It’s not too late to find a summer position! Visit these 4 sites!

Are you worried there are no summer positions left? Have you been too busy with class projects to make time for looking for a summer internship? Well, you can put your concerns to rest, because many employers still have openings.

Recently, Sarah, a marketing major wanting to work in Richmond, VA this summer, checked four key resources where she found many opportunities. Read more about these online sites here:

First, Sarah visited Hokies4Hire where she found 22 listings. She completed an advanced search where she listed the keyword intern and the location of Richmond, VA, where she connected to 22 listings. Hokies4Hire is the Career Services site for intern/co-op/job listings, employer contacts, and a site where you can upload your resume. Earlier in the semester, she could also have used this site to access schedules of employers coming to campus to interview and applied to meet with them.

A second resource Career Services makes available to Hokies is Internships.com. When Sarah visited that site she uncovered a total of 68 listings by doing a location search for Richmond, VA.

Still another helpful resource is Career Shift. A key benefit of this site is that Sarah was able to set the specific location of Richmond, VA and the key type of position she was seeking. She found 49 internships during a recent search. An added plus of this site, is Sarah could target contacts at local hospitals where she is interested in working in a hospital marketing department. She found over 130 marketing contacts working in hospitals/clinics. Talk about a gold mine! Even if Sarah doesn’t find internship listings using this site, she can inquire about an internship with some of those contacts she found in CareerShift.

A final tool Sarah checked out was Going Global. This site has over 40 US City Guides with all kinds of information about each city. When Sarah visited the Richmond Guide, she found 11 different Richmond-specific job listing sites to visit, as well as links to nonprofit organizations, networking groups, and key Richmond employers. Sifting through this information will take a bit of time, but there is plenty there for Sarah to consider.

Still not convinced there are opportunities out there for you this summer? Come visit us in Career Services and we’ll talk about your particular search for a summer internship. Call 540-231-6241 today to meet with a Career Advisor.  

Five Tips to Your Next Behavioral Interview

I'll never forget the first impression I received at the interview for my summer internship.  I was waiting in the lobby on the top floor of the Career Services building on campus with various other students.  Although we all looked glamorous in our freshly ironed interviewing clothes, everyone seemed about as nervous as I felt.  No one talked.  Instead, we waited impatiently as the clock ticked away, waiting for it to strike 3:30 when our interviews would begin.  Everyone sat silently, glancing from the clock, to our phones, back to the clock, and to the hallway towards the interviewing rooms whenever we heard the pitter patter of feet against the carpet.

One by one, the other students were called into the interviewing rooms by short, sweet-looking women with welcoming smiles and chipper greetings.  I once again glanced at the clock, seeing that it was 3:30, 3:35, 3:40.  By the time 3:45 rolled around, I was one of three students left in the lobby.  Then, right before 3:50, a man walked out into the lobby.  He was a large, stern looking man.  It was clear that the end of the day was rolling around, and he had been stuck interviewing students since 8 o'clock that morning.  He was exhausted, and probably craving caffeine.  The closer he got to the lobby, the more his frame grew until he stopped walking and I swore to myself that he could eat me for dinner if I so much as looked at him the wrong way.  I felt myself subconsciously gripping the arm rest of my chair for mental support.

Ariel Cohen, he called out.

Oh, of course, I thought to myself.  Standing up didn't make him look any smaller as I gathered my courage and gave him the strongest handshake I could muster with a hand that wasn't even half the size of his.

My interviewer turned out to be a great guy with a good sense of humor and a personality that put me at as much at ease as I possibly could be during an interview with a man towering over my 5' 2'' self.  You'll find most interviewers are like that.  They're not out to get you- they want to know more about who you are and how you can fit into the company they represent.  However, you can't depend on them to feel comfortable at an interview.  It is you and you alone that will get you through.  The best way to get through an interview is to come prepared.

Of course, there are different types of interviews.  Today, I'm going to focus on the type of interview that almost if not all of you will come across at some point: the behavioral interview.  Based on my experience, here are five tips on preparing for your behavioral interview:


1) Research the company ahead of time
My first tip comes before you even iron your shirt you bought specifically for interviews and career fairs.  While the interview is set up as the company testing to see if you're a good fit for them, remember that you should also use this chance to see if the company is a good fit for you.  What is this company's main product or service?  What is their work environment like?  Are they parent friendly?  Do you even plan on starting a family after college?  Does this company hold the same sort of ideals you have?  A number of these questions can often be answered by looking at the company's website and social networking sites.  Not only will this help you learn about the company for your own purposes, but it will make you look more knowledgeable at your interview.  After all, what company wants to hire an employee who didn't even bother to find out what they sell or do?  By researching the company before your interview, you get to kill two birds with one stone.

2) Come with questions
While you're researching the company, you'll probably find that some of your questions go unanswered.  This is perfectly okay- you won't be expected to be an expert on the company you're interviewing with.  Any questions you find unanswered should be written down and taken to the interview with you.  Unless you run over your allotted time on a busy day, the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions for them.  Some interviewers even begin their interview by letting you ask your questions first to help you ease in.

Whenever this moment arrives, not having questions will seem rude.  The interviewer will think that you don't care enough about the job to bother asking questions.  You'll appear lazy.  If your interview is your first personal contact with the company, this can kill your first impression.  In the fast pace business world, first impressions can be everything.

Don't feel pressured to have a page full of questions.  Generally, you'll only have time for a few of them.  If your research of the company doesn't bring up any immediate questions, there are plenty of lists online of general questions asking anything from what skills and attributes the company values in its employees to available career paths.  Between your research and these questions, pick your top six.  Chances are some of your questions will be answered before you get to ask, so it's best to have a few backup.

3) Have stories ready to go
My last suggestion before interview time is to prepare for the questions.  There are a number of behavioral situations that almost all behavioral interviews will use: a situation where you showed leadership, a situation where you dealt with a difficult co-worker or boss, the list goes on.  Many of these types of questions can be found online before you take one step into the interview room.

Knowing this prior to your interview, you can prepare.  The best way to prepare for these situational questions is to have a few prepared stories that you can turn to when these questions come up.  A group project can be used to answer questions about how you work with others, how your group dealt with deadlines, and leadership questions.  Individual class projects can answer questions about how you use your time and handle stress. Extracurriculars (on or off campus) and previous jobs no matter how related to what you're interviewing for are also fair game for story material.  Try to pick a few stories that can be used for various questions and you'll be well on your way.

4) Don't be afraid to think about your answers before responding
We're finally passed all of the pre-interview preparation.  You've gotten all fancied up, you've done your research, you have you questions written down and your stories on your mind.  Finally, the time has arrived.  You follow the interviewer into the room, sit down with a little welcoming chat, and dive into the questions.  The first question out of the interviewer's mouth was one you weren't expecting.  None of the stories you had prepared are applicable.  Is any part of your life even applicable?  You're a student.  How are they expecting you have so much life experience already?

First off, don't panic.  There was no way you could have been prepared for every possible question that could ever be asked in an interview.  Take a deep breath.

The most important thing to remember in this situation is that the interviewer is not expecting you to answer right when he or she finishes asking the question.  The worst thing you could possibly do is start talking in circles just to fill the silence.  Let the question sink in.  Did you completely understand what was asked?  If not, ask your interviewer to repeat it.

Since almost all of your questions are going to be situational ones, chances are you can take one of the stories you prepared and change the aspects you focus on to make your point.  For example, if you are asked for an example of you motivating your coworkers and you have a story about a group project where a member dropped the class halfway through the project, you can use this story and focus on the aspects of how you and your other project partners motivated each other to pick up the slack.

Maybe the question sparks a memory of a story you hadn't even thought to prepare.  Still take the time to make sure you have all of your facts straight to make sure you keep to the point and answer the question at hand.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you think it through.

5) BLUF/BLOT
BLUF stands for "Bottom Line Up Front".  BLOT stands for "Bottom Line On Top".  Either way, the meaning is the same.  When you are asked a non-situational question, such as "What is your best/worst trait in your opinion", state your answer first before you give your explanation.  This not only keeps you from talking in circles, but makes sure you answer the question clearly.  If you find yourself dancing around a question without ever actually answering it, this is a great thing to practice.  Interviewers take note of how well you can explain yourself, especially if your position requires good communication skills.  Just don't tell your interviewer that you were told to "bluf"!


There are so many other pointers that one can give about interviews, but I feel these are the most important and applicable to the most amount of people.  I hope this helps you out with your next interview!

Also, if you found this helpful, keep a look out for my post about technical interviews coming this summer. 

My colleague, John Gray Williams, shared this with our Career Services staff yesterday. Take a moment to watch. Nice job, Sarah Sexton. Live for the 32.

April 16: An Opportunity to Remember – “Take Five” to Do These Five

When I did research for a presentation on working a room last fall, in Networking for People WhoHate Networking, author, Devora Zack, emphasized that having to network can be seen as an opportunity, even for introverts. As she pointed this out, she shared the Chinese character for crisis above which includes two signs: one for danger and one for opportunity. Being the positive person I am, the idea that opportunity can be found in a crisis really resounded with me and I now have the character on my desk. As I thought about crises I have experienced in the past, one that came to the top of my mind was April 16, 2007.

As the six year anniversary of this tragedy approaches, let’s look for opportunity after this tragedy by “taking five” and doing these five:

Tell your parents, guardians or grandparents you love them Dr. Bryan Cloyd, an accounting professor at Virginia Tech and father of Austin Cloyd, one of the victims of April 16, sent this email to the students in his class, soon after the tragedy:

“If we don’t meet again, your final assignment from me is perhaps the most important lesson you will learn in life. Go to your mother, father, brothers and sisters, and tell them with all your heart how much you love them. And tell them you know how much they love you too. Go out of your way to make good memories…at some point these memories may be all you have left. May God bless you all, Bryan.”

I can’t say it any better than Dr. Cloyd. Tell them today.

Take a step to achieve that goal you have resisted Those 32 members of our Hokie Nation lost their chance to pursue their goals that day. Need help? Read Steven Pressfield’s book, Do the Work. He gives us tips to beat the resistance that is always hovering inside us as we make excuses about reaching our goals. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

Pay homage. Visit the April 16 Memorial, Deriek Crouse Memorial and War Memorial, pausing to reflect on the lives of those in the Hokie Nation whom we have lost. Reflect on what an honor it is to be a part of the Hokie Nation. How are you going to represent this university well with your life and your life’s work?

Thank a Virginia Tech faculty or staff member who has made a difference in your life as a way to honor the faculty who fell that day. The instructor or employee may not even know what an impact she/he made unless you tell that special person. And, gratitude is a powerful emotion to embrace and share. Start making saying thank you a regular routine.

Live up to Ut Prosim, “That I May Serve.” Join VTEngage, or some service organization to make a difference in this world, following the example of so many of those whom we lost that day. Our commitment to service on this campus makes this community a special place and is the glue that binds the Hokie Nation together. Commit to serve whenever you can. Do it for the 32.

Take five to do these five as a means of creating opportunity out of such a horrendous crisis that occurred on our campus. Do it. Do it now. Do it for the 32.

Five Reasons You Should Consider Getting a Career Services Internship

It's that part of the year where everyone is scrambling to figure out what they're doing with their summer.  Some people already have internships with companies lined up. Others may be applying for jobs back at home.  Some might be traveling abroad for awesome international experiences.  And yet, you might be watching your friends planning for their summer activities without a clue of what you want to do.

If you are considering staying in the Blacksburg area over the summer, you should definitely think about applying for a Virginia Tech Career Services internship.  Take it from a girl who has spent her last year working for them- it's a great experience!  Not only did I get to work with some of the nicest people I have ever met, but the internship never felt like a job to me because I was having so much fun.  The experience is unique to every individual, but here are my five reasons why you should check out the Career Services Intern Program:

1) You have a great commute
If you're staying in Blacksburg, chances are you're either living on campus or in an apartment on the bus route.  This means that your longest commute is either a ten minute bus ride or a ten minute walk over to the Career Services building on campus, across the Washington Street from Schiffert Health Center.  If you happen to be working on a project that doesn't require you to be in the office, such as writing for Career Chassé, then you might even get to work from the comfort of your own home!  Either way, there's no worry about sitting in traffic during rush hour.

2) You get experience with a professional environment
Since you'll be working in a real professional environment, you'll be treated like a professional.  You won't be handed busy work to keep you occupied, but given actual assignments that affect the university and its students.  You will get to experience being held accountable for the responsibilities given to you and presenting your progress in meetings with both your supervisor and other interns.  Then, at the end of the term, you will present what you accomplished to an audience of interns and Career Services officials.  Although this might sound daunting to some, Career Services does a great job of creating a relaxed atmosphere that will ease you into the process you will most likely have in your career after graduating.

3)You could count your internship as class credit
Planning on taking classes over the summer?  Depending on your major, your internship might count for class credit!  Try talking to your department adviser to see if you could be getting both internship experience and credits in one go.

4) The monthly meetings are centered around teaching you what you want to learn
While the monthly meetings allow you to explain your progress in your internship, they are also a great learning tool.  Each month, interns get to decide what topic they would like discussed: interviewing tips, how to discuss salary with an employer, how to accept and reject offers gracefully, even how to apply for graduate school.  Whatever you might want to go over you can bring up with your supervisor and learn about at these monthly meetings.  After all, that is what Career Services is for!

5) Career Services is for students - meaning that school comes first
Most importantly in my mind, Career Services works for the university and knows the life of a student.  Thus, unlike many employers out there, they understand that you're a student first and an intern second.  If you have a rough week of classes, as long as you give warning to your supervisor, they will be gracious and understanding.  There's no worries about trying to explain finals or large projects and papers to a boss that's thirty years out of college.  Plus, if you ever feel over-stressed from your class workload, Career Services will be right there to offer great studying and time management tips.  Handy, isn't it?
If I've managed to spark an interest in you, check out the Career Services Internship Program page Career Services Internship Program page.  The application deadline for interning in Summer/Fall 2013 closes April 19th, so you have a few weeks to think about it.

I hope to see you around Career Services next semester!

Are you managing your personal brand? Read about its importance and reinvent your brand:

Find your major out of chaos!

As the week of course request for Fall semester classes ends on Tuesday, you may be asking yourself if you are in the correct major. Maybe you thought you were good in math, so engineering was the direction you were leaning, but now you’re not so sure. Or maybe you took some intro classes in a certain major you thought you would like and now you think the classes are boring. If any of this sounds like you, a Career Advisor in Career Services can help you figure out your career direction, whether that is through a self-assessment tool or by devising a plan out of chaos.

Figure yourself out with self-assessments

Although self-assessment can’t give you the answer (you’re the one who holds the answers, right?), using a tool to look at your interests, skills, values and personality type, may give you some ideas of careers or majors to consider as you decide whether to make a change in your major or career plans. Students who take a self-assessment like MyPlan or Do What You Are, also sometimes find that one of these tools confirms a direction they were already wondering about, which makes them feel more confident as they make that choice.

With another tool, StrengthsQuest, you are able to learn about your talents that you can work on to turn into strengths. This instrument may help put a name on some of your key qualities that you might not have viewed as talents before - also beneficial as you make career or major choices. If you want to get started with one of these assessments, the first step is to make an appointment with a Career Advisor; call 540-231-6241. We’ll meet with you to talk about your particular situation, determine the best assessment tools to meet your needs, follow up to talk about your results and point you to people or places to find out more about majors or careers of interest.

Devise a plan out of chaos

If you feel you know yourself well enough but still want to take some action as you decide your major, another possible step is to create a Wandering Map. Dr. Katharine Brooks, author of You Majored in What (great book to figure out your career direction and get to know yourself better) suggests using this wandering map to look at your past for hints to help you plan your future. She applies chaos theory to making career decisions. Although the weather is difficult to predict and often chaotic, weather patterns emerge, and this is true of our lives too, where certain patterns come to light if we take the time to look.

Though the path that got you here may seem random to you, Dr. Brooks takes you through steps where you map out key events that have happened in your life this far. First, you brainstorm and list objects, events, people, and other things that have played a role in your life so far. Then you will review your ideas, add more items, and analyze your notes for categories and themes. Next, she asks you some key questions about those themes you’ve identified. Want to see if you can create a plan out of chaos? We can get you started with creating your own wandering map—call 540-231-6241 to meet with a Career Advisor to learn more.

Help is close by if you feel like you need a hand in your journey to your major or career. Set up a meeting with a Career Advisor today to get started with increasing your self-knowledge and mapping out a plan out of chaos.