Month: February 2020

Customer Awareness

By Chemeketa SBDC

If your business (bricks and mortar or virtual) is going to be successful over the long run, you must focus on serving your customers’ needs and desires. The essence of marketing rests on your clear understanding of your customer and delivering a unique product, service, and benefits that he or she cannot get anywhere else.
A customer analysis helps you predict which items will appeal to your customers and make a dramatic impact on how you spend your advertising dollars. Do you have answers for the following checklist?
1. Who are your target customers and what are they seeking from you?
2. Have you profiled your customers by age, income, education, occupation, etc.?
3. Are you familiar with your customers’ lifestyles?
4. Should you try to appeal to the entire market or just a segment?
5. Are there new customer segments or special markets that deserve attention?
6. Do you know where your customers live?
7. Do you use census data from your city or state?
8. Are you aware of the reasons why customers shop at your store?  (Convenience, price, quality products, etc.?)
9. Do you stress a special area of appeal such as lower prices, better quality, wider selection, convenient location or convenient hours?
10. Do you ask your customers for suggestions on ways to improve your operations?
11. Do you know what products your customers most prefer?
12. Do you know what seasons and holidays most influence your customers buying behavior?
13. Have you considered using customer questionnaires to help you in determining your customers’ needs?
14. Do you know at what other types of stores your customers shop?
15. Do you visit market shows and conventions to help anticipate customer wants?
once you get answers to those questions, what do you do with the information?  Just gathering data is not enough.  The answers to the above questions will give you the opportunity to make true management decisions about your business and how you will reach out to your customers with your marketing.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

6 Skills That Will Give You an Incredible Competitive Advantage on the Job Market

In the past, there were a few people who were able to complete their education, become highly qualified and get good jobs. However, nowadays, the education level of the world is on the rise. So, it’s becoming hard to find a well-payed job unless you truly stand out.
It’s not really a lack of sectors, but rather people really don’t know how to land a job interview to get a great position. Have you compared your qualities with those who are having your desired careers and tried to develop your skills accordingly?  
Here are some skills to acquire in order to have the competitive advantage on the job market.
Leadership
In a game, sometimes you have to play for the team or you have to lead the team. Which one should you choose? Well, you have to choose both. So, most importantly, while you are seeking a job, the interviewers try to check if you are a leadership material or not. They have to make sure that you are effective not only as a follower but as a leader as well because, after a certain period of time, there will be people working under your leadership.
Teamwork
While there will be people working under you, there will also be a bunch of people who will work with you. People working on the same project have to divide and accumulate their efforts and do that perfectly in order to excel at the job. So, if you are able to show that you can productively collaborate with others and are comfortable in the team setting, you are a better choice for the employer.
Social Skills
You can be a team player or a leader, but without social skills, none of it really matters. If you cannot be comfortable working at a new place, you’re not at all a job material employers are looking for because you have to be accustomed to a new environment and jump into work on the very first day.
Problem Solving Ability
Big companies like to scare candidates with tricky questions and situations, during the interviews. They’ll ask you to come up with a solution to a specific problem. However, trust us; those problems have the easiest of the solutions if you have proper knowledge about what job you have applied for and a little bit of common sense.
Learn Some Language
Nowadays, most of the jobs require bilingual or trilingual ability. It means you have to know more than one language (apart from English and your native language of course). So, try to learn a new language. Those who can speak more than two official languages, tend to get better jobs. Furthermore, it will improve your resume.
Verbal Communication Skill
You have to be better at a conversation than everyone else. While we call workplace conversations boring, an interview conversation has to be outstanding. You have to be updated with what’s happening all over the world and know how a person’s psychology works. So that you can give the interviewer the best conversation he had all day taking the interviews.
These are the basic 6 step skills you need to build up. You can add up some personal skills too. Nevertheless, try to acquire these. It will definitely differentiate you from others.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

How to Remain Confident When You Keep Getting Rejected From Jobs

How to Remain Confident When You Keep Getting Rejected From Jobs was originally published on The Muse, a great place to research companies and careers. Click here to search for great jobs and companies near you.
For most people, job searching entails some rejection. You send in a resume and receive no response. You go to an interview and don’t get a callback. You go to another interview and get ghosted.
But, knowing it can happen doesn’t lessen the sting. It’s normal to feel disappointed when an opportunity doesn’t pan out, and you don’t want the fear of losing out to hold you back.
With that in mind, here’s how to rebuild your confidence.

Step 1: Let Go of the Bad Experience

Psychologist Matthew Jepsen compares uncomfortable feelings to an inflatable beach ball in a pool. Your instinct is to keep it under the water where you can’t see it, but of course it floats to the surface every time you let go. When your attention’s on keeping the ball submerged, it’s hard to do anything else. You can’t swim or splash around with your friends. It’s hard to even concentrate on a conversation.
However, you have the option to release the ball and let it float around in the pool with you. You’re now free to do all kinds of things! The ball is still there, but it isn’t keeping you from having fun or doing the things you want to do.
Too often, people become obsessed with figuring out what they did wrong. Yes, you want to reflect and avoid replicating mistakes. But sometimes, you won’t get a call because you’re not as qualified as the competition or because there was an internal candidate.
And if you carry the baggage—er, beach ball—around, you could end up sabotaging your next interview (say, by asking the hiring manager over and over again if they’re sure you can’t say anything else, or sending overly aggressive follow-up emails).
So, the very first step to feeling more confident is to make sure you won’t let whatever happened previously hold you back.

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Step 2: Have More Than One Goal

As a job search drags on, it’s easy to think: I suck at this, or more simply, I suck.
And these negative thoughts can take over if your only goal is to land a job—and you haven’t met it yet. You don’t want every day that doesn’t end in an offer to feel like a failure (because there will be a lot of them).
So, be sure you also set goals that you can attain by your actions alone (i.e., that don’t require anything external, like hiring manger to call you or a contact to write you back). For example, did you do something courageous like attending to a networking event, pressing “send” on an application, or signing up for a course that’ll make a new role that much more attainable?
All of those actions take effort and guts, and you did them.
When you celebrate small achievements, you remind yourself of what you can do. That positivity will help you feel more confident, and in turn, you’ll be able to keep perservering.
No one said job searching was easy. But by letting go of disappointments and focusing on all of the positive ways you’re driving the process forward, you’re proving to yourself that you can keep going.
It’s amazing how much progress you can make if you take one tiny step at a time. Try it today and enjoy the confidence boost that comes with giving yourself credit for doing your best.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Skills Series: Skill #2 – Teamwork skills are Essential at the Modern Workplace

Our second blog in the series on the key skills that employers seek is about teamwork.  Most of the projects/tasks at the workplace, be it in the field of business, science, communication, arts, etc., are carried out nowadays by teams. Based on employers’ surveys, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has concluded that employers search for candidates who have the teamwork skills defined as the capacity to “Build collaborative relationships with colleagues and customers representing diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, religions, lifestyles, and viewpoints. The individual is able to work within a team structure, and can negotiate and manage conflict.”   What do you need to do to make sure that you are ready to be a productive and successful team member at your future workplace? How would you market your teamwork readiness to your potential employer?
The teamwork at the workplace is a complex process. Given current demographic, technological, social trends, team members should deal with a number of challenges to keep their teams productive and stay competitive. For example, at a modern workplace, you may have to work in teams of various size and structure with people of different educational backgrounds and experiences, twice or three times older than you. Your team may be scattered around the globe in different time zones. Such diverse team composition requires many new competences including intercultural and intergenerational communication skills, creativity, adaptability as well as other essential ingredients of successful teamwork, e.g. strong listening skills, responsibility, and time-management skills.
The good news is that AU students have no shortage of excellent teamwork opportunities as an integral part of their AU experience through academic studies, internships, and extra-curricular activities while building upon the diversity of AU faculty and staff, student body, and resources in DC and beyond. You may have already worked in teams while preparing for group projects and class presentations, practicing for, and playing team sports, planning events and raising funds for your fraternities/sororities or student clubs, working part-time or interning.   Through these experiences, you have most likely started building the important teamwork competencies. Make sure that you take time to reflect on these competencies and your experiences and identify ways to grow.
Related: How to distinguish the best workplace harassment lawyer?
Academic Work:
  • Putting a lot of effort into mastering your academic major will help you build the knowledge base to work productively as a team member at your future workplace. Even if you are not planning or unsure about working in the field of your major, you will still have an opportunity to develop your intellectual capacity and transferrable skills that will help you be a productive team member (consult career guides to learn about transferrable skills related to each AU major)
    • To excel in your major/minor, build relations with your professors, attend professors’ office hours, utilize ASAC, pursue research/internship opportunities, attend conferences, professional events, panels on, and off campus.
  • Some AU majors include more teamwork-based courses while others are more lecture-based and independent research. Both approaches can prepare you well for future teamwork. For example, lectures provide an opportunity to practice your listening and comprehension skills and analyze the professor’s arguments and logic – the ability that helps develop synergies within the team.
  • Interacting with highly accessible and diverse AU faculty will expand your comfort levels in communicating with professionals of different age groups, education, cultures, etc. Meet with professors during office hours, attend faculty led panels, etc. Look for opportunities to work as a teacher assistant, research assistant.
  • Many major/minors in humanities, STEM, as well as creative majors specifically focus on fostering creativity, thinking out of the box, and communication skills.
  • Language courses, courses on intercultural communication, as well as studying abroad expose AU students to different cultures and help build intercultural competencies. When you are abroad, look for opportunities to experience or learn about work-related values and cultural preferences. Reflect on how different/similar they may be to your preferences.
  • Interacting with your peers during group work for your classes teaches a lot about team dynamics, managing conflicts, time-management skills, as well as diversity. Utilize AU advantage as an institution with high shares of students from other countries, states, religions, lifestyles, and viewpoints backgrounds. Reflect on your experiences in successful and failed group work. What lessons can you use at the workplace?
Internship/Part-time Job
  • Doing an internship, whether for credit or not, will give you an opportunity to participate directly in a team or observe a team at work.
  • Utilize the advantages of the AU location by interning during the academic year in DC and exposing yourself to various workplaces and teams: a federal agency, not-for profit organization, international organization, professional association, art/entertainment organization, etc.
  • Given the fact that DC has a diverse workforce comprised of people from different parts of the U.S. and the world, you have excellent opportunities to expand your intercultural competencies.
  • At the workplace, continue to be a student, which means to study, through observation and reflection, how productive and non-productive teams operate, to practice good listening, negotiation, and conflict management skills whenever possible.
Extra-Curricular/Campus Life/ Volunteering:
  • As mentioned above, the diverse AU student body provides a lot of opportunities to learn how to interact with people different from you.
  • Increase your intercultural competences by attend AU intercultural events organized through ISSS and CDI.
  • Expand your experience in teamwork by engaging in student clubs, playing team sports, and participating in volunteering projects. Talk to the Center for Community Engagement and Service.
  • Look for self-development opportunities: particularly as they pertain to improving your teamwork skills in the areas of oral communication, time-management, conflict-management, etc. You will find many workshops on campus, which teach these skills. Check regularly Today@AU and the events calendar.
 How to market your teamwork experience and skills in your application materials and at the job interview? Start by preparing a list of specific examples illustrating your experience in teamwork and in building teamwork competencies through your academic studies, internship, work, sports, extracurricular activities, etc.
  • In your application materials (resume and cover letters), use relevant action verbs and keywords e.g.: collaborate with, worked in x number member team, partner with, interact, communicate, liaise, or serve as a liaison, facilitate, organize, coordinate, etc.
  • Be prepared to market your teamwork skills at the job interview. The employer may ask questions directly: e.g., Do you enjoy working with a team or independently? Describe yourself as a team member? The employer will also use behavior questions to learn about your teamwork competencies. Such questions usually start with: “Tell me about the time when…. “ “Give me an example when….. “ Ask your career advisor about typical interview questions, check Career Center books on job interviews, research on-line. Practice giving narratives that highlight your specific experiences. Don’t forget to talk about your experience with diversity, managing and negotiating conflicts.
  • Also, make sure to read carefully the job description and explore the employer’s website to understand any special teamwork characteristics required or desired by the specific employer.
  • Attend #Ineedajob workshops on resume/cover letters and interviews, offered regularly by the Career Center. Check AU CareerWeb and the events calendar.
  • Consult Career Center website resources on resumes and cover letters. Practice and record your mock interview utilizing Interviewstream.
  • Schedule an appointment with your career advisor to have your application materials reviewed and prepare for a job interview.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

I sem – Special English -Language and Identity


F. de Saussure defined language structurally as a system of signs used for communication. The signs are arbitrary (made up) and language is a social phenomenon. Language has two basic functions: communication and identity. We will deal with the communicative and linguistic aspects in other chapters. Here we will consider the identity function.
The main requirement of a group is to find a way to distinguish members from non-members. Group members learn a language within the group and only those who belong to the group can use it to a high degree of competence. Therefore language is the principal factor through which people can distinguish whether a stranger belongs to their group or not, and in most cases also to which other group that person belongs.

Languages can be divided into human and non-human (animal, machine …) languages. Human languages are those used by humans for communication. All human languages are both natural and artificial. Artificial because all human languages use arbitrary (artificial) signs – words – and because they are manmade. They are all natural due to their deep grammatical structure. The fact that every human language is capable of being learned by any human being proves that they are all natural.
Languages such as Esperanto, pidgins and creoles are normal human languages in the same way as are ethnic languages, dialects and other forms of speech. The basic requirement for any linguistic system to be a human language is that it be in regular use by a community.
Human beings created writing, and then states, and the states established state languages which differ from other spontaneous languages by being standardized. Standard languages are regulated by spelling and pronunciation models, grammar and dictionaries, and they are written. Therefore, changes in such languages are slower than in spontaneous language.

Each person belongs simultaneously to many groups (family, city, region, nation, religion, philosophy, groups of friends, etc.). And each group tends to develop variations of language which demarcate it from other groups. Therefore, each speaker in practice speaks many language varieties, or registers, even if not aware of this. Humans are multilingual by nature.
Each language also tends towards more extensive use than within its own group and each tends towards some use by neighboring groups to facilitate communication. In this sense, some languages continue to grow due to the general strength of their speakers (economic, military, etc.), and the strength and attractiveness of their cultures (cultural products include art, education, religion, entertainment industries …) and become international languages which are more or less widely used.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

5 ways for building highly successful career

For students at University of Denver, the best career path is through Pioneer careers jobs and internship system. This system will allow you to choose the career path that best suits you and your affinities. Once you choose your career, you need to start building it up from the start. In order to make the best of your professional course, you should know that there’s more than one way to become the best at what you do. So let’s see some of the ways you could take on your journey to glory. 
 Trust yourself 
Always believe in your initial instinct when you need to make a personal career choice. You may hear a lot different suggestions and various experiences from a lot of people, but those were their choices. No one knows your position better than you. Having such a high level of self-confidence will help you make quick decisions, and will make you proactive at your job. As you progress, your self-assurance will grow, your experience will grow and you will grow in the eyes of your superiors. All these simple steps will lead you to the top and keep you there for a long time.  
Care about your work 
This is maybe one of the easiest ways towards a glorious career. If you pick a career that you really care about, then there’s almost nothing that stands in your way. People have created successful businesses out of things that no one thought would ever go anywhere. Personal affection towards your job will motivate you to give your best at all time, and you will enjoy in the process. You will never have lack of ideas or problems that you will decide to give up on. There are no problems when you’re doing something you love, only puzzles to be solved. Before you know it, you’ll be at the top of your game with everyone else far behind. 
Find your balance  
Zen as it sounds, this really is a bushido-like way to create a career path that’s going to take you places. The greatest enemy of success is fatigue. If you want to build a triumphant career, you need to stay focused on your work. You won’t be able to stay focused if you’re always tired, so find a way to balance your day. Find some sort of distraction, like a hobby or a sport activity, go to the gym or watch movies. It’s also important that you socialize, you don’t want to lose track of your friends and family. Always keep your day at the balance and you will stay sharp, agile and ready to achieve greatness. 
Build your team 
If you’re not one of those people who like to go single-handedly against the world, the best way to achieve professional prosperity is through support. Find a group of people who you could lead and that you could count on, make them your key element of success. Creating a pool of minds that work together in pursuit of greatness asks for a lot work and networking, but at the end it’s worth it. You will have a team of fighters that’s able to jump through any obstacle using a joint effort. The end result will be nothing but success. 
Always be prepared 
Don’t allow yourself to get caught off guard at any time. Your career depends on how prepared you are to things that come across your road. Stay informed, don’t let any new technology or regulation put you down. Work on your personal and professional improvement at all times, try out new things in life, it may lead you to a new path in your career, one that you could be even better at. After all, everyone respects a person that works on itself, no matter how much employees your company has, you will stay noticed. 
Conclusion 
Even though there is no secret recipe for success, these are some of the best ways to get the best of your professional life. Reaching the top takes a lot of hard work and education, and once you get there, the real work begins. It’s not just important to reach the top, more important is to stay there as long as you can. 

A New Approach to Figure Out What You’re Meant to Do

A New Approach to Figure Out What You’re Meant to Do was originally published on The Muse, a great place to research companies and careers. Click here to search for great jobs and companies near you.
Way back in school, when you first thought about the working world, I bet you had a pretty limited view of what kinds of jobs existed: Doctor, teacher, lawyer, and, maybe accountant.
But even though, you eventually learned that there were lots of other careers out there, you probably still had a limited view of what to do with your life. Based on your education, your upbringing, and maybe how many episodes of “CSI” you’d watched, you began to formulate a vision. Instead of starting with “What do I like to do?” you started at the end, trying to fit your future a box that made sense with your life and learning thus far.
The result? The problem? Many of us end up in jobs that aren’t quite right, simply because we didn’t know there were other options.
My friend Lisa is a great example. A successful executive at a digital marketing agency for many years, she realized she wasn’t happy. She mulled over a career transition and decided that what she really wanted to do was help people. She assumed that meant returning to grad school for a counseling degree.
On the eve of her first day of classes, she realized that it wasn’t counseling that drove her per se; it was the “helping” part—something she’d done successfully without a masters. Instead of pursuing this degree, she found a way to put her skills and interest to use, and she’s now a well-respected career coach at my company.
What you really need to do if you want to carve a new path for yourself is examine what’s brought you joy and fulfillment in the past. You can put together a full picture of the type of activities, work environment, and organization in which you’d be most satisfied—before you commit to an expensive degree or training program.
What Lisa did, essentially, and what you can do, too—is “follow the breadcrumbs” to figure out what you’re meant to do. Here’s how to get started:

1. Look Behind You

If you’re over the age of 25, your past is full of experiences that are loaded with clues. Think back to previous work experiences, school and volunteer projects, interactions with friends and co-workers, and ask yourself:
  • What do people consistently turn to me for? Help in prepping their presentations? Wardrobe or home styling suggestions? Advice on how to handle sticky interpersonal situations?
  • What do I love so much I’d do for free? You may not be able to build a career out of whitewater rafting or cartooning, but think about this information as a jumping-off point.
  • What do I do at work that’s not a part of my job, and why do I do it (even when it’s not my job and why)? Do you offer to create presentations, plan the holiday party, negotiate the cell phone bill? What motivates you to do these “extra” things? Is it a desire to help others, learn new skills, solve problems?

2. Look Around You

It’s important to look at your current environment, how you got there, what floats your boat—and what doesn’t. Ask yourself:
  • What do I love about my working environment right now? Friday happy hours, no micromanaging, latest in tech tools?
  • What would I change? More professional development, ability to telecommute, more collaboration?
  • What can I not do without? Autonomy, flex hours, involved boss?
Review your answers to find patterns. Do you thrive in independent working situations, or do you love being part of a collaborative team? Do you like to research and build to an optimal solution, or do you prefer solving in-the-moment problems and challenges under a deadline? Do you get a lot of satisfaction from helping coach or teach others? You may want to get assistance from a friend or coach at this point, as sometimes it’s tough to find commonalities on your own

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3. Look Ahead

Once you’ve got a good sense of what you love (and don’t love) about where you are and where you’ve been, you can apply those findings to your future.
If you’ve discovered you enjoy solving urgent problems, especially those involving interpersonal conflict, ask yourself where you could find someone with those skills. Ask others. Investigate. Do a Google search.
For instance, a simple Google search on “Great jobs for conflict resolution” brings up several opportunities you might not have considered. You can do the same search with “Jobs for funny people,” “Jobs for good communicators,” or “Jobs for people with great taste buds.”
Don’t rush through this important stage. I’ve noticed that my clients often undergo what psychologists call “attention bias. Once you become aware of something, you start to see it in unexpected places. Let this phenomenon work for you, and use this cognitive illusion to your advantage by giving it time and attention.
Take your findings and notice how it expands your horizons. Maybe your ears perk up when your neighbor mentions that her cousin works as a contract negotiator. Over dinner with your best friend’s parents, you learn that there’s a huge demand for people with great negotiation skills in the retail industry.
The goal is to grow your concept of where your most enjoyable and fulfilling skills and talents can be employed.
Once you’ve got a sense of the types of roles that sound interesting and the kinds of companies that appeal to you, it’s up to you to go out and explore more deeply. There’s so much more in the world than our limited view of what “work” entails. Open your eyes to the possibilities. It’s easy to find opportunities when you know how and where to look.

My Meaningful Summer Abroad

Unlike many students at DU, I did not study abroad in the Fall of my Junior Year. Instead, I looked for a reason to travel over the Summer, but I didn’t want to be a tourist and spend a lot of money, but I also wanted to have a purpose in the place I travelled. It doesn’t sound like an easy thing to find, does it?
After quite a bit of searching, I found an AIESEC opportunity to teach English in Croatia. It was such an easy application process, I thought it was a fake. I had a Skype interview and they offered me the position. Fast forward to June and I was on my plane ride to Osijek, Croatia, hardly knowing anything about where I was going and how I would teach English when I did not speak Croatian. My first night in Croatia, I stayed in an amazing hostel in Croatia’s capital and met people from all over the world. I was a little nervous about being alone, but I made friends very easily. When I arrived in the small city I would be living in for the next 6-weeks, a group of students stood there holding a paper American flag that they made to welcome me. All of them hugged me and asked me questions. I was pleasantly surprised that everyone spoke English.
It was so interesting to be in another country, but feel so at home with this large group of students who were all apart of AIESEC. They all wanted to get to know me and wanted to know what America is like. They were very comfortable with me and all of my anticipation and nerves had dissipated as we sat at a café bar outside patio in the small town getting to know one another. There were the group of students from Osijek (which I found out I had been pronouncing wrong) and there was also a group of students from all different countries on a different opportunity doing social media marketing for the city to attract tourism. This team included someone from Brazil, India, Turkey, Canada, and Portugal. Not only did I get to learn about the culture of this small city in Eastern Croatia, but I also had the opportunity of learning more about these cultures as well.
It is difficult to articulate and quantify the vast knowledge I gained about other cultures during my 6-weeks and what I learned teaching English to adults and living with a host family. I do know that I will never forget my weekend trips to the Croatian coast and other Balkan countries with my fellow teachers in the program (and now, very dear friends, from other countries teaching who taught their native languages.) I will never forget the bonds I made. I will never forget the high level of awareness I had while traveling and observing people and my environment. Most of all, I will never forget my deep level of ease and confidence about my ability to travel alone that most people fear so much. This trip had a profound impact on me and my identity and I am so glad that I extended my travels at the end of the 6-weeks to travel more on my own and meet even more people at hostels and continue to learn about different backgrounds. If you have the time this Summer or next, I strongly suggest looking into AIESEC opportunities abroad. You will not regret it!

How to Write a Cover Letter

College student job hunting
While many jobs no longer require cover letters (especially most jobs on WayUp), when a job does require one, your cover letter could be a big part of whether or not you get to the next round. If you haven’t written a cover letter before (or even if you have), you may be wondering whether writing one is really necessary. The answer is yes, if you do it effectively. Think of your cover letter as your edge. If you write it well, it will give potential employers an insight into your personality, something that’s hard to discover by just skimming your resume.
Here’s our simple formula to writing an amazing cover letter.

Don’t restate everything in your resume. Instead, tell your story.

Think of your resume and your cover letter as a package — they complement each other, but they’re not the same thing. While your resume covers your educational background and work experience, your cover letter tells a story about who you are and what you’d like to do with your career. Since recruiters look through hundreds (sometimes thousands) of resumes every day, a memorable cover letter is more likely to stand out. Give them something to remember by highlighting some of your unique qualities.

Keep it short and to the point.

Cover letters should be short, sweet and to the point. Keep in mind that the recruiter is likely reading dozens or hundreds of them, so make yours pop in a succinct way, and definitely don’t make it longer than one page.
Opening paragraph
In two-three sentences, explain who you are and what position or program you’re applying for.
Second paragraph
Then, in one-two sentences explain why you want the job. Be sure to mention your knowledge of the industry and your interest in the company. This is where research will come in handy.
Third paragraph
In three sentences, explain why you’re qualified for the job. Include relevant work experience (paid and unpaid internships or other jobs you’ve had) and mention classes you’ve taken that have guided you towards this field.
Closing sentence
Your final sentence is all about finishing strong. Tell the employer that you look forward to hearing from them and include your contact information (email and phone number).

Ask an advisor or professor to look it over.

Once you’ve finished writing your cover letter, make a few edits to ensure that there are no typos. Then ask an advisor or professor to look it over, focusing on whether there are any additional areas you can highlight or any unique skills you can mention. Make sure to incorporate their feedback before doing a final edit and pressing send.
Although writing a cover letter isn’t always necessary when applying for a job, if done effectively it can be a valuable add-on to your job application. By following the steps outlined here, you can write a great cover letter and land the internship or entry-level job you’ve been dreaming of.

Alumni Coaching Hotline

No matter how hard we try, we rarely have all the answers—particularly when it comes to our careers and professional development. Many times we turn to friends and family for advice, but frankly, they don’t always know what they’re talking about! When you were in college, you had the robust Career Center to lean on, but now it’s been a few years since graduation and you’re not sure where to turn.
It can be tempting to simply Google, “Top Interview Questions” or “Best Resume Template,” but you may find the internet to be a contradicting and confusing place—particularly when it comes to what makes the most sense for your career and professional growth. This is even more true as you move further along in your career and need more nuanced insight and advice. So if the internet can’t be trusted and you’re not sure your parents’ advice still holds, where should you go?
Turn to the career experts that make up the Alumni Career & Professional Development team, of course! They offer, “Quick Questions,” scheduled hours that staff has set aside throughout the week when they are available to alumni.  Call in or email about your pressing career questions during Quick Questions hours. Topics can include, but are not limited to, resume and cover letter reviews, interview strategy and advice, salary negotiation and networking tips. Appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis and typically last about 15 minutes. Staff is available by phone at 303-871-4331 at the following times:

7 Things You Need to Double-Check Before You Submit Your Cover Letter

7 Things You Need to Double-Check Before You Submit Your Cover Letter was originally published on The Muse, a great place to research companies and careers. Click here to search for great jobs and companies near you.
Congrats, you did all the hard work that comes with writing the ultimate cover letter!
You included all your relevant experience, you added a creative and eye-catching introduction, and you ended on a great note. (Or, at least I hope you did all these things.) You’re so close to pressing “send” and getting one step closer to that dream job.
But—you probably know where I’m going with this—before you declare you’re completely and utterly done, you have to give it one more edit.
Not sure what you should keep an eye out for while double checking your work? Everything you need to think about is below:

1. The Hiring Manager’s Name

First off, are you addressing your cover letter to the right person? Notice how I said person here, not “To Whom it May Concern” or “Dear Hiring Manager.” You should always do your best to find the name of the hiring manager so that your cover letter is personalized, shows you did your research, and proves to the reader it’s not a copy-and-paste job you send to everyone.
Then, check the spelling, as well as their title. According to career expert Lily Zhang, when in doubt of “Ms.” vs. “Mrs.” vs. “Dr.”, it’s better to just drop the title.

2. The Company’s Name

Similarly, this is crucial to check, especially if your mind (and computer) is jam-packed with various company names. Not only should you question if it’s the right name, but also is it spelled correctly? Do you include the full name (for example, is there an “Inc.” at the end)? The more considerate you are of their reputation, the more likely they’ll read on.

3. Your Contact Information

How horrible would it be if your cover letter was absolutely error-free, except the hiring manager couldn’t reach you?
Pretty horrible, I’d imagine.
Stop this from even being a possibility by making sure your address, phone number, email, or any other form of communication is included and correct.

4. Dates

Now, I’m going to hope you don’t use the exact same cover letter for every job you apply to, right?
Vigorously shakes head.
Good—but if you did use older ones as a template, you may want to check that the dates included are accurate. For example, if the letter is a year old, would you now be working in marketing for “the past two years,” not “the past year.”
And, don’t forget about the formal date in the upper corner! If you wrote it last week, make sure the date is the same as the day you actually submit it.

5. Length

Does the application box have a character limit? Or, will it get cut off after a certain length? Best to be safe and copy and paste your work into Wordcounter.net and see how you’re doing.
And, if you find it’s too long after all, we have just the tips to cut it down without losing the important stuff.

DOES YOUR COVER LETTER CHECK ALL THESE BOXES?

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6. Formatting

It would be nice if everyone used the exact same program, brand of computer, and font as you, but this just isn’t the case. Which means there’s always a possibility that that pretty and neat cover letter on your PC won’t look so pretty and neat on the hiring manager’s Mac.
To avoid this, simply download it as a PDF to “freeze” it in its place (and make it easy for anyone to open without Microsoft Word) and check that it looks good on two different computers or phones.
 7. Basic Spelling and Grammar
Let’s face it, spellcheck has let us down before, and it could do it again. So, print it out (seriously, print it out, don’t just say you will and do it on your computer) and give it one more proofread for spelling and grammar mistakes.
For example, is it “your” or “you’re”? Did you mean “affect” or “effect”? (Hint: one’s a verb, one’s a noun). Do you consistently use oxford commas? Even the tiniest mistake could turn a busy hiring manager away from reading on—especially if the job you’re applying to requires “good communication skills.”
If you’re unsure what to look out for, maybe take a gander at these commonly misspelled words and these words people mix up.
OK—we promise you’re done now. Good luck!

My Team Reviews 1,000,000 Resumes a Year and These Are the People Who Stand Out

My Team Reviews 1,000,000 Resumes a Year and These Are the People Who Stand Out was originally published on The Muse, a great place to research companies and careers. Click here to search for great jobs and companies near you.
Does standing out really help you get hired? And is there such a thing as being too different? The answer is yes—to both.
As VP of Talent Acquisition at Johnson & Johnson, I’ve seen it all: the good, the bad, and the pink. (No really, we’ve received applications printed on pink paper and sprayed with perfume.) And after overseeing a team that screens one million resumes a year, I can tell you how to stand out from the crowd—the right way.
So, if you’re thinking of taking a creative approach, keep the following in mind:

Do: Show Off Your Work in a Portfolio

Why not take a cue from designers and architects and display your accomplishments in a portfolio?
Even if you don’t work in one of those two fields, you can still showcase a recent project in a visually interesting way. For example, I recently interviewed a digital marketer who walked me through her three most recent influencer-marketing projects. She had created a simple PowerPoint presentation with three case studies outlining what she had done and the results for each initiative. She made it easy to see how she could add tangible value to our business by highlighting how she approached these influencers and how she measured her projects’ success.
Even before the interview stage, a portfolio can help you get noticed. For example, you can create a personal website that showcases your work (more on exactly how to do that here). You can send the link to networking contacts and even include it your email signature.

Don’t: Go for Quantity Over Quality

Do you know someone who humblebrags about sending out hundreds of applications? If so, my guess is they achieved this seemingly impressive feat by sending a generic message out as widely as possible.
I receive at least 10 LinkedIn messages a day from candidates throwing their resume over the digital fence and hoping it lands. These generic messages expect me to do the work to match them to our open jobs.
While using social media in your job search can be an effective strategy, using it to mass contact decision-makers with a form message is a gimmick (and one that doesn’t work). For all I know, your exact message has also been sent to 20 other companies. How do I know that it’s our company that you’re really interested in?
Instead, take a more thoughtful approach. Utilize your professional network. Do you know anyone at the company you’d like to work at? If so, find out whether the company has an employee referral program and send this note. If you reach out to someone cold, use a customized template.

I BET YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN GO AFTER ANY JOB YOU WANT NOW

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Do: Solve a Company Problem

Do your research on the role you’ve applied for. What’s the team working on? Can you identify any pain points? Even better, can you solve them?
Demonstrate how much you want to work at the company by arriving at the interview equipped with fresh ideas and solutions. Knock their socks off with your insight and give the recruiter a sneak preview of what they’ll be getting.
For example, I recently interviewed a social media manager who came to the interview with a complete scan of our social media properties and a set of recommendations that left me wondering what we had been doing the last year. He not only demonstrated that he had the skills needed to be successful in the job but also he cared enough about the opportunity to put in the work before we gave him the job (which we did).
Remember, your relationship with your boss starts during the interview process, not on your first day!

Don’t: Propose Something That Shows You’re Out of Touch

Caveat: It’s not enough for your solution to be innovative. It only works if it still fits with the overall goals, vision, and values of the organization.
For example, just last week, we interviewed a candidate who suggested a sales method that was so far removed from the values of the J&J Credo that we had to wonder if he’d even heard of it. A matter of minutes spent researching the company would have revealed that it’s the underpinning to everything we do.
If a company truly is on your wish list, it shouldn’t be a chore to do your research. Find specific open roles that match your abilities and honestly assess your skills against the listed requirements. Follow your target company’s social handles, see what current employees are discussing, and get to know the company culture.
That way, if you’re asked to interview, you can show the recruiter that you understand and embody their values.
Some companies and recruiters appreciate an unconventional approach; others most definitely don’t. What is universal, however, is that employers want to see that you’re serious about the opportunity and that you have the skills they need. So, if you’re considering doing something unconventional, first ask yourself, “Does this help demonstrate my skills and experience?”
If you have to think about it, the answer is probably no.
Is there something that worked well for you? I’d love to hear from you on Twitter.

How to get your foot in the door for the marketing job you really want

It’s hard for me to believe, but it’s been 12 years since I was getting ready to graduate college and I was looking for my first full-time job in marketing. From the rise of social media to the advent (and growth) of the smartphone, a lot has changed. But when it comes to trying to get your foot in the door for your first job, a lot has stayed the same.
Below are a few notes about getting your foot in the door at the agency at which you want to work. They’re written for recent or soon-to-be grads. That said, I think they can be helpful to a variety of folks.
Know where you want to work
It might seem obvious, but it’s the first step and an important one at that: know where you want to work.
When I was going through my job search my senior year at Mizzou, I knew I wanted to work in St. Louis. I also knew that I wanted to work at a company that valued its culture, employees, and clients. I desired a work environment in which I would learn a lot and grow as a copywriter.
After hours and hours of research and a few painful campus job fairs (you need to be going to these!), I had a list ready to go. Names like Rodgers-Townsend, Momentum and Moosylvania were on it. These were agencies that were well-respected, treated their employees in a way that I wanted to be treated, and had strong, long-lasting relationships with their clients.
I’m going to write more on what I think you should look for in an agency at another time. But for now, just know that all agencies aren’t the same, and while there are a lot of great places to start your career, there are plenty of bad ones too.
Avoid the HR person
 It was accurate when I was an aspiring copywriter, and it’s accurate now that I handle the hiring and firing at Gorilla – avoid the HR person until it’s no longer possible.
Don’t get me wrong, if you apply for a job, and the HR person reaches out (which is likely the scenario), don’t walk to the interview, run to it. But, if you’re reaching out cold, meaning there’s no job posted and you’re looking to just connect with the company, don’t make the first stop the HR department. Their job, as I’ve learned in my own experience as the HR guy at Gorilla, is to keep people out more often than it is to get people in.
Instead, use LinkedIn and Google and company “About us” pages to figure out who is the right person at a company with which to connect. If you’re a writer, look to connect with writers at the company. If you’re a designer, look to connect with designers. Pretty simple, right? You’d be surprised.
When I was in school, we didn’t really have resources like LinkedIn and some of the companies didn’t even really have websites. And if they did, they rarely showcased the team and they definitely didn’t have a blog where the employees were writing. Instead, I read award annuals and industry publications and looked to find the names of the creative directors and copywriters at the agencies at which I wanted to work. It wasn’t a perfect system, but it worked and I got in touch with the right people.
Before we move to the next point, let’s connect on Instagram and on LinkedIn. Gorilla has a presence on both as well: Instagram, LinkedIn.
Ask for the informational interview
As the HR arm at Gorilla, I hear from many looking for jobs. Some are obvious in stating it: “Dear Sir/Madam…I am formally inquiring about any open positions…” They get deleted.
Others are craftier and more strategic. They reach out to our employees first to try to get in to see “what it’s like to work at Gorilla” and to see if they can get some feedback on their book or resume or whatever. And then they might reach out to me to ask a question or two and to see if they can pop by to chat for 15 minutes. They often tell me they really admire our work and love the culture we’re building and they read such and such on page X of our website and it really lined up with their long-term professional goals.
They DON’T get deleted.
My ego is engaged and I feel like I have someone looking to me for wisdom – it’s impossible to say no! Now, I might not always have the perfect advice, but it doesn’t really matter for the job-seeker. Their foot is in the door, and that’s all that really matters.
Follow up, again and again and again…          
So you’re getting close. You’ve identified where you want to work. You’ve contacted the right folks. You’ve even gotten in to meet them. Now, you have to follow up.
First, write the thank you note. For the love of everything, don’t forget this step. It’s so obvious and disappointing when someone drops the ball here. Don’t settle with the email “thank you.” Go old school. Pen. Paper. And a few thoughts. Nothing more. Some are concerned that it takes too long to reach the recipient – that’s not a bad thing. Just as they start to forget they met with you (it’s a cruel world, sorry), you remind them of a great conversation you had just a few days or a week prior.
Next, stay in touch with them. Not too often, but remember, the “squeaky wheel gets the grease.”
Send them work samples you’re working on and ask for feedback. Send them an article you read and explain why it was relevant to your conversation. Show them updates you’ve made on your portfolio, based on the feedback they gave you when you sat down with them (this is how I got my first job).
Whatever you do and however you do it, just make sure you do it. Your goal is to come across their desk at just the right time.
Go land that gig
As you can guess, a lot has changed since I was looking for my job. After all, many of you reading this post were getting ready to finish first grade while I was looking for my first job.
That said, a lot of old-school practices are still relevant today in a multitude of areas. Getting a job in marketing is no exception. As for me, I ended up landing a job at Moosylvania, and to this day, I’m incredibly grateful for that experience. If you’re looking for a great sales promotion agency, they’re as good as it gets in St. Louis.
Author Bio: A founder of Gorilla 76, Jon was named to the 2010 St. Louis Business Journal’s “30 Under 30” class and was named as one of St. Louis’ “Top Young Entrepreneurs” by the Small Business Monthly. He’s a passionate Missouri Tiger and loves to spend his spare time hunting ducks and fishing for fish. Jon has served as a board member for Launch St. Louis (co-founder), the Friends of Clifton Park (co-founder) and Brightside St. Louis. He’s a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

25 Tips for Winning In the Workplace

1.      When you prepare and complete tasks, be aware of how your work may circulate up the organizational hierarchy
2.      Networking never ends so take the time to establish relationships and networks even when you’re getting situated into a career because they will always be valuable.
3.      If you discover a resource that may be beneficial to a supervisor, screenshot it and include in an email.
4.      Watch: How Great Leaders Inspire Action by Simon Sinek
5.      Even though you landed a job, there is always room to learn. Mentors are an important part of the process, use them!
6.      Communicate to your supervisor that you value their methodologies and thoughts by asking for their advice when you need it.
7.      If you’re not sure what to wear, it’s always best to be conservative. Apparel is important because it portrays an individuals’ level of dedication and determination.
8.      Although your phone may be a big part of your life, try to refrain from spending too much time on it. A general rule of thumb is to take a quick walk around the block and finish a conversation when necessary.
9.      As accustomed as you are to using your laptop, writing down notes on paper will impress your boss even more.
10.  As you may work on a team, it’s important to professionally treat all co-workers with respect and kindness because you never know when they might resurface in your life.
11.  When preparing for meetings, conduct some research about individuals attending so you are knowledgeable about their positioning and overall perspectives.
12.  Read the ‘deck’ (slide show or power point in the work place) before a meeting. This will demonstrate that you are prepared and ready to contribute ideas and thoughts.
13.  If faced with a task you don’t know how to complete, attempt to navigate through it yourself before reaching out for help. This will exemplify your ability to critically think and problem solve.
14.  Refrain from anything that resembles gossip or negative word of mouth regarding employees, past employers, etc.
15.  During your transition into a profession, it is normal to experience a lack of instant gratification, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t working hard. Just remember that appraisal doesn’t exist for simply doing your job.
16.  Don’t expect to always have feedback or be consistently evaluated on your performance. Silence isn’t always a negative thing.
17.  When asking for or negotiating a raise, support your argument with evidence or data that your contributions, work ethic, and achievements are valuable to the organization.
18.  Although we live in a rather open culture, it is best to avoid discussions about personal matters.
19.  It is imperative to understand that in the business world, you must bring in more than you make or the organization cannot afford you.
20.  Although it can seem tedious, read every single email you receive and respond thoughtfully with questions to answers, interest, and enthusiasm.
21.  If your mailbox is consistently flooded with emails, try to prioritize and organize them by using flags and categories.
22.  To demonstrate your interest and engagement with an organization, gain knowledge by attending lectures and conferences, reading blogs, and keeping up to date with current events regarding your industry.
23.  When you receive advice, do your best to demonstrate that you value it by executing it within your workplace.
24.  If you are not already, genuinely try to find inspiration from your occupation. The more inspired you are, the more you will achieve, and the more you achieve, the more satisfied you will be.
25.  Make friends! Friends within the workplace are an important part of your job because they can inspire you, help guide you, and contribute their skill sets.
The University of Denver would like to thank the rock star employees who make up the Millennial Club at the very awesome Denver powerhouse company, Zayo, for creating this amazing list of tips.

How To Make Your Resume Stand Out With No Work Experience

Great news! You’ve found an advertisement for your dream graduate job. All you have to do now is get it.
You need to write a resume, but you don’t have any work experience. What are you going to put on there? Competition for graduate jobs is tough. You need a resume that is going to stand out from the crowd, to get you the interview where you can really shine.
Don’t worry. Hiring managers for graduate positions know you’re not going to have extensive work experience. What they want to see is evidence of strong transferable skills, a can-do attitude, and the ability to do the simple things well.
Here’s how you show them that you’re the stand-out candidate.

Simple things

If it’s a good graduate job that’s on offer, it’s likely the Hiring Manager is going to receive a lot of resumes. You don’t want yours to end up in the trash because of a simple error.
Open with a short summary. An elevator pitch. Detail your core skills and educational achievements. Give the Hiring Manager encouragement to read on.
Make sure your resume is laid out in a way that’s easy to read. Ensure it’s free of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.

Show off your skills

Transferable skills are what the Hiring Manager is primarily looking for, and if you have no work experience, you have to find other ways to show off your skills.
Anything can be a skill. Think of times where you demonstrated a skill that could be useful for the job. If you play for a sports team, do drama, volunteer, you’re displaying transferable skills. Leadership, initiative, ability to multitask. Find them, and put them on your resume.
If you have computer skills that are relevant for the job, like Microsoft Photoshop if you’re applying for a role in an ad agency, include it on your resume. It will put you one step ahead of someone who doesn’t have that skill.
Use specific numbers where possible. ‘Directed a play seen by 2,000 people’ is better than ‘directed a play many people saw’, take a look at some of these resume samples on how to elucidate your experience with numbers.

Attitude

Skills can be taught, but attitude cannot. On your resume, demonstrate times when you’ve shown a can-do attitude, willingness to learn, and good interaction with people.
When detailing your time at university, relate a time when you’ve had to study outside of your core subject. Let the Hiring Manager see that you are eager to learn and not afraid to go the extra mile.
All these tips will help you land that interview.
To conclude, a couple more insider tips. Research the company for the cover letter. Put something in there that shows you are actually interested in working for that company. If you have an idea that would benefit the company, don’t be afraid to put it down.
If possible, talk to the Hiring Manager on the phone. It gives them an opportunity to get to know you, and remember you. Do it under the guise of checking they received your resume, if you need to.