Archive for Category: Job Search Tips
How to Get Smarter
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Gen Y Entrepreneurship Generation Y/Millennials Getting from College to Career Job Search Tips Recommended Career Resources on September 2, 2011 at 8:09 am
We live in an economy and society centered around information. This means you must be knowledgeable to get ahead. Luckily, two free web-based tools can help you increase your smarts easily and efficiently.
I’ve come to use these tools on a daily basis and wanted to share them with you. (Note: I’m writing about these tools because I love them and use them. I have no official relationship with them.)
1. Instapaper. As a career expert, one of the most frequent pieces of advice I give is to read the news every day. This means, at the very least, reading a major national news source and subscribing to industry publications and blogs. Most people follow this advice by skimming each day’s headlines, reading some digest emails and checking their social networks for shared articles.
Doing all of that is fine, but it means that most people only have a surface understanding of news and current events. For many topics this will suffice, but the most successful people have a much deeper level of knowledge about their particular field, and current events as well.
How do they do this? By reading longer articles, opinion pieces and in-depth analyses. For instance, book editors read full-length reviews in The New York Times Book Review. Financial professionals read feature articles in Harvard Business Review. Doctors read studies in The New England Journal of Medicine. If you really want to make it big, you need to get smarter by going deeper.
The problem, of course, is that deep reading is incredibly time-consuming. Enter Instapaper. This no-frills app allows you to save any online article to your iPhone or computer (some other mobile devices work with the app as well) and read it when you have time. When I’m not able to read an article I know is important, I’ll Instapaper it and then read when I can. This ensures I don’t miss important content and it helps maximize my “downtime”. Riding the subway, sitting in traffic and waiting at a doctor’s appointment are great opportunities to catch up on my reading.
If you’re not sure what is important or interesting to read, check out Instapaper’s weekly selection of the best articles on the web. Not only will you feel smarter, but you’ll also have a great diversity of knowledge to talk about at networking events, job interviews and other situations where you want to make a good impression.
2. Klout. Knowing more information makes you smarter. And so does knowing more about yourself. Klout is a relatively new tool that provides information about the influence you have online. Your Klout “score” uses data from LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social networks to determine the people you influence through your online activities. Then, the site gives you an overall designation such as “observer,” “dabbler,” “activist” or “thought leader” in the categories you like to engage in. In other words, Klout analyzes how much you’re viewed as a knowledgeable person online.
Why should you care? Because your Internet image matters to your career. As recruiters and hiring managers pay more and more attention to candidates’ social media presence, a high Klout score could help you land a job (or a client or an investor).
Remember that in today’s competitive market, success is not just about what you know, but how you show it. Instapaper and Klout are here to help.
What other tools help make you smarter? Please share!
8 Steps to Effective Informational Interviews
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Communication Skills Generation Y/Millennials Getting from College to Career Internships Job Search Tips Networking Advice Networking and Personal Branding Professionalism on June 16, 2011 at 12:00 pm
8 Steps to Effective Informational Interviews
One of the most frequent pieces of advice I give to young professionals is to seek out successful people and ask to conduct an informational interview with them. Essentially, an informational interview is a networking meeting where the interviewee (the successful professional) agrees to share some career advice with the interviewer (you).
I conducted tons of informational interviews when I was a student and young alum, and now I’m often the one being interviewed. And here’s the thing: If someone impresses me, I’ll go out of my way to help that person find a job or connect them with other people I know. If that person doesn’t seem to take the informational interview seriously, I usually end the call early and rarely keep in touch.
If you want to be in the former group with the people you ask for informational interviews, here are some secrets to success:
- Confirm. At least 24 hours in advance of your scheduled phone call or meeting, confirm with your interviewee. This shows that you respect the person’s time and that you are taking this opportunity seriously.
- Be on time. This is just as important for a phone call as it is for an in-person meeting. If you have agreed to 2pm, call at 2:00pm on the nose. Again, it’s a matter of respecting the other person’s time.
- Do your research. It’s really irritating when someone asks to speak with me and then his or her first question is, “Can you tell me about what you do?” A simple Google search will lead you to my (or anyone’s) LinkedIn profile, Twitter feed, website and all of the articles and blog posts I’ve written. This opening question isn’t a smart use of the time you have to gain valuable career advice.
- Clearly and concisely explain your situation. In most cases, the person you are interviewing won’t know much about you (don’t assume that he or she has read your resume or any other information, even if you’ve sent it in advance). So it’s a great idea to start the call with a brief (one- to two-minute) introduction to who you are and what you’re looking for. For instance, “I’ve just graduated with a BA in computer science and I’ve completed a few internships at big companies. My goal is to find a job at a start-up in the Boston area where I can work in product development.”
If you’re not totally sure what you want to do, it’s fine to say that you’re not sure yet, but do give the person some indication of the fields you’re interested in. For example, “I’ve just graduated with a degree in communications and, although I’m not completely sure yet what career to pursue, I’m currently looking at positions in public relations and marketing and would be open to other opportunities as well.”
- Prepare questions in advance. I recently spoke to a student who had prepared about 5 questions to ask me in a 30-minute phone call, which struck me as the perfect number. She clearly had specific issues she wanted to discuss and I really respected the fact that she had prepared so thoroughly. Her questions were also a good mix of specific (regarding a particular interview she had coming up) and general (she asked me what books I was currently reading and would recommend to a recent grad).
- Show that you’re listening. Remember that you are the interviewer in this situation, so it’s important to be a great listener. You want your interviewee to do most of the talking so you can gain as much wisdom as possible. This means repeating back some of the highlights of your interviewee’s advice and jotting down some action steps that you can share with the interviewee at the end of your call. For instance, perhaps the interviewee recommended a book to read or a particular company to research.
Sharing action steps is also a fantastic way to set up the expectation of a follow-up conversation. Tell the interviewee that you will be in touch as you accomplish the tasks he or she has suggested.
- Send a thank you email within 12 to 24 hours. Just like a formal job interview, an informational interview— even a very quick or casual one—requires a thank you email. The sooner you send one, the better to stay on that person’s radar screen and show that you appreciated his or her time. A handwritten note is a nice gesture, too, but given the speed of the world today, I generally prefer email thank yous following an informational interview.
- Keep in touch. If someone has agreed to an informational interview, that person now has an investment in your success and wants to hear how you’re doing as your job search continues. While you don’t want to overdo it, it’s absolutely appropriate to follow up with this person in a few ways:
- As mentioned, let the person know that you have taken action on his or her suggestions.
- Connect on LinkedIn with a personalized connection request that can serve as another thank you note (for example, “Thank you again for taking the time to speak with me last week. I look forward to keeping you posted on my job search!”).
- Be sure to inform this person when you eventually land a job. Everyone wants to feel that they contributed in some way to your success.
Do you have any other informational interviewing tips or best practices? Please share!
Getting Started on LinkedIn: Advice for Recent Grads
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Getting from College to Career Job Search Tips LinkedIn Networking Advice Networking and Personal Branding Personal Branding Recommended Career Resources Social Media on May 20, 2011 at 12:00 pm
In honor of LinkedIn’s IPO on the New York Stock Exchange yesterday, I thought it would be a good time to share some reminders about why the site is valuable to young professionals and how to use it effectively.
As the largest and most vibrant professional social network in the world (100 million members in over 200 countries and counting), LinkedIn provides a wealth of opportunities for personal branding, networking and finding jobs.
As a spokesperson for LinkedIn for the past two years, I’ve learned a lot about how to get the most value out of the site. My biggest piece of advice is this: LinkedIn doesn’t work unless you work it. You must take control of your profile and visit the site frequently to get the most benefit.
Here are some tips for getting started, especially if you’re new to the professional world:
- Make your profile heading pop. Far too many young professionals insert a generic term such as “Recent graduate” or “Job Seeker” as their LinkedIn profile headline. This is a big mistake. Your profile headline is the first thing people will read on your profile, so you need to think of it as a marketing tool. Be as specific and keyword heavy as you can. For instance: “Honors Marketing Grad from UCONN Seeking Opportunity in Consumer Packaged Goods” or “Recent LSU Grad with Extensive Nonprofit Experience.” For ideas, check out the profile headlines of other recent grads or entry-level employees you admire.
- Write a professional Summary statement. Your LinkedIn Summary statement should resemble the first few paragraphs of your best-written cover letter — concise and confident about your goals and qualifications. Remember to include all of your experience, including internships, volunteer work, and extra curriculars. You should also include key words and phrases that a recruiter or hiring manager might type into a search engine to find a person like you. The best place to find relevant keywords is by researching the job listings that appeal to you and the LinkedIn profiles of people who currently hold the kinds of positions you want.
- Display an appropriate photo. Remember that LinkedIn is not Facebook. If you choose to post a photograph on your LinkedIn profile, opt for a professional, high-quality headshot of you alone. You don’t necessarily have to wear a suit, but baseball caps, party photos, cartoon avatars, and glamour shots from last weekend’s formal don’t fit in the professional environment of LinkedIn.
- Share your (career-related) news. Like other popular social networks, LinkedIn provides the opportunity to share brief status updates with your connections. But again, remember to stick to the professional. I think of my LinkedIn status updates as brief conversations I would have at networking events: “I just read a really interesting article you might enjoy. Here is the link…” or “I’m attending our industry conference next week. Are you going too?” You never know what nugget might catch someone’s attention and spark a conversation or opportunity.
- Connect with friends and family. Once you have a great profile, start building your LinkedIn network by uploading your online address book and connecting to friends, relatives, internship colleagues, and professionals you know in the real world. The best networks begin with those you know and trust, and then grow based on personal referrals.
- Customize your connection requests. As you build your connections on LinkedIn beyond your friends and family, don’t use the generic “I’d like to connect on LinkedIn” note. Instead, always customize your connection requests with a friendly note and, if necessary, a reminder of where you met or what organization you have in common. You’ll impress people with your personal touch.
- Join groups. To get even more out of LinkedIn, join groups related to your professional interests and communities. I recommend joining your university’s LinkedIn group first, and then search for industry groups related to the career or careers you want to pursue.
- Don’t be a stranger. Once you have a great profile and have joined some groups, your work is only beginning. Set reminders in your calendar to visit the site on a daily basis to reach out to connections (with informational interview requests, check-in notes, etc.), to read through and comment occasionally on group discussions where you have something to add, to update your status and comment on other people’s updates and to research available job and internship opportunities in the Student Jobs Portal.
For more information about making the most of all of LinkedIn’s features, check out http://learn.linkedin.com and the student video series (featuring the voice of yours truly!) at http://learn.linkedin.com/students.
What other advice do you have about getting started on LinkedIn? Please share!
(Photo credit: Evan Gotlib, my husband who was at the NYSE for the IPO!)
Can Blogging Help You Get a Job?
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Job Search Tips Networking and Personal Branding Personal Branding Social Media on May 12, 2011 at 2:30 pm
By Lindsey Pollak
According to the Nielsen Company’s BlogPulse, there are over 161 million public blogs in existence. Clearly, writing a blog is an amazingly popular thing to do. But can writing a blog lead to career opportunities? The answer is increasingly yes.
When done in a professional way, writing a blog can lead to many benefits in your post-college job search, including real internship and job opportunities. Here are a few of the benefits of blogging:
- Enhancing your online personal brand and Google-ability
- Demonstrating skills such as writing, design, photography, and analytical thinking
- Showing your ability to take initiative and commit to a project
- Connecting you to a whole new network of other bloggers and commenters
Because the barrier to entry is so low — blogging platforms like WordPress.com, Blogger.com and Tumblr.com are all free — blogging is also something you can try for a while to see if you like it. If you do decide to join the blogosphere, here are some tips for getting started:
1. Write for the career you want. While it’s nice to blog about any topic that interests you, the only way your blog will help your job search is if you write about the industry you want to join. If a recruiter checks out your blog, he or she must know immediately what you’re interested in. One of my favorite blog posts by tech evangelist Robert Scoble puts it this way, “Post something that teaches me something about what you want to do every day. If you want to drive a cab, you better go out and take pictures of cabs. Think about cabs. Put suggestions for cabbies up. Interview cabbies. You better have a blog that is nothing but cabs. Cabs. Cabs. Cabs all the time.”
2. Be very careful what you post. The major reason most job seekers don’t blog is because they’re afraid that blogging might hurt their chances more than help them. This is a very real concern. If your blog is filled with photos of cats playing the piano, rants about parking tickets or sad tales of relationships gone bad, you’re not going to impress any employers. Think of your blog as a purely professional forum and you should be just fine.
3. Be consistent. Although I said that you can give blogging a try before you commit entirely, once you do commit to being a blogger, you have to post consistently. (And if you decide you don’t like blogging, delete the entire blog from the web so it doesn’t look as if you abandoned the project. You can share your favorite past posts on Facebook or elsewhere.) It’s up to you whether you want to post once a day, once a week, every two weeks, etc., as long as you post consistently. If your posts are sporadic, it will appear that you’re not fully committed, which does not impress employers.
4. Drive people to your blog. The downside of being one blogger among 161 million is that people may have a hard time finding you. This means you have to be proactive about guiding people — especially potential employers — to your blog. As long as your blog is 100 percent professional, you should list it on your resume, your business cards, your LinkedIn profile, your email signature line, your Facebook contact information, your Twitter profile and anywhere else you can think of.
5. Drive blog readers to your credentials. On the flip side, you want to make sure anyone who comes across your blog is aware that you are a great job candidate. On the “About” page, be sure to include links to your LinkedIn profile and a PDF download of your resume.
Has blogging enhanced your career or helped you land a job? Please share!
How to Use Social Networking for Career Success: An Interview with Miriam Salpeter
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Generation Y/Millennials Job Search Tips LinkedIn Networking and Personal Branding Personal Branding Recommended Career Resources on May 5, 2011 at 4:00 pm
By Lindsey Pollak
In recent years, social media has transformed from a convenient way for college friends to stay in touch to an essential tool for professional networking and personal branding. In her new book, Social Networking for Career Success: Using Online Tools to Create a Personal Brand, career expert Miriam Salpeter shares the ins and outs of social networking.
Miriam was kind enough to answer some of my questions about how young professionals can maximize their professional use of social media.
LP: What does social networking have to do with career success?
MS: In a competitive market, success seekers need to do what they can to differentiate themselves and highlight their value propositions. Social networking is an amazing tool to do just that. Here are two major reasons why: 1) social media offers users a chance to share their expertise and 2) using these tools can connect them to people they would probably never otherwise know; those people may be exactly the ones to introduce careerists to a targeted contact.
LP: How can people use social media to illustrate their expertise?
MS: All of the networks I highlight in the book, especially LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and blogging, make it easy to let your network know what you do and how you solve problems. Sharing expertise can be as easy as sharing a link to a relevant article along with a smart comment on Facebook or Twitter. It’s as simple as answering a question via LinkedIn with insight and expert information. Don’t underestimate the potential these connections may offer.
LP: What’s the best social network for job seekers?
MS: The first place job seekers should spend time is on LinkedIn. It is the go-to hub of professional networking and continues to expand the ways it allows job seekers to connect and extend their networks, especially via the Answers section and by using Groups.
That said, my favorite network is Twitter, because it is so open, and allows users to find, follow and interact with people they otherwise would never know. Once users find a community of people in their field to follow and communicate with, Twitter can provide a constant stream of information, professional development opportunities (right on your desktop), information about specific jobs and the chance to connect directly with colleagues, mentors and prospective bosses.
LP: Most young professionals are primarily active on Facebook. Can that site be used in a professional way? If so, how?
I admit, I hesitated at first to suggest using Facebook for professional reasons. However, when you think of the sheer number of people using Facebook (so many more than any other network), and the fact that 27% of firms locate hires via personal referrals from employees, it makes sense to “be where they are” and consider how to harness Facebook’s power for job hunting.
I advise readers to do a careful audit of their Facebook profiles and to remove anything a potential employer may consider objectionable. This includes photos inappropriate for professional environments, “trash-talking” comments, excessive negative comments (no one wants to hire Debbie Downer) and memberships in groups such as “I hate Mondays” or “Working is for suckers.”
I advise setting privacy settings for “just friends” for everything except for “About Me” (write a professional bio), “Education and Work” and “Contact Info.” Opening these sections to “everyone” helps recruiters using Facebook find you and also allows various Facebook applications, such as BranchOut, Jibe.com and SimplyHired.com’s Facebook tool to connect you with potential opportunities.
LP: You say social media can connect people to others they’d otherwise never meet. How can that help a young job seeker?
MS: Any job seeker or business owner’s goal is to be found. Malcolm Gladwell’s book, The Tipping Point, outlines how important it is to broaden your network – to meet and connect with “weak ties,” people who previously had no direct relationship with you – in order to find contacts who can help. Touching base with people beyond your immediate network may be just the thing you need to connect with someone who can really help you propel your plans forward.
Another thing many not already involved in social media don’t realize: online connections have a tendency to be extremely generous and willing to help. The book is full of stories of people who received crucial help from strangers online.
4 Easy Ways to Spring Clean Your LinkedIn Presence
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Job Search Tips LinkedIn Networking and Personal Branding Personal Branding Social Media on April 11, 2011 at 10:00 am
By Lindsey Pollak
For those of us who live in cold weather climates, turning the calendar page to April is a glorious moment. Although it’s still cold outside, you know that spring really is on the way.
If you’re like me, that first whiff of warm air also gives you the decluttering bug. That’s right — it’s spring cleaning season.
While most of us do some spring cleaning in our homes and offices, today I’m going to talk about spring cleaning online. These days, our computers and databases and social networking profiles can become just as cluttered and musty as our closets and garages and desk drawers.
If you feel as if your LinkedIn experience could use some sprucing up this spring, try implementing these 5 tips:
1. Kick-start your keywords. If you’re not attracting a lot of interest to your LinkedIn profile, take a look at what words you use to describe yourself. They might be doing more harm than good. Last month, LinkedIn released a list of the top 10 LinkedIn profile termsthat are most overused by professionals based in the United States. According to LinkedIn data, those terms are:
- Extensive experience
- Innovative
- Motivated
- Results-oriented
- Dynamic
- Proven track record
- Team player
- Fast-paced
- Problem solver
- Entrepreneurial
To read the rest of this article, visit the LinkedIn Blog.
Should Your Resume Have a QR Code?
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Job Search Tips Networking and Personal Branding Personal Branding Recommended Career Resources Social Media on March 17, 2011 at 10:00 am
By Lindsey Pollak
I posed this question on Twitter recently and received mixed responses from job seekers, recruiters and others. Some people said they’re already seeing QR codes on resumes (one person mentioned seeing them on professional conference badges as well), other people think the trend is too aggressive and won’t catch on and still other people replied, “Um, what’s a QR code?”
Before we go on, let’s answer that last question first. (And I fully admit I would have asked the same thing a month ago.) QR codes — QR stands for “quick response” — are those small, square barcodes that can be scanned by mobile phones and other devices.
As you’ve probably noticed in magazines, on billboards and elsewhere, QR codes are becoming more and more popular for marketing. When you see a QR code, you simply take a picture of it with your phone’s camera (assuming you have the right application installed) and you’ll be directed to the embedded information in that code, such as a website or text message.)
Why could this be relevant for job seekers and other professionals? Because of the crucial importance of standing out from the crowd. Adding a QR code to your resume, business card, portfolio or any other personal marketing tool could be the detail that helps you get noticed by an employer, particularly if you want to work in an industry such as marketing, real estate or technology in which QR code savvy is important.
How do I create a QR code?
You can use Google to create a QR code (see a simple step-by-step explanation from the Optimal Blog here). I created the above QR code on Google in under two minutes. As you’ll see, it directs you to the Manpower Professional Job Seekers Career Center, where you can find some of my past blog posts and other helpful career content.
Ryan Rancatore of Personal Branding 101 blog suggests that you monitor the results of your QR Code placements by using bit.ly to shorten your link before creating the code. Then, use bit.ly’s analytic tools to track visits to your link. This is a great way to see if your QR code is catching on and to know which employers are potentially interested in you.
Where should my QR code send people?
There are many options here. Depending on what you feel best represents you, your QR code might send people to your website (as long as it’s professional), your LinkedIn profile, a downloadable vCard with your contact information or an online portfolio of your work.
A company called Vizibility recently announced that personalized QR codes are now available for their Vizibility SearchMe links, which direct people to a user’s top five verified Google search results. If you have particularly good Google-ability, this might be an option to pursue.
Will people get it?
Afraid that people won’t know what that little black and white box is? Not to worry, writes John Heaney on The Job Shopper blog: “Even if the individuals reading your resume don’t know how to act on the QR code, including it on your resume can still position you as someone who is technically proficient, stays up to date on business trends and technology and is an early adopter of powerful and creative ideas.”
Ryan Rancatore agrees, “Maybe [people] won’t scan your QR Code. But I guarantee they will take note of this unique aspect of your resume, which in itself is a major victory.” But, as a precaution, Rancatore recommends providing people with the URL that the QR links to in addition to the QR graphic itself, just in case. “Be sure to include both your URL and the QR Code,” he writes, “so those without smartphones can still reach your web destination.“ I definitely agree.
So what do you think? Will you add a QR code to your job seeking efforts? Please share your thoughts!
p.s. For an interesting, general take on QR codes, check out Mashable’s neat infographic.
How to Turn an Internship into a Job: A Q&A with Nate Whitson of Intern Match
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Internships Job Search Tips on March 9, 2011 at 12:05 pm
By Lindsey Pollak
This week’s post is a Q&A session with Nate Whitson from Intern Match. As you’ll see, Nate shares some valuable tips and pointers on getting, keeping and making the most of internships.
1. How has the internship world changed over the past 5 to 10 years?
The value and importance of internships have changed in many ways over the last 10 years. First, internship experience has evolved from simply a resume booster to essentially a pre-requisite for landing an entry-level job.
Second, the popularity has increased. In fact, the number of internships taken by students has increased over 8-fold in the last 10 years, and internships are now the #1 way in which employers are hiring students.
Because of this increase in importance, internships have become much more competitive in the past decade. Career changers, graduate students and even high school students all compete for the same positions. This means that looking for positions early and often in college is essential.
2. A lot of recent grads are taking unpaid internships after they graduate. Can you discuss this trend and whether you think this is a good choice for a recent grad who can’t find a full-time, paid position?
In the current economy, recent graduates are having a hard time finding jobs and are willing to do just about anything to get a foot in the door. At the same time, other employees who are being laid off are trying to break into new industries — and at times are offering their services as unpaid interns. This means businesses are seeing applications from a variety of qualified candidates who are willing to work for free.
There are a lot of problems with this. Unpaid internships can be exploitative, and they exclude those students and graduates who need to support themselves with a wage. They are also illegal in some circumstances.
That being said, considering an unpaid internship as a recent grad depends on the individual and the opportunity. For example, some non-profits or startups simply cannot afford to pay, but offer a highly educational experience that may be worth taking (in fact until this year, White House internships were unpaid). My recommendation is to keep an open mind, but be cautious of organizations looking to exploit over-eager job seekers. Part-time unpaid opportunities are frequently a better decision.
3. What are some ways to get the most out of an internship?
The first step of any internship is proving your salt – turn work in on time, keep a positive and professional attitude, and make yourself a valued member of the team.
Throughout the internship, develop a broad understanding of how the organization works, what skills different employees have that make them valued, and talk to your co-workers about their jobs and how they got there. Networking is more powerful when combined with a sincere interest in your co-workers’ career paths. Also, focus in on learning industry-specific software tools, like Salesforce for a sales internship, or QuickBooks for an accounting internship. This experience is something that is not taught in school.
4. How can people turn an internship into a full-time job?
Turning an internship into a job is a matter of proving your commitment to the organization and going the extra mile — even on small tasks (all organizations have grunt work, and showing that you are committed regardless of the task helps prove that you are indispensible).
Also, staying in touch with your boss after the position is over is a great way to convert internships into jobs. Connect with co-workers on LinkedIn, try to assist the organization in finding their next intern and write a positive article or blog post in your school newspaper or department blog about the experience.
5. Can you share some tips and tricks about the intern hiring process?
Having a great resume is essential. You can view our sample internship resume here, and know that highlighting past work experiences in a quantitative manner helps a resume standout.
Getting hired also means marketing yourself. Develop a professional persona that you use in all of your applications. Create a LinkedIn account that includes a professional picture. Make this picture the same as your Facebook picture (as long as it’s professional), and print out business cards.
The easiest and most often overlooked tactic that makes a major difference in the hiring process is following-up. Send a kind follow-up email the day after your interview. If it was an in-person interview, send a hand-written “thank you” note. Small personal touches will make you stand out.
Thank you to Nate for answering my questions today. What additional questions do you have about internships?
5 Job Search Tips for International Students
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Generation Y/Millennials Getting from College to Career Job Search Tips Networking Advice on February 17, 2011 at 1:39 pm
By Lindsey Pollak
I was struck by a recent front page story in The New York Times that discussed the steady rise in Chinese students applying to U.S. colleges and universities.
While the article focused on how schools like Grinnell College in Iowa actively recruit in China and how an international students can “have an edge if he or she can pay full tuition,” my mind immediately fast-forwarded four years: Will the same universities that wooed these students and took their money help them land jobs when they graduate? No one seems to be talking about this.
Well, no one that is except the students themselves. On almost every campus I visit, international students from China and elsewhere approach me seeking advice on how to land positions in the U.S. once they receive their degrees.
Here are the tips I share, based on research, conversations with successful international workers and my own experience attending grad school in Australia and acquiring a visa to work there for an additional year:
1. Start early. This is good advice for any student (particularly in the current job market), but it’s especially crucial for students from outside the U.S. It will inevitably take longer to find a job with an employer that sponsors employees requiring work visas, so the sooner you start to look for positions, the better chance you’ll have.
2. Become an expert on the laws. Take it upon yourself to become an expert on your situation. The more you personally know about visas, work permits, deadlines, academic requirements, etc. (check out the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services website for lots of information) the better decisions you’ll be able to make and the more empowered you’ll feel. Yes, this is a lot of work, but it’s more than worth it.
3. Engage with career services. In addition to doing your own research, seek expert help. Particularly if you attend a school that has a large population of foreign students, your university’s career services office will have lots of experience helping international students. Take advantage of everything they offer! Attend any event specifically for international students, read all information your career services office publishes and set up an appointment with a career counselor to discuss your individual situation.
4. Network. As more and more international students attend U.S. universities, there is a growing community of alumni who have walked in your shoes. Meet these people and ask for their advice! Through your career services office, professors, LinkedIn and Facebook, seek out people a few years older than you who have come from your home country and managed to find jobs in the U.S. They’ll likely be happy to share some tips and possibly even introduce you to the hiring managers at the companies where they landed jobs.
5. Stay positive and confident. While it can be frustrating to go through an international job search and visa application process, remember that you have a lot to offer an employer. Fluency in multiple languages, knowledge of international business practices and a global perspective are all extremely valuable in the workplace right now. Make sure that you are confident in your own abilities so an employer will want to invest in you.
Are you an international student who has landed a full-time job in the U.S.? Please share any additional tips or advice!
Guest Post: A Crash Course on Networking and Getting What You Want!
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Communication Skills Generation Y/Millennials Getting from College to Career Job Search Tips Networking Advice Networking and Personal Branding on February 11, 2011 at 8:00 am
Stephanie Rushford is an associate editor for EarlyRisersweekly.com, a website that follows Generation Y’s involvement in politics and activism. Hannah Brencher is a liaison at the United Nations for a non-governmental organization, freelancewriter, and a researcher for She’stheFirst.
Lindsey Pollak was gracious enough to offer some tips and tricks to us at our She’stheFirstLeadershipSummitthis past month. For all those who struggle with networking events or professional gatherings, read on to learn how to take your networking skills out of the box and into a position that will prepare you to “make the ask” for just about anything.
Networking is normal: The initial idea of walking up to a stranger to start a conversation may be a daunting task for anyone—especially when you want to impress someone—-however, networking is completely normal. That magazine editor in chief or financier was once in your shoes. It is important to be yourself; your colleagues will appreciate your honest and unique approach.
You’re not the first: Many times young professionals will build up the networking event or meeting in their mind; it is important to understand that supervisors and managers have networked with young professionals before. They have heard the same questions before and can offer sage advice to help guide your career. You are not reinventing the wheel by asking a manager what skills you need to promote your organization successfully—it has been asked before—-you are showing them that you have what it takes to succeed.
A real relationship: Once you make a connection with someone be sure not to abuse the relationship by being a ‘taker.’ The relationship must be mutually beneficial for both parties to succeed. If you ask an editor to review your reel, how about offering your time to help log tapes for them? Before you ask for a favor, ask yourself: what can I give in return?
No fear: Don’t be afraid to talk to anyone. Many businesses and entrepreneurs are eager to assist college students and recent grads; people are often willing to help you if you just ask them. Take the risk and talk to that highly successful executive, an opportunity missed is an opportunity lost.
Move on: Inevitably, you may be rejected in your efforts to connect with someone; they will not respond to your email or phone calls. It is paramount to move on and not obsess about this one negative experience. There will be more opportunities to showcase your talents and winning personality, and next time you just might get a ‘yes’ instead of a ‘no.’
Now that you have the skills for networking it is time to “make the ask.” Whether it’s asking the local bakery to donate cupcakes for an upcoming event or asking a CEO to help cover start-up costs for an organization, there’s a definite science involved. Turns out, it’s not as simple as the old saying, “ask and you shall receive.”
Do your homework: No matter what the need is, big or small, go into the “ask” having done your research. The Internet eliminates any excuses behind walking into a situation without knowing the history of a company or the demographic it targets. Be well prepared and knowledgeable about the organization or individual you are approaching.
Never underestimate a subject line: Let’s face it, most of us have a full inbox by lunchtime. It’s important to include a stand-out subject line in your emails, like “Girls’ Charity Seeking Your Support” that will prevent the reader from pressing “delete.” Though the exterior matters, the interior of your email counts most. Keep your message short, polite and to the point. No need to type 500 words for what can be said in only 150.
Everything happens in the follow-up: Be a person of your word and check back with anyone you have reached out to. Following up will show an individual that you are still dedicated and interested in engaging with them. Are you one to forget the follow-up? Mark it in your calendar and don’t shrug it off when the time comes. After all, you were the one to reach out so it’s important that you see the communication through to the end.
Thank You. It’s still the golden word: The message never tires, no matter what age we reach: say thank you! Despite being an in age where email is the primary form of communication, nothing quite compares to a handwritten note. Even after thanking a person look for ways in the future to acknowledge and involve them in future happenings.
