Job Search Boot Camp

Hope you enjoyed your Halloweekend!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, so I definitely made sure to have both merriment and candy. Besides that, I managed to start off the weekend with something productive -- a Job Search Boot Camp!

Halloween + Jobs = Skeleton Taxi Driver?
Source

This half-day Boot Camp held by the Career Center was meant to give seniors a hands-on, intensive lesson in job search skills. The day consisted of various workshops on everything from cover letters to resumes to interviewing. Workshops are a really great opportunity for anyone who is trying to navigate the often intimidating job search.

I started this blog post before the boot camp, but by the time this is posted I will have attended and added my thoughts on the experience.

PRE-BOOT CAMP THOUGHTS

I'm looking forward to the resume critique, since every time I update my resume I find things that could change. Writing a perfect resume is definitely an art form, and it often takes another set of eyes to fully gauge all the improvements that could be made. (If you couldn't make the boot camp, you can schedule an appointment with the Career Center and have someone critique your resume any time.)

The one thing I'm most nervous about is the mock interview. As I'm sure you all know, interviews can be quite nerve-wrecking. I'm always worried about portraying myself calmly and eloquently, all while having good posture and maintaining eye contact. However, I know that this is just practice! The purpose of the boot camp is to train us on interviewing skills, so if I don't do perfectly it'll be a learning experience.

This is especially true since the mock interview will be in a small group rather than one-on-one. I've never done a group interview in real life, so I have a lot to learn.

Overall, I'm excited to see what this boot camp has to offer!

Source

POST-BOOT CAMP THOUGHTS

The Job Search Boot Camp was a total success! I had a great time learning about all the different steps involved in the job search. Though the program was several hours long, time flew by. We were learning so much at such a rapid pace that it felt like we were done in no time. Kudos to the Career Center for a well-organized day.

Some of the highlights included networking practice, resume critiques, a guide to online resources, and the mock interview. Every part of the program was really informative, and they all lent themselves to a different facet of the job search. One of my favorite portions was the guide to web resources, since the Career Center site is filled to the brim with awesome links. It's a lot more efficient than aimlessly googling. A great place to start is Career A-Z, which organizes job resources by profession.

The interview ended up being a lot less scary than I thought it would be. Chris, the Career Counselor assigned to our group of three interviewees, gave us a lot of great advice and let us critique each other. One thing he emphasized was the importance of telling a story during an interview. A good story can be the difference between making an impression and being forgotten the moment you walk out of the room. Always brainstorm a few stories before any interview, so you have an arsenal to choose from.

All the information packed into the boot camp was a lot to take in, but it was also comforting to come away with a "toolbox" of sorts. I learned so much that I'm actually excited to pass on tips to my senior friends. Thanks to the boot camp, I feel like I have all the knowledge I need to tackle the job search and finally figure my life out (or just the first part, at least).

If you think you're missing that toolbox, make an appointment with a Career Counselor! They'll help you find your way.

Signing off,

Kelly Vieira
Class of 2015

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Start Your Job Hunt in 6 Steps!

Hey Seniors! Midterm season is coming to a close and the halfway point of our senior year is slowly creeping up on us... 

And if you're anything like me and my friends, maybe you've been having some weird stress dreams lately.

Or have been breaking out into belligerent crying fits every once and a while... 

Well, whether or not the behaviors above fit your character, it's about time for us all to face the inevitable truth: We can't remain at our beloved Tufts University forever. The job hunt must begin! 

But then come a series of questions: What do I want to do? Where do I start? What can I even do? How can I do what I really want to do? Where does my liberal arts degree fit into the job world? How can I make best use of my skills? How can I be the happiest? How can I make change? How can I make the most money?

And there are probably a million other questions you can add to the list...

Well, don't fret, Seniors! Tufts Career Center has some tips and steps for you on where and how you can get started on your job search right now!

Step 1: Self-Assessment

To help you get a good idea of some places to start, ask yourself questions like: What's your story? What makes you unique? What do you believe in? How do you want to develop? 

And don't forget-- For many people, careers are more like jungle gyms than ladders, and your first job will most likely be a step in the journey, rather than the final destination. Your first job is usually just your first job.

If you're having trouble with this step, you can always call (617) 627-3299 to schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor. The Career Center is here to coach you throughout the career process; you don't have to do it all alone!

Step 2: Use your new-found self-knowledge to brainstorm what you can do.

Not what you "want" to do because you'll never really know what that might be until you try! So think: Where can you use your strengths and skills? Where can you pursue your interests? Where can you put your values to work? Establish specific goals, and then determine 2-3 potential career fields that are compatible with your interests, skills, and values. You might want to check out the "Careers & Majors" section on the Career Center Website.

If you're having trouble with this step (hint-hint!), you can always call (617) 627-3299 to schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor. The Career Center is here to coach you through the career process; you don't have to do it all alone!

Step 3: Talk to people who are doing similar things.

If someone from your high school who you never even met emailed you asking questions about Tufts and what you do here, would you respond? Few of us wouldn't. You'd probably either be really eager to share your wisdom, or you'd just see yourself in that adorable little prospy (slang for "prospective student") and just answer them to be nice! 

The Career Center recommends using LinkedIn to perform informational interviews with people who work in fields of interest. 

What all this means is: Find a way to reach out to an alum who is currently on a path you want to explore, and write them saying, "Hello! I'm a Senior, majoring in X, looking to do Y. I see you do Z. Please tell me more! I also have these questions: a, b, c? THANK YOU."

Our post on LinkedIn includes a lot of great tips on how to reach out to the alumni.

And of course (nudge-nudge!), if you're having trouble with this step, you can always call (617) 627-3299 to schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor. The Career Center is here to coach you through the career process; you don't have to do it all alone!

Step 4: Prepare your marketing materials and skills.

Now that you're all focused, update your resume! Perfect your cover letters! Assemble your references! Sharpen your interviewing skills by practicing!

If you're having trouble with any of this (wink-wink!), call (617) 627-3299 to schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor for resume and cover letter critiques, one-on-one counseling, and mock interviews. The Career Center is here to coach you through the career process; you don't have to do it all alone! 

Step 5: Research companies

Potential employers can be found on Jumbo Jobs, through the On-Campus Recruiting program, Career Center programs (like career panels, networking events, info sessions), alumni networking contacts via LinkedIn and the Tufts Career Advisory Network (Tufts CAN), professional associations, and on and off-campus Career Fairs (a list of which is available at the bottom of the Tufts Career Homepage).

Research each one online (company Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn profiles are great for this), and see if you can connect with alums who work or have worked there for insider advice. 

If you're having any trouble with this step (cough--ahem!), you can call Tufts Career Center at (617) 627-3299 to schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor. The Career Center is here to coach you through the career process; you don't have to do it all alone!

Step 6: Get organized and Apply

Before you begin to apply to jobs, you'll need to establish an organized system to stay on top of your progress. We recommend compiling a list of job openings and companies looking to hire on a spreadsheet or within a file system. List employers of interest, contacts, important dates, and next steps. Once your system is all set up, begin to initiate contact with employers. Submit your resume with a focused cover letter and then follow up. 

And of course, if you're having trouble with this step, you know what to do! (Call (617) 627-3299 to schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor. The Career Center is here to coach you through the career process; you don't have to do it all alone!)

These 6 steps will lead you to people, will lead you to interviews, will lead you to first jobs, will lead you to careers. As a senior myself, I know how incredibly emotional and nerve-wrecking this process is, but the glass is also half full: the job hunt can also be exciting! 

And if you learn only one thing from this post, please let it be that the Career Center is here to coach you through the career process. You don't have to do it all alone! You can always call (617) 627-3299 to schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor for assistance with any of these steps.

Happy hunting, Jumbos!

Until next time,

Best regards,

Nirv

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Show Me the Money: Notes from the Salary Negotiation Panel

By Angela Sun

Last Wednesday, I had the opportunity to attend the Salary Negotiation Workshop hosted by Tufts Career Center in Dowling Hall.

(If you're thinking, "Who? What? How wasn't I there?" Then remember to regularly check our e-calendar for our upcoming events!)

The workshop was in the form of a panel moderated by Bob Burdick of the UEP Program. Panelists included:

• Jennifer Antle, College Recruiter at Liberty Mutual,
• Lisa DiTullio, A11 (Psychology), Human Resources Associate at Reit Management & Research LLC
• John Hurley, Human Resources Business Partner at Americas Sales, and Formerly Talent Acquisition Manager and Worldwide College Relations Manager at Analog Devices,
• Jessica Yu, College Recruiting and Student Program Manager  at The MITRE Corporation.
• and Rachael Wolber, A12 (IR and Environmental Studies), Grant Writer at the Appalachian Mountain Club

In case you missed the event, here are my notes from the event. You know what they say, a dollar negotiated is a dollar earned. 

When should I negotiate my salary?

The answer is pretty much always... if the salary is negotiable that is. There may be situations in which salary is not negotiable. For example, one of the career center counselors mentioned that many recruiters from consulting firms do not negotiate entry-level salaries. So ask if the salary is negotiable first! 

Now if the salary is negotiable, you should always negotiate simply because if you don't, the chances of getting more money is zero, so you really have nothing to lose. For some organizations, your promotions will be a percentage increase on your starting salary, so this number could have implications beyond just your first year/ employment period. 

"Often times you can pick up cues from employers as to when to bring up salary negotiation"--Hurley. 

"Though I didn't, I probably should have negotiated for my first salary. I was an intern, I knew the people, knew the company, etc."--DiTullio.

How much should I ask for?

I would direct you first to this fantastic post on our blog about where to go to research salary ranges for a reasonable expectation. With websites like glassdoor.com etc., take everything you read with a grain of salt because the information on the site is not verified. In addition to the resources suggested in the post, I would add that networking with professionals in the field or even the firm is another great way to get reliable information!

"Rapport is really important, building a relationship with the HR recruiter through the interview process made the negotiation process much more comfortable and allowed me to get more information." -- Wolber.

"For most firms, there is in fact an approved 'range'. Look at what other people, with similar experiences as you, get in the company"--DiTullio.

How to negotiate?
You are much more likely to be successful if you can back up your number with why you should be paid that amount. Solid bargaining points include realistic costs like reallocation (not loans, those are your own responsibility!) or any special skills/ experiences to the table.

"We worked with a candidate because he had legitimate costs like reallocation to factor in. Though we did not change the initial offer, we made sure that the numbers made sense for him in terms of the full package, including compensation, etc."

"Solid work experience is an important bargaining chip. College graduates sometimes must be realistic about the fact that they might have less to work with, even if they did internships."-- Antle.

"Don't ask for money just because you 'want' more. If you are honest and confident, you will be heard out. But salary negotiation is different from shopping, it's important to stay reasonable, rather than throw out really high numbers in hope of being met in the middle."--Yu.

"I have never been offended by someone negotiating who could back up their number."--Hurley.

How much time do I have to negotiate?
This factor will range from firm to firm, depending on when you are given the offer. Most likely, you will not have a lot of time to respond, this could be only a few hours or a few days...so make sure you do your research prior to receiving an offer.

"If a candidate was hired in August the previous year, then I might give him or her a couple of months, but if the candidate was hired in May, the maybe only a couple of weeks."--Antle.

What are some pitfalls in the process?
Asking for way too much money is obviously a key one. But miscommunication can also result in an unpleasant experience!

"Sometimes a deal just doesn't happen because the gap in expectations is too great"--DiTullio.

"Be consistent in your communication. It's bad form if I don't hear from a candidate for a really long time, and then all of a sudden hear from them again." --Antle. 

"Have one point of contact only on the issue. Nothing is more frustrating if I am negotiating with you, and you go to another person in the company to try to play us against each other."--Hurley.

The last piece of advice I would offer you is to look at salary negotiation from the employers point of view. 

"We are not out to low ball you! If we bring you on board at a salary that is out of the norm, then we must also justify our decision to other employees. You were given an offer because we genuinely want to bring you on the team."--Yu

"Firm to firm is different. When I was at PwC, there wasn't much negotiation for starting salary because we hired a lot of college grads to do the same thing. But at a smaller company, that flexibility might exist."

"You tell me. How will you make an impact/ contribution to the team at my company? What are you trying to achieve? Start by being introspective."--Hurley.

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Why Networking is Not Just Asking for Stuff

By Angela Sun

Networking. Of all the ambiguities of internship and job hunting, networking probably takes the cake.

The Career Center's guide to networking is a wonderful overview of the ABCs of networking, and a great place to start for delving into the practice.
But after studying the basics, you may still have some questions, or be wondering why you don't seem to be as successful as you had hoped to be. This post will help you reflect on the purpose of your personal journey in developing a professional network, which should provide some guidance about how to network.

Before writing this post, I asked around to see what questions students had about networking. The key feedback I received was uncertainty about how to ask for things without seeming like you're asking for things.

So very first, the secret to growing a sustainable and substantial network is that it's not just about asking for things! Getting a reference, feedback on your resume, or even low-and-behold--a job offer immediately, is not always the best, or even right thing to have in mind when networking. 

Am I Networking for the Right Reasons?

Despite having found the contact through an electronic database, and potentially exchanged all conversation via email, at the end of the day, there sits two persons behind the computer monitors. Engaging with contacts in a professional network is in many ways similar to connecting with friends and family. One size does not fit all.  Personality, preference, and schedules will dictate how they prefer to communicate.  So consider taking the conversation off-line.

There is still an element of 'unnaturalness' to cold-emailing a stranger, or making a relationship out of a career fair speed date, but acknowledge the human aspect of networking by considering where the other person is coming from.

What does your contact do? How much time does he/ she have to communicate with me? Why would he/ she want to help me? What can I offer him/ her?

Thinking through these questions will help you manage expectations, which should be a range--rather than one item. It is for the most part impossible to know where a conversation with a contact might lead you. Here are just some of the items you could get out of networking:
- Informational interview (range in length and format)
    - Insight into their job
    - Advice for your next steps
- Recommendation/ someone willing to "vouch" for you
- Referral to someone else in the target company
- Internship/ job (information about a job, an offer for an interview).

Think realistically about your contact's position and which items would be appropriate to anticipate. A Human Resources Recruiter is in a position to offer you an interview, whereas a consulting firm employee might not be. Targeting the appropriate expectations will help you avoid asking for too much and putting the contact in an uncomfortable position.

On that note, it is usually not appropriate to ask a contact to look over your resume. They could offer to do this, but refrain from asking. Set-up an appointment with the Career Center for a resume critique, so that you're bringing an already polished resume to the table.

Also recognize that there is no hard-and-fast rule for the timing of networking. Just because you are interested in accounting, doesn't mean if you meet a news producer at an event, you shouldn't follow-up with a thank you note and add them on Linkedin. One of the most common remarks I heard from panelists at the Harvard Women in Business Conference was that your interests will probably change. You never know who could be relevant when.

The human component also means people are busy. Sometimes it's hardest to get a response from senior executives or higher ups in a given company. A contact might offer to help you with something, and then fall through on doing so. You might never hear back from someone--for no real reason. It is important to be mentally prepared and maximize your chances by reaching out to many people, but also establishing a compelling and specific argument for why they should respond to you.

One effective networking technique is to start with your immediate circle. Linkedin is a great resource for this because it tells you if you have a 2nd connection with someone. That way you can ask your 1st degree friend/ contact to refer you to your target contact. Give the same dedication to Linkedin as you do to Facebook, as the more 'connections' you have, the better your chances are at knowing if you have a mutual contact. The Tufts Career Advisory Network also provides you with a good starting point as it is full of alumni wanting to help out fellow jumbos. 

Networking is an exercise in strategically managing relationships. You may find your professional 'lunch buddies', 'study buddies', 'mentors' and so on. Being flexible and intentional will help you network for the long term. Your career begins rather than ends with your first job offer. Taking the time to get to see through the lens of the person you are networking with, and making the effort to stay in touch with holiday greetings, emails, or sending articles along from time to time will go a long way.


Am I Networking in the Right Ways?

So you can already see some of the ways in which a changing perspective on networking affects how to network.

A great tip I learned is to start of with a compliment, what's more revealing about the human component of networking than that? You can't compliment an online job portal and hope it'll bump your resume to the front!

As college students, we might not have the same things to offer a contact. But every relationship goes two ways, and recognize what you do have to offer. Sometimes, it could be as simple as a show of appreciation for someone's dedication to their industry. This could be the best boost for them at the end of a 10 hour cubicle shift!

But we're also bright, educated, hardworking students who happen to be masters of communication. So sell yourself a little in your early correspondence. Explain what your skills are and what experiences you already have relating to the industry/ position. This will help a contact understand why you are reaching out to them. What else? You might be in a position to offer publicity about their initiative, especially if they are trying to reach out to a college audience--offer to spread the word.

And effective communication means being specific about what you are seeking. One pitfall is sending an email that says, "I would like more information about xyz position/ company." Your contacts likely don't have the time to send you 'information', but they might have time to answer your questions about specific requirements, recruiting time lines, or a typical job description. The Linkedin page of the contact is usually a great source for inspiration for questions.

Different communication portals also have their strengths and weaknesses. Face-to-face meetings are always best because they allow you to make an impression on someone, and to adapt to their nonverbal cues. However, this might be unrealistic for contacts who are extremely busy, and might prefer phone or email. Phone offers the opportunity to change questions depending on the answers, while it is difficult to have the same fluid, two-way conversation via email. It is also usually more work for the person answering the email to type out all the answers. However, a contact may still prefer email because it allows him/ her to answer on their own time. So take all these things into consideration when you set-up an informational interview.

Some ambiguities of networking will still be ambiguous. This may sound daunting, but feel empowered that you already have plenty of experience under your belt. Everyday, we manage a complex web of relationships, reading people, adapting our communication styles to their personalities...without even thinking about it! With a little practice and critical evaluation, many of these skills can easily be applied to networking.

With practice, networking will become clearer and even comfortable.  I strongly recommend working alongside a career center counselor through the process.The counselors are incredibly knowledgeable and patient, and great people to connect with professionally...sound familiar?

Please interact with us on Facebook/ Twitter @Tuftscareer. We would love to hear your blog post suggestions!

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