Posts Tagged: career
Career Advice from Bossypants
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals on April 15, 2011 at 9:00 am
By Lindsey Pollak
I just finished reading Tina Fey’s new book, Bossypants, and I absolutely loved it.
Fey shares a fair amount of career advice in the book, especially for women in male-dominated industries like comedy, and I wanted to share one passage that particularly stood out to me as excellent advice for both women and men.
Fey tells the story of Amy Poehler, new to Saturday Night Live at the time, playing around in the SNL writers’ room and doing something vulgar and “unladylike” as a joke.
While most of the comedians and writers in the room are cracking up, Jimmy Fallon isn’t. “Stop that! It’s not cute! I don’t like it,” he says.
Poehler stops her routine cold and says, “I don’t #@&$ care if you like it.” And she goes right back to making everyone else laugh (which is her job, after all).
Fey describes witnessing this moment as a “cosmic shift” for her. While of course we often do have to worry what people think — bosses, clients, law school admissions officers, etc. — many times we don’t. We can trust our instincts and just do our jobs the best way we know how. How freeing not to care what most other people think, to ignore the haters!
Of course it’s not smart to blindly disregard all negative feedback, so if you find yourself in a situation where someone is criticizing your work (or anything else about you, for that matter), Fey advises you to ask this important question, “Is this person in between me and what I want to do?”
If the answer is yes, then it’s in your best interest to deal with the feedback constructively.
If the answer is no, which — let’s be honest — it often is, Fey’s advice is to simply ignore it and move on. Focus instead on the feedback and measures that do matter to your success, like sales data, formal reviews and promotions.
I know it can be hard to take criticism of any sort, and I know I’ve been guilty on more than a few occasions of being way too sensitive to disapproval. But Fey’s advice is so wise, and the younger you can learn this lesson, the more successful and happy you’ll be.
So, the next time a classmate, colleague, frenemy or even a total stranger criticizes you for doing what you think is right (“You’re such a grind. Stop studying so hard.” “Why are you becoming a kindergarten teacher when you could make more money working in a corporation?” “Stop getting so dressed up for work. It makes the rest of us look bad.”), do your very best to ignore it and move on.
Again, remember that it is in your best interest to care when the criticism is coming from someone who is actually formally assessing you. But in all other cases, channel Amy Poehler and say to yourself:
“I don’t #@&$ care if you like it.”
But, of course, I really hope you like this blog post. :)
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 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 Generation Y/Millennials Getting from College to Career Job Search Tips 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.
Career Advice from Punxsutawney Phil
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals on February 2, 2011 at 12:37 pm
While anxiously awaiting Punxsy Phil’s big prediction on Groundhog Day, I started to think about the star himself. Except for the fact that he only works one day a year, Phil is a professional role model in several ways that provide good lessons for us all:
- Phil knows his unique value proposition. When it comes to personal branding — an essential element of career success in the 21st century — it’s very important to differentiate yourself, to know what you do better than anyone else. Phil has this nailed. According to his website, Phil is “the only true weather forecasting groundhog.” I challenge you to create such a succinct and compelling pitch!
- Phil employs an online and offline personal branding strategy. In addition to being clear on his unique abilities, Phil is smart about employing in-person and online efforts to connect with people. In recent years, he has become savvy about leveraging his annual in-person (in-groundhog?) event online by broadcasting a live webcast, managing an informative website and frequently updating his Facebook fan page. How can you better combine your online and offline networking or personal branding efforts?
- Phil delivers on his promises. There are few things more irritating to an employer than an employee who overpromises and underdelivers. If you say, “I’ll have that report to you by Friday,” don’t send it the following Monday. Phil understands the importance of reliability. Looking back at the history of his work, you can see that Phil always emerges from his burrow on February 2 between 7:20 – 7:30am and makes his annual prediction. Where in your career can you do a better job of setting and meeting expectations?
- Phil surrounds himself with supporters. Did you ever notice all the guys in top hats surrounding Phil during his big moment? These men are known as Phil’s Inner Circle, and although I personally would like to see more gender, ethnic and generational diversity on his team, I commend Phil on knowing that no one can be a star performer alone. We all need a strong group of mentors, advisers, friends and colleagues to support us on the good days (early spring!) and bad (six more weeks of winter). Do you have a deep bench of supporters helping you as your career grows?
- Phil “does less and accomplishes more.” As previously mentioned, Phil works just one day a year for a few minutes (and people thought The 4-Hour Workweek was radical!), but he is undoubtedly at the top of his profession. While I’m not suggesting we should all adopt Phil’s schedule, I do think his success is a nice reminder that working smarter, not harder, is a worthy goal for us all. Is there an area of your career where you can do less and accomplish more?
Happy Groundhog Day!
How To Beat the Winter Career Blahs
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals on January 27, 2011 at 5:00 pm
By Lindsey Pollak
I am writing this blog post while watching snowflakes pile up on the windowsill outside my New York City office. The snow is beautiful and peaceful…that is, until I have to go outside and trudge through it.
As much training as I’ve had in “appreciating the moment” and “turning lemons into lemonade,” I’ll be honest: this freezing, snowy winter is starting to get me down.
If you’re feeling the same way, here are some techniques I’ve been employing to beat the winter doldrums. I hope they’ll help you, too:
- Pep up your online profiles. When was the last time you looked at your LinkedIn profile? How old is your main Facebook photo? Have you followed any new people on Twitter lately? It’s easy to fall into a rut with social networking, especially when you’re busy with other things. But winter — when a lot of people are spending time inside, online — is a great time to refresh your online presence.I’ve just done a new upload of my contacts on each social networking site to connect with people I’ve met recently, and I’ve become a fan of a bunch of new Facebook pages to start filling my newsfeed with fresh info, events and ideas.
- Cuddle up with an inspiring book. Whether you’re sitting by a roaring fire or a tiny space heater, reading from a hardcover, a Kindle or an iPad, a good book is great cold weather company. Some of my inspirational professional favorites include The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, A Whole New Mind by Dan Pink and Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck. Sometimes the words of a wise author can shift your thinking enough to solve a work problem, inspire a new business idea or just make you smile.
- Spring clean in winter. I’m usually a neat freak, but for some reason when I come inside on a cold day, I can’t help but dump all my stuff in a big pile. Staying organized in the winter just feels a little harder. This past weekend I dealt with those piles in a big day of decluttering. It was unbelievably satisfying:I shredded really old files, made new folders for 2011 tax stuff (with my favorite office toy — my Brother P-touch label maker), threw away pens with too many bite marks, made a pile of old books and work clothes to donate to Goodwill, put inactive computer files into an “Archive” folder and finally took the time to untangle the phone cord that constantly gets caught on my printer cable and has been driving me crazy for months. Afterwards, I felt amazing and I’m still enjoying the benefits a few days later (especially those untangled cords — what on earth took me so long?).
- Set one big goal and work on it every day of February. Most people’s New Year’s resolutions are a distant memory by now, so I challenge you to revive your biggest, most important career goal and recommit to it for the entire second month of the year. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you are laser-focused on one objective.Perhaps it’s finally completing that big project at work, securing a new position, writing a business plan for the nonprofit you want to start, launching a blog, deciding whether or not to attend grad school, asking for a promotion, hosting your own networking event, writing and submitting an article for publication or anything else you’ve been wanting to achieve. Just think how good you’ll feel on March 1 if you can accomplish that one goal. As for me, I’m focusing on a refresh of my website.
Do you have other suggestions for perking up a cold career this winter? Please share in the Comments!
Top 10 Job Hunting Tips of 2010
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Generation Y/Millennials Getting from College to Career Internships Job Search Tips on December 10, 2010 at 3:13 pm
Top 10 Job Hunting Tips of 2010
I absolutely love end of year lists, and swooned when I found Time.com’s list of The Top 10 of Everything of 2010.
Although Time’s list of lists is pretty comprehensive, ranging from apologies to new species to Twitter moments, I wanted to add my own top 10 list — top 10 tips for job seekers. Here are the tips that readers found most helpful this year.
1. Ask for honest feedback. Recruit a trusted relative, career services staff member, professor or friend to assess you honestly as a job seeker. Ask the person to list your best qualities and most impressive accomplishments. On the flip side, ask for constructive feedback on your weaknesses. Find out if the things you’re most concerned about — lack of experience, a less-than-desirable GPA, shyness, etc. — are legitimate concerns or if you’re obsessing over nothing. If your fears are unfounded, let them go once and for all!
2. Don’t be turned off by the terms “internship” or “part-time.” This tip came from Lauren Porat, co-founder of UrbanInterns.com. In a difficult job market, sometimes you need to be flexible and “settle” for a less-than-perfect opportunity, such as a non-full-time job. According to Lauren, many people have developed incredible careers by serving multiple part-time clients. Also, starting out this way may allow you to get your foot in the door with some very cool, interesting startup companies.
3. Overprepare. Think about your confidence level when you walk into a test for which you’ve studied really thoroughly versus how you feel walking into a test for which you’ve skimmed your notes for ten minutes the night before. Most people don’t realize that a job hunt is something you can study for. Before attending a job fair, spend an hour or two on the websites of companies that will have booths. Before a job interview, spend an hour reading the organization’s website (especially the mission statement, recruiting pages and recent press releases) and study the LinkedIn profiles of the people who will be interviewing you. Read e-newsletters and blogs from your industry to keep up with current events that might be discussed at a networking event. The more preparation you do, the more confident you’ll feel when you interact with recruiters and other professionals you’ll encounter during your job search.
4. Do not ask to “pick someone’s brain.” Okay this one is more about how not to ask me in particular for advice on your job hunt (or anything for that matter!). Some people don’t mind this phrase, but I definitely do. Why? First of all, I think it sounds kind of gross (think about it). Second of all, it is very one-sided: if you are picking my brain, what’s in this conversation for me? It feels as if I’ll be left brainless afterwards. My advice is to always request advice in a way that makes the ask-ee feel respected and like he or she will leave the conversation with something, too.
5. Clean up your online image. According to a recent Microsoft survey, 85 percent of HR professionals responding said that positive online reputation influences their hiring decisions, and 70 percent said they have rejected candidates based on information they found online. Make no mistake about it: your online image will affect your job search and your career. If you haven’t already, set up strict privacy settings on all social networks (often, including on Facebook, the default setting is for all of your information to be public, so check every setting!), take down any inappropriate pictures or content, set up a 100 percent professional profile on LinkedIn and Google, and think twice before posting any new content on Facebook, Twitter or a blog. In many recruiters’ minds, you are what you post.
6. Spell recruiters’ and hiring managers’ names correctly. Of the emails I received responding to a part-time position I posted this year, about half (!) spelled my name wrong. To me, that was an instant sign that a candidate lacked attention to detail. None of these people were called for an interview.
7. Don’t be too early for a job interview. While we’ve all heard the advice never, ever to arrive late to a job interview, employers are equally peeved when you arrive too early. By all means get to the company’s building or parking lot as early as you’d like, but don’t enter the actual office any more than 15 minutes before your scheduled interview time.
8. Focus on what you can do for your employer, not the other way around.
In cover letters, email messages, conversations with recruiters, salary negotiations, etc., make sure you frame your value in terms of what you can offer, not what you need. Recruiters roll their eyes at cover letters that begin with, “I would like to find a position in which I can learn.” Likewise, negotiations fail when you ask for more money because, “I need it.” You’ll have a better chance of getting what you want when you focus your argument on how it will benefit the company in terms of increased sales, more productivity or lower costs. Always ask yourself, “What’s in it for them?”
9. Never call to say “Just following up.” There is a fine line between appropriate persistence and pointless pestering. It is absolutely fine to call or email a recruiter to say thank you for a company information session, to ask a few questions or to mention that you’ll be attending another event they are hosting. But “Just calling to follow up!” doesn’t add much to your candidacy. If you find yourself calling multiple times with no response, you may have to accept the fact that, as the famous dating book title says, this particular employer is just not that into you.
10. It’s never too late to say thank you. I’ve had a lot of students ask me “how late is too late to send a thank you note?” and I truly believe that a thank you is always warranted and always appreciated, even if it comes much later than expected. If you do find yourself sending a belated thank you, simply say something like, “I truly apologize for the delay in thanking you…” or “This note is late but I am deeply grateful…” It’s better to feel a bit awkward and do the right thing than to hope the person doesn’t notice that you never showed your gratitude.
What other job hunting tips were most helpful to you in 2010? Please share!
Create a Career Wish List
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Generation Y/Millennials Getting from College to Career Job Search Tips on December 2, 2010 at 5:00 pm
As we turn the calendar to December, the holiday season is in full swing. Hanukkah is beginning, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lights are shining and every ad on TV and online relates to shopping, shopping and more shopping.
I plan to do all of my holiday shopping online this year, as I do most of my shopping all year round (yes, I am planning a very nice holiday gift for my UPS guy, who, since I work from a home office, is the person I see most during the day!).
One of the features I’ve seen popping up on more and more e-retailer sites is the “Wish List,” where you can save all of the items you want to buy later or share with your potential gift givers. This got me thinking — wouldn’t it be cool if people had Career Wish Lists?
I’m sure you already have a few ideas of companies you’d love to work for, internships to apply for, jobs that sound interesting, successful entrepreneurs you admire or people you’ve been meaning to talk to for advice or contacts. Why not write all of this down into a Career Wish List?
Open a fresh Word document or buy a crisp new notebook and start an ongoing list of every career possibility that comes to mind. Try not to censor yourself at all; just write. Your Career Wish List (something I call your “Really Big List” in my book, Getting from College to Career), will come in handy in a variety of ways during your career planning and any job search you undertake now or in the future:
- Your Career Wish List will give you assignments. Whenever you feel motivated to work on your career planning, it will serve as a to-do list of opportunities to research. Once you begin to gather information on any idea on your list, you should start a folder for what you find to keep track of it all.
- Your Career Wish List will help you network. Glance through your List to prepare for any informational interview, networking event or meeting with a career counselor. Better yet, bring your list along. The people you meet are likely to know some of the companies or people on your list—or how to reach them. Your list will turn a vague, “Can you help me find a job?” into a specific request for specific leads.
- Your Career Wish List will help you assess yourself. As your list grows, you’ll begin to see patterns of what kinds of opportunities attract you. Perhaps you’ll notice that many of the items on your list point you towards creative jobs, small companies, political work, Asian American mentors, living in Chicago, making a difference, going to graduate school or something else. Or maybe you’ll find a mishmash of stuff—which is okay, too. Don’t see an all-over-the-place list as frustrating; instead, see it as reflecting the fact that a lot of different things will make you happy.
Have you ever tried writing a Career Wish List? Will you start one this season? Please share your thoughts in the Comments!
How to (and How Not to) Ask for Advice
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Generation Y/Millennials Getting from College to Career Job Search Tips Networking and Personal Branding on November 12, 2010 at 8:00 am
One of the most common recommendations I give to young professionals is to ask more experienced people for advice. After all, there’s no better way to know how to do something than to ask someone who’s “been there, done that.” This is also known as informational interviewing and it’s a great strategy.
However, what I’ve been observing lately is that a lot of students and recent grads don’t know how best to ask for advice and guidance. The better your ask, the better the answers you’ll receive, so here are some tips:
- Make it easy for someone to say yes to your request for help. When you ask someone for advice, be specific about the kind of help you need (job hunting advice, career change advice, etc.), request a specific amount of time (1530 minutes is usually appropriate) and offer to call the person or meet at his or her office at his or her convenience. Then, be sure to confirm 24 hours in advance so the person knows you’ll show up.
- Do not ask to “pick someone’s brain.” Okay this one is more about how not to ask me in particular for advice. Some people don’t mind this phrase, but I definitely do. Why? First of all, I think it sounds kind of gross (think about it). Second of all, it is very one-sided: if you are picking my brain, what’s in this conversation for me? It feels as if I’ll be left brainless afterwards. My advice is to always request advice in a way that makes the ask-ee feel respected and like he or she will leave the conversation with something, too.
- Be specific. Instead of saying, “I’d like to hear some general advice” or “I’m happy to know anything,” show that you’ve done your homework and you are looking for particular advice or tips. For instance, “I know that you started your career in accounting, but you switched over to consulting. I’m thinking of doing the same and would be interested to hear how you made the decision.” Or, “I am not sure what I want to do after graduation, but I know I want to use my writing skills. Can you share some advice on how you’ve built a career with your writing?” It’s perfectly fine to prepare a specific list of a few questions to guide the conversation. Don’t bring a laundry list, though — five questions is about right.
- Request “assignments.” One of the ways to turn an informational interview into a real relationship is to ask for the person to give you a few assignments, such as recommending that you subscribe to a particular industry e-newsletter, join the discussions in a particular LinkedIn group or read a specific business book. The reason I like this strategy is that it gives you a reason to follow up with this person in the future when you’ve accomplished the assignment that he or she has recommended. It’s a way to show that you are a person who listens and takes action, and it sparks another conversation about the action you’ve taken.
- Ask, “Is there anything I can do to help you?” Even though you’re a student or just starting out in your career, you never know how you might be able to help another person. By asking this question, you are showing that you understand that the best networking relationships are mutually beneficial. Even if the person doesn’t need anything right now, he or she may want to reach out to you in the future and this question sets up that opportunity.
- Say thank you. I’ve written about this before, but it bears repeating. I am constantly shocked at how many students email me for advice, I respond to their request and then I never hear from that student again. I once asked a student why she never thanked me, and she said, “I know you are really busy so I didn’t want to bother you with another email.” Trust me — receiving a thank you is never a bother. Thanking someone after he or she has helped you is an absolute must and will make it more likely that this person will want to help you again in the future.
Do you have any other dos and don’ts for asking more experienced people for advice? Please share!
What’s New on LinkedIn
Posted in Generation Y/Millennials Recommended Career Resources Social Media on October 21, 2010 at 4:16 pm
As a spokesperson for LinkedIn, I’m in the midst of a fun tour of college campuses to launch Career Explorer, LinkedIn’s forthcoming new tool for students and recent grads. Universities I’m visiting on the tour include NYU, USC, BYU and University of Illinois. If you’re a student or alum from one of these schools, please drop me a note or check out my event photos on Facebook. (p.s. recommendations of the best cupcake spot near each campus are always appreciated!)
In this blog post, I’ll be sharing information about Career Explorer and some other new features of LinkedIn that can help you in your job or internship search and your overall career development.
Promote Your Certifications, Publications and Fluency. One of the most frequent questions I hear from students is, “What should I include in my LinkedIn profile?” The answer is to include any info you would put on your resume, plus additional information such as campus leadership roles, volunteer activities, examples of your work (by sharing web links or by posting documents to the SlideShare or Box.net apps) and incorporating keywords that a recruiter might use to find someone with your skills.
Now, LinkedIn has added more opportunities to promote your skills with new profile sections. Click on “edit profile” and you’ll see areas to promote publications (such as articles you’ve written for the campus newspaper or blogs you write), language knowledge (be careful here — don’t claim fluency unless you’re actually fluent), additional skills, formal certifications you’ve attained and even patents if you have any. It’s no secret we’re in a super competitive job market right now, so take advantage of these new opportunities to promote any differentiators you have.
Follow Companies. Another new feature added to LinkedIn in the past few months is the ability to follow companies. With this tool, you have the opportunity to receive regular updates on the activities of any organization you choose to follow. This is absolutely essential information to have for the companies you hope to work for someday, so I recommend following any and all organizations on your prospect list.
Simply visit the Company Page of any one of over one million organizations on LinkedIn, and click “follow company” in the top right-hand corner. Once you’ve done this, you’ll begin seeing updates, job postings, employee movements and any other news from that organization appear on the newsfeed of your LinkedIn homepage.
Coming Soon! Career Explorer. Currently in beta testing on 60 college campuses (contact your career center to learn if your school is on the list), Career Explorer is a brand new, free tool that LinkedIn has created, with the sponsorship of PwC, to help students navigate LinkedIn and figure out their potential career paths. I’ll be sharing more about this tool in the future, but here is a brief introduction:
To use Career Explorer, you’ll need to set up a LinkedIn account if you don’t have one already. Next, you’ll log in to the tool and enter your major and desired industry. Career Explorer will then guide you to 1) learn about different industries and potential jobs, 2) map out a potential career path (or multiple paths if you’re undecided) and 3) find and build connections with the people on LinkedIn who have taken similar paths and might be good for you to know.
Expect a rollout of Career Explorer to all universities in the coming weeks.
Have questions or comments about using LinkedIn as a student or recent grad? Please post below!
