highlight that experience."

If you went to college but didn't finish, don't focus on the lack of a degree. Instead, outline other education you acquired through professional certifications or company-sponsored education, she suggests.

Experience, accomplishments and job titles
Why job seekers lie: People often inflate previous experience, undertakings and job titles when they apply for jobs where they aren't qualified, Mininni says. "It's interesting how many people don't know their actual titles," she says. "If you don't know, don't guess. Ask your manager."
How to spin it: "If you don't have the required experience, focus on your natural talents. Are you known as the idea generator, the communicator or the process improver? This will be important to highlight and provide examples of how you have demonstrated those natural talents and how it aided the company," Mininni says.

Salaries
Why job seekers lie: Candidates inflate their salaries in an effort increase their starting offers, Mininni says. Unfortunately, upon checking, the employer discovers the exaggeration.
How to spin it: Keep in mind the responsibilities of the position, the scope and the job market. If you've stayed at your company for 25 years and haven't received market increases, you may be behind the market. Researching what the current market pays is critical in knowing your leverage points when it comes time to talk salary.

Criminal history
Why job seekers lie: Some people lie through omission because the extent of their criminal record is a misdemeanor assault charge from high school. Others lie about more serious offenses. Perhaps they had a drug problem and got their nursing license taken away, or they were jailed for embezzlement.
How to spin it: Own up to the situation or use that experience to reinvent yourself, Mininni says. Look for jobs that don't tie in to your criminal background -- for example, if you had drug issues, don't try to work in medicine, and if you embezzled, don't work with money. Learn to use your skills in different ways and sell that to the employer."

In addition to these tips, there are other areas that you should always be upfront about when applying for jobs or internships - that includes your GPA, the courses you are taking, and the extracurriculars you're invovled in. For more information about "creative" GPA rounding and other no-nos that might come up for students or recent alumni, check out this CAPS blog post from earlier this academic year.

If you have questions or concerns about how to present yourself to a potential employer, come in to CAPS to talk about it (call 773/702-7040 to make an appointment). We can help you come up with a strategy to emphasize your accomplishments and strengths, without telling any white lies.

Questions, comments or ideas? Post them here.

Etiquette 101: Why Being Polite is Essential to Networking

2009-03-30T14:05:00.000-07:00

This is a true story: a personal friend of mine who works at a large digital advertising agency in Chicago agreed to do me a favor and speak with some University of Chicago undergraduates who might have questions about the industry, how to get into advertising, etc, etc. This friend is not an alumnus of the University, but he wanted to help out, and as we all know, the best way to get your foot in the door at an organization is to network and set up informational interviews. A few weeks later, I saw this friend and he told me that he had been in touch with a University of Chicago student, and had found his interactions with this student unsettling - in trying to set up a time to speak with the student and answer questions about his company and his work, this student was very inflexible and demanded that my friend be available during very small windows of time on specific days of the week. When my friend suggested another time and date, this student replied that it was almost finals week and that it would be impossible to set up another time to talk.

So what's wrong with this picture?

Hopefully most readers cringed (as I did when my friend told me this story) to hear that a University of Chicago student would be so inflexible when trying to build a professional relationship. If you didn't, here's why you should have:

1. When reaching out to an alum or another professional contact (someone you met at a career fair or information session, perhaps) remember that this person is doing you a favor. It's not the other way around, and you should be as polite and as accomodating as possible.

2. Yes, we know that you are busy - you have class, homework, studying, extracurriculars, a part-time job and you'd also like to have some time to work out, go out, or just chill out. However, when you're communicating with a professional in the working world, remember that the person you are talking to likely works 40 plus hours a week, commutes for at least an hour a day, if not longer, may have children or other family obligations, as well as other personal responsibilities outside of work. In other words, you should rearrange your schedule to make it easier on the person you are networking with. This does not mean skipping class or blowing off homework - but it does mean suggesting large chunks of time when you are available, and offering to call the person or come to his or her place of work to meet. You want to make it as easy as possible for the person who is helping you, to actually be able to help you.

For some more (harsh) advice, I'm borrowing some information from the Booth School of Business (I'm also borrowing their title for this blog post). Earlier this year, the Booth student newspaper ran an article called "Etiquette 101," written by a class of 2009 Booth student. And while some of this advice is tough to swallow, it reinforces the point we're trying to make - BE POLITE.

Here's some of what the Booth article had to say - the CAPS Blog thinks this is good advice for anyone on the job or internship hunt:

1. "Introductions: When you’re asking me for help, can you not be so demanding? It’s not like I owe it to you. I’m not your mother and the last time I checked, you were the one who needed help. While my positive karma points go up with every mock interview/case practice/tips/help session I give, I’m doing you a favor. Remember that and don’t send me an e-mail like “send me your availability.” Can I? Can I really? I think hell is available…"

2. "Punctuality: If you don’t call or show up when you’re supposed to, that’s not called 'fashionably late.' When it comes to appointments, you’re just late. Tardy. Truant. Obnoxious and disrespectful of people’s time. If I wanted to sit around and do nothing, that’s my prerogative. But it is not the highlight of my day to wait for you. There are so many ways to know the time in modern days: watch, cell phone, crackberry, computer—dude, you can even ASK someone. Just be on time. Otherwise, don’t blame the person you’re meeting for giving you an attitude."

3. "Apologies: Let’s say you’re late for a reason. You have a legitimate alibi. At least say you’re sorry. I realize that many of you may not have such a word in your vocabulary, but most children learn it before they ever step onto school grounds. Go relearn it. It’s five letters that will serve you well in life. And don’t apologize while not sounding apologetic. That’s just rude because then it’s clear to me and everyone else that you’re just making excuses for yourself..."

Again, hopefully this sounds like commonsense to you. But if it doesn't, or if you think you're guilty of being rude, inflexible or demanding when you're building your network, learn these lessons now - and don't do it again.

Questions, comments or networking horror stories? Post them here.

The Importance of Cover Letters in a Down Economy

2009-03-23T12:09:00.000-07:00

This week we continue with tips and advice for students and alumni who on the job or internship hunt during this difficult economy. One of the most challenging things about a job search is that feeling that your resume is going into a black hole somewhere - and unfortunately, you may not hear back at all from some of the organizations that you've applied to. One way to combat the gravitational force of these resume black holes is to send your resume along with a cover letter. This may seem like commonsense, but for students and recent alumni who are just getting started on the job hunt, it may not be immediately clear why a cover letter is so important. And when you're applying for five, ten, fifteen, maybe even more, positions per week, the temptation to do away with cover letters all together can be tempting. Here are some reasons not to give in to that little voice that is telling you not to write that cover letter:

An article earlier this year in the New York Times focused on the importance of cover letters. As that article points out: "'Cover letters are a graceful way to introduce yourself, to convey your personality and to impress a hiring manager with your experience and your writing skills,' said Katy Piotrowski, an author of career books and a career counselor based in Fort Collins, Colo. 'You can also tailor them to a specific company in ways that you cannot with a resume.'" It's almost impossible to fit all of your relevant skills onto your resume, and contextualize those skills for the position you are applying for - the cover letter gives you the opportunity to provide a potential employer with that context.

Other tips from the NYT include:

- Your cover letter should be short — generally no longer than three or four paragraphs.
- In your first paragraph, explain why you are writing — it may be that you are answering an ad, that you were referred to the company through networking, or that you learned that the company is expanding...
- In the middle paragraphs, explain why you are a good candidate, and show that you are knowledgeable about the company. Then convey a clear story about your career, and highlight specific past achievements...
- A cover letter with typos, misspellings and poor sentence structure may take you out of the running for a job. If you cannot afford to pay someone to review your cover letter and resume, enlist a friend or a family member with good language skills to do it instead.

For more information about writing cover letters, check out the CAPS "How to Write a Compelling Cover Letter" webcast or the newly revised and redesigned CAPS Handout on cover letter writing. Still not sure what to write? Call CAPS at (773) 702 - 7040 and schedule an appointment to go over your cover letter with a CAPS career counselor.

Questions, suggestions or other thoughts? Post them here.

Tips for WBEZ Followers - and Anyone Else Looking for a Job

2009-03-16T11:51:00.000-07:00

The WBEZ Chicago Public Radio blog "Hard Working" recently featured advice from CAPS' staff member Marthe Druska for students and alumni conducting job and internship searches in this tough economic climate. Click here to view the original blog post. Read below for the tips that Marthe provided to WBEZ readers:

1. How has the recession affected the demand for your services, both by soon-to-be grads and alumni?

The economic climate is certainly at the forefront of everyone’s minds, especially for students about to graduate. We’ve seen an increase in the number of alumni who have contacted our office, both recent alumni who are 1 to 5 years out of school and more experienced alumni. These are individuals who have either been laid off, are concerned about being laid off, or are considering a career transition. Student demand for our services has remained strong as students are thinking about summer plans and planning for internships.

2. What are the biggest obstacles facing your students and how can they overcome them?

The obvious answer is the economy, and the fact that fewer organizations are hiring. We’re advising both graduating students and alumni to start early and to be open minded. Students who may have been determined to go into a particular industry, or even to work at a specific organization, really need to widen their search. In addition, more than ever, networking is such an important career search tool right now. Companies are still hiring, but the more connections students can make with alumni and other professionals in their fields of interest, the better. We’re really encouraging students to reach out to alumni, and to go on information interviews. Even if there isn’t a position open at this time, it never hurts to learn more about an organization and express your interest in working there.

The other piece of important advice is not to get discouraged. This can be difficult when it seems as if there aren’t many jobs available right now. Being organized is very important: keep a spreadsheet of the positions that you’ve applied to, the people that you’ve met with, and the follow up that you’ve done with each organization.

3. What are the 3 most important pieces of advice you give to imminent grads looking for jobs?

1. Expand the areas that you are looking at. Especially for students at the University of Chicago, where a liberal arts education is so important, they have strong, transferable skills. So consider fields or lesser known organizations that you may not have planned to apply to. Education and healthcare are two areas that are doing well right now, despite the economy. And even in hard hit areas like financial services, there are smaller, boutique firms that are hiring.

2. Make sure you have a targeted resume and cover letter. For every position that you apply for, the resume and cover letter that you submit should reflect that you’ve read the job description carefully and researched the organization. Sending a generic resume or a generic cover letter to an organization is one of the fastest ways to remove yourself from consideration. It’s also important to relate the experience that you already have back to the position you are applying for. It’s not enough to state in your cover letter what you’ve accomplished in previous positions - you also have to explain why those skills are relevant to the position you are applying for. Imagine that you tell a potential employer about a skill set you already possess. Now imagine that employer asks, “So what? What can that do for me?” Try to answer those questions in your cover letter.

2b. It goes without saying, NO TYPOS in your resume or cover letter. Have a friend, roommate, partner, someone read your materials to make sure you’re not missing any grammatical or spelling errors.

3. Follow up. Following up includes sending a thank you email or note AND checking back in if you don’t hear from an organization or individual. You don’t want to be pushy (calling or emailing every day is not acceptable) but you also want to stay on people’s radars. I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve heard from a student “I submitted my resume, but then I never heard anything back.” But that student never called to follow up and emphasize his or her interest in the position.

3b. Say thank you. Always. You’d be surprised how many people don’t send thank you notes after an interview. It doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get the job, but it does make you stand out from the pack.

4. How has the recession affected the level of on-campus recruitment and recruiters’ interest in your students?

We haven’t really heard that recruiters would prefer to hire alumni, as opposed to graduating seniors. We have seen a decrease in the number of organizations who came to campus for full-time recruiting this past fall. We’ve seen a slight decrease in the number of organizations who attended our fall and winter career fairs this year, but that was very slight—for the most part those numbers have remained strong. However, at the same time we’re still seeing quite a bit of interest in internship recruiting. We currently have over 250 Jeff Metcalf Fellows Internships available to our students—these are paid, substantive summer internship opportunities exclusive to University of Chicago undergraduates—so while it’s been challenging, we have still seen some growth.

5. For the coming school year, how does CAPS plan to continue helping students through this difficult time?

Our mission continues to be to connect undergraduates, graduate students and recent alumni to opportunities in a wide range of fields—this has not changed. At the same time, we do want to provide as much support as possible to both students and alumni during this difficult time. On the undergraduate side, we are developing new programming for this spring that will address looking for positions in a difficult economy, and strategies for seeking out those “hidden” positions in this job market. On the graduate side, there is a similar series of workshops planned for this spring, for students both interested in continuing in academia, and for those who are looking to enter the post-academic job market. To read more about the undergraduate programming, you can go here; for upcoming graduate student programming, you can visit here. And for alumni who are entering the job market, we are continuing to work with our colleagues in Alumni Relations and Development to provide both one-on-one advising and programming for individuals with more experience. This includes offering more appointments for more experienced alumni, and developing regional networking events for alumni across the country who are seeking job resources.

Questions, comments or suggestions? Post them here.

8 Tips for Gaining a Competitive Edge in a Competitive Job Market

2009-03-11T07:59:00.000-07:00

Last month the University's Chicago Alumni Club organized an event for alumni who are currently seeking employment during this difficult economy. The event featured a panel of alumni and non-alumni speakers discussing their experiences of both being laid off and helping others seek employment. One of the panelists, Russ Jones, of First Transitions, Inc. provided the following information, which we're borrowing for today's blog post:

Looking for a New Position in a Difficult Economy

The media has frightened employers, employees, job seekers and investors to a level not seen since the early ‘80s. The picture painted is bleak. In many cases, if we were aware of the rest of the story, we would be concerned, but not engaged in the full blown panic we see, hear and experience in the marketplace each day. Each day we seem to get a fresh dose of the doom and gloom of our economy as we read the print and broadcast news headlines concerning the reductions in force of thousands of employees by organizations across the country. These reports frighten many people who take the news at face value.
Let’s take a closer look. In many cases what the media fails to explain is that a job force reduction of, say, 30,000, doesn’t mean that 30,000 people are losing their jobs the next day. Certainly, some of the affected employees will lose their jobs immediately, but many others will accept early retirement or severance packages with generous payouts. Still more job cuts will come from attrition or not filling currently open positions. The headcount will dissipate over the course of perhaps several years, not immediately. In many cases, these large headcount announcements are made to make shareholders content with the actions taken. With the profit pressure placed on CEOs, announcing a large scale workforce reduction appeases stockholders and Boards of Directors and is a quick way to show potential savings of millions of dollars.
So, the next time you hear or read about a large scale reduction in force, read the fine print and realize how many are affected immediately versus the number announced. Recognizing, however, that those at the helms of organizations are also reading these headlines, they too have a bit of fear about the future instilled in them. There is a higher rate of unemployment than there has been in several years. Market conditions dictate that finding a new position is more difficult than it has been in several years. After all, there are more individuals pursuing fewer positions.
The question then becomes, “How do I give myself a competitive advantage in such a competitive job market?” Here are 8 factors that can give you the edge.
1) ATTITUDE is the single most important attribute in finding a new position. Organizations have no interest in hiring individuals that don’t think positively about themselves, their abilities or the company with whom they are interviewing. Attitude is your best friend or your worst enemy and you have control over your outlook and how you choose to see the world.
2) Take inventory, know what you have to sell and how will you add value to an organization. Take the time to consider your skills, abilities, interests and accomplishments. Write them down and think through what employers want in the positions that you will seek. Determine how you will bring across your personality, values and marketable skills to the interview—whether in person or on the telephone.
3) Consider the possibilities. Think about how your skills can be marketed to a variety of employers. Your training, education, and work experience have prepared you for a variety of options. Career assessment inventories can help you uncover some of these possibilities. Community colleges can provide inexpensive or free access to these assessment tools.
4) Be realistic. Finding a new position takes time. Be patient, allocate time to work on your search every day and don’t spend too much time researching positions on the internet. After all, only 4% of job seekers are successful in finding new positions online.
5) Do your homework. Make sure that you are knowledgeable about the organizations and individuals that you contact. Google, LinkedIn, Zoom Info, association websites, company websites, etc. provide information about organizations and people. Taking the time to be knowledgeable can give you the edge.
6) You can’t network enough. It may be all we hear about, but in today’s market, more than 70% of job seekers’ success comes from networking. Networking is about seeking advice, information, ideas, referrals and coaching while being able to discuss your interests without asking for a job. Good dialogue will create opportunities. Make a list of friends, co-workers, past co-workers, family members, professional contacts, etc. and develop a game plan for contacting and staying in touch. Join job clubs, attend business and professional meetings and seek out your alumni. Don’t forget your network once you have landed.
7) Rely on your friends. Ask a trusted professional friend or friends to be your support and confidante during this process. We all need “cheerleaders” in our lives to maintain our spirits.
8) Be relentless. Though a job search can be painfully difficult, as there is far more rejection than acceptance, we must remain focused on the task at hand. Each day have goals regarding contacts, expanding our network and gaining face to face interviews. After all, each new interaction has the possibility of leading to the position that you are seeking.
Strategies for finding a new position in a down economy are no different than times when our economy is robust. Securing a new position in any economy is competitive. Our current economy, where there are more applicants for fewer positions, requires us to be more competitive. There is a smaller margin for error. As a result, we must plan and strategize, prepare, make a stronger effort and execute each aspect of our search in order to gain a competitive edge over other job seekers.

Questions, comments or suggestions? Post them here.

Upcoming Academic and Post-Academic Programming at CAPS

2009-03-03T11:06:00.000-08:00

CAPS Graduate Services staff seeks to support graduate students at every stage of their professional development, regardless of their program or goals. We will continue to work closely with graduate divisional and Divinity School deans and deans of students, program directors and coordinators of the MA programs and faculty; University partners such as the Center for Teaching and Learning, Office of Graduate Affairs, and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs; and our counterparts at peer institutions to address graduate student, post-doc, and alumni needs.

In addition to department specific programming, here is a taste of what is coming up for grads and post-docs this spring:

Career Exploration
Career Exploration Seminars for MAs (Session 1 begins April 6, Session 2 begins in May)
&
Career Exploration Seminars PhDs and Postdocs (begins April 28) 5 week seminars include self-assessment of skills, interests, and values, methods for crafting a resume and cover letter, and interview preparation. Registration begins March 16- Call 773-702-7040.

Academic Job Market

May 20
Your First Year as a Professor is an annual event that is part of our yearlong Navigating the Academic Job Market Series, and is an opportunity for PhD students to hear more about life as a new faculty member. Topics include balancing research and teaching, how to be a good colleague, and working towards tenure

May/June (TBD)

Academic Networking, is a workshop featuring faculty and advanced doctoral student speakers on the topic of networking at academic conferences and making a good impression on campus visits. Following the presentations, students will participate in general networking exercises in a cocktail reception setting.

Faculty Forum on the Economy and Academic Jobs is a Spring Quarter forum for faculty from across the divisions and Divinity School to address how the current economic climate is affecting the academic job market and to offer advice for students planning on entering the market during the 2009-2010 job cycle.

Diversity in Academe (co-sponsored by Office of Multicultural Student Affairs)

Post-Academic Job Market

March 13
Science Career Forum, a career fair for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the sciences, will also include a panel on Diverse Careers in the Sciences where PhD scientists will talk about their transitions to post-academic paths that took advantage of their graduate training.

April 13
PhDs Careers in Consulting is a panel of PhDs working at McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group.

May 14
Demystifying Post-Academic Careers will feature graduate alumni who have pursued careers outside of academia.

We continue our work with a member of the Employer Development team, Dillan Siegler, in doing targeted outreach to employers on opening new job and internship opportunities to graduate students. We’d also like to encourage graduate students to make use of all CAPS resources, including Career Fairs, industry-specific programming, employer information sessions, one-on-one counseling, and our myriad web resources. If you are looking for answers, why not email? Grad staff members are available for your area of study:
Heather Sevener—Biological and Physical Sciences, hsevener@uchicago.edu
Lesley Lundeen—Humanities and Divinity School, llundeen@uchicago.edu
Johanna Schoss—Social Sciences, jschoss@uchicago.edu

Ideas, suggestions or questions about graduate student programming at CAPS? Post them here.

Summer and Full-Time Job Resources from CAPS

2009-02-24T06:47:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard already, the economy is in crisis right now, and that means that more students than ever are thinking about their summer plans and their plans for post-graduation. We're well into internship season right now, but if you're still making plans, or if you're still not sure how to start making plans, we have good news - CAPS is offering a wide range of workshops this spring to help students find opportunities for the summer and beyond.

Here's a snapshot of what's coming up (be sure to check the CAPS calendar for updated dates, times and locations for all of these programs):

March 4, Time TBD, Ida Noyes Hall
Use Your Spring Break to Find a Valuable Summer Experience, Part I: Spring break might be for laying out on the beach. It's also for making connections and finding out more about summer opportunities.
(Part II will be planned for after spring break, to help students turn the connections you make over spring break into an internship.)

April 2, Time TBD, Ida Noyes Hall
Finding Summer Opportunities: No, April is not too late to start looking for a summer internship, research position or other opportunity. Attend this workshop to learn more about places to look for internship postings, preparing your application materials, and landing that position.

April 9, Time TBD, Ida Noyes Hall
CAPS Stimulus Package: Job Searching in a Weak Economy: Yes, the economy is weak. No, this does not mean there are not any jobs available - but the search is more challenging that in year past. Attend this workshop for tips to continue your job search, even when it feels like there aren't any jobs out there.

April 20, Time TBD, Ida Noyes Hall
Recession Job Search Strategies: Where are the jobs? Attend this workshop to learn more about searching for full-time positions when the economy is struggling. The job search is changing, and you need to adapt your skills to find those hidden opportunities.

May 12, Time TBD, Ida Noyes Hall
Finding Summer Opportunities: It's still not too late - in fact, it's never too late to look for a summer opportunity. Attend this workshop to learn more about "just in time" opportunities and conducting an internship search this spring.

May 19, Time TBD, Ida Noyes Hall
For 3rd years: Strategizing for the Full time job Search — What to expect and look for next year. This one is self-explanatory. If you're a third year, and you're planning to look for a full-time job next year, attend this workshop. It's never too early to start planning your job search strategy.

Questions about any of these programs? Contact CAPS at (773) 702 - 7040. Ideas for other workshops or programs we should be offering? Post them here.

Tips from the "Internship Queen"

2009-02-16T10:29:00.000-08:00

Today's post provides some tips, courtesy of the "internship queen" - Lauren Berger was recently profiled by Chicago Public Radio about her internship web page, and why internships are more important than ever.

Here is some of her advice:

1. When applying to internships, it’s important to have all the materials together and prepared. Your resume only needs to be one page long, currently updated and it can’t have nothing on it. A lot of times, the problem with freshmen and sophomores is they have no experience, but they need to know they have had experiences, they just need to look at small experiences–volunteering with their families, high school activities–and pick out the important tasks they have learned.

2. Before interviewing–and even before you apply–go online and find out the company’s mission statement. Find out if it’s something you want to be involved with, and tie that into your answers at your interview: make it clear you understand the company’s mission and you want to help work on the goals the company is trying to achieve.

3. When interviewing, go in there with a sense of passion and excitement for what you’re doing.

Having trouble finding internships to apply for, let alone showing passion and excitement in your interview? Use CAPS resources to find opportunities that interest you - the next Metcalf deadline is this Thursday, February 19. Make sure you're checking the list of opportunities and upcoming deadlines, and applying via Chicago Career Connection. There are also hundreds of other non-Metcalf internship opportunities in Chicago Career Connection right now - log into the "Jobs" tab and search by keyword, location or industry.

Still not finding what you're interested in? Come into CAPS and meet with a staff member to talk about what type of internship your looking for, where you've been applying and where you need some help. You can call (773) 702 - 7040 to schedule an appointment, or come to walk-in hours.

To read the complete article about Ms. Berger and her internship kingdom, click here.

Questions, ideas, frustrations about the internship search? Post them to the CAPS blog here.

Job Search Tips for a Tough Economy

2009-02-05T07:52:00.000-08:00

A recent article in the New York Times profiled the increasing number of white-collar professionals who are out of work and seeking employment. These are professionals with advanced degrees, and years of work experience in corporate settings, who have faced recent lay-offs and job loss. The CAPS' Blog isn't highlighting these folks to worry you - but some of the techniques that these more experience job seekers are using are also applicable to students who are conducting their first full-time job searches this winter and spring. Here are a few tips from the article:

1. Start Early: it's always been true that the average job search can take up to six months from start to finish. It's not as simple as submitting a few resumes and then waiting for the offers to roll in. This is even more true during these tough economic times. Referring to one of the job search support groups profiled in this article, the NYT states, "...seven of nine members have been out of steady work for six months or longer; the other two are approaching the six-month mark." The bottom line: give yourself enough time to network with alumni and employers and apply for jobs that interest you. If you aren't sure where to start in your search, come into CAPS and develop a strategy with one of our staff members.

2. Keep Track of Your Efforts: The professionals profiles in this article keep serious logs of the number of positions they've applied to, the number of follow-up phone calls they've made and the number of hours they spent searching for positions. You should follow the same model - keep a spreadsheet or a running list of the positions you've applied for and when you submitted your applications. And don't be afraid to follow up, via phone or email. A job search is a lot like taking on another course - you have to put in the time and complete your "homework" day after day.

3. Stay Positive: One of the least desirable qualities that employers look for in a potential employee is a negative attitude. We're not saying it's easy - because we know it's not. When you've applied to position after position and haven't made much progress, it can be hard to continue with your search - but it's also important to focus on what else is going on in your life right now. The article states, "Nevertheless, the group’s sessions are intentionally businesslike and upbeat. Griping and self-pity are discouraged. Meetings begin with members reporting two highlights from their job search — even if they are hard to name — as well as two activities they did besides looking for work." If you can remain upbeat during your search, your positive attitude will shine in interviews and make an impression on potential employers.

4. Ask for Help: This isn't in the NYT article, but it is relevant for University of Chicago students and alumni. Come into CAPS; reach out to your parents' friends; contact alumni who are working in organizations that you're interested in. No man or woman is an island, and the key to a successful job search is talking to as many people as possible and getting your name (and resume) out there. We'll say it again: if you're not sure how to start this process, come into CAPS and meet with a staff member who will help you put together a game plan.

Ready for an appointment with CAPS? Call (773) 702 - 7040 to schedule one.

Comments, ideas, frustrations or suggestions regarding you job search? Post them here.

Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For

2009-01-26T10:10:00.000-08:00

Now that the inauguration week is over and it's down to business in Washington, DC the focus for many individuals is back on the economy, and the continued downturn that the country is facing. There's no denying that these are tough economic times - but even in the midst of so much dismal news, there is some good stuff out there. Case in point, Fortune Magazine recently released its list of the 100 top companies to work for. These are 100 companies that are weathering the economic storm, offering great benefits to their employees and growing (or at least holding steady) during these difficult times.

For students, especially those thinking about upcoming graduation and a full-time job search, the list is a great jumping off point when considering which organizations you might be interested in working at. BCG, Goldman Sachs and Google - all companies that come to campus to find interns and full-time staff - are in the top ten. But there are may also be companies on this list that you haven't considered before, and learning more about what got them into the top 100 could influence some of your plans for job applications down the road.

As CAPS staff member Michael Paone advised students this past fall, the key to a successful job search during this time is to think outside the box. And as Michael said, "Thinking outside the box this fall means working with CAPS to see which firms may be a good fit for you and identifying new companies for you to go after - even companies that were not previously on your radar screen."

Use this list of 100 companies to start identifying companies that weren't on your radar screen before. If you're not sure how to contact these companies, or you're not sure where to begin, call CAPS (773 - 702 - 7040) and schedule and appointment to talk about which organizations interest you and how you can reach them.

Questions or comments? Post them here. And if there are companies that aren't on this list - but that you'd really like to see recruiting on campus - post those suggestions here as well.

Questions to Never Ask in an Interview

2009-01-20T06:07:00.000-08:00

2009 is underway, and along with the start of winter quarter, the inauguration of a new president and MORE snow, this time of year is also the time when many students are applying for summer internships - and applying for internships means preparing for interviews.

For students who have never interviewed for a position before (and for those who have) internship interviews can be stressful and at times overwhelming. However, CAPS has a wide range of resources to assist students as they prepare for their upcoming interviews, including our interview skills handout, our interview skills webcast and our practice interviewer staff members, who will take you through an interview and then give you feedback on your answers.

In addition to these resources (which are available throughout the year, for both internship AND full-time interviews), this week the CAPS blog takes a look at some of the questions you should never ask when once you make it into the interview room, courtesy of an article from Yahoo's Hot Jobs.

First off, you might be wondering why you would be asking questions in an interview to begin with. After all, isn't an interview a chance for your potential employer to ask you questions? While it's true that in most interviews the employer is doing most of the asking, it's also true that there will almost always be a moment during your interview when you will be asked "So, do you have any questions for me?". When this happens, it's important to have at least two or three questions prepared - these are questions that should demonstrate your knowledge of the organization your interviewing with and your interest in the position. Which is why you shouldn't ask questions like:

"What does your company do?" As Hot Jobs points out, "This was a reasonable interview question in 1950 or in 1980, before the Internet existed. Today, it's your job to research any company you're interviewing with before setting foot in the door. We need to show up for a job interview knowing what the employer does, who its competitors are, and which of its accomplishments (or challenges) have made the news lately."

Also on the list of inquiries to avoid: "When will I be eligible for a raise?" Negotiating a job offer is part of the job search process - but asking about salary during your first interview is generally not the best approach. Instead, as Hot Jobs points out, wait until your second interview, and then "you can ask (at a second interview) 'Does your organization do a conventional one-year performance and salary review?' "

Another tricky area to navigate in the job search process is the idea of upward mobility. Very few people want to take a job that provides zero room for growth or promotion - however, when and how you ask about this can make a big difference in your interview. For example, don't ask "How soon can I transfer to a new position" - as Hot Jobs says, "You're broadcasting 'I'm outta here at the first chance' when you ask this question. If you like the job, take the job. If it's not for you, wait for the right opportunity. Almost every employer will keep you in your seat for at least one year before approving an internal transfer, so a job-search bait-and-switch probably won't work out the way you'd hoped."

For more questions you don't want to ask in a first-round interview, visit this Hot Jobs article.

For more interviewing help from CAPS, call (773) 702 - 7040 to schedule an appointment with one of our practice interviewers or a CAPS staff member.

Questions, feedback or ideas regarding interviewing? Post them here.

Save the Date for 2009: Upcoming Programs, Plus Stuff to Apply To Over Winter Break

2008-12-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

It's finals week, which means most students are thinking less about job and internship searches and more about finishing the quarter. At CAPS, we take this time of year to review our fall programs and to plan for the start of winter quarter, which is a busy time of year for everyone.

As students are wrapping up coursework and getting ready for the winter break, here are few updates and "save the dates" to keep in mind over the break and at the beginning of next quarter:

First and Second Years in the College, remember to apply for the Alumni Board of Governors Externship Program. The deadline to apply is January 20, 2009, so you can work on your resume and cover letter over the winter break. For more information about what an externship is, and where you can get one, visit https://caps.uchicago.edu/undergrads/abg/list.html.

First, Second and Third Years, Metcalf Season is here. The list of internship opportunities for summer 2009 will be posted to the CAPS website beginning on December 15, and we'll continue to add to this list as more opportunities come in. For more information about Metcalf, the list of opportunities and how to apply, visit https://caps.uchicago.edu/undergrads/internships/metcalf/.

Don't forget, to apply for ABG Externships, Metcalf Internships or other on-campus recruiting positions, you must be activated in Chicago Career Connection. To get activated, come into CAPS and have your resume reviewed by a CAPS staff member.

If you need to get your resume reviewed after the holidays, but in time to beat some of these January deadlines, come to CAPS Super Walk-Ins Day: Wednesday, January 14, 9am - 4pm, Ida Noyes Hall third floor. Walk-ins are first-come, first-served and are a great opportunity to receive feedback on your resume and ask questions about your job and internship search.

Save the Date: More CAPS' events are coming up in early 2009, including
-The CAPS' Winter Career Fair: Jan. 9, 12 - 4pm, Ida Noyes Hall. Attend the career fair to meet organizations hiring interns and full-time employers. Log into your Chicago Career Connection account to view the list of organizations that have already registered to attend.
- Diversity in Communications: Feb. 13, 8am - 5pm, downtown. Visit advertising, marketing and public relations firms to learn more about career paths in these fields.
- Diversity in the Law: Feb. 13, 8am - 5pm. Visit law firms and non-profit organizations in the legal field to explore career options and discuss law school.

Want more? Visit the CAPS calendar to view upcoming programs in 2009.

The CAPS Blog will be taking a break until after the New Year - Happy Holidays from everyone at CAPS, and to all a good night.

Questions, ideas, suggestions for programs? Post them here throughout the holiday season. We'll see you in 2009!

Health Professions Careers That Don't Require a M.D.

2008-12-02T07:51:00.001-08:00

What do you want to be when you grow up? Who hasn't fielded that question as a child - and depending on the types of careers you were exposed to at a young age, odds were fairly limited - doctor, teacher, lawyer, etc. It's not until later in life that we realize that there are much wider career options beyond these traditional "big three", and that within these categories, there are even more choices to be made - what kind of teacher would like to become? What sort of law do you want to practice? Should I become a M.D. or a nurse practicioner?

I know, you're thinking that you haven't actually asked yourself this question before - but according to a recent article in the New York Times, nurse practioners and physician assistant positions are growing in popularity. Why? Because, as the article points out, "In an aging population, a shortage of doctors has created new demand for care providers like physician assistants and nurse practitioners..." And for students who would like to pursue a career in health or medicine, but aren't sure about the time and money that are required to pursue a M.D., these positions offer similar benefits, with fewer drawbacks. One of the physician assistants interviewed for the article addressed this dilemma, saying, “I wanted to treat patients, but I wanted free time for myself, too...I didn’t want to be 30 or 35 before I got on my feet — and then still have a lot of loans to pay back.”

Of course, there are siginificant differences between the role of licensed doctor and that of a nurse practioner or physician assistant, which the article is quick to point out: "Physician assistants must practice under a physician’s supervision. Nurse practitioners are licensed as independent health care providers, without mandated physician supervision, although some states require them to have a supervising or collaborating physician to whom they can turn for advice. Some nurse practitioners have private practices." In addition, there are differences in licensing which are detailed in the article as well.

Besides nurse practioners and physician assistants, the career paths for students interested in health professions are expansive - public health, allopathic and osteopathic medicine, dentistry, health policy, veterinary medicine, and health services research, among others, are all career paths that are available - and that is where Chicago Careers in Health Professions (CCIHP) comes into play.

The Chicago Careers in Health Professions (CCIHP) Program is a joint collaboration between CAPS and the College, that offers resources to students interested in the wide range of health professions careers and health professions graduate programs (including medical school) that are out there. The program provides students with the resources and support to develop a customized portfolio of knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to pursue a variety of careers in health and medicine. From career exploration to application development, CCIHP seeks to build upon students’ strengths, recommending course work, facilitating internships, and collaborating with other resources on campus.

For more information about CCIHP, contact J. Violet Gannon, CCIHP Program Director at jvgannon@uchicago.edu.

Comments, suggestions or questions about careers in the health professions? Post them here.

Tales from the Front: True Stories of Interviews Past

2008-11-24T12:25:00.000-08:00

Interviews at Ida Noyes continue this week, and will be picking up again in early winter for internship interviews, so there's lots of students looking very sharp (and a little bit nervous) as they get ready to meet with potential employers. To help you prepare for your interviews, don't forget that CAPS has practice interviewers on staff who will conduct an interview with you and then provide feedback. In addition, CAPS staff members can go over possible interview questions with you, and the CAPS interviewing handout and interviewing webcast offer tips on how to prepare and what to expect. To schedule an appointment with a practice interviewer or a CAPS staff member, call (773) 702 - 7040.

Taking care of pre-interview jitters can be a little trickier, but in an attempt to add some levity to the situation, read on for true interview stories from the past. No matter what happens, your interview will surely go better than this:

"I was interviewing for a position with a really unique organization that was just getting off the ground. They were very grassroots and had a small staff, but they were growing quickly and had the potential to make a large impact on some current events and in the media. I had already gotten through a first round interview, and was all set to meet with the manager of the team I was hoping to join. First of all, even though I got to the interview 15 minutes early, I gave the receptionist at the office the wrong name for the person I was meeting, so I ended up waiting for nearly 30 minutes, before the person who was expecting me came out looking for his 3pm appointment. I don't know why, but by the time I got into the interview, I was so stressed and flustered, I could tell that it wasn't going well. I was rushing through my answers, and kept getting stuck on questions that I should have been able to answer (example: who do you want to work for this organization?). To make it worse, my interviewer was interrupted half way through our conversation to take an important call from the media. By the time we were finished, I was exhausted and unsure of how well I had done. As my interviewer said, 'It was very nice to meet you,' and extended his hand, I stood up too - and immediately toppled over to the side, grabbing the edge of his desk to keep myself from hitting the floor. I had been sitting with my legs crossed during the interview, and when I stood up, my right foot had fallen asleep and was completely numb. I had no choice but to stand up, shake the interviewers hand and walk to the door - limping, because I had no feeling in my foot. The interviewer didn't say anything, but I could swear he was looking at me strangely and didn't know what to think of me. I'm pretty sure my poor performance during the interview was what did me in, but after almost falling down too, I definitely didn't receive a final round interview."

There are a few lessons to be learned from this story:
1. Make sure you know who you are interviewing with and ask for the correct person when you arrive. If you are interviewing for an on-campus position, you check in on the second floor of Ida Noyes Hall, and from there your interviewer will come out and introduce him or herself.
2. Be sure you are prepared. As the individual in this story related, he or she couldn't answer questions that should have been fairly easy to respond to. Be sure you know enough about an organization to be able to articulate why you want to work there.
3. Stay calm. If you feel yourself getting flustered, or if you're speaking too quickly during an interview, take a deep breath and relax. It's better to wait for a few second in silence, while you collect your thoughts, than it is to blurt out the first answer that comes to mind.

As for falling or tripping during an interview - these things happen, and they are awkward. Our best advice if this happens to you - laugh it off and smile.

Do you have an interview horror story or interview victory story of your own? Post them here, along with tips you've used to prepare and do well in interviews in the past.

Dress the Part: Fashion Tips for Your Interview

2008-11-17T12:53:00.000-08:00

It's recruiting season, which means the second floor of Ida Noyes Hall has been filled with students interviewing for full-time positions with a variety of organizations. In just a few months, it will be internship recruiting season, and that includes interviews for the Jeff Metcalf Fellows Program. Whether you're interviewing for a full-time job with a consulting firm or an internship position with a non-profit organization, you still have to prepare for your interviews as best you can - and that includes planning what to wear for each interview.

A recent article in the New York Times suggested that the "interview suit" is experiencing a resurgence. I say, the interview suit has always been among us - now it's just receiving the attention it deserves. While the NYT interview is geared specifically towards women (pants suit vs. skirt suit), the challenge of what to wear to an interview is something that almost everyone faces at some point in their professional career. While the article is correct in saying, "'There is no one right way to dress..." we still want to offer some advice to help you prepare for your upcoming interview - regardless of who it's with. These tips also apply for career fairs, Career Networking Nights and other events where you will likely be speaking with a potential employer - and want to look your best.

Here are some general tips for dressing the part and making a good first impression:
1. Yes, you really do need to wear a suit. Oftentimes, students will ask if they really need to wear a suit for an internship interview, since an internship isn't a "real" job. Trust us - an internship is a great resume builder, and can often lead to a full-time position in the future. You wouldn't be applying for the internship, if you didn't want to get it - so hedge your bets and wear that suit.
2. Ladies: pants vs. skirts. You're not going to get a definitive answer whether or not one is better than the other. Our advice - wear what you're most comfortable in - but if you favor skirts, be forewarned - no skirt that you wear into an interview should fall above your knee (no exceptions!), nor should it be too form fitting.
3. Gentleman: tie vs. no tie. If you're not sure if you should wear a tie into an interview, err on the side of caution and wear one. Unless you have definitive insider information (which you gained from using the Alumni Careers Network to learn more about the organization you're interviewing with - good thinking!) that a tie is not necessary, go with a more formal look. Please note: ties with cartoon characters are not considered formal, so please don't wear you're lucky Donald Duck neck tie into your first big interview.
4. Footwear: Ok, you've got your suit on and you look great. Now make sure your shoes finish the look. That means no gym shoes with your suit (yes, we've seen it), no flip flops, no strappy heels (the shoes you wore out dancing last weekend are not the same shoes that you should be wearing to an interview). Dark, polished, closed toe shoes are the way to go. Ladies, heels are great, but make sure you can walk in them first. And as one of the recruiters interviewed in the NYT article points out, "'There’s nothing wrong with wearing flat shoes and bringing heels...'"
5. Watch Your Scent: We know, you want to smell great when you go into your interview. But please do not over do it. Strong colonge or perfume, or hair gels or other products that have a strong scent, can irritate an interviewer's allergies or simply distract from your interview. Our advice - don't wear cologne or perfume into an interview at all.
6. Finishing touches: These may seem obvious, but are good tips to review - tuck in your shirt; comb your hair; and remember, no matter how nervous you are, SMILE.

For more information about preparing for an interview, including photos of what to wear and not wear, watch the CAPS "How to Interview Like a Pro" webcast.

Call CAPS at (773) 702 - 7040 to schedule an appointment with a CAPS Practice Interviewer and prepare for tough questions.

Comments, suggestions or questions about dressing for an interview? Post them here.

The Perks of an Administrative Position

2008-11-10T14:33:00.000-08:00

One of the pieces of advice we've been giving students over the past several weeks has been to look "outside of the box" when it comes to the job search. This basically means considering jobs or organizations that you might not have previously thought were the right fit for you. This can be difficult to swallow for students who may have had their hearts set on working for one of the large, well-known organizations that used to come to campus year after year (or that small, but perfect company that you wanted to apply to - and which is now undergoing a hiring freeze). But as we all know, this year's job market is tougher than in years past, and hence, the "outside of the box" advice. One place that students may not have started to look is openings for administrative positions - but according to a recent article in The New York Times, administrative assistant positions are offering more professional growth than in years past.

Unlike the administrative assistants of days past (who were almost always women, were referred to as "secretaries" and received about as much respect as the fictional administrative assistants on Mad Men), today's administrative assistant positions cut across gender lines and often involve access to confidential information and plenty of responsibility to keep you busy. As the NYT article states:
"The core functions of administrative assistants are often secretarial, but the job can also involve client communications, negotiating with vendors, conducting research and preparing memos and reports...Fifty-seven percent of executives polled in an OfficeTeam survey last March said that administrative staff members have more of a career-growth track than they did five years ago."

Even if working as an administrative assistant isn't part of your long term plan, one important perk of starting out in the role: a foot in the door at an organization you'd like to move up in. The NYT says, "The most common opportunities for advancement are in marketing, human resources, operations and facilities management...But no area is off limits."

Of course, like in any job, you have to put in your time before you can move up - so don't start looking for advancement on day one. The article suggests that putting in six months of dedicated work in an administrative position is key, before you start asking for a promotion or new role.

One last piece of advice regarding administrative assistants - no matter what type of job you are applying to, always be polite and professional with everyone you meet - from the administrative assistant, to the recruiter, to the CEO. Being rude to someone who you may think is "just a secretary" is a sure fire way to guarantee you won't make it to the second round interview.

Comments, questions or suggestions for getting your foot in the door at an organization? Post them here.

Creative Rounding, Doctored Transcripts and Other Questionable Application Tricks

2008-11-03T12:41:00.000-08:00

If you've been using Chicago Career Connection, or if you used its predecessor, InterviewTRAK in previous years, then chances are you were "activated" to use the CAPS' on-line job search system and signed an "OCR Activation Agreement." That agreement includes this information: "Students are required to present themselves honestly and ethically in all interactions with CAPS, the University and employers including but not limited to resumes, unofficial transcripts, and test score documentations as well as during phone and face to face interviews."

Even if you've never been to CAPS and you haven't signed one of these agreements, the notion of presenting yourself "honestly and ethically" during interactions with employers is an important one. Here are a few points to consider:

Cumulative GPA vs. Major GPA: This one is tricky and can depend on the type of position that you are applying to. In general, here are some guidelines:
*For most business and consulting positions, recruiters are most interested in your cumulative GPA, so be sure to include that on your resume. If you'd like to include your Major GPA, that fine, but it must be labeled as such. In other words, don't put try to pass your Major GPA off as your Cumulative.
*For most other positions, if your GPA is over a 3.5, put it on your resume, as it shows that you are excelling academically at the University of Chicago.
*If a job description specifically asks for your GPA, always include it. Again, if they are asking for a Cumulative GPA, use that, not your Major GPA. If you include your Major GPA as well, make sure it's clear which is which.
*For medical school applications or research positions, you might be asked for your BCPM. That's the GPA for your biology, chemistry, physics and math courses. If you're not sure when to use a BCPM, or you're not sure how to calculate your BCPM, contact CAPS at (773) 702 - 7040 and make an appoinment with one of the Chicago Careers in Health Professions (CCIHP) staff members.
*The inclusion of your GPA (cumulative or major) should always be dictated by the job description and what the organization is asking for in your application materials. In some industries, GPA is not as important as in others. For example, during a recent discussion with some University of Chicago student journalists, Ann Marie Lipinski, Vice-President for Civic Engagement, said that when she would consider candidates for positions at the Chicago Tribune, she "didn't much care" about GPA, but past experience working on student publications and in internships was very important. This doesn't mean that GPA isn't important - but it means that in some industries, your experience can outweigh a GPA that isn't as strong as you would like it to be.

Creative Rounding: This one isn't as tricky. If you're rounding your GPA, be sure you are doing it correctly. In general, two decimal places is appropriate when listing your GPA. So if you have a 3.142, then you should round to a 3.14 - NOT a 3.2. Believe it or not, creative rounding on resumes has led recruiters to reconsider candidates for positions - and it damages the reputation of University of Chicago students in the eyes of those recruiters. Bottom line - use your math skills and be honest about your GPA.

Altering Transcripts: No ifs, ands, or buts about it - when you submit an unofficial transcript to an employer, the expectation is that it will show your correct grades for each course that you've taken. Do not, under any circumstances, alter your grades, remove your grades, etc. Just because the transcript is unofficial does not give you license to change the information that you are pulling out of CMore.

These are extreme circumstances, and we know that most students would never think to misrepresent themselves on a resume or in an application for a position. But please remember, it is important to be completely honest about your GPA, as well as all of the other information that you put into a resume or cover letter.

If you have concerns about your GPA (i.e. you missed a quarter because of a family emergency and your grades suffered, or you ended up in one class that lowered your otherwise strong GPA) please call CAPS at (773) 702 - 7040 to make an appointment and discuss how to talk about these concerns in your interview. You want to put your best foot forward when applying for positions - and your best foot forward is always the honest one.

Questions, comments or concerns? Post them here.

Why Behaving Badly Can be Bad for Your Employment Prospects

2008-10-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

Last Friday's Chicago Tribune ran this article, and the Chicago Sun-Times ran this article about drunken Kellogg students who vomited on the floors of the Field Museum and threw things at Sue the Dinosaur. While we know University of Chicago students (undergrad or grad) would never behave this way, the "debaucle" raised some important points about mixing business with pleasure, and why you shouldn't take it too far.

Anytime there is alcohol involved as part of a recruiting event there is the risk that one drink will put you over the edge and you'll be remembered forever as "that" guy or girl who was seriously over-served in front of the CEO of the company. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind, when you're tempted by all of that free booze that a company is sending your way - whether it's at a recruiting dinner or the company holiday party:

*All things in moderation. We're not saying that you can't have any drinks when mingling with current or potential employers - but we are asking you to know your limits. That means no Jager-bombs when you're trying to impress upon a recruiter that you could be a very responsible employee. I know, it's tricky - you don't want to be the boring guy who didn't cut loose last night at happy hour. You also don't want to be the guy throwing up the next morning in the company restroom. So know what you can handle, and stick to that - even if you're feeling pressured to go a little crazy.

*Don't get too comfortable. Alcohol distorts your judgement and lowers your inhibitions, while producing euphoria (a sense of pleasure)- which means you might suddenly feel like you are BFF with that guys who already works at the organization you really want to work at too. No matter how chummy you're feeling, don't take this opportunity to tell him about the other companies that you've interviewed at, and how they were all super lame. Why? 1) He might know people working at those other companies. 2) Just because you were bonding over beers doesn't mean you're going to get that job your applying for. So keep your cards close to your chest, at least until you have an offer on the table.

*Don't use a hangover as an excuse to show up late. Let's say you are interning at a company where you really like the work and the people. Thursday night you all head out to happy hour and things get a little crazy. Friday morning you're hungover and running late for that 9am meeting - and you think to yourself "It's cool - they know I was drinking a lot last night, they won't care." Wrong - no supervisor, so matter how laid back he or she is, is going to appreciate an employee who can't be on time or get his or her work done. If you want to impress your co-workers or your boss, your first priority should be showing up on time and being ready to work - regardless of how late you were out the night before.

Bottom line: Sometimes, alcohol is part of business - deals are brokered over cocktails and dinner meetings, and networking often happens at cocktail receptions - and that's ok. The problem is when you don't know your limits and can't keep it under control - because then you'll find yourself spitting on a T-Rex named Sue - and no one wants to hire the guy or girl who did that.

For more information about how to handle a networking opportunity or meeting where there might be drinks involved, call CAPS at (773) 702 - 7040 and schedule an appointment with one of our counselors.

For more information about resources regarding alcohol and other drugs, visit SCRS at the University of Chicago.

Questions or comments about this post (or others)? Post them here.

Tips for Paying for an Unpaid Internship

2008-10-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

We may only be starting 4th week this week, but in just a few weeks, it will be time to start thinking about internships for next summer. Most students know that a summer internship during college is a great way to build up your resume and gain work experience - and according to a recent article in the New York Times, more experienced professionals are now taking internships - both by choice, to build up their professional portfolios, and by necessity, as the economy continues to struggle.

This article also addresses the financial burden that can come with an unpaid internship: "Money can be another serious issue for adult interns, especially if they have families and young children. Peg Hendershot , director of Career Vision , a career consulting firm in Glen Ellyn, Ill., said employees accustomed to earning a full-time salary and full benefits might have trouble accepting little to no pay unless they were independently wealthy or had some serious cash saved in the bank."

The fact of the matter is that money isn't just an issue for adult interns - it's a very real concern for current students as well. With that in mind, here are just a few of the ways that the College is working to provide funding to students, so that you can take that dream internship overseas, and not have to go broke paying your rent (in fact, the College has committed $1 million towards providing funded summer opportunties to undergraduates):

The Jeff Metcalf Fellows Program provides paid, ten-week internship opportunities to first through third years in the College. In 2008 there were over 230 opportunities available to students in a wide range of fields, including arts and culture, business and consulting, education and research, government and non-profits, science and technology and more. Bottom Line: $4000 for the summer.

The Summer Links Program is an intensive 11-week, paid internship program for 30 returning College and graduate students committed to public service, community building and social change. Started in 1997 and sponsored by the Dean of the College, Summer Links has placed 300 students in substantive internships with more than 130 nonprofit and public sector organizations throughout the Chicago area. Bottom Line: $4000 for the summer.

The Human Rights Internship Program offers a select group of Chicago students the opportunity to learn the skills and understand the difficulties inherent in putting human rights into practice. Since its establishment in 1998 the Internship Program has placed more than 200 students with non-governmental organizations, governmental agencies and international bodies around the world. Bottom Line: $5000 for the summer.

Summer Action Grants will offer a select few undergraduate students the funding to work or intern in the United States. Students will be selected on the cogent nature of their plan (including a budget and a backup plan). Students will also need to demonstrate how the experience will enhance their academic and/or professional goals and share their experience with the University of Chicago community upon return. Regional and thematic diversity of projects will also be taken into account. Bottom Line: The average grant is $1,500 but can be up to $3,000.
For more information about Summer Action Grants, contact rcward@uchicago.edu.

International Experience Grants will offer a select few undergraduate students the funding to work or intern abroad. Students will be selected on the cogent nature of their plan (including a budget and a back-up plan). Students will also need to demonstrate how the experience will enhance their academic
and/or professional goals and share their experience with the University of Chicago community upon return. Regional and thematic diversity of proposed projects will also be taken into account. Bottom Line: The average grant is $3,500 but can be up to $5,000. For more information about International Experience Grants, contact rcward@uchicago.edu.

The FLAG Program offers awards to defray the costs of intermediate or advanced language study abroad. Study programs must be at least eight weeks in duration of intensive language study (at least 15 hours/week) and located in a setting where the target language is predominantly spoken. Applicants must have completed or tested out of the 103 level of the target language by the program start date. For French and Spanish language applications, preference will be given to students who have completed some intermediate language study. Bottom Line: $3000 for the summer.

These are just a few of the funding options for students to pay for an unpaid summer internship - be sure to check the Summer International Travel Grants site for more opportunities, and the FROGS site for information about additional funding sources.

Make an appointment with a CAPS staff member for more information about other funding opportunities, including major specific awards, or if you're having trouble finding funding for a particular experience. Call (773) 702 - 7040 to make an appointment.

Questions or suggestions about finding funding for internships? Post them here.

The "New" Job Search (Surprise - there's networking involved)

2008-10-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

If you're a regular reader of this blog, then you know that we just can't stop talking about networking and why it's so important for the job search. Now it's time to add another layer - social networking. Most millennials are well-versed in social networking websites like Facebook and MySpace - but now even more experience professionals are joining the trend, especially through professional networking sites like LinkedIn and BanyanLink. Why is this important to note? Because it's changing the way that employers fill positions.

According to a recent article in the New York Times, "...recruiters use social networking sites 23 percent more now than they did in 2006 to fill vacancies, verify résumés and screen applicants."

Pulling from that article, here are some tips to make the most of your social networking connections (and your traditional networking connections as well).

1. Clean up your act. As the Times says, "But a word of warning, especially as sites like Facebook become more popular tools for recruiters: get anything that looks bad off your page. That photo of you drunk at a Halloween party, those musings about how much you hate your boss — not a good impression." This is especially true for college students, since you're probably using Facebook to showcase photos of what you did this weekend, parties you went to, etc. If you're on the job (or internship) hunt, be sure your photos (and your wall posts) are appropriate for the office.

2. Expand your search radius. The article states, "When looking for a job, especially in these tougher economic times, the trick is to cast as wide a net as possible." That means don't rely solely on on-campus recruiting to find a job this year. Over the past few weeks Michael Paone and Lauren Baker have been telling you to consider smaller or lesser known organizations as part of your job search. Do it.

3. Use your existing network. There are 15,000 alumni in the Alumni Careers Network. I'm always surprised when I meet with students who haven't heard of ACN or haven't used it before, when it's one of the best ways for UChicago students to get a leg up on the competition. Use ACN to search for alumni across the country and the world, working in every possible field, and with every possible major. If you're at a point in your job search where you're not sure where to look next, consider contacting alumni with the same major as you, to find out where that background led them. Just remember - don't ask for a job outright. The Alumni Careers Network is about making connections - and it's from those connections that opportunities can develop.

The truth of the matter is that the "new" job search isn't much different from the old one - there are just more on-line resources at your disposal. So make sure you're taking advantage of those resources. And that photo of you from last weekend? Take it down from your profile ASAP.

Questions about social networking and your job search? Post them here. Topics you want to hear about in the future? Post those here too.

Job Search Strategies from a Non-Profit Myth Buster

2008-10-03T12:27:00.000-07:00

Today's post comes from guest blogger Shayna Plaut, Assistant Director of Employer Relations at CAPS. Shayna has 11 years of work and internship experience in the field of human rights and social justice (international and domestic), refugee services and training, and was the recipient of a Fulbright Grant which allowed her to live and work internationally. For more information about Shayna, check out her biography (scroll down in the employer relations section). For her insight into the non-profit job world, read on:

I had an interesting conversation with a student the other day…a conversation that got me thinking and is one of the main impetuses for this blog. You see students, you are good teachers ;).

This student has a background in economics and in philosophy. She is fully bilingual and also has a good grasp of French. She came in as a walk-in to discuss upcoming recruiting for the financial sector. I smiled politely and let her know that I would help as much as I could but that finance and investment banking was not my area of expertise. I pulled in my colleague Michael to help with some of her specific questions and referred her to Lauren when she starting to ask about for-profit consulting.

After giving a brief review of her resume I wrapped up the meeting with, “I think you will be in good hands with Michael but if you ever want to do something with that Philosophy degree – or want to mix the two - just let me know.” There was a pause. She looked up and said “Really? I mean, I am interested in non-profits and stuff, I just didn’t know if you get paid. And I don’t know how to get a job there…I thought you just needed to know people. When is their recruiting season?”

That's when I realized there was a lot of myth-busting to do.

First we have a problem with the name: non-profits. All “non-profit” means is that it has a US tax designation of 501(c)3 and thus does not have to pay the same taxes as a for-profit business. It’s an IRS category – not a description of a job or organization or a skill set. A non-profit cannot take direct partisan stances, is governed by a board of directors and accepts donations. If, after you are rich and famous, you decide to donate to such an organization, you get a nice letter in the mail thanking you, “for your generous donation of “x” amount. “ You can then use this letter to help reduce your taxes.

I know, I know, none of this is translating into a job but I want to belabor this point for a bit: NON-PROFIT is a really big category and one must be careful when generalizing.

So, with that caveat in place – let me try and offer some…generalizations:

1) The term non-profit is only used in the USA. Why? Because it is a specific US tax code distinction. In other countries the term used for organizations that are not part of the government are called “non-governmental organizations (NGOs).” Pretty self explanatory. Like non-profits, these organizations can serve the roles of: service provider, advocacy, research, watch-dog and education, and is often a mixture of many of many roles. Non-profits/NGOs can be big (think: American Medical Association, Human Rights Watch, the Sierra Club) and they can also be small. When the organization is run by and for the community it is often called a “community based organization” and at times is referred to as “grassroots.”
2) Yes, if you are an employee, you get paid at a non-profit/NGO. Many non-profits/NGOs also utilize volunteers - but those are volunteers, not staff.
3) Non-profits/NGOs rarely “recruit” in the finance/consulting firm sense. There are some exceptions (Teach for America, the PIRGS, GreenCorps and some of the non-profit schools) but there is not a “season” per say. Non-profits/NGOs often put out job announcements on their websites (often in the “about us” tab) or circulate information through various thematic listserves (Muslims in Public Health, Human Rights Education and Action, Media and Social Change, Children’s Rights, are all examples of specific list-serves that often include job postings). Non-profits and NGOs may also post job openings on employment-focused websites devoted to those sectors. For Chicago specific jobs visit www.npo.net, for international jobs (especially focusing on the intersection of communications and activism/social change in terms of: health, children, gender etc.) go to http://www.comminit.com/drum_beat.html. For more general non-profit/NGO jobs, internships and volunteer activities visit www.idealist.org.
4) Get out there. The best way to learn about the work being done, and the organizations doing it, is by getting in the field. Go to events sponsored by the various non-profits/NGOs you are interested in. Pick up the literature at the table. Listen to how they frame themselves and their issues. Get people’s names and business cards. Follow up with them and see if you can have a meeting – formally through an informational interview or over a cup of coffee. If you are interested in their work, see how you can get involved. IF you find a match between your skills, their needs and both of your interests – see how that can parlay into a position.
5) Passion is good, but what are your skills? It is great that you care a lot about women’s rights in Africa. ..how is your Swahili or your French or your Arabic? How are your local-language skills? I am sure you love children, but are you CPR certified? I am glad you like to research, but are you familiar with statistical analysis? You want to combine skills, interests and passion.
6) Just as in business there are different positions within an organization – look at those positions and see if you have those skills and interests – don’t just look at what the organization does as a whole. If you want to work on issues of child abuse and have a knack for early-childhood education, you may not want to apply for the accountant position. One skill-set that is often needed in NPOs/NGOs, and often overlooked, are skills often cultivated in more traditional business programs: finance, strategic development and marketing.
7) Narrow down your interests and learn – most importantly, learn by doing. Women’s Rights. Children’s Rights. LGBT Rights. These are all very big categories. What would you like to do? Are you interested in economics? Do you want to be abroad or in the US? What about microfinacing? Now you have a term. Google it. Find some organizations. Google them. Read their mission statement. Find out who their donors are (so you can get a better sense of their funding stream, motivation and financial health), and then see where they operate (many larger NGOs have multiple sites).
8) Come and speak with us at CAPS – we can help guide you in the resume writing, the cover letter tailoring, the networking and then strategizing. All of our staff can help with some of the basics and two of us (Shayna and Max) are focused on the non-profit and NGO sector. That’s what we are here for.

To schedule an appointment with Shayna, call CAPS at (773) 702 - 7040.

Comments, questions, ideas, etc? Post them here.

Advice for Consulting Recruiting...and Consulting Firms That You May Not Know About - But Should

2008-09-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

Today’s post comes from our guest blogger, Lauren Baker, Assistant Director of Employer Relations at CAPS. Lauren has over 10 years of experience in business, four of those spent as a consultant to nonprofit agencies in Pittsburgh, PA. For more on Lauren, check out her biography. For her advice regarding fall recruiting in the consulting industry, read on:

Last week, my colleague Michael (and CAPS financial markets guru) mentioned that the current economy is facing a very serious downturn, and there is a lot of concern on Wall Street regarding when things will turn around. Rejoice, future consultants! The immediate outlook for consulting is not as bleak! Well, not yet anyway. . . .

It is a scary time, no doubt, for a graduating fourth year. You most likely are bombarded with things like “bailout” and “bankruptcy” and “worst job market since 9/11”. Current headlines are enough to make the most rock-solid student run for the Canadian border. Step away from the suitcase and drop the passport. I’m here to help.

Generally speaking, most of the consulting firms are not adjusting their hiring targets in response to the market condition. For example, only one of CAPS consulting recruiting partners is not returning this fall to recruit because of a hiring freeze at that company (although this company may come in the Spring). In addition, we have added four new companies to our roster. That’s good news!!

Don’t misunderstand – this will be a challenging season. Even if consulting firms are not cutting back on their hiring targets, the competition for the available openings will be a lot heavier. Those students who are interested in financial services and consulting will lean more towards the consulting, given the current economic situation. Moral of the story: you better bring your “A” game.

I like Michael’s quote from the last blog so much, I decided to steal: "IF YOU WANT TO SUCCEED YOU SHOULD STRIKE OUT ON NEW PATHS, RATHER THAN TRAVEL THE WORN PATHS OF ACCEPTED SUCCESS.” -John D. Rockefeller

Strike out new paths - what a concept. Yes, it’s a tough market. AND yes, you can find opportunities in consulting outside of the on-campus recruiting process. Will this require more work on your behalf? YES. Will you reap great rewards like a network of valuable contacts, career opportunities, and a new car?? NO, well not the car anyway. But the other things will come to fruition if you’re ready and willing to work for them. Here’s my advice to you:

1. Do not rely solely on on-campus recruiting. Yes, it’s a nifty thing - having all the positions organized for you online so with the touch of a button you can apply for all and wait for the good news that you were selected to interview with at least one. Even in a strong market, it is not wise to put all your eggs in one strategy (or basket). There are others strategies to employ, such as. . .

2. Network, network, network. You’ve probably heard enough from us old folks in CAPS about networking. But try to understand – we would not lead you astray. Our jobs depend on it. Networking is (and will continue to be throughout your professional life) one of the MOST important things you can do to find opportunities. We’ve made it easy for you to get started: come to Career Networking Nights (October 7th and October 14th), the Career Fair on October 3rd, and the Information Sessions starting on October 1st.

3. Be prepared. I will steal from Michael again: “FAILING TO PREPARE IS PREPARING TO FAIL”. Do your research on any and all consulting firms you are interested in, and do some on ones you’re not. Be ready for an interview. Nothing will sink an opportunity faster than going in to an interview not knowing about the company!

4. Be prepared if you do not get an offer this fall – realistically, fall recruiting is going to be slower this year than in years past, and there are going to be many smart, talented and driven University of Chicago students who might not get an offer before the holidays. Just remember, that’s ok!… late winter and early spring will still bring opportunities, especially if the economy begins to turn around, and CAPS staff are available throughout the academic year to help you conduct your job search, and to seek out organizations that you may not have considered before.

5. Cast a wide net. Even if you have your heart set on working for that huge consulting firm that rhymes with LaLynsey, open your mind that you could be just as happy (and successful, might I add) at a smaller boutique firm. Yes, the LaLynsey firm is glamorous and super-impressive, but they can only hire so many people every year. . . and you just may not get that gig.

That last point is a great segue to my final thought for now. Here is a short list of consulting firms that you may not have heard of, but should look into (click on the name to go to the website):

Alvarez & Marsal
Archstone Consulting
CSC Consulting
Detica LTD
eLoyaltyCorporation
First Attorney Consultants
Grenzebach Glier & Associates, Inc.
Hagerty Consulting
Heidrick & Struggles International
HighRoads
HVS International
Iris Krieg & Associates, Inc.
Kaleidoscope Group (Diversity Consulting)
Navigant
Practica Group, LLC
Public Consulting Group
RCF Economic & Financial Consulting
RW Ventures
Sagent Management Consulting
Strategos
Trinsum
Watson Wyatt Worldwide

This is just a start, and I will continue to grow this list as I hear of other opportunities. Make an appointment with me today to talk STRATEGY about how to reach the companies not coming on campus.

To schedule an appointment with Lauren, or any of member of the CAPS Staff, call (773) 702 - 7040.

Questions, concerns or discussion topics about fall recruiting? Post them here.

Financial Services Tips from an Investment Banking Veteran

2008-09-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

Today’s post comes from our guest blogger, Michael Paone, Assistant Director of Employer Relations at CAPS. Michael has over 7 years of experience in investment banking, most recently at Bear, Stearns and Co., Inc. in New York City. For more on Michael, check out his biography. For his advice regarding fall recruiting during the current economic climate, read on:

As we all know, the current economy is facing a very serious downturn, and there is a lot of concern on Wall Street regarding when things will turn around. Over the past year the credit market has knocked out some of largest financial services firms, including Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc., Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and AIG. I was a Vice President at Bear, Stearns working in the high yield research group so I was in Bear’s corner during the first round of this title bout. It was a difficult time for me as well as my colleagues, but we stayed the course and have found ways to move past this tough situation.

Now, I feel fortunate enough to have the opportunity to come to the University of Chicago and advise students primarily in the field of financial services while at the same time, working toward getting my MBA at the GSB. The current state of the financial markets should be taken seriously, but I want to encourage students that if we work hard enough and think creatively, we can find success despite the tough market right now.

"IF YOU WANT TO SUCCEED YOU SHOULD STRIKE OUT ON NEW PATHS, RATHER THAN TRAVEL THE WORN PATHS OF ACCEPTED SUCCESS.” -John D. Rockefeller

First off, I want to be sure you have realistic expectations. It is a tough market and you (with our support) will need to work a little harder to find the right opportunities for you. More than ever, networking is going to be crucial to uncover the hidden job market. On-campus recruiting will still offer a plethora of firms that have great opportunities, but students should be aware that some of the larger bulge bracket firms are scaling back [Note to 2nd and 3rd years reading: what we’re hearing from many of the large firms right now is that they are actually going to be putting more emphasis on internship recruiting this winter. I’ll be posting again closer to Metcalf Season to provide tips and advice for internship recruiting]. However, at the same time that some of the large firms are scaling back, some hedge funds and boutique shops are looking at this market as an opportunity to select the best and the brightest to bolster their positions in their respective places in the financial market.

Although the economy is presenting a difficult environment right now, career goals can come to fruition if you are willing to stay focused, adhere to a game plan and think outside the box. Thinking outside the box this fall means working with CAPS to see which firms may be a good fit for you and identifying new companies for you to go after - even companies that were not previously on your radar screen.

I worked at Moody’s Investors Service prior to joining Bear. If you’re thinking “I’ve never even heard of that firm,” that’s my point exactly. I am very glad I did take a position there because working there provided me with an arsenal of skills that I relied on to achieve a promotion to Vice President in under two years of being at Bear.

Moreover, do not settle on one position and/or one firm. We can work together to think of firms that might be a good fit for you and your career goals… we know you’re very busy with school, but if we design a great plan and work hard your outlook will be much brighter.

While investment banking firms are offering fewer positions than in previous years, don’t discount the fact that there are other firms in the marketplace that can offer a great experience – both professionally and financially. For instance, smaller boutique shops can offer a candidate an experience that they may not get at a larger institution, e.g. more client interaction, more responsibility, more exposure to officers of the company, and potentially a faster career path given the additional responsibility…Even the Wall Street Journal agrees, as a recent article detailed steps that seasoned Wall Street professionals are taking to explore opportunities with smaller organizations that are planning to expand their footprint in the marketplace. In addition, larger corporations including Pepsi and Apple are multi-divisional organizations that offer opportunities in a variety of different business concentrations. If you’re interested in opportunities like this, you should come into CAPS and develop a plan to apply to these organizations.

“FAILING TO PREPARE IS PREPARING TO FAIL” – Coach John Wooden, UCLA Basketball Coach, 1948 - 1975

From the start of the fall recruiting season, you need to be actively involved in your job search. Our career fair is taking place on October 3rd and there will be over 75 companies on hand – these are companies who are hiring and who have positions to fill. Prepare your resume and plan to be at the fair – it will run from 12 – 4pm in Ida Noyes Hall.

In addition, this year we are holding four separate Career Networking Nights (two each for financial services and for consulting) – this is a great opportunity for students to speak with prospective employers on an one-on-one basis. Career Networking Nights (CNNs) are new this year, and offer students the opportunity to meet with recruiters from several companies at the same time (it’s like an information session, but you’re getting information from six or seven organizations at the same time).

The Financial Services CNNs are taking place on October 6 and October 16, from 5:30 – 7:00pm in Ida Noyes Hall. Think of them as mini-career fairs that are financial services specific. If you’re interested in financial services, block your calendar now and plan to attend both of these events.

Other tips:
· Utilize Chicago Career Connection to upload your resume and actively seek out positions posted on there by companies coming to campus.
· Come in and speak with our staff so we can help guide you and explore your prospects.
· Be prepared if you do not get an offer this fall – realistically, fall recruiting is going to be slower this year than in years past, and there are going to be many smart, talented and driven University of Chicago students who might not get an offer before the holidays. Just remember, that’s ok!… late winter and early spring will still bring opportunities, especially if the economy begins to turn around, and CAPS staff are available throughout the academic year to help you conduct your job search, and to seek out organizations that you may not have considered before.

To schedule an appointment with Michael, or any CAPS staff member, call us at (773) 702 – 7040.

Concerns, advice or questions about fall recruiting? Post them here.

Countdown to the Academic Year

2008-09-12T08:44:00.000-07:00

The countdown is on - there's only one week left until O-Week begins and the class of 2012 is on campus, and two weeks until classes begin for fall quarter! In preparation for the start of the academic year, CAPS recently sent out an email to all College students, updating you about some of the work we've been doing all summer long (that's right, when students leave campus, we're still here, and while we're not spending our time meeting with students and reviewing resumes, there are plenty of other things to keep us busy).

The info that was included in the email included the following updates and announcements:

· We are excited to announce our new online job platform, Chicago Career Connection. This will replace UChicagoTRAK and InterviewTRAK for those of you who used those systems last year. This system is available to all students and all you need is a Cnet ID and password. Using this system, students have the ability to search jobs posted by employers and access On-Campus Recruiting as well as various University-sponsored internship programs. To log in, you will need to go to the CAPS webpage and click the, “Log into your account” link. You do not need to create a profile as all students have a pre-populated profile with information from the Registrar. If you used InterviewTRAK last year, you will remain activated on Chicago Career Connection. Thank you to the many students who have provided feedback regarding the system since its launch. Based upon this feedback, we are confident that the system will benefit University of Chicago students throughout the coming academic year.
· Attend CAPS’ Open House and Super Walk-Ins Day on Wednesday, October 1 from 9am – 3:30pm in Ida Noyes Hall, third floor. Meet with CAPS’ staff members, have your resume reviewed, and enjoy refreshments and giveaways.
· The CAPS’ Fall Career Fair will take place on Friday, October 3 from 12 – 4pm in Ida Noyes Hall, first floor. Over 70 organizations from a variety of industries will be hiring for full-time and internship positions. To view a list of attending organizations, log into your Chicago Career Connection account and click on the “Fall Career Fair” link. Chicago Career Connection training sessions will also be offered every hour, on the hour, from 10am – 3pm.
· CAPS is on Facebook! Search for “Career Advising and Planning Services” and join our group to receive announcements about upcoming programs and events.
· Sign up for CAPS’ Industry Email Lists. Lists include: Arts and Culture, Government and Policy, General Business, Finance, Consulting, Education, Health and Medicine, and Science. To sign up, log into your Chicago Career Connection account and click on the “My Profile” tab.

Questions about any of these announcements? Post them here - and keep reading the CAPS' blog throughout the academic year for articles, updates and discussion about internships, jobs, recruiting, graduate school applications, and anything else you'd like to talk about.

Career Advice for Women - That's Also Relevant for Men

2008-09-08T06:06:00.000-07:00

An article in last month's New York Times by author Hannah Seligson talks about her recent book “New Girl on the Job: Advice From the Trenches,” which addresses the shock and frustration that Seligson encountered when she first entered the workforce, and realized that the proverbial glass ceiling for working women wasn't so proverbial after all.

In addition to facing some alarming "old boys club" behavior, including seeing more women than men saddled with photocopying and coffee fetching duties, Seligson goes on to say that she found herself getting in the way of her own success. As she says in the article: "I realized that I needed to develop a thick skin, feel comfortable promoting myself, learn how to negotiate, stop being a perfectionist and create a professional network — abilities that men are just more likely to have already."

As a woman in her twenties in the workforce today, her advice resonates strongly with me personally. As a staff member at a career services office, her advice is on target, not just for women at the University of Chicago, but for men as well. The skills Seligson developed to help her succeed as a woman are skills that we all need to find success in the workplace.

Develop a Thick Skin: No one, male or female, likes to be criticized or to have their work critiqued - even if that criticism is presented as being "constructive." Remember the first time you turned in a paper during one of your first year classes, only to get it back covered in red ink from your professor - or a TA? You were probably crushed, especially if you were accustomed to straight A's and the praise of your teachers in high school. However, if you've made it this far and you're looking for an internship or full-time job, odds are you got used to the fact that even your finest paper might have some room for improvement.

Coming to this realization is also necessary in the office - to your new supervisor, it doesn't matter that you graduated from the University of Chicago with a 3.5 GPA - what matters is that your work is up to the standards of the organization that you're interning or working at. This means that, inevitably, you are going to receive criticism from your boss. And depending on your boss and his or her work style, that criticism could come across as pretty harsh. Seligson talks about the many agents who told her she'd never get a book deal (and she clearly proved them wrong).

What's important is to learn to take criticism in the workplace - and not take it personally. When a supervisor tells you that your latest project needs some work - or needs to be completely redone - don't take that as an attack on you as a person, take it as a chance to learn more about what your supervisor is looking for in a finished work project. Believe me, I've cried in the office more times than I'd like to admit - but I've also learned that when my boss asks me to rewrite the brochure content that I just spent three straight days working on, she's not criticizing me as a person - she's trying to teach me to be a better writer. As Seligson says, "I think that in order to break through any kind of glass ceiling, or simply to get through the day, you have to become impervious to the daily gruffness that’s a part of any job." That means putting away the Kleenex and accepting that your work isn't as perfect as you'd like to think it is.

Feel Comfortable Promoting Yourself: This is one area where I've read again and again that men are better at this than women - and I still struggle to promote myself at work without sounding cocky. So guys, if you've already got this down, read on - but if you've ever felt the need to be modest in the workplace, now's the time to stop feeling that way. There have been plenty of times when a co-worker has complimented my work and I've said "It was nothing." Or, "I really didn't really do much for this project." No more - when someone praises my work, I will take credit! Traditional gender roles might tell us that women should be more demure, but put the gender bias aside. Whether you identify as male or female, when someone compliments your work, say something along the lines of "Thank you. It was a lot of work, but I really enjoyed working on the project." If a supervisor compliments your work, it might be the perfect opportunity to say "Thank you. I really enjoyed this project - and I'd like to take on more projects like this in the future."

Learn How to Negotiate: This is a no-brainer, right? Well, maybe - but if you're just entering the workforce, you may not know how much room for negotiation you have. Even in a tough economic market, there's room for negotiation in any job - just be sure you are professional about it (that means no temper tantrums when the boss tells you that he appreciates your request, but that this is not the time for a raise). This is prime time for students to turn internships into offers, so if you have questions about negotiating the terms of the offer, please contact CAPS BEFORE you accept. Our staff can help you consider if an offer is right for you - and what terms are worth negotiating given your individual situation.

Stop Being a Perfectionist: This one is really tough for me to swallow. Perfectionism is one of my greatest strengths - and it can also be one of my greatest weaknesses. Seligson states, "Women, I have found, can let perfectionism stop them from speaking up or taking risks." The fear comes from the possibility of being told "no" - something that tends to rattle men less. But again, regardless of your gender, the advice is still sound: don't be afraid to make a suggestion or ask a question in the workplace, just because the idea isn't perfect or because you haven't thought out all the details.

Create a Professional Network: Just when you thought you had escaped from that monster networking, here it is once again (get used to it - I will tell you again and again how important networking is, regardless of if you're a man or a woman). According to Seligson, men may find networking easier to do since they can bond with the men in the office getting a beer after work. While this may be true in some cases, this is probably her greatest generalization in the article. After all, this in the University of Chicago, and we all know that not everyone here is interested in beer, or another traditionally male interest area, sports - and there is nothing wrong with that. With that said, Seligson's suggestion for creating dialogue with a co-worker or supervisor is great - that is, DON'T ask someone to be your mentor outright, but DO ask someone for their feedback or ideas about a particular project. Trust me, everyone like to feel that their opinion is valued, so it can be an easy way to break the ice with a co-worker that you admire - a simple "Do you have five minutes to go over this project with me? I'm really interested in your feedback," can open the door for receiving more professional advice over time.

One last comment, and this one IS for the women reading:

Seligson says, "The American Association of University Women found that men who are a year out of college make 20 percent more in weekly pay than their female co-workers do. Why? Because my friend and scores of other young men understand the central tenet of a bigger paycheck: ask and you shall receive."

Like Seligson, this stat appalls me - and has me thinking about past career moves where I didn't ask for a salary increase when I should have. The idea of asking for more money again and again is a scary one - no one likes to be thought of as pushy - but it's clear that women need to learn how to make those requests, and keep making those requests over time.

For advice on negotiating salaries, and much more, make an appointment with CAPS by calling (773) 702 - 7040. You can also check out the CAPS' handout about evaluating and negotiating a job offer.

Questions, comments, advice and feedback? Post it all here.

Developing Your Job Search "Plan B"

2008-09-03T13:12:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to our guest blogger, Conor Barnes, Associate Director, Employer Development and East Coast Relations at CAPS, for today's post:

Plan B

Thanks, Economic Policy Institute.

http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/webfeatures_snapshots_20080514

According to their May 2008 report, “new college graduates will confront a more inhospitable job market than their predecessors faced in 2001, the beginning of the last recession.”

And, the Washington Post isn’t helping either.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/02/AR2008080200127.html

So, what will help you in a rough market? Develop a Plan B…and maybe even a Plan C.

At its core, your professional development should always be about your biggest hopes and dreams…arguing in front of the Supreme Court, writing articles for The New Yorker, owning a multimillion dollar company, and all the possibilities in between. But, when jobs are tight and bills are due, dreams sometimes must be tethered to economic realities.

Think local.
Look at the companies you are applying to. Google? Amnesty International? Goldman Sachs? Well known companies are exactly that- well known…and well applied for by you and every other student in America. The CAPS Career Resource Center has a wide selection of materials that can help you determine all the players in an industry, not just the big names. Develop a list that includes companies in your own backyard. Regionally focused companies can be a great way to get a start in an industry and they often have more opportunities for new hires to take on greater responsibilities.

Introduce yourself.
People hire people. People don’t hire diplomas or resumes or cover letters. Seize any opportunity to connect with professionals in your desired field. CAPS offers dozens of panels and programs where you can do exactly this in a low-stress, low-key environment. If CAPS isn’t offering programs that you want, get out into Chicago. Chances are that experts in your field will be in town for a conference, event, panel, something. You want to start to position yourself not just as a candidate, but as a colleague.

Be humble.
No matter how many internships or summer jobs you’ve racked up through the years, remember that this is your first job. Be open to all sorts of positions; not just the ones with a fancy signing bonus. Core classes don’t lend themselves to humility, but we all start somewhere. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12959265/

Questions, comments, complaints, or praise? Post it all here.