Career Issue September 2021 Cooglife

The Career Issue

September 2021

4-7 How to write a career services approved resume and cover letter

8-9 Five steps to ace your next career fair

10-11 Your major is pretty minor

12-13 Is passion or payment more important? Ultimately, it’s up to you

14-15 Five tips to landing an internship

16-17 Opinion: Cover letters are a waste of time

18-19 Professionalism is changing for the better

20-21 Business casual to business fashionable - How to showcase your personality through fashion during an interview

22-23 QUIZ: What should you be when you ‘grow up’?

EDITORIAL

McKenzie Misiaszek Executive Editor cooglife@thedailycougar.com

COVERS

Juana Garcia, Creative Director of The Cougar creative@thedailycougar.com

WRITING

Haya Panjwani

Sofia Gonzalez

Donna Keeya

Anna Baker

Sydney Rose

SOCIALS cooglife @cooglifemag @cooglife

EDITOR’S LETTER EDITOR’S LETTER

Howdy y’all, I hope everybody’s fall semester is going well! This month is our career issue. That means we have a ton of tips and tricks to help you land jobs, internships and interviews, along with some thought provoking pieces about major career decisions. Does your major really matter? Is money or loving what you do more important? We try to answer those age old questions for you here. My favorite articles in this edition aren’t the ones that will really help you get a job, but breaking down workplace fashion. It may be embarrassing, but my normal outfits are probably classified as business casual about 70 percent of the time, so I feel like I’m an expert on the matter. Let me know if you find the little

Easter egg I’ve hidden in this issue. This edition is really meaningful to me because I graduated right before COVID and didn’t have a job lined up. COVID (and being frightfully unemployed) led me to pursue a master’s degree and led me right here to all of you wonderful readers. This is also my first edition that I have done without any assistance from Autumn, so bear with me as I figure my way around an entire magazine.

Let me know if you like what you see and what you read by sending me an email at cooglife@thedailycougar.com! I’m always open to new ideas and new writers!

Thanks for reading,

McKenzie Misiaszek Executive Editor

How to write a Career Services approved resume and cover letter

How to write a Career Services approved resume and cover letter

The University of Houston has resources you should take advantage of while you’re here, which includes Career Services. The department aims to help students figure out how to achieve their career goals, the first steps being resumes and cover letters.

By McKenzie Misiaszek

Agood resume is the most important thing to have when you begin your job or internship search. Before you ever meet a potential employer you will likely be judged by your resume.

Everyone knows the basics of what to put on a resume: job experience, skills, education, your name and contact information. It never feels that easy though. How does one make their retail experience coincide with a marketing position they are applying for? How do people get hired for a job or internship when they have only worked as a babysitter or mowing lawns?

UH Career Services exists to help with these problems. Not only do they offer templates and worksheets to help you write your resume, but also a Curriculum Vitae and a cover letter, a notoriously strenuous thing to write. These worksheets are accessible through their website, but you can also schedule time to talk about your resume with those at Career Services.

Using their resources, we are going to break down what makes a good resume, CV and cover letter.

Resumes

There are a lot of templates to follow for resumes, but it is quite easy to make your own in Word, Google Docs, Canva, literally any program you know how to navigate. If we follow the Career Services resume template we start with our name, contact information and a Linkedin profile link.

After this, add your education experience. Once you have completed your first year in college the classes and activities you did in high school don’t really matter, so don’t include those in your resume. You also have the option of adding your GPA, but they only recommend doing so if you have a 3.0 or higher.

Next, you can add relevant courses and academic projects you’ve completed to your resume. This serves to show that outside of obtaining a degree, or working towards that, you have experience in the realm of your potential job, even if you haven’t worked in that sector yet.

When it comes to finally adding your experience, there are many types of experience you can include. Whether it be traditional work experience, research you’ve done, leadership positions you had, or just any relevant experience you can think of; put that next. For the bullet points that you put beneath your job title format them action verb + task + result, put your strongest selling point first. Lastly, focus on accomplishments and results, not just job duties.

After work experience, the template suggests that you go in order of skills, honors and then activities. When listing your skills, think of

“hard skills” like technical skills and languages you know, not things like “team work” or “communication.”

For honors, it doesn’t just have to be an award you received, but also list scholarships you’ve had and when you received them. You can also include any times you have made Dean’s List with time frames attached.

Lastly, listing activities shows you can multitask. Any activities that fall under the umbrella of leadership, involvement, volunteering and professional development are great to add.

When you finish your resume you can go to the Career Services website and schedule a time to talk with someone about your resume, or you can submit your resume to

VMock SMART Resume Platform and receive same day feedback.

Make sure that your resume passes the Cougar Pathway screening as well so you can apply for jobs on the portal.

Cover Letters

When you go to apply for jobs using your freshly polished resume you may think that’s the hardest part. Most people would disagree. Cover letters are required, or at least strongly suggested, for so many jobs today. When one sits down to write them though, they may become stumped by the careful juggle between convincing the employer they are right for the job and bragging to the point of sounding cocky.

Luckily, Career Services is there

to help you with this task too. Along with a simple cover letter template, they also have a variety of worksheets to get you thinking about what to include in the cover letter.

The first step in the template is to add your address, phone number and email address, as if you were crafting a formal letter. Then, add the date. Next, write the name of the person you are sending it to, along with the company and street address.

Now, to the actual cover letter. Begin by addressing the hiring manager, if you know their name use it, otherwise “Dear Hiring Manager,” is fine. Make sure to look for their name on the website though, it shows you’re capable of some digging.

Overall, the cover letter should be no more than a few paragraphs. The first paragraph should introduce you. Say why you are writing, how you learned of the company or position and who you are. If you can name drop someone you know within the company or another mutual contact with their permission, do so.

The second paragraph is the hard stuff. This is where you have to detail to the hiring manager why you want the job, what qualifies you and generally convince them to take a look at your resume.

In the worksheet that Career Services recommends doing before you write your cover letter you are basically brainstorming and drafting ideas for this paragraph. Look back at the job posting. What skills did they say they were looking for? See if you can correspond those skills with things you have done in the past.

Focus on what you can contribute, not what they can give you. Make it sound like they are gaining an asset instead of the other way around. If they don’t hire you, they are the ones losing out, not you. Also elaborate on specific parts of your resume in this paragraph.

The final paragraph is simple closing statement to reiterate your interest. Say that you would like the opportunity to interview for this company or talk with someone about any future hiring plans within the company. Add how you will follow up (e.g. three weeks by email) and that you will provide the employer with any additional

information as needed. Finish out this paragraph by thanking them for their time.

Finishing the cover letter is as easy as just saying “Sincerely, (your name)”.

Remember that you will have to tailor your cover letter for each job you apply to. Although this is recommended for resumes as well, often you can use the same resume multiple times.

Career Services also allows time to chat with a Peer Career Advisor virtually, and if you choose to do so

you can absolutely use some of that time to ask questions about your cover letter and tips and tricks that have worked for them in the past, as they are your peers.

When it comes to resumes, cover letters and simply applying to jobs, it is important to note that you will likely be rejected, or never hear back from numerous employers and positions. This is normal. Few people get the first job they apply to. Keep up the good work and keep trying.

Five steps to ace your next career fair

Five steps to ace your next career fair

The all majors career fair is on September 30 this year. In preparation we compiled five things you need to do before you step foot in Student Center South, or show up on Cougar Pathway.

By McKenzie Misiaszek

The University of Houston Career Services office hosts multiple career fairs a year. From major and college specific, to an all majors fair, dozens of employers show up looking for new hires and students who could intern for their companies.

If you have never been to a career fair, the prospect might seem overwhelming. That’s why we broke down the top five things to know for your next career fair, whether it be virtual or in person.

Dress professionally

The recommended attire for all career fairs, in person or online, is business professional. This means that suits should be long-sleeved in black, gray or navy, and your suit jacket should match your bottoms, and yes you should still wear professional bottoms over Zoom. If you are wearing a skirt it should reach your knees. Your shirt should be white or a lighter color and if you wear a tie it should be solid colored and not distracting.

Your shoes should have a heel less than two inches and be a neutral color, or for men be polished leather with dark socks. If you choose to wear jewelry it should be simple and conservative. Your bag should be a small purse or another professional bag, and you should also have a portfolio to carry your resumes.

Bring or upload resumes

If you don’t have a resume printed out (or uploaded to Cougar Pathway for virtual career fairs) you can’t hand anything to your potential employers. Make sure you print out at least a dozen resumes. It is always better to have some left over

rather than run out. You can print them on campus in the library quite easily.

Make sure you have something to carry your resumes in. It looks bad to hand someone a resume that has been crinkled. If you’ve seen the scene in Legally Blonde, Elle always had her resumes in a nice portfolio. Be like Elle Woods.

Practice your interviewing skills

This one may feel a little silly, but making sure you aren’t stumbling over your words or generally awkward during your meeting with employers is an important step to a good first impression. Networking is real.

Career Services offers multiple worksheets that list common interview questions so you can have your answers ready. Make sure you know what you’re going to say if

someone asks you to “tell me about yourself.”

RSVP

Make sure you RSVP for the fair in Cougar Pathway and have your resume uploaded to the website as well. Career Services reviews every resume uploaded into Cougar Pathway, so give yourself enough time to make any changes before your career event. This is an important step so you can get into these career fairs in the first place.

Research the employers

Do not go in blind. Make sure you look at the list of companies that are going to be at the fair. Make a list of the ones you want to talk to and make sure you know what the companies do, what you like about them and what positions they have open that you are interested in. This gives you something to actually talk about with those at the career fair.

Your major is pretty minor

Your major is pretty minor

Just because you graduated with a major in one field, doesn’t mean you have to work in that field for the rest of your life, or ever if you don’t want to.

Just because you graduated with a major in one field, doesn’t mean you have to work in that field for the rest of your life, or ever if you don’t want to.

By Sofia Gonzalez

By Sofia Gonzalez

Graduating from college is hard. It’s the start of the rest of your life. Students don’t always have a job set up for them right out of college. The job search is hard, and most students don’t end up with a job in their major.

Former University of Houston student, Daniela Machado, knows about this all too well.

Machado originally graduated with a broadcast journalism degree, and said she thought that news was her passion.

“I always thought of myself as the type of person that would be in front of a camera talking about news,” Machado said. “Ever since I was really young, I always loved being in front of the camera. I love news. I loved watching it happen on TV and acting like I was doing it too. It was something that I grew up always looking up to, and it was definitely like a passion that I wanted to fulfill.”

However, after beginning her degree, she soon realized that maybe journalism wasn’t what she wanted to pursue. During her time at UH, Machado realized that her classes were teaching her hard news, but her passion was with lifestyle and entertainment.

“Even though there’s a huge lifestyle journalism community out there, I feel like I didn’t learn much about that side of journalism,” Machado said. “I feel like that’s why I kind of started stepping away from wanting to do that in the future.”

It was at this moment in time when Machado began to look into her

minor. After careful consideration, she chose retail and consumer science.

“I kind of went through a list of minors that I could graduate with,” Machado said. “And I was like, oh, Retail and Consumer Science, that’s so me; I would totally love that. I would love to learn what the stores specifically do to communicate to the customer, certain messages. Certain seasons have certain colors and what attracts a customer into the store or attracts a customer onto your website.”

However, despite this, Machado still wanted to use her major after graduation, just not with journalism. She said that being a communications major, she thought she could expand her job search.

Unfortunately due to COVID-19, she never found internships, and because of the experience levels jobs were asking for, she was limited on the jobs she could apply for that fell within the communication realm. Machado applied to jobs such as social media managers and digital marketing. She never received offers for any of these jobs. It was at this point that she knew she had to stray from her major and go back to her minor.

Machado said that this terrified her. All her classmates were getting amazing jobs while she was afraid of looking like a failure, but she knew that she had to do what made her happy.

“I’m not living life for anybody else,” Machado said. “I like my minor, I really do. You can’t just start at the top. Most people don’t start at the top.”

After months of searching for a job, Machado accepted a position as sales associate at Free People. She knows that this is the bottom position for her minor, but still, she’s happy to accept it.

Machado says that she can still apply things she learned in school to this position, and that by accepting this position, she is getting to mix her love for fashion and communication. She says that her minor taught her how to style the mannequins, keep customers happy, and how to make a store welcoming. Whereas with her major, she learned how to talk to people.

Although she didn’t get the conventional office job out of college, Machado is still happy with her choice, and she hopes that she can grow with the company.

“The goal is to get up there at some point,” Machado said. “And maybe 10 years from now, I have so much experience that I’ve grown with the company from the very bottom that I’m knowledgeable enough to get a marketing or advertising job with their corporate office. That’s the goal.”

As for those students who may find themselves in the same boat as Machado, she wants them to know that it’s OK to not achieve all the goals you may have set for yourself at the beginning of college.

“I feel like the best thing to do is just live life,” Machado said. “Try your best to be happy every day with everything that you do, and be the most sincere version of yourself you can be.”

Is passion or payment more important? Ultimately, it’s up to you

Is passion or payment more important? Ultimately, it’s up to you

“If you do what you love you’ll never work a day in your life,” is such a common saying that it has been cemented in the minds of everyone looking for work. But does this saying hold any real weight in practice?

By Donna Keeya

Growing up, my classmates and I would spend days fantasizing about our future careers. From princesses, to ballerinas, to superheroes, the sky was the limit on what our jobs would consist of. Now as a college junior, there are many more facets my peers and I must focus on while pursuing a career.

Passion

“If you enjoy your job, it shouldn’t feel like work.”

A sentence I’ve heard many times in middle and high school while researching potential careers. While taking personality tests created to best match your identity with future jobs, teachers would constantly push the mindset that you should love your work.

This mindset stuck with me, and has been very influential in the way I’ve academically and professionally navigated myself. Currently, I’m pursuing my dream job, and I feel so grateful to have had a support system encouraging me to pursue what I truly wanted to do.

This, however, is not the case for everyone. For those daydreaming about being a princess when they grow up, one day the reality will hit that their dreams are not a feasible option. For some people with more restraining family or personal constrictions, the financial or emotional support to chase their dream job simply isn’t there.

While it’s a tough reality to face, not everyone can have passion be the ultimate factor in what

profession they choose to pursue. The ability to have your dream job is a privilege, and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Beyond the restraints of ability, sometimes in practice your dream job just isn’t for you.

For example, someone could be an incredibly talented artist. They could wake up every morning with a hunger to paint and ideas they are dying to put on the canvas. This person could also be fortunate enough to have the client base and financial security to pursue painting as their full time job.

In theory it sounds perfect. Being able to make an income and support yourself through what you love. And while this is the case for some people, sometimes when passion becomes your career, it can drain your love from your work.

No longer is painting something you crave to do, it is what is providing the roof over your head. Working can be hard, and after spending an exhausting day doing anything, you’re not going to want to do it as a hobby anymore. It no longer feels like an escape or a way of self expression. While this isn’t the case for everyone, it’s completely OK to keep your passions as something for yourself and your career as an isolated aspect of your life.

Payment

At the end of the day, the purpose of your job is to financially supply you with the resources to maintain the life you live. While I’m a huge advocate in working in a field that

interests you and sparks joy, you shouldn’t neglect the financial layer of working.

Having a well-paying job can provide you with many benefits and opportunities. From family vacations to access to healthcare, the resources that come with a high paying job are life changing.

Luxuries aside, in the case of a family, health or any kind of emergency, having access through money from a high paying job can provide so much security. Without the anxiety that comes with living paycheck to paycheck, a wellpaying job can grant so much peace of mind.

Balance

Like many things in life, finding the balance between passion and payment in your work is one of the most ideal circumstances.

It’s so easy to be miserable working a high paying job that’s repetitive and uninteresting in a field you dislike. Life is too short to hate the way you spend the majority of your hours.

It’s also so easy to be miserable if you’re burning out your passion by making it the sole way you make income. Your passion can’t be your after work stress reliever if it’s the same activity that stresses you out at work.

Finding a career that you enjoy and can provide for you is in my opinion the best case scenario, without leaning too far deep into the passion or payment side of the spectrum.

Five tips to landing an internship Five tips to landing an internship

Getting an internship is the first step to launching your post college career. Finding one that fits your interest and career goals may seem daunting, but is easier than it looks. We compiled a list of just a few ways to help you secure your first internship.

By Haya Panjwani

College isn’t just classes, homework and studying. It’s also about gathering experiences, and learning what you really want to do once you graduate. The best, and most harm free way to do that, is internships. Sometimes they pay, and sometimes they can be used for class credit, but they’re always a great learning experience. Internships may seem intimidating to get, but by taking a few easy steps, you’ll be able to have one in your hands in no time.

Get your resume together

Almost every job application will ask for a resume. This is the easiest way for employers to get an idea of who you are, and what you’re capable of doing.

It’s absolutely okay if you’ve never

worked anywhere. “Experience” on a resume doesn’t necessarily mean working experience, but it can include volunteering and extracurricular activities.

Essentially, wherever you’ve developed skills that you think will be useful to the job, go ahead and put that down on your resume.

You’ll also want to list off unique skills or relevant coursework you may have that make you stand out among other candidates.

Network, network, network

It’s important to make sure that there’s people you know in the industry you want to work in.

Your best bet is to start off by creating a LinkedIn account. Start connecting with your

professors, friends and family and see if you can find people who work at the companies that you want to work at one day. Go on potential companies pages, and look for people you have mutual connections with.

Don’t be shy! Shoot these connections a message saying that you want to work for their company. Establish a relationship with them, and ask them for advice on how to apply.

Start local

There are so many small, local businesses that are looking for help in their companies. They may not pay much or at all, but they will most likely provide you with class credit.

With small businesses, you can

get a more intimate understanding of the field you’re interning in. Let’s say you want to go into the fashion industry. If you intern at a local fashion boutique, you’ll get to see all the action up close, and get to work closely with the owner or designer, expanding your network and learning a bunch about the industry.

Use what the school has to offer The University Career Services office has a bunch of helpful resources for you to use. You can find resume templates, cover letter templates, worksheets and assessments.

They also offer one on one career counseling, and have career fairs often. Use those career fairs to hand out your resume and meet people you can connect with to

expand your network.

Do what you love Doing an internship is the best way to figure out whether you like the field you’ve chosen or not.

Take advantage of the time you have in college to further your career, and see if you like the field you’re going to embark on after graduating.

Comic by Santiago Gaughan

OPINION:Cover letters are a waste of time

Applying for jobs is stressful. You go in knowing you are likely going to be rejected over and over again, and yet you still spend the time to tailor your resume for each application. When you think about having to write a different cover letter for each of these applications only to beg the hiring manager to review your resume, things are only steps away from becoming overwhelming.

If you don’t know what a cover letter is yet, it likely won’t be long before you have to write one yourself. Cover letters are the bane of every college student or recent graduate’s existence. They cause unneeded stress and are mostly unnecessary.

Cover letters are often required when you apply to a job or an internship. They accompany your resume and basically serve as an introduction to yourself and why you would be a good fit for the company or organization in question.

They started to become common in the mid 20th century when white collar jobs became more popular. They were supposed to show who the person was behind the resume and expand on certain points in the resume. There have been many workshops, books, classes, and more all about writing the perfect cover letter. In fact, there’s a whole industry of helping people improve their job applications.

Cover letters are still usually required if you want a chance at an interview. However, they are

unnecessary and not worth the effort. Cover letters are typically a little less than a page single space. Considering that writing about oneself is often pretty difficult, this can take time. You also have to have a different letter for each application. While you may mention the same things, you usually have to emphasize certain skill sets to seem a perfect fit for the job.

Cover letters add so much more stress to the job application process. You’ve already worked so hard to format your resume and now you have to spend extra time on trying to advertise yourself without sounding too braggadocious. Cover letters are essentially a performance by candidates to make themselves seem enthusiastic about the job.

In fact, most HR professionals say they don’t read them, or they at least don’t make much of a difference as to whether a candidate gets an interview or not. If they aren’t being read, why are job candidates working so hard to write them?

recruiters don’t read them. One reason is that they don’t have enough time. Another reason is that cover letters often just repeat what’s in the resume with a little personal twist. Job recruiters don’t really want to know about the person behind the resume. They want someone who can do the job.

Some may say that cover letters can show a person’s writing skills but in that case, just ask the candidate to provide writing samples. It’s time that we stop this weird charade when applying to jobs. If job recruiters want to get to know the person behind the resume or for the person to expand on their resume, they can ask candidates to provide this information during the interview.

It’s important to know why job

Thankfully some companies have started making cover letters more optional in applications. However, many people still feel pressured to write them to make themselves stand out among other applicants. Hopefully companies will stop asking for them and simply make the application process less stressful and cluttered for both recruiters and applicants.

Professionalism is changing for the better

The days of black slacks, white collared shirts and gray blazers are slowly passing. Before our eyes we are witnessing the definition of professionalism changing. Tattoos, piercings and colorful hair dye are becoming more commonplace in office settings as Millennials and Generation Z enter the workforce.

Walking into an office in the early 2000’s meant seeing suits, pantsuits, dresses, dress shoes and heels. Walking into an office in 2021 means seeing very few people working due to COVID-19, and those who are

working in the office are more relaxed-- wearing what would’ve been a casual Friday outfit 20 years ago, which means maybe a nice shirt, jeans and sneakers.

In the early 2000’s professionalism meant looking modest, with an emphasis on dress-code. As fashion advice from TLC’s What Not To Wear came into play, pantsuits were popularized once more.

By Sofia Gonzalez

The typical office look did not stray far from what was depicted in movies during this time period. Think of Devil Wears Prada. The outfits in this movie consisted of extravagant pantsuits, dresses and shoes. It showed what professionalism attire meant during the beginning of the 21st Century.

Let’s fast forward about 20 years-times have changed, especially with COVID-19. People are working from home, they are getting more comfortable with the idea of staying home, and most people don’t dress up for their conference calls anymore. When the pandemic first began, there were trending Tik Tok’s showing people with proper attire on the top, and pajama pants on the bottom-- proving that these

trying times were changing the meaning of dressing up for work.

Even with going back to the office, the dress code is more relaxed. People are dyeing their hair fun colors, some even have facial piercings, or more than just the standard ear piercing, both men and women can have visible tattoos -- it’s quite literally a whole new world, however this isn’t the case for all offices. Still though, you might ask, what changed?

People are realizing that their image has nothing to do with work ethic. People who have piercings and tattoos are just as capable of working an office job as someone who doesn’t. Tattoos and hair color have been accepted as a way for people to express themselves-- this is something that has been seen more as the younger crowds go into work spaces. Managers have become more relaxed, likely due to millennials making their way into the workforce.

piercings and fun colored hair. It isn’t always boring and bland with them, just as with every company.

We were born into a world filled with creativity-- people love to express themselves through different things-- and this idea of people using their body as a canvas is finally seeping through to the professional world.

Regardless of dress code, tattoos and piercings, the professional standard for women is changing too. Women used to be expected to have make-up on and do their hair everyday, and now, although women do one or both of these things each day, it isn’t something that many feel required to do in a workspace.

This goes for people of color, too. For years, POC have been fighting for the right to style their natural hair however they desire. With this fight comes discrimination from within the workplace. Laws are now being considered to protect people of color from this discrimination.

Due to working from home natural beauty is being embraced now more than ever. Women roll out of bed, put their hair up and go for a no make-up look. This is something that would’ve never happened before, but with changing times, it’s being accepted by the current work-force.

The meaning of professionalism is no longer a cookie cutter term. It continues to grow and develop each day and with each generation. With this growth, the world of professionalism is bound to look completely different once again in 20 years.

From first-hand experience in the journalism world-- those who are behind the scenes and behind the screens have arm sleeves, nose

Business casual to business

Business casual to business

fashionable - How to showcase your personality through fashion during an interview

fashionable - How to showcase your personality through fashion during an interview

Your interview is your first impression. Standing out and staying true to yourself can help you land a job where you can truly thrive. Depending on the career path you choose, we have compiled a list of ways to make sure you don’t lose yourself in a sea of beige.

Your interview is your first impression. Standing out and staying true to yourself can help you land a job where you can truly thrive. Depending on the career path you choose, we have compiled a list of ways to make sure you don’t lose yourself in a sea of beige.

You have applied for a job. They have seen your resume. They have liked it enough that they give you a call. Then they like you on the call too! You have finally secured an in person, or over Zoom, interview. Now what do you wear?

You don’t want to pretend you are the boring button up and slacks sort of person, and you want to make sure this work environment won’t diminish your personality and how you express yourself. Adding some flair to your interview fit can help you test the waters of your potential workplace and let them learn

By McKenzie Misiaszek

By McKenzie Misiaszek

a little bit about you.

Colors and patterns

You don’t have to stick to the traditional black, navy, khaki, white and gray colors that seem to make up so many work fits. Honestly, it’s a tad bit outdated

and boring. Instead, throwing in a pop of color, or even a monochromatic look during the interview may make you stand out and help your interviewers see that hiring you would brighten their worlds.

If colors aren’t your thing, you can also do a pop of a pattern. Patterns are fun and draw the eye, but can still be neutral if you don’t want to mess with colors.

There are a lot of ways to play around with the idea of a pop of something different. This could be some fun pants, a cool blazer, a small

neck scarf or a dress, all of which could be in a pastel or a plaid.

Accessories

If you are someone who doesn’t do pops of color, or may not be comfortable with wearing that style to an interview that is totally fine. Instead, if you want something more subtle try spicing up your accessories.

You can wear some fun socks, your favorite earrings, a headband or even a brooch if you want to be different. You could also take the neck scarf idea from earlier and use a more neutral color. Also, in the COVID-19 age, match your mask with your outfit!

It is such a fun and easy

way to do something cool with your look.

Clothing

When talking about the top and pants to wear to an interview, you always want to make sure you are on par, if not better dressed, than the people interviewing you. Usually, you have to guess what your

potential coworkers and bosses are wearing, but when in doubt, dress up - not down.

Right now, for women, oversized is in. Whether this be flowy pants, a stylishly oversized suit or blazer, or a sweater that you pair with nice pants or a skirt, all of these looks are different,

fashionable and very in right now.

For men it may be harder to stand out fashionwise. A good turtleneck or sweater with some Harry Styles’ esque trousers, instead of the classic button up could be fun, but traditionally women have more options to play around with. Depending on the formality of the interview a sweater vest could also be something to play around with.

There are a lot of ways to dress for a job interview, and these are only some suggestions, but if you really don’t want to blend into the office crowd I hope these tips help you navigate your first step into fun office wear.

The universal question many college students and even those who have graduated will ask themselves is: what do I want to be when I grow up?

The answer may take a little bit of time to come up with, as deciding the course of the rest of your life is a big decision, but it can be made a lot easier by first narrowing down a field.

1. What is going to be your first step into joining the workforce?

A. Try some internships while I’m in school and build my resume up before I graduate

B. Get at least an undergraduate degree and figure out where to go from there

C. I plan to go for my masters after undergrad to specify what exactly I want to do

D. All of the school, if there’s a title that can go after my name, I want it

E. I want to try a trade school after undergrad, that seems more up my alley

2. In a group project, what role do you take?

A. I would take a backseat, basically, if someone gave

What should you be when you ‘grow up’?

Deciding what to do with your life, especially at age 18 when you pick your college major, is daunting. What better way to decide than to take a quiz by a college magazine?

By Sydney Rose Graphic via Canva

me a task I would do my part and be done

B. I would be the one that could handle the creative tasks like drawing a figure or designing the presentation

C. I would be the group leader, delegating the tasks to everyone and offering a deadline

D. I would be the one presenting the project once it is done

E. I would stick to the research aspect of the project

3. How do you feel about an office job?

A. I don’t think it would be necessary for what I want to do, I love moving around and being on the go

B. I can pretty much do a job from anywhere I’m needed, whether that be home or an office

C. I think having an office and somewhere to go each day would give me structure

D. I pretty much expect to have an office with whatever I end up doing

E. I would be good without an office, more room to do tasks that aren’t at a computer

4. What are your feelings towards manual labor?

A. I would be willing to do it if required

B. Not really for me, I am much more of an indoors, brain not brawn type of person

C. A minimal amount of manual labor is fine for me

D. Depends what manual labor you mean, I would be good with keeping my hands busy, but not lifting/moving heavy objects and what not

E. I would prefer manual labor over sitting still; I would be just fine with it

5. How often would you want to interact with people?

A. I think I would do better reaching people virtually rather than having co-workers or customers, I would prefer followers or an audience

B. I would prefer as little interaction with anyone as possible

C. I like being part of a team, having co-workers I can call friends or having interactions with the same people everyday

D. I like meeting new people and building relationships with people, as well as just having casual acquaintances who need my services

E. I would be okay with interacting with as few or as many people as needed

6. Have you always known what path you would take for a career?

A. Not at all, I am still looking for what interests can become my career in the long run

B. There were a few path changes along the way, but I think I’ve determined I want to do what makes me happy more than what someone else thinks is “successful”

C. I have had a passion for particular paths for a while now, I want to do what I like and what will give me the most security

D. I have pretty much known what I wanted to do since I was a kid and have not changed my mind about it one bit

E. I’m okay with taking a path I may not have originally planned for, I am open to any options

RESULTS

RESULTS

Mostly A’s: You would fit best in a career that doesn’t fit a certain schedule. A path that would allow you to travel or go with the flow, while letting you live your life for more than just work. Some examples of this can be an influencer on social media, a travel blog writer, working at local shops that give you open hours.

Mostly B’s: Your path lets you tap into your creative side and allow your passion to provide for you. You would best fit in a career that does not feel like ‘work’ so to say. Some examples of this are getting involved in the film industry, creating art, writing in different means whether it be journalistic, creative or business related.

Mostly C’s: You like a bit of structure and would prefer a career that fits the mold of your life. A path that could be able to give you this as well as some stability would be ideal. Some examples of what may fit you include going into education, engineering or working your way up at a company.

Mostly D’s: You have always had your eye on the path to success in the means of financial stability, respect and accomplishment. A career that would fit you is something you have always been told would lead to good things. Some examples of this include going into the health field, trying your hand at law or even going into tech.

Mostly E’s: You were meant for the path that breaks tradition to what everyone deems as white collar. A career fit for you involves getting hands on experience and aiding the world to be a better place. Some examples of what could be good for you are construction, getting into oil or even working with boats if you live near water.