After the turkey...

When you know you can't eat another bite, and watching the game is  a problem 'cause Uncle Harold  fell asleep on the only comfortable chair and is snoring so loudly that Aunt Diane has tried twice to wake him...when  you need some diversion...Check out these interesting and useful career blogs:

http://www.onedayonejob.com/ -- Written by Willy Frazen, a relatively recent Cornell grad. Each day, he profiles a different entry-level job.

http://askamanager.blogspot.com -- A hiring manager rants, raves and gives advice about all things workplace. She also responds to questions from job seekers and employees.

http://www.quintcareers.com/articles.html -- A huge compendium of career articles on virtually every topic for every type of job seeker (entry level, career changer, experienced, etc.).

http://classroomtocubicle.org/ -- a blog written by 10+ soon-to-be grads who are chronicling their job searches.

http://newgradlife.blogspot.com/ -- a blog written for new grads

http://www.careeradviceblogs.com/-- a list of many career blogs

A Freshman’s Thoughts about the October 17th Career Fair

By Kevin Aquilano

Each individual who chooses to continue education beyond high school has a goal or career in mind that they would like to achieve.  Each student is at a different level, not just in education but in maturity and life in general. Whether you are a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior or even an alum, each of us has our own perspective.  I am a freshman here at Montclair State University, a future History Education major, as well as an employee in the Center for Career Services & Cooperative Education. I recently had the opportunity to attend the Center’s 2012 Fall Career Fair as part of my job, but it turned out to be an experience I hadn’t expected.  Although I was there to work, I took the liberty of analyzing and examining not just the employees and career opportunities, but more importantly, the students who came to the Fair.  As I checked each individual into the Fair, I could see that each and every person had his or her own story, identity, personality and character. But the most interesting aspects to watch were how differently students at different levels of their education and lives dressed, spoke and carried themselves. This observation proved that with education comes maturity and with that maturity comes responsibility. So when I looked at these upperclassmen and alumni and the efforts they were making in order to ensure their success, I couldn’t help but get excited about my own turn in the future. Although these individuals were not aware of the impression they were making on me, they were an inspiration to at least this one  underclassmen here at Montclair State University!

So many decisions, so little time?

Is that how it feels? You  know you have to find a part-time job very soon, figure out what to major in this year,  identify a career interest so you have something to tell the family at Thanksgiving, do a co-op-- it all can seem more than a little overwhelming! But that is why the Center for Career Services and Cooperative Education is on campus! You are not alone...come talk to us during drop-in hours (no appointment needed) between 2pm  and 4pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday or by appointment (made by calling 973.655.5194). And once you have a declared a major you have your own advisor.

But what to do in the meantime? How about getting "unstuck"? Stop worrying and start thinking about things in your life that make you happy...have made you happy over time. Sometime the very best clues for answers to all of the questions above are the simplest ones...for instance:

1. How do you distract yourself when you are very tired or have a bad cold? Is it just TV? do you read? yak on the phone? play Scrabble online? start writing your novel? Is the activity introverted or extraverted? The clues begin...

2. What things have always made you feel proud of yourself? (And it doesn't matter if anyone else was proud.)  Create a list of all the "best moments" in your life. Then see if you can find a consistent theme running through those moments. Were you being creative or were you in charge of something? Were you inventing some new way of approaching a problem? Were you using your speaking ability? Have a friend look at your list or come to the Center to talk about what you have discovered.

3. What fascinated you when you were 13 - 17 that, for a variety of reasons, you no longer pay attention to. What did you want to learn about that school somehow never got to?

4. If no one else were paying attention, what would you major in? what kind of work would you like to do? What do you want to do with your "life energy"?

Come to the Center for Career Services and share what you learn about yourself!

6 year old writes a great cover letter! So can you!!!

Just have to share this funny,  adorable, intelligent cover letter written by a 6 year old kid. The author's comments about this letter of application are instructive about the best ways to actually write  your own letter.

If you need further info, check out our step-by-step instructions at http://www.montclair.edu/CareerServices/studentservices/acoverletteris.html.

Tips for Top-Notch References

(Adapted from an article by Kelli Robinson -- Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, copyright holder, http://www.naceweb.org/)

 "References available upon request" is a statement that can make or break your job offer. Here are 9 tips for assembling a successful reference list.

1. Ask, don’t assume. Ask your references for permission to use their names. Confirm the following:

• Do the people you include as references actually want to give you a reference?
• Does their schedule permit time to discuss your qualifications?
• Most importantly, what kind of reference will they be? When it comes to references, neutral is the same as negative, so ask your contacts to be honest: Can the people you ask give you a positive recommendation?

2. Let the professionals do the job. Potential supervisors are not interested in hearing friends or relatives talk about how nice you are. They want confirmation for their main objective: Are you going to deliver the duties of the job? Good reference sources include previous supervisors, co-workers, professors, or advisers. Think outside the box: If you voluntarily coordinated an organization’s fund-raising effort, the organization’s supervisor could be a great reference. It doesn’t matter that you weren’t paid.

3. Avoid name dropping. A reference’s name or job title is insignificant compared to the information he or she will provide regarding your strengths and weaknesses. CEO may be a loftier title than supervisor; however, who can better attest to your abilities on a daily basis?

4. Provide references with the appropriate tools:

• Give each reference a copy of your resume, so he or she has a complete picture of your background.
• Provide a description of the job to which you are applying. Knowing the duties and responsibilities ahead of time will prepare references for questions they may be asked and help them relate your experience to the potential job.
• Alert references to potential phone calls. Contact your references and tell them to anticipate a phone call or e-mail.
• Tell them the name of the company, and the position for which you interviewed. If you know the name of the person who will check your references, offer that information, too.

5. Keep your references informed. Were you offered the job? If so, did you accept? When will you start?

6. Thank your references. When you accept a job offer, take the time to write each of your references a thank-you note. They have played a valuable part in your receiving an offer.
Keep in touch. 

7. Don’t end contact with your references. Send an e-mail, call, or meet them for lunch on occasion. You never know when you may need to call upon them to be references in the future.

8. Update your list. Just as resumes become outdated, so do reference lists. As your career builds, keep your reference list up-to-date.

9. Return the favor. Your references may have been the deciding factor in your job offer. When you are asked to be a reference, say yes.

Congrats to all our new graduates. The following article is courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, and provides some very important info as you consider your first professional position. (Don't forget that the Career Center is open all summer and we  are here to help!)

Benefits Count

As you look for your first job, you’re probably not thinking about becoming ill, retiring, or looking for tax breaks. However, you should consider benefits to be an important part of your compensation package. According to the most recent survey of new college graduates, the top benefits desired by new hires include medical insurance and such “core” financial benefits as salary increases, tuition reimbursement, and a 401 (k) company match. Benefits that deliver more immediate satisfaction, such as family-friendly benefits, more than two weeks of vacation, and flextime are increasingly important. A good benefits package can add as much as 30 percent to your overall compensation and may make a huge different in your work/life quality! Here is information about some commonly offered benefits:

Health insurance

This is an important benefit for three financial reasons: 1. Even if you have to pay for all or part of the coverage, it’s cheaper to get insurance through an employer at group rates than to purchase it on your own. 2. Health insurance is comparable to nontaxable income—providing health insurance could cost your employer upwards of $4,000 per year per employee—and you don’t pay tax on it. If you were to purchase health insurance, it might take more than $5,000 per year out of your pocket—after taxes. 3. The third advantage, of course, is, if you get sick or have a surfing (or horseback riding or bungee-jumping) accident, your medical treatment is paid for (in part or in full, depending on your policy).

Annual salary increases

More money? Of course that’s a good thing. In recent years, some employers have frozen salaries—not given any raises—or given minimal, 1.4 percent raises. According to Aon Hewitt’s annual U.S. Salary Increase Survey, average salary increases over the past couple of years ranged up to about 4 percent. If you earn $44,500, a 4 percent raise will increase your income by $1,777.

Tuition Reimbursement

One way to get ahead in your career is to continue learning—keep up with the latest trends in your profession. In this case, your employer pays all or a portion of your tuition costs for classes related to the business of the company. In some cases, employers reimburse for nonbusiness-related classes and for supplies such as books.

401(k) plan

A 401(k) is a retirement plan that allows you to put a percentage of your gross (pre-tax) income into a trust fund or other qualified investment fund. In many cases, employers will match your contribution up to a certain percentage—this is “free” money that can add to your overall compensation package. Why is this important to you since retirement is still 30 or 40 years away? According to The Motley Fool, a multimedia financial-services company, someone saving $5,000 a year beginning at age 25 will have $787,176 at age 65 (assuming an 11 percent annual return on savings). Waiting until age 35 cuts your investment earnings in half, to a total of $364,615. Wait until age 45 to start your retirement fund and you’ll have only $168,887—not much to live on in retirement. Typically, you can direct your contributions and the matching funds into investments offered through your employer. And your 401 (k) is portable—you can take it with you if you change jobs.

Flex spending account

Also known as flexible benefits and Section 125 plans, these plans let you put aside money (via a deduction from each pay) before taxes to cover various types of costs such as payment of health insurance and life insurance premiums, and vision care, dental care, or child- or dependent-care costs. By using money held out before taxes, you’ll spend pre-tax dollars on necessities and you’ll show less earned income on your federal tax return—so you will pay a lower percentage of your income in taxes.

Family-friendly benefits

Do you have to have a family to collect these benefits? Absolutely not! Family-friendly benefits can mean a lot of things.

• Flextime allows you to vary your workday start and stop times, within limits.
• Paid time off (PTO) deposits your paid-time off (e.g., vacation, holiday, sick, and personal days) into one bank from which you withdraw days, which you allocate as you wish. This means you could wind up with more than two weeks of vacation.
• Telecommuting allows you to work from home or at an alternative work site for part of the week, checking in with the main office via telephone and computer. Some employers provide the office equipment for home use; in other cases, you cover the costs associated with telecommuting.

Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, copyright holder, www.naceweb.org.

Wow! Is it really the end of the semester?

We know you are busy with end of the semester papers, finals, projects. We remember it well, but we want to invite you to take advantage of all that we offer:

• career counseling
• on-line job listings
• on-line instructional videos
• resume critiques
• interview role-playing
• social media and the job hunt
• lots more

Additionally, I was taken by a quote I read recently by the late Milton Berle, "If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door." Even in an improving job market, you may need help building a door. All the career advisors in the schools and colleges, as well as those of us in the central office in Morehead, are here to help with that construction. Come see us this summer! Make an appointment by calling x5194.

A week off!

You have made it to break! Congratulations. So... a time for some R and R...a chance to go to the Apple store and see if you really want to buy the latest Ipad or are you on the beach somewhere? (We're not jealous much!)

Now, here's another idea: Take advantage of some breathing time and visit the Center for Career Services and Cooperative Education in Morehead Hall 'cause we are  OPEN throughout break.

• Come visit and make an appointment to see your career advisor, or come and use the career library.
• Thinking about doing a cooperative education internship at some point? Come listen to the required video available whenever the office is open.
• Have your resume critiqued after you have listened to our online workshop and created a rough draft.
• Just need someone to talk to about your future if you are undeclared or have already graduated?

Enjoy break, but come see us too!

The Next Big Thing!? Video Resumes!

Something new has been added to the job hunt landscape: the video resume. And whether we like it or not, it is an obvious and probably inevitable use of technology, soooo the Center is making it available to Montclair students and alums via Optimalresume  BUT…

            While the technology is cool, we have to seriously consider the implications.  Human beings are judgmental by nature and sadly, still suffer from biases.  So, potential employers might view your video resume and make a rash decision based on how you look, how you hold yourself, even how you speak.  If you decide to create a video resume, just know there are potential consequences.

If there are “risks” why use a video resume?

• The video resume can be a potent tool in your job search arsenal.  Simply having a video resume alone suggests that you are technically competent, a valuable skill in these internet focused times.
• The content of your video resume could be directed to a certain field, or specifically designed to highlight your knowledge of a particular employer.  Want a job in sales?  Make the video a sales pitch.  Want a job in the arts?  Make the video a performance.  Want a job in teaching?  Film a brief lesson. 
• There’s lots of room to distinguish yourself from other candidates and plenty of opportunity for creativity. 

Optimal video resume tutorial: http://vimeo.com/35950889

  Just remain professional, and whatever you do, don’t do this: What Not to Do With Your Video Resume

A more dignified example is here.

and how are you feeling?

 A recent NY Times article (1/5/12) cites the work of Carol Ryff, the director of the Institute on Aging at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, who developed six broad categories as measures of well-being:

• personal growth (having new experiences that challenge how you think about yourself); 
• autonomy (having confidence in your opinions even if they are contrary to the general consensus); 
• supportive social relationships; 
• self-regard (liking most aspects of your personality); 
• control of your life; and 
• a sense of purpose. 

and while these categories were developed for a population older than the typical college student, it struck me how many of these related to one's career development. So, here are some questions to assure your current well-being:

1. What are you doing this semester to increase your personal growth? What new experiences are you trying? Have you joined an on-campus club or organization? Have you tried a different part-time job? Have you volunteered anywhere this year? How have you challenged yourself so you can learn more about yourself?
2. Have you given yourself a chance to develop further autonomy and leadership skills? Have you begun to trust your own decisions in class or on the job? Are you "pushing" yourself a bit to speak up in class on topics you care about?
3. Are you spending time with people who support your choice of major and career? Are you allowing yourself to discover some new friends with similar values and dreams?
4. Increasing your self-regard goes a long way in life...when all is said and done you are the person you can depend on throughout your life so give yourself new opportunities (see #1) to try new things, do well and increase your self respect and regard when you suceed.
5. Control of your life includes creating a  worklife with sufficient challenge to encourage growth and enough support to allow you to try new opportunities without feeling at enormous risk. 
6. A sense of purpose in your work makes all the difference long-term. Feeling that what you do has value and meaning is clearly better than work that leaves you feeling "What's the point?"

Let the Center for Career Services and the career directors in your college help you look at these six points to increase your sense of well-being and fulfillment.

Improve your personal economy!

The economy is improving and the start of a new semester is a good time to improve your personal economy by planning for your future! (If these tips seem familiar, they should, as we have listed them before, but think they are worth repeating!)

1.  If you're unsure of your career direction, do some self assessment on the web (see http://www.montclair.edu/CareerServices/undergraduate/whoami.html). Using these tools should be one of your first steps in researching careers. 

2. Make an appointment to meet with a career counselor by calling x5194 to discuss the self-assessment exercises you have done.

3. Research careers at http://www.montclair.edu/CareerServices/studentservices/researchocc.html.

4. Talk with your contacts -- family, friends, professors, teachers, neighbors, peers, colleagues, mentors -- about potential careers. 

5. Register with Career Directions, our on-line job listing service, at http://www.montclair.edu/CareerServices/studentservices/careerdirections.html and check positions at least once a week. New positions come in 24/7!

6. To check out work that you think might be interesting, find an employer who will let you volunteer. Use Career Directions to do this as many employers list volunteer positions with the Center.

7. Join a LinkedIn group in your industry. Go to http://www.montclair.edu/CareerServices/onlineworkshops/Linkedin/player.html to learn how.

8. Meet with your career counselor to discuss what you are learning about yourself and the world of work.

 

9. Practice interviewing with "Interview Prep", available from the Virtual Career Center.

10. Write your resume and have it critiqued in the Center. Come to drop-in (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2-4pm for a face-to- face critique).

11. Use "Optimal Resume" to format your resume -- available from the Virtual Career Center.

12.  Identify job listing sites specific to your industry by using the RileyGuide.  Put your resume on-line at sites you have identified.

13. Be sure to schedule information interviews. Click here to learn how.

14. Identify faculty and employers who can act as references in your job hunt. Be sure to ask their permission before naming someone.