As Course Request ends, wondering if you're in the wrong major?

As Course Request period came to an end today, Alex wondered what to do. He wasn’t excited about his planned courses for Spring 2015 at all. He really wondered if he should change his major…

Sound familiar? YES? Advisors in Career Services can help you map out your new direction at Virginia Tech. How?

Don’t know what you want to study?

Sometimes a little self-exploration can help you grow your knowledge about yourself along with potential careers to consider. We use a number of tools. Two you could try right now:

COMPASS

Compass, a fast, online career self-assessment, is a tool where you can learn about Your Career Personality Blend, the combination of your two primary career personality types. This blend integrates your traits, personality strengths and approach to work determined by your responses. You’ll also get to see a pie chart that represents your entire Career Personality Profile. You can read the descriptions for each of the 7 Career Personality Traits. Your entire personality determines your career recommendations. It’s a good idea to come and talk to a career advisor after you do this assessment. Find out more about COMPASS and making an appointment here: http://www.career.vt.edu/REACH/Index.html

StrengthsQuest

The Division of Student Affairs offers StrengthsQuest to provide students an opportunity to learn more about their talents and a language to use when sharing them. After learning your top strengths, you can use them as a reference point as you decide on your major, career and future plans. They're also useful information to share in interviews with employers and representatives from graduate programs or professional schools. To read more about the Gallup Strengths assessment, and get started, visit this web site and click on GET STARTED. If you want to talk more about what you learn about your strengths, please call 540-231-6241 to make an appointment with a career advisor.

You can explore even more, if you set up an appointment with a career advisor to gain access to MyPlan, a tool that assesses values, skills, interests and personality type or Do What You Are that also looks at personality preference, or to other tools we use.

Don’t really know what people do in your career of choice?

CandidCareer

Maybe you want to be a Rocket Scientist or maybe a News Director, but you don’t know what those jobs involve. Now you can visit Candid Career to hear from people in thousands of careers as they talk about what it’s like to do their jobs. You can also visit Candid Career for career advice on a variety of topics from phone interviews to salary negotiation.

Post-Graduation Report

Another useful site to go to find out what you might do with any Virginia Tech major is to visit our Post-Graduation Report. We survey graduating seniors every year to find out what they’re up to after graduation. You can view job titles, employers, graduate schools and more, right at your fingertips.

Like to read books? We also have a career library where you can check out many of our books. There are even more places to do research on careers that we can point you to – just come see us. 

Let us help you plan your next steps, so you’re feeling good about your Spring 2015 semester like Brittany.

Picking the Right Fork and Acing the Job Dinner Interview

You’ve just received an interview with your dream company, but it includes a meal. Would you know what to do? Or which fork to use first? On Wednesday, October 24, Career Services hosted its annual Dining Etiquette Dinner. We have some advice on how to successfully navigate a meal interview with a potential employer. 

 DO dress appropriately. Men should wear at least a jacket to the meal, while women should stick to a dress or skirt and avoid sandals.

DO order your meal first. Since you are the guest, it is custom for you to order your meal first. It is also expected that your employer will pay for the meal, since they invited you.

DO remember to use polite table manners. Be sure to wait for everyone else to be seated before putting your napkin on your lap or opening the menu.

DO act gracious. Avoid causing a scene by sending food back or fussing over small errors with the order. The employers are taking note of how you behave in social situations.

DO build bridges, not ramps! By this, we mean to always put your knives, forks, and spoons down by placing the entire utensil on the plate. Don’t rest them on the table like a “ramp”. 

DON’T discuss controversial topics such as politics, religion or sex during the meal.

DON’T slouch or place your elbows on the table. An upright posture shows that you are positive and attentive to the conversation with the employer.

DON’T forget to treat this as any other interview. It is important to bring copies of your resume, to research the employer and position beforehand, and to have questions prepared for the interviewer.

DON’T leave your phone on. It would be rude to the employer if your phone went off during the interview. Be sure to also keep it off the table and hidden from sight.

DON’T order alcohol, even if you are of age.

If you follow these Do’s and Don’ts, your interview should run smoothly. Remember that the priority of your interview is to be respectful and polite—treat the meal as you would an interview in a professional setting. One of the advantages to a lunch or dinner interview is that you can utilize moments of chewing to think of your answers before responding!

Interviewing 101: Rock Your Interview

You landed the interview. Now it's time to land the job!

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Interviews can be incredibly stressful. We’ve all sat in a waiting room with sweaty palms and a stomach full of butterflies. But what if there were ways you could ensure you’d be prepared and confident you were about to rock the interview? Time for good news- these ways exist! Keep reading and you’ll be sure to be interview ready.

Preparation is EVERYTHING.

Do your research. Bring your resume. Be on time. Seem basic? It is! It’s so easy to do, and starts the interview off on a good note.

Before you attend the interview, look into the company. Find out what they do, what the structure is, and where they’re heading. Think of a few questions you have about what they do and jot those down. Excellent specified questions to ask at the end of the interview!

Bring extra copies of your resume. You always want the interviewer to be able to look at your resume while you’re interviewing, and you don’t know for sure they will print out copies for everyone in the interview.

Finally, be on time. You don’t want to have to start the interview with an apology, and not too many companies are interested in hiring an unreliable employee!

Don't make the top interviewing mistakes! 

1.     Appearing Uninterested

Use first impressions to your advantage. Lead with a smile and a firm handshake.

2.     Using your phone

This one should go without saying. Turn your phone off, leave it on silent, or better yet, leave it in the car.

3.     Dressing Inappropriately

If the employer doesn't tell you the dress code for the interview, call to ask about appropriate attire. Proper dress is usually Business Professional or Business Casual.

4.     Fumbling Questions

Be prepared for obvious questions. “So, tell me about yourself” will invariably be the first question an interviewer asks you. When they ask this, they don’t want to know that you have three siblings and two cats! The employer is asking “what can you tell me about your personality, interests, work habits, and background that will help you excel in this position?” Additionally, spend some time looking up sample interview questions before the interview, and think of how you would answer them. This will give you valuable practice answering questions on the spot.

5.     Talking negatively about current / previous employers

If you speak negatively about your previous or current employer, the interviewer will assume you will speak about them in the same way.

6.     Talking too much or not enough

Know when to wrap it up. Make sure you are conscious of how long you’ve been talking. When an interviewer isn’t responding to what you’re saying, it is easy to just ramble on until you get some acknowledgement. Don’t fall into the trap. Say what you have to say and then stop talking.

7.     Poor body language

You should sit slightly angled in to appear interested and engaged. Listen to what your interviewer is saying. You don’t want to be caught off guard. Avoid smiling nervously, pursing your lips, or touching your hair and face excessively.

8.     Not providing specific examples

Answer behavioral questions using the STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Actions You Took, and Results of your actions. When you answer a question in this way, you make sure to hit all the key points. Which on of these four is critical? Results! They are what an employer expects you to produce.

9.     Asking bad questions.

Inevitably, at the end of the interview, the interviewer will ask if you have any questions for them. Saying you have no questions is an immediate red flag! They’ll assume you don’t have real interest in the position. Don’t ask self-serving questions such as “when is pay day?” or “when can I get a promotion?” Instead, ask any of these great questions.

 

The STAR Technique

The interview is over. What now? 

Write a thank you note! If you want it to arrive quickly, email is perfectly acceptable. If time is not a pressing factor, a handwritten note is always nice. Thank you notes should be sent within 24-48 hours of your interview.

Good luck interviewing!

Check out our new bloggers and thanks for helping us reach 25,000

This week our career advising blog reached yet another milestone: 25,000 views!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read our blog. 

Just about 2 years ago, Ariel Cohen (then a CS major and Creative Writing minor and Career Services Intern) and I started blogging together, addressing topics to help Hokies as you begin your career journeys. Ariel moved on to her first full-time position after graduating this past May; now I am excited to have two Career Services Peer Career advisors join me in writing for this blog. 

Ariana Mollers, a junior communications major with a concentration in Public Relations and minors in Professional Writing and Spanish, enjoys writing for fun, playing tennis, running, and watching movies in her free time. She is passionate about helping others grow and student leadership. In addition to working on this blog, Ariana assists me in my work with the College of Engineering.

Emma Weiss is a senior majoring in Political Science, focusing in Legal Studies and minoring in Professional Writing – this is her first year working in Career Services. Upon graduation she hopes to attend Law Schools, either in Virginia, New York, or California. In her free time, Emma enjoys reading, running, spending time with friends, and traveling. Her favorite times in Blacksburg are football season and spring. Emma assists our Job Search and Graduate School Program Area as well as writing posts for this blog.

Welcome to Ariana and Emma! 

And, please keep reading! Let us know a topic you wish we would address. Thanks again for your support!

It's almost Halloween--but career fairs aren't so spooky!

Business Horizons 2014. Photo credit: Pamplin: College of Business Magazine 

Walking into a career fair can be a terrifying experience—the room is filled with other students competing to impress potential employers for the same opportunities you want. However, if you choose to prepare for this event, your experience doesn’t have to be so scary. In fact, you will find being prepared leads to confidence and success. You can use these tips for the upcoming FallConnection Job Fair on Oct. 14^th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Squires Commonwealth.

Research the employers beforehand

Do your homework before the career fair. You should research which companies are coming to the fair, what kind of positions they have available, what the company does, and what they are looking for. Create a list of the companies you know you want to approach.

Look over your resume – again

Not only should you be proofreading your resume for any mistakes or checking to see if all your information is updated, but you should also be sure to refresh your memory on your experiences. Be prepared to talk in-depth about any experience on your resume, because a recruiter may ask for you to explain further. Be sure to print many copies on resume-quality paper!

Have your questions ready

Avoid questions like, “What does your company exactly do?” or “What is the salary?” You can stand out to an employer with smart and thoughtful questions. Some examples of good questions would be, “What opportunities are there for collaboration” or “What does an average day look like for an employee at your company?”

Know what you’re going to say

Be sure to have at least a 30 second introduction prepared. This elevator pitch should include who you are, what you have done, what you can do, and what you are interested in from the employer. It can be a good idea to end your pitch with a question regarding the position or company, so that you are pulling the employer into a conversation. After you’ve figured out what you want to say, practice it until it becomes smooth and natural.

Remember, if you take the time to prepare for each individual employer, your efforts will be noticed!

Gear up for October career fairs--Follow lessons from an old Hokie

You may have thought you were done with career fairs now that September is over, but there are several VT-affiliated fairs in October as well. This Friday, Richmond Hokies are holding a Career Expo with 80 employers in attendance. And, on October 14, your very own VT Career Services is hosting the Fall Connection job fair for all majors, with over 100 employers registered.

Clarence Hardy Long VPI 1939
Senior Class Photo from VT Bugle

To help you get ready for the next round of career fairs, I am sharing lessons from on old VT Professor: my Dad. Yesterday, October 6, would have been my Dad's 96th birthday. A mechanical engineering professor at Virginia Tech for over 40 years, Clarence Hardy "Huey" Long loved teaching students and sharing his knowledge as well consulting in private industry. Not only a professor, he was also an alum - he just came to Blacksburg and basically never left. Although he's been gone for 15 years, many of the lessons he taught me live on. I've tied some of his life lessons to your career fair preparation.

Try something new. When my Dad was a ME undergrad, the department head encouraged my Dad to participate in a Cake Race. With an insatiable "sweet tooth," my Dad jumped at the chance to win the race and take home a cake. Win the cake he did, as well as a spot on the Virginia Tech Track Team! Wonder how many Division 1 track teams would grow their teams in this manner today?

Never been to a career fair? Get out of your comfort zone and try attending the Richmond or Connection fairs this month. Although you might not leave with a cake or a spot on a sports team, you could leave with a spot on an employer's team.

VT 1939 Track Team, photo from VT Bugle
C.H. Long circled in red

Finish the race. One of my Dad's favorite VT track stories was about a track meet at Virginia Military Institute. During a race, my Dad lost his shoe while he was running, but he didn't let that stop him, He won the race, even though he needed assistance to pick the cinders out of his foot following the race. After that win, he earned the nickname "Iron Man Long."

What are you going to do to finish your race to find a position? After the career fair, don't just sit there. Apply online, follow up with the employers you meet (get their business cards at the career fair), and seek opportunities in other ways. Take action and keep plugging along like Iron Man Long did.

If anyone else can do it, you can do it. This saying constantly runs through my head, because I heard it so much from my Dad when I was growing up and after I became an adult. What's holding you back from reaching your goal to find an internship, co-op position or full-time job? If you've never been to a career fair, practice your introduction, research employers who are attending, develop a plan for your visit to a fair and do some observing before you talk to an employer at the fair. Over 20% of Hokies find their first full-time jobs at career fairs; for some majors this percentage reaches almost double that . You can do it too, if you try.

I'll close with a saying my Dad often said later in his life as we were leaving him:

"Have a goodie." A goodie what? Good time, good day, good meal, good whatever. So, you be sure and "Have a goodie" at a career fair this month.

What questions do you have about career fairs? Come see us in Career Services.