By: Stephanie Niten

                Well it’s that time of year again 49ers: Finals week! We are in the home stretch for summer, but before we can get that far, we have to get past all of those dreaded final exams that we have heard about all semester long.  Now I know you all are very “excited” about these finals, but calm yourselves.  I know that we all have those last-minute projects and tests to worry about right now, so who has time to worry about finals?! Here are a few tips to help you manage your time throughout these last couple weeks left of school.

1. 1.       Don’t procrastinate!-This is one of the main things that I have the most trouble with.  Finals don’t start until May 3^rd, so why should I worry about them now?   The truth is that if you start organizing your study schedule now and planning out what subjects you will study on what days, you will more than likely not be under as much stress!  
2. 2.       Don’t stress! – Speaking of stress, we all know that this is very common among college students, especially when it comes to finals time.  I know that it is almost impossible to not have at least a little stress this time of year (and trust me, I have had my fair share of it) but try not to let it consume you.  Just take the studying one day and one subject one at a time, and when it comes time to take the test, all you can do is try your best! If you find that you are to the point where you cannot think straight because of all of the stress that you are under, try taking a break and going for a walk; get in some different scenery for a few minutes.  Engage in a different activity to give your brain a rest and then come back to your studies.  When you come back to them, you will be refreshed and may actually get more done!
3. 3.       Form study groups! – Most people study better when they are in a group.  If this is the kind of studying that you like, contact some of your friends in your classes that also like to study in groups, find a time between now and the time of the exam that works for everyone, and have a couple hours of going over the main highlights of the final exam material.  I know that this has worked out very well for me on past exams.  I have found that when I study in groups, I usually do better on the exam than when I have studied by myself.  When you are in a study group, you have other people to talk through the material with, and you get different viewpoints from everyone.  Who knows, you could even learn something new!

Well, there are three main tips that I had for finals week.  I know that these have helped me for past final exams, and I hope that they are as much help to you as they are to me.  I wish everyone good luck during finals week, and I hope everyone has a great summer!  

By: Anna Salas

Most students know that studying abroad provides an opportunity to broad their horizons through exposing them to new cultures, peoples, and places. However, not all students may be aware that studying abroad is a major opportunity to boost their resume! Below are the top four reasons why studying abroad can enhance your professional marketability.

1. You’ll increase your intercultural awareness: Studying abroad will provide you with the opportunity to delve into the customs, traditions, and cultures of a foreign country. By the end of your study abroad experience, you may likely consider yourself to be an “honorary citizen” of your host country because you will feel so immersed in its culture and way of life. Students who return from studying abroad typically have a new-found awareness and appreciation of diverse cultures and peoples. Employers will value your global worldview and your ability to interact with and form relationships with people of different backgrounds and ways of life.

 2. You may have opportunities to develop foreign language proficiency: As the U.S. economy is becoming more globalized, companies are looking for employees who will be able to communicate effectively, comfortably, and naturally with clients and employees in their foreign offices.  Many study abroad programs offers language courses in addition to regular classes. If you have the language skills, you may be eligible to take classes that are partially or completely taught in a foreign language. However, you will probably learn the most from experiencing life in your host city and learning how to navigate daily living situations including placing a restaurant order, chatting with locals on the subway, or asking directions on how to get to a particular place.

3. You may have opportunities to complete an internship or volunteer work: Some study abroad programs have an internship or volunteer experience component, which will have you learning, working, or assisting locals of the country you are in. Such opportunities may serve to further strengthen your resume as you will be able to speak with employers about tangible, real-life examples of how you interned or volunteered in a foreign country and the associated multi-cultural and additional transferable skills you gained as a result.

4. You’ll develop new insights and understandings through the formation of new relationships: In studying abroad, you may meet people that at first appear very different from yourself, and with whom you feel it may be hard to communicate with, much less develop a relationship. Although such people may speak a language other than your own and may have a much different background and culture than yours, you may likely form strong friendships that will allow you both to learn a lot from each other and develop a different outlook on intercultural communication and relationships. I have some friends of my own who have met friends abroad, and who now consider these friendships to be some of the closest, strongest bonds that they have in their lives. Additionally, relationships with friends, faculty, host families, teachers, and fellow students abroad serve to expand your international network so that if you ever desire to work abroad or for an internationally-based company, you will have contacts that could possibly help you in doing so.

So, how can you get started on planning your studying abroad experience? Visit the UNCC Office of Study Abroad website to access “Steps to Studying Abroad,” information on various study abroad programs through which you can get course credit at UNC Charlotte, and much more! Also, be sure to check out Going Global, a great collection of resources that provides country-specific information on topics such as employment outlook and industry trends, work permit and visa regulations, cost of living data, cultural advice, and much more!  The benefits of studying abroad are truly infinite – but for even more reasons, check out the Office of Study Abroad’s webpage on “Why Study Abroad.”

By: Anna Salas

Career fairs can be quite intimidating and anxiety-provoking for most students – including myself! The thought of walking up to a recruiter and figuring out a way to briefly, but thoroughly, explain your interest in their company and why you would be a good fit can evoke a great deal of stress in most people. Thankfully, career experts have shared suggestions and tips to help us prepare before the event so that once the big moment arrives, we are prepared and already know what we are going to say and how we are going to act. Below are a few tips to assist you in impressing employment recruiters, and hopefully landing that dream job or internship!

• Do Your Pre-fair Research: Prior to attending the fair, research the companies and organizations that you know will be attending and that you are interested in. This way, you won’t be wandering aimlessly from booth to booth without knowing what line of work various companies specialize in. Additionally, when you speak with employers, you will be able to demonstrate your interest in and knowledge of the company, and you can ask any questions you may have.
  • Specifically, take note of the company’s products, their line of work, any positions they are actively recruiting for, their mission statement/objective, etc.
  • Click HERE to watch our CareerSpots video on “7 Tips for Researching Companies”

• Dress Professionally: The first thing the employer will notice when you approach them is how you are dressed. Dressing professionally shows that you are mature and understand professional etiquette and the world of work. For tips on how you should dress for a career fair, see our popular blog, “Professional Attire: What to Wear to the Fair.”

• Bring Copies of Your Resume AND Have It Critiqued Prior to the Fair: If you don’t bring copies of your resume, there is going to be little chance that employers will remember you, your qualifications, or why they should hire you.  Ensure that you bring enough copies of your resume, and that your resume has been critiqued by a career advisor at the UNCC University Career Center (UCC). The UCC offers drop-in hours daily and prior to the fair, extended drop-in hours are available two days prior to the fair. See the UCC Calendar of Events for specific dates and times.
  • You may wish to bring along a padfolio (I personally like the clipboard padfolios), which allows you to have a hard surface to take notes on, and also functions as a means of securing copies of your resume)

• Don’t Forget About Your Non-verbal Cues: Sometimes when we are nervous and heavily focused on what we are communicating verbally, we forget about what we are conveying non-verbally through our body language and facial expressions.  When greeting recruiters, remember to
  • Shake hands with the recruiter using a firm, dry (not sweaty!) handshake
  • Stand up straight and try to avoid fidgeting with your pen, notebook, etc. while speaking with the recruiter
  • Greet the recruiter with a smile and continue to smile and demonstrate your enthusiasm for throughout the time you spend speaking with the recruiter
  • Maintain eye contact while talking with the employer. I’m not saying you have to stare at the employer the whole time you are speaking with them, but specifically when they are asking you a question or you are providing a response, try to maintain eye contact. While you are crafting a response, it is perfectly fine to look away.

• Prepare and practice your 20-second “Elevator Pitch”: Because there may be many students wanting to talk to a specific recruiter at a career fair, it is wise to come up with a 20-30 second introduction that you can succinctly say to employers when handing them your resume. The pertinent information that you should be relaying to the recruiter in your “elevator pitch” can be boiled down to the following:

1. Who you are
2. Why you’re interested
3. Why you’re qualified

If the recruiter has the time to do so, ask questions about the company to further show your interest and enthusiasm. Example questions could be, “Where do you see me with the company?” or “What’s the company’s vision?” DO NOT ask any questions about salary or vacation time. For more information on how to perfect you Elevator Pitch, click HERE to watch our CareerSpots video on “The Elevator Pitch.”

The Spring Career Expo 2013 is coming up on Friday, April 5^th, 2013, and will be held from 10am-3pm. Be sure to arrive EARLY, as some recruiters will leave after their goals have been met. The Career Expo is ONLY for UNC Charlotte students and alumni and is open to students and alumni from all majors. Some employers may interview candidates following the job fair, at their discretion. For a regularly updated list of registered employers, click HERE. Don’t miss this great opportunity to speak with employers and graduate schools seeking full-time employees, interns, and graduate students!

Apply for a $6,000 scholarship to work and take classes in DC for a semester. Programs details available soon. Deadline to apply April 15th.

What Internship Week has to offer!

By: Stephanie Wimmer

Internship week is the week of February 4^th- 8^th this semester.  Internship week offers special programs on finding an internship, what to expect from an internship, what internship opportunities are out there, and more.  To find the times and locations of these events, check the online events calendar, on career.uncc.edu.   

Having an internship or multiple internships should be a must in everyone’s college career.  Don’t take the opportunities lightly.  Part-time internships can offer the same benefits as continuing to pursue your current job; however, with an internship you would be able to develop professional experience in a field more closely related to your long term career goals. Also, if you are thinking you would take on an internship, but you need the pay check from your current job, think again, because a lot of internships are paid!  Students who can list internship experience on their resume are preferred to those who cannot when it comes to landing full-time careers post-graduation.  Gaining experience through an internship is an invigorating experience. In a sense, you are having a trial round to see if this is the industry you want to continue working in.  It is also great to know that you are not stuck there if you decide something else would be better. The sooner you get hands-on experience, the better.  Participating in 2 internships and taking Chemistry courses my freshman year of college and realizing that was the ultimate wrong field of study for me was perfect timing. On the other hand, if I had waited until my senior year to test the waters with an internship, it is extremely likely that I would be in school an extra two years beginning a new major. I was able to redirect my course schedule, visit the career center, and get on my new track without delaying my graduation. Quite possibly a full-time position could be offered with the same organization post-graduation, pending the completion of your internship.  Taking the time to participate in internships before you graduation could save you a couple years of searching.  Consider an internship an educational opportunity outside of the classroom. When you begin, go in open-minded, and note that no matter what you learn about yourself, good or bad, hate the internship or love it, you’ll still complete it knowing more about yourself and your work environment interests than you did before you began.

New Classes, New Semester, New You!

By: Stephanie Niten

Well it’s that time of year again, where we all make those New Year’s resolutions and keep them for a few weeks, and then we just give up on them.  Anybody ever done that? I know I sure have!  With school, work, clubs, and any other activities that we have to keep up with these days, it may be hard to keep some of those resolutions, so here are some New Year’s Resolution Tips that I hope may help you keep your current resolutions and maybe even make some new ones!

1. Don’t overwhelm yourself!- I know that I am very bad for this, I try to make too many resolutions and say that I am going to do a million things each year, but then only end up doing maybe half of them because I have put too much on my plate!  I know that school takes up most of our time, but it is always good to have a part time job if it is possible.  It may not seem like much now, but once you land that first job and start gaining that experience in the working world, landing other jobs in the future will be so much easier for you.  To help you balance everything, start with the small things and work your way up; don’t try to do too many things at once! Leave some wiggle room for those unexpected events that may occur.  It is better to accomplish a few tasks and do them well rather than trying to cram in too many tasks and do them just to “get them done.”  This way, you can avoid disappointing yourself and maybe even boost your confidence level!
2.  Don’t set the “all A’s” goal- We all want to do better in school, however we do have other things in our lives besides the classes that we are enrolled in.  Setting the goal that says that you are going to make A’s in every class is a very high and almost unrealistic goal to set.  For most people, this is a setup for disappointment.  Spread out your time evenly among all of your classes and give equal study time for tests and quizzes and don’t stress about the little things. Give it your all and your best work will show!
3. Don’t be a procrastinator- For some of us it may seem like test time is weeks away, but really it will be here before you know it! I don’t know about you, but it is not my favorite part of school and I am not really a big fan of cramming in all of that information the night before a test, or trying to complete a project the night before it is due.  How do you prevent that? Well, reading the chapters that your professor is going to cover in class is a good way of getting a head start on the material before class and it will help you to understand it better when the professor goes over it.  Along with classes, it is also not a good idea to procrastinate on searching for jobs and internships.  There are so many opportunities out there that you may miss if you wait until the last minute!  A good resource that you can use to keep up to date with new opportunities that may come along is NinerJobNet.  Not only can you view jobs and internships and apply for them, it is also a good way for employers to view your resume!   It is never too early to start looking for those great opportunities and planning your future.  I know this may seem like a lot of work, but hey this is college and let’s face it, this is no picnic!   

These are just a few of the many tips that you can use to help you set successful goals for yourself in all aspects of your everyday lives.  I wish everyone good luck this semester in their classes and job searches and I hope that these tips have helped you!

By: Stephanie Wimmer

Do not overuse the internet!
• With continuing advancements in electronics, our generation tends to become prone to using the internet above and beyond what is necessary to ensure career success. Even though many companies require online applications, don’t become resistant to making an impression in person or by phone contact. Online applications are submitted every day and standing out amongst the clicking madness is essential when determining whether you will be granted an interview. Students often aren’t aware that the best experiences attained generally come from networking. If your friend had a positive internship experience within a company that is of interest to you, ask them for a recommendation before submitting your application. You never know what might come from just having a mutual contact with the hiring supervisor for that organization. If you wait to be contacted by an employer you might fall into a slump of thinking that employers are not hiring which will prolong your wait for a career post-graduation.

Don’t limit yourself!
• We would all love our dream career making six figures and living it large as soon as we graduate, however, the reality is this is typically not the case. When contemplating different options, don’t turn down an opportunity or be unwilling to consider anything. Often we think we’re so certain of our likes and dislikes that we’re not willing to experience something we “know” we won’t like. However, just like when trying new foods, how can you be so sure that you don’t like something until you try it? When contemplating career possibilities be an open book. If you discover you don’t like the position after you have tried it, that’s one more thing you have learned about yourself that you didn’t know previously.

Utilize the Career Center!
• We say it over and over again. The career center is an excellent resource to use for professional development in the work force and senior year it is more important than ever before. When thinking of life after graduation there are several things to consider such as where you want to live, who you want to work for, how much money you want to be making, and how you can find a career that fits what you have chosen to major in. The career center is your one stop for career success and it is free (included in your tuition) to utilize all of the resources. Students who use the career center when preparing for interviews, writing resumes, and any other career development are more likely to land the job they have been seeking post-graduation. So next time you think you can do it just as well yourself, note there is always room for improvement, and come in and visit the experts. You’ll be several steps ahead when it comes to the impression you make towards potential employers!

Summer will be here before we know it and employers look to see how students spend their time over the summer. Do you already have a plan to stay busy this summer? If not, here are four great way to spend your time, but also beef up your resume.

1. Internships: Obtaining an internship for the summer is a great way to stay busy. With an internship you gain career-related experience while also networking with professionals in your field. Other benefits to having an internship include clarifying your future career goals and improving post-graduation job prospects because you develop the marketable skills employers are looking for. A great way to find a quality internship is through NinerJobNet, the University Career Center’s job database. The employers who post with us are looking for UNC Charlotte students and you won’t spend your summer making coffee runs; you’ll have actual work to complete and by the end of the summer you’ll have learned key information that will help you later on in your career! To get started complete the online orientation for NinerJobNet http://career.uncc.edu/njn-orientation and make sure to apply for the Experiential Learning Program http://career.uncc.edu/students/internships-49erships-co-ops/experiential-learning-el-orientation. NinerJobNet is not the only place to search for an internship, stop by the University Career Center and meet with your career advisor to come up with the best plan of action for you!
2. Part-time Job: If an internship isn’t for you quite yet, then a part-time job is another option for your summer. Some great benefits that come with working throughout the summer are earning extra money, developing transferable skills to put on your resume, gain valuable professional experience, and connect with local employers. NinerJobNet is a valuable resource in finding a job, just like when searching for an internship. Employers are looking for student workers to do various jobs, whether it be working retail, waiting tables, or working within a corporation. There’s a vast variety of opportunities for you to choose from. To get started complete the online orientation for NinerJobNet http://career.uncc.edu/njn-orientation and then make sure to complete the JLD application http://career.uncc.edu/jld-registration.
3. Study Abroad: For those who want the experience of studying abroad, the summer is a great time to do that. Yes, it’s for a shorter amount of time than a regular semester but it may have less effect on the time it takes you to graduate. Some benefits to studying abroad are knocking out a course or two while experiencing another culture and obtaining an experience that many others will not have.
4. Summer Classes:Summer classes are another positive way to stay busy over the summer. If you need to catch up on credit hours or want to graduate early, summer classes are definitely something to consider. Personally, I’ve really enjoyed the classes I’ve taken over the summer. Yes you have to go to class almost every day, but you also get the course(s) out of the way in five weeks versus four to five months during a typical fall/spring semester.  Another thing to consider would be how challenging the course material is for you.  Often students will take a rather challenging course over the summer because it will be easier to focus on that course’s work specifically versus during a regular semester where you might be juggling four other courses.

When deciding how to spend your time over the summer remember this, from an employer’s perspective finding a way to maximize your down time in the summer is valued higher than a student using “summer break “ as a reason to take an exceptionally long break … and the time to start planning for it is now!

-     By:  Stephanie Wimmer

When preparing for a career, individuals have to possess the ability to present themselves in a manner that is attractive to their audience. Whether than is a potential employer, a professor, or a group of peers, we would love to see our professional careers run as smoothly as in the movies.  What better way to prepare for a career than to put yourself in the story line.  Reading, yes for fun, not textbooks for class, assists in developing our cognitive complexity by having our minds race with imagination and by exposing us to vocabulary we might not have been exposed to if we didn’t pick up those “ancient” chapter books. This increased vocabulary will encourage not just how you think, but how you speak, and being well spoken while others are evaluating you is extremely important.   

Self-confidence is essential to developing a positive relationship with employers, especially when conducting an initial interview.  Reading is an active mental process than increases your attentiveness and temperament, while increasing your self-confidence and creativity.  Self-confidence leads to successful leadership and being able to embrace your “A-game” throughout interaction with career professionals, professors, and amongst other peers, is definitely a positive attribute. Individuals who read on a regular basis have the ability to adapt to different conversational styles and find it easier to develop small talk or continue conversations in a professional manner. A confident candidate will portray themselves as a more suitable candidate for the job, a more suitable person to lead a class project, or even a more approachable person in which to develop a friendship. 

Everyday life can be hectic, especially in the lives of college students, and we are constantly seeking ways to relieve stress or avoid it all together.  Next time, instead of going for a run or taking a nap, try picking up a book!  While reading, the reader more frequently than not, is inspired to put themselves into the story, making the story come alive.  What better way to escape the cram studying, work overload, and other pressures of college life than by temporarily forgetting it all.  Give it a try, next time you can’t fall asleep at night or just need a break from studying, instead of reaching for the remote, grab a good book, and instead of getting behind, you will be setting yourself up for future success!