THE DAILY COUGAR
Special Section
THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013
Careerguide ®
A kickstart for your career From job search to job offer, we have advice for every step
2 • Thursday, March 28, 2013
THE DAILY COUGAR
Contents I CHOOSE GLOBAL RETAILING “I choose the Master's in Global Retailing and to be a creative leader in the industry. I have a passion for interacting with other cultures.” Alejandro Navarette Castillo Bogota, Colombia
Applications for the Fall 2013 semester are now being accepted. Contact: asc@uh.edu or 713.743.4100
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Navigating LGBTQ issues
Charting a career path
Apps that can aid any jobseeker
Five common interview errors
How to handle getting passed up
Keys to success at career fairs
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Advertising Supplement
Thursday, March 28, 2013 • 3
The dilemma of a liberal arts degree By David Small Director University Career Services One of my undergraduate chums, an electrical engineering major, graduated just a few semesters before dear old alma mater offered its first course in transistorized circuitry. Wimski was a whiz at anything related to vacuum tube circuits and had his pick of several job offers at graduation. We lost touch, but I later learned that he had fared quite well in the corporate trenches during the first 10 years of his career. For some reason, however, he didn’t keep up with the new technologies. Industry turned from vacuum tubes to transistors to micro-chips and Wimski found himself on the fringes and finally out in the cold as his value in the workplace declined. After bouncing from one tech job to another for a few years, he settled into a comfortable human services position. Today, he’s happy and is good at what he does. And he harbors no
bitterness about his college experience. Wimski’s case is not unusual. Many college graduates discover that their skills can become obsolete quite rapidly unless they stay one step ahead of technological change. Skill obsolescence is one, but not the only, precursor to a job or a career change. Prior to the current recession, nearly one-third of the American workforce changed careers during a single five-year period. Even in the present environment, a person entering the workforce is expected to have three to four careers in his or her lifetime. Still, Wimski’s case raises the question of whether college should prepare a person for an occupation or for life. Much has been said about the merits of a practical versus a general education, of a technical versus a liberal arts education. Today’s college students say that it is more important for them to be well off financially than to develop a meaningful philosophy of life — a rever-
sal of values expressed by their counterparts in previous decades. There is little surprise that enrollments in business and engineering have spiked in the past 10 years while those in liberal arts have dropped as dramatically. To be sure, there are liberating qualities in a well-rounded engineering, business, or IT
curriculum. Marketable job skills can be one of the by-products of a well-planned liberal arts course of study. The latter, however, should not be left to accident. Liberal arts students are advised to choose elective courses carefully, weighing their value in terms of long-range career goals.
Internships and part-time jobs should be seen as careerbuilding experiences even if their value is only to confirm that a particular career field is unsuitable. Most important, liberal arts students must determine how best to market both tangible and intangible skills to prospective See LIBERAL ARTS on page 10
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4 • Thursday, March 28, 2013
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Addressing LGBTQ issues in a job search By Becky Reiter Senior Career Counselor University Career Services We all have questions and concerns when it comes to choosing a career. Does my career fit with my interests? What is the work environment like? Does the job fit my long-term goals? If you are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer/ Questioning (LGBTQ), there are additional issues to consider. Are you in or “out”? Is the work environment safe and supportive? Can you be open and still advance your career? If you are LGBTQ and beginning your job search, it is important to understand that the workplace can vary dramatically in terms of support and openness. For UH students, the transition to a work environment may be surprising as UH has active LGBTQ student groups, nondiscrimination and harassment polices, and a supportive environment. Not every workplace will offer these things.
Guideline 1
Guideline 2
Do what is comfortable
Research, research, research
Job search strategies
Coming out on the job
Career experts advise that you do what is comfortable for you in your career decision-making and job search. In order to determine your comfort level, you may want to assess what is important for you in managing your career. Is being out part of who you are? If so, you may want to target LGBTQ-friendly companies in order to ensure equal treatment and support. Do you consider sexual orientation to be just a piece of what defines you? Are you careful about the people to whom you disclose? If so, then you may lean toward LGBTQ-friendly companies but remain flexible. If you are not comfortable sharing information about yourself and have disclosed your sexual orientation to only a few people, if anyone at all, then you may consider companies that provide a high degree of privacy. Once you have determined your comfort level, you can begin to organize your job search.
Researching an industry and employer is essential in your job search. Does the company offer domestic partner benefits? Does the company have a firmly enforced non-discrimination policy? Look at the policy to see if it includes sexual preference and orientation. There is no federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace, so find out which states prohibit employment discrimination based on orientation. The Human Rights Campaign website (hrc.org) is the No. 1 resource for information with regard to industry and employers as well as legislation advocating for the rights and benefits for LGBTQ Americans in the workplace. The HRC Corporate Equality Index is an excellent resource for identifying LGBTQ-friendly companies. University Career Services is also Silver-Level Certified through OUT for Work and has access to OUT for Work’s employer research library.
A successful job search begins with a solid résumé. Your résumé is your first impression on paper. It is designed for you to obtain an invitation for an interview. For LGBTQ students who have participated in LGBTQrelated activities, reflecting their experiences on their résumés may present some difficulty. The skills that they have developed as a result of their activities will be of interest to an employer. As a LGBTQ job seeker, you must determine if you are comfortable being out in your resume. Consider your audience and weigh the pros and cons of including such information. If you’re not sure how to include this information in your résumé, visit University Career Services. A career counselor can suggest ways of highlighting your skills and helping you to decide whether to downplay the nature of the organizations in which they were developed.
Considering whether or not to come out on the job is a personal choice. Once on the job, assess your workplace culture for supportiveness. Consider the timing of when to come out. You may want to have a “trial run” with one or two co-workers that you trust. Perform at your best and build support. Coming out on the job can be challenging, but it can be done successfully. Remember, do what is comfortable for you. Utilize all of your resources, including University Career Services. Research the industry and company to determine the right fit, and clarify your goals. Visit the Human Rights Campaign website to assist you. Putting all the pieces together will help you make choices that are good for you and your career.
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Guideline 3
Guideline 4
Lisa Renaud Maher contributed to this article.
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Setting a career foundation for first-year college students Career Services offers resources to guide paths to professions One of the biggest challenges facing first-year college students is making a decision about their major and their career path. Research shows that more than 50 percent of students change their major or their career path at least three times in their lifetime. So whether you come into college clueless about what you want to do, or 100 percent sure about what you want to do, the chances are that you will change your decision at least once. University Career Services offers guidance for all first-year students in every stage of their career decision making. Here are some practical steps you can take towards your career planning starting in your freshman year in college.
Where do I begin? University Career Services offers the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory assessments, and individual career counseling appointments to help you choose a major or career path that best suits your strengths, personality and interests. Understanding these factors, especially as a first-year student, can help you: • Select a major and career path that is a good fit • Increase your awareness of your learning style so you can make the most of your education • Identify personal strengths and potential blind spots • Learn about qualities that are important for you in a career based on your personality
How do I get experience while in college? Gaining experience in the form of an internship, co-op, practicum, part-time job or volunteer opportunities can help you find out if your intended career path is compatible with your interests. University Career Services staff can assist by helping you: • Connect with alumni and employers for career advice • Search for internship and practicum opportunities through our Web resources • Research employers using our “Company and Industry Research Guideâ€? located under the handouts section on www.career.uh.edu • Improve your rĂŠsumĂŠ during walk-in consulting hours or appointments
How do I narrow my options?
How do I reach my goal?
Building awareness of your personality and experience in your area of interest, can assist you in narrowing your career options. A counselor can also help narrow options by helping: • Research graduate or professional programs and learn about the timelines for the applications • Prepare for a career fair • Learn about informational sessions and on-campus interviewing posted on campus recruitment database
Now, you have done all the work and are ready to implement your career plan! A career counselor can work with you to: • Review your rÊsumÊ for graduate school or the workforce • Practice interviewing for employment or graduate school • Learn more about job opportunities through networking and online resources • Learn about salary negotiation Compiled by University Career Services
Understanding self represents first step of successful search By University Career Services Staff
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Self-awareness means knowing yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, what you enjoy and knowing what makes you unique. In general, self-awareness is important for a variety of reasons, but in terms of employment, your level of self-awareness can be the most important factor in landing a job or internship. Many people embark on their job or internship search with the primary focus being on what it is that they want. One could argue that it’s much more beneficial to begin that process by first considering who we are or what we do. Assessments such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory can offer substantial insights into these aspects of yourself, especially when you sit down with a career counselor to interpret your results and find out how those aspects of yourself can be applied and articulated in the context of a job search or a career decision. Employers tend to be more specifically interested in what you have to offer. Are you a leader? Are you a problem solver? Do
you communicate well? Do you have any prior experience that would benefit you in this position? These are all questions that you should be able to answer, and in answering these questions your job search becomes more focused. Now you’re not just trying to apply for a job, you’re trying to apply yourself to a job. By applying yourself to a job, your rÊsumÊ becomes a more relevant to the position that you’re seeking. Your cover letter contains much more specific and tangible examples of how you’re qualified for a position and not just why, and overall, an employer gets the sense that you want the position that they’re hiring for and not just any job that will hire you. All of this happens as a direct result of your understanding of yourself as it relates to the job or internship that you’re seeking. This is self-awareness in action. Employers don’t just hire candidates because the candidates want a job. Employers hire candidates because of who they are and how they fit the position. With that being said, know yourself and know what makes you the ideal candidate because if you don’t, no one else will.
Advertising Supplement
Thursday, March 28, 2013 • 7
Top five apps to help you with your job search
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Compiled by Becky Reiter, University Career Services
LunchMeet Having trouble building your network? Worry no longer! With LunchMeet, a free app from LinkedIn, you can set up meeting times with other professionals in your area based upon your availability, location, and current profession or profession you are trying to break into.
GOOD JOB This app costs $4.99, but it helps to keep all of your job search information in one place. You can view contacts, companies you have filled out an application for, who you need to follow-up with and when and upcoming interview dates.
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Interview Questions Pro
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Gigwalk
JOBMO Do you utilize sites like indeed.com, simplyhired. com, and monster.com during your job search? If so, now you can find all of their postings in one place! Jobmo cuts down on time by pulling up jobs from each site using one simple application so you don’t have to bounce from website to website.
Nervous about your upcoming interview? This $0.99 app has over 80 different questions for you to practice and it includes helpful tips about how to answer the questions.
Need some extra money? Have a smart phone? Gigwalk has multiple gigs all over your chosen area that range from $5 to $30 per gig. Companies interested in how their location is being marketed or managed advertise these gigs and then reimburse you once the information is uploaded through their app. Opportunities include Mystery Shopper, taking pictures or video of a store location, verifying pricing for particular products, or speaking to customer service agents in the store to assess their knowledge about certain products.
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Top 5 interview mistakes By Priyanka Raut Career Counselor University Career Services
Not dressing appropriately Your physical appearance can speak volumes to someone who is meeting you for the first time. Even if you know that the firm allows employees to wear jeans, don’t sabotage yourself by showing up to the interview in casual clothing. Err on the conservative side and show up in neat, professional clothing. A business suit is your best and safest bet. In an interview, stay away from flashy jewelry, plunging necklines, too-short hemlines, T-shirts, and shoes that are too casual or too difficult to walk in. You never want to wear something that can be distracting, so if you have to think twice about it—skip it.
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Failing to set yourself apart from other candidates What sets you apart from other candidates are: the skills you have gained through your work or volunteer experience, knowledge you have acquired through your academic experience, and how you incorporate these experiences in your answers. Be familiar with the job description of the position for which you’re interviewing so you can illustrate how your experience, abilities, and strengths are congruent with the company’s needs. Employers want to know why they should hire you specifically. Make it clear to them.
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Inadequate research about the position or company When you walk into a job interview, knowledge of the company’s history, goals and current activity proves to the interviewer that you are not only prepared for the interview, but also that you want to be a part of the organization. You may use the University Career Services’ “Company and Industry Research� handout or use our latest resource “Vault� to read company profiles and reviews from current employees. As a general rule, the more famous the brand, the more they will expect you to have done your homework. Researching the company shows you’re serious about the job.
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Not asking questions Three in five interviewers say that interviewees often show a lack of interest in the job by not asking questions about the company or position. If you don’t ask smart questions, you’ll appear indifferent or clueless. The University Career Services handout “Preparing for the Employment Interview� lists some sample questions for a job candidate to ask in an interview. Questions you to avoid in an interview concern salary, benefits and hours, which should be discussed once an initial offer is made.
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Not sending a thank you note after the interview Make sure to send a handwritten thank-you note or polite email to the interviewer expressing gratitude for their time and consideration. And while you don’t want to call the company every day, a phone call to check in a week after the interview is perfectly acceptable.
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Advertising Supplement
Thursday, March 28, 2013 • 9
Handling rejection during a job hunt By Becky Reiter Senior Career Counselor University Career Services For many UH students, a job search is the first time in their lives that they encounter repeated rejection while pursuing something important to them. Learning to deal with rejection is an important developmental task that most people must master to have a successful career. 1. Don’t take it personally. This sounds obvious but can be challenging to remember when you are the one being rejected. When you don’t get a job, maybe the reason is that the hiring authority decided the team needed more Aggies and there was nothing you could have done to change his mind. In cases where you don’t have any information about why a company hired a different candidate, let it go and move on. 2. Use constructive criticism as an opportunity to fine tune your job search skills. In some instances, a recruiter or hiring manager or inside connection will be willing to give you feedback about why you didn’t get the job. One way to get this feedback is to ask, “What would be the ideal candidate’s education, track record, and interpersonal style?” The answers can give you clues about what the decision-makers value, and sometimes these are variables that you can change once you have information about how to become more competitive. 3. Realize that a job hunt is just like sales. Experienced salespersons know that they may encounter dozens of “Nos” before they get to that one “Yes.” They expect this and don’t let it ruin their mood. They treat the sales effort like the numbers game it is, and they aim to generate a sufficient number of leads so that when they are rejected, they can keep going until the next opportunity. 4. Surround yourself with social support. A job search can be tough on the ego, so line up all the emotional bolstering you can. Spend time with supportive family and friends. Sometimes the best sources of support are people
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6. Trust that the right job is out there for you. In the 20 years I’ve worked with clients during job searches, one story I hear over and over again is how frequently it turns out that when one door closes, a better one opens. No one knows for sure whether there is a purpose for everything that happens, but it sure does help to believe that when you are in the middle of a tough job search! 7. When you feel stuck and worried, take action. Psychologists say that worry is an ineffective substitute for action. To get unstuck, just do something. Research a new company, make direct contact with another employer, tell another person about your job search goals, or read something about your career field. 8. Visualize the day you accept your new job. Imagine yourself happy, confident, and peaceful about your choice. Think about yourself making a contribution to your new employer and taking the next steps to achieve more in your career. 9. Make an appointment with a career counselor. If you’re consistently receiving interviews but then not being offered the job, it’s a good idea to do a mock interview with a career counselor to check in on your interviewing skills. It’s possible you’re not giving enough examples of real-life situations or you’re discussing salary and benefits at the wrong time. And most important of all, don’t give up! Learn from Albert Einstein, who said “It is not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” Janet Civitelli contributed to this article.
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10 • Thursday, March 28, 2013
THE DAILY COUGAR
A career guide for liberal arts majors
S R E E R C A I N
Continued from LIBERAL ARTS on page 3
employers. Qualifications such as problem-solving skills, oral and written communication skills, human relations skills, adaptability, the capacity to learn, and the insight to know the “whys� as well as the “hows� are vitally important to organizations.
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These qualities are timeless. They do not become obsolete, but they can be hard to demonstrate to a prospective employer. In this context, it is essential that the liberal arts graduate make a realistic assessment of the types positions and organizations for which he or she is qualified. Highly technical positions may not be realistic. Trainee positions, in which jobrelated skills are taught on the job, should be considered. The industries that have historically employed the largest numbers of liberal arts graduates are banking, retailing, government, insurance, adver-
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Relating abilities to openings At the resume and interview stages, the liberal arts candidate must present a well-considered and realistic career/job objective. Here, credibility can be gained by relating previous accomplishments, e.g., courses, projects, and jobs, to the candidate’s career or job objective. Then, relate the job objective to the needs of the employer as were ascertained at the research stage. The above is a proven threestep formula for success for the liberal arts job candidate: connect past accomplishments to the job/career objectives, research the firms and then connect objectives to the needs of the employer. Once liberal arts graduates find their occupational niches, their upward mobility and salary gains are just as rapid as for their technically-trained counterparts. Research shows that this convergence occurs at about eight years after graduation from college.
The transition is the trick
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tising, and small businesses of all types. A recommended course of action is to explore one’s occupational options (often with the help of a career counselor and a vocational assessment), target specific organizations, and then research those organizations. It is better to narrow the field of prospective employers, to, say, 15 or 20, and to thoroughly research those organizations than to send resumes, scatter-shot style, to 200 employers.
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The immediate challenge is for liberal arts graduates to make a successful transition from college to the world of work. There are signs that the premium for a liberal arts degree is rising as employers realize the need for well-rounded individuals in their organizations. With the first contingent of “baby-boomers� now readying for retirement, the demand for college graduates will increase as the number of available workers levels off. No reason why liberal arts graduates shouldn’t ride the crest of that demand.
Advertising Supplement
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Strategies for success at career fairs By University Career Services Staff Two-thirds of all people get their jobs using informal methods such as networking or making direct contacts with an employer. The career fair is an excellent opportunity to use both of these methods to decrease the time spent looking for a job and find the job that’s right for you. Career fairs are one of the easiest places to find job leads. If you are well prepared, you may end up with interview opportunities or even an employment offer. A job fair is also an excellent opportunity to learn about different careers. You may discover that you qualify for a position at a company you never considered before or you may find out about alternate career paths for someone with your experience or major. Getting the most out of a career fair takes some advance preparation on your part. Whether you hope to learn more about career opportunities or secure a full-time job, you will want to stand out from other candidates and make a positive impression.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR A CAREER FAIR Attend Workshops. UCS offers other workshops that might prove helpful in preparing for the career fair. Topics include job search strategies, writing an effective resume, and interviewing techniques. Research Participating Employers in Advance. By knowing which employers will be at the fair and knowing something about them, you will be able to take advantage of the event’s networking and jobplacement opportunities. The best source of information is the company’s website. Job descriptions, which can often be found online, are a good way to find out more about the position requirements and skills sought by the company. Since you have researched the company, you will not need to ask “What does your company do?” Plan a Strategy. Review the list of participating organizations and decide which recruiters you are most interested in speaking with. Make a list of the top 10 companies you plan to visit, and study the floor plan to find out where they’ll be located. Don’t just concentrate on the big names. There are often great opportunities with companies with which you are not familiar.
Resumes and Career Fairs. Distributing resumes at career fairs is on the decline. Employers are increasingly directing career fair attendees to apply on company websites, and recruiters are less inclined to accept resumes on the spot. Do not be discouraged by this new trend! Bring and offer your resume to recruiters, but be flexible if the recruiter does not accept hard copies. Prepare to lead with an introduction and not your résumé. Your communication and interpersonal skills may ultimately be more important than your resume during a career fair. Prepare Your Introduction. Create your “commercial.” You should prepare and rehearse a 30-60 second “commercial” to sell yourself to potential employers. Tailor your introduction to each employer based on research and knowledge of the company. Incorporate positive nonverbal communications, such as eye contact, facial expressions, body language, posture, etc. Prepare for Interviews. Many companies whose college recruitment budgets have been reduced now rely on campus job fairs for the bulk of their interviewing. Employers may want to interview on the spot. Recruiters will expect you to introduce yourself, shake hands confidently, answer questions about your coursework or experience, and have an idea of the type of job you want. Demonstrate confidence, interest, and enthusiasm. Employer surveys identify enthusiasm as the single most important personal attribute of a first impression. Thank the recruiters for their time. Ask for a business card if you have not done so already and the preferred way for you to follow up. Thank the recruiter by name. Clothes and Accessories. Dress for success. Dress in conservative, business attire — it is always better to be overdressed than underdressed. Remember, first impressions are vital! Pack your briefcase. Be organized. Stock your briefcase with the following: paper for note taking, tissues, a mirror, breath mints, water and a snack. Rest up the night before!
AFTER THE FAIR Follow up. Once you’re home, you should begin preparing thank you notes.
Not only is your memory still fresh with details of your conversations, but recruiters often make decisions on following up with candidates a few days after the fair. In the letter, thank the recruiters for their time, restate your
interest and qualifications for the position, recall something that you discussed, reiterate your interest in a second interview, and indicate when you will follow up. Send your thank you notes the next day. You can send your “thank yous”
via email as long as you keep the letter professional. For additional information about career fairs and other topics related to career services, please visit www.career.uh.edu and select the handouts tab.
RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS NEEDED
DO YOU HAVE IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME?
Baylor College of Medicine is testing a treatment for adults 18-60 years of age. You must have 24 hr telephone access. COMPENSATION IS PROVIDED
CALL 713-798-0381
12 • Thursday, March 28, 2013
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With you when
THE DAILY COUGAR
you're lookin for a rewardin career
You have the skills and the passion to make a difference. At Wells Fargo Advisors, we’re with you. Our supportive environment enables our team members to build relationships with each other, our customers, and our communities.
Financial Advisor Trainee Trainees will participate in the financial advisor training program on a full-time basis. The Financial Advisor in Training will be fully trained and supported with the tools and resources to build an individual practice to serve as an advisor to clients, providing sound financial advice and counsel consistent with the client’s goals and risk tolerance, and meet organizational revenue targets. After the training program has been successfully completed, team members will enter our FA Graduate Program and participate in the incentive compensation plan. 2+ years’ outside/inside sales or business development experience or 5+ years' work experience including one or more of the following settings required: entrepreneurial, office or U.S. military.
Come see us at the upcoming Texas Job Fair on April 2nd at Texas Southern University. Join our team. Visit our careers site at wellsfargo.com/careers to apply.
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. Wells Fargo recognizes and values the diversity of its employees, customers and business partners. Wells Fargo & Company is an Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V.