With Mock Interview day approaching, I thought it would beneficial to write about interviewing. Then I realized that if you are reading this, you are probably reading lots of articles about interviewing-making another article about interviewing redundant. So, I thought it might be useful to tell you why I believe in mock interviewing- from a student’s perspective. 

Mock interviews, whether it is with an employer, peer, or career advisor, are a really great tool. In my year and a half at UNC Charlotte, I have participated in a ridiculous amount of real interviews with probably an equal amount of mock interviews. And with every interview I have only gotten stronger.  Practice makes perfect. After every interview I analyze everything that I said, the recruiter said, etc. and rate myself. However, one thing you will never receive after a real interview is that same analysis from the recruiter.   This, friends, is the beauty of mock interviews.

Now, I know we all think we are pretty amazing. And we are right in thinking so. Not many people can handle school schedules, homework schedules, work schedules, and extracurricular activities. We are a driven generation!  But, if you have not practiced, all those crazy things that you are working for/with become irrelevant. Mock interviews allow you to screw up when it doesn’t count. This is why they are important. Its crazy how even the simplest question, such as “what is your strengths/weakness?” can really set someone back, including me. I did not know how to answer that question properly. But, in my mock, the advisor who was interviewing me helped me answer that question afterwards, and in the end, when I was asked that same question in a real interview, when it counted, —I nailed it!

Another great aspect of mock interview’s is you learn the art of interviewing- and believe me it’s truly an art.  You learn how to structure your answers; you learn some of the tricks that recruiters will pull, etc. You can learn all of this in a real interview-but let’s be honest, do you REALLY want too when there is a great job or internship at stake?

What does this all mean? TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MOCK INTERVIEW DAY!!! This is a FREE opportunity to interview with real employers and then get critiqued.

So, for those of you who are living under a rock that has become school work, here is EVERYTHING you need to sign up:

When: Friday, February 3^rd from 8am-5pm

Where:  Cone Center Lucas Room

How: Log into your NJN account- if you don’t know what this is you really need to go the Career Center

        Under upcoming interviews, select mock interview day (make sure you have a resume already uploaded)

                Find your employer- hit apply- submit resume and Bang! You are now one step closer to actually getting a job after graduation.

But hurry-space is limited and sign-ups end February 1!

-Mercedes Fiorillo

By: LaShauna Harris

Seasonal Employment/ Mini Internships

During break everyone will be out and about doing their holiday shopping and taking vacation time to spend with family. This is the perfect time for you to step in and pick up the slack. Nearly every retailer has begun hiring seasonal workers to support an increase in their customer base. Also, other employers may need assistance around the office to accommodate for absent employees. Start applying for these positions immediately! Feel free to begin by registering for the Job Location and Development (JLD) Program to look into jobs that are already posted. They will be excellent experiences for building your resume and an opportunity to gain those transferrable skills. On top of that, securing one of these positions may provide you with cash to join in on the “holiday madness” for yourself.

Volunteer Work

Winter is the period where your time and resources will be most valuable to a charity of your choice. Places like soup kitchens, homeless shelters, hospitals, animal shelters, and nursing homes will be glad to take on volunteers for the holidays. Volunteer Experiences make for excellent resume builders. Employers love to see that you are contributing your free time and skills to benefit an organization.

Job Shadowing

Spending a day with a professional who works in your field of interest is one of the best ways to gage your fit for a given position. With school, work, and other activities going on it may have been difficult to find time for job shadowing this semester. That’s o.k.; we have two holiday breaks ahead of us that can be utilized by taking advantage of job shadowing. Check out NinerJobNet for opportunities that are currently listed. You can also find your own opportunities by talking to people in your hometown while you’re spending some time there. This is an easy form of networking that can lead to job shadowing and many other opportunities for career development.

Networking

I’m sure we’ve all heard of the saying “It’s not about what you know, but who you know.”  This saying is extremely true when it comes to your job search and career development, because the key to these processes is NETWORKING. Making sure you’re connecting with people that can connect you with other people or opportunities of interest will take you far. You can start with friends of the family and even your parent’s colleagues. Holiday parties will be the perfect time to take start networking and letting the people around you know what your career ambitions are.

I assure you that following this advice and dedicating a few days during the holidays will pay off in the end. Well Niners, enjoy your break, stay productive, and Happy Holidays!!!!

By Kate Grove, PCA

In December 2009 The Nielson Company conducted a survey to find out how much time the average person spends on social media/social networking sites. The results were shocking. They found that the average person, globally, spends up to 5.5 hours on a social media site every day. The average American spends closer to 7 hours a day on social media/social networking sites, and remember, that was in 2009! Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogs, etc consume a lot of our daily time. (Actually, by reading this blog right now you’re adding to your “7 hours a day.”)

Contrast that with a 2010 poll conducted by JobMob.com which found that the average unemployed American spends 18 minutes a day searching for employment. With all this time we spend on social media imagine what we could do if we harnessed that time and power for our job search. Now more than ever companies are starting to become more tech savvy. More companies are using Twitter and Facebook to network and find job seekers. A recent article from NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) focused on how to use your social media time most effectively for your job search. Based on that article, here are my top 3 pieces of advice:

1.  Develop a professional online presence

Google your name. See what comes up. If it’s those crazy pictures your friend posted from spring break last year, the rude tweet you sent the last time you were frustrated, or the not-so-professional blog you wrote in high school, take a look at your privacy settings. More employers are taking the time to “Google” potential employees before even inviting them to an interview. If those are the things they find it’s likely you WILL NOT be getting a call. It’s easy to change your privacy settings on all social media accounts. On Facebook you can change your settings so that only your friends can see your profile. On twitter you can make your tweets private so the only people who can follow you are those you accept. It’s important that you’re putting your best self out there as your online presence.

2. Use LinkedIn to get on the right track

LinkedIn.com is almost like a professional Facebook. It is comprised of over 65 million professionals and along with them all of their professional information and career paths. I’ve already begun my job search for after graduation and I started my search on LinkedIn.com too. Just think of the job you’d ultimately like to have. Search for people who ALREADY HAVE THAT JOB using LinkedIn and browse their professional history. Where did they get their start? What kind of education did they get?  Use the information you gathered to find companies you could start reaching out to or fields you should consider getting into.

3. Use your social networking site to NETWORK!

The majority of all jobs are found by networking. Tell friends, classmates, professors, neighbors and other close contacts that you’re searching for a job. Social media sites make reaching out to your contacts easier than ever! Don’t get crazy and post a status about your job search every hour, but maybe once a week update your Facebook status to say something about the kind of employment you’re looking for and ask if anyone has suggestions. Or send a tweet about how your job search is going, just keep it positive! You’ll be surprised how many connections you really have on Facebook, twitter, and LinkedIn and just how far those connections could get you! Join Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, and/or follow the twitter pages of professional organizations or companies you’d be interested in working for so you can stay up-to-date on what’s going on.

If you use even an hour of the time you normally spend on social media looking for a job it will help, but one thing to remember is using solely the computer to find a job may not be the best idea. While email, social media, and other online resources are increasingly more popular, nothing can beat the power of a hand-written note or a sincere phone call. So, use all your resources in the job search and the work will surely pay off!

“Whatever your passion may be recognize it as your calling.” (Griffiths, Bob) For some that is an easy call and for others that becomes complicated. For most, whether it is in the beginning of the career or towards the end, it becomes a question.  What happens when you are going to school for, say Psychology, and you realize you don’t want to be a Psychologist? What about when that degree that you worked so hard for, and was in demand at some point in time, no longer has any jobs? What do you do? This is a hard question to ask, but many do it every day.  I wish I had a straight forward answer- but, too be honest, it really is all about what you do with what you’ve got.  So, after talking to many career advisors, looking into a few books and talking to students going through this process, I have devised what I will call the Steps for Plan B.

First things first- HAVE AN ACTION PLAN: This can take on a variety of forms. Look into databases, such as NinerJobNet and see who is hiring. Devise an ideal market for yourself. For example: Construction Management but interested in Business- the ideal market place may be Business Management or Financial Planning.  Once you know what you want, the rest will fall into place.

Next- BEGIN NETWORKING: Networking is going to your biggest tool into figuring out positions or companies to aim for. Brandi Ledermann, University Career Center Counselor, suggests creating an excel sheet and tracking all your networks. “What I suggest is create an Excel spreadsheet of the contacts they want to start with and from those contacts they will meet people who know people, etc.  The premise of the Excel spreadsheet is to track each person they speak with, if that led to another lead, and whether that lead is viable or a dead-end.  I suggest documenting any timelines into each lead.” This will allow you to easily follow through with your leads and keep on track with your networks

Another networking outlet is professional associations. One PCA here at the UCC  is interested in Human Resources but will not be receiving a Human Resource degree. However, to stay in contact with those in HR, she is part of many Human Resource Associations and she builds her career networks there. These are great instant networks and your initiative to join will look good to an employer who may be a part of the same association.

Finally, GET CREATIVE: Just because you have never gone to school for say, business, does not mean you do not qualify. For example, my internship last year recruited a variety of students. Although it was mostly finance based, there was an intern that worked with me who was Mathematics major and they also hired an engineering student. If there is a position that you want and believe you can do- sell yourself. Get creative with your resume. Pull out the key words on the job summary and incorporate them. Show the employer that you do have the skills necessary, even if you do not have a degree in it. For example, let’s think back to the Construction Management student, mentioned prior. Said student is struggling to find an internship, so he gets creative and realizes his degree is “technically” half business. Upon realization, he devises his resume for the business profession focusing on leadership, business classes, teamwork, and entrepreneur experience. All of those skills will be of interest for a business internship.  This process can apply for any career or major.

Like I said before, there is no straightforward answer to the concept of plan b, but I hope these steps will help you get on the right step towards your career change. Don’t forget- stop by the Career Center and meet with an advisor to go through these steps. They helped me a lot in devising this post and I know they will be there to help you.

It seems as though this year, like the previous, is turning out to be another negative job market. According to Gallup polls, unemployment is currently at 9%, while underemployment is at 18.1%. This can be extremely frustrating for students who are working hard towards a career! But even with all the negative media, it is important to remember the positives and look at how you can use them towards your goals.

On August 23^rd, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ranked North Carolina as No. 37 among the 50 States in employment growth. This past year, North Carolina added 4,400 jobs. So in terms of the job market-North Carolina is slowly working its numbers back up.  This is great! It may not seem like a lot, but, any growth is enough to present opportunities.

 Second positive is that many employers are hiring based on previous internships. If you are a hard-working intern and employers enjoy working with you, then the likelihood of a job with that employer or with another, upon graduation, is higher. According to NACE, employers responding to their Internship and Co-op Survey said that an average 39.1 percent of their 2010 entry-level hires came from their own internship programs. I know many students hear this a lot, but internships or some form of career-related “work experience” really is key when you graduate.  So if you’re struggling trying to find a full time job, switch gears and search for an internship. You never know what may come out of it.

Finally, if you’ve exhausted all of your resources and you’re feeling like there is no hope; my final advice is Plan B. It is always important to have a backup plan, and, in a market filled with uncertainty, this is something to seriously consider. Talk to your career advisor and see what your options are. Look into you major and think outside the box. For example, if you’re an English major struggling to find a teaching position, look into tutoring, journalism, or government. There are plenty of people working in careers that aren’t the most obvious in regards to their major. Back up plans can be your best friend when the rest of your outlooks are not so positive.

So lets’ recap! 1.) North Carolina’s job market is growing. 2.) Many employers are looking for new hires based off internships- so reshape your plan to include this. 3.) Finally, always have a backup plan. Good luck this year in beginning your careers and always stay positive!

By Rachel Williams & Kate Grove

We’ve brought this popular blog back for some helpful suggestions about what to wear to our upcoming career fairs this fall (Part-time Job Fair & WOW Open House, Fall Career Expo or the Public Service Career Fair). If you’re attending any of our job fairs, make sure you dress to impress in the right outfit! Check out these pictures for some suggestions on “what to wear to the fair.”            

Also, here are some additional tips and suggestions to think about when dressing for a job fair.

Women

No club attire – meaning, if you wear it to a club, it probably does not belong in a workplace environment

Suit:  2-piece and matching

Pant OR skirt:

                Pant:  tailored, and not too tight

                Skirt:  Should cover thighs when seated, and no high slits

Colors:  navy, black, dark brown or gray

Shirt:  tailored and solid color or small print that matches suit and no cleavage

Jewelry:  conservative watch is always a good idea. 

Makeup:  keep it conservative, and a little is usually better than none

Nails:  clean and well-groomed, and no extreme lengths and/or colors

Shoes:  close-toed pumps are always a smart choice.  Avoid stilettos or chunky platforms.  And for those who are not the heel-wearing type, simple, leather, close-toed flats are fine as well.

Purse OR brief bag: 

                Purse:  keep it small and simple, color should match shoes

                Brief bag:  leather or micro-fiber, and avoid any tote-ish looking items

Men

Suit:  2-piece and matching.  Avoid a jacket that does not match the pant

Color:  navy and dark gray are always the safe choices

Tie:  a quality silk tie with a simple, small pattern

Shirt:  long-sleeved shirts (even in the summer!) in white, light-blue solid or conservative stripes

Socks:  dark socks (navy for brown shoes & black for black shoes) that are mid-calf length

Shoes:  leather lace-ups or slip-ons, black or dark brown (invest in a nice pair; you’ll get your money back over the years, promise!)

Belt:  leather and must match your shoes (black with black and brown with brown)

Facial hair:  if worn, keep it well-groomed

Jewelry:  conservative watch and no earrings

All

Hair:  out of the face, clean, and neat

Lint:  use a lint roller and remove it from your suit

Wrinkles:  iron them out of the shirt! The dry-cleaning bill (usually you can get a student discount) is worth a possible job offer.

Perfume/Cologne:  use sparingly, if at all.  Don’t smell like smoke either!

Pad folio:  usually looks more professional than taking notes and holding papers in a two-pocket folder or anything else.

Book bag:  NEVER!

I hope some of these tips help.  Bear in mind, that while you may not dress this way on a regular basis if you’re working in a more casual environment, it still makes the best impression to show up dressed this way for a job fair. Still need some help figuring out what to “wear to the fair?” Check out some more guidelines for professional dress provided by UNC Charlotte’s University Career Center here. Also, take a look at this YouTube video for these students’ take on professional dress — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbrdG638JjM

Source:  “Interview Appearance and Attire” http://www.career.vt.edu/interviewing/InterviewAppearance.html