Make the Most of Attending the Career Fairs (CPA – 9/27, Fall Career Day – 10/4)

By: Alina Nesterenko

The fall career fairs are around the corner! The CPA fair will take on place September 27^th on the fourteenth floor. Career Day will take place October 4^th at the VC gymnasium. What’s the best way to stay calm in what can appear to be an overwhelming environment? Be prepared and be confident! Knowing what to do before, during, and after these events will help you succeed.

Employers at the CPA Fair are seeking out accounting majors, while the Fall Career Day is geared towards all professions and majors. Visit StarrSearch and look under the Events tab to find out which employers will be coming to these fairs. With the information at your disposal ahead of time, you can plan which employers with whom you would like to speak. Not only that, but you can demonstrate your enthusiasm, passion, or curiosity about the company to the recruiter if you have done proper research. Some companies have released information about the positions they are looking to fill. Applying online before the fair is a good idea. You can ask thoughtful questions about the position to show your interest. Remember to bring with you a list of the employers and their summaries because you will not be given a packet when you arrive.

Aside from being knowledgeable, you must look presentable. Your appearance is one of the most important steps in preparing for the fairs because it will be the first impression you will give a recruiter. You should not aim to stand out for your unique choice of attire. The dress code is business professional. In short, wear a dark suit. For some, the term “professional” may include removing eye-catching piercings, cutting long nails, and straying away from flashy jewelry. You should bring at least 20 copies of your most up-to-date resume in a nice business portfolio or a neat folder. Plan according what you will bring with you, so you do not leave your stuff unattended.

Now that your company research and appearance are taken care of, think about your behavior. The first thing you will have to do when it is your turn to speak to the recruiter is shake his or her hand. This means you must practice giving a firm handshake. After, you will likely give your personal pitch. A personal pitch is a short (1-2 minute) summary of yourself, which may include your current major, year, school involvement, and your reasons why you are interested in the company. A good pitch is more thoughtful than just a list of facts the recruiters can read on your resume. It is should be a good segue to mention what you are looking for in a company or a job function. More times than not, this personal pitch will spark a brief conversation between you and the recruiter. The recruiter will give you a better feel for the company’s culture and will answer questions you may have.

Be mindful of the recruiter’s time. If the line behind you is long or you are running out of things to say, you can always reiterate your interest in the company, thank the recruiter, and see whether the recruiter is collecting resumes. For more tips, visit SCDC’s website to view media videos such as How To Tie a Tie, Career Fair Tips, and Don’t Fabricate Your Resume.

It is crucial that you thank the recruiter not only at the conclusion of the dialogue, but also in an email after the event is over. Therefore, do not forget to politely ask for a business card or e-mail and follow up. It will be easier to write the e-mail if you have taken notes throughout the fair on the people with whom you’ve spoke and the things you have discussed. A personalized email, where you refer to something mentioned in a conversation, is always better than a generic thank you.

Whether this is your first or fifth go at the career fair, walk in with an open mind. Visit employers that have shorter lines than some of the bigger names. Not only can you make a new connection and be exposed to a new role, but you can also practice saying personal pitch and thinking on your feet. This can be your warm-up before you speak to your top choices.

The career fairs give students access to new opportunities within many successful firms. It is a chance for them to show recruiters why they are ideal candidates for positions looking to be filled and have meaningful conversations that discuss their future career paths, display interest in the company, and demonstrate their strengths. Be prepared as best as you can be and have fun with it! Be genuine. If you have any questions, the Starr Career Development is here to help. Be sure to check out our workshops such as Job Fair Prep, Resume Rush, and Building Your Brand: The Personal Pitch.

Building a Career in Information Technology

By: Jason Ioffe

If you want to build a career in Computer Science or Information Technology earning a degree is just the beginning – securing these careers takes a true passion for learning. You must invest plenty of time and effort to make your mark in these highly competitive fields.

Over 300,000 jobs as computer information systems managers are offered each year in the U.S. according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median pay for these jobs are approximately $116,000 and those hired with entry-level positions typically need a bachelor’s degree and over five years of related work experience. So how does a college student strengthen their chances of breaking into a field that requires so much hands-on experience?

Well the answer is, practice!

In the modern business world, websites are equipped with electronic databases and the applications that drive them. To practice your skills, Oracle’s entire suite of database tools and Microsoft’s Visual Studio Express are all available via free download. Thanks to the Internet, budding tech specialists have a limitless supply of resources available to draw from.

Tinker and experiment outside of your academic and professional obligations. Perhaps the muses have swayed your heart into web design – Code Academy and Git Hub are great free online resources for all levels of proficiency.

The world of IT is constantly evolving and so should you. After over eleven years of professional experience, I still learn new things every day. Sometimes it is as simple as a new approach to problem solving; other times, I take a dive into a new application suite or programming language. In fact, almost every new IT or CS related undertaking will have you learn unfamiliar systems.

Many young professionals eager to get in the field of computer systems cannot solve programming hurdles during their technical interviews. But it is also essential to note excellent analytical, communication, critical thinking, and teamwork skills are necessary.

Even with all of these skills, you will have to network to have the best chance of landing a job. LinkedIn is your friend – not only does it help you locate and connect with key people in your industry, it also allows your colleagues to endorse you for specific skills like systems integration or C++ programming.

It may be a long and winding road toward success in the world of IT or CS. But it if you thrive on technological innovation then the computer industry might be for you.

Jason Ioffe is a Peer for Career at the Starr Career Development Center, the Webmaster of Starrlights, and a software developer at the Baruch Computing and Technology Center

Using Academic Experience to Strengthen Your Resume

By: Carolina Pena

Carolina Pena is studying Marketing and Photography at Baruch College. She worked at the Starr Career Development Center as a Peer for Career.

For many college students, one of the most difficult parts about strengthening a resume is listing professional experience in their chosen major field.

At Baruch College, group projects form a major part of the courses we take throughout our student careers, especially when we begin to enter our major courses. Many group projects we complete in class are as valid as any professional experience in the workplace.

If you do not have professional work experience one way to show an employer you have knowledge in your field is by listing a project. Similar to having work experience on a resume, you may detail the experience with two or three bullet points explaining your responsibilities, skills used, accomplishments, and results of the project.

In my third year at Baruch College, I listed a class project in place of professional experience on my resume because prior to this I did not have any marketing experience- aside from my leadership and extracurricular activities.
The project I listed came from a course I took in the spring semester of 2012 entitled, “Advertising and Communications.” I presented, researched, and coordinated a group to create an integrated marketing communications campaign for an international apparel and accessories company.

I decided to use this experience on my resume to demonstrate my knowledge of the field and my leadership role as the group’s coordinator. Categorized this class project under RELEVANT PROJECTS and placed it below my education section. I used clear infinitive phrases to explain the purpose of the project briefly and my duties, while highlighting key marketing skills and key words from my industry.

Example:

Marketing Campaign, Advertising and Communications, Baruch College

Presenter and Researcher

Presented a fifteen minute report on how to effectively launch a campaign to promote apparel and accessories for “Sally Albright Merchandise”
Researched marketing logic and tools to target female consumers ages 16 to 20 years

As students we have many ways of exemplifying different skills and qualifications through our academic experiences which can be placed on a resume.

Students looking to strengthen their resume, but do not have any pre-professional or professional experiences in their field of interest can use this technique to enhance their resume. In addition to project experiences, you can also list two to six related courses completed in college and include extracurricular leadership roles. These strategies will help employer identify what knowledge and skills you can bring to the job.

Using these strategies, you can show employers that what you learn in the classroom can also be transferred to the workplace. In addition, you can feel better knowing that you do in fact have valuable experiences to help you succeed in landing the interview and the job.

Strategic Goals for a New Semester

By: Paul Rosario

Paul is a Peer for Career at the Starr Career Development Center and also works as the Director of Communications at the Transfer Student Organization.

With a fall semester full of surprises—the unexpected wrath of a hurricane and an additional few Sundays added to the academic calendar—many have realized the importance of planning ahead.

But of course planning is only as good as how well you create specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timed goals.

Here are a few steps you can use to write smart and effective goals.

Reflect on the entire year. Think about your successes and shortcomings. Take out a sheet of paper and list at least four possible goals you would like to achieve in this semester.

Be SPECIFIC and not general. For example, instead of saying you want to pass your Finance course, write you want to receive an A in your finance course. This way, you can better assess the amount of effort needed to achieve your goal.

Answer the 5 W’s: Who is involved? What exactly do you want to accomplish and what are your obstacles? When do you want to achieve your goal? And why do you want to achieve this goal?

MEASURE your progress. This helps you to stay on track and identify where you need to work harder. In addition, when you actually see that you are making progress, it will motivate you to follow-through with your goal.

In revisiting the Finance course example, you can use exam scores, assignments, and participation as criteria to measure the progress of your goal.

Set ATTAINABLE steps towards reaching your goal. You need to decide on the route you want to take to your goal—whether this means more time studying, visiting the SACC Tutoring Center or meeting your professor during office hours.

REALISTIC goals are important because you need to dedicate the time and work to achieve them. Part of being realistic is being brutally honest with yourself. How successful are you in accomplishing your goal? Is this goal too ambitious to achieve in the time period? Is this goal less rewarding than you thought it would be?

TIME your goals. This allows a specific timeframe to complete your goal while keeping in mind additional obligations that others expect you to complete. But timing your goals well is crucial to staying committed and motivated in your pursuit.

Evaluate your progress during the process of achieving your goal by identifying issues of concern. Take a step back and assess if the route you are taking to your goal needs to be changed.

If you are successful in your goal think of specific reasons why. Were you able to meet each step in the SMART goal? If you were not successful think about what step you may need to work on and come up with a new goal!

As the spring semester begins, we wish you the best of luck and advise that all students set one or two SMART goals. Whether they are personal, professional, or a mixture of both. Goals are keys to an enriching your college career.

References:

Doran, G. T. (1981). There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives. Management Review, Volume 70, Issue 11(AMA FORUM), pp. 35-36.
Meyer, Paul J (2003). “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail? Creating S.M.A.R.T. Goals”. Attitude Is Everything: If You Want to Succeed Above and Beyond. Meyer Resource Group, Incorporated, The. ISBN 978-0-89811-304-4.