How To Get A Job As A Liberal Arts Major With "Fluffy" Skills

Help, liberal arts majors don't have any hard skills!

My sophomore year, I knew that I had things to offer, but I didn't really know what I wanted as a career. I knew I should be getting internships, but I didn't know what I was looking for, and that really freaked me out.

And it made me really nervous that my resume said things like "critical thinking" and "analysis" that can't be measured or proven and may be perceived as "fluffy." How is anyone supposed to hire me just because I say I know how to think critically? I also had my parents' voices echoing in my head telling me that sociology "isn't a practical major." But you know what, lots of people major in the liberal arts in college and still get jobs. So how are they doing it?

Here's the good news: Soft skills are real skills that employers want, and they're broad enough that you can use them anywhere. But that begs the question, where exactly should you look for jobs?

This blog post will cover: 

1. What liberal arts majors have to offer
2. Who's a good fit for the standard business departments in any company
3. How to stand out and get a job

In February, I attended an all-day Business Boot Camp for liberal arts majors hosted by Hubspot, a Boston company that makes a software platform for inbound marketing. They started this boot camp because tech companies actually need the skills offered by liberal arts majors, but liberal arts majors don’t often know where they fit in a tech company. There are a lot of generic business positions you could be qualified for, but do you know what all the different departments of a business actually do and which one is best for you?

For this blog post, I’ve selected the parts of my notes with broad applicability across businesses, but if you want to know more about Hubspot specifically feel free to email me for those notes. The rest of the presentation included things like an intro to the Software as a Service business model (SaaS) and Inbound Marketing. You can sign up to get notified when next fall's Boot Camp applications open.

What do liberal arts majors have to offer?

Michael Redbord is a Tufts grad who majored in international relations and philosophy, now working in Support at Hubspot. He gave this breakdown of how a liberal arts education can be your launching pad:

What do you have that hiring managers actually care about?

1. You can ask "Why?" (critical approach)
2. You can communicate clearly and within context.
3. You can use frameworks to learn new skills faster.
4. You work well alone, in pairs, and with groups (flexible working style)
5. You know how to spin things ("sales and consulting skills")

Okay, but these skill sets are really broad. So...

Where do I fit in business?

Operations 

Operations is exactly the kind of vague business title that Boot Camp helped me appreciate. The way that I understand it, Operations is like internal consulting - you’re constantly analyzing the company’s processes from the inside, making sure that the machine works effectively and trying to improve it. Operations is one of those quiet backbones that nobody really notices as long as it’s functioning well - but when it’s not working, you suddenly realize just how crucial it is. When Operations does its job well, your business operates very smoothly and efficiently, which allows the company to pivot quickly and get first mover advantage.

As an example of the kind of projects Operations works on, the Operations presenter (Liz) told us about the Hubspot wiki - a giant collection of all knowledge in the company. Operations analyzes the wiki’s performance by asking questions like “Who looks at the wiki? How do they navigate the space? If people aren’t engaging with it, why not?” Or, a more generic example of a problem Operations looks at is “How do we source candidates most effectively?” That includes looking at things like the rate of hire for candidates sourced from online portals vs. recommendations from current employees.

Am I a good fit for Operations? 
Liz characterizes working in Operations as kind of a hybrid job.

• Scientist: You like research and analysis - breaking down problems and measuring change. 
• Politician: You can’t just say “my way is better” and steamroll your agenda through. People are already accustomed to their way of doing things, and they don’t enjoy being told that their process is flawed. You have to persuade and cajole people into doing things differently. 
• Inventor: You’re creative and you enjoy problem solving, like figuring out how to measure things that aren’t easily measured. 

Sales & Services

There’s a common misconception that being a good salesman is all about making a convincing pitch. But there’s a lot more to it than just presentation. The presenter, Mark, argues that it’s about building trust and understanding the prospective client’s problem. Different people want different things - so don’t just pitch your product to them without learning any context first.

Instead, you start by asking questions about the prospect’s situation - their problems, their goals, what they want from this kind of product. Build trust and focus on helping the prospect, not talking about how great your product is. Once you understand what they need, then talk about how your product solves that problem, using the same language that the prospect uses. Working in sales teaches you a skill that you’ll use for the rest of your life and could apply across many industries and positions: 83% of Fortune 500 CEOs came up through sales. 

You’re a good fit for Sales if: 

• you like working with people 
• you like the chase and the satisfaction of closing a deal 
• performance-based pay according to your output sounds exciting, not stressful 

What employers look for when hiring for Sales:
Mark says that if you don’t have any prior experience in sales or retail, he looks for coachability and a record of excellence in whatever you’ve done. For example, one of their salespeople is a former Olympic athlete - and from that, you can tell that he’s really driven and willing to work hard to improve. Obviously they don’t expect everyone to have Olympian-level credentials, but you get the point, right?

Sales might not be right for you if:

• A quota hanging overhead and the possibility of being demoted due to poor performance would stress you out 
• Constant rejection gets you down (the majority of people you pitch to will say no)

Services is comprised of Consultants (who work with customers for 4-6 months at the beginning of their time with HubSpot) and Account Managers (who are responsible for revenue among the customer base). Together with Support and a few other teams, that's the bulk of the Services team.The primary difference between Sales and Services is that Services people work with customers to make them successful and keep them as customers, and Sales aims to acquire new customers by working with non-customers (prospects) and explaining the value of what we sell.

You might be a better fit for Services if:

• you’d like getting close to the product, learning all the ins and outs 
• you want to build relationships working with people, without the stress of sales 
• you find it gratifying (not frustrating) to help people with their problems 

Marketing

86% of people skip TV ads, 91% unsubscribe from email, 44% of direct mail is never opened, 200M(illion) on the Do Not Call list.

Every company divides up marketing differently, so the names and responsibilities will differ by company. I lunched with an employee from the marketing side who provided a breakdown about how the department is organized at Hubspot and who’s a good fit for each department.

Brand & Buzz: 

• it’s all about Hubspot’s own brand 
• this is what people generally think of when someone says “marketing” - public relations, graphic design, events 
• good fit if you have that creative flair 

Product marketing: 

• it’s all about the product itself  - market research
• product launch intersects with engineering: translates tech functions into everyday language 
• good fit if you like writing, technology, and storytelling 

Funnel:

• it’s all about getting leads and converting them to customers 
• lead generation, conversion, landing pages 
• intersects with sales 
• good fit if you like analytics and problem solving 

Content production:

• it’s all about how to market (in general) 
• blog, ebooks, webinars, videos, etc. on marketing 
• good fit if you like writing and learning about marketing 

Support

Support is one department where you probably already know what they do. The presenter, Michael, says that typically Support people are more technical and more problem-solving focused, as opposed to consultative or revenue focused. As part of the Support team, you:

• solve customer problems 
• empower customers and employees to do more 
• create the best SaaS (Software as a Service) customer experience 

What he looks for when hiring for Support: 

• Initiative - you got it or you don’t 
• Customer mindset - empathy and/or retail experience 
• Technical knowledge/capacity - experience (or Code Academy + a blog) 
• Culture fit - you got it or you don’t 

Okay, I think I know where to aim. How do I get hired?

Michael Redbord, the presenter on Support, has an entire blog post on how to get a first job as a liberal arts graduate. Everything below is excerpted from his blog post, sometimes paraphrased/reordered for brevity.

GPAs and credentials are mostly uninteresting outside of academia, finance, and consulting unless they're truly, remarkably exceptional. It's experience that sets candidates who get jobs apart from those that don't. It has everything to do with hiring managers who are willing to take calculated risks and read through the lines on a resume to understand the narrative of a person's life. 

Here are some examples of hypothetical applicants who have done something that shows potential:

• A Cum Laude Psychology major who also has a totally tricked out blog on their cat? They probably picked up some HTML/CSS along the way to make that blog and can learn new tech skills quickly.

• A captain of a field hockey team who did Teach for America on math? That's a good promise of a future leader with ability to learn smoothly and work with all sorts of clients and situations.

• A current Apple Store employee who also does some video editing for walking around money? That's a self-motivated learner who understands technology and can work with people.

Everyone can look like they have potential, but not everyone can take action to show their potential. Remember when I was worried because "How is anyone supposed to hire me just because I say I know how to think critically?" Well the answer is, they won't. The mantra you need is: Show, don't tell. 

Mike says: "Personally, I interview about a dozen entry-level candidates a week, and no more than 25% have taken that mantra from their successful term papers and turned 'potential' into action. Businesses care about action. Find that one extra step that 75% of your peers aren't doing, and do it." 

(If you still feel not quite ready, check out Mike's full post. It includes things like "The 9 Steps to show your potential + skill, and get an outstanding entry-level job.")

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Business Etiquette 101: It Pays ($$$) To Be Polite!

Before last Friday, I glanced over the "Etiquette Lunch" on the Career Center calendar a few times and, I must admit, I judged a little...

Uh............... No thanks!

Maybe it's because I'm a quintessential millennial--a product of my generation--that the idea of sacrificing my individuality to be professional and please others has always sounded like my own personal hell. 

It wasn't until Shimrit, a career counselor, directly invited me to the Etiquette Lunch that I consciously moved past my judgments, overcame my bias for the word, etiquette, and recognized the opportunity for adventure and growth. 

Like I did with Career Center Counseling, I decided to jump in, give it a try, and see for myself just exactly what all this "etiquette" business (or rather "business etiquette") was all about...

On Etiquette

Business is all about people, and all etiquette really involves is making people feel comfortable and good.

It's being nice--Showing a lil' R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Because when you're nice, people will like you, and it really does pay to be liked! In the business world, this could literally add up monetarily! Or you could benefit through harvesting connections in your network-- meeting the right people, getting that big deal, making that big sale, or moving up the ranks of your company because the people at the top want to be around you!

Specifically in terms of dining, having knowledge of formal American dining etiquette can differentiate you from your peers and make you a competitive candidate for a job position. Maybe you and your co-worker are both really good employees, but who is an employer going to feel comfortable sending out with a client for a business dinner? That's who gets the promotion.

Dining with Confidence 

The Etiquette Lunch turned out to be a fun and valuable experience! I really enjoyed it. It was essentially a formal 4-course meal at a table with other people who signed up to be there, accompanied by a presentation by Jean Papalia, Director of Tufts Career Center.

I was seated with a fellow senior, a freshman IR major, a Fletcher student, and Denise Philips from the Africana Center. The random crowd made small talk a little challenging for me, but I loved that it mimicked a real world setting--I'll surely have to connect with people from diverse backgrounds on an actual business lunch.

We made it work: the conversation was lively.

Jean Papalia gave a great presentation equipped with clickers for an in-presentation quiz, funny photos of etiquette gone wrong, and helpfully outlined tips.

What I loved most about the presentation was that Jean made it clear from the start that she was teaching us the "rules," but it was up to us if and when to use them. With this newly granted freedom, etiquette transformed from a prison of social conduct into a tool I could use to impress higher-ups and be a great host to clients in a formal dining setting.

Jean's primary point about business dinner etiquette is: It's not about the food. As mentioned earlier, business is all about people, and all etiquette really involves is making people feel comfortable and good.

Still, for much of the lunch, I felt like I was getting "Princess" lessons. It was kind of fun for someone who was taught to be feminine her whole life...

What are your feelings on the board's compensation decision, Princess?

It was especially fun to learn about place settings--a basic know-how of etiquette. BMW was a helpful acronym Jean taught us to help prevent drinking from someone else's glass or accidentally stealing someone's bread plate. It stands for BREAD, MEAL, WATER. So your bread is on the left of your meal and your water is on the right...

Here's a diagram of a typical formal place setting:

Cutlery-wise, work your way in!

Some basic Formal Dining Don'ts & Do's

DON'T Be the first to order alcohol... Because if everyone else orders seltzer, you'll look be looking REAL LUSH. Jean recommends never having more than one drink. People do notice, and if you accidentally trip or anything later, they might instinctively blame it on your drinking.
DO Leave your napkin on your lap for the entire meal. The only time you should pick it up is to dab your face. At the meal's end, you can fold it loosely and set it on the table. If you need to get up, just place the napkin on your chair, and replace it on your lap when you return.
DON'T Don't touch your dishes. Don't move them around from where they've been placed. Let your waiter put them down and take them away. When you finish eating, don't stack your plates.
DO Take your time with messier foods, like soup! Spoon your soup away from your face to keep it from dripping, and then put the spoon in your mouth. With noodle dishes, don't cut your noodles or swirl them in a spoon--do swirl small amounts against your plate. It's easier and neater!
DON'T Spit inedible parts of food into your napkin. The rule is, the food has to come out of your mouth the way it got in. So if there's an olive in your salad, remove the pit from your mouth with a fork and place it on the side of your plate.
DO Cut your food however you like. At the lunch, we learned the difference between American and Continental styles of eating (and I'm sure if you're interested, there are demonstrative videos on YouTube), but it turns out both are acceptable styles in the United States.
DON'T Shove an entire piece of bread into your mouth. Instead, rip a small bite-size piece of bread off the roll, then butter just that piece before eating. It's really gross for others to talk to someone with a mouthful of carby-substance. And don't dip your bread into anything-- Not into your soup, not into your side dish--it's sloppy!
DO Include everyone in the conversation. If you don't know what to say, ask questions! People love to talk about themselves. Ask about career paths and courses, hobbies, the weather, movies and books. Stay away from topics like sports (it can be an alienating topic), sex/relationships (not as obvious as you would think!), politics, and religion...
DON'T Talk about anything too controversial. Having different opinions on a movie is one thing, but when you bring politics and religion into your dinner conversation, things can get really uncomfortable and distract from the purpose of the meeting.
DO Silence your phone and put it away. It isn't appropriate to set your phone to “vibrate” and excuse yourself from the table to take a call. The only exceptions are life and death situations like births, surgeries, and deaths, which count as emergencies.

Host-Guest Dynamic

Jean also spoke about this interesting Host-Guest Dynamic that exists in business meals between the person who invites and the person invited. I was really digging this dynamic as a Sociology major:

As a guest, you must always follow the host. The host sets all the standards and rules for etiquette. Hosts must invite their guest to order all courses available and is expected to order the same number of courses--otherwise they alienate their guest by leaving them eating awkwardly by them self. Hosts must take care of their guests. A host’s responsibilities include paying the bill, tipping the coat check person, and/or the doorman for hailing a cab. The guest waits for the host to bring up the topic of business at a business meal. And it's a nice gesture for the host to toast to the guest before dessert. After being toasted, the guest of honor always reciprocates with a toast to the host.

General Business Etiquette

• Sending thank you notes are still said to distinguish you from others--I guess that means that no one sends them... Which is surprising because people recommend sending thank you notes so often that it's just about common sense. So don't make anyone have to tell you again: Send Thank You notes.
• Knowing who people are--whether that just be their name or even what they do--makes them feel important and gives them a reason to know your name and what you do.
• Always introduce yourself with your full name. That's what will help people remember YOU, John Doe, and not that guy with the generic male name.
• When in doubt, introduce others to make everyone feel comfortable and welcome.
• Stand when you shake hands with people to establish your presence and show them respect. Jean Papalia, Director of the Tufts Career Center, stressed that both males and females should stand seeing as the business world is gender neutral.
• Stand tall. At the lunch, Jean directed us all to stand tall, so we did. And then she told us to stand an inch taller, and it was amazing to see the crowd grow. Don't sell yourself short with posture--you're important; be confident.
• Be on time. You may be very busy, but the person you're meeting probably is too. Respect the time that person has set aside for you.

Although, I don't support the "manly" aspect of this diagram, I think it gives a great depiction of how to give a proper handshake (for all genders):

Interested in attending Dining with Confidence? Check our calendar for the spring 2014 event date! 

Best regards,

Until next time,

Nirvanna

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The Wikipedia Footnotes on the MBA

By Angela Sun

I don't know if it's just me, but MBAs sound pretty boss.

In fact, they can be really useful too...regardless of whether you're a weathered professional looking for a career change, or a budding leader ready for some comprehensive training.

In this post, I will provide you with an overview of some of the best resources available to learn what an MBA is, which programs to apply to, and where to go for priceless opportunities to network with MBA students/ admissions officers from schools like HBS and Sloan. Some of this information is time-sensitive, so pull out your calendars!

A brief note before you read on: Besides bridge programs (eg. Harvard 2+2, Tuck Bridge Program), MBA programs generally recruit professionals who already have 2-5+ years of experience. The GMAT will be good for 5 years. You should start learning about MBA programs now, but schedule your exams and plan your career accordingly.

Panels

1) Tufts Career Center: MBA Alumni Panel on Monday, November 5 from 6-730 PM @ Dowling 745

(Hint: copy-paste above line for 'quick add' on iCal)

Seven panelists, some of whom are current MBA students, others who have recently completed their MBAs, will speak on their work and education experiences. MBA programs represented will include HBS, MIT Sloan, Kellogg, Tuck, Franklin W. Olin, and BU. But even more excitingly, these seven accomplished businessmen and women can also relate their MBAs to their experiences in companies like Fidelity Investments, Proctor and Gamble, Innosight, GE Aviation, Vistaprint, Digitas, Cambridge Associates, Atlantic Trust, and more!

Don't let this opportunity slip through your fingers. Not only will you be able to ask about all the things you could never get from a brochure, you will also get the valuable chance to network with people in top MBA programs and businesses who are Tufts alumni! And if anything is true about networking, Tufts alumni are definitely one of the best places to start.

Here is a rundown of the panelists for you to Linkedin/ google search to help you prepare questions. More in-depth biographies will be distributed at the event.


2) The Economist's Which MBA? Online Fair

Not only is this event free, it also features an impressive list of past exhibitors. There are top MBAs from the US, but also those from around the world, like Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO, SBS Swiss Business School, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and more.

Interested? Register here. If this your first online fair, take some time to read this guide, which will give you some tips like making sure you have stable internet connection and using social media to maximize your experience.

Now although some schools are featured at both of these panels, there still is nothing like face-to-face interaction with alumni!

Rankings

1) US News 2012 Edition: Best Graduate Schools

Comprehensive listings from Business to Law, Medicine, Education, Engineering, and more. You can view the limited rankings online here. And you can also get access to the full rankings (with details like average GMAT scores, acceptance rates) by stopping by the Career Center. We have multiple copies on hand for you to browse through.

2) Vault Career Library: The Business School Buzz Book

The copy we have is a little older, from 2006. But wow is this book detailed! The business school profiles are packed with lively, honest commentary from students and alumni on the topics of admissions, academics, quality of life, and social life. Some school profiles go on for pages.

I mean, where else would you learn that Georgia State "seemed to have a trend of making it more difficult to get an A" or "Soldiers Field Park is the pick for student housing" at HBS, all in one book?

3) The Aspen Institute Guide to Socially Responsible MBA Programs: 2008-2009

This guide is a great example of how more and more business schools are developing their unique brand. Find schools that have a "concern for social and environmental issues" like EADA in Spain that offer courses like 'Buddha in the Company', or Berkeley Walter A. Haas, that has institutions like the Center for Nonprofit and Public Leadership. Feel free to visit our center to browse through a copy of this guide, or search online if you have other niche interests.

Please note that Career Center books are not for take-home use. Your adherence to this rule allows us to provide resources for all students. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Assessments

1) The CareerLeader Self-Assessment

This is an assessment created by two Harvard counselors that will help you decide what your business skills are and in which sector of business would you do best (eg. HR/ accounting, management, finance). You can find a sample assessment report here. However, do note that the assessment is $95, and we unfortunately do not offer a participating school discount. This is just something to consider, through speaking with people and doing your own research, you can also get a good idea for what MBA tracks might be a good fit.

All these resources are here to help you jumpstart your MBA research, there is a plethora of more resources available online and in databases to keep you busy. If you have any questions, please stop by to chat with one of the counselors. You can also connect with us via Facebook or Twitter @Tufts Career.

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