How do I Actually Find a Job?

By Kelly Martin, Toppel Peer Advisor 

As a peer advisor, we have tons of students that come in on a daily basis looking for help with their resumes and cover letters, but one question that I seem to get a lot that’s more difficult to answer than questions about resume formatting or how to address a cover letter: how do I find a job/internship?

Often, as soon as I am done working with a student on their document, they then ask me, “now how do I find a job?” With resumes and cover letters, while the content will vary from person to person and job to job, there’s a basic template to follow. With a job search, there are many ways to approach it. So here are some of my observations from personal experience and from watching friends and other students that are on the hunt for jobs or internships.

First, the way you go about searching for a job could be very different from one field to another. As a student in the marine science school, the internships I’ve found have been completely from doing my own research—running a lot of Google searches, varying my keywords, and looking through the websites of as many organizations as I can. I also made a list of multiple organizations that I knew of already and went to their websites to specifically search for a “careers” or “internships” page. However, a business student could probably find job or internship opportunities in their field fairly easily through Toppel and other job websites.  So do some research on your field and figure out what might be the best way to approach your search.

While some things may change depending on your major or field of interest, one thing that will help any person looking for a job: connections. Connections are great way to get an extra leg up in the application process, and may even make you aware of an opportunity you never would have thought of before. So ask your professors if they know of any internship opportunities, ask your friends and family if they know of anyone in your field who may be able to help you out, or even just give you advice. It can’t hurt to ask and you never know what doors may open!

Finally, utilize Toppel! We have an amazing staff here in our office, and there are tons of resources you can use to find a job. From industry panels and career fairs, to advisors assigned to your specific major and job postings on our website (HireACane.com), there are countless ways that Toppel can help you in your job search.

So get out there and show the working world how awesome ‘Canes are, and get some job and internship experience to add to your resume. Happy hunting!

The MYTHS about clicking SUBMIT

By Samantha Haimes, Assistant Director of Experiential Initiatives

True or False: If someone advised you that the best way to begin your internship search was to refer to the Classifieds section of Sunday's newspaper, you might laugh in their face, assuming they must be joking.

If I know you, and I think I do, your answer is…TRUE. Ok, even though I don't know you, we are on the same page…

Now answer me this: If someone advised you that the best way to begin your internship search was to start by visiting specific websites, perhaps the company’s website or a site more all-encompassing such as HireACane or Indeed.com, you'd probably take their word for it.

Once again, also probably [and hopefully] your answer is TRUE.
 
Utilizing online portals such as HireACane is an excellent strategy; on these sites you typically learn about available positions, read about various companies, and can even submit your resume electronically.

Last question (I promise): After exploring these amazing sites with tons of opportunities listed, you submit your resume electronically and then wait for the company to contact you. Maybe you'll submit a cover letter too (if they ask for it). Ultimately however, the company will reach out to you if they like you.

Last but not least, I am willing to guess that the vast majority of students would say, TRUE. This seems like a great plan, right? Submit your resume to a couple of postings and then wait for companies to contact you?

…FALSE!

One of the biggest misconceptions for students applying for jobs and internships online is that that's all there is to it—applying online. In reality, the truly successful way to obtain jobs and internships is to utilize the online application process as just a part of the process. Not the process.

I know, I know. Your mind is boggled right now. "What are you talking about, Samantha? Applying for positions online isn't enough? But that's the only way I know how to find out what companies are hiring for?" Do not fear- I promise there are easy [and dare I say fun] ways to take your application from the mediocre click-of-a-button-resume-submission to a strong, outstanding, and competitive application for consideration. Here are some of the ways to get you started:

Research, Research, Research!
Doing your research before you actually click submit is critical. For starters, it will give you a glimpse into the organization and will help you decide if this is a good position for you. Don’t be fooled by job posting titles- really read the descriptions and spend some time researching the company so you are confident that it is a good fit. The better fit you believe you are for the job, the more this will shine through in your resume and cover letter (which should be tailored to each position you apply for).

In addition, don’t be limited to the company website. Check out the organization on various social media outlets, see if they have YouTube videos, and scope out what headlines they are making in the news and media. The more informed you are, the better all around.

Use your personal network
Everybody knows somebody. And while you may not realize it right away, there’s a good chance that:

A) You know someone at the company you are applying to
B) You know someone who knows someone at the company you are applying to
C) You have something in common with someone who works at the organization (i.e. graduating from UM, being a runner in south Florida, originally from the northeast, etc.) - even if you don’t know them personally.

Tapping into each of these connections for help or advice is called utilizing your network. Before and/or after you submit your resume online, try to find out about specific people that hit all three of these targets. If you are delving into your network before you apply, try to talk about the company or position with someone you know- this will make you even more knowledgeable during your application process and will give you someone to reference in your cover letter (with their approval, of course). If you choose to wait until after you apply, be sure to let the individual know when you applied for the job and for what specific position, so that they can reach out to the right individuals are their company and put in a good word for you.

You might be asking yourself, HOW do I get in touch with people that I have something in common with but that I don’t know personally? The secret is….LinkedIn!! LinkedIn is an amazing resource for connecting with individuals in this exact situation. You can cross reference the college someone attended with their current geographic location, current employer, and industry they work in—it is a gold mine! Then you can connect with these individuals to learn more about an organization. This handy-dandy tool is at the tip of your fingers, just click here.  You will need to login to your LinkedIn account, however, so if you don’t have one, make one ASAP. Here at Toppel, we critique LinkedIn Profiles and can show you how to effectively use this helpful LinkedIn widget, so come on in!

Become the company's #1 Fan (if you aren't already) & Follow Up
When you are submitting job or internship applications, it is easy to get complacent and a little bit tired. You might be asking yourself, “Do I really need to write a whole new cover letter just for this one position?” or “Should I actually follow up if I haven’t heard back from them in a while- I don’t want to be pushy.”

The answer is Yes. Always YES.

One of the biggest pet peeves for companies is to receive a general resume or cover letter that is clearly also used for 1,000 other positions, in addition to their own. Companies want to get the feeling that you want to work for THEM not just that you want a job. 

• Follow the company on social media – find their Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn Company Page, and Instagram account. Start liking their content 
• Set up a Google Alert to keep up-to-date on what’s happening with them
• Connect with employees at the organization utilizing LinkedIn and/or your personal network 
• Meet people who work at the company (personal networks or structured networking events)- be friendly and knowledgeable…oh yes, and smile

Additionally, companies only want to interview candidates that are passionate and excited about the job because that means they will be committed to the position and are more likely to be a strong fit. One of the best ways to convey this to an employer, outside of your initial application, is to follow up. No, this is not pushy; this is committed and organized. I would encourage you to wait about two weeks after you submit your resume to follow up directly with the hiring manager, via email or phone. You could write something along the lines of:

Good morning _______, “I am writing to confirm that you received by application for the _____position with _____ company. I am really looking forward to hearing from you as I feel I am an excellent fit for this role. If you need any additional information from me, please don’t hesitate to contact me.”  Thank you! Sincerely, ________

This is not the end-all, be-all template, just a beginner’s suggestion.
  
I hope these tips have been helpful for you. I challenge you to keep all of these important points in mind during your fall internship search or if you are actively seeking full-time opportunities. If you forget anything, don't hesitate to reach out to me; I am happy to remind you!

HAPPY SUBMITTING (and so much more)!

Your Time Isn’t Running Out

By Kayla Lott, Toppel Ambassador

It seems like today everyone is trying to make everything into a timeline, and I can’t say that I haven’t done that myself, especially going to an institution like UM.  Everyone seems to already have their lives figured out and laid before them, and then there’s you, still looking for that big-break internship.  You may be a junior, sophomore or even a freshman freaking out about your future and how you’re not ready for it.  You may very well not be, but no one can be ready for the future.  Unless you’re some type of future seer, no one knows what the future holds, and it’s okay not to have your whole life figured out. 

Not to mention people are always changing.  It’s said that people change jobs seven times during the time they work.  What you do coming straight out of college most likely won’t be what you’re doing ten years from now, and what you’re doing ten years from now most likely won’t be what you’re doing ten years from then. You shouldn’t be the same person in ten years that you are now, and your job may be affected by these changes.

Also, don’t ever feel like you haven’t done enough.  You are young.  Of course most of us don’t have the experience of a CEO!  Hiring managers understand that.  As a matter of fact, they like that better than experienced people because the experienced have a tendency to act like they know everything, and at 22, no matter how “experienced” you are, you don’t.

Don’t look at college as an hourglass that’s running out.  Look at it as a time to learn who you are and the person you want to be.  The next four, three, two or even one year is a time for you to develop your sense of self and sense of purpose.  Don’t take this time for granted because in the blink of an eye, it’ll be over, and you’ll actually have to start worrying about the future.  As a Chinese proverb says, “one step at a time is good walking.”

Ten of the Toughest Questions (and Answers) Interviewers Ask

Written by Thien Van Tran

Congratulations on making it into college! Now you just need to get your hands on some real-world experience in an internship, or maybe a full-time job, and look at you, you grown up! Shouldn't be too hard, with your college degree and all, right? Well, first you have to get past this.

 

The Interviewer

Depending on how prepared you are, this person may appear different. If you happened to come to an Interviewing Skills workshop or watched the Interviewing Skills webinar, your interviewers may look like this.

 

But most likely, you'll encounter something like this.

You don't want to get caught off guard and made to look like a big ol' drooling baby, which is never a good look for anything. Not even a drooling baby.

So how can you avoid this? Practice interviewing!! Here are some of the toughest questions you can be asked in any interview. Now, some of these questions may seem familiar to you, and that's because I straight up stole them from the internet they are behavioral questions that can be used in almost any interview.

10.Where do you see yourself in five years?

This one isn't too bad, but it's easy to ramble on if you don't focus on relevant aspirations. For example, you don't need to mention that you want to get married soon, have kids, or lose some weight. You want to hint at the fact that you want to stay with this company for a while and grow alongside it. An example of an answer could be, "I want to secure a civil engineering position with a national firm that concentrates on retail development. Ideally, I would like to work for a young company, such as this one, so I can get in on the ground floor and take advantage of all the opportunities a growing firm has to offer."

9. What sets you apart from our other applicants?

This is where you focus on the value you'll bring to the position. Describe how your previous experiences, skills, qualities, and willingness to work hard make you a valuable asset. Focus on specific skills, but don't forget to show that you are passionate about the position or company.

8. Describe a time when you had to deal with a challenging coworker.

"This one time, I had a disagreement with one of my coworkers, and it was pretty bad, but we worked it out and now we're cool." Or better yet, "Naw, dawg, I'm cool with everyone." Chances are, your interviewer is not as bro as you are, so these may not work as well as you (and I) would believe.

The answer to this question is not, “No.” Conflicts arise in the workplace, and employers want to know that you will be able to resolve them effectively. Everyone has worked with a difficult coworker, so impress your interviewers by describing how you used teamwork to successfully complete the task while remaining professional. Feel free to talk about learning your coworker’s strengths and weaknesses, and respecting the differences in work styles or skill levels between your coworker and you.  The best situations to talk about in response to this question deal with work-related (not personal) conflicts. Describe a time where you and a colleague differed on your approach to an assignment. Then, explain the steps you took to come to an agreement. The anecdote should not end with a description of who “won,” but rather how you reached a compromise with your colleague.

7. What is your greatest failure?

It’s no shame to acknowledge a previous failure – in fact, the ability to recognize your own failures and learn from them is an important quality and will work in your favor, as long as you demonstrate the right attitude towards such experiences. Failures usually provide us with our greatest lessons, and the ability to learn from them shows maturity, self-awareness and an ability to grow. The key here is to acknowledge where you went wrong and show that you learned from your mistake, took a positive lesson from it and moved on. If you can demonstrate that you never made the same mistake again, that will impress your prospective employer.

Be specific – describe the situation and your reaction to it, outline the lesson you learned and how you would approach a similar situation today. For instance, let’s say that in your early career you failed to deliver an important project on time because you didn’t manage your time and prioritize properly – then you can say that you learned an important lesson from this and are now a stickler for organization and keeping things on schedule. Or perhaps in your first project management role you failed to communicate effectively with your team, but ever since then you have ensured that weekly meetings are held where everyone has input and all issues are clarified to make sure everything is on track.

6. Why should we hire you?

The easy answer is that you are the best person for the job. You want to make sure that the interviewer gets this idea, but you don't want to say it so brazenly. Just back it up with what specifically differentiates you.

Drive home exactly why you believe you are uniquely and fundamentally and beyond any shade of a doubt qualified for the specific role being discussed. This is where your homework comes into play and you need to really understand what the employer is looking for in terms of skills, strengths, values, track record and cultural fit. Align your goals and interests with the employer’s and reiterate that you are confident you can not only meet the deliverables and perform the requirements of the role but really excel! Show confidence, enthusiasm and energy without being boastful or arrogant.

5. What is your ideal workplace?

Emphasize your flexibility and your ability to be productive, happy and efficient in any number of environments. This is not the time to demand the corner office with the park view or uninterrupted closed-door policy. Versatility goes a long way in today’s fluid workplaces and you need to show that you are able to focus on the job at hand and “fit in” seamlessly regardless of extraneous factors be they the physical surroundings, team dynamics or general level of noise and activity in the office. Indicate examples of how you have managed to excel in the past in suboptimal work environments and done so quite happily. Convey that you like the challenge of fitting into a new role and know from your history and track record that you can adapt immediately regardless of the environment.

4. Do you have any questions?
If you just respond with, "No, I have already heard what I need to know," it makes you seem disinterested and complacent. However, you should also be careful to avoid the wrong topics. If you ask the wrong questions, you could immediately invalidate the rest of the interview. "How often are you allowed to work from home?," and "How much will I get paid?" are some examples that are not ideal. With these responses, you can unknowingly communicate that your top priorities are avoiding coming into the office as much as possible, and money.

You should ask about 2-3 questions about what you have interests in. Here are a few sample questions:

• "What is the immediate need on your team that you are hoping to fill with this position?"

• "What projects can I contribute to right away?"

• "How would you describe a typical day on this team?"

3. What is your greatest strength?

Don’t be afraid to “toot your own horn.”  This is the time to do it. Hopefully you already know what you’re really good at but if not, make sure you give it some thought.  Also, in the case of an interview, you’ll want your strength to relate to the job.  Maybe you’re a really good runner but if this is a sales job, that probably isn’t relevant.

2. What is your biggest weakness?

The key to answering this age-old question is not to respond literally. Your future employer most likely won't care if your weak spot is that you can't cook, nor do they want to hear the generic responses, like you're "too detail oriented" or "work too hard." Respond to this query by identifying areas in your work where you can improve and figure out how they can be assets to a future employer. If you didn't have the opportunity to develop certain skills at your previous job, explain how eager you are to gain that skill in a new position.

"In my last position, I wasn't able to develop my public-speaking skills. I'd really like to be able to work in a place that will help me get better at giving presentations and talking in front of others."

1. Tell me about yourself

While this might be an intimidating question, it’s actually one of the best opportunities an interviewer can give you because you can answer any way you’d like. It seems like an easy interview question. It's open ended. I can talk about whatever I want from the birth canal forward. Right? Wrong. What the hiring manager really wants is a quick, two-minute snapshot of who you are and why you're the best candidate for this position. So as you answer this question, talk about what you've done to prepare yourself to be the very best candidate for the position. Use an example or two to back it up. Then ask if they would like more details. If they do, keep giving them example after example from your background and experience. Always point back to an example when you have the opportunity.

Prepare for this question by going over your resume as well as the qualifications and responsibilities listed in the original job posting. Then, give your interviewer a short summary of your background and career path thus far, making sure to focus on those experiences that are relevant to the position. The description should end with why you applied for this role, how it fits into your trajectory and why you are excited about it.

Best of luck!

Don't change your career- change your settings!

By: Bree Blair

Do you have a Facebook and/or Twitter account?

Do you want a job or want to keep your job?

If you answered yes to both of these questions, then this blog is for you! Many people underestimate how much of an impact social networks have on your career. Professionalism takes place in and out of the office, including your appearance on social sites. Companies and organizations want people representing their office well. Of course you can still have fun, live your life, and share it with your friends, but representing yourself well is just as important.

The first thing you should always do is make sure your profile and information are completely private. For Facebook, this makes sure that no one except for your friends can see your wall posts, pictures, or even pages you liked if you make it secure enough. You can even hide your page from specific people or groups, so if you're really worried about someone finding your page, there's always an extra route to take. This is really important to do; you don't want an employer getting the wrong impression of you just because of something or someone you are friends with on Facebook. Unless you are close friends with coworkers, it's suggested to keep that information private. Keeping your social life private from your professional life is usually the safer way out and not worth the risk, with exceptions of course. Plus, I don't think you want your employer seeing some old tagged photo of you from spring break in college that you didn't even know was on there (embarrassing). If for some reason you just really don't want to make your profile private, just remember to never post anything about work or your coworkers!

If you have a Twitter account, definitely consider making your tweets private. There would be nothing worse than having your employer see your ranting tweets about all your pet peeves or how much you can't wait to quit your job. Even if your profiles and tweets are private, always avoid ever mentioning anything about work. You could be as careful as possible, and at some point, word can get back to your employer who knows someone who knows someone who follows your social site, and then a situation comes up that you really don't want to be in. Keeping business and social life separate is an easy way to stay in the clear from looking bad at the workplace. If you just thrive off of people re-tweeting you, then be careful with what you say. You don't want to give off the wrong impression to your employer or coworkers. You don't have to change your whole life just because you have a career; you just might want to change your privacy settings!