5 Negative Thoughts After College Graduation and How to Deal With Them

An ancient Chinese curse says: ‘May you live in interesting times’, where interesting times are the times of changes. So, your last year in college is over, you received your diploma and went through the cap throwing. What’s next? Interesting times, indeed. You are staying at the edge of a completely new life.

It might seem scary or terrifying. But don’t let the depressing thoughts take over you. We have listed some of the worries you might be going through right now and how to deal with them.

#1. I’ll never manage to pay out my student’s loan

It might happen, that you never took student loans seriously until now. They just didn’t seem to be the real money, but it only lasts until you do the calculations. The numbers may put you down.

What to do?

Try to stay calm. You are not the only person to go through this all. There have been thousands of young people before you, and many more will come after. Speaking of people before you… Why won’t you ask for a piece of advice?

#2. Without experience I won’t find a decent job

The time has come and the first thing you need to do is to write your first CV and Cover Letter. And here you are, sitting in front of a blank page struggling, with no idea where to start. And yeah, it is hard to do something you have never done before.

Just do it.

Imagine your perfect workplace and the ideal position you want to get. Answer the question: what kind of employee this company will look for? With that image in mind writing your CV and Cover Letter won’t be that challenging. Also, check for resume samples, they are not hard to find. Filter your search request with a position. After you complete writing, don’t forget to proofread your resume. Not a single employer would like grammar mistakes, especially when your CV says “detail oriented”.

#3. No recruiter will say that I’m a good candidate

You have sent your CV to a number of companies, and one (or few) of them got interested in you. Great! But after a short moment of excitement, fear comes. Will you be able to handle your nerves? Won’t you screw it all up? Won’t you be embarrassed? Will you get a job? All these thoughts are chasing every young person on the way to their first job.

How to handle it?

The secret of a successful job interview is based on honesty, confidence and positive attitude. Small secret – set up your interview in morning hours. So the worries won’t follow you all day long. Be well-prepared: search for the information about the company, its clients, and the interviewer. Have a good sleep and breakfast. If it is your very first job interview, look for some tips on how to improve your personality traits or how to go through the job interview successfully.

#4. Moving back to parents? Great. Exactly what I’ve studied for

After living on your own in college, it might be frustrating to go back home and feel yourself like a teenager again. Especially when you go through all these debts calculations and job interviews. It may feel not quite right. You are supposed to be an adult after graduation, so why do you have to tell your mom when are you about to come back home?

Take advantage of it!

If for some reason you have to move back with your parents, don’t get desperate. It may serve you well. Your parents are always on your side and will support you, no matter what happens. So, while you are having ‘interesting times’, why won’t you benefit from their help? Still, do not make it your routine. Plan your future. How long will you stay with them? Create a deadline for yourself, for you definitely don’t want to find yourself living with your parents at your 30.

#5. My friends are far more successful and happier then me. Hate them.

Caught yourself being envy to your friend’s success? Their Instagrams and Facebook pages are filled with #lovemyjob and #whataparty hashtags? It makes you feel yourself a complete looser?

You are not!

Life is something that happens while you upload a new picture to Social Media. Young people nowadays are masters in creating a great image of themselves all over the Internet. Don’t be jealous. Their life may be as boring as yours seems to you. Compare yourself only to yourself and get better every day. This is the only way to be happy.

Summing up

Negative thoughts are chasing everybody in this crazy world. People are getting new worries and concerns every day. No wonder you have them too, especially when going through the period of major changes.

But remember the old Chinese proverb? “If your problem has a solution then…why worry about it? If your problem doesn’t have a solution then…why worry about it?”

Translating Your Classroom Experience to the Job Search

Image courtesy of George Redgrave, Flickr Creative Commons

What does a typical day look like for you?

It’s a question that comes up quite often in student appointments, particularly as they begin researching career opportunities and start assessing whether or not they envision themselves in a particular role. But, are students asking themselves this question?

I find that the students I work with are concerned about their work history, and fear that they lack a marketable skill set for the internship or job market because they don’t have a robust, multi-page snapshot of their professional experiences. While I understand their concerns, I find in a lot of cases, our students sell their skill sets a little bit short in the search. It takes some brainstorming for them to start reflecting on what they’re learning inside of the classroom and how it applies to the “real world.”

Students truly learn so much from the classroom experience. As they acquire relevant content knowledge and grow within their programs of study, they are quickly building a concrete skill set that is easily transferable to the job market.

One key to successfully articulating these skills involves translation. I led a workshop with Dr. Steve Iona, from the Physics & Astronomy Department, last quarter and he challenged our group to think creatively about this very topic. How can a student, who has completed a number of projects and assignments in the classroom, relate those activities back to a typical day on the job?

In my appointments with students who express concern about their work experience, I will often challenge them to tell me more about what they’re doing this quarter. I’ll often ask:

What courses are you taking this quarter, and what do the assignments look like?

What are some projects that you’ve completed that you’re particularly proud of, and why?

Are you taking a class with lab this term, and if so, what has your experience been like in the lab? Have you been working with a lab group? If so, how have you navigated the different working and learning styles of your team members? How have you taken their diverse perspectives and allowed them to influence (or not influence) your work?

Have you worked on a research project or paper? Did you present quantitative or qualitative data in written and visual formats? Did you have the chance to describe your research project to a lay audience (your peers, the community in a poster session)?

Are you solving sophisticated, multi-step problems in your courses?

As students start to tackle these questions, a lucrative and exciting skill set emerges that includes the ability to manage multiple projects, work effectively in a group setting, solve technical and complex problems, and navigate difficult conversations.

These skills are all great, but it can be difficult for students to decide where classroom examples might fit on a resume. After all, isn’t a resume designed to highlight professional experiences? What I often suggest to students is to first generate a working list of transferable skills and related classroom experiences, and then creatively relate aspects of these activities back to the resume. Listing relevant projects and coursework is a great place to start.

Some of these experiences might be better conveyed in the interview, and that is also great! The resume, cover letter, and application stage is not the final step; the ability to weave classroom skills into interview answers is another key to success in the internship and job hunt. Be sure to reflect on how to aid your students in capitalizing on the skills they use in lecture halls and labs in every step of the internship or job search.

So, what does a typical day look like for you?

6 Interview Tips for Graduates

Ready to interview for your first job? First interviews are exciting and also intimidating at the same time. If you put in the right level of preparation beforehand, then this can help you land your first job. Find a list of six interview tips below for interview success.

Remember that first impressions are very important

Many interviews are often failed within a few minutes of entering the room. This may be due to interviewers being put off by a lack of eye contact, a weak handshake, poor body language, poor posture or even a bad attitude. Keep in mind that interviewers will make judgments about your likability, trustworthiness, professionalism and competitiveness from the beginning and then spend the rest of the interview confirming these opinions.

To make the best first impression consider doing the following:

Make a firm and warm handshake and wait to be invited to sit down
Smile and make good eye contact at the start of the interview
Try to relax without perching on the edge of your chair (and definitely no slouching)
Speak in a clear voice and take your time
Take time before responding to questions and avoid fidgeting or using filler phrases (“you know” and “I mean”)

Be prepared to answer competency-based interview questions

Depending on what role you are going for, employers will be looking for you to demonstrate a specific set of skills and competencies. These will be what they think are essential to the job role. For example, you may need to demonstrate how you can work as part of a team, communicate effectively, solve problems and manager your time. Have a few specific examples prepared before about times when you have demonstrated these competencies.

Be prepared

Do some research and preparation before your interview. For example, you will be expected to show an interest in the organisation. Read up about the business by looking at their website and prepare questions to ask them about the employer and also the role you are going for. It’s ok to write these down and take them with you to the interview.

You can also arrange to do a mock interview with a friend and practice questions beforehand. This will give you a lot more confidence when answering similar questions during the real interview. Also, dropping into your university career center is a great way to prepare.

Make the right amount of eye contact

This can make the difference in your interview since most messages processed by the brain are in fact based on a person’s body language. Your facial and eye movements in an interview are being registered more than what is listed on your resume. Your eyes reflect your level of confidence, interest and professionalism while interviewing.

To display confidence, avoid looking down at your shoes or looking at the table – these actions might convey a lack of confidence or nervousness. To reinforce honesty, make eye contact and avoid any sudden change in eye contact. When talking about something particularly interesting or even something you are proud of, let your eyes light up to show interest and intent.

Make the employer feel special

You don’t want to make them feel like they are one of many you are applying to. Make your questions stand out by giving them unique and focused responses. Do this by taking into consideration what they do as a business when answering questions. Make it clear to them that you like the company and explain how you could contribute to helping to meet their goals as a business. This will add a personal edge to your interview and make you stand out.

Go above and beyond to standout from the crowd

Thinks about what you can do to make yourself memorable. For example, perhaps you can do something creative like creating a short video to introduce yourself, your experience and passions. Or perhaps you can add more to your resume by adding case studies and accomplishments from your university studies. Any successes that match up to the position you are going for will help you standout and make you more memorable.

Go for it!

At the end of your interview make it clear that you are interested in the position and ask what their next steps are. Thanks the interviewer for his/her time and follow up with an email or letter expressing your enthusiasm. Soon you will find yourself starting your career and an incredible journey.

This article was submitted by Amy Pritchett, Outreach Manager for Vision Direct, the UK’s online leading retailer for contact lenses. Amy is passionate about offering career advice to graduates and helping them shape their professional vision.

Five tracker apps for increased productivity

This blog recently ran a piece on self-knowledge that began with a famous Socrates quote: “the unexamined life is not worth living”. The post referenced some useful self-examination tools – including the well-known Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment – that can help reveal some potentially illuminating aspects of our own hard-wired psychologies, behaviors and habits when trying to make longer-term plans around career and life goals.

When it comes to much shorter-term planning, though, there’s an entirely different sort of self-knowledge toolkit available to us today: the kind that buzzes at us regularly from our pocket or wrist. In 2017, our near-universal embracing of always-on connectivity and wearable technologies has made so-called tracker apps one of the busiest download markets for mobile platforms.

Many of us use multiple tracker apps every day without really thinking twice about it, leaning on their simple tap-and-log functionality to power activities as diverse as monitoring our calorie intake, getting directions, managing personal finances and even tweaking our sleep-wake cycles.

Our ability to rely increasingly on digital app-based support for previously ‘analogue’ tasks is, of course, both a blessing and a curse. A 2016 report on Forbes.com noted, for example, that many smartphone users were starting to turn to their apps for medical advice before contacting their doctor; a scenario in which various pros and cons are immediately clear.

Quite apart from the inherent potential for faulty apps to lead us astray, it’s also important that we retain the ability to break free from their technological hand-holding every once in a while – both in terms of preserving a useful offline skillset, and moreover to give us respite from all those constant bleeping reminders. The unexamined life may not be worth living according to Socrates, but we can all afford to treat ourselves to a little less intense scrutiny from time to time.

That said, some of the more reliable, well-used and community-supported tracker apps out there do in fact offer a genuine boost towards hitting the ground running in a new venture or career. Here are five suggestions for especially handy little downloads – all well reviewed by sizeable user groups – that might prove useful in a variety of everyday organisational tasks, especially when starting a new job or working to an upcoming deadline.

Rescue Time (Apple, Android, desktop)

If you’re among those of us who are always wondering where the heck all our time disappeared to as a deadline hurtles closer, then this app might have an answer for you. Unlike many time management assistants, it doesn’t work by constantly nagging you to stop what you’re doing and focus on something else – instead, it builds you a more general workday profile based on your goal-based accomplishments logged against the percentage of your time spent on specific programs, sites and apps. This gives you the power to adjust your own habits, limiting areas that are proving a disproportionate drain on real productivity by setting your own schedule of reminders and alerts that you can turn on and off whenever you need an efficiency boost.

Addapt (Apple and Android)

Like many of the best ideas, this one’s almost infuriatingly simple: an ‘always updated’ address book that’s automatically amended whenever your important contacts switch their details. In theory, this means you’ll never again be stuck without a working phone number or email to reach bosses, colleagues or clients, even if you haven’t spoken to them in a while – other users can edit their personal details remotely, and the changes will show on your device next time you look them up. The app also automatically prioritizes phone, email or text message when you navigate to a name, based on your usual method of reaching that individual. From a privacy standpoint, it’s also reassuring to know that user address books aren’t stored on Addapt’s servers.

Who’s Off (Apple, Android, desktop)

If you’re working with a group – be it as part of an office workforce, or as an independent team pulling together a one-off project – then it often pays to know exactly which of your colleagues are available or not at any given moment. This app enables precisely that: by logging into a central hub, all members can quickly update the whole group with news of last-minute absences, or to arrange cover for planned away days, without having to consult a separate shift rota or holiday calendar and without sending a whole load of crossover emails back and forth. The app requires one paid account for the company or organisation, and then all the individuals in it can set up their own user accounts for free.

Bananatag (Desktop)

Speaking of emails, how often have you wanted to know exactly what happens to them when they reach their destination? Bananatag sheds some light on this by essentially giving you a souped-up version of a receipt report after you hit send. As well as confirming successful delivery, it also gives you a time stamped read report showing if/when it was opened, whether attachments were clicked on, and which links were followed. Crucially, it’s still respectful of privacy – it doesn’t track individual users, but instead gives a chart-based readout of group email performance which can then be exported to an Excel sheet for reference. It’s primarily aimed at sales teams, but it also has useful applications for devising more effective internal group comms, offering a handy degree of flexibility to tailor your approach to multi-recipient engagement strategies with a range of neat email templates. A free account lets you track up to five emails a day.

Flare (Apple, Android)

For the entrepreneurs and ideas people amongst you, Flare might offer a decent interactive sounding board that’s less expensive and more direct than having to pitch to a private business consultant. It works by allowing registered users to float up to one idea per day on the community forums and gather feedback from other users. If your idea earns enough positive votes, you can then follow up with some more detailed questions about specific implementation issues (or any other aspect of one day making it a reality). The app is managed by a team of expert investors and business strategists at GoDaddy, a cloud-based platform geared towards startup support, and it’s partly designed around attracting potential investors – they can also track the development of an idea they’re interested in, and offer advice or even financial backing for a specific venture once it gets past the initial community approval stages.

Top Benefits to Look for in Your Job Hunt

If you are looking for a job while you are in college, you don’t necessarily have to take any old crappy job just to make extra money. Today, there are many opportunities available to students, and many jobs even come with benefits. You just have to know what you want, and then find the companies that offer the benefits you want. Don’t expect too much, since you are likely going to be a part-time employee. But, there are some benefits you should be looking for when you are hunting for a part-time job. Let’s take a look at the most important benefits for working students.

Paid Time Off – Whether it is vacation time or sick time, you should look for a position that offers paid time off. This may not be possible if you are strictly a summer employee, but if you continue to work once you are back in school, you will be on the payroll long enough to qualify for vacation and sick time, as well as other paid days off.
Retirement Investments – It is never too early to start planning your retirement. In fact, the sooner you start saving, the earlier you may be able to retire. Look for companies that offer a 401K or other type of retirement savings plan. You contribute a certain amount, and your employer will match your contribution (to a certain amount).
Health Benefits – One of the most important benefits for many people is to have a health plan. This pays for a portion of medical expenses, including prescriptions, which can often be unaffordable for college students who have no access to medical insurance. But, not all employers offer the same plans. Look for companies that have good plans with lower deductibles.
Outplacement Services – Look for a company that provides outplacement services. These are services that are hired by companies when they have lay-offs, to help laid-off employees transition and find new jobs. If you have been a good employee, but the company no longer has need of your services, they will often go out of their way to help you find a new position.
Disability Insurance – This goes along with the health benefits, and it is a very important benefit to look for when applying for work. If anything happens that you are injured or sick and unable to work, this type of insurance can come in pretty handy. Some companies pay the full premiums, while others pay a portion and you pay the rest.
Medical and Family Leave – We never plan to have medical or family emergencies, but they happen, and we have no control when they do happen. Look for companies that understand this, and that offer both medical and family leave. This can include leave for serious health issues, caring for an ailing parent or child, childbirth and childcare, etc.
Tuition Reimbursement – If you are looking for ways to pay for your education that won’t leave you with thousands of dollars’ worth of debt after graduation, look for employers that offer tuition reimbursement programs. Often, this is given if you are taking courses that are specific to your job, or that can help you to move up within the company.
Expense Plan – Some companies offer an expense plan if you are going to be doing things for your job that you have to spend money on. For instance, if you are required to travel, your travel costs, meals, accommodations, etc. could be paid for. If you are working on the road, you will be able to claim mileage for your vehicle. Don’t take any job that expects you to pay for company-related expenses.

Preparing the Perfect Pitch: Strategies for answering “tell me about yourself”

Happy business people talking on meeting at office

“Tell me a little bit about yourself.”

It’s something we have all been asked at one time or another, and we have all responded to this question with varying levels of success. It’s a tough question to tackle, at first glance, because the question itself is as open-ended as we want it to be.

I find that this fact can make the question an overwhelming one for students to respond to. They aren’t always sure where to begin, and students have told me that they felt as if they were rambling through a response. Since this is one of the first questions we are often asked in an interview setting, it is absolutely crucial to have a strategy in place to set ourselves up for success from the start. Here are some tips to get your wheels turning about what the question is asking, and how you can quickly and effectively respond to it.

1. “Tell me about yourself” is a great way for employers to get to know your skill set, experience, and goals in mere seconds.

When I work on interviewing skills with students, we often begin by dissecting common interview questions. We analyze what we believe each question is asking, and make our best judgment about how to respond accordingly. While different professionals have their own insight on this question, I find that employers or admissions staff often ask this question to get a sense of the applicant’s skills and abilities. What accomplishments, experiences, projects, and skills is the applicant most proud of? What are their short- and long-term goals and which did they choose to prioritize for this question?

As you begin working on your own responses to this question, I suggest drafting a three-column table on a sheet of paper and listing:

Three skills that you’re proud of, and that relate to the job description;
One experience or quick example that exemplifies these skills;
One goal (short- or long-term) that this position might help you to achieve.

You can then weave these skills, and your story, into your response without taking a lot of time to respond.

2. Decide how you will start.

Once you have a list of skills, a short story or example, and a goal, you have the basic structure of your response! Next, I suggest taking some time to think about the first line of your answer. If we are thinking about this response as something that could be used for an interview or elevator pitch, you could try some opening lines that reflect your current professional status. Some starters include:

I’m a student at the University of Denver, studying Biological Sciences with minors in Chemistry and Medical Physics.
I’m a recent graduate of the University of Denver, where I studied Environmental Chemistry.
I currently serve as Career Advisor at the University of Denver, working specifically with students in the Division of Natural Science and Mathematics.

Try out a few opening lines, and reflect on which ones seem to fit in best with the skills and goals you chose for item #1. It is never a bad idea to have a few to choose from, either!

3. Be sure to practice!

While cliché, practice truly does make perfect. Take some time to practice your new response with one of our Career Advisors, record your answers using InterviewStream, or share them with a friend. As you practice, think critically about which aspects of your response seem to captivate your audience, and where you stumble. The more you work on your pitch, the more confident you’ll feel in an interview setting.

What are some strategies that you have used to answer “tell me about yourself”?

3 Ways to Develop Your Career Skills Through Travel in College

Planning a trip away during university? You might be surprised to know that a vacation can help you develop your professional skills while in college. This is because travel helps you develop yourself through the unique situations you encounter while on the road.

An adventure will help you develop skills that you will be able to take with you into the workplace. You will also stand out from the crowd in an interview when you can recount the amazing adventure you went on during your college years.

Improve your communication and social skills

The most valuable skills to have are communication and “people” skills. Employers are looking for candidates who know how to relate to other people, work with individuals from different backgrounds and and those who are strong negotiators. These skills are the foundation to any successful career and you will need to be a great communicator to get ahead.

While travelling, you will have to deal with language barriers, different cultures and social norms. Part of travelling is immersing yourself in these differences and broadening your communication skills. This can be done by interacting with people from different parts of the world, which will make you a better listener and ultimately a much stronger communicator.

Strengthen your teamwork skills

Prospective employers are also looking for individuals who can work cooperatively with others and contribute to a group. Most interviewers will touch on the topic of teamwork during an interview. You will often be asked to think about a time when you have worked with others and provide an example.

During your travels, you will need to plan trips and arrange common goals. In order to have a great trip, everyone in your group will need to communicate effectively and actively participate in planning. These experiences will give you the perfect time to share with prospective employers and help you land your dream job.

Learn to manager your time effectively

One major skill to any role is efficient time management. This doesn’t only mean getting projects done on time but also setting priorities, goals and being smart about your time. Time management also involves how you allocate time for yourself outside of the workplace.

When you are on a trip, the most important factor to having a fun vacation is effectively managing your time away. It takes excellent planning skills to maximise the time you have on vacation. This includes catching flights, seeing an entire city in a short space of time or exploring multiple countries all in one year. Just like the workplace, this involves creating to-do lists, smart goals and careful consideration.

Plan your trip today!

Who knew an adventure could become an opportunity to develop yourself professionally? Get out there and discover new places in between classes. The benefits of travel are endless – including valuable lessons for your first career.

Amy Pritchett is a travel blogger who write about walks, cottages and spas (wegoplaces.me). She encourages all college students to take an adventure away to grow and develop themselves both personally and professionally.

Use Product Differentiation as a Competitive Advantage

By Chemeketa SBDC

As a business advisor, I routinely ask my clients “What sets you apart from your competition?” and “What is your competitive advantage?” I frequently receive the answer “I charge less than my competition.” That always
raises red flags for me, and I worry about this business owner getting thinner
and thinner margins and needing to get ready to post the “going out of business” sign.

Gone are the days of the company store. Even in a small town, all businesses are in a global market with hundreds if not thousands of competitors. With so much competition, there are only two ways for businesses to compete: price and differentiation. Small businesses cannot compete on price with the large box stores, larger department stores or the Internet. The only way for small business to compete is on differentiation.

So what does that mean exactly? Product differentiation can be as simple as creative packaging or as elaborate as incorporating new functional features in a product. Sometimes differentiation does not involve changing the product at all, but instead it’s about creating a new advertising campaign or other sales promotions to highlight differences between one provider and another.

Differentiation strives to make a product or service more attractive by contrasting its unique qualities with other competing products. Successful product differentiation creates a competitive advantage for the seller as customers view these products as unique or superior. And that’s what the business owner wants the customer to focus on, not the price.

What sets you apart from everyone else? Here are some examples that may apply to you: proprietary know-how, intellectual property, your reputation and your brand’s equity, your high level of customer service, your convenient location, a speedy turn-around time, etc. And this is only a small sample.

Take some time to determine what your point of differentiation is and then build a marketing campaign around it. And for goodness sakes, stop talking about how your prices compare to everyone else’s.

Marcia Bagnall is Director of the Chemeketa Small Business Development Center and instructor of Small Business Management Program. The Small-Business Adviser column is produced by the center and appears each

Skill Series #3: Written Communication

Why is it important to write well? What does ‘writing well’ mean, anyway? Every day I read resumes, cover letters, personal statements, essays and email and text messages. So do you.

Have you ever gotten a text that made no sense? Was the verb or subject missing? Maybe you thought that you knew what the person meant to say, but you had to guess.

Let’s start with some examples….

My courses in History and Philosophy taught me strong critical thinking skills.

Your courses taught you? YOU had nothing to do with amassing these skills? Don’t you think that YOU learned or developed critical thinking skills by taking courses in History and Philosophy?

Other responsibilities include progress toward degree meetings every semester.

What does this mean? Who made progress? And, what did this person do to advance the progress of these meetings?

I have developed a valuable database of employer relationships that get results.

Have you known databases that get results? I have not. I thought that people used databases and the information in databases to get results.

My educational experiences and my work experience have allowed me to develop exceptional interpersonal, clerical, analytical and leadership skills.

Your educational and work experiences gave you the opportunity to develop interpersonal skills – how did that work? Would it be accurate to say that while you pursued your education and gained work experience, YOU strengthened your interpersonal…..skills?

I am the daily liaison between coaches and instructor’s.

Your turn….what is the issue?

Young Democrats of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah May, – June 2006

Volunteer Champagne Manager

Have you spotted the typos?

I am interested in applying for the position of with you organization.

Did this person read the sentence out loud? How many problems do you see?

One who will make a positive contribution to your college.

Is this a sentence? Does it include a complete thought OR do you feel something is missing?

All of these experiences have shown that children and animals are forever bonded and the stories arising from that relationship inform us how to approach and respect

Be clear about what and who you are referencing. WHAT RELATIONSHIP is this person talking about? And WHO exactly are we approaching?

Whether you are writing a resume, an email or an academic essay, writing skills are critical.

Here are some tips for writing as clearly as possible to convey what you mean to say:

Use active tense: Experiences do not teach you. YOU learn skills by engaging in experiences and completing projects.

Be specific and include details: As a senior majoring in Anthropology, with a minor in History, I have traveled to WWI battlefields in Belgium and worked with forensic anthropologists to uncover the remains of soldiers who died in the trenches.

Use a font that is large enough to see. No one will read your work, no matter how excellent it is, if the person can’t see the text!

ALWAYS read what you have written out loud to yourself. That is the only way you will notice if you have left out a word or used the wrong phrase.

Resources in the Career Center Library:

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The zero tolerance approach to puncuation, by Lynne Truss

On writing well: an informal guide to writing nonfiction, by William Zinsser

Get to the Point! by Elizabeth Danziger

Writing That Works, by Kenneth Roman and Joel Raphaelson

Federal Contracting Success Series

By Chemeketa SBDC

1. The Basics of Government Contracting

Topics:
• Who is GCAP and how can we assist your small business to succeed in government contracting
• Understanding the federal codes NAICS and PSC
• Finding leads FedBizOpps, FedConnect, GCOM
• Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
• Federal contracting set-asides HUBZone, 8(a), SDVOSB, VOSB, WOSB, EDWOSB
• Registrations SAM and DSBS

Date: February 13, 2014
Time: 9 am to 12:00 pm
Instructor: Marta Clifford

2. Understanding Federal and State Small Business Certifications

Topics:

• FEDERAL-Understanding Small Business Certifications
• Understanding Small Business Goals|• Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) Certification & 8(a) Program
• Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Certification (SDVOSB)
• Woman Owned / Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business Certification
• HUBzone Certification
• Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) Certification
• STATE-ESB- Emerging Small Business, DBE- Federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
• WBE-Woman Business Enterprise, MBE- Minority Business Enterprise
• What are the benefits of state certifications?
• How do I market to state agencies? Do any agencies set aside contracts for certified small businesses?
• What are the requirements for state certification?
• How to leverage your small business certifications

Date: February 20, 2014
Time: 9 to 11 am
Instructor: Marta Clifford

3. Marketing Materials and Methods

Topics:

• Capability Statement what it is, how to write one and how to use it to market to the Federal government
• Websites: why you should have one and what should be included on your website
• BUSINESS cards what do they say about your business
• GCOM GCAP’s Government Contracting Opportunities Match how to make it work for you.
The instructor will assist you with the form while in class.

Date: February 27, 2014
Time: 9 to 11 am
Instructor: Marta Clifford

Location: Chemeketa Center for Business & Industry
626 High Street NE, Downtown Salem
Cost: $10 each session or $25 for all three
Registration and Information: 503.399.5088

ANALYZE THIS: PART I. TOP SKILL #4 IN THE EYES OF EMPLOYERS IS ANALYTICAL REASONING AND CRITICAL THINKING

According to the annual survey of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, one of the top skills sought by employers is a combination of critical thinking and analytical reasoning. Our own sample of 162 employers who attended the Job and Internship Fair in March 2016 has confirmed this finding: 89% of them were looking for candidates with this particular skill combination. These employers range from not-for-profits and businesses to government agencies and international organizations in various fields and industries.

What do the employers mean by “analytical” and “critical thinking” skills? Why are these skills so much in demand? Do you possess these skills? If you do, how would you demonstrate that to your potential employer? What activities would help develop analytical reasoning and critical thinking?

Find out this and more in my two part blog.

First, what are we talking about?

We are talking about two higher order cognitive skills. Both analytical reasoning and critical thinking help understand the information, topic, problem, data, etc. They enable one to tackle a problem and make the right decision in a more efficient way. However, these skills are not identical.

Analytical reasoning refers to a thinking process that entails breaking the information (topic, problem, data, etc.) into the parts, researching, and evaluating each part separately, to comprehend the complexity of the topic, discover connections, causes and effects, patterns, etc.

Critical thinking refers to a thinking process that entails coming up with questions, searching for flaws or strengths, evaluating possible scenarios, etc., to interpret the complexity of the topic based on the facts as well as prior knowledge and experience. Critical thinking involves figuring out the “Why?” and “Why not?”

For sure, I have simplified the definitions of these skills — there is much more to both analytical reasoning and critical thinking.

Why do employers look for analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills?

There are three major reasons:

First, employers look for these skills because of the complexity of the today’s workplace. Such complexity involves multiple sources of information, numerous stakeholders, complex challenges (economic, social, or political), increasing competition, etc. To achieve success in whatever organizations do (development or implementation of products, programs, services, projects or policies, etc.) in such complex environments, employers need analytical and critical thinkers who can grasp individual components and their relationships, as well as probe deeper to figure out what is important and what is not.

Second, many organizations have concluded that the decentralized structure of decision-making help them work more efficiently. This means that junior staff get more responsibilities to make decisions, come up with solutions, and recommend innovations. All these tasks call for good analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills.

Finally, the employer prefers new hires who will be able to become effective in their job as fast as possible. This requires figuring out how the organization operates, your tasks and expectations, where to get mentorship, communication channels, etc. To master all this information fast, the new hire should use analytical reasoning to understand these important components and their relations at the new workplace.

Obviously, different fields and industries would require their own analytical approaches and modes of critical thinking. Research assistants in the science fields would use different inquiry methods than research assistants in policy organizations. Business professionals of various specializations would employ different analytical tools to meet their goals. Educators, media and communications specialists, program coordinators or event planners — all would use different analytical approaches, strategies and techniques in their day to day job. However, the principles of analytical reasoning and critical thinking are universal, which makes them essential transferrable skills.

Now, while I am working on my second part of this blog, I would like to suggest that you get busy as well.

First, put on your analytical reasoning cap and analyze your academic, internship, leadership, work and other experiences to find suitable examples of utilizing analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills. Think of specific projects and tasks that you have accomplished where you had to figure out components (factors, aspects, steps), research, and evaluate them separately and together. Think of any examples where you identified information gaps, flaws, or thought through and/or suggested possible alternatives.

Next, put on your critical thinking cap and try to assess your performance on these tasks and think of specific ways you can continue further developing these skills.

Competition is Good

By Chemeketa SBDC

Do you sometimes wish your competition would just go away? That you could be the only business in town that does what you do so you don’t have to worry about gaining or keeping customers? What if I told you that having competition can actually make your business stronger?

Whether it’s directly or indirectly, business owners almost always have to compete for their customers and then to retain those customers. And in an age of online shopping, the competition is both local and global. But, believe it or not, competition can be a good thing. It can help you understand your niche, it can show you where you are weak, it can motivate you to improve, and it can lead to unexpected partnerships. The key is to see your competition as an ally (of sorts) rather than an enemy.

In other words, competition doesn’t always have to be about winning and losing. It can be about growth and learning, building and partnering. How would it feel to see your competition as there to help build your business? How would you do business differently if you believed that both you and your competitors can be profitable, that no one has to lose?

Here are a few things to think about the next time you look down the street, across town, or on the web to see what your competition is up to:

What do you know about your competitors? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How long have they been in business? What are they particularly known for? How might you support them? Be open to discovering you have immense respect and admiration for those you have been competing “against.”
Do you know what sets your business, product or service apart from theirs? Use this information to get clear about your target market and how it differs from your competitors’. Perhaps a potential customer is really a better fit for your competition: are you willing to refer them so your customer gets what they are really looking for?
Make a list of five reasons customers should choose your product over your competitions’ without putting your competitions’ product down. If you have to spend energy making another business look bad, you don’t have that energy available to tell your potential customers why your business, product, or service is the best possible choice for them (assuming it is). Besides, it’s not very becoming either.
Be honest with yourself about how your competition is better than you. Is their product superior? Do they have better customer service? How can you learn from and emulate what they do well? Are you willing to ask them for help?
How can you collaborate with your competition to create win-win situations that lead to greater profits for you both? Be willing to make referrals to your competition as appropriate and don’t be afraid to play nice in the sandbox; you never know where a positive relationship with your competitor might lead.

More Than the Registration Fee: Reasons to Invest in LSAT Prep

There is a lot of conflicting advice out there about the best strategy for taking the LSAT – how long to study, how many times to take the test, and even about how “good” a predictor it is of anything at all. The one thing everyone seems to agree on? The LSAT is not just a test; it’s an investment. And it’s an investment that can significantly impact how much you pay for law school down the line. One major theme that emerged for hopeful law students who attended The True Cost of Law School: Budgeting Beyond Tuition on April 6: Invest in a quality LSAT prep program.

You’ve probably heard that law school admission is based on two things: LSAT and GPA. Of the two, many admissions officers will say the LSAT score is their priority in assessing how aid will be distributed. This is also true for merit-based aid. As the number of law school applicants has dropped, schools have begun to compete more actively for the best-qualified applicants – often using merit-based financial aid as incentive to attract those applicants. In this competitive environment, the higher your LSAT score, the better your odds not just for admissions, but also for scholarships. According to Benjamin Leff, professor at American University’s Washington College of Law, a three-point bump on the LSATS can mean the difference in thousands – or tens of thousands – of dollars in financial aid. Consider scholarships in India which is a very good alternative.

Another reason to commit your time and your money to preparing for the LSAT? It’s an opportunity to spend small (relatively – compared to law school tuition down the line) early in the process and figure out if law school is right for you. Though it’s often debated, research suggests that the LSAT is a key predictor of bar performance. Law schools often claim that your score is the most consistent predictor of how well you will do the first year in law school and on the bar exam. If studying and then sitting for a test like the LSAT isn’t something you’re willing to do, consider how you’ll handle the three or four months of studying you’ll eventually need to commit for preparing to pass the bar and become a practicing attorney.

For the budget-conscious law school hopeful, investing $1500 or more in an LSAT prep program might seem like a lot to ask. Be creative, and use all of your resources. Above the Law suggests online options like podcasts and videos, which may cost nothing. The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) makes available (for free) Official Prep Materials, including sample questions with explanations, old tests, and videos. There are even free apps you can download to practice exam questions, connect with instructors in a community forum, and more. However, even if your hope is to get your LSAT prep for free, Above the Law still recommends that you invest in real LSAT materials to use for practice. At a minimum, take your LSAT prep seriously. Don’t try to take the test cold, or with only minimal preparation. Look for high quality test prep materials with strong reviews from actual test takers at every price point.

If you decide to enroll in a commercial preparation course, do your homework – before and during the class. Talk to others who have taken the same course at the same location, ideally with the same instructor. Be skeptical of any course that makes outrageous claims about raising your score. Commit to the program – showing up for the classes is not the same as participating and will not be enough to improve your score. You’ll need to devote significant time outside the classroom to master the material. And lastly, ask about discounts or scholarships. Though not widely advertised, some of the larger prep companies provide discounts to students with demonstrated financial need.

Most importantly, remember that becoming a lawyer is embarking on a career, not just finding a job. Taking the LSAT is one of the earliest steps in beginning your legal career on solid ground. Take it seriously, and invest your resources accordingly.

Keeping Tabs on the Competition

By Chemeketa SBDC

Want to know what your competitors are up to? It’s important to keep tabs on them so you know what your customers know. It doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money nor time, and you’ll learn a lot.

Your first step is to clearly understand your own company’s goals and strategies, and where you stand in the marketplace. Then, and only then, can you understand how you stack up in comparison to competitors. Get a handle on your own business, then choose a handful of competitors to monitor.

Figure out what really matters to you, and hone in on those factors. Watching competitors often involves paying attention to their motivations (what is driving them?), their revenues or profits (as much as you can tell from the outside), how management is behaving and making decisions, and your assessment of their capacity to meet their goals.

Create a system to gather information and store it (folders in a shared drive that are accessible to anyone in your company for instance). And establish a regular time to analyze the information, perhaps quarterly.

Gathering the intelligence is easier than ever, and thanks to the internet, can be largely automated. Here are some common sources to check in with.

• Your competitors’ websites are a first stop to find out what they’re up to. Make a practice of scanning them. And then look into a free website likewww.WatchThatPage.com that monitors specific pages and sends you an email alert when they’re changed.

• News sources can give you information. Google your competitors, and sign up for email alerts on news.google.com.

• Check public sources like the Corporations Division to see changes in ownership. You can also access unpublished information through a Freedom of Information Act request.

• Ask your employees what they know; you might be surprised what they can tell you. They talk to customers all the time and pick up lots of tidbits along the way.

“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.

#1. I’ll never manage to pay out my student’s loan

#2. Without experience I won’t find a decent job

#3. No recruiter will say that I’m a good candidate

#4. Moving back to parents? Great. Exactly what I’ve studied for

#5. My friends are far more successful and happier then me. Hate them.

Summing up

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By Chemeketa SBDC

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