Last Day to Drop is FRIDAY, Oct. 3! What are you juggling?

As the deadline to drop a class approaches this Friday on October 3, what is your plan? Do you have too many balls in the air with other classes, part-time jobs, leadership roles and campus involvement, where it might make sense for you to cut back your course load? Before you get on Hokie Spa and drop that class, here are some things to think about.

Do you need this course for your major? Maybe you shouldn't drop the class. Is it a prerequisite for other courses? Check your plan of study or major checksheet to verify future courses don't require the one you're dropping. Will the drop set you back a year, depending on when courses are offered? If you're not doing well, that might set you back a year or more anyway.

Why are you taking this class? Is it an elective? Does it fulfill CLE requirements? Do you want to get past the CLE requirement so you can move forward with courses in your major? If you registered for the class for a reason that no longer exists (maybe you dropped the minor you thought you were going to add), then dropping the class might be OK.

Are you struggling and that's why you want to drop the class? Have you sought out help? Tutoring is available through the Student Success Center. Have you visited your professor during office hours? The instructor may be able to give you some tips for mastering course content.

Will dropping a class take you below full-time student status? If you receive scholarships or financial aid, maintaining your full-time student status may be critical. Going below 12 credit hours makes you less than full-time in the eyes of the university. Check where your total credit hours will be if you drop a class.

Have you talked about dropping the class with anyone? Get some advice before you drop a class. Visit a professor or an advisor. Touch base with your personal "board of directors:" those key people in your life to whom you go when you make big decisions.

And finally, do you feel like dropping a class makes you a quitter? There's nothing wrong with dropping a class. You're not a quitter...but a strategist who determined devoting more time to your other classes is the right next step for you. Just be sure you've thought it through and that you don't drop the ball as you drop a class.

Graduating in May? Do these NOW if planning to attend graduate school

Last week, I met with my Hokie daughter, Maggie, who is a senior. She was really stressed out preparing for her applications to graduate schools. As we talked about the things she still needs to do, I reminded her of the many tasks she has already checked off her to do list. Have you done these 10 things yet if you're planning to start at graduate or professional school next year?

Research programs. It's a good idea to apply to 4 - 5 programs--one that's your dream program, one that is a sure thing and then a few in between. How can you know what programs to research? See the next item below, but also check the links here. We have a small supply of free graduate school guides that you can pick up in Smith Career Center any time we are open, 8 - 5pm.

Talk to faculty. Your instructors and advisors are knowledgeable resources to answer all kinds of questions as you apply to graduate or professional programs. They are experts on their subject, so they can recommend programs that you should consider and also provide advice for the whole process. Last week, Maggie visited a professor she knows fairly well to discuss her potential list of schools. That visit made her consider the next point.

Develop a parallel plan. What's a parallel plan? An option for after graduation that is just as attractive to you as going to law school or graduate school. You need to have this kind of plan. Make sure you avoid putting all your hopes on going in one direction, because you can never be sure that path will work out. If you need help devising a parallel plan, come see us in Career Services.

Take the admission tests NOW. Unlike Maggie, I waited to take my graduate admission tests several years after I graduated with my BA, and did not perform that well. The best time for you to take the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, or other entrance test is before you graduate, while subject material is fresh in your mind. Do you need to find out more about one of the tests? Visit here. Career Services teams up with Kaplan and Princeton Review to put on a number of programs to help you prepare. You can do a test drive of a number of these tests in October.

Determine and inform references. Who will you use as references when you apply to programs? At least three references are a good number to have. You want to ask faculty members, supervisors, advisors, coaches or others who can attest to your academic performance or your work performance. As you ask contacts to serve as references, share your resume, personal statement and the list of schools where you will be applying with each reference. And, after you complete the application process, thank each of your references.

Visit programs where you are accepted before saying YES. I first heard this advice from a faculty member in biochemistry as he advised students about applying to graduate programs. A faculty member or program may look really good as you read about them online. Once you visit, you may realize you don't like the location or you don't feel you fit well with a faculty member or research program.

Prepare for interviews. Some graduate programs make interviews a part of the admissions process. If you haven't done much interviewing, there are several ways you can practice through Career Services. We offer access to an online practice site called Interview Stream, where you can do a practice interview in front of your laptop. You can save the video of your interview and set up an appointment with a Career Advisor to critique your interview. Or, if you prefer to practice in person, you can sign up for a Mock Interview by calling 540-231-6241. You will be asked to supply a copy of your resume and information about the program for which you are interviewing. The only way to improve your interview skills is to practice, so take advantage of these opportunities.

Write your personal statement or other essays. Some programs provide prompts for you to address - other professional or graduate schools just request a personal statement as part of the admissions process. Staff at The Writing Center and Career Services Advisors are available to review your essays. To make an appointment with a Career Advisor, call 540-231-6241.

Create a spreadsheet to keep track of everything. As you get faculty input and do your own research on various programs, make a spreadsheet to help you keep track of where you are with each program to which you apply. It's smart to have a list of all your deadlines all in one place.

Celebrate your success! For you to be a competitive applicant to graduate or professional schools, you have to have performed well as a Hokie. Congratulations on getting to this final phase of your undergraduate career! Let us help you get to the next level, whatever that looks like. We're here to help. Best wishes as you pursue an advanced degree. Check out this infographic for more information on applying to graduate school. And, go, Maggie!

Checkmate! Make the right moves in your video interview

Many employers conduct initial interviews using Skype or some other video method. Just like you have a strategy for your chess game, you also want to have a plan for your video interview. Want some tactics for your next conversation with an employer via video? Try these.

Choose your background. What will the interviewer see behind you as you meet? A bunch of messy bookshelves like the ones in my office? A white wall? What is preferred? Make sure you are set up in a clean, quiet place with plenty of light. Contact us at Career Services if you are in need of a room 540-231-6241. We might have one for you to use.

Look at the camera. It's so easy to focus on the screen rather than on the camera. I really like an idea I've read--cut out a photo of your favorite person, and tape the picture beside your camera to make you look at the camera. Or put a post-it with a sign, saying "LOOK HERE!"

Check your attire. Since it's a video interview, don't wear your pajamas. Look professional even though you aren't meeting the interviewer sitting across the table from her/him. Wear a suit like you would if you met in person.

Practice with a friend. Never interviewed via video before? Do a trial run of the system you will use with one of your friends. The only way to get better at interviewing is to practice. This is true for video interviews too.

Have support materials at your fingertips. Place your resume, cover letter, and answers to interview questions nearby for you to refer to. Also have a list of the questions you want to ask as well. Before you hang up, ask what the next step is and when you will hear back from the interviewer. And say, Thank you! Checkmate! You've got this interview! Want more interview tips? Visit Be a superhero in interviews and Shine telling your stories in interviews.

Going to a Career Fair? How Can You Stand Out in the Crowd?

The busy Fall Semester career fair season is almost here. If you plan to attend career fairs, what are you going to do to make sure you stand out in the crowd of students? No, you don't need to stand on your head to stand out, but here are some tips for you to be outstanding.

Know yourself. Figure out the kinds of positions you want to pursue. What experience, skills and knowledge do you bring? Be able to articulate that in your elevator pitch. Need help with creating your introduction or pitch? Visit here.

Do your research. Visit the career fair web site to see the employers attending the fair. Develop a target list of employers and go to their web sites. Check their job listings. Is there an opening you're interested in? Then, go ahead and apply. Another good place to check on employer web sites is their NEWS. Also, visit Hokies4Hire to see if the employer is coming on campus to interview. Don't see a job listing or on-campus interview opportunity? Then, ask employers about when they plan to interview or what openings they have.

Polish your resume. Although some employers may not accept copies of resumes at career fairs, you still want to be armed with copies of yours on nice resume paper. To make sure you don't have any typos or other issues with your resume, come to Career Services Walk-In Advising, Resumania, or other advising hours.

Dress to impress. No, you're not going clubbing, so leave your short dress or skirt or revealing top at home. Worried that your skirt is too short? Then it is. Wear shoes that you won't mind standing in for over an hour. Typical attire for career fairs ranges from business casual to business professional. If you look good, you'll feel good. For more tips on attire, visit here.

Show your interest. How do you let an employer know of your interest? We already talked about research and that's one way. Asking questions is another means for demonstrating your interest in an employer or opening. Need help with questions to ask? Visit here. Still another means to indicate interest is to follow up with an employer. As you meet recruiters, ask for their business cards. Send a thank you note to a recruiter after the fair, along with another copy of your resume. Call a few weeks after the fair to inquire about your application status.

Still want more information for your career fair preparation? Visit our infographic on Play your cards right at career fairs. Never been to a fair before? Get a clue here. And check here if you want to know more about after the career fair.

Does your resume need a checkup? Follow these principles

To thine own self be true. 
This advice from Shakespeare's Hamlet  really needs to be followed in the job search, starting with your resume. What kind of position are you after? What do you bring to an employer? Let an employer know this in an Objective (for those of you just getting started) or a Summary (for those of you who have some skills and experience to summarize) at the start of your resume. Check out the resume samples here to see examples of Objectives and a few Summaries. Our Career Planning Guide has a whole page of objectives on Page 38.

Keep It Simple, Stupid. The KISS Principle
I first learned this principle from my mother who was a physician, ending her career in an administrative role as a Regional Health Director for the state of Virginia. Often used in business, the principle applies here for your resume. The first glance an employer gives your resume lasts for 30 seconds or less. Make your resume easy to visually scan by avoiding paragraphs and sentences. Use bullets and start descriptions with Power Verbs on page 39 and 40 of our Career Planning Guide.

The only source of knowledge is experience.
Albert Einstein isn't the only man who knew how valuable experience is. What's the number one item an employer seeks as she reviews your resume? Relevant experience. As you share your experiences, be sure to quantify your descriptions if numbers apply to what you are sharing. For example, if you worked at Ben and Jerry's and trained new employees like my daughter, Maggie, did for a couple years, don't just list "trained new employees;" paint a clearer picture saying, "trained 5 new employees." If you need help with your experience descriptions, come see us in Career Services.

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.

These words of John Quincy Adams bring us to our next key point about resumes. Second to relevant experience, employers like to see leadership experience on resumes. If you have taken on leadership roles in organizations, list those titles and share results of your efforts. Some students have Leadership Experience sections on their resumes because they have so many to mention.

Skills have become the currency of 21st Century economies.

Andreas Schleicher, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Education Vice President, shared this sentiment about skills, and they really are essential. What skills will you contribute to an employer? When I was a college student I really didn't think I had any skills. Looking back now, I had a plethora of them: leadership, customer service, people, organizational, and writing skills. Advisors in Career Services can assist you in defining and describing the skills you bring to an employer. To zero in on the skills you want to share in a resume, review occupation descriptions in ONET or job listings for positions of interest.

Want more advice on your resume? Come see us for Walk-In Advising from 12 - 3pm, Monday through Friday. Can't make that time? Call 540-231-6241 to make an appointment.