Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Panel Discussions


At some point in their college lives, students have to face the very important question: Which career to choose? One of the best ways to explore careers is through panel discussions. A panel discussion usually involves a relatively small group of people (4-10 panelists) discussing a topic in front of an audience. In higher education, the most common type of panel discussion is the career panel. A career panel is an opportunity for students to interact with professionals in various career areas and sometimes different occupations in the same industry. The main goal is to learn how to prepare for a specific career and be successful in that career.
 
Panel discussions can be in different formats. The most common format is Q&A Style where a moderator introduces the panelists, then asks them a few previously prepared questions, followed by about 25 minutes of audience questions and ending with a summary and thanks. The other formats are Initial Remarks Style and Presentation Style, both of which involve the panelists introducing themselves and sharing their perspectives for about 5 to 15 minutes before the Q&A starts.

Panel discussions can be very beneficial to students. Some benefits to attending a panel are:

-          Listening to panelists’ personal stories of their school and career challenges can help you overcome your own

-          Career panels create opportunities for networking with local employers

-          Panelists share specific information about the best ways to prepare for a specific career area (for example: volunteering or job shadowing)

If you are ever invited to attend a panel discussion, the best way to prepare is to have a list of questions ready for the panelists. If it is a career panel and you know the panelists occupations, do some research beforehand to help you identify the best questions to ask.

Sample questions to ask at a panel discussion:

-       Why were you willing to come here today to speak with us?

-       What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

-       What motivated you to choose this career?

-       How much education and training is required for this career?

We hope these simple tips help you benefit greatly from your next panel discussion.
                                                                                                                      ~Nympha Pierre

Thursday, November 24, 2016

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Happy Thanksgiving from the Center for Career Development & Experiential Learning.  As you give thanks, don't forget to give back to those in need!

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

The Importance of Service

Fun Fact - Providing service enables individuals to obtain “physical and mental rewards” by focusing on others because it interrupts natural tension-producing patterns and stress.

Service opportunities provide potential benefits to students, faculty, and the community.

STUDENTS benefit academically, professionally, and personally.

v  Allow you to gain professional experience and encourages civic responsibility

v  Promote personal growth and self-esteem by making a difference

v  Bring people together from diverse backgrounds to work toward a common goal

 
FACULTY also benefit personally and professionally by integrating service opportunities into courses.

v  Boost course enrollment by attracting highly motivated and engaged students

v  Promote active learning, add new insights and dimensions to class discussions by engaging with students who possess different learning styles

v  Foster relationships and provides networking opportunities with engaged faculty in other disciplines

 
COMMUNITY PARTNERS benefit in these ways:

v  Afford insight into additional human resources needed to achieve organizational goals

v  Attract new energy, enthusiasm, and perspectives into the organization's work as well as grow the organization

v  Educate students about community issues by correcting misunderstandings which increase public awareness of key issues

 
A few examples of providing service are:

v  Tutoring and providing literacy to children, young adults and elderly people

v  Supporting youths by being a mentor in after-school programs

v  Beautifying the community by planting trees or cleaning beaches and parks

v  Lending a helping hand to elderly citizens


Interested in getting involved?
Visit the Center for Career Development & Experiential Learning
Room - C102
Phone: 718-368-5115


                                                                                                ~Javon John

Thursday, November 17, 2016

The Importance of a Cover Letter

  The resume and cover letter are your main tools in the job search. They’re the number one thing you use to get your foot in the door, highlight your previous experience and characteristics. Yet, many job seekers underestimate the importance of well-written resumes and cover letters – a mistake that can seriously decrease the chances of getting that job you really wanted.
 
 
The cover letter complements your resume and gives you a chance to personalize your job application. A well-written cover letter is often more important than a remarkable resume because it gives an idea about your work ethic and personality. The resume might list some very impressive accomplishments, but it means nothing if you can’t communicate your genuine passion or relevance to the position.

The cover letter also allows you to market yourself for the position. It’s not meant to summarize or paraphrase your resume. It illustrates the big picture of your qualifications and experience in relation to the job’s needs. It’s your opportunity to point out reasons for why you are the perfect person for the job.

Recruiters look for the right fit for the positions they fill. The cover letter gives them the opportunity to understand the candidate’s personality, what drew the candidate to the job opening, and whether or not they can communicate effectively.

Things to remember

1.       Proofread – avoiding spelling mistakes and using proper formatting is crucial!

2.       Don’t write a novel – keep it to the point and no longer than half a page.

3.       Don’t be too generic – give specific examples and don’t let it be just a rewrite of your resume.

4.       Never use the same cover letter over and over again – always tailor it for every job application!

5.       Even if an online application does not require a cover letter and has left it optional – do upload that cover letter! With the multitude of applicants, hiring managers might dismiss applicants that didn’t include a cover letter because it shows a lack of passion toward the position.

Read more:



                                                                                                                      ~Maarja Sau

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Tough Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Finding your dream job can be long, difficult and at times even frustrating. After spending hours perfecting your resume, researching relevant positions and filling out numerous job applications it is time to prepare for the final step, your interview.

Like other steps in the job search process preparing for an interview requires thorough research of the position offered, the organization and the skills desired in a successful candidate. Initiating an effective and specific research prior to attending the interview is a key factor to landing the job. During the interview it is expected of a good candidate to show dedication to work ethics and strong will to learn.  

The general guidelines of providing an effective answer for a job interview questions are the same for both difficult and simple ones. An answer should be:

·   Direct – Answer all aspects of the question discussed while providing a significant amount of detail.

·   Concise – The answer should be clearly stated, brief and comprehensive at the same time.

·   Goal Oriented – Every detail provided is meant to present a skill that is relevant to the job description

·   Examples – Including examples in the majority of answers is crucial to making an interesting interview. It also provides the potential employer with a better image of your work experience and skill set.



Top 5 Common Tough Interview Questions:

1.      Tell me about yourself?
It is perhaps the most commonly used opening question during interviews. When answering this question it is important to understand the purpose of this question from the employer’s perspective. The interviewer is not looking to hear a detailed life story but rather a brief summary of education and professional job experience. The length of such answer should not exceed a minute or two. Thus, every piece of information mentioned must be relevant as a qualification for the position offered.

2.      Why Should I Hire You?
To answer this question you should sell yourself in the most positive way while remaining honest and modest. The first part of the answer will discuss the professional and educational qualifications you have and reasonably tying them to the job description. As mentioned earlier most jobs are looking for hard working and quick learner employees. When answering this question it is a good idea to provide plenty of examples from past experience demonstrating your skills and how you dealt with work related projects. Answering this question successfully is likely to convince the interviewer how well you will deal with future challenges. Another way is to learn about a new challenge the organization is facing and provide an example showcasing how you successfully tackled a similar situation in the past.  

3.      Tell me about a time you failed?

The interviewer is looking to learn more about your personality and how it will affect future job related projects. The purpose of this question is to evaluate your attitude towards challenges, failures and criticism. A good answer will involve three steps:

·   discussing an honest example of a time when you experienced difficulty completing your job in a professional setting.

·   Show that you took responsibility, accepted the criticism, drew conclusions and learned from the experience.

·   Explain how you prevented similar mistakes from reoccurring.

4.      Why is There a Gap in Your Work History?
Employers ask this question to try and understand if you made sure to remain productive throughout your professional career. Answer this question simply by explaining why this gap is there in a positive light. An example would be taking the time to focus your time and effort in college to develop your education to enjoy better career related growth opportunities in the future.
5.      Are You a Leader or a Follower?

The interviewer is interested to know if you can take on projects and lead groups of people to achieve a common goal. However, at the same time they are looking for a candidate that will be receptive to orders and be willing to function as part of a larger group. Once again you are expected to answer this question by providing an examples performing under both circumstances.

Finally, in many aspects the most effective method to ace your interview is by practice. For more information and an individual feedback, you may pass by C-102 (The Career Development and Experiential Learning Office) and schedule an interview.

                                                                                                                               ~Yosef Bagdadi

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Texting Etiquette

To text or not to text? That is the question…  

As many of you know we live in the digital age where texting and emailing are the norm, and sending hand written memos, and even voice calling seem almost archaic. Because texting is now part of the “norm” you might be expected to communicate in a professionally via SMS text message. Below are a few helpful tips on texting professionally:
 
  
 
 
1.     Get Permission
·         Different individuals/companies prefer different forms of communication. Before hitting the “send” button on your phone, it is always important to verify with the professional contact if it is ok to communicate with them via text message.
2.     Text Smart
·         Treat the text just as you would any professional communication.
·         Remember you are texting a professional contact, NOT your friends, so…Do NOT: use abbreviations (No LOLs, HRUs, TTYLs).
·         Also, do not send emojis ( No J , L, 0_0).
·         Use full sentences when texting and try to avoid the use of negative words.
·         Not everyone will understand what some abbreviations mean so in order to avoid confusion, avoid abbreviations.
3.     Proofread
·         Always proofread any message before you send it out. Do not always count on autocorrect, because sometimes the corrections made are not always correct.
4.     Text Right
·         A text is professional when sent during normal business hours (ideally M-F 9 am to 5 pm), so please think twice before you send a text before business hours or during the weekend.
 
The rules of engagement with texting can be confusing! If you are unsure it is always ok to simply ask.
 
                                                                                                                                 ~Bridget Ofori
 

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Researching Careers

Are you trying to find some direction for your career? Perhaps a change in careers? Perhaps your first career? It’s critical, at this stage, to conduct research into various careers that interest you. The more research you do, the more likely a career path will become evident to you. What are the best methods for researching careers?

Trying to research a career can be overwhelming. Are you getting the most accurate up-to-date information? Are your questions being answered? How much research do you need to do?
Here are some good places to start!


1.    Career Development Office C-102

Our office contains a WEALTH of resources most particularly our stellar staff who can provide personalized attention to help you determine direction and the best next steps to take in researching your career. Make an appointment to speak with an advisor and start exploring! Come see us in C102 for an appointment today and follow us on



2.    BLS.GOV

Using information collected directly from the US Census, BLS.GOV is updated every three years. This site contains a myriad of hard data on thousands of potential careers. Some of the information includes: education requirements, salary information and projected job growth of any particular career. This site will assist you in cultivating increased insight around all of the factors that contribute to any one career.




3.    O*NET

Similar to BLS.GOV, O*NET allows you to search different careers but also incorporates work values, abilities, and style among other things. This site allows you to break down potential careers by particular areas of your life that are meaningful to you.



4.    Informational Interviews

Sometimes the best sources for information are the people around us. Interested in becoming a nurse but have no idea what it is really like to work as one? Conduct an informational interview. This provides you with the real life experience who has completed all of the requirements from start to finish and is now working in the career that has you curious. Talk to friends, family, co-workers and start making connections to someone who can answer your questions.   Not only is informational interviewing a great way to get in-depth insider knowledge about the current trends within a career, it’s a great way to start networking!

                                                                                                                               ~Kristen Fox

Thursday, November 3, 2016

The Elements of a Resume


There are  many formats and designs for a resume, but there are essential components that EVERY resume MUST have, no matter what the layout is.



HEADER
Should contain  your name, full address, phone numbers where you can be reached and a PROFESSIONAL email address.

EDUCATION
Include the name of your college (in bold), location (city and state without zip code), major, and expected graduation date.  If you have any major achievements, such as being on the Dean's List, you can include it here.
**Your GPA should be included ONLY if it is a 3.0 or above.

EXPERIENCE
Include the name of company (in bold), location (city and state without zip code), position title, dates of employment (month & year) and, starting with action verbs, list your responsibilities using bullets.
Be sure to list your experiences is chronological order starting with the most recent position.

SKILLS
List computer programs you are familiar with and your skill level (i.e., basic, intermediate or proficient).  If you speak a second language, include your skill level under this section (e.g., Fluent in Spanish, Basic knowledge of French, Bilingual in Cantonese and English).

For more information and/or tips on perfecting your resume, visit C-102 to meet with a Career Advisor!

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Research, Research, Research!!!

Do you know everything about the career you plan to pursue?


What are the typical job responsibilities?  What are the education requirements to be successful?

What about the outlook for your career?  Will your job even exist in the next 20 years?

It's important to research as much as possible about your future career so you can plan accordingly and set goals for yourself!

Here's a list of useful sites to help you get started:

Occupational Outlook Handbook 
http://www.bls.gov/oco/
O*NET
https://www.onetonline.org/

C
areer Coach
https://kingsborough.emsicareercoach.com
My Next Move
https://www.mynextmove.org