Happy Halloween!

By Maura Gergerich, Toppel Peer Advisor

I hope that each and every one of you has a good Halloween this year! On campus and off, Halloween is always a great day to go out and have some fun in your crazy costumes. Although, in the midst of the madness, there are certain  things that you should make sure you and your friends keep in mind to stay safe. 

Travel in groups

Don’t go wandering off alone. It may seem obvious but keep your friends close by and make sure your phone is fully charged so you can find help if you get separated. You are much more of a target if you don’t have a group to stick with.

Make sure you know what you’re drinking!

I promise you wont seem paranoid if you make sure you watch your drinks being poured. Even once it is in your hand make sure you pay attention. In crowded places like the grove it is so easy for something to get slipped into a drink when you’re not looking. With this in mind, make sure you have transportation planned before you set out. I know everyone likes to go out and have a good time, but make sure you have a designated DD or cash if you plan on taking cabs.

Watch out for others

If you see someone while you're out and about, don’t be afraid to be a good Samaritan and ask if they need help. You would want someone to do the same for you if you had gotten yourself into a sticky situation. If you see some sort of sketchy activity occurring or see someone lost and distressed, even if you don’t feel like being the hero you can always find someone who is able to lend a helping hand.

Monitor your social media

Keep in mind that what you post online can and will affect your future. We all know costumes can get a bit risque in a college environment. Whenever you’re about to post something, stop and  think about how you’d feel if your employer were to see it. When in doubt, don’t post something. I know it’s super cliche but it’s better to be safe than sorry. You wouldn’t want to risk losing a job opportunity because of a few crazy pictures. All in all just make smart decisions so you are able to make the most of your night!

What to Wear

By Maura Gergerich, Toppel Peer Advisor

One crucial part to landing that dream job is being able to look the part. If you ever plan on attending any sort of recruitment function someone will always say dress is business casual or business professional. But, what exactly does this mean and what is the difference between the two?

Business Professional

This is the most formal business attire. For men, this means to wear a dark colored suit (solid or pinstripe is fine) with a solid color, clean, pressed, shirt. A conservative tie should be worn (save the funky retro patterns for elsewhere) and make sure that you wear shined, dark dress shoes that coordinate appropriately with your suit (brown shoes with a black suit is a major fashion faux pas). Socks should reach over the calf so sorry, but this is not the time to show off your ankles with your low cut athletic socks, and just like shoes, should match the rest of your outfit. Avoid flashy accessories like cufflinks or earrings (hopefully you know not to wear a necklace with a tie) and one ring per hand if any. Women should also whip out that power suit (pant or skirt) or you can also wear a tailored dress in a subtle color. For any outfit, avoid extreme slits and low necklines and keep hemlines to the knee. Polished, closed toe shoes with a back and low heel (if any) should be worn as well as appropriately colored stockings. Keep nails clean with no chipped polish and keep makeup and jewelry light. Both men and women should know to wear conservative colors (grey, navy, black), keep perfume and cologne light, and remember to keep those breath mints handy (no gum; you don’t want to forget to throw it out and be chewing like a cow at your interview). 

Business Casual

A basic outfit is khakis and a button up shirt, which is appropriate for men and women. More specifically, for men, ties are not necessary but when in doubt, wear one. You can always discreetly remove it if you are uncomfortably overdressed. Long sleeve shirts are slightly dressier than short sleeve but either are acceptable and you can even go for a light pattern (paisley is probably too bold but a subtle pinstripe always looks dapper). Slacks or khakis are your go to choices for pants and wear nice shoes. For women, both slacks and a pencil skirt are appropriate (neither should be skin tight) and should be paired with a blouse. Sweaters are an optional component of your outfit; just remember that your top should not be tight or show cleavage. The smartest option for shoes would be flats but sandals that are not too casual and have a back can also be worn. If you ever question how formal you should dress it is better to go with a more formal option rather than a more casual one. You usually won’t stand out for being dressy but wearing a polo in a room full of people in suits will make you stick out like a sore thumb.

It’s not shallow to say that looks are important to an employer while they’re looking to hire. You wouldn’t want to hire someone for a position if they show up looking sloppy and unkempt, right? You represent your employer when you go out into the workforce so how well you dress is a direct reflection on your boss. Your first impression in an interview is going to be made before you even open your mouth so it’s super important that you show off your professional attitude on the exterior as well as in your answers.

Interview Faux Pas

By: Robert Vanisko

At the Toppel Career Center, we have tons of advice for students who are interviewing for jobs and internships. Today, however, we are going to focus on what not to do when interviewing for a job or internship.

Being underdressed: When attending any type of career related event, one of the worst things you can do is show up underdressed. Whether it is a job interview, career fair, networking event, etc. showing up underdressed will make you stick out like a sore, unprofessional, thumb.

Showing up late to an interview: There are few things that can kill your chances of getting a job faster than showing up late to an interview. In a job interview, employers want to see if you are going to be a good fit with their company. No matter what your excuse is, showing up late immediately throws up a red flag and makes you seem like an unreliable employee. 

Obnoxious name-dropping: While you may have friends in high places, make sure you are not obnoxious about it when dropping names. While these contacts may be very helpful in getting your foot in the door, you need to make sure you don’t come across as arrogant in the interview.

Bad mouthing former bosses and co-workers: While you may feel that some of your past career failures have been the result of your former bosses and co-workers, a job interview is not the time to say it. This makes you come across as selfish and not a team player. Plus, you never know who the person interviewing you is friends with.

Having your phone turned on: Even if you have it on vibrate, nothing says “I don’t care about this interview” more than having your cell phone turned on and distracting from the interview. Having a cellphone ring or vibrate mid-interview can quickly turn the tide of an interview against you, either by throwing you off while you are trying to answer a question or by angering the interviewer. While cell phones have been working their way more and more into everyday life, they still have no place in an interview.

Luckily for you, you now know to not do any of these things when interviewing for a job or internship. If you have any more questions regarding interviews or any other part of the application process, feel free to come to Toppel for an Interviewing Skills Workshop or a Mini-Mock Interview. 

How do you Dress for Success?

By: Taylor Duckett, Toppel Ambassador

 Have you ever gotten an invitation to a networking or social event where, you look at the attire and are left completely confused? I have been there more times than I can remember and so I began to do research and have come up with simple descriptions of some of the most common things that you will be asked to wear.

Smart Casual

Smart casual is in fact an actual style that you may be asked to wear. For males, it consists of a nice pair of jeans with either polo or a dress shirt, completed by a blazer, vest, or sweater. Ties are optional and this style is usually worn with loafers. Slacks are also acceptable. Women have a few more options. The first decision is skirt or pants. If you decide to wear a skirt, shorter skirts (to the knee or slightly above) are acceptable. If you decide to wear pants, slacks and jeans are acceptable but I would avoid neon color pants or skinny jeans. Most women wear middle or high heeled shoes, flats, or boots with smart casual. As far as tops go, a nice simple but dressy shirt will do with a nice cardigan and accessories to go along with it will do.

Miami Casual

Miami is so special that they invented their own style, Miami Casual. Miami is a laid back place and this style reflects that. With Miami Casual, boat shoes are acceptable to wear to work as well as collared shirts without ties. For women, sundresses can be worn without a cardigan or blazer. I would still shy away from the flip flops and shorts however.

Business Casual

How can something be both business yet casual at the same time? It’s very simple; for women, business casual can consist of a nice pair of khakis, slacks, or a nice skirt (at least to the knee) with low heels, and a nice, conservative blouse. Limited jewelry should be worn and bold nail polish should also be avoided. Business casual for men means a nice pair of khakis or slacks, and clean, polished loafers. A polo or button down dress shirt should also be worn, blazers and ties not needed. 

Business Professional

Business professional is simple; it means no khakis for anyone, male or female. It also means that both genders need to wear blazers and men need to wear a tie. The pants or skirt suits should be in neutral colors with a solid colored dress shirt.

Semi-Formal

Men should wear a full suit; a vest is optional (though I always think that if you have a legitimate reason to wear a vest you should). A tie, either a straight tie or bow tie, should be worn with a simple dress shirt. Try to avoid linen suits, though comfortable, they don’t exactly fall into the semi-formal family. For women, dresses are always a safe bet but pant suits are okay depending on the material they are made out of. The outfits should be somewhat conservative, not showing too much leg or cleavage. Shoes and jewelry should add to the elegance of the outfit, not subtract from it.

Formal

When invited to a formal event, think incredibly dressy. Men wearing tuxedos would be appropriate as would women wearing floor length dresses and simple, yet elegant jewelry such as pearls or broaches.

This list is not exhaustive, but hopefully it will give you the basics to get through any event.

Your Pink Jeans Are Cute, Just Not Professional

By Veronica Soto

It is summertime and I’m sure that after your internship you are thinking about the beach and catching up with friends home from school for the summer.  The last thing you want to hear about is preparing for Career Expo and on-campus interviews in the fall, but I promise this will not be a lecture.  Today, I just want to talk to you about the importance of your professional appearance when you do come back to campus.  I’m talking about the way you present yourself to a potential employer.  Career Expo will have about 1000 students and alumni in attendance, all vying for internships and full-time opportunities so you want to be sure that you present yourself at your best. 

By now, you should have your social media privacy settings on lock.  Employers should only be able to find your appropriate Facebook profile picture and your LinkedIn profile.  Managing your online profile, that is the easy part.  What do you do when you are in front of the employer?  Does how you are dressed make or break your opportunity with an employer?  In a perfect world, if you are the best person for the job, no.  We live in the real world and competition is fierce, especially for the really cool and really competitive opportunities.  If an employer is going to decide between candidates that have similar backgrounds, do you think they will go for the student dressed in a suit or the student that looks like he slept in his clothes?  While any other day, your wrinkled T’s are an acceptable outfit to wear to class, it is not acceptable for Expo or other career events.  You are not helping yourself by doing this.

The truth is, you need to be able to look your best.  I don’t mean that you have to be dressed in a Hugo Boss suit with Ferragamo shoes sporting your Rolex.   

 

Truth is, you don’t need an expensive outfit to look put together and professional.  Even discount retailers like Target and JCPenney, carry inexpensive lines of professional clothing.   You can even borrow a suit from a friend, we won’t tell anyone!

 

So please, do not show up to Career Expo or other career events in mini-skirts, jeans, polo shirts or turquoise pants.  We require professional attire because we want University of Miami students and alumni to continue to stand out to employers and part of standing out is your taking time to make sure you have a professional appearance.  We want you to succeed.  

If you have questions about your Expo attire, feel free to stop by or give us a call.  We have examples the difference between Professional and Business Casual attire on HireACane.