The College of Charleston Career Center

Finding Happiness in the Workplace

thecareercenter — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:04:44 +0000

Your mission should you choose to accept it is . . . . . . to find a career that you love!

Sometimes this is easier said than done but it should be everyone’s goal. As a child growing up you dreamed of doing something that you loved, anything from being a firefighter, a veterinarian, or a teacher (typical childhood dream jobs). When dreaming about those careers, you focused on the activities and how much fun you will have helping animals or teaching kids.

Now many of you always ask “How much money will I make?” Money is important (fact of life) but when selecting a career it should not be the final decision making factor. For example, say you are a outside sales associate making around $80,000+ a year but while you are making the “big” bucks have you thought about your life style? More than likely you work 60+ hours a week, you have the nice house, car and boat but when do you get to enjoy it. And while at the job you constantly deal with customer complaints and a competitive office space where you really don’t enjoy the people you work with. Does that sound like your dream job? (Note: some people will love that setting but it is not for everyone)

When choosing your career focus on what you can gain from it emotionally. Is it going to give you a sense of satisfaction? Will you look forward to it everyday? Can you see yourself doing that job for the next twenty years without wincing? If you answered yes to those questions then it is a good possibility that you have found the career for you, one you can enjoy.

Check out this article by K. Rawley in the Business Journal, “Enjoying your job can increase odds of success.”

So you might not have ended up a firefighter but hopefully you will find a career you enjoy.

See You in the Fall!

thecareercenter — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:31:42 +0000

We just made it through the first (academic) year of the Career Center Blog. Yeah! Since summer is here and most of you will be either spending your days at the beach, in a internship, or exploring new areas in summer classes the blog is going on semi hiatus, too. The blog will get back to its regular Monday schedule starting in August 2008 (though there will be surprise posts during the summer!).

But while we will not have new posts each week, please look through all of our old posts! We have a lot of information here that can get you on the right track in your career development.

Remember, if you have any questions or just want to comment leave us a message in the comments section.

The Untried Source

thecareercenter — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:24:23 +0000

When advising students about searching for jobs there is one source that I always recommend, especially if they wan to move to an area they are not in or not familiar with. This resource is the Chamber of Commerce. The majority of cities and regions have a chamber of commerce and a website to promote their membership. It is the membership of a chamber of commerce which will benefit the job hunter.

For example, say you are a recent graduate and you know you want to move to Seattle, Washington. You have some ideas about what type of work you want to do but do not know different companies or jobs available. You look on the large places like Monster.com and other huge job search places but you are still lost. But where else do you look for jobs? This is when I suggest the Chamber of Commerce for the region. The chamber will have a membership list of the different organization in the area.

For finding those Chamber of Commerce websites Google or another search engine is a great resource. But remember if you have a metro area you will have multiple offices to use. So go to the US Chamber of Commerce. It lists the different offices throughout the country (http://www.uschamber.com/chambers/directory/default.htm?n=tb)

Congrats Seniors! Now what are you going to do?

thecareercenter — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:00:14 +0000

Congratulations Seniors!

You have made it through 4 (or more) years here at the College of Charleston, but where are you going now? At the Career Center we have a lot of resources that you can use to find the path best suited for you. Check out these resources and good luck in the future!

CISTERNonline: The Career Center’s online job search database. Here we list full- and part-time employment opportunities, plus internships.
Our web resources: We have a lot of websites that can be used in the job search. Some are specific to industry or geographical location but you should be able to find something to help you in the search.
The Resource Library: In our office we have hundreds of books that you can use (even after graduation) to research and locate different career fields.
Our Staff: Sometimes going alone is not always easy during the job search. While we will not hold your hand we can give you the skills and more resources that can help you be successful in the job search. Come by our office during drop-in hours Monday-Friday 1 pm to 4 pm or you can make an appointment.

And if you already have a job—Good for you! We would love to hear about your new job (click here). Or if you would like to help future College of Charleston students with their career development needs please become an Alumni Career Mentor (click here).

Say Thank You

thecareercenter — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:02:43 +0000

There is one key step in the interview process many people seem to forget. They concentrate on the questions and what to wear then breathe a sigh of relief when it is over. But it is not over! After the interview there is the thank you note. This key piece of paper can help you get the dream job you want so much. It allows you the opportunity to thank the interviewer for the interview and let them know one more time why you would make the best person for the position. The thank you letter could be the tipping factor in the decision process for some.

So now that you know you should really, really write one here are some facts/tips to guide you.

Send the thank you letter within 24 to 48 hours of the interview. This will keep you fresh in the interviewer’s thoughts plus you want them to get it before they make a decision.
Your thank you can either be typed, written, or emailed. Choosing which one is a judgment call. If you want a formal letter go with typed, personal hand written, and email if you know the person prefers that type of contact.
- If it is hand written remember to write legible. If the interviewer cannot read your writing the letter will loose its value as a tool to promote yourself.
Your thank you letter does not have to be on fancy paper or cards. You can buy nice thank you cards at Wal-mart or other similar stores at a low cost. Just make sure your cards are professional looking and do not feature the cute bunny rabbit motif.

Check out these links to find more tips on writing a thank you letter.

Do you have any other tips or suggestions about writing thank you notes?

Finding That Summer Job

thecareercenter — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:43:35 +0000

We are on the verge of a hot, humid summer but are you going to go to the beach everyday? For most people that is just not possible.

In our fantasies we would be spending the hot days of summer at the beach or lying by the pool. Unfortunately, we do not live in our fantasies but are faced with reality. Do you have your summer job lined up? No? Then stop by the Career Center and check out the different opportunities we can show you for summer employment.

One resource is CISTERNonline. It is our online database with job listings, both part-time, internships, and full-time positions. And if you are a student at the College of Charleston you already have an account to look up available positions. Go to this address: http://cisternonline.erecruiting.com/er/security/login.jsp to get started. And if this is your first time logging in the website will walk you through the process.

Tip: If you want to find a part-time job that is in Downtown Charleston, type in Downtown in the keyword section. Your results will list only downtown jobs.

If working outside of the Charleston area for summer is more your style go to http://www.cofc.edu/~career/helpfulweblinks-location.html#seasonal and look under Summer/Seasonal Jobs. These are great resources for finding a summer position but you better hurry summer is almost here!

More Great Websites to Help with Career Development and the Job Search!

thecareercenter — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:33:07 +0000

Job Interview Questions

A great website for all things related to the interview. It has thousands of questions that you may run into during the job interview. The site also gives great tips for generating your own questions and different ways to prepare for and follow-up after the interview.

Researching Companies Online

One of the most important steps in the job search process is researching the company you want to work for. This helpful website walks your through the process and shows you different ways you can find information about different companies and organizations.

Career One Stop

Great website full of information for the various stages in the career development and job search processes. Watch short videos about different occupations, discover salary information, get help with writing a resume, and more!

CNN’s Cost of Living Calculator

Many of you will most likely move away from the Charleston area but how much is it going to cost living in Seattle or Dallas? Check out this website to compare different cities and find out how much it is going to cost.

Association Job Boards

One of the best tools in finding jobs in specific fields or industries is to find the relevant associations. This website helps alleviate some of the stress of finding those associations.

Interviews 101: Clothes

thecareercenter — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:55:45 +0000

Clothes make the man (or woman). Have you ever heard that statement? In most cases this is not true-we are not who we are because of the clothes we wear, but in the interview it is the case. When meeting the employer for the first time our clothes convey an unspoken statement about ourselves. With the right clothes you can say a lot of positive things to your employer, but with the wrong clothes you can say goodbye to your dream job. Martin Yate, writer of “Knock ‘em Dead” a great book to guide you in the job search, sums it up perfectly. “When you dress like a professional, you are likely to be treated as one, and that’s a good head start to give yourself without saying a word” (Knock ‘em Dead, p120). Here are some simple rules to help you decide what to wear for the interview.

Rule 1: Be Conservative (everyone). While at heart you may be the most liberal minded person, you are trying to get a job-not speak out about your personal beliefs through you style of dress. When thinking conservative clothing, think about neutral colors like black, navy, gray, or white, though I would suggest avoiding the white leisure suit. No bright colors, so no hot pinks or teals or purples. You do not want the employer to focus so much on your suit that they are not even listening to you because you chose to wear that purple suit with the black wing tip shoes. Not a good choice.

Rule 2: For the Men When choosing your interview attire remember to keep a professional image in mind. This includes a suit (2 or 3 button), a nice tie, matching shoes (preferably in leather), and a solid or small patterned shirt. Always make sure that your suit fits and does not sag or is to tight. If you do not have a suit you can buy an reasonably priced one from any of the local department stores. Make sure your tie and shirt match your suit. No animal or art inspired ties. Remember to stay conservative.

Rule 3: For the Women Ladies your rules are very similar to the men’s but with a few additions. Women should try to go with skirted suits versus a pant suit. Skirts are the most conservative for women, but if you only have a pant suit do not panic, it is not the end of the world or your job prospect. The skirt of your suit should rest at or just above your knee. It is a nice length that allows you movement but does not show too much leg. Also check the length when you sit down. If it crawls to far up your legs go for another suit.

Rule 4: Jewelry (for everyone)

Again keep it conservative. Only women should wear earrings. Sorry guys leave them at home. For women the earrings should be small and not flashy. No other body piercing should be visible. Rings: only one per hand. And women if you wear a necklace keep it simple. If you have a question about a piece of jewelry better to err on the side of caution and not wear it.

There are a lot of other rules written and unwritten that you should consider when dressing for your interview. Click here for more information about Interview attire at the Virginia Tech’s Career Services. For more tips please go to the Career Center website or visit our office and peruse our reading material.

Do you have any interview clothing stories or tips?

Reference: Yate, Martin. Knock ‘em Dead. Avon, MA: Adams Media. 2006. (This book and others are located in the Career Center library).

Employers taking that Closer Look

thecareercenter — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:31:55 +0000

When preparing for the job search and interview most people experience the same thoughts: what do I want to do, how am I going to find the job, I need to write my resume, what am I going to wear to the interview, and so on. These are common thoughts that run through your mind during the job search process. But there are several other things you need to be aware of. When an employer begins looking at your resume or during the interview they are picking apart every single detail and will make a judgment call on what they see or hear.

There are two areas you can prepare yourself that employers may judge you on without you even realizing it. The first is your email address. The majority of people use their Yahoo!, Google, or Hotmail accounts as their primary email provider and there is nothing wrong with this but what does your address look like? When you created your email you were trying to think of a unique address you would remember and was perhaps cute and witty at the same time. For example, thebigcheese@mail.com or partyprincess@mail.com. While these make a statement about you, it is not the statement that needs to be portrayed to possible employers. You do not have to get rid of your email just get a new one or use your school email. An address that features your name is always the best choice.

Another area possible employers are going to silently judge you is your voicemail message. This too needs to be professional sounding. No screaming, crude jokes, or ‘fake’ answers. Keep it simple and conservative. State your name and a brief message asking for them to leave a message including their name and phone number. Another point relating to cell phones is the dial tones. It is now quite popular for people to have songs for the caller to listen to instead of a dial/ringing tone. Please reconsider. While this is not necessarily a bad thing the song you choose may not be the best. If the song can be considered derogatory, crude, and/or include curse words do not use. Remember a possible employer may listen to this and get the wrong impression about you. Use the regular dial tones while your in the job hunt.

The most common rule for everything in the job hunt is “Be Conservative.” If in doubt do not do it. Do you have any other suggestions for job hunters? Things that are seemingly simple but glaringly wrong?

Top 5 Things to Do this Summer!

thecareercenter — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:05:37 +0000

5. Take summer classes! While this may not seem the most fun thing you could do, it does give you the opportunity to take classes outside of your major to explore different topics to expand your knowledge.

4. Study Abroad! As a college student you have the best opportunity to travel the world all under the guise of studying, plus if you want to work abroad in the future this will be a great experience for you.

3. Volunteer! Check out Service Learning for more ideas about how you can help someone!

2. Part-time jobs! Not only will it give you a little extra spending money but you can gain relevant experience.

1. Summer Internship! Get relevant experience to your future goals or “try-on” a career to see if it fits. Will look great on your resume!