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.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Tips for WBEZ Followers - and Anyone Else Looking for a Job
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.
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.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
8 Tips for Gaining a Competitive Edge in a Competitive Job Market
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.
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.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Upcoming Academic and Post-Academic Programming at CAPS
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Summer and Full-Time Job Resources from CAPS
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.
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.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Tips from the "Internship Queen"
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.
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.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Job Search Tips for a Tough Economy
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.
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.
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