The Tufts Career Center can help you with all facets of career development:
▪ Career Coaching
▪ Job and Internship Listings
▪ Campus Recruiting
▪ Resume and Cover Letter Preparation ▪ Interviewing Tips
▪ Applying to Grad School
and much more!
From your first year to your last, and even after you graduate, we can help you in making career decisions, exploring careers, setting goals, and developing skills and strategies to realize these goals.
(617) 627-3299 | careercenter@tufts.edu
Showing posts with label on-campus events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label on-campus events. Show all posts
A record breaking 130+ companies will attend Tufts' annual career fair tomorrow in Gantcher Center from 12:30-4pm. Don't miss this exciting opportunity to speak with company representatives and hiring managers - all without leaving the comfort of your own backyard campus!
2012 Tufts Career Fair Logo
If you haven't already, check out the 2012 Career Fair Guide for company bios, positions available, and majors sought. A more complete list of organizations, as well as a breakdown of organizations by industry, can be found on the Career Fair Homepage.
My name is Angela Sun, and I am a senior majoring in International Relations. I have a broad range of career interests, but currently dream of being a TV anchor/ host one day. In the upcoming school year, I will be contributing to this wonderful blog maintained by the Tufts Career Center.
I have been working with the Tufts Career Center since freshman year for my own professional development. I’ve definitely come a long way since my first resume (half of which, embarrassingly, consisted of one-word bullet points like ‘dedicated’, ‘team-player’, ‘quick-learner’)…many thanks to the patient guidance of the career counselors. And so, to now have the opportunity to be part of this team is really exciting for me.
Looking ahead, I hope to continue the tradition of writing blog posts that inform students about upcoming events; share student experiences with jobs and internships; and discuss ways to market oneself in the job market. I will also be constantly looking for new ways to make this a better resource for you, so let me know if you have any ideas for posts or content. You can connect with me via twitter Follow @angelasun2013
Have a wonderful start to the semester!
Sincerely,
Angela Sun
P.S. Make sure you stop by the Career Carnival this Monday, September 10th between 12-2 pm on the Tisch Library Patio. The Career Center will be out in full force with free raffles, music, food, and, of course, lots of great career advice and resources!
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend “How to Land a Media Job: Tips for Seniors,” a media panel co-sponsored by Tufts Career Services and the Communications & Media Studies Department. The event featured five panelists, who represented five different media professions: children’s production, advertising, film production, local reporting, and public radio. For those who didn’t attend, I thought I’d share a brief overview the event, the who’s who in the panel, and what I gathered about the state of modern media.
Before I go on, let me introduce the five panelists. They were friendly and personable, combining the serious stuff with colorful anecdotes. And they were honest, unafraid to tell us, point-blank, who they would hire and what it takes to get in the door.
Carol Greenwald: Senior Executive Producer of Children’s Programs at Boston’s WGBH. She manages the production of popular kid’s shows like Arthur and Curious George. (Who doesn’t love Arthur?)
John Davidow: The Executive Editor of New Media at WBUR Radio (and a proud Tufts alum). He oversees the content of WBUR’s hip new website.
Molly Crean: A Junior Recruiter and Internship Coordinator at Arnold Worldwide, responsible for recruiting new and creative talent to the ad-world. Richard Lodge: Editor-in-Chief of GateHouse Media West and Metro Units, a daily newspaper that covers local community news.
Evan Mark Rimer: Assistant to the President at Anschutz Film Group, a subsidiary of Walden Media. Evan recruits new film projects and oversees film development.
At first, I figured this would be yet another helpful albeit depressing panel about the hopelessness of media. This would be temporarily confirmed by a comical film clip, featuring two cartoon characters discussing journalism. “I want to work for the New York Times,” the first cartoon robotically said. “You will not work for the NY Times,” retorted its pessimistic counterpart. “You will report insignificant stories and get laid off and move to the middle of Kansas”. (Okay, totally not the real dialogue, but you get the jist.)
The ominous mood was set. But as the event went on, and as each panelist opened up about his or her colorful media jobs, we all relaxed. What I took away instead was a much more complicated view of the industry. Media is struggling, yes, but it’s also rapidly transforming, now more than ever looking to recruit new talent.
So, the question we all want to know: what does it take to land a media job? The panelists first emphasized the importance of relevant internship and work experience. Prior experience shows that you are capable of handling professional media tasks and can thrive in fast-paced work culture. Interestingly enough, Carol also stressed prior employment, whether at your local supermarket or DQ. As she put it bluntly, employers like seeing that you know what it means to have a job.
In the vein of digitalization, the panelists—Richard particularly—said they love those with a versatile skill set. They are always eager to fill, “what’s not there”. So if you have a penchant for say, photography or slide-show making, or perhaps HTML coding, make this clear! Even if you aren’t too comfortable with digital tools, there’s still plenty of time to learn. Also, it’s always a plus to be familiar with social media and online news sites. Yes, they’re ultra-experienced, but these media veterans want to learn too. As Richard said, “I want you to teach me something new.”
The employers also touted writing as the most important skill for media success. Even more than your GPA, your clips prove that you have knack for clearly and concisely relaying information. So what to do now? Write, write, write. Publish news stories. Blog (even if it’s about your love life). Tweet. Force your friends to follow you. As these panelists stressed, we should do all what we can to cultivate our writing voice and just publicize ourselves. And it’s good practice while we work towards the days when we’ll see our byline in some glossy magazine.
Of course, the panel couldn’t end without discussing the all-too-important networking process. Each panelist encouraged us to cultivate as many connections as possible—particularly key for breaking into media, which essentially thrives on networking. In this block of time before the actual job-applying season (most media jobs have a 2-3 week turnaround period) the best thing we can do is establish a large web of contacts, which we should continue to build and build. The larger our networking pool, the higher the likelihood of being nudged toward a job.
But say you don’t have a readily accessible pool of media contacts to schmooze with. The reporter attendees, particular Richard, encouraged the die-hard journalists to try cold-calling newsroom. Isn’t that what journalism is about, anyway? Of course, it’s important to do your research—to know who exactly you’re speaking with and to plan a smart, well-planned pitch. You never know where just one phone call could lead.
The final take-away - for me at least? If you love everything media, just go for it. The panelists were honest about some of the less-than-promising trends. But beyond this, they conveyed a rare passion for their current careers and a staunch dedication to exploring its exciting future. It’s this love for communicating information—the writing, the reading, the filming, the reporting—that makes these challenges and budget-cuts well-worth it. As proud members of this next online-savvy generation, we’re the ones media is depending on.
This Wednesday, February 1 at 6:30 pm in Cohen Auditorium, Tufts Career Services and The Leonard Carmichael Society will host Careers in the Common Good: A Night of Networking.But what are common good careers? While there is no singular definition, for the purposes of this event we are using the term to refer to all work that has a shared and beneficial value for all (or most) members of a community. This term does not apply exclusively to non-profit work, but also includes for-profit, private, and public sector jobs that bring value to the community (of course, value is subjective).
Interested? Unsure? Want to learn more? Come network with alumni working a wide range of values-driven career fields and learn about why a career in the common good might be the right path for you.
The evening starts at 6:30 with a short keynote address by James Weinberg A00, Founder and CEO of Commongood Careers. Afterwards, join more than 30 alums for networking and small group discussion. Alumni will be present from the following industries and career areas: education; consulting; environmental; health care; public health; human services; legal; and philanthropy. Register to attend online by January 29
Interested in a career in consulting? I spoke with two decision makers at OC&C Strategy Consultants, Director of HR and Recruiting Danielle McColgan and Consultant Jason Majane E08, who gave me a inside look into the recruiting and hiring process at one of Boston’s top management consulting firms.
1.Why did you decide to recruit at Tufts?
Danielle: This was our first year partnering with Tufts. We had wanted to expand our undergraduate recruiting program. Jason [Majane E08] is one of our consultants, and he came from Tufts and is familiar with the program and we have always held it in high regard.
Jason: I have been at OC&C for two and a half years. I graduated in 2008. We have historically recruited from a few other schools in the Boston area. It’s easier to focus on a couple of places, and there are a lot of really smart people in this area. Now that the office is at an even greater size, we thought it was time to break in more. Consulting is not as well known a career at Tufts yet. We thought it was a good idea to break in and be a first mover in the Tufts consultant movement.
2. Would you briefly describe your experience working with and recruiting at Tufts?
Danielle: I found it to be a really great and successful year. It was wonderful working with the staff at Tufts Career Services, all of who were very welcoming and accommodating. We were able to get early exposure to students through the Tufts Career Fair and the Careers in Consulting event. The Careers in Consulting event was an especially great experience for me because it was a more concentrated program. I met with some really strong students really early on, and I was able to closely work with them throughout the introductory practice phases. I interviewed and met with a large number of talented students, which translated into some hires for us.
3. What advice can you give undergraduates?
Danielle: I advise them to be conscientious and targeted in the companies they talk to. At the Career Fair, I met with a few students who I had met with earlier on. Throughout the entire progress, we had a chance to see students continuously show up to events. For us as an employer, this shows a level of dedication and interest on the student’s behalf.
Additionally, I found the students we met with at the consulting night to be much more targeted in their search. They typically had very targeted questions and knew we did strategy work, so they already had the flavor of OC&C. This allowed for more meaningful dialogue, rather than a 30 second elevator pitch.
Jason: As a student, I always went to the Career Fair. It was great to have such a large number of employers there. I also enjoyed the Consulting Networking night, mainly because it’s a little more informal than other networking events. Students came and asked really good questions, and I liked the setup of it. There was a group of students asking someone questions, as opposed to students waiting in line and talking one-by-one. The event stimulated group discussion, which allowed people to hear each other’s questions and see what other students were looking for.
5. What are some strengths you see in Tufts students?
Danielle: Tufts students were incredibly engaging and quite a good fit for us personality-wise. We have a very open, collaborative, sort of young culture here, and I feel that a lot of Tufts students definitely had the right energy level and will really thrive in our environment. When I spoke with them, I could easily see them working here tomorrow. There is obviously a strong emphasis on being able to do the work and having the right analytical background. Once we have that, we really do care about fit. Tufts is a great match in that regard.
Jason: In general, students at Tufts are very good at having an open dialogue. I think this is in large part because discussion in the classroom is a very important part of the curriculum. I think this translates well into people being naturally curious and open with their questions.
6. How important are information sessions to your hiring process?
Danielle: As an employer, I feel that information sessions really help students become more prepared and targeted in their search. They help them figure out exactly what they’re looking for upon graduation, which I think goes a long way. It is absolutely okay to be looking at different industries, but it is also important to be targeted and know about the firm you’re talking to.
7. What about the case interview?
Danielle: [The case interview] is the crux of the interview at a consulting firm, and I think it would benefit students to have more preparation there. We offer students the opportunity to come into the office and practice, regardless of whether they have interviewed with us.
8. What is your recruiting schedule for next year?
Danielle: In terms of undergraduate programs, we recruit at Tufts, Williams, Harvard, MIT, and Dartmouth College. We certainly have students from other programs and do hire out of these schools, but this is where we focus our interests. Next year, we plan to continue this same trend. We plan to have the same hiring timeline and recruit from these same schools. It’s been very successful for us. We had a very successful campaign at Tufts and we are looking forward to partnering with Tufts again next year.
What have you learned from your parents? Good manners? How to ride a bike? The importance of good grades? Now, it’s time for another life-long lesson; this one’s about networking.
More than 100 parents have volunteered to be part of this first-ever event during Parents & Family Weekend:
Parents as Professionals: Informal Networking for Students Friday, October 28, 3:30-4:30pm, Aidekman Arts Center
Most students say that “networking” intimidates them, and rightly so. It’s a skill you can’t learn in a classroom. So, think of this event as a laboratory of sorts where you can practice asking good questions (because that’s what networking is all about ~ asking questions and exchanging information). Whether you’re considering a career in the arts or engineering, finance or healthcare, you’ll ultimately get your most valuable information by talking to people who do the work that interests you.
Wouldn’t you prefer to practice in a casual, low-stakes environment?
Parents will gather in groups according to profession or industry. You may approach them to discuss their careers and ask for advice (Never, ever, ever ask for a job or internship; that’s considered poor manners and your networking will backfire). Instead, think about the jobs that parents have held, the organizations they’ve worked for, and the industries they know well. What a repository of career expertise!
Parents will gather in one of the following groups: Advertising, PR, Marketing; Arts, Media, Entertainment; Business Management/Administration; Information Technology; Engineering; Consulting; Finance; Healthcare; Law; Education/Government/Nonprofit; or Science/Research. If individuals don’t feel they match these categories, they’ll create their own.
Whether you already love networking or you’re mustering the courage to begin, this occasion offers an ideal opportunity. Dress is casual. No resumes needed. Please register by Tues, Oct. 25 at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VV2KBNP
The Career Services team endorses, promotes, and teaches networking as the most effective tool to identify internships and jobs. We believe it’s a fundamental life skill that you’ll use to build professional relationships, learn about employment opportunities, and advance in your careers. Please take advantage of this valuable networking event.
Over here in Career Services were feeling a bit baffled. Despite high turnout at employer events and information sessions, and the fact that the number of employers interviewing students on-campus is up this year by 8%, Tufts students have applied for the positions posted on Tufts Career Connect (TCC) in unusually low numbers. Employers across a wide variety of industries, from education to environmental consulting to finance have struggled to fill their interview schedules with interested candidates. Many positions have received less than half the number of applications they’ve received in years past. One firm with a long tradition of hiring Tufts Seniors, which had more than 50 interested applicants in 2010, had only 19 this year!
So we’re turning to you, the students, to ask “why aren’t you applying?” Send your opinion about what’s going on to Career Services’ Associate Director of Employer Relations Robin Kahan.
It’s hardly surprising that entry-level rotational programs (often called management trainee or leadership development programs) are so enticing to college grads. A rare opportunity to dabble in a variety of departments, they appeal to those who have chosen an industry, but haven’t pinpointed their specific career niche quite yet. What used to be limited to engineers-in-training has broadened to a smattering of industries and fields. The point is to offer employees three-dimensional insight into the company-at-large. And at the end, armed with a wide breadth of knowledge, employees must decide where they wish to spearhead their professional careers.
The length of rotational programs is both company and industry-specific—anywhere from 4 months to 2 years. Managers must determine how long it’ll take new employees to grasp each department’s job functions, as well as acquire the skills necessary to join full-time.
Many employees enter rotational programs with some idea of where they’ll wind up. I’ve heard friends begrudge months in less “exciting” departments, eager to lend their professional juices to the area they'd most prefer to work. But after exposure to various rotations, there’s always the chance you shy away from your original plan in favor of a less-expected sector. And that’s okay! The whole point of the rotational program is to learn--in the thrilling heat of it all---what a department entails, and whether or not it resonates with your skills and interests. For the most rewarding end-result, it’s important to fairly weigh every opportunity and be perpetually open-minded.
Rotations are also appealing to those in the dark about their professional fortes. For all those with still-hazy aspirations, what could be better than an alternative to the stress of deciding right away? This is all good and true, but there’s also the slight fear that diversifying could be, in a sense, dizzying. With all these experiences under your belt, it might be hard to choose your next job move by the time the program ends.
While being open to the new and unexplored, it’s wise to enter the program with some sort of defined focus. Develop a set of markers for evaluating each rotation and determining its long-term career potential. From there, consider which aspects of the experience resonated with your blossoming interests and which felt less appealing. Do the perks outweigh the less-favorable tag-alongs? And don’t hesitate to raise those all-too-important questions that need to be honestly addressed. Were you excited to plop into your cozy cubicle and revisit yesterday's work, or were you subconsciously ticking off the days until the rotation ended? If it falls somewhere in-between, can you see yourself doing this full-time, without a designated endpoint?
As for me? I was pleasantly surprised to learn that rotational programs aren’t just limited to financial institutions and engineering conglomerates. In fact, they exist across a range of industries, including publishing. Simon and Schuster, one of the nation’s most prominent publishing houses, offers a 12-18 month Associates entry-level rotational program, which offers grads the opportunity to contribute to its various branches: editorial, managing editorial, marketing & publicity, sales, and contracts. My prime publishing experience (as I explored in my last post) lies in editorial---the meticulous reworking of the vibrant literature itself. But given my own evolving interests, and my open-mindedness when it comes to the job hunt, I realize that it might not in my best interest to settle on one specific branch quite yet. Publishing, as I’ve learned, isn’t a simple one-way relationship between editor and author, but an amalgamation of different creative forces, each integral to the production of that next bestseller. I’m realizing more and more that I’m eager to experience the ins and outs of the whole entire process.
And this isn’t just true of publishing. Within just about any field, having an eye for what other branches do cultivates a greater understanding of the entire company, allowing you to best contribute to your individual sector. Thus, rotational programs work in two ways. While funneling your interests into one specific path, this panoramic exposure to a company grants you the versatility and knowledge to create a solid foundation for any future career.
This is the second part in my account of my summer internship. If you haven't already, read part 1.
There’s no question: I absolutely loved my time at Curtis Brown. Along with teaching me so much about the book industry, it reaffirmed that yes, this is what I want to do. While working on direct behalf of the author, joining them in this exhilarating process from beginning-to-end, agents forge truly intimate connections with author clients.I remember listening, squeezed into my office desk, to my boss engage in catch-ups and discuss wedding plans with her slew of client-turned-best-friends. By getting to so intimately know the author’s work—stubbornly pushing them toward maximizing their creative potential—you can’t help but personally connect to the creative forces behind the on-paper talent. I absolutely loved it. The entire industry just seemed so refreshingly personal
But, gnawing at me underneath my excitement is the reality that the publishing industry is transforming, entering into an unexplored terrain that it has yet to wrap its hands around. With the introduction of new digital outlets, the industry is temporarily struggling to reconcile its shifting role in today’s technology-centered society. E-books and new digital options have encouraged the determined-to-be-published to self-publish online, a process that entirely eliminates the traditional clout held by agent and publisher. And then there’s the tiny fact that, as so many speculate, online forums like e-book kindle could make hard-copy books an antique of the past.As the industry is struggling to locate an identifiable niche in our digitally minded society, entry-level jobs are become harder and harder to come by.
But even despite the slightly unnerving tabloids, and what I’ve personally gathered about the industry’s slippery state, I realized that this industry just makes me happy. No it’s future direction isn’t totally clear, and the initial pay isn’t great, but regardless of all these obstacles, this transforming field just happens to perfectly resonate with my long-held interests. And there’s also something exhilarating about joining an industry at the peak of a remarkable transition, when the future of publishing—and book reading—is embarking on a never-before-seen path.
I think this is an important message across any field. In the wake of today’s work climate, where job insecurity and layoffs are a frightening norm, certain industries feel a bit more daunting than others. But at the end of the day, the tangible rewards pale in comparison to the satisfaction that swells up inside you when you’re doing something you love. Sure, internship and job snatching have become trickier in recent years, but with a good dose of resilience, optimism, and yes, patience, you can meaningfully contribute to the field of your choice, even if you have to wait a bit longer to get there. So, I’ll end with this: once you find a career path that excites you, one that feels stimulating and just plain right, push away any lingering doubts and go for it. Once you get in the door, I’m confident you won’t look back.
Many students have a basic knowledge of marketing and the “marketing mix” or 4Ps (product, price, promotion/distribution, and place).Whether or not you’re interested in marketing as a career, this model offers a useful framework for your job search and, in particular, the networking aspect.
Promotion is the P we’re talking about here; it represents all the communications and channels that a marketer engages to create positive awareness of a product.Think broadly of “product.”It means more than a tangible entity like clothes or technology.Consider that marketing is used to promote services, ideas, and even people (a political campaign, for example).
Recognize a connection between marketing and job search?It’s all about what happens leading up to the deal itself.
Now, let’s think of you attending Careers in Consulting on Monday evening.Here we have a phenomenal marketing forum.Employers are marketing their brand to you, and vice versa.Think of this evening as a time to create positive awareness of yourself as a potential candidate.
One of the most common and grievous errors that job searchers make is to mistake a marketing opportunity for a sales pitch.Sales is more transactional; it happens only after an individual has been convinced to put money on the table or cast a vote in the polling booth or support a charity.
To move into sales mode when the situation calls for marketing is akin to a high school junior touring Tufts and trying to get a commitment from admissions.The timing’s not right.Remember this when you’re networking and focus instead on how to begin differentiating yourself (again, borrowing marketing techniques to build a “unique selling proposition”).
Employ multiple channels.Dress so you look like you’d easily fit into a corporate environment. Modulate your speech and adjust your language, from dorm quality to workplace. Most importantly, take a cue from consultants coming to campus who have offered their advice to you.Over and over, they offer you the key to your own differentiation.
“Do your homework,” they say.
Think of your own skills, knowledge, and experience and how it would be useful in a particular job and company.Then, set yourself apart with intelligent, well researched questions that demonstrate how thoroughly you’ve studied position requirements and a specific organization, from culture to practice areas.
Listen to Constantin von Wentzel, Director at Navigant and a Tufts alumnus: “Whatever job you’re pursuing, research it! “
And from Swati Shaw, an Analyst at Putnam Associates who graduated this past May: “Take your consulting firm research up a notch.Read through the company’s casework samples, research the CVs of the management team, understand how broader industry trends may impact their casework strategy, and research their type of clients to gain deeper understanding of the nature and value of the firm’s work.”
Chances are, you’ve probably heard a thing or two about our Career Fair. To refresh your work-overloaded memories, more than 100 diverse organizations and recruiters will be flooding campus on Friday September 23rd, the echoing halls of Gancher to be exact, poised and ready to mingle with us career-aspiring Tufts students. It’s a tremendous opportunity for us job-prowling seniors, especially those with looming recruiting deadlines. But, regardless of your stage in the job-hunt, anyone and everyone can benefit from gaining career information, practicing networking skills, and forging face-to-face connections, which—lucky for us---are essentially timeless.
Some of you may already have an excited, red-inked note scribbled into your calendars. But others might be debating whether to add this to your busy college schedules, especially if you you don’t see a company that instantly piques your interest, or just don’t feel the job-search pressure quite yet. But despite the preparatory work and jittery day-of nerves, it’s worth it. If you find a connection to even just one employer, or want to learn about less familiar industries, why not hand out a few resumes and take in some insightful career banter? Plus, it never hurts to simply get your name out there.
Also, keep in mind that job opportunities aren’t rigidly divided by college major. Lucky for those of us with not-so-straightforward career goals, there’s no neon-yellow sign directing the English majors to the media booths and the economic-whizzes to the finance tables. So, as long as you demonstrate a thoughtful interest in the company-at-hand, you may as well broaden your horizons and chat with a range of employers. You never know where it could lead!
Preparing:
So you’ve decided to attend the Career fair. Now what?
1. Before you do anything, you need to know whose coming. Scout out our list of attending companies, research the job position, and craft a condensed list of the opportunities that resonate with your career-goals. You might even consider crafting a “top-priority” A-list of employers and a second “if-there’s time” B list. But don’t overextend yourself; if you’re feeling overwhelmed, try to minimize your list to 5-6 booths, so that you have sufficient, stress-free time to chat with the employers that topped your list.
2. To eliminate stressful booth-to-booth scrambling, try to map out your career-fair-plan---a basic schedule of the booths you’ll visit and the (expected) time you’ll spend at each. You may get reeled toward other attention-grabbing booths, but (if possible!), try to visit your priority companies before you wander towards others that catch your eye.
3. Once you’ve pinpointed and prioritized, take some time to carefully research the company and employer representatives you’ve chosen to explore---including typical candidate qualifications, demands of the position, and job locations. Along with the job position, familiarize yourself with the values and broader mission of the company itself, along with any newsworthy affair taking the industry by storm---a sure way to guarantee smart, stimulating conversation with each company representative.
4. Now that you’ve gotten the inside scoop, make sure that your own resume, fresh, fully updated, and ready for hiring-eyes. On September 19th-21st , Career Services commences its annual Resume Critique Days, a chance to pick apart your resume alongside an expert career professional. Consider tailoring your resume to each attending company you select, especially if you plan to visit a diverse range of employers. Be sure to have a number of copies on-hand, fresh and ready to pass on to each employer of interest. It can’t hurt to have access to plenty of extras too, in case you strike conversation with someone outside your original list.
5. To avoid conversation stumblers and messy resume wrinkles, we recommend that you carry a sleek, organized folder, a handy place to store your list of employers, company information, and resume copies. It’s also a convenient way to swiftly stow away all the pocket-size business cards, company information (and trinkets!) you collect.
** For an even more in-depth look at how to master the fair---networking advice, helpful hints, and more career-fair do-and-don’ts---be sure to attend our Prepare for the Fair event on Monday, September 19th, 5-6 p.m. in Dowling 745A. And, check back tomorrow for the second part of our Prepare for the Fair series!
