Clean it up.

Hi everyone, it's me Portia. Well what I have learned in my class is amazing about the internet. I know you guys already know but to me it was new. So the professor talk about clean it up and I did not know what she was talking about until she when on google and google everyone in the class which was amazing to me. I saw myself and others but what you put on your facebook could come back and bite you especially if you are looking for employment. So she give us a little booklet that says clean it up, build it up of , keep it up. It said 79%  of hiring managers/job recuiters review online applicants before a hiring decision..., isn't that something. Well if you have your business out there and it not to clean you better clean it up. Remember that we are in college to better and educate our self so all the dirty stuff got to stop. It also said Rules Of Engagement:Clean it up and then Lock it up, get clean and stay clean. Now you can build it up, get linkedin or get locked out, put your best face forward, tweet this, not that and so forth. Also the professor when on everyone facebook and we saw ourselves and our address also some stuff only our friends supposed to see but potential employers could also see it. Sometimes our thoughts should remain just that, our thoughts. Its has comments that says it's written all over your face, got it, facebook. Also put your best face forward. I seen some of my friends has all and I mean all their business on facebook. I wonder what they did before facebook, I guess they stayed longer on the phone.So to my future grads please be careful what you put on blast because you never know who will be searching the WORLD WIDE WEB. Thank you. Portia  

Tranferring

        Hi everyone,I am back to do my blog. I know its been a while but today I am going to talk about transferring and other things that I have learned from my SD11 class. Well first you have to apply or prepare to apply and how to apply. Then there are steps that you have to take like step one:Complete and submit the application(Transfer applications currently enrolled at a CUNY College. Step two:Pay your application Processing fee and Step three: Print your application summary package.When that is done and after you apply to cuny, send your required documents to CUNY/UAPC. CUNY college transcript, all other college, university and/ or proprietary school transcripts, high school transcripts/ secondary school record and high school or GED diploma. If you took the Standardized test score reports, submit your scores to demonstrate college level readiness in reading,writing, and mathematics. And you can get all the information at ask cuny at www.cuny.edu/askcuny. Oh I also did my mock interview today, and it seem real and very professionally done. I had a good adviser and she ask some tough question which was good for me because I haven't been on a interview in a long time.I dress nice and my hand shake was not firm enough she said.I was a little nervous but she make me feel comfortable. I met her before on one of those field trip that the college does have like the ABC network and CBS radio but she didn't remember me. Also I had to see a career advisor today and it just happen to be her again. You know to see an advisor is a long wait, I glad I get a chance to see one. Well I am signing off for now until I blog again. Thank you Portia.  

Etiquette

Etiquette can be defined as a set of rules that govern a person's behavior in a particular setting or environment. Etiquette mainly includes proper manners, communication skills, respect and politeness.

 WORKPLACE BEHAVIOR

• Use appropriate language
• Be punctual
• Appear as professional as possible
• Be cooperative 
• Turn your cellphone off
• Be motivated

CORRESPONDENCE ETIQUETTE includes mainly e-mails and letters.

   
      Email

• Always include a subject line
• Write a salutation for each new subject email
• Be brief
• When replying emails, include the previous email after your reply
• Never use all CAPS
• Always check for punctuation spelling and grammatical errors
• Do not use your company email address to send personal emails 

  TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE

• Make sure your voicemail is set up and is working properly
• Try to return the phone calls within the day
• Whenever you leave a message, make sure to leave your contact information as well 
• Use professional language and low tone
• Answer the phone using your name "Sarah Brown speaking"
• Avoid slang ("yes instead of "yeah", "Goodbye" instead of "bye bye")
  
  

SOCIAL MEDIA ETIQUETTE 

• DO NOT post negative or confidential information on the internet
• Be aware of who you are associated with
• Make sure you don't post inappropriate pictures on social media
• Watch your language
  
  

DINING ETIQUETTE

• Put your napkin on your lap when you sit down
• Make small talk about things you may find in common with other coworkers/supervisors 
• Use professional language
• When ordering, choose something in the middle of the price range
• Begin eating after EVERYONE has been served and seated
• Cut one piece of food at a time
• When you are finished eating, place your fork and knife on the side of your plate, facing downwards
• When dining as part of an interview, usually the interviewer pays, whereas when dining with co-workers, generally everyone pays their share
  
  

Ueda Elbasani & Nathalie Jean-Elie



Helpful Tips for Transferring

Transferring Within CUNY

-To apply to CUNY senior colleges:

·         Apply online via the CUNY Portal: www.cuny.edu

Fall Deadline - Feb. 1^st

Spring Deadline - Sept. 15^th

*Pick up a CUNY Online instruction sheet in C-102*

·         Submit your online application.

·         Transfer admission is based upon cumulative GPA (from all institutions attended).

·         Transfer application is accepted after the deadline on a space available basis.

*Applications take approximately 8-12 weeks to be processed.*

Transcripts/Transfer Credits

·         The UAPC (University Application Processing Center) will automatically request transcripts from all CUNY colleges.

·         Make sure you DO NOT have any stops on your record (especially bursar stops) or Kingsborough will not release your transcripts to UAPC.

·         If you are currently enrolled at KCC, an electronic version of your official CUNY transcript will be retrieved by CUNY/UAPC after the application is submitted. Attending KBCC is sure to complete the "Courses in Progress" section on the application, to avoid paying the $70 application fee.

·         How will my credits transfer? Check  www.tipps.cuny.edu

·         It is also recommended to schedule a “Transfer Follow up” appointment with an advisor.

Transferring Within SUNY

·         Check with each individual school for application deadlines and requirements.

·         Generally a minimum GPA of 2.0 – 2.5 required

·         Submit your college application, requested documents and file for FAFSA before the deadline

*Still have questions about the process? Come to C102 for more information.*  

William Cayambe & Nathalie Jean-Elie

How to Build a Professional Resume and Cover Letter

What you need to make a well-organized resume are:

•  Heading
•  Education
•  Experience
•  Skills (Computer, Languages, etc.)

Heading

• Name
• Street address
• City, State, ZIP Code
•  Area code home and home phone number
• Area code and business or cell phone
• Professional E-mail address

 Education

• Name of College (bold)
• City and State without zip code
• Type of degree
• Program of study/major
• Graduation date (month and year)
•  Achievements
• Relevant courses (Specific Names)
• GPA if 3.0 or above

Experience

• Name of company
• City and state without zip code
• Position title
• From month/year to month/year
• Action verb with bullets (description of responsibility)
• Achievement

Skills

• Computer Skill - List the programs you are familiar with (i.e Microsoft Word, Execel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Adobe Photoshop, Accounting Software. Etc.)
• Language Skills - If you speak more than one language, you should consider including language skills. Be certain to accurately represent your skill level (i.e., Fluent in Spanish, Basic Knowledge of French, Bilingual in Cantonese and English)

Your Resume Should:

•  Be Typed Have no errors of facts, spelling, or grammar
•  Have a layout that is consistent
•  Have skills and interest related to position
• Be proofread by professionals
• Give you a sense of pride

Cover Letter Format

• Heading and Greeting
• Introduction 
• Position for which you are applying 
• How you heard about the position
• Two or Three previous work or education experiences as support for why they should hire you 
• Thank employer for their time, availability for follow up

Ten Tips for Writing a Great Cover Letter

• Make it personal
• Make opening sentence catchy
• Write each letter for a specific job
• Describe skills as related to job
•  Be specific and concrete when describing your experiences
• Type and proof-read your cover letter
• Be brief, use descriptive words
• Be confident, creative, and upbeat
• Avoid negativity
• Don’t forget to follow-up

Job Fair Tips

• Dress Appropriately - The first impression is one of the most important things you should pay attention to when attending a job fair. Make sure you dress professional interview attire and carry a portfolio as well.
• Arrive early - We would suggest that you arrive 10-15 minutes before the fair opens in order to avoid the long lines. 
• Research the companies in advance - It is recommended that you find out information about the companies that interest you prior to the job fair. This would avoid spending time in companies that do not offer a job that would interest you.
• Take notes - Considering the crowded environment that job fairs usually take place at, it would be more convenient for you to take notes on different companies so that you do not forget information that may be crucial.
• Take initiative and ask questions - It is very important that you are very clear about everything regarding the job position you are interested in. Therefore, feel free to ask as many questions as you have to the company representative in order to clarify every doubt you might have. In addition, taking initiative and showing enthusiasm as well as positive can be a quite decisive component at a job fair.

You should be polite and professional in every way. Talk slowly and quietly. Make sure to shake hands before and after the conversation.

William Cayambe & Ueda Elbasani

The Importance of Internships

What is an Internship?

Internships are field work experiences which provide you with the opportunity to:

• Explore a career field of interest

• Gain career related experience

• Choose a major and select courses that will support career goals

• Develop and/or improve marketable skills that will make you more competitive in the job market

• Obtain references from professionals in your intended field

• Network with potential employment contacts

How to prepare for an Internship?

• In order to find the right fit for your career interest and goals, you should determine your internship target and know where to search for internship opportunities.

• You should also have prepared a resume and have practiced your interviewing skills.

• Schedule an appointment for a mock interview with a Career Counselor in order to prepare and gain feedback.

• All internships require a minimum of one semester commitment

Factors to be considered before making a commitment to an Internship

• Specific project responsibilities 

• What will be learned in relation to achieving career goals

• Supervision and training provided

• New skills that will be learnt

• Coordination of one’s schedule to include course work and internship

• Time spent commuting to and from the internship site

• Academic schedule and/or work hours

Make an appointment with an internship counselor in C-102

Merquisha Auguste
Amina Adalat

How to beware of fraudulent employers

What are fraudulent employers?

 Fraudulent employers are very sneaky bosses who go out hunting for innocent individuals, giving them the false hope of earning wages of which they are often desperately in need. There are numerous methods that perpetrators of such schemes use to lure victims. These include promises such as easy hire, easy work, high wages for unskilled labor, flexible hours, a small number of hours paired with a lot of free time, or other attractive offers.

Types of Scams

• Payment forward scam
• Application fee scam
• Phishing Scam: an e-mail fraud in which an employer sends out a legitimate-looking email in an attempt to gather personal and financial information from recipients.
• Mystery shopper scam: this type of scam uses fraudulent offers, fake checks and wire transfers to persuade unsuspecting consumers into sending money to fraudsters 

How do you spot a scam?

• Catchy job titles
• Required payments
• Lack of employment details
• Fake website
• Unsolicited e-mails
• Personal information request
• Guaranteed job offers
• Specific words or phrases include:“Nobody will find out” and/or “Off the books”

Protect Yourself

• Do not be lulled into a false sense of security by official-sounding corporate names. 
• Do not wire money to strangers or to firms that have supposedly hired you. 
• Don’t pay a company to hire you, not even if such payment is presented as your buying necessary training materials.
• Do not volunteer information
• Remember that anyone can place a newspaper or online ad. 

So be very careful next time you answer an ad for a job

Merquisha Auguste
Amina Adalat