Why Worry When You Have Us

By Alysha Gomes, Toppel Peer Advisor

With all the stress of courses, jobs, and even social events, University of Miami STUDENTS AND ALUMNI often overlook the resources the Toppel Career Center offers.

As a student myself, I walked into the building and was amazed with its structure and technology; however, Toppel’s purpose is not to mystify, but to educate and assist. I did not realize all the opportunities Toppel offers until I was hired as a peer advisor.

Growing up, my parents portrayed the professional population as being in one of two fields: Food service or healthcare. Simply put, I could either become a doctor or I would end up working at McDonalds (flipping burgers, not as a corporate worker). However, now that Toppel has opened my eyes, I now know how many occupations and professional fields there actually are and how simple it is to request help in acquiring a desired position. I encourage you all to, as cliché as it may be, let Toppel open your eyes as well.

Don’t know where to start?

• Come in for a tour! – A tour will give you an overview of all our staff members and services we offer.
• Don’t feel like coming in? –Go online to HireACane.com! You can find anything and everything Toppel with just a few clicks.

Don’t know what professions are out there?

• Come to one of our information sessions! Companies from big to small come to Toppel every week to provide information on their company. These can be found on our programs/events calendar at HireACane.com!
• Companies that you may have never heard of but are absolutely amazing come to Toppel! Also, they provide new information each time they come, so don’t assume you know everything about them. In actuality you can never know enough if your going to invest you time into applying!

Don’t know what professions to pursue?

• Schedule an appointment to speak to an advisor! Simply go onto HireACane.com and click request an appointment on the right side column. They will help you:
• Pick a major
• Choose a professional field/career
• Figure out your life

Need help in applying to a(n) internship/job/school/anything?

• Come to walk-in hours on Monday-Thursday from 10:00am- 4:30pm to get help with your resume and cover letter!
• Schedule an appointment for a mock interview to practice your interviewing skills or go over personal statements and applications.
• Come to one of the countless workshops Toppel holds on how to:
• Interview
• Resume Build
• Utilize Social Media
• Organize/Time Manage
• AND SO MUCH MORE

Need help in getting hired/chosen?

• Come to one of our fashion shows on how to present yourself professionally! (This is actually really useful because things you would think are presentable are actually not.)
• Come to a networking event! Toppel has amazing connections! They can help you connect to pretty much anything anywhere.

Toppel offers even more beyond this! If you can think of anything career related, we have someone you can talk to that not only knows about it but is an expert on it and can get you in touch with a recruiter/school/anyone regarding it. It is truly a wonderful resource that is not utilized as often as it should be. I love Toppel and use its connections/resources all the time in my professional life- so should you!

           

Have U found an Internship Yet?

Written by: Oleg Ignatenko

The summer is almost here and while you can be looking forward to spending your time off hanging out with friends and going to rave concerts, there's a better alternative.  A summer internship!  An internship is the best way to feel that in the space of three months you did something productive other than helping your mom vacuum the carpet or take out the trash.  Think about it this way, you will get a chance to get a head start on your career and be one step ahead of the other students who might be applying for the similar position when it comes to your graduation date.  It's a chance to meet some professionals and see what they do on a daily basis and how much they "like their job" or "really like their job."  Ok, but seriously let's leave the quotation marks behind and face the truth, and that is a lot of people graduate, and get hired doing something that they may not be very fond of after a few months have gone by.  You  wouldn't want to be that guy or girl, would you?  So, if you're still not convinced about this, let me mention that you might also get some school credits or extra money!

All that good stuff aside, many of you might be saying ok, how do I get an internship?  Well, lets go through some of the checkpoints:

1.  Go to HireACane.com and create a profile (Personal and Academic)
2.  See how to create a professional Resume
3.  Upload your freshly created resume to your account under the Documents tab
4.  Once accepted, you are free to start applying for internships (if not, go back to step 2)
5.  Simply hover the mouse over the tab labeled "postings"and click on HireACane.com Jobs
6.  Now,  you can select the type of position that you are interested in or you can do an advanced search to further narrow down your options.
7.  When you finally settle down on a few choices, click on the title and then click on the apply button.  This will bring up a box that will ask you to upload a resume from your file (sometimes they might even ask for a cover letter or a writing sample, but don't freak out yet, you will have time to upload those to your account)
8.  Once you have selected the documents you wanted to use, click on the apply button again and you are all set.  Now all you have to do is apply to a few more positions just so you have some options.
9. You are officially set and now its time to sit back and wait for an email or a call from one of those employers or if you are super awesome you might hear back from two.

An alternative site to use is UCAN.  It is a system that is solely based for internships and is available to only a number of universities with UM being one of them (don't you feel lucky for being here!).  If you are interested and would like to find out more, you can go to this amazing blog post written by yours truly.

I should warn you to not get too comfortable.  If you do not hear from these employers for two-three weeks, you might want to send them a friendly email asking if they have received your application and possibly if they could tell you when to expect a reply from them.  Don't forget to thank them in the process for their time and coonsideration.


Don't forget, an internship could play a vital role in your decision of what you want to do in the future so don't wait until the final minute to try to get one because you will most likely be regretting your decision of not doing it early or not doing it at all.

If you happen to have  any more questions, feel free to stop by Toppel Career Center during internship walk-in advising on Mondays from 2-4pm and Thursdays from 10am-12pm or email toppel-internships@miami.edu


Good Luck!

UShadow at Zensah: The Employer’s Perspective

By: Ze'ev Feig CEO, Zensah Performance Apparel

As CEO of a fast growing sports apparel company, I need to be very efficient in how I manage my time. When I was contacted by the Toppel Career Center to participate in the UShadow program, I immediately accepted. There are a number of people who help mentor me, and I feel it is important to return the favor.

Daniel Englert came to visit my company, Zensah® Performance Apparel, and he showed a keen interest in everything related to apparel. His time at Zensah® was initially spent with me where he had the opportunity to ask questions on topics ranging from the founding of the company to our current day operations. He was able to gain valuable insights into what it takes to build an apparel company. The heartaches and the successes. I also had the opportunity to ask questions of Daniel, and learn from a young, inquisitive, and talented person. I definitely learned from Daniel.

After speaking with Daniel, I had him spend some time with our Director of Design, which is the area that most interested Daniel. He was able to learn how a product is created from concept to production.

Finally, after Daniel finished his time in the design department, I gave him a tour of our office and warehouse which gave him the opportunity to ask any more questions he might have had.

I believe the experience was mutually beneficial, and I hope to continue to participate in the UShadow program, as there are always opportunities to learn.

How to Make Your Resume a Masterpiece!

 By: Bree Blair

Want to make your resume a success? We can help! The Toppel Career Center is an excellent resource for that, but if you are like most college students with a crazy schedule, it gets a little difficult to find time to even leave the library! Since we're always here to help you out, here are some helpful hints to make sure your resume is ready to hit the stage (aka the employers).

Some things you never want to forget:

• Your contact information! Along with that, try to make sure that your email is appropriate for an employer to contact you.  For example, you might want to avoid something like crazybird@loopytown.com (just saying). It may not leave the best impression.

• Use spell check! I know this sounds a little strange, but spelling mistakes on a resume are typically a thumbs down. If you're applying for a job, you want to make sure the employers are aware of how intelligent you are! Usually they are silly typos, but just keep an extra eye out for that.

• Skills section! Employers really want to see what you are able to do, whether it's technical or a certification that you have. A lot of people don't think to list Microsoft Office applications, but please do! It may seem like a common computer program, but not everyone knows how to utilize them. So if you do, don't hesitate to list each one.

• Use key words! Employers will most likely not read every single word on your resume, so it's very important to use key terms when describing an experience. For example, if you were a manager, try to use action verbs that best demonstrate your responsibilities, such as organize, supervise, maintain, etc. Employers will catch these words and be able to get a glimpse of your daily routines or projects.

• Elaborate on an experience! Whether it is a job, internship, volunteer activity, or anything in between, don't forget to give enough information about what your experience was like. This is where the key words come in. Each experience should have at least 2-3 bullet points or statements, but try not to have more than 5-6. Resumes should be as concise as possible, which is why strong key words are so important!

• Eye Appeal! The information on your resume is extremely important, but the way it looks is important too. Making your resume reader-friendly helps the employer pick out the most important things, which will in turn help them remember you more. If your resume is all cluttered and inconsistent with formatting, the employer may get lost in the craziness and not remember you as well. 

With all these tips and your own personal touch, your resume is bound to be a masterpiece! Don't be afraid to add your own little flare- just make sure you would feel comfortable and confident handing it to an employer! For more information on resumes, view Toppel's Resume Writing Webinar and the Resume Development Guide. The Toppel Career Center is always here to help and you can come in Monday through Thursday from 10:00-4:30 for a resume critique- no appointment necessary!

How to Find an On-Campus Job!

By: Bree Blair

On-campus jobs are sometimes the best of both worlds. The location is close, considering you live on or near campus, you get to meet other people from UM, and sometimes you even get to squeeze in some homework. What could be better? Well, to get all these great things about an on-campus job, you have to actually find one first!

One thing that some people get a little confused with is the Toppel Career Center and on-campus jobs. Since we are the career center, it would make sense to come looking here for jobs, but our jobs are a little different. The jobs we help with at Toppel are more the careers that you want for long-term or something that you prepared for in school with your degree. Toppel can even help you find part-time jobs or internships, but if you want a resource for on-campus jobs, check out the Office of Student Employment on campus.

The Office of Student Employment is located in the Rhodes House building, which is across from Eaton Residential College. For those of you who aren't too familiar with campus, this is located along Dickinson Drive. This office looks for degree-seeking students, and the jobs are delivered through the following programs: Federal Work Study, Miami Commitment, Student Assistant, and Graduate Assistant. If you would rather look for on-campus jobs without coming to campus, there is a way for that too!

If you log onto your myUM account, click the Life at UM tab. Once you do that, there is a section called Student Employment. Under that section are the four programs mentioned earlier, so if you were searching for a job based on your Federal Work Study, then you would click that link. Once you click the link, you can search for jobs based on location, like administrative offices to student activites, or skill, like language skills to sports instruction skills. Once you find a post that interests you, get your resume ready and apply!

If you need help with your resume, the Toppel Career Center is a great place to go! Monday through Thursday 10:00-4:30 we have peer advisers and graduate assistants who help critique resumes. We also have resume guides that will take you step by step on how to build a great resume. If coming in to Toppel would be too inconvenient, you can always submit your resume on HireACane, and we will still critique it for you. Take advantage of our great programs that we offer so that you don't have any worries when submitting your resume for your on-campus job!

Networking Like A Boss

By: Oleg Ignatenko

During your college years, there is so much emphasis that is put on studying for that test, completing that project, and applying for that internship.  Sometimes the thing that remains very overlooked and underrated is networking.  Now, this is not a suggestion to add 50 random strangers to your social network (aka Facebook), but instead to try and find business related networking events such as the Career Expo or the Student & Alumni Career Symposium.  Networking events allow you to get more familiar with people who are already successful, those with great ideas, company managers, or people who are looking to make a difference not only in their life, but in the life of others as well.

There are many different networking events that can be attended but I will try to focus on the top 3 that would apply to the majority of college students.
  
Strong Contact Networking Events
 
This type of networking event is usually held in a professional setting where you are required to follow a business professional dress code.  Usually these are pretty difficult to gain access to, and you will need to have a good relationship with one of the representatives from the event, as many of these events permit only one individual from a certain profession to attend.  Either way, don’t forget to bring plenty of copies of your resume and a good amount of business cards. 

Casual Contact Networking Events 


Casual networks are all about being relaxed and being able to communicate with representatives/managers/employees of other organizations in a comfortable and tranquil manner.  Usually these types of events allow for a few representatives of a certain profession.  They are held in order to add depth to the networking field and to introduce members of various organizations to each other to promote different ideas.  This is probably the best place for professionals to mingle and not necessarily be too focused on talking about their business or profession.
 
Virtual Contact Networking Events

Virtual networking has become a lot more popular in the last decade and it allows different employers and employees to be able to communicate through an online network.  This is a great way to present yourself to different professionals without having to travel to a specific location.  It is very common for these networking events to be casual and informal.  This gives most of the people communicating to feel a bit more free than during any other networking event.  Google+ is one of the main ways for these type of events to take place and has allowed for large numbers of professionals to network online simultaneously.

Networking allows you to meet people who have experience in different fields, who have developed a specific process for achieving their goals and who may also have many inspirational stories.  The bottom line is: you never know who you will meet and if there is a possibility that person might give you some valuable advice towards your professional career.  There is always a possibility that they might know someone who could point you in the right direction or introduce you to someone who is looking to hire someone with exactly the specific skill sets that you possess.  Attending these events will allow you to gain a better perspective of the networking world and will go a long way in aiding you in your search, dedication, and commitment to success.

Being a part of the "U"

by Oleg Ignatenko

As the spring semester comes to a close and there is only one more week left until the summer break, I wanted to reflect on the positives/negatives of the year and sum up what it’s like to be a Miami Hurricane. This has been my first official year at the University of Miami and I wanted to share with you my personal experience.

With so many highlights throughout the year, it is very difficult to pick one specific moment that stands out more than the other. The first moment I walked through the University, I knew I had picked the right place to study. The modern facilities, the warm weather, the sense of pride in the air and not to mention the palm trees that stand as tall as the spirit of the Canes. If I could use one word to describe it, that word would be “paradise”. This isn't just your typical college where you dread going to class and can't wait for the semester to end. This is a place where you can't wait to be. Every day you wake up with a sense of excitement of what the day might bring. Every week there is a series of events or occurrences which you do not want to miss. Just to name a few: Dodgeball Tournaments, Festivals, Canefest, Homecoming, Video Game Tournaments, Workshops at Toppel, Art Shows, Fashion Shows, Lectures with keynote speakers and much more. Speaking of classrooms, they are not as boring as many of you may think. The professors at this university have a polished knowledge of the subject they are teaching and are always willing to help students who may be struggling.

During my first two weeks I was able to discover that UM had plenty of resources to help me gain more knowledge about what I had to take care of first and foremost as well as being aware of how to get around campus and locate other helpful places that may come in handy throughout my time here. It seems as if this university has everything a student needs to feel ready and confident about what they're doing and their future student experience. There is the Toppel Career Center which is a great place to get career advisement, to set up a practice interview, to have your resume and cover letter critiqued and to go to different educational workshops that will be extremely beneficial towards your professional future. There is the Office of Financial Assistance that allows students to get information on how to go acquire grants, scholarships, basic FAFSA information and be aware of their tuition and or housing expenses so they can keep track of what is happening. These are just a couple of the resources that are available to students but without going into much detail, here are some of the others that every student should know about: Academic Resource Center, Student Activities, the Wellness Center, Office of Student Employment, the Honors Program and the Office of Academic Enhancement.

Now, let's jump to the fun activities (not that the previous ones weren’t already mind-blowingly awesome). The first football game at the Sun Life Stadium was something that will stick with me for the rest of my life. Whether you tailgate or not, the atmosphere around the stadium is extraordinary. The barbecues, the music, the drinks (being that you are age appropriate) are just a few things that make this event something not to miss. Walking into that stadium, standing in the crowds, cheering for the team with everyone else you could sense that you were now a part of something special, that you were now a Miami Hurricane.

So what does it really mean to be a Hurricane? It’s not simply attending the University of Miami. It's getting involved in the hundreds of activities that this place has to offer each week. It's participating in events that will express your personality. It's communicating with your classmates, peers, teachers and advisors who all have their stories and experiences as former or current Canes. It's maximizing your knowledge about the campus, resources, and its history. Be a Miami Hurricane by participating in everything you possibly can while showing your spirit and your experience here will stay with you for the rest of your life!

Toppel Stars - Monica Page

Written by Oleg Ignatenko



   Monica Page has been recognized as one of the first Toppel Stars. She was chosen after she had received a full time position as with TE Connectivity in Marietta, Georgia. She is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. She graduated from the University of Miami in December 2011. Her majors were Public Relations and Psychology.
Through her work at the Toppel Career Center as a Peer Advisor, she had plenty of information about internships and had great opportunities to obtain them.  Monica certainly did not let those opportunities go to waste and as a result, she had held three different internships throughout her time at the University of Miami.  She was a Marketing and Concert Promotion Intern at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.  She held the position of Editorial Intern for the Back/Slash Magazine.  Her last internship was at the Career Eagle company where she worked in the position of Social Media and Community Relations.

After graduation, with the help of her present employer, she had sent out a resume to TE Connectivity and had a phone interview the same day.  She then had a second phone interview with the manager of the department and three days later she went in for a in-person interview with the same two people that she had spoken to previously on the phone.  Three weeks later, she was more than elated to find out that the company had accepted her and wanted her to start immediately as their Corporate Sourcing Specialist.  Monica had previously held a very high interest in the technology industry so this position would not only give her the opportunity to work in a field that she loves but also will allow her to experience the day to day job of a Corporate Sourcing Specialist.  Her advice to other students who are seeking jobs and planning for the future is to “Use your time wisely while you’re at college to figure out what you want to do, so when it is time to graduate, you will be prepared for the "real" world”.

Creating an Online Presence

Written By Monica Page


When many people think of creating an online presence their mind automatically goes to creating a Facebook or LinkedIn page. Although social media can be a beneficial addition to your job search, it is also important to use other outlets to expand your reach. Whether it is creating a personal website or ensuring that employers are able to look at your complete employment history, using online components can simplify your job search and make it easier for recruiters to find you.

Online and Offline Components
It is important that what you present online and what you present in person are the same. Resumes have a certain amount of available space to fill with information. With an online version, it may be possible to extend the document to more than a standard page. Your print resume, which should not be longer than a page, can be tailored to a specific position. For example, if you are applying for a marketing position the resume you present should touch on your experience relevant to that position. If you have an excess amount of non-relevant experience, have the information readily available on your LinkedIn profile with a link to the page on your resume. This way, you are presenting the employer with the relevant experience first and if they want to know more about you everything is readily available to look through.

Central Hub/ Official Website
An easier and more creative way to develop an online presence is to create a simple online “landing page” for recruiters to access with links to all your various social networking websites and webpages. Free websites such as about.me and flavors.me allow you to create and edit websites that contain all of your social media channels and any additional information you would like to have. The benefit of using these channels is that they are both free and require no HTML or web design experience to manage. In the simplest terms, your personal website should act as an RSS feed for yourself. Blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr and any other relevant websites you may be a part of should be linked to your personal website. Recruiters don’t want to sit and type in every single social media URL you have, it is best to just provide them with a simple link that they can click through for all your information.


Visual Resume
This may be more along the lines of creative careers, but visual-based resumes are becoming more popular. Whether you create an infographic or chart chronicling your employment experience and skills, it is best if they are accessible online in addition to paper versions. The reason for this is to ensure that all the colors and graphical quality are seen in their best representation on a computer screen. Depending on the employer (or your own) printer, quality may be lost which could look bad on your part especially if you are applying for a position in advertising or graphic design.

Social Media
A simple Google search can reveal the content you post on social media, so it may be wise to just provide the links to the recruiters, especially if you are applying for a position in either marketing or communications. Social media is the double-edged sword where you are made to believe that what you post is private, but it actually isn’t. The best advice would be to either keep your social media channels clean enough that if an employer finds them and searches through them, they won’t be discouraged from hiring you or to just not have them at all. It may be heartbreaking to close your Facebook, but one misplaced photo from South Beach could make or break your job search.

It is possible to begin your job search without a proper online presence, but it will make you look a little dated. For careers in communications it may be expected to have personal websites and social media channels versus those looking for careers in the field of law and medicine. The benefit of the Internet and technology is that you can create and delete what you feel is and is not relevant to your job search. When deciding on what you feel you need, put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter and think of the best way to search for and obtain information on multiple candidates.

Classically Prepare for a Job Upon Graduation

Written By Monica Page


Graduation is the time when you finally put your money where your mouth is. All these years of slaving around in the library and using every last cent of UPrint to finally get that research paper turned in on time leads to this. College is about the experiences, but above all it is about learning the skills to succeed in the future job market. Parents do not send their kids to college for them to just party; that is a by-product, but not the ultimate goal. When it comes to obtaining a job, the “golden prospect” is having it secured and in the bag before graduation. It is about having the chance to sign all the paper work, obtain the start date and relax to the best of your abilities before you shake Shalala’s hand and walk off the stage into your future. So what better way to explain obtaining a post-grad job early than to use movies that were released before you (and maybe even your parents) were born?

Stanley Kowalski: You know what luck is? Luck is believing you're lucky, that's all... To hold a front position in this rat-race, you've got to believe you are lucky. (A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951)

When it comes to talking about students who are able to obtain jobs before they graduate, it can be easy to consider them lucky, but it is so much more than that. Luck is more than catching a Hail Mary pass in football or making it to the shuttle right before it leaves. Luck is lining up everything you have done in your life to a point where, when you least expect it, everything comes together. Luck is not waiting until some glorious moment is beamed down to you from the heavens, but rather just existing in a moment in time where everything is going right. If you believe you are unlucky and fated to work in a minimum wage job, living on a pull-out futon in your mother’s basement for the rest of your life, you will probably end up that way. If you believe that waiting a couple of days, weeks or months for everything to come together, it will.


Philip Marlowe: I know he was a good man at whatever he did. No one was more pleased than I when I heard you had taken him on as your... whatever he was. (The Big Sleep, 1946)

The resume stands as a way to show employers who you are and what you are capable of before they meet you in person. It is the sum total of all the relevant experience you obtained in college from jobs to internships. It is very common for a recent college graduate to have a resume filled with multiple internship positions that have no connection to what they have finally decided to do with their life. The purpose of internships is to discover what you really want to do with your life, not to have a decision already set in stone. Additionally, you may not have had a clear position in the company, but rather just bounced around to whatever department you were needed, having a multitude of experiences for each position. When it comes time to apply to companies and get your life together, focus on shaping your resume and experience in way that makes you come off as a proper fit for the position. Small changes such as switching verbs to ones that are used a lot in the field can easily make a resume seem more attractive to specific positions.

Gilda: [to Johnny] You haven't been around lately. I thought maybe you were an amnesia victim or something. (Gilda, 1946)

The development of social media in the 21st century has barred people from claiming they forgot about someone. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other services all provide people a way to constantly keep in contact with others. The ancient Rolodex has now been moved online as we can easily go through all our connections to see who may be able to help us. As a basic lesson in formality, just e-mailing someone out of the blue makes you look bad and can easily be linked with using someone just for his or her connections. If you meet someone, whether as part of a job/internship or a basic networking event, that looks as though they may be beneficial in helping with you future career prospects, keep in touch with them. Make a good impression and demonstrate that you are valuable as a way to indirectly encourage them to keep you in mind when future opportunities arise.


Brick Pollitt: What is the victory of a cat on a hot tin roof?
Margaret "Maggie" Pollitt: Just staying on it I guess, long as she can. (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, 1958)

It can be easy to resign yourself to a less than glamorous position based on feedback from the current job market. Resigning yourself and taking a temporary position are two different things. Everyone needs to be able to support him or herself and if the “job of your dreams” is not available, you still need to pay off student loans and put food on the table. The interim “dead period” may be similar to traversing through Dante’s Inferno, but when you survive you will not only have money saved in the bank but also more experience to include on your resume. It should also be a noted that taking an interim position does not mean working in the first position you find, but rather using a little thought in trying to find something half-way decent.

Although having a job upon graduation is a marvelous, marvelous thing it is not an impossible feat. It is also not a requirement to be considered employable. Having a job before graduation allows you the freedom to have a little time for yourself to get your life together and take a breather before you enter the real world. If you are able to get a job before graduation, you go Glen Coco. If not, the apocalypse isn’t around the corner you still have time. Or at least enough time until the next Rapture date is announced… then you’re screwed.

GET LINKED AND STAY LINKED

Written by Oleg Ignatenko

What is LinkedIn? If you haven’t had a chance to check out this website yet, then you are definitely missing out. LinkedIn is a business related social networking site that was launched 8 years ago. Just imagine if Facebook and CareerBuilder morphed together and formed a site where you can network, but on a professional level. Gone are the pictures of you or your friends partying away and in are the pictures of you in a business attire ready to take on the future. LinkedIn allows you much more than just having the ability to look at an employer’s site and information, it allows you to connect and interact with the employer, former employees, colleagues and other organizations that might be looking for the talent that you may be able to present to them.

Let’s start with the basics. First sign up and fill out the requirements for profile access. You will have the ability to personalize you profile just the way you would want an employer to see it. Then, select the specific skills that you have acquired throughout your life such as typing, sales, knowledge of other languages, etc. This will highlight your resume by showing what kind of experience you possess and give the employer a better perspective as to how you could be a helpful addition to their company. You also want to add your education information such as where you go to college and what you majored in. Last thing you will need to do is list your former occupations, where they were located, your supervisor’s name, and the responsibilities that you were assigned.

Once you have completed all of these steps, you are ready for the fun part. Start browsing the website for new connections. These connections could be people you worked with from the past or possibly people that you are working with at the moment. It is very important that you add people that you know or that have some sort of affiliation with the field that you are pursuing a career in. Be careful not to overdo it. Numbers aren’t everything in this world. For example, just because somebody has 5,000 friends on Facebook, it does not mean that these are their actual friends. In reality they are most likely just a picture and no story. This is why you should be more selective when choosing new connections. Pick people and employers that you know can be utilized for useful information and that will have some sort of impact on your future. Whether they will provide you with some extensive information or possibly a recommendation or maybe even just somebody who can give you advice on how to go about doing something. You should connect with people that are more relevant to your career rather than those who might become more of a distraction. Also, when you request a connection to another member or group on LinkedIn, it is always good to send them a message letting them know who you are and why you want to add them as one of your connections.

Now that you have everything set up all you have to do is explore. Try to log on as much as possible and just browse and find out more about the site itself. Be consistent, do it on a regular daily basis. Even if it’s for 5 to 10 minutes, you should have no problem taking that small amount of time out of your daily schedule. Stay involved in what is happening around you, update your status regularly, check what your connections are discussing or browse for possible information sessions being held by companies or industries that you are interested in. Who knows what you might find in those ten minutes. Just look at it this way, by putting yourself out there you will allow your voice to be heard and your presence to be recognized by others. Remember it’s the same as going to a party, a music concert or some sort of an event. Just by showing up, you are half way there and anything is possible.

For additional information on LinkedIn you can also follow webinars held by Steve Green: the president of NetUpNOW which is a social media company. His info sessions are very helpful and will give you a deeper insight into LinkedIn and all of its possibilities.

Here is a link to Steve Greens LinkedIn account
Click Here

Here is an additional link that will provide information on why you should join LinkedIn and will give you some information on how to use LinkedIn to get ahead.

Trick or Tweet - The Halloween Guide to Twitter

Written by Carly Smith


October 31 is almost here. So, in the spirit of one of my favorite holidays and my newfound love of Twitter, here are a few tips to keep you safe and successful when you go “Trick or Tweeting” this year.

1. Yes to outrageous costumes, no to outrageous tweets.
   
   Many people consider Halloween a time to get a little wild. Hey, when else can you walk around pretending you are Lady Gaga, a tanned Jersey Shore cast mate, or a certain embarrassing tweeting politician? Probably not so often… Unfortunately, the same idea does not work as well for your tweets. Shock value and comedy are not always best, especially when your tweets are public. Yes, in case you haven’t been told this a thousand times already, what you do on the internet is public. Not to scare you because it’s Halloween, but what is said over social networks can and has been used against seeking and current employees. This could include you… if you’re not careful. Just like your mom used to inspect all of your candy before you got to dig in after a successful night trick or treating, review what you wrote before you tweet. Is it appropriate, rude, potentially embarrassing? Think: Would I want my future or current boss to see this? If the answer is no, you probably shouldn’t tweet it.


2. There’s nothing worse than no one “getting” your costume.
   
   This is the worst. You think you have the greatest Halloween costume idea ever, and then no one has any idea what you are. Because I try to get creative and make my own costumes every year, I’ve fallen victim to this time and time again. One year I was a pirate, but everyone thought I was dressed as a biker. Not a successful Halloween for me. Obviously, I need to be clearer on what I am trying to be. With Twitter, you also want your followers to “get” who you are. The simplest way to do this is in your bio. This is the perfect opportunity to let people know who you are, what you’re interested in, and what your goals are. Your bio can be clever, simple, funny, whatever… what’s important here is that it represents who you are. Your tweets should also be representative of how you want to portray yourself. For example, if you are thinking about going into the fashion industry, tweet and re-tweet interesting and relevant information about the field. Post pictures of your favorite trends and styles. This applies to every field. Share what is interesting to you and what might be relevant to others. This way, people will more likely to want to follow you. Who knows? These people might even be so impressed with what you have to share that when the time comes for you to search for a job, they will want to hire you.


3. Trick or treat at the right houses.
   
   Let’s be honest. There were always those houses you avoided when you were trick or treating. These were the houses where you knew the owner was going to give you a granola bar instead of a chocolate bar or where you secretly thought the owner dressed like a witch was probably a witch in real life. On the other hand, there were also those houses you knew to definitely stop at. These were those neighbors who let you take 2 or 3 candies instead of one. When it comes to Twitter, you also want to make sure you are going to the best houses. What this really means is that on Twitter you have access to a ton of information. Some of it is pointless. Some of it is hilarious. But most importantly, some of it is extremely useful. While you can and should follow your friends and your favorite celebrities and comedians, remember that you should also be following people that will help you stay current in your desired career field. Because I want to work in Higher Education, I currently follow the twitter accounts of HigherEduTalks, HuffPostCollege, and others who tweet information that is relevant to my field. I get to stay updated with what is going on in the world of Higher Education which will make me more successful when I’m in the working world. If you are interested in working for the government, consider following USA.gov. If you want to go into the healthcare industry, why not follow nytimeshealth or WHOnews? You’ll definitely gain a lot of interesting and important knowledge from doing so.


4. It’s okay to be a witch on Halloween, not on Twitter.
   
   Some of the best Halloween costumes are the scary and evil ones. The witches, zombies, and horror movie villains are always a hit. Still, while it might be fun to dress up like one of these terrifying characters on Halloween, it is not in your best interest to be the witch or villain on someone’s Twitter feed. When you start to tweet a lot about what you are thinking, it sometimes becomes easy to throw in the angry, annoyed, and occasionally rude thoughts that pop up in your head. We all have these thoughts. There is no use trying to hide that fact. However, just because you have a negative thought does not mean you have to share it with the world. It takes one spur of the moment tweet for you to offend someone. Also, if you’re constantly tweeting about the negative, people who follow you might then view you as a negative person. This also may hurt your image during your future career search.

Most importantly, social media, especially Twitter, doesn’t have to be as scary as some of the costumes you’ll see this weekend. Just remember to be yourself, think before you tweet, and have fun!

Toppel wishes you a wonderful and safe Halloween!

Special FourSquare Promotion

Starting today (October 19th), the Toppel Career Center will be holding two specials connected to FourSquare. The specials are:

• When you check-in for the first time, you will unlock a special on your phone which entitles you to a free Toppel gift
• When you check-in for a third time, you will receive free business cards

When you unlock the special, make sure you show your phone to the front desk to receive your free gift or fill out the business card order form.

For business cards, your resume must be approved on HireACane and is only available to Undergraduate students (FourSquare will inform you of this when you unlock it).
To participate, search for "Toppel Career Center" in FourSquare or click the icon at the top of this page. Good Luck!

Create The Ultimate Personal Statement: Modern Family Style

Written by Thaimi Fina

So if you’re like me, you couldn’t help but let out an overly enthusiastic girlish squeal last Wednesday during the Season 3 premiere of everyone’s favorite dysfunctional bunch: Modern Family. Whether you’re tuning in just to check out what hilarious fight Cam and Mitchell are a-brewing, or what Colombian miscommunications Gloria’s gotten herself into again, you always manage to pick up some witty life lessons along the way. Now what if I told you that your favorite Modern Family characters could also offer you some valuable advice about writing the most effective personal statement for graduate school? Skeptical? Understandably so. But, have the Toppel Peers ever steered you wrong before??? (Quick: The answer is no.) Follow along as we reminisce about our favorite Modern Family quotes, while learning how they could help you successfully stand out in a pool of graduate school applicants.

PHIL DUNPHY: I'm the cool dad. That's my thang. I'm hip. I surf the Web. I text. LOL: laughing out loud. OMG: Oh my God. WTF: Why the face? Um you know, I know all the dances to High School Musical so…



Now there’s no denying that Phil is easily the most unintentionally hilarious dad on the block… but the cool dad? Let’s not get crazy. Phil is constantly trying to prove to his wife, children, and us viewers that he’s hip and “in the know.” But even all the High School Musical dance moves in the world couldn’t convince Alex and Haley that their dad is indeed “the cool dad.” How does this fit in with the dreaded essay that determines the next 2-5 years of your life, you say? Excellent question! Avoid writing what you think admissions committees want to hear, and instead write what comes natural to you. Admissions committee members have heard it all before and can spot a cliché a million miles away. For instance, if you’re applying to med school avoid stating that you want to become a doctor in order to “help people and save lives.” A basic rule of thumb I always communicate to students is: if you think it’ll be in someone else’s personal statement too, get rid of it. Be genuine and original. Let the admissions committee members get to know the real you, not the “OMG, LOL, Why The Face” you.

And on that note…

CAMERON TUCKER: We’re a very traditional family.
MITCHELL PRITCHETT: That’s what the disabled lesbian shaman who blessed Lily’s room said, too.

Were you born into an adopted family of loving gay parents and instantly blessed by a “disabled lesbian shaman?” Awesome. Don’t be afraid to stress what makes you unique! Admissions committees get tired of hearing the same old stories over and over again. Capture their interest by letting them see who you are, what your story is, where you’re coming from, and what makes you unique. (Keep in mind that what makes you unique doesn’t have to be tied to culture or upbringing, it could be a unique volunteer experience, work experience, or educational background that sets you apart). Have there been any particularly meaningful experiences in your life that have significantly shaped who you are or the career you want to pursue? Have you or someone close to you gone through an experience that few others have the chance to share? Write about it! Don’t let your personal statement read like a resume. Instead, color it with descriptive narratives that enable admissions committees to understand your story and discover the unique perspective you bring to the table.

PHIL DUNPHY: You can insult a lot of things about me - my hair, my voice, my balance-board exercises - but don't insult my selling. That crosses a line. What line? Oh, you don't see it? That's because I just sold it!

Follow Phil’s example and don’t be afraid to highlight your accomplishments. This is your time to focus on you: what you’ve learned, the skills you’ve acquired, and the characteristics you possess that make you an excellent candidate for a particular graduate program. Don’t just describe how your interest in a specific career or field was piqued. Emphasize significant experiences and accomplishments that have cemented your interest in the field and prepared you to be successful in graduate school and in your profession of choice. For medical school, these accomplishments might include acquiring unique research experiences, learning to build rapport with diverse patients through community service, and developing foreign language proficiency. For law school, these accomplishments might include earning public speaking awards, honing critical thinking abilities through research, and publications demonstrating strong written communication skills. No matter what the program, think of the skills that are necessary to be successful in that field and demonstrate these abilities by incorporating specific and compelling examples in your essay. In other words, bring out your inner Phil Dunphy and don’t be afraid to sell yourself as a competitive candidate to admissions committees.

GLORIA: He scared the baby cheeses out of me!

Baby Cheeses Clip

----------------------------------------------------------
HALEY: If you do this you'll be a social piranha.
ALEX: Yes, I'll be an Amazonian carnivorous fish.

Gloria and Haley are notorious for their hilarious communication blunders. While these make for great television, there is no room for them in your personal statement. And that’s where Toppel and The Writing Center come in handy. Stop by during walk-in hours anytime Monday-Thursday 10:00 am-4:30 pm for an individualized critique of your personal statement to ensure that there are no typos or grammatical errors in your document. The Writing Center can also help you to organize your thoughts and improve your transitions between ideas in your personal statement. Take advantage of these resources so that admissions committees can focus on the amazing content you’ve laid out for them, rather than fall out of their chair laughing at your baby cheeses reference.

Finally…

PHIL DUNPHY: Cheerleading in my college was cool. The football players were so jealous, they wouldn’t even let me and my buddies, Trevor, Scotty, and Ling, go to their parties.

Turn everything into a positive! Football players didn’t invite you to their parties? It’s obviously because male cheerleaders have reached an intimidating level of cool! Even the most negative of experiences can result in growth, wisdom, and insight. If you choose to discuss difficult life circumstances in your personal statement, avoid harping on the negative. Always demonstrate what you learned from these experiences and how they made you stronger, more passionate, or how they taught you specific skills that will help you succeed in your profession. Also, avoid blaming others for past mistakes or challenges. For instance, don’t attribute your C in biology to your “terrible professor.” Take ownership of your mistakes; demonstrate what you learned from those experiences and how you are putting that knowledge into practice to avoid repeating the same mistakes again. Admissions committees are looking for maturity, ability to overcome obstacles, and strength of character. Follow Phil’s glass-half-full attitude and you will be sure to market yourself in the best possible light.

Not sure if you’re on the right track? Check out our Personal Statement Guide. Once you’ve created a rough draft, stop by The Toppel Career Center during walk-in hours (M-TH 10-4:30) to review your personal statement with a Graduate Assistant.

How to Weather the Storm like a Hurricane

Welcome Back Hurricanes!
By: Priyanka Surio

With Irene nearby, we are all holding on to our seats and crossing our fingers that Miami can weather the storm, or that it miraculously passes us by. However, the school year is another hurricane altogether and something we cannot avoid. Therefore, the Toppel Peer Advisors have decided to come up with a few things that will help you this year, academically, professionally, and mentally!

- Plan Ahead in all cases (if you want an internship for the spring or summer, look now.
- Be Organized - Make a list of dates of when you have important projects and tests due so you know what to prioritize and when to work on them
- Leave five to ten minutes earlier than the time you designated to be somewhere (you never know what can happen or what storms may come upon you)
- Try something new! This old adage can go a long way towards making this a great year vs. just an okay year. So join a club, be a leader, get an internship, learn a language, BE PROACTIVE.

Toppel featured in The Miami Hurricane!

CONQUER CAREER FEARS
Posted by Alysha Khan on The Miami Hurricane

Conquer career fears with help from the Toppel Career Center.

The Toppel Career Center is a campus resource that aids student and alumni in developing career skills that will allow them to pursue a successful career in the industry of their choosing.

“We empower students to choose a major and we help connect students to employers and alumni in order to help them find internships and jobs,” said Christian Garcia, the director of Toppel. “Ultimately, we help students take control of their careers.”

For students facing the difficult choice of declaring a major, Toppel offers career aptitude tests, individual career advising, and programs on different industries and companies.

A staff of advisors is also available to provide students with guidance on a variety of topics, including major choice, career decisions, and job preparations.

Budding entrepreneurs can launch their own businesses through the Launch Pad, an on-campus entrepreneurship resource center.

Online, students can find Toppel on numerous social networking sites, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr and YouTube.

The Toppel Peers Blog, which is written and developed by students for students, features posts every week by different bloggers with a unique approach. Topics such as “Interview Fight Club” uses the seven rules of “Fight Club” to teach you better interview skills.

“It’s like an outreach for students. If they don’t come into Toppel, they can go online,” said Monica Page, one of Toppel’s peer bloggers.

Megan Garber, assistant director of career development and outreach, said that the blog is a great way to attract reluctant students.

“We wanted it to be more appealing to students, to give it more of a student perspective since we know that students have different learning styles, and this is just another way for students to get information from the career center,” Garber said.

The bloggers have found that working with Toppel has helped them to improve their own skills.

“The advisors help you one on one with your resume, they can help you pinpoint what you want to do,” Page said. “Working at Toppel has helped me zone in on what I want to do and how to go about achieving that goal.”

The Toppel Career Center has also been rated by students as one of the best career centers among similar private institutions in the country by the Universum’s Student Survey.

For more information, check us out online at HireACane.com or visit the Toppel Peers blog at toppelpeers.blogspot.com.

Summer Internships are Still Available!

By Megan Garber

It is not too late to find an internship for the summer!! If you don’t have your summer plans set in stone yet, don’t despair. Last week alone there were over 50 new internships posted to CaneZone and employers with opportunities include VISA, Bacardi, Bloomberg, Fontainebleau, HBO Latin America Group, and the Florida Marlins, just to name a few!

Currently, there are over 300 internships on our CaneZone system. Still can’t find something that interests you? Check out UCAN, a comprehensive online internship database that is shared by 22 prestigious colleges and universities. UCAN currently has 1700+ internship postings across the U.S. and the globe. Employers who recently posted internships on UCAN include General Electric, Denver Broncos, Boston’s Children Museum, MTV Networks, Shedd Aquarium, and National Parkinson Foundation. Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Internships.com is the largest internships database in the world and you’re sure to find something that peaks your interests. Finally, don’t forget to check out Twitter and search for #intern.

Paid and Unpaid Internships
If possible, consider both paid and unpaid opportunities, but remember that internship providers (other than government agencies and not-for-profit agencies) are required by federal law to either pay or award academic credit to their interns. Compensation must be at least minimum wage or equal out to minimum wage per hour if payment comes in the form of a stipend. Government agencies and not-for-profit agencies are allowed to offer unpaid/no-credit internships without violating these laws. However, the Toppel Career Center recommends some sort of compensation. Remember if your employer requires you to receive academic credit for your internship you can go through the Toppel Internship Program. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Frits Bigham at fbigham@miami.edu

Resume, Cover Letter, and Interview Help
If you’re applying for lots (20+) of internships and not receiving any interviews, it’s time to take a closer look at your resume and cover letter. Come in for walk-in advising, Monday-Thursday from 2:00-4:00 pm and have a Toppel staff member take a look. Click here to review the Graduate Assistants’ advice on how to jam your way to a great resume and click here to read Monica’s tips for bringing your cover letter from inception to reality.
If you have had several first and/or second round interviews, but are not receiving any internship offers, it is time to get a second opinion on your interviewing skills. Remember, interviewing is all about fit. You may be qualified for the position, but does your personality best fit with the team? Do the boss and your potential co-workers want to spend every day working with you? When faced with sharing 8 hours a day with someone new, it is amazing how small social cues, non-words, and body language can be interpreted. Stop by for a mini mock interview, Tuesday – Thursday from 2:00 – 4:00 pm, to have your interviewing skills critiqued, and feel more confident knowing how you come across to others. You can also practice on your computer using the Optimal Resume software available on the Home page of your CaneZone account. Click here to read Toppel's Interviewing Skills Guide.

Toppel Peer Advisor, Jesse Cortes, and Director, Christian Garcia, on CBS4

CBS4 stopped by the Toppel Career Center on May 10 to interview Christian Garcia, Toppel's Director, and Jesse Cortes, Peer Advisor, on the importance of internships. Also interviewed was UM Alumnus Michael "Dr. Woody" Woodward, Executive Coach and author of The You Plan.

To see the story, click here

Looking Back…

Written By Claire Arritola

As a graduating senior, I am walking the campus with a mix of emotions. I am beyond excited to graduate and to start a new chapter, but I am also very sad to leave UM. As I walked into work today at Toppel, I made note of the fact that my days were numbered; soon I would not be making my familiar walk from Pavia to Stanford Circle. Now that I am a senior, I can safely say that I have made some mistakes and had some successes as well. As a freshman, I entered UM without having too much direction and looking back on my experience I realized that I could have navigated that path a little better. They always say that “hindsight is 20/20,” but now I actually believe this saying. So here are my top 5 tips for freshman:
1) Try new things!
2) Get involved!
3) Choose a mentor!
4) Get to know people in your classes, you will eventually need them.
5) Enjoy your time at UM, it goes by so fast!

Four finals now separate me from graduation. I will miss everyone at Toppel very much and have learned so many great skills. No matter what year you are in school just remember that the time goes by very fast, for better or for worst. Take advantage of the resources that you have now and enjoy your time here!

My First Weeks at Toppel

Written By Jesse Cortes



Needing a job... and more money, I applied and interviewed for a few work-study positions on campus. I called around different departments, but most of the positions had already been filled. I found out about the Peer Advisor position at the Toppel Career Center through student employment (and with the help of Priyanka ;) and it grabbed my interest, so I applied. A few days later we set up an interview and I eventually got the position.

My first few weeks have been quite fun and interesting. It is a laid-back work environment, and the flexible hours allow me to work around my school schedule, which is great. Everyone in the office is nice and they have been very helpful training me for the position. On top of having enjoyable co-workers, there is ALWAYS food being brought into our office, which is another plus.

Working at Toppel has been and will continue to be a great experience. I am learning professional skills and making great contacts along the way. Two weeks ago, we held our annual Student & Alumni Career Symposium. I attended the hospitality session, which was led by a very knowledgeable panel and I was able to network and make great contacts throughout the event. I also have redone my resume and uploaded it to CaneZone and now feel as if I could present it with confidence to anyone. Through the different training sessions, mock interviews and various events that we run, I don’t think I could have landed a better work-study position.