The Early Bird Gets the Worm

By Marian Li, Toppel Peer Advisor

You’ve moved into your new house, but the water’s not working, your storage is nowhere to be found, and your food is mysteriously disappearing from the refrigerator although your roommate swears they haven’t touched any of your food. All you want is for it to be the weekend, where you have enough time to play catch up. Job-hunting may be the furthest thing on your mind; you might want to think again and re-prioritize.

In the ideal world, every candidate who applies for a job has the same likelihood of landing the opportunity based on qualifications; sadly, that’s not the case in reality. According to recent research, more than one-fourth of jobs are filled with candidates who applied early within the first few days of posting. So what’s the moral of the story painted by this research? Apply early! Most hiring managers want to hire right away since it’s fresh in their minds so getting your application in early greatly increases your chances of being chosen.

Here are some tips to get you on top of your game AND your resume to the top of the hiring managers’ list:

Network, network, network – Career centers have been tossing around this buzz word throughout your entire college career, but it’s true! When possible, seek out an internal contact within the company of interest who can put in a good word for you. As a referral, you get priority as someone who is already recommended by a staffer.

Tune in for daily updates – Many job sites, including HireACane.com have the option to automatically send out lists of newly posted job opportunities within your field of interest. When waiting for the professor to start class, maybe browse these postings rather than liking yet another Instagram post your friends recently posted.

Not all jobs are posted – Despite all the wonderful job search websites out there, some companies may not be publicly announcing positions available. If the company of interest doesn’t have any positions posted on HireACane.com (or even on their company website), don’t be afraid to shoot them a letter of inquiry indicating your interest in joining the company.

If you’ve deemed this post more stressful than helpful, BREATHE! It’s okay! As interesting as what the research factoids show, it may not apply to every situation and it definitely doesn’t show a cause and effect between being early to apply and getting hired. Go ahead and apply! If you’re lost and don’t know where to start, Toppel is always here to help.

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)!

A Bigger (Better) Job Search

Career Toolbox Series: Career Shift
Written by Thien Van Tran
Part of the Career Toolbox Series

So let's say you missed out on the Career Expo, several networking events, info sessions at Toppel, and other related conferences. What do you do now? Panic. Go crazy. Straight up Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. You simply look elsewhere. Most people, myself included, will tell you that scouring the internet for potential jobs is one of the most ineffective ways to actually land an interview. There are so many job search engines that millions of people have access to, so you have to compete with all of them. However, there are a number of specific websites that are worthy of your time. The one I will discuss today is CareerShift. This is a job search / job management tool that not many people have access to, since there is a pretty significant monthly fee you must pay in order to be a member. But, for a limited time only, if you call in the next ten minutes, if you are a student at the University of Miami, it is offered at no charge!! The school sponsors your membership, so I highly recommend that you take advantage of this resource. And let me tell you, it is the for-real deal. A few of the most useful components are highlighted below.

My Jobs

Seeing as this is a "private" website, you may be wondering, "how many jobs are on there exactly?" Well it's most likely somewhere between 50 and all of them. But I'm just guesstimating here.

Spongebob: Wow, look at all these mattresses. How many do you think there are?

Patrick: Ten.

CareerShift's job search tool returns results that pull from almost every career site and job board available, including company websites. The good thing is, you can perform your search based on keywords, company, area, job type (full-time, part-time, etc.), salary estimate, source, relevance, and date, in order to provide a concise set of links. However, if you want a broad scope of available jobs, you can also just type in a keyword and leave everything else blank. So is it better to perform a very narrow search rather than a broad search? I think we all know the answer to that: MAYBE!

Now let's suppose that you don't have time to apply to all of these jobs that come up in your search. Maybe you're too overwhelmed with the website's sheer awesomeness. Maybe you're too busy feeding your parrot. Whatever it may be, do not worry. You can save these jobs to your account so that you can come back later!

My Contacts

 If you've ever been interested in working at a certain company but believed that it was out of reach, welcome to the club! You don't know where to start, since this company doesn't recruit on campus, or is in a different region of the country. Well the CareerShift contacts search allows you to search for contacts using criteria such as: contact name, company name, area, industry, and position. Ain't that fabulous? Now, I must warn you that this is a professional tool for finding professional contacts. I'm not saying you'll take advantage of it and harass some hiring manager or try to find out what your ex has been up to which, fyi, does not work. But I'm sure you know there are those among us who are citizens of Crazytown. Me? I'm the Mayor.

My Documents

Everyone knows that in order to make sure your resume is always relevant and up to date, you have to constantly revise it, or tailor it specifically for various job applications. Keeping track of all these different versions of your resumes, cover letters, transcripts, etc. can be a bit confusing. Luckily, you can upload these documents, as well as compose some new ones with the online tools, right on the CareerShift website! You can then access your documents from any computer that has access to the internet. It's pretty great. But hey, don't take my word for it just because I have some serious street cred, try it out yourself.

Don’t get LOST among the Bones (Scholarship Search Tips)

By: Priyanka Surio

Knowing when something is an old find. The first thing you need to discover is whether you are eligible for whatever scholarship or fellowship you are applying for. Some scholarships have expiration dates, are school year specific, or have certain stipulations, like being left handed. Make sure to read and re-read the fine print before delving into the dirt. Don’t assume every fellowship or scholarship award is yearly. Funding differs from year to year. Just because your older brother applied for it, doesn’t mean it will still be there waiting for you to find. You also have to start on your dig early and follow up with whatever contact is provided prior to starting or else you will find you’ve dug a hole with nothing but dust on the other end.

What’s fake and what’s real? To determine whether the artifact you are holding is real or a copy can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. They will all look enticing and legitimate but here are a few things to keep in mind: Most scholarships don’t make you pay a fee. The year, make, and model says it all. If this is a newer scholarship or fellowship opportunity, those are more likely to be a convincing copy. If you see a flyer or advertisement and visit the web-page and it doesn’t exist, then you may not want to pursue that option any further. If the phone number does not exist, then the scholarship probably doesn’t either. If they ask for too much information and are not a governmental organization don’t fall for their scams!

Be patient, it takes a while to uncover gold. Applying for any form of stipend takes time because essentially you are getting free money and have to prove that you are a treasure to keep. Here’s a list of common tools you will need to unearth that prize winning relic.
1. An updated and thoroughly reviewed resume.
2. If there is an application or essay required make sure you have several peers and advisers look at your final product. It is important to have peers look at your application to make sure it sounds like your “voice”. It is important to have advisers look at your application for professionalism and to refine any rough edges.
3. If recommendation letters are needed, ask potential recommenders if they are able to write you a strong letter of recommendation by the deadline. Usually allow 1-2 months for preparation of a letter. Do not ask a year in advance as your recommender is most likely to forget. Furthermore, you want to make sure that they know you in the most positive light so you can receive that five star rating.
4. Order transcripts or other forms of verification 1-2 months in advance.
5. Plan at least several months in advance for any large scholarship or fellowship that requires documents as part of the application.
6. Plan at least a month in advance for smaller scale scholarships and contests.

Be the first to know! Stay abreast of all the new sites and treasures out there by signing up for their respective email notifications and newsletters. For example, Fastweb.com sends you emails based on new scholarships, internships, or fellowships that you qualify for, or that might be of interest to you once they become publicized and posted. They also send you reminders on any scholarships that have deadlines within two weeks. Talk about convenience, all from the comfort of your personal laptop. This way you can strategically plan which scholarships you wish to apply for from your seemingly endless choices.

Sometimes it’s right beneath your nose! Wouldn’t life be easier if there was someone there to tell us when and where we might find a great artifact? Look no more! Many universities have an Prestigious Awards Office on campus. Within these offices are advisers destined to help you on your search, application process, and more. Get plugged into your office or department on campus today to learn about all the scholarships you didn’t know you qualified for. These departments are also handy in making sure you have all the necessary tools before you begin your excavation. They will help you put together an application package, ensure you have any letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc. assembled before sending you on your way. And the best part is, you can use them over and over again and they won’t mind! UM's Prestigious Awards Office wants young anthropologists like you to succeed.

Snoop like a detective at a crime scene. The greatest treasures are found in the most obvious places, but as busy students we so often pass up all these opportunities. Where do you look? Anywhere on campus. Those flyers you see hanging up in breezeways, near classrooms, on your desk, they all contain a window of opportunity waiting for you to decipher from their messages. When was the last time you read the news? This morning, last week , last month? There are opportunities for scholarships and fellowships posted all the time in the news, it is part of that respective organization’s ad campaign and as subtle as it might seem you would be surprised how many people notice. For example, there was an essay contest on campus last week with flyers hanging by all the Dooley Memorial classrooms. I noticed the janitor taking them down and discarding them several yards away, as they do with all flyers that are posted around these areas, so I quickly took one to look at later. If I didn’t seize the moment I might have never gotten the shot at winning money for doing something I do often; write!

Here are some clues to aid you in your search:
The Woodson Williams Marshall Application
Woodrow Wilson and Pickering Graduate/Undergraduate Fellowships
Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship
E-learners is a great website for info on College Scholarships and Grants Education Connection - great web-page for scholarship searches based on education and interest
Fastweb - the ultimate scholarship portal
Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program
Fulbright Fellowship http://fulbright.state.gov/
Scholarship Points – drawings for scholarship money

Good luck and happy digging!