Month: February 2020

After 30+ Years of Work, What Comes Next?

Do you remember graduating from college? Armed with your degree, a host of friends and supportive family, you were ready to jump into the job market. Thirty years or so later, many of us begin to think about the next step. We may have climbed the corporate ladder, taken off time to deal with family issues, changed careers, or embarked on entrepreneurial endeavors. Regardless of our individual career paths, we now look toward retirement or another new venture.
Dorie Clark, author of Stand Out and Reinventing You, is a nationally recognized speaker and Duke University professor. If you are in that 50+ age range and beginning to consider what comes next, check out her article in the Harvard Business Review, Planning Your Post-Retirement Career. Clark will help you consider the next phase of your career. 
If you’re intrigued, consider joining us for the Alumni Professional Development series program on September 13, Introduction to Focus Forward: Reinventing Career & Retirement. In this 90 minute workshop, instructor Lori Zahn will give you an introduction to Focus Forward, a course that teaches the frameworks, tools, and strategies that will help you map out the future you desire. DU helped prepare you for the first 30+ years of your career, we’re also here to help with the next phase.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Mistakes that will get your job application tossed in the trash

Mistakes that will get your job application tossed in the trash
That headline is vicious. I know. But hear me out. Gorilla is a small company. 13 people and counting. While we don’t do a lot of hiring, we do get a lot of interest in the form of job applications. When it’s time to fill a position, I typically have 1o0 to 150 resumes and applications to review.
So, what’s the first thing you can do to make sure you don’t get tossed out of consideration? Eliminate sloppiness. The following are notes about the most common mistakes I see in the application process.
Please – save yourself!
Spelling and grammar
I can’t believe I’m writing this. But, I am. Don’t ignore spelling and grammar in your application process. That means in your resume. That means in your application. That means in all written communication with your potential employer.
I understand – mistakes happen. In fact, I’m sure this blog post has a few. But, when it comes to trying to land a job, nothing communicates that you don’t really care more than spelling and grammar errors.
“But I’m just not a great writer.”
That’s fair. Many of us aren’t. But likely, someone you know is. Ask them for a second set of eyes. It will be well worth the effort. Additionally, run everything through a spell check and even consider hiring an online proofreading service.
Inconsistencies in formatting
It sounds crazy and small and like I’m being way too picky, but please, make sure your resume is formatted consistently.
That means using the same type of dash throughout. That means using the same spacing throughout. That means either always using abbreviations for things like “street” and states or never using them. These mistakes don’t really affect the content at all, but they communicate a lack of attention to detail. And that’s something on which employers can’t afford to gamble.
How do you prevent inconsistencies in formatting? When you proofread, try doing it backward. Meaning, start at the end. This will force you to not read for actual content, but instead to only check for things related to formatting. Note: you still need to read it from the beginning.
Button up the application
Use capital letters when they’re supposed to be used: “i’m really interested in gorilla 76 because while at the university of kansas…” is not acceptable.
Also, avoid text-speak like the plague. Answering “idk” to a question about what you want to get out of an internship or job won’t fly. I guess neither would its unabbreviated version.
Don’t neglect style in the email communication
If you get to the point of emailing a potential employer about a particular job, don’t relax your focus on grammar and spelling.
For many companies, Gorilla included, this becomes almost the first interview. If someone is sloppy early on and clearly lacks attention to detail in the first few emails, I assure you, they won’t ever make it in for the in-person interview.
If you don’t take your interaction with your employer seriously, how can you ever be trusted to take interactions with clients seriously? 
The little things matter big time
In high school, I had a teacher. Mrs. Ames. She taught me a lot about a variety of different topics. But the thing I remember most about her classroom was a sign that she had on the bulletin board.
“Countless, unseen details are often the only the difference between mediocre and magnificent.”
Heed these words and good things will happen in your job search.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Bad Habits That Can Derail Your Business

Can we talk about your habits? Well, how about the ones that affect your business then? We all do things habitually, for better or worse, and those things have a direct bearing on the success (or not) of our businesses. Here’s a handful of them to watch out for.
• Indecisiveness. You know this one, it’s where you stall out on decision making. Perhaps you let the day to day small tasks of your business keep your attention away from the decisions you know you need to make, and so you just don’t make them. Or perhaps you wait (and wait and wait) for the one key piece of information you need. And you put off making a decision that will make a big difference for your business. And you do it repeatedly.
• Being penny-wise. In other words, cheaping out and saving small amounts of money when a wiser spending decision would bring a far richer return on investment. Businesses cost money to run and to grow. Naturally you shouldn’t run around wasting money left and right, but the opposite of this is hanging on to every nickel at the expense of strategic spending decisions.
• Allowing day to day chaos and noise to distract you from what’s strategically important. Also known as “putting out fires” all day long, this habit solves the urgent and immediate but doesn’t help you lay out long-term plans and direction. This is also known as being held hostage to the “tyranny of the urgent.”
• Waiting for the ideal time before doing something. Unfortunately there usually isn’t a perfect time for things. If this is a good, or good enough, time to make something happen…then seize it and make good on it. This habit of waiting is a cousin to the habit of indecisiveness. Also known as spinning your wheels, it doesn’t move you forward. If I offered to give you a million dollars if you made a decision about something in the next half hour, I’ll bet you could do it, right? And that means you don’t have a problem making a decision, you have a problem choosing to make a decision.
Be honest with yourself about some of this stuff and how it’s affecting your business. What small changes can you make right now in your habits that will benefit your business a good deal in the future?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Zika Fears Hit Home in the U.S.

It has been feared for months that mosquitos would start spreading the Zika virus in the United States. Those fears may have been realized this summer in Florida.
Senior officials at the Food and Drug Administration said last week they have asked blood donation centers in two Florida counties, Miami-Dade and Broward, to stop collecting blood for the time being, according to National Public Radio.
Investigators have ruled out travel as the cause of four cases of Zika virus in those counties. The individuals with the virus had not traveled to places where Zika is endemic and don’t appear to have contracted it through sex—leaving a possibility that they got the virus from being bitten by infected mosquitoes in the U.S.
If they did acquire the virus from domestic mosquitoes, it could mean that others in the area also may have acquired Zika virus locally, and may have donated blood without knowing it was infected, according to NPR.
First identified in Uganda in 1947, the Zika virus simmered quietly for sixty years, occasionally causing a mild dengue-like illness across parts of central Africa and equatorial Asia, according to The Challenge of the Zika Virus: An Emerging Arbovirus Disease study by Frances Delwiche, library associate professor at Dana Medical Library at UVM. However, since 2007, three large outbreaks have occurred: first in Micronesia, then in French Polynesia in 2013-2014, and as an epidemic involving Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America in 2015-2016.
Earlier this year, the UVM Vaccine Testing Center announced that it would be involved in the clinical trials and research on a vaccine for Zika virus, which was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization on February 1, 2016.
Over the past decade, the WHO has declared four global health emergencies, and the Ebola epidemic in West Africa and the Zika outbreak in the Americas have happened in the past two years alone.

Study Epidemiology at UVM

This fall, UVM is offering an Epidemiology Graduate Certificate to provide students with a framework for problem solving and critical thinking in analyzing disease and health-related conditions within a given population

Four Important Leadership Qualities You Need in Business

Leadership qualities needed in business
What makes a great leader?
In a recent survey, Harvard Business Publishing asked that very question. Hundreds of managers from companies around the globe weighed in on what leadership qualities matter the most. Ultimately, they narrowed it down to four: demonstrating integrity, managing complexity, inspiring engagement, and acting strategically.

How do you develop leadership skills?

Ray Carvey, executive vice president of corporate learning and international at Harvard Business Publishing, offers the following advice on Fortune.com:
  1. Acting strategically: Question your own opinions and seek out information that contradicts your view. Look to people with diverse experience to flesh out your teams, and get out of the office to gain valuable new perspectives.
  2. Demonstrate integrity: Defy group think. Be selfless, and take responsibility for all of your decisions and the actions of your team. Keep an open-door policy for comments and observations, and set a good example for your team to follow.
  3. Manage complexity: Keep a close eye on your environment to identify trends and indicators of potentially disruptive change. Put processes in place that help your team respond quickly, and be aware that seemingly small decisions can have a ripple effect across your business.
  4. Inspire engagement: Create meaningful connections between your employees’ values and those of your organization. Understand your employees as individuals, and look for ways to tie their values and interests to their work. And foster a work environment that values inclusivity, and acceptance of the ideas of others.
Successful leadership in today’s increasingly demanding, global, and diverse workplace requires grit, creativity, flexibility, and know-how. You can rise above the challenges of today’s ever-evolving business landscape with UVM’s Leadership and Management Professional Certificate.

The one-day Leadership and Management seminars are designed to help participants:

  • Improve your leadership, business strategy, negotiations, sales, marketing, and finance skills.
  • Prepare you for higher-level job responsibilities and career advancement.
  • Develop your knowledge of business principles, trends, and best practices.
  • Identify your learning leadership style to provide you with insights into your problem solving, decision making, conflict resolution, teamwork, and communication skills.
  • Improve your emotional intelligence and behaviors to better connect with others as a leader.
  • Gain a big-picture view of management to communicate more effectively within your organization.
  • Improve your leadership skills across cross-functional teams.
  • Build a local professional network beyond your organization
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

On the Way to Law School, a Student Finds His Calling for Medicine

Until he was a college senior, Matt Lebow thought he wanted to become a lawyer. Then two months before taking the LSATs, he had a change of heart. Rather than going to law school, Lebow decided to pursue a career in healthcare.
The 26-year-old Los Angeles native, who graduated from George Washington University, enrolled in the UVM Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program last year. Lebow, whose father is an emergency room physician and his mother a registered nurse, followed in his parents’ footsteps early on, when he became an EMT at age 18, then a paramedic at 23. Still, it wasn’t until his last year in college — where he was studying political communication — that he decided to carve out a career in medicine.
We talked to Lebow about growing up with a healthcare family, his plans to study emergency medicine, his work as a paramedic, and his current research to examine the frequency of hospital-acquired thrombocytopenia, a deficiency of platelets in the blood.

Your parents met while working in the Emergency Department, and you spent a lot of time with your father in the ED when you were growing up. What was it like as a child to watch your father treat patients in an emergency room setting?

The emergency room environment is very much second nature for me. As a kid growing up, I had dinner in the ED on almost a weekly basis while my father was on shift, and I’d walk around with him as he took care of patients. Whenever I got hurt as a kid, I never had to go to the ED for stitches because my dad would just come home from work and stitch me up in the kitchen.

How do you think this experience benefited you?

It was eye-opening to see so many different ailments when I was a kid. Also, it was interesting to see the same person who dropped me off at swim practice intubate a patient. The first time I saw a cardiac arrest was when I was 14 years old. I was blown away by the dynamics, even though I had no idea what was going on. I’m happy that I was exposed to all of this at such a young age, as it gave me a certain perspective on life. The early exposure gave me the ability to maintain a certain level of calmness when I’m treating patients.

Why did you make a change from law to a career in emergency medicine?

Like most children of healthcare practitioners, I tried to separate myself from my parents and was drawn to law and politics during high school and college. During my senior year of college, I realized that my true calling was to be a physician, not a lawyer. This was confirmed once I became a paramedic and saw how easily the work connects with my thought pattern and decision making. It was definitely a tough decision to choose medicine, especially since so many of my close friends are already out of law school making six-figure salaries. But I know the satisfaction I get from helping others is greater than anything I would get out of a career in law. I’m so glad I landed on the path I’m on today.

Can you tell us about the work you do as a paramedic?

I work weekly shifts for Colchester Rescue. We average over 1,100 calls a year and are comprised of paid staff and volunteer members. As a paramedic, you are the most highly trained pre-hospital healthcare provider in the 911 system. I have been involved with EMS since I was 18 years old. I’m trained in a variety of procedures and skills, such as advanced airway management, cardiac support, EKG interpretation, IV access and can administer a variety of life-saving medications. With so many interventions available, the most challenging aspect of being a paramedic is deciding how aggressively to treat a patient.

What do you love most about emergency medicine?

Unique to emergency medicine — and one of the main reasons I enjoy being a paramedic — is the diversity in the patient populations and their illnesses. At one moment you may be taking care of a child with an asthma attack, and a second later you will be called for a patient in cardiac arrest. I’m drawn to the fast-paced nature and the immediate impact you have on your patients. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.

What are some of the challenges and rewards of this type of work?

Emergency medicine is obviously a physically and emotionally strenuous specialty. I’ve seen the personal sacrifices my parents have made working in healthcare, especially my father. I can’t tell you the number of times that birthdays had to be celebrated the day before or day after because of a shift. That said, the skill set an emergency room physician has is unlike any other specialty. While you may not be an “expert” in any particular area, the breadth of knowledge you obtain is special. Emergency medicine allows you to feel like a “doctor,” meaning you have the skill set to fix a problem on the spot, whether it’s a fracture, laceration, or anaphylactic reaction. You represent the healthcare safety net of this country.

Tell us about your research on hospital-acquired thrombocytopenia

My research is through the Department of Hematology/Oncology at UVM, and involves examining the frequency of hospital-acquired thrombocytopenia (low platelet counts). While thrombocytopenia is frequently studied in trauma, pediatrics, and cardiac patients, there was little research on hospital-acquired thrombocytopenia in general medicine (patients who come into the hospital with a normal platelet count, but then have a drop below the “normal threshold”). I came up with a definition of what I consider to be thrombocytopenia and then compared that definition to three different patient populations to determine if there was any association between those who developed a venous thrombosis, those who had some kind of bleed in the hospital (like a GI or brain bleed), and those patients who died while in the hospital.
The research found that even moderate drops in platelet counts have an association with mortality and bleeding. The recommendation I concluded in this research is that clinicians should be cognizant of platelet count drops, and this is likely an indication of disease severity.
Neil Zakai, MD, MSc, a hematologist and associate professor of medicine at UVM College of Medicine, has been my senior advisor for my research. I will be published in Blood, the peer-reviewed journal for the American Society of Hematology, and I will be presenting my work in Orlando in December.

Why did you choose UVM?

UVM’s Post-Bac program has a great reputation, and I also found the linkage with the UVM College of Medicine very appealing. This close relationship between the undergraduate campus and the medical school has allowed me to surround myself with leading researchers in their fields.
And hey, the snowboarding around here isn’t too bad either
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Think Critically” by guest blogger, Robert Mack, SIS ’12 of PublicRelay

This post is the second in a series on critical thinking and analysis, one of the top skills employers want you to have.   Here, SIS alum Robert Mack tells  how the critical thinking skills he learned here at AU  have been important to his career at PublicRelay.  Robert is currently a Media Analyst and Recruitment Specialist. 
Think Critically, by Robert Mack
Analyze; problem solve; synthesize; think critically. To anyone perusing CareerWeb’s listings, these terms quickly become a dime a dozen. Yet these words appear often for good reason – employers need individuals who can come up with simple solutions to massively complicated problems. As evidenced by a recent survey, 93% of employers highly value critical thinking skills – so highly, in fact, that they value critical thinking skills more than an applicant’s undergraduate major.[i] Writing as an AU alum who now works in a recruiting role, I can attest to the fact that critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills are in demand more than ever and that AU is a great place to perfect them.      
Dan Black, Director of Recruiting at EY, defines critical thinking as “the ability to work with data, to accumulate it, analyze it and synthesize it, in order to make balanced assessments and smart decisions.”[ii] His definition may sound intimidating, but these skills are 100% learnable. Mastering the art of critical thinking just takes time, work, and patience.
For the students reading this, you can find opportunities to improve your critical thinking skills right in front of you. Many class assignments, especially research papers, require the collection, analysis, and synthesis of data in a way that parallels the critical thinking definition found above. Writing research papers, more than anything, teaches you how to think. In 10 years, most of you will probably not remember the specific topics that you covered in your research assignments. What you will remember is the critical thinking approach that you employed when building your arguments and conclusions, an approach that will stay with you for years to come.
At PublicRelay, we tackle the communications challenges facing our clients with our analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills. During the hiring process, we look closely at our candidates’ analytical and reasoning abilities to gauge how they would approach the challenges our clients encounter. We hire individuals who are sharp and want to think big – so much so that there is no one degree that we look for. Our Media Analysts have backgrounds in history, international relations, anthropology, and sociology, among many others. At the end of the day, we need people who can solve problems and think critically.
Since graduating 4 years ago, I’ve taken the critical thinking skills that I learned at AU and applied them to solving a number of complicated problems. Business theories change, Presidents will enter and exit office, but thinking critically will never go out of style.
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

6 Time Management Tips for Work

We’ve all heard the phrase work smarter, not harder right? Well in today’s hectic world, it can be tremendously difficult to effectively prioritize and successfully meet your goals–especially with the demands in the workplace and at home, it’s challenging to balance professional responsibilities and personal life, especially when your time is limited. When under pressure, it’s tempting to make the mistake of putting energy into what’s urgent, rather than focusing on what’s important.

By practicing these time management tips for work, you’ll find yourself achieving more and leaving the office with a sense of accomplishment.

1. Set a goal for your day

Be proactive and direct work flows. Do you spend the whole morning responding to incoming emails or do you send out emails to direct projects that are within your goals for the day? Your daily activities should align with your specific project goals.

2. Prioritize your tasks

What are your immediate and long-range needs? What groundwork needs to be laid in order to check the tasks off your list? Imagine your inbox as a hospital triage center: what inquiries or projects deserve your attention? Which items can wait? Prioritize the issues that are both important and urgent. Address your tasks strategically with your daily goal and project vision in mind.

3. It’s OK to delegate

Figure out what you can do well and what others can do better for you. There may be people in your workplace that are personally interested in a topic or looking to take on more responsibility. You don’t have to champion your project list alone. Effective leaders build supportive teams and look to protégés to develop into a successful next generation of leaders.

4. Just say no

Decide which projects are non-essential and draw the line on what you can commit to successfully completing. Your time is your most valuable asset and you cannot get it back. As you communicate how projects fit within your goals and action plans, colleagues will respect your work and your time more. You’ll have more time to manage your projects with a goal-oriented vision, and by doing so, you’ll achieve more through your work.

5. “Chunk” your projects

You know the saying, “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.” It applies to your work as well as table manners. Avoid looking sloppy in your work. Break your projects into manageable tasks. For projects that you loathe, start with just 10 minutes a day and you’ll be surprised at how much you can achieve. You might even find yourself working through to finish it.

6. Use technology to your advantage

Technology can be a great resource to help you manage and optimize your time. Many apps and tools – such as Evernote, Remember the Milk, and Focus Booster — offer digital solutions to organize your to-do lists, files, emails, and more.
By applying each of these steps and engaging critically with the projects that make up your daily routine, you’ll be an active director of your work and your professional goals. 
UVM’s Project Management Certification Training is also a great resource to help you effectively manage projects and your busy life. Enroll is ongoing with several flexible start dates
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

6 Clever Ways Graduates Can Improve Their Job Search

Why some people search for a job for months without results while others get employed in a couple of weeks? Everything depends on your attitude.
A job search is a serious process that demands setting goals, creating a plan, and sticking to it. Regular job hunting in different areas using various approaches is surely challenging but also productive. If you do not want to lose your time, read the instruction below that will allow you to find a job faster.

1. Market Yourself

Inform people around that you are a great professional who is open to offers. It will help you get the attention of potential employers. Online presence is a great way to do that. LinkedIn is a number one tool in online job hunting.
Do everything possible to make your profile more visible for the recruiters. Include offline actions to your personal marketing campaign. For instance, you might visit events related to your profession, make some new contacts during the conferences, or attend job fairs.

2. Keep Developing

While job search should take a significant part of your time, focusing on it too much could cause stress and depression. It might be a good idea to combine job search with the development of new skills. Spend some time on learning new languages, reading books related to your field, or improving your computer skills. It will keep your brain working and the new knowledge might help you to get the position you want.

3. Stay Tuned

It is important to keep participating in the work environment. Consider taking short-term freelance jobs in your field, find an internship or a part-time job in a company you want to work for. It will broaden your experience and will develop your skills. You will also get familiar with the new tendencies and equipment. This way the employer will see that you are active and ready to immerse into the new environment.

4. Get a Well-built Resume

If you have the same resume for years and it still did not help you to find a job you want, it is probably the time to upgrade it.
Make sure your CV is current, well-written, and convenient to read. It should show your strong sides and professionalism. Sending the same resume for different positions is not the best idea. Try to modify it a little for every job. Be sure to take into consideration the goals and needs of the company. The recruiters will surely notice it and that will help you to stand out.
If you still have troubles making your resume, consider using professional resume writing services. What is more, some job seekers have a hard time understanding the difference between cover letter and resume. Make sure you know what application document your potential employer requires.

5. Prepare for a Job Interview

Job interview puts a lot of pressure so it is better to prepare for it. You may practice with your friend or make a video to see how you look. Answer the common job interview questions and pay attention not only to what you say but also how you say it. Your voice and body language are as much as important as the words. Control your tone and the speed of the speech. A straight posture and eye contact may help to look more confident.

6. Be Persistent

Active position during job search shows your enthusiasm. After sending a resume it is essential to wait for an interview invitation. If you are really interested in a position, there is no harm in reminding the company that you approached them. It will emphasize your interest and desire to work. If you did not get a call back after the interview, do not be shy to contact the recruiter and ask about results. It is also important to know the limit. If there is no answer, move forward.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Ask a Career Coach: Help! I’m Not Getting Interviews, But I’m Doing Everything Right

Ask a Career Coach: Help! I’m Not Getting Interviews, But I’m Doing Everything Right 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.
Dear Kyle,
I’m stuck in what I would say is a “rut.” I’ve been employed at my current position for a little over eight years and am sort of stuck. There’s no chance of advancement. I’m bored and know that I have many transferable skills (in pharmaceutical sales); however, because I don’t have direct experience in the area I want to take my career, I can’t even get an interview.
I’ve been sending out my resume for over a year now. I had it professionally assessed by someone experienced in this line of work, so I know it’s professional and highlights my transferable skills. I feel incredibly confident that if I could just obtain an interview, I’d be well on my way to getting the job. Any suggestions or insights on how else I can promote myself to stand out? I’m at a loss!!
Signed,
Stuck-in-a-Rut
Dear Stuck-in-a-Rut,
You just struck a chord with 90% of people who have tried to apply for jobs online. It’s tricky; you can’t ignore the standard application process, but what do you do when the portals become black holes? Assuming you’ve already been tweaking your resume and customizing your cover letter every time you apply for an opening, following up, and still getting no response, it’s time to take other action.
There’s a lot going on behind the scenes, and I’m here to help you navigate it all so that you get interviews (and, subsequently, offers).

Build Your Personal Brand

Once you’ve decided to delve into a new line of work, one of the most important (and fun) things you can do is establish your personal brand. This is effective for two reasons. First, when a recruiter believes you’re a good candidate based on your resume, they will almost always Google your name or try to find you on LinkedIn before contacting you. You want the information that they find to further sell you as a great candidate.
Second, a strong and comprehensive online profile could get you found before you even know about an opening. Being directly contacted by a recruiter is entirely possible (and if you want to learn more about getting poached, check out what recruiter Jaclyn Westlake has to say).
If you’re in the early stages of building your brand, here’s what you need to know:
  • Make sure you have a completed LinkedIn profile that aligns with your resume. A high-quality headshot and full, detailed summary that demonstrates your passion for your new industry are essential components. The summary’s also a great place to sell your transferable skills.
  • Create a personal website. No need to take an HTML/CSS class when SquareSpace exists to make your life easier. Think of this as an online business card: Having one is essential, regardless of how many (or few) bells and whistle it contains.
  • Manage your social media. Tweeting about your profession or posting pictures of industry networking events can help paint a more complete picture of you and your aspirations. On the flip side, your social profiles are another thing a recruiter’s going to see if and when he searches your name online, so make sure they don’t contain anything you wouldn’t be proud to share.
I should note that you want your brand to reflect both passion and skill in the industry you’re seeking. If you can’t honestly do that right now, then you’ll need to take a class, find a side gig, or volunteer so that you do have that experience. Then make sure that’s highlighted on your personal site or on your LinkedIn profile.

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

…Within reason of course, let’s not go completely nuts
Check Out 10,000+ Openings Now
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Work Your Network

Ask a career coach the best way to find a new job and they’ll respond the same way: network. If you know someone who can be your internal champion, the digital application will be far from the only thing you have to snag the hiring manager’s attention. There are no shortcuts or secrets to building a network overnight, but there are definitely some best practices you can implement starting now:
  • Set a goal to connect with five relevant people per week. LinkedIn’s probably your best bet for this, but you can also find people on Twitter or through personal websites containing a “contact me” page. Some industries even have their own resources for connecting with others in your field (For example, Angellist is one for the startup community).
  • Work on getting to know your new connections. Make a plan to set up one informational interview every week. Sitting down (in real life) with someone who is doing the job you want and learning everything you can about it will give you talking points for reaching out to other industry folks—and it may put you at the forefront of their mind in the event that there’s an opening at their company. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice on getting your foot in the door.
  • Take advantage of hiring events, meetups, professional mixers, or any other industry event happening in your area and meet people who can give you more insight into a specific job, and maybe even recommend you for a role when the time comes.
A well-developed personal brand and an active, thriving network could be just the thing to get you past the application process and to the interview stage. Unlike job applications, these tools will continue to improve your job search for years to come. So get started! When you focus on the right pieces of the job search you won’t just see more interviews, you might even start to enjoy them.

Milestone 3: Gain Experiences

Securing a high quality internship or professional experience that helps you develop the skills necessary for your future is a key step to preparing for your post-graduation goals.
We recommend that you target a position within a professional setting under the supervision of a practicing professional. This may include internships, research experiences, practicum roles, in-depth service learning or part-time professional experiences. Most importantly, choose an experience where you will truly push yourself and grow your skills!

Why Are Internships & Professional Experiences Important?

DU students that have completed an internship or professional experience are more likely to have secured post-graduation plans within 6-months of graduation and make, on average, $5,000 more in their first job after graduation! Additionally, 50% of employers report that they expect students to have 2 or more relevant experiences by graduation. Quality internships make you more marketable to both employers and graduate programs!

Five tricks to preparing your Personal Statement, from the Admissions Committee

It’s early November, September LSAT scores have arrived, and if you plan to matriculate in the fall of 2017, you are probably deep in the work of law school applications. If you’re like many students, the part of the application you dread most, and may even be avoiding, is the personal statement. This blog offers some guidance to help you through that process.
Last week, admissions representatives from Berkeley Law, Northwestern Law, USC Gould School of Law, and Texas Law were on campus speaking with AU students about the admissions process, and turned to the topic of Personal Statements. If you weren’t able to join them, here is a taste of what they shared.
First, the basics. Follow the directions. This includes responding to the exact prompt posed, the page limits, the specific information requested, and any other guidance. Don’t cheat with tiny fonts – admissions committees are wise to that trick. They will use your personal statement to judge your writing skills, for sure. They will also use it to assess your judgment, decision-making, and ability to read and follow specific instructions.
Now that you have the formatting down, consider the statement itself – what you will share, how you will share it, and what it will tell admissions committees about you. Use this moment to be genuinely introspective and tell a story – your story, in your own words. Think of your life as a path. You don’t want to write about where you are now on the path, or where you plan to go next. Instead, consider your backstory. How did you get where you are now? Avoid starting your statement with a quote – the best stories are in your own words and voice, not someone else’s.
Give the admissions committee the opportunity to get to know you beyond your LSAT score. Don’t repeat your transcript or your resume in narrative format. Instead, share how you got here from there. Write in more depth about that experience from your resume and why it matters. Explain how it has become part of your story.
Treat your personal statement as if it is an admission interview. Answer the questions you wish they would ask. Share something new that the admissions committee can’t learn elsewhere in your application. This is your chance to make your case for admission and to communicate what law schools should know about you, but otherwise won’t. 
Avoid answering questions asked elsewhere – for example, if there’s a supplemental question that asks Why Our Law School? don’t use two paragraphs of your personal statement to explain that. Use the optional questions as clues to what is best covered elsewhere. Each part of the application is a chance to enhance the committee’s sense of who you are, and how you will fit into their community of scholars. Use each and every piece you can to your best advantage. And when you have done that, hit Save, and walk away.
 

9 Office Etiquette Rules Every Person Should Know

You might be surprised at just how rude people can be, and how many people have no idea about etiquette, including office etiquette. It is so important to follow all of the rules of etiquette when you are sharing a workspace with others, and there are many rules to follow. Today we are going to talk about nine of the most important office etiquette rules everyone should know.
  1. Close Your Office Door – If you have an office with a door, and you need to take a personal call, make sure that you close the door. If you do not have a door, find a private space, a lounge area, etc., and keep the call as short as possible. Try to avoid taking or making the call around others who are trying to concentrate on their work.
  2. Don’t Gossip in the Bathroom – The bathroom is where you go to relieve yourself, freshen up, etc. It is not the place to gossip, talk about what you did over the weekend, or hang out with your coworkers. Also, do your part to keep the bathroom clean. You may even want to use cleaning skills as skills to put on a resume.
  3. Be Careful with Food – There are going to be many times when you will have to eat at your desk. Make sure that you bring foods that are not going to make a mess, or that have strong odors. You may love fish, but no one around you is going to love the smell. Also, clean up after yourself when you are eating at your desk.
  4. Don’t be Greedy – If someone brings a home-baked treat into the office, don’t be greedy and take more than your share. Take one piece, and leave the rest for others to enjoy. Also, if you do happen to take the last piece of anything, wash the dish and give it back to the person who brought the treat in.
  5. Don’t Insult Others’ Food Choices – Speaking of food, don’t make fun of what others are eating. Sure, if it smells really bad, you can politely mention this in the hope that they won’t bring it again. But, everyone has their own dietary preferences, and in some cases, certain foods, no matter how unappealing they are to you, are necessary for someone’s diet.
  6. Don’t Wear Perfume – Just because your office isn’t designated as a scent-free workplace, it doesn’t mean that you should be dousing yourself in perfume or other scented products. Remember, what you think smells lovely may wreak havoc on the sinuses of others.
  7. Don’t Steal Others’ Lunches – Here’s another food-related tip. Don’t be a lunch thief. How would you like it if you were waiting for several hours to enjoy a special treat you bought for your lunch, only to find that someone else has already eaten it? If someone else in the office is a lunch thief, you can keep your food safe by keeping it in your office or at your desk in a small cooler bag.
  8. Don’t Block the Elevator Door – If you are at the front of the elevator and someone behind you needs to get out, don’t block the door. Instead, step out, let them exit, and then re-enter. If your boss wants to get on, hold the door for them and let them go inside first.
  9. Don’t Use Social Media – It is never a good idea to use social media while you are at work. In fact, some employers have rules against using it all together, unless you are on a break. Also, don’t use social media as a platform to complain about your job, a co-worker, etc.

How to Write a Cover Letter for Internships Share Options July 10, 2017

Are you interested in taking on an internship while you are in college? If so, you can’t just walk in and expect to get the job. You need to apply like you would for any paying job, which means that not only do you need to submit a resume, you also need to submit an awesome cover letter. This is what is going to get you noticed, and maybe get your foot in the door.

What is a Cover Letter?

A lot of people really dislike writing cover letters, and they have no idea how to write a good cover letter. To begin with, many people don’t even really know what the purpose is, other than a general introduction. A cover letter lets potential employers (in this case, the person or company offering the internship) know that you really want the job. It is a professional document that shows why you would be the best candidate for the internship.
Your cover letter should be created for the type of internship you are trying to get into. For instance, if you are looking to intern in the business world, your cover letter should reflect this. Make sure that it includes any related experience you have, including academic and extracurricular. Sometimes, this is all an employer needs to decide that you are the right person for the internship, or at least entice them to read your resume to learn more about you and your qualifications.
There are three main things that employers expect to see on cover letters:
  1. An introduction
  2. Your interest in the company and the position/internship
  3. Your qualifications
Sometimes, cover letters are so good that potential employers don’t even bother with the resume. The candidates get interviews based on their cover letters alone. Strive to make your cover letter this great.

Tips for Creating an Effective Cover Letter for an Internship

  • Use Business Letter Format – Always us the proper business letter format, especially if you are sending the cover letter via mail. Include a salutation, and your signature should be at the bottom.
  • Personalization – Your cover letter should be unique to the type of internship you are applying for. Make sure that it highlights any skills and talents you have that are related to this specific internship. Make the reader think that you are the only possible candidate for this internship. A good cover letter guide will help you do this just right.
  • Give Examples – If you have a certain skill that pertains to the internship, have studied in that area, have work experience in the area, etc., make sure that you highlight this on your cover letter. Give examples from past work, your studies, and extracurricular activities that are relevant.
  • Focus on Academic Experience – If your studies are related to the internship you are applying for (which is ideal so you have experience after graduation), make sure that your cover letter shows this. This shows that you have skills and knowledge in the area. If you have been particularly successful with projects, include this information to show that you have the skills they need.
  • Talk about Extracurricular Experiences – If you have done things outside of school that relate to the internship, mention them in your cover letter. For instance, if the internship involves working with kids, and you have worked as a camp counsellor or have similar experience, this is something you need to highlight so it stands out.
  • Mention a Follow-Up – Make sure that your cover letter informs the reader that you will be following up with them at a later date. You can say that you will be calling the office or sending an email, unless of course the internship listing says that you are not to call for a follow-up.
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Unpack Your Resume to Prep for Interviews: A Storytelling Technique

Throughout your job search, you’ll be telling stories about your past experience to help hiring managers understand how you’ll likely perform in the job if they hire you. In this post, I’m going to share a trick that can help you start to prepare for interviews well ahead of when you’ll reach that point in your job search, so that when you meet with an interviewer telling your story will be a breeze.
Taking notes.On your resume, you can use a bullet point formula for sharing detail and telling stories with your past experiences. The one we like goes like this:
Skill verb + what you did + why you did it or the result/outcome of your action (quantifying throughout)
This formula helps to move your bullet point statements from something like:
  • Answered phones.
To something more like:
  • Communicated with about two dozen clients per day about appointment scheduling and problem solved issues in a professional manner to ensure a positive customer experience.
See the difference? There’s a lot more detail shared, and it can help hiring managers get a true sense of your skills and experience.
In interview preparation, we have a similar formula, STAR:
  1. Situation/Task: Set up the context of the story you plan to tell.
  2. Action: Describe the action that you personally took.
  3. Result: Wrap it up by explaining the result or outcome, quantifying when possible (percent change, lessons learned, time saved, etc.)
STAR can be used for a variety of interview questions because it’s such a flexible formula. Additionally, it’s very similar to the bullet point formula! There are three parts to the story, and the only difference is the order of these parts and the length of the story. Check it out:
Resume Interview
1. Skill verb → 2. Action
2. What you did → 1. Situation/task
3. Why you did it/outcome → 3. Result
Now, since the skill verb is usually just one word, it’s important to give a specific example of that action if you don’t already have it built in to your situation/task or result. This gives us our final strategy:
Resume Interview
1. Skill verb → 2. Action + Detailed Example
2. What you did → 1. Situation/task
3. Why you did it/outcome → 3. Result
This similarity between the two formulas makes it easy to use your resume’s bullet points while preparing for interviews. Here’s a way that the bullet point statement above can work well as an interview answer:
Q: Tell me about a time when you used good judgment in solving a problem.
A: One of my daily tasks as a receptionist was to answer phones [Situation/Task] and help clients to schedule appointments and address inquiries. Part of this involved solving problems in a professional manner [Situation/Task]. I quickly learned how to communicate [Action] to callers that I understood their questions and concerns. One time in particular [Detailed Example], a client called to verify an appointment the next day that hadn’t actually gotten onto the calendar. Our next opening was over two weeks out. So, I assured the customer that I understood their situation, needed to check with my supervisor, and would call them back within two hours to let them know if we could get that appointment onto the calendar after all. While we weren’t able to schedule the customer the next day, we were able to get them in only a week later, and I communicated our apologies clearly during the callback. This provided a positive customer service experience [Result] and retained that client.
There you have it! If this is a helpful method for you, download this worksheet to start writing out some STAR story prompts based on your resume. It’ll come in handy to have these notes already started when you have an interview coming up!
Did this strategy work for you when preparing for an interview? Let us know at careers@du.edu—we love to hear success stories and feedback!
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