Graduation by The Standard at Missouri State University

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Table of Contents Pages 4 and 8 - Interviews Pages 6 and 10 - Internship or job? Page 12 and 18 - Loans Pages 14 and 22 - Moving Page 16 - Staying connected Page 20 - Social media Page 21 - Job location Graduation 2012 This is a publication of Missouri State Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s student-produced newspaper, The Standard. The university has not approved and is not responsible for its content, which is produced and edited by The Standard staff.

Cover design by Mat Wilken

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Best foot forward Six tips to do well in your job interview

distracting. For example, when I wear my glasses in here, there is a glare on them because of the light, which makes it diffiWhile the résumé can get you a job cult to look me in the eye.” interview, it is the interview that gets you the job, said Jack Hunter, director of the Career Center. 2. Do not forget extra résumés With the graduating class of 2012 about to enter the real working world, and transcripts! here is a list of the top six things not to do Hunter recommends bringing a thin, in an interview. one-sided folder that contains organized transcripts, résumés and any portfolio items. It could also contain information 1. Do not be unprepared! about references. Every good interviewee An interviewee that is knowledgeable should know exactly what a reference will about the company and job description say about them. Alexis Lewis, junior speech-language seems much more interested in the posipathology major, said that professors are tion, Hunter said. Unpreparedness can also cover show- great references. “I think putting a professor that you ing up late. Try to be 10 minutes early and know well, who is also in your field of be familiar with the location. “Another thing to be prepared about is study, is a great reference because they knowing the location,” Hunter said. “If can illustrate your strengths in that area,” you have a chance to look at it, do, and Lewis said. take notice of little things that could be

By Anna Thomas The Standard

Photo illustration by Evan Henningsen/THE STANDARD

Missouri State Career Center Director Jack Hunter says a good interview can set you apart from other applicants and is more important than just having a good résumé.

3. Do not assume casual clothes are acceptable for an interview! Besides the obvious suit and blouse, Hunter points out the small details such

as no excessive jewelry, overstuffed pockets, hair in face, dirty nails or revealing clothing. He also revealed a secret most See INTERVIEWS page 8

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Internship or job? Some Missouri State students choose to get more experience through internships before entering the job market By Amy Fuemmeler The Standard

A time comes when every bird must leave the nest, and it is about that time for the graduates of Missouri State. They must go out into the world and put the skills they’ve learned into action. The question they may be asking is whether to take an internship or to get a job. Director of the Career Center Jack Hunter said he believes students should look into both possibilities because both have good qualities. Internships are used by many employers to find full-time employees. Internships are a way for employers to get a full meas-

ure of the employees before hiring them on full time, he said. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers are expected to increase hiring from internships by 8.5 percent. “Students should be aware of the differences that accrue to them, full time versus internships, but certainly should not shy away from an employer if they like the employer and think there is an opportunity for long time employment just because it’s an internship,” Hunter said. Kim Lucas, senior construcEvan Henningsen/THE STANDARD tion management major and administrative assistant in Molly Richardson, a senior computer information systems major at Missouri State University, will be taking a job after her graduation at the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City, Mo. She says the benefits See INTERNSHIP page 10 of getting a job outweigh the benefits of getting an internship in her particular circumstance.

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Interviews Continued from page 4

interviewee should create a list of his or her qualities that can then be rehearsed. Then, during questions, an interviewee can refer back to the list.

interviewees do not realize. “Wear good shoes. When you walk out of a 6. Do not be sold short! room, a person normally looks at your shoes,” It is not considered bragging when the Hunter said. “If you are wearing scuffed, old shoes then that is the last thing the interviewer interviewee describes their skills, and why they are best for a job, Hunter said. will think about you.” Also, they should not let their interviewer forget about them. It is always best to type a thank you letter to not only the interviewer, 4. Do not underestimate body but also to their co-workers who interacted language! with you, such as a secretary. That way, an Body language can say a lot about a person. interviewee might just stand out of the crowd. Angela Burgon, a senior global studies However, an interviewee should always have a good, firm handshake and always look the major, agreed with all of the top six things not interviewer in the eye. A good handshake can to do in an interview. However, she had one be attained by making sure the webbing thing to add. “One of my high school teachers swore by between the thumb and the pointer finger meets the other person’s webbing, Hunter said. it, but it’s not to wear red to interviews because it’s the color of war, hostility and anger, not exactly the vibe you want to give in an interview,” Burgon said. 5. Do not use fillers and informal The Career Center offers mock interviews speech! for any student, even alumni, for free in their It is not “yeah” and “nope”, but rather “yes” offices or through Skype. To schedule an interand “no.” Also, an interviewee should watch view, or even just for tips on interviews, stutheir use of “umms,” and long pauses, Hunter dents can call 417-836-5636 or visit the Career Center office in Carrington 309 or Glass Hall said. The best way to avoid these is to have a 103 from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 plan of what to say. Before an interview, the p.m.

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Internships Continued from page 6 administrative assistant in Career Services, is participating in an internship this summer with Q & Company. “A downside could be if you are in one of those fields that don’t have paid internships,” Lucas said. “I really think that internships can help you as a student decide, ‘Is this really what I want to do? Great, classes are fun, but once I’m actually out and applying it in the real world, is it really what I want to do?’” The second option, a full-time job, could provide the employee with more security. A full-time job is more stable, and is more often higher paid. “All of the things being equal, full time is better than internship because you have some protection,” Hunter said. “It’s easier to let them go (interns) than is a full-time employee, economically.” Molly Richardson, senior computer information systems major, who will be taking a job after graduation in May at the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, believes the pros outweigh the cons for taking a job over an internship. “It’s something that’s going to last a lot

longer, and I already have had an internship for the last year or so and I feel like I’ve already learned a lot from that, and I want to move on,” Richardson said. “The benefits they offer you as a full-time employee are way better than if you are an intern — better work, better hours.” For seniors who have not found either an internship or job, the Career Center offers a service called JobTracks, which is a posting of internships and jobs available to students. “These are positions that have been sent to us by employers, graduate schools, higher ed or school districts, and they want us to announce it to our students,” Hunter said. The Career Center also has services to help prep students to apply for jobs. Students can use the walk-in program to bring in their résumés and cover letters to get advisement on how to make them better or to make one for the first time. Mock interviews are also held for students to learn the essentials of a good interview and to practice. For assistance or more information, the Career Center, located in Carrington Hall 309 and Glass Hall 103 is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and they can be found online at http://careercenter.missouristate.edu/.

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Time for payback Many students are unsure of differences between types of loans, says MSU financial aid official By Dayle Duggins The Standard College students are known for constantly being broke, barely scraping by on the money they make from minimumwage jobs and, in the case of Missouri State students, only eating because of the meal plans they have for the dorms or the Plaster Student Union. Along with being broke, many college students are gaining more and more debt every single day because they are tied down by student loans. According to Missouri State’s Financial Management Handbook, “Student loans are financial aid, which you must repay, in addition to interest on the principle borrowed. After you graduate, leave school or drop below half-time enrollment, you have a six-month grace period before you must begin repayment.” The handbook, which contains tips for

financial success in college, also notes that there is a very big difference between federally subsidized and unsubsidized loans and alternative loans, which are private loans used most often when all other forms of financial aid have been exhausted. Jackie Lewis, an assistant director of financial aid, has worked in the financial aid profession for 16 years. Lewis also runs a program called Real L.I.F.E., which stands for Literacy in Financing your Education. Lewis said she helps students understand their loans while also educating them about what they’re getting themselves into. “The majority of students are taking out the federal student loans, which is the better way to go,” Lewis said. “For undergraduate students, the federal See LOANS page 18

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Packing up Students prepare to hit the road By Damien M. DiPlacido The Standard

Coming to Missouri State out of high school was a huge life step for many students and in a lot of cases it meant migrating a significant distance from home. Some graduates this May will receive their diploma and take an out-of-town job, but many might be uneasy with that scenario. Jack Hunter, director of Missouri State’s Career Center, said students taking jobs out of town, or even out of state, can be a good move. “It’s easier to come back than it is to stay here after you graduate and try to leave,” Hunter said. “Taking a job out of town enlarges your opportunities. If you’re narrowed geographically then you’re limiting your options.” According to a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), two factors that determine whether or not a student accepts a job are the location and the job’s salary. In terms of location, the job’s proximity to family is one of the major issues. See MOVING page 22

Photo illustration by Josh Campbell/THE STANDARD

Many Missouri State University graduates will face the tough task of relocating depending on the job they get.

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File photo by Josh Campbell/THE STANDARD

There are many ways for students to stay connected with Missouri State after they graduate from the university, such as being involved with the Alumni Association.

Staying connected with MSU Graduating students become members of Alumni Association By Nicolette Martin The Standard When seniors walk across the stage or receive their diploma, there are numerous things running through their heads, usually in some form of “Yes, I’m finally done!” Perhaps the furthest thing from their mind is thinking about how to stay connected to Missouri State once they’ve graduated. Thankfully, Missouri State makes staying in touch easy and nearly effortless for those who want to continue to be involved with their alma mater after saying farewell to campus. Upon graduation, all students become an automatic member of the Alumni Association which includes perks such as access to Missouri State’s online community in the form of a personal profile, an online directory, a permanent university email address, access to the Career Center and event information. Students also receive three issues of “Missouri State Magazine” annually and 12 issues of the “Bear Bulletin,” an electronic newsletter. “Staying in touch with your inner bear is really about keeping a connection to Missouri State,” the Alumni Association says on their website. “The Alumni Association is here to keep you informed and involved with the university.” According to the Missouri State Factbook, 38.9 percent of students enrolled in the fall semester are from somewhere in Missouri other than Greene County or other southwest

district counties. Furthermore, 16.1 percent of these students come from the St. Louis area. For those graduating and returning to the St. Louis area who are looking for ways to stay connected, look no further than the Missouri State Alumni of St. Louis group, an organization “dedicated to serving as a social, professional and philanthropic outlet for Missouri State alumni in the state’s largest and best city,” according to the group’s website. Through their Facebook page and website, this group keeps St. Louisans up on all the Missouri State events happening around St. Louis, including “Missouri State Day at Busch Stadium,” and events such as “3rd Thursday in St. Louis,” at which Missouri State alumni can get together to network over food and drinks the third Thursday of the month. There are many outlets for those not returning to St. Louis post-grad to stay connected as well. For those in Kansas City, there are events such as “Missouri State Day at Kauffman Stadium” and “3rd Thursday in Kansas City.” There are also events held regionally and nationally in cities such as Dallas, Denver, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, Washington D.C., Tulsa and other cities, according to the Alumni Association. To find out more about the Alumni Association and alumni events, visit http://www.alumni.missouristate.edu. For more information on the Missouri State Alumni of St. Louis, visit http://www.stlbearfans.com.

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Loans Continued from page 12 government provides a subsidized loan, which is a need-based loan. But with the subsidized loan, the government is paying the interest. “A lot of students don’t understand the difference between the loans. The unsubsidized loan is the loan that is the one that is non-need-based so the interest is accruing and we try to encourage students to pay that interest at least while you’re in school.” Lewis said peer counselors and fulltime financial aid counselors are consistently available to talk one-on-one with students about their particular financial situation and give them guidance on the decisions that will impact them after college. “We encourage students to go for scholarships first,” Lewis said. “If you have to borrow, only borrow what you need, don’t borrow extra just to have money to go and do things with. We hear about students making large purchases and taking trips and things with the extra money but what they don’t realize and what we try to get them to understand is you’re gonna be paying an awful lot of money back so that little inexpensive trip

just turned into $1,000 by the time the interest accrues and you’ve paid for it for ten years.” While a large number of students do have loans, Lewis said it seems very few are aware of how the process works until the time to pay them comes around, which is what they are trying to help with in the financial aid department. Emily Sanders, a freshman criminology major, said she doesn’t know the amount of debt she has accrued through student loans or the entity she has committed to loans with. “Wherever my parents got theirs set up is where I went through, too,” Sanders said. “I’m glad because I’m not as stressed out about money right now, but at the same time I kind of regret it because I’ll be really stressed out about it later.” On the other hand, many students like freshman Desiree Brown, an undeclared major with an interest in nursing, are thankful they don’t have loans to pay after their time in school. “I have scholarships so half of my school is through scholarships and the other half is through financial aid,” Brown said. “It’s extra money that’s going into my pocket instead of spending it on tuition.” To learn more about financial aid and how loans work, go to http://www.missouristate.edu/FinancialAid/.

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File photo illustration by Steph Anderson/THE STANDARD

Social media can be both harmful and beneficial to a new graduate’s job search.

Social media help students connect to the job market Social networks count for 22 percent of time spent online By Brandon Corrigan The Standard For those who have tried to avoid, ignore and even run away from social media, it’s time to face the music. Social media isn’t a fad, but rather a fundamental shift in the world of communication. If you don’t believe me, maybe these statistics will convince you. In 2010, Nielsen Wire reported that social networks account for 22 percent of all time spent online in the U.S. And according to the Huffington Post, social networking sites have overtaken porn as the No. 1 activity on the web. Chances are most students have dabbled in at least some sort of social media in their daily lives. Myspace, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, IndiePublic, YouTube and Flickr are just a few networking sites available for use. For students on the cusp of graduation, social media is a key way to market themselves to future employers because of its reach and accessibility. A 2011 Jobvite Social Recruiting Survey revealed that 80 percent of companies use social media for recruitment. MSU public relations major Rachel

Davis said that social media has become part of her daily routine and that she uses social media outlets three to four hours a day because she believes that it is most effective when used on a regular basis. “Social media is super important because it is a fast way to communicate,” she said. “I network at home and on the go with my laptop, iPad and smartphone.” The senior said she hopes she can parlay her frequent social media use into a future job. “I haven’t really started looking for a biggirl job yet, but I have gotten interviews for paid internships using internship search sites,” Davis said. MSU senior elementary education major Scott Eickhoff is also a daily user of social media. Eickhoff listed Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest as his preferred sites to get his social media fix. “I like to be in the loop and updated on what my friends are doing,” Eickhoff said. “Lately, I’ve been using Twitter more than anything else.” Eickhoff said he communicates with friends on social networking sites to find out where they are doing student teaching and where they have found jobs.

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Job opportunities can lead to tough decisions New graduates may have to leave family and friends By Kelsey Berry The Standard

Let’s pretend for a minute: you are graduating in a month and you’ve been sending out résumés, applying and interviewing for jobs consistently over the past six months. Today, a company offered you a job located in Denver, Colo. You’ve always wanted to head out west and start your own adventure, but now that moving to Denver has become a possible reality, you find yourself doubting. Do you really want to leave your family, friends and significant other behind to pursue this job? Of course, it’s not your ultimate dream job but it is certainly a step up the ladder to success and will provide you with financial securi-

ty. What will you do? Many graduating seniors may find themselves in a similar situation with a difficult decision to make. Career Resources Specialist Addye Buckley-Burnell said right now it’s taking students about six to nine months to find a job. Turning one down because of location could drastically limit a student’s probability of finding a source of income in their field of study, but are most students willing to leave behind their family and friends to start over in a new place? “I am willing to move just about anywhere except for the Deep South,” senior physics major Justin Gilker said. “That’s not really my thing.” Gilker described himself as being somewhat of a wanderer.

“This is the longest I’ve ever stayed in one place and it just kind of drives me crazy,” he said. For students like Gilker who wouldn’t have a problem with relocating, Buckley-Burnell suggests getting socially involved right away. Joining groups such as sports teams, book clubs or running groups helps to reduce the isolation that can sometimes accompany moving to a new place on your own. While relocating to a new city or state to accept a job can be challenging, it can also be a great experience. It provides graduates with an opportunity to branch out on their own, achieve full independence and find out who they really are, all while gaining valuable work experience that will help pave the way to future dream jobs. On the other hand, relocating may not be the choice for everyone. “I would say close to 90 percent of the students I talk to have a very specific location in mind, and typi-

cally it’s to be close to their family or relatives.” Buckley-Burnell said. “Staying close to home, you have built-in connections and built-in support systems, which are always beneficial. You also have networking connections.” Senior digital film production major Clint Lowrance will be continuing on to the graduate screenwriting program here in Springfield at Missouri State after he graduates this May. “I’m not really ready to go seek a full-time job just yet,” Lowrance admitted. “I hope to eventually be self-employed, probably making my own films, so the more education I can get, the better.” Lowrance explained that when he is finished with school, he will most likely continue to live locally, not because of family or friends but because it is a personal choice. He has lived in the Springfield area his whole life and enjoys it. Unfortunately, by choosing to stay close to home, some graduates may find their options are limited,

especially if home is a smaller town. “Your possibilities are fewer than if you go somewhere else,” Buckley-Burnell said. “Starting out, you might end up in a job that has nothing to do with what you really want to do and that can be hard, especially if you have a career goal in mind.” While both options of moving away and staying close to home have their ups and downs, graduating seniors have to determine what works best for them. So whether you decide to take the job in Denver or continue to pursue something closer to loved ones, maintaining a healthy balance between work and social health is most important. “I think the most important thing to all of our happiness is having relationships and connecting with people wherever you are,” Buckley-Burnell said. “If you’re not happy where you are, you’re probably not going to be happy with your job.”

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Moving Continued from page 14 Hunter said there are a great deal of employers who come to Missouri State in search of potential employees and are turned down because students don’t want to move away from their families. “We’re in a city of 160170,000,” Hunter said. “There’s not as many opportunities here as there are in a city like St. Louis, Chicago, Denver or Tulsa, for instance. Some of the bigger cities, because of their populations, have more opportunities.” Hunter said he thinks graduates should seek a position that satisfies their professional needs and capabilities. Jobs that can be challenging and offer preparation for a future career should be seriously considered, even if it means moving away. Salary.com is one of many websites that offer helpful tools to calculate costs of living in different cities through-

We’re in a city of 160-170,000. There’s not as many opportunities here as there are in a city like St. Louis, Chicago, Denver or Tulsa, for instance. Some of the bigger cities, because of their populations, have more opportunities. -Jack Hunter, MSU Career Center director

out the country in comparison with the city someone is moving from. It’s the primary site offered to students from the Career Center. “You can put in what a typical salary is like in a particular location,” Hunter said. “If you have an offer for $30,000 in Springfield, you can compare it to St. Louis or Kansas City and see what you need to maintain the same living status. It’ll show you what that salary is.” Senior criminology major Kevin Vickers is one student that is seriously considering making a big move after he graduates in May. He’s had a

job offer from a private investigation company located in Anaheim, Calif. “How much they offer me will determine whether or not I’ll move out there because I know cost of living in California is pretty much double what it is here,” Vickers said. “My parents might help me out to get started but for the most part they’ll say, ‘If you’re going to go out there you better be able to support yourself.’” Anyone wishing to compare costs of living in different cities can check out salary.com at http://www.salary.com.

Graduation

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