By: Nadezda Semenova, Peers for Careers Correspondent

(As orginally published in the Ticker: http://ticker.baruchconnect.com/article/career-corner-establishing-a-mentoring-relationship/)

Very often, we do not realize how important having a mentor is. However, as history has shown, successful people do not achieve greatness without the help of others. “A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself” is how Oprah Winfrey once described her relationship with her first mentor, Mary Alice Duncan.

Specifically, she was the fourth grade teacher who helped Winfrey “to not be afraid of being smart.”

While mentorship is crucial to developing our careers, students who are starting to build their personal network may face the question: where do I find a mentor?

As Sheryl Sandberg writes in Lean In, “[mentoring relationships] probably won’t develop from asking a virtual stranger, ‘Will you be my mentor?’ The strongest relationships spring out of a real and often earned connection felt by both sides.”

You may already experience such connections with your parents, professors, peers and friends. Although you may not refer to them as mentors, these people may provide you with advice, guidance and constructive criticism.

Another way of finding a mentor is through networking. As Julie Winkle Giulioni wrote in her book Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: “Today, the lines between mentoring and networking are blurring. Welcome to the world of mentworking.”

Mentoring is especially relevant to Baruch College students who have access to weekly corporate presentations, panel discussions and other networking opportunities. Finding a mentor can be as easy as engaging in meaningful and thoughtful conversations with professionals during an on-campus event and then following up with them afterwards.

Baruch also provides a formal mentoring program, Executives on Campus (EOC). The program provides a forum where students and willing mentors come together with programs like the Academic Year-Long Mentoring Program and Mentor for a Morning. Jacqueline McLoughlin, Director of EOC, notes that both programs have grown significantly.

This year, the program made 360 mentor-mentee pairs for the year-long program, compared to 200 pairings last year.

The foundation of a good mentoring relationship is mutual trust and respect.  It is also important to be clear on expectations. Often, students have the misconception that a mentor will do all the work for them or will hand them a job. Either of these assumptions is wrong. Having a mentor is a privilege and involves showing effort.

The mentor-mentee relationship is about becoming a better communicator, figuring out career goals and aspirations, and developing professional connections. For example, mentors can share their insight in the industry, help you to create and polish your resume, and prepare for an interview.

Another important aspect of mentoring relationship is communication. Because people have different personalities and schedules, it is good to learn of a mentor’s preferred method of communication and have a clear time frame for meetings and follow-ups.

Do your homework before coming to the meeting, have questions ready, and think about topics you want to discuss. Communicate your goals, obstacles and achievements on a regular basis, and be open for an honest feedback.

In addition, it is necessary to remember that mentoring relationship is two-sided. Mentees mistakenly believe they have nothing to offer and feel uncomfortable constantly asking for help.

However, each mentee has his/her interests, actions, and progress, which can entice mentors to want to help. Read articles authored by your mentor, learn more about their industry, invite them to speak on a panel at your club event, or simply ask what they are working on now. All these actions will help you to contribute to cultivating a stronger relationship.

Once this relationship is established, like any other, it will have its peaks and hollows. As a mentee, it is your responsibility to stay in touch. Keep your mentor updated about your achievements and progress.  Having a mentor requires work, but it definitely pays off.

 

By Christina Badali, Arame Mbodji, Brittany Masi and Arisleydi Garcia: Peers for Careers Correspondents

(As orginally published in the Ticker: http://ticker.baruchconnect.com/article/career-corner-your-options-for-graduate-school/

Applying to graduate school can be overwhelming. In order to narrow the search, students should answer the following key questions:

Why do you want to go to graduate school? How long do you see yourself in school? Are you willing to move for school? Would you enroll full-time or part-time?

How are you going to pay for school? Are you willing to take out student loans?

Once students have an understanding of what they are looking for, they can form their list of programs using online resources like gradschools.com. Information on this website includes duration of the program, location of the school, degrees offered, tuition costs and financial aid.

Keep in mind that there are independent scholarships available to students based on field of interest, demographics and military experience, to name a few.

You should also contact the admissions office of specific programs to ensure that the information you obtained is accurate. Next, you will have to determine whether or not you need to take an entrance exam.

Graduate school entrance tests are field-specific. These exams are prepared by teachers and practitioners in the industry and are used to determine if you have the skills required to succeed.

Some graduate programs will give you the option of different exams that you may take while others may ask you to take more than one. For this reason, it is important to find out which tests are required for your program. GRE, GMAT and LSAT are some of the requisite standardized tests.

In cases where taking an entrance exam is not a requirement, it is important to consider costs and whether taking standardized tests will make your application stronger.

There are various ways of studying for entrance exams, and you should choose what best fits your learning style.

However, the cost should also be taken into

consideration.

Private tutoring and test preparation classes are often very expensive.

A cheaper alternative is to use study guides that can be purchased at bookstores. Additionally, online guides and sample tests are available at minimal or no cost. It is important to give yourself plenty of time to study.

The more you study, the more confident you will feel.

Students will most likely apply to more than one program, and it is likely that each program will have varying application deadlines.

For this reason, it is important to stay organized throughout the application process.

It may be helpful to create a spreadsheet that lists all of the programs to which you will be applying with a column specifically for important deadlines. In another column, you should include the personal statement prompt required of the admissions application.

Lastly, in order to remain as organized as possible, it is important to keep track of when you are submitting application documents.

These include entrance exam scores, undergraduate transcripts, a personal statement and the application itself. By keeping track of when these documents are submitted in your spreadsheet, you will eliminate the chances of submitting an incomplete application.

By taking these tips into consideration, you will be able to survive the graduate school application process, hopefully with an offer of acceptance from the school of your top choice.

By Jiaxin Yu, Peers for Careers Correspondent

(As orginally published in the Ticker:http://ticker.baruchconnect.com/article/career-corner-interviews/)

Getting an interview requires effort—the never-ending process of preparing resumes, networking, writing cover letters, and applying to postings can be tedious.

Eventually, however, the work pays off, and you are invited to an interview.

Interviewing can be intimidating, but it does not have to be if you properly prepare. With preparation, it is reasonable to expect the interview will go smoothly.

While students may want to cram the night before the interview, as they would for an exam, this is not a recommended strategy.

Interviews are conversations—not oral exams.

You need to be prepared to talk about yourself and your experiences. It is easy to fall into the trap of not adequately preparing, since you assume that you know all about yourself.

However, stuttering and struggling to find the right words during the interview, especially for simple questions, may throw you off and inhibit your ability to get the job offer.

Most interviews will start with, “Tell me about yourself.” Knowing this, take the time to prepare a personal pitch that directly answers this question.  It will set the stage for your confidence level for the remainder of the conversation.

The Starr Career Development Center (SCDC) has received employer feedback that many Baruch  College students display a weakness in articulating why their skills match position qualifications.

Employers also cite not doing thorough enough research of the company or position as another area of interviewing weakness.

Over the summer, SCDC created and launched a workshop specifically with the purpose for researching companies to address this issue.

Key things to review include the company’s mission statement, corporate culture, as well as the services they provide.

Being well-versed in your knowledge of the company’s vision and development can help you elaborate on how you can be an asset to them.

If students want to practice their interview skills, they can schedule mock interview appointments online through their Starr search accounts.

To make the most of a mock interview, bring your resume and position description.

On the day of the interview, be well-groomed and wear appropriate attire. Business suits need to be cleaned, ironed, and well-fitting. Making a strong first impression is key.

Additionally, it is suggested to arrive at least 15 minutes early for an interview.

These extra minutes allow you to sort out any nervous thoughts before you actually go in.

During the interview, remind yourself to focus on your strengths. Be prepared to elaborate on your skill set though relevant experience. If the recruiter asks about your weaknesses, state them—but also demonstrate the steps you have taken to minimize them.

At the end of the interview, ask the interviewer questions. Whether they are about the company or the position, be mindful to ask things that show thoughtfulness and are not available through a simple Google search.

Preparation is key for a successful interview.

Students who dedicate an adequate amount of time and effort to interview preparation are better equipped to present themselves in a self-assured way that will best earn consideration and acceptance from recruiters.

By Jason Ioffe / Peers for Careers Correspondent

(As orginally published in the Ticker: http://ticker.baruchconnect.com/article/career-corner-leading/)

Baruch College’s student population, which consists of more than 14,000 undergraduate students, has given rise to more than 200 on-campus clubs and organizations. The mission of campus clubs can vary from focusing on professional development to health and fitness, religious and cultural history as well as honor societies and fraternities. All students, whether they began their Baruch journey as freshmen or transfer students, are actively encouraged to participate in these student-led activities. It is important to challenge yourself and go beyond merely attending events by actually stepping into a leadership position.

Club committees and executive boards allow students to exercise their strengths in a practical setting. For example, if you like graphic design, consider being the chair of publicity for any given club.

While clubs are nonprofit, they operate with real budgets and test problem-solving skills, both of which will translate directly to the workplace.

Coordinating amongst club members requires the ability to collaborate, negotiate and delegate. Furthermore, students will develop transferrable skills that are highly valued by employers, like attention to detail and time management.

Additionally, club leaders must constantly learn about their target audience because the student population is constantly evolving with the matriculation of new students.

Employers often look to hire students with campus leadership experience. The primary reason for this is due to the enhanced soft skills—verbal and written communication—that many club leaders possess. While courses may help you develop subject-matter expertise relevant to enter a given industry, the possession of soft skills is equally valued by employers. The constant refinement of your communication skills gained through experience leading a club will benefit you in your field of work.

It will also help you to feel comfortable meeting new people and building your professional network. By combining technical and soft skills, prospective employees show they can work well in any team to produce tangible results and stand out from the competition.

By getting involved in leadership roles during their undergraduate career, students also gain crucial insight into their own personal leadership styles and the roles they take on in group settings. Some people may be driven to achieve goals in short spans of time while others may excel at bringing people together or resolving team conflicts.

Everyone has unique strengths as leaders, and by understanding their individual strengths, students will discover what team settings work best for them. Applying personal strengths in the workplace results not only in more efficient work but also in creating a more pleasant and natural-feeling work environment.

As mentioned, there is an enormous variety of clubs in which you can participate. Take advantage of your time at Baruch to experiment with different interests and meet new people. There is no single best club to join, so explore and enjoy any that may appeal to you. Rest assured that all leadership positions on campus offer opportunities for personal development and can hold a strong place on your resume.

By making a positive impact on the college community, your legacy will live on long after graduation and guarantee a strong professional network to depend on for years to come.