Creating Your Own Opportunities - UNDERGRADUATE (by MaryEllen Ryan)

CREATING YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES

Tired of scouring job posting sites and not finding enough opportunities to apply to or not finding the types of opportunities you’re seeking? It’s time to take matters into your own hands and create your own opportunities! Let’s get started…

FIRST, BUILD A LIST OF TARGET COMPANIES. Click here for suggestions on how to build your list.

NEXT, CHECK TO SEE IF YOUR TARGET COMPANIES HAVE ANY OPEN POSITIONS POSTED ON THEIR COMPANY WEBSITE OR LINKEDIN PAGE.

If you find open positions, APPLY…but don’t stop there!

There may be hundreds of candidates applying for the same position. That’s where making connections comes in – it’s a CRITICAL step in a successful search.

Reach out to professionals working in roles of interest.

AND

Click here to learn more.

CREATING YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES

If you DO NOT find open positions, DON’T GIVE UP! Many companies never “officially” post open positions. Hiring happens on an as needed basis, and positions are filled through networking. It’s all about knowing the right people and being in the right place at the right time.

Reach out to professionals within Human Resources.

Reach out to professionals working in roles of interest.

Click here to learn more.

Click here to learn more.

AND

Reach out to professionals within Human Resources.

Click here to learn more.

AND

Consider contacting companies directly regarding hiring needs.

Click here to learn more.

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BUILD A LIST OF TARGET COMPANIES

To unlock everything that Vault has to offer, access Vault through the Resources tab in CareerEdge and create a FREE account using your @bentley.edu email.

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Search for companies that meet your criteria, by industry and/or geography. Here are a few examples: - Investment management firms in New York City | Wealth management in Massachusetts | Boutique investment banks in Chicago | Tech companies in Silicon Valley

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Where do Bentley alumni with similar majors / career interests work?

Where do your 1st degree connections work?

Look at your connections’ connections – where do they work?

Helpful Hint: For companies that you’re interested in, check out their LinkedIn pages. On the right hand side of a company’s ‘Home Page’, you will see a ‘Similar pages’ section – use this to generate additional ideas!

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Utilize the Vault Rankings. Here are a few examples: - Vault Banking 50 - Best Banking Firms to Work For - The 100 Best Internships - Best Financial Services Internships - Vault Consulting 50 - Best Consulting Firms in Each Practice Area - …and many more!

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Utilize the ‘Research Companies’ feature.

- Browse companies by industry. Think beyond the obvious categories – remember, every company has a finance function!

If you’re interested in ‘Travel and Leisure’, ‘Fashion and Apparel’ or ‘Health Care Management’, for example, explore finance related roles within those companies. You are not limited to financial services!

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Did you know the Career Development Center has built a database of financial services firms in Boston and New York City?

Email your Career Coach for a copy of either or both spreadsheets!

• Always had a few dream companies in mind? Add them to the list!

• What companies are you familiar with based on personal experience?

• Ask family, friends, and your career coach for suggestions.

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REACH OUT TO PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN ROLES OF INTEREST Check to see if any Bentley alumni currently work at the firm.

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Go to Bentley’s LinkedIn page and click on ‘Alumni’ on the list on the left side of the page. This will bring up an interactive bar chart with six categories: Where they live, Where they work, What they do, What they studied, What they are skilled at, and How you are connected (click ‘Next >’ to display the last four categories).

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Search by company name. If your search returns any results, you’ll see that company name under the ‘Where they work’ column. Click on the company name.

You will notice that the other categories will update accordingly.

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If there are a large number of results, it may be helpful to further narrow your search by ‘Where they Live’ (very helpful if multiple offices) and/or ‘What they do’ (Finance).

Scroll down to review the profiles of the alumni that meet your search criteria and determine who you would like to connect with.

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Alumni who have graduated within the past few years are a great place to start, as they are close enough to the recruiting experience to remember what it’s like to be in your shoes.

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Try to find a common interest, such as being a student-athlete or participating in the same student organization.

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Look for 2nd degree connections. Ask your mutual connection for an introduction.

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What if you can only identify one alumni working in a finance-related role, and that person is very senior? That’s OK! Feel free to reach out. You have nothing to lose as long as your message is professional and polite.

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What if you can only identify one alumni working at the target company, and they’re in a very different role than what you’re interested in? You can still reach out to learn more about the company in general. If the conversation goes well, ask if they would be willing to make an introduction to a colleague on the finance team.

Now that you’ve identified professionals to contact, click here to learn what to say when connecting via LinkedIn.

CREATING YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES

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If there are no Bentley alumni currently working at the firm, look for someone else to contact.

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From your home page in LinkedIn, use the search bar to search for your target company. Make sure you click on the company’s home page (you will see ‘Company • Industry’ next to the correct selection).

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From the company’s home page click on ‘People’. This will bring up an interactive bar chart with six categories: Where they live, Where they studied, What they do, What they studied, What they are skilled at, and How you are connected (click ‘Next >’ to display the last four categories).

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You can search for a specific job title (example: Investment Banking Analyst) or filter based on your search criteria (example: ‘What they do’ > Finance and ‘Where they live’ > Greater New York City area).

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Scroll down to review the profiles of the professionals that meet your search criteria and determine who you would like to connect with.

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Look for a professional in a role most comparable to the role you’ve applied to, and who graduated from college within the past few years.

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Try to find a common interest, such as being a student-athlete or participating in the same types of student organizations.

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Look for 2nd degree connections. Ask your mutual connection for an introduction.

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If you can’t identify someone with a common interest or a 2nd degree connection, don’t let that stop you from reaching out. You have nothing to lose as long as your message is polite and professional.

Now that you’ve identified professionals to contact, click here to learn what to say when connecting via LinkedIn.

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WHAT TO SAY WHEN REACHING OUT TO PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN ROLES OF INTEREST VIA LINKEDIN •

Always personalize your connection request – the generic “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn” will not get results! Introduce yourself and ask to learn more about their career path, role, or experience with the company. Do not ask about internships/full-time positions or for a referral in your introductory message! It takes time to build relationships.

Hi [contact name]: I’m a [class year] at Bentley, studying [major]. I’m interested in learning about your role as a [position name] at [company name]. I know your time is valuable and would like to ask if you have 15 minutes, at your convenience, to speak with me. Thank you in advance, [your name]

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If people are willing to speak with you, you must BE PREPARED so you can make a great impression. Be ready to answer “Tell me a little bit about yourself”, then have a list of questions ready so you can drive the conversation.

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If there’s an open position and the conversation goes well…

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Consider closing with: I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me today. I recently applied to [role title], so learning more about your day-inthe-life will be very valuable if I am fortunate enough to be offered an interview.

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Best case response: That’s great! I really enjoyed our conversation and happen to know the hiring manager. I’d be happy to put in a good word for you!

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Worst case response: OK…Well it’s been nice talking to you…good luck.

If there’s not an open position, but the conversation goes well…

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Consider closing with: I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me today. Learning more about your daily responsibilities and the culture at [company name] solidified my interest in the company. I hope we can stay in touch. If you hear of any open opportunities, would you mind letting me know?

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Best case response: Absolutely! Why don’t you send me a copy of your resume so I can have it on file should a position open up. I look forward to staying in touch.

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Worst case response: I’m not sure what our future hiring needs will be, but keep your eyes on our company website.

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If the conversation was mediocre, it may be best to just politely thank the person for their time and note something valuable that you learned.

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Always demonstrate your professionalism by sending a thank you note within 24 hours. Perhaps you wound up with a valuable connection that you plan to stay in touch with, or perhaps the conversation was one and done. At the very least, you gained insight that will help you stand out if you are offered an interview or will help you determine if you’re a good fit for the role/company when positions do open up. In some cases, you may learn that a role/company is not the best fit for you, and that’s OK too.

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REACH OUT TO PROFESSIONALS WITHIN HUMAN RESOURCES •

From your home page in LinkedIn, use the search bar to search for your target company. Make sure you click on the company’s home page (you will see ‘Company • Industry’ next to the correct selection).

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From the company’s home page, click on ‘People’. This will bring up an interactive bar chart with six categories: Where they live, Where they studied, What they do, What they studied, What they are skilled at, and How you are connected (click ‘Next >’ to display the last four categories). Look for ‘Human Resources’ in the ‘What they do’ column.

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Depending on the number of search results, you may choose to scroll through all the profiles to determine the best person to contact.

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If there are too many results to scroll through, try searching by title, for example: ‘Campus Recruiter’, ‘Recruiter’, ‘University Relations’, or ‘Talent Acquisition’.

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You can narrow your search by ‘Where they live’ to target Human Resources professionals in your preferred location.

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If ‘Human Resources’ is not one of the choices in the ‘What they do’ column, search by title, starting with the examples noted above.

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Sometimes it will be VERY obvious who the best person to contact is. At a large company, you may find someone with a title of ‘Campus Recruiter’, and their profile notes the specific positions/programs they recruit for. At a smaller company, there may only be one person with ‘Recruiter’ or ‘Talent Acquisition’ in their title.

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Sometimes it will be LESS obvious who the best person to contact is. In this case, you will have to make an educated guess. If you contact the wrong person, they may be willing to point you in the right direction. As long as your message is polite and professional, you have nothing to lose.

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Now that you’ve identified professionals to contact, click here to learn what to say.

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WHAT TO SAY WHEN REACHING OUT TO HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS VIA LINKEDIN •

Always personalize your connection request – the generic “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn” will not get results! Introduce yourself and express your interest in current and/or future opportunities with the company. It is perfectly fine to be direct with Human Resources professionals, as it is their job to source qualified candidates!

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If there’s an open position…

Hi [contact name]: I’m a [class year] at Bentley, studying [major]. I recently applied to [position name] and wanted to introduce myself and express my interest in the position. I’d welcome the opportunity to speak with you or someone on your team. Thanks for your consideration, [your name]

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If there’s not an open position…

Hi [contact name]: I’m a [class year] at Bentley, studying [major]. I’m interested in [types of roles] at [name of firm]. I understand there are no current openings, but I’d welcome the opportunity to speak with you or someone on your team about future opportunities. Thanks for your consideration, [your name]

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If a Human Resources professional is willing to speak with you, you must BE PREPARED so you can make a great impression.

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If you’re speaking about an open position, prepare for the conversation as you would for a first round interview.

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If you’re having a general conversation, prepare for the conversation to feel like either an informational interview or a first round interview.

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Ask about potential next steps at the end of the conversation, whether there is an open position or not.

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Always demonstrate your professionalism by sending a thank you note within 24 hours.

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Why is connecting with Human Resources important?

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If there’s an open position: Let’s assume 100 students apply for a position. If 10 of them connect with the recruiter, the recruiter is likely to pull those 10 resumes from the pile to at least look at them. If you don’t reach out, and your resume happens to be near the bottom of the pile, the recruiter may find enough great candidates to interview before even looking at your resume. Contacting a recruiter doesn’t guarantee an interview, but it definitely increases the chances of your resume being reviewed.

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If there’s not an open position: If you have a great conversation with a recruiter, you’ll likely be on their short list when a position does open up, giving you a leg up on other candidates. The recruiter will appreciate the initiative that you took to connect and your interest in the company.

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CONTACT COMPANIES DIRECTLY REGARDING HIRING NEEDS •

This strategy tends to work best with small/mid-sized companies or companies that do not have a ‘Careers’ section on their website. For some, this may feel like too aggressive of an approach or may be outside of your comfort zone, which is perfectly fine. But, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take!

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Call the company’s main line; introduce yourself and explain why you are reaching out.

Good morning. I’m a rising junior at Bentley University, outside of Boston, MA, studying Finance. I’m originally from upstate New York and plan on spending the summer in the area. I’m calling to ask whether your company offers summer internships.

Hello. I’m a senior at Bentley University, studying Corporate Finance & Accounting. I’m very interested in your company, and noticed that there is not a careers page on the website. I’m calling to ask whether you currently have any openings or anticipate having any in the near future.

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If the company has a generic email address for career opportunities or general inquiries, feel free to reach out that way. If you are sending an email, you will have flexibility to include more information (but don’t go overboard in the initial email!).

Good afternoon, I am a senior at Bentley University, outside of Boston, MA, majoring in Finance with a concentration in Financial Planning. I grew up in Portland, ME, and I am looking forward to returning to the area after graduation. While researching boutique wealth management firms near Portland, I learned about your firm and was immediately impressed by your ‘clients first’ attitude and holistic approach to helping clients achieve their financial goals.

I’m writing to ask whether you anticipate having any entry-level hiring needs in the near future. If so, I would welcome the opportunity to have a conversation with a member of your team. I have attached my resume, should you be interested in learning more about my background. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Sincerely, Beth Bentley

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If the company IS hiring…great! Ask for details on how and when to apply.

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If the company MIGHT BE hiring in the future…ask about an appropriate time to follow up, and add a note to your calendar as a reminder.

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If the company IS NOT hiring…that’s OK. Move on for now, but if you’re really interested in the company, keep it on your radar for future opportunities.

CREATING YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES

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