It’s Career Services’ 100th Birthday!

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It’s somebody’s Birthday! Career Services is having its centennial celebration this year, and you’re invited to the party.

The office, founded as the “Self-Help Bureau” in 1912, has passed through some significant changes over the last century, but one thing has remained the same—its commitment to students. Throughout the years the office has served students and alumni in a feat that has helped land students in hundreds of thousands of jobs. Today, Career Services is a staff of 16 full-time professionals plus student workers and volunteers. Together they are responsible for putting on an informational event nearly every day, around five job or internship fairs yearly, meeting with around 50 students a day, reaching out to hundreds of companies and organizations, organizing the hustle-bustle of job and internship interviews throughout fall and spring, and much, much more.

Today more than ever, Career Services thrives to have a close relationship with the students it serves. Whether it’s meeting with students for counseling sessions, hearing feedback on events, engaging with students of all classes, or publishing student reports on Princeternships, Career Services has taken recent strides to incorporate student voices. In recent years, Career Services has been bringing students into the office—this time behind the desk. Student workers greet you at the front and make sure the office’s busy schedule runs smoothly. Student interns help take care of communications and graphic design for flyers and promotions. Career Peer Advisors help underclassmen with the job search and help plan and run informational events in residential colleges. Student volunteers lend a hand at major events as well. And bloggers (like me) research and report the latest buzz in Career News.

“Student feedback and input is essential for Career Services so that we can effectively tailor our events to meet their career needs,” said Eva Kubu, Manager of Communications and Outreach at Career Services.

On a personal note, working at Career Services has provided me the unique opportunity to communicate between the office and my peers. I can certainly vouch for the resources that Career Services offers, but most often I find myself persuading my friends to go see a career counselor–“So and so is really great with this particular field–and she’s a great person, too!” It’s rewarding to know that my work is helping keep my friends and classmates informed and up-to-date on the many professional opportunities that await them. It’s especially inspiring to me as I watch friends come in for interviews in Career Services, find their dream internships, head toward fulfilling, meaningful jobs, or go to a great grad school after graduation. I just think, all their hard work paid off–if they can do it, the rest of us can, too!

Come celebrate Career Services’ birthday by taking advantage of several important commemorative events this year.

Alumni Connections Student Networking Event
6 p.m. March 4, 2013, at Prospect House.
All students are invited to register for a chance to speak with over 40 alumni across many different industries.

Summer Internship and Nonprofit Career Fairs
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, at Dillon Gym
Come learn about the many job and internship opportunities available to you—and speak directly to employers.

Upcoming: A reception is planned for April, in which Career Services will host alumni participants in the “Princeternship” program. In addition to honoring the Class of 2013 as the 100th graduating class that Career Services has assisted, the office will host an open house for alumni during reunions.

Still curious about Career Services history at Princeton? Check out this super cool infographic as well as the University homepage article to learn some rather surprising anecdotes from your university’s job search history! And most of all—keep that student feedback coming in! You can e-mail me at career@princeton.edu.

Question of the Week

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Can Career Services help me find career opportunities other than the ones posted on Tiger Tracks? – Jason Warrington ‘13

Such a great question, Jason! Career Services offers a host of ways to find out about career opportunities other than the ones posted on Tiger Tracks! In fact, our website is the number one place to go if you need more help with finding opportunities. Check out the following tips. I’m sure they’ll help out a lot!

  1. Use the Career Services website to search job opportunities by INDUSTRY at http://www.princeton.edu/career/about_us/online-resources/by-industry/.  This is a great resource to browse different opportunities depending on the industry you are interested in.
  2. Create a professional LinkedIn account. LinkedIn is a great resource for college students and alumni to build professional networks. It can also be used to learn about industry trends and research potential employers and opportunities. LinkedIn users can subscribe to job boards and groups. For example, I am subscribed to a social media job board. Whenever there are new postings, I get a customized email notifying me of “jobs I may be interested in.”  Our career counselors can help you set one up!
  3. Attend Career Services Events. Each semester Career Services hosts more than 100 programs and events. Attending these events is a great way to find out about opportunities that are not on TigerTracks. Events range from career panels and alumni speakers to company presentations and career fairs. Even more, they are a great way to network with other students and professionals who may be able to connect you with more opportunities. Check out our event calendar today!
  4. Alumni Networking.  One of the best ways to learn about career opportunities and to receive career advice is to get in contact with our wonderful Princeton alum! The Alumni Careers Network (ACN) portal is a great way to search alum by industry and profession.  There are over 4,000 volunteers worldwide who can be used as a resource when considering a career or for general networking within a specific field.
  5. Make an appointment with one of our career counselors who can provide customized job search strategies for each of the students they see.  Visit Princeton.edu/career for online scheduling or call our office at (609) 258-3325 to make an appointment today!

As you can see, Jason, TigerTracks is not the only Career Services’ resource that you can use to research career opportunities. It’s actually just one of many. Remember, the job search is a process and Career Services is here to help you.

If you have a question about Career Services you would like answered, feel free to contact me at recampbe@princeton.edu and I will do my best to assist you!

Career Services To Host “First-Ever” All-Princeton Resource Fair for Summer Internships & Funding

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As soon as you set foot on Princeton’s campus, hundreds of summer opportunities are available to you —study abroad programs, summer internships, summer fellowships, and more. There are so many opportunities and so many paths to consider. Where do you start?

Navigating campus resources can be overwhelming. The good news is that an event is fast approaching where you’ll be able learn about a variety of Princeton resources for internships — all in one place. On November 16th, Career Services will be hosting the All-Princeton Resource Fair for Summer Internships & Funding.   From 1-4 pm, Frist Lower Level will turn into your “one-stop smorgasbord” for internship opportunities and funding options.

“This fair is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the different internship programs and funding options available specifically to Princeton students,” said Jennifer Prudencio, Assistant Director of Internships and Career Counseling and fair manager.

“Departments and programs attending will together represent hundreds of intern positions!” The fair will include opportunities as diverse as Princeton’s many departments. “Programs will be representing areas such as nonprofit/public service, arts, education, entertainment, international affairs, entrepreneurship, technology, research, finance, and environment, to name a few,” said Prudencio.

Participating departments and programs (so far) include: Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Center for African-American Studies (CAAS), Davis International Center, Keller Center for Innovation in Engineering Education, Pace Center for Civic Engagement Guggenheim Internships in Criminal Justice, Princeton Internships in Civic Service (PICS), Princeton Alumni Weekly (PAW), Princeton Entertainment Internship Program, Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI), Princeton in Asia (PiA), Princeton University Office of the Executive Vice President, Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton University German Summer Work Program, Princeton University Investment Company (PRINCO), Princeton University Program in Global Health and Health Policy, Princeton’s International Internship Program (IIP), Princeton-Blairstown Center, Student Activities Funding Engine (SAFE), and the Woodrow Wilson School Undergraduate Program.

One of the advantages of internship fairs is their unique propensity to open up your options. As you wander among the many booths and chat with various representatives, you may just stumble on an opportunity that you never would have considered otherwise. “When I meet with students, I often get the question, “how do I narrow down my options while staying broad so that I don’t miss any opportunities?” said Prudencio. “Coming to this fair will help you do just that: learn about new fields or organizations that you may have not considered before.”

In addition, the fair will display many funding opportunities available through Princeton. “You will also learn about some funding resources for unpaid internships that you may secure on your own,” said Prudencio. “These applications are different from applying directly to an internship position.  Since many of them require that you secure an internship on your own, this can help you to really start thinking outside of the box!”

Representatives from the new student funding portal called Student Activities Funding Engine (SAFE) will also be attending the fair. Students can learn about this new resource, which will help them navigate funding opportunities in one cohesive website.

As Prudencio stresses, there’s no time like the present to start planning for summer 2013. “Many of the applications are still in the midst of preparing to go live,” said Prudencio. “Deadlines for these programs and funding resources may begin as early as December, so this will help you plan well in advance…You can also learn about the application process and how to prepare your own application.”

Planning on attending? Prudencio explains how you should prepare. “You can visit the most up-to-date list of attending programs/departments on TigerTracks,” she said.

“Read about the program on their websites and come with questions. Imagine yourself preparing to apply for these programs – what would you like to know that you can ask in person? Areas to consider include preparing your application, understanding the program’s timeline, and learning about the internships themselves (organizations, benefits of participation, etc).”

Finally, you don’t have to break out the tux for this event. Casual or business casual is fine!

How You Can Use Twitter in Your Job Search

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You’re a senior and you don’t have a job. Yet. You spend all evening combing job sites such as Tiger Tracks, hoping to find that opportunity that speaks to you. You send in cover letter upon cover letter and resume after resume, all to your dismay. No response.  Why not try something new? As an early twenty-something, odds are you use social media on a daily basis. As a senior, you have probably started to manage your online presence and reputation. Why not use Twitter as a job search tool? Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging platform that job seekers can use to connect with and follow other professionals, recruiters, hiring managers, and leaders in their industry or field. Check out these awesome tips on how you can use Twitter to spice up and expand your job search.

  1. Create a professional profile. You want to distinguish between your public Twitter and your professional Twitter. You don’t want the conversations you have with your friends about unprofessional things available to potential employers. Save yourself the hassle. Make a professionally- focused Twitter account.
  2. Make sure your Twitter name is professional. You can use your full name or a combination of name and profession. For example, my twitter handle might be @RanatheMarketer.
  3. Make sure your profile picture reflects your professionalism. For example, I might have a picture of me in an office setting. A professional headshot could also work. Just make sure the image you select denotes the image you want to present to people looking at your profile.
  4. Make sure your profile information includes the top skills you can offer. You also want to include the type of opportunity you are looking for. If possible, add links to your professional website and/or Linkedin.  You can also link to other profiles or hashtags that reflect your skills.
  5. Tweet links to interesting articles about your field or professional. Recruiters may be searching the site to see who is talking about what. Also, use this platform to broadcast samples of your work or any other information that reflects your interest. For example, I may share an article I found about how to market company Facebook profiles. Someone who follows me may be interested and grateful for the share.
  6. Follow the leaders in your industry. Use the Twitter “search” and “find people” tools to look up people within your industry’s network. I may search “marketing managers in the NYC area” and see what comes up. Or, if you find an interesting article, you may directly tweet this to one of them. Who knows? This person may tweet you back, acknowledging your tweet. This is great way to network online! Also, don’t be afraid to retweet what someone else has shared. RETWEET, RETWEET, RETWEET.
  7. Follow organizations, companies, and lists that are in your area of interest. Look for interesting tweetchats or tweetups to join. Tweetchats are pre-arranged chats that happen on Twitter through tweets that include a predefined hashtag to link tweets in the form of a virtual conversation.
  8. Search and follow hashtags in your industry to stay current. One of the most important things you want to do is stay up to date on the industry buzz. Knowing what’s hot in your industry will be invaluable when reaching out to recruiters online. Hashtags can also be used to find jobs. For examples, employers recruiting Princeton students on Twitter are encouraged to use the tag #hiretigers when sharing content. Make sure that #hiretigers is one of your saved searches so you can receive updates when someone out there in the Twitter world is looking for a tiger to hire!

I hope you find these tips useful. Want more advice? Click here to see a list of the top 25 Twitter accounts you should be following as a job seeker!

Welcome to Fall 2012!

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Welcome to fall 2012! Leaves are changing, the schoolwork has only just started to pile up, and the dining halls have already rolled out the pumpkin pie. Moreover, ‘tis the season to plan ahead. Consider this:

Imagine you’re a professor opening up your email. You start daydreaming about how you have more papers to grade than dollars of U.S. debt. Suddenly, you click on an email from one of your students: “Urgent: Recommendation Letter due Tomorrow.”

Talk about nightmare and a half. So, why not start thinking about jobs, internships, and graduate school now? “I wish I did” will be “Thank mercy, I already did!” Here’s five steps to get you off to a productive start.

Step 1: Find your big picture direction, find your groove. What makes you tick? What are your strengths? Are there specific issues that you want to see resolved by the time you’re 40? What can you do to achieve this? Do some self-searching here or here. Find your big picture direction through programs like Breakout Trips, Princeternships, or study abroad!

Step 2: Research jobs, internships, and fellowships now. That’s it, click on TigerTracks, go to UCAN, and attend info sessions and career fairs. Easier said than done? Here’s a secret: Google Calendar. I cannot stress this enough. Pencil in important dates, and you’ll get pop-ups to remind you the day before something is due, or ten minutes before an info session.

Step 3: Refine your resume. If you’re writing your resume go to Career Service’s page here. If you’re refining it, WetFeet gives you the insider tips here. And if you’re tired of spending your Saturday nights alone, sleepless, and toiling over your “Experience” section, save your loneliness for your love life and sign up to meet with a career counselor here. An extra pair of eyes will help you get a lot done in a short amount of time. More importantly, your social life will thank you.

Step 4: Fill in the missing pieces. You’re president of every student group on campus. But have you engaged in service? If not go here. You’ve taken Chinese for three years, but have you traveled abroad? If not, check this and this out. You’ve had a steady summer job—but have you held a job that will provide you with a professional recommendation? Go here. You’re doing great in your major, but have you applied for awards that will show your credibility? Just think: your marketability is like a Monet jigsaw puzzle—you might look great with the pieces you have, but a complete picture will look even better to employers and application boards.

Step 5: Relax! You’re almost there. And then check out some interview tips while you’re at it. To stay “chill” in the interview, get some practice. Career Services offers mock interviews. Come with your resume and a description of the jobs you may be interested in.

How I Spent My Last Summer at CBS!

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For the past four summers, I have had the opportunity to intern for CBS Corporation in New York City.  This summer was extremely interesting, not only because it was my last summer as an intern, but because of the exciting and challenging experiences that came my way!

In a nutshell, for the first half of the summer, I spent my last summer at CBS watching a lot of TV! As a business development intern,  I was given the task of analyzing programming and commercial loads across the four main  broadcast networks (CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC) video on demand platforms. The aim of the project was to find ways that CBS could increase its video on Demand presence and remain competitive in the on demand world. It was basically my task to find out how CBS could make its on demand business better. The video on demand providers that I used to watch network content were Comcast, Verizon Fios, and Time Warner Cable. At first, the project seemed a bit daunting. How do I find a way to keep track of what was being made available across networks and platforms? With the help of the Vice President of Business Development and one of the Research Analysts, I was able to make a master spreadsheet that I used to input the data I collected.  It was a time intensive project, but very rewarding. At the end of my seven weeks with Business Development, I presented my findings to a group of executives within the department. I offered my recommendations on how CBS could use the current video on demand landscape to make its own business better.

I spent the summer learning about….

  • Programming/content trends. Not all broadcast networks make all of their content available via on demand. This can be for a host of reasons (production company contracts, syndication issues, etc). Some networks also only make certain “dayparts” available. Dayparts are split into categories such as “daytime”, “primetime”, and “late night”. This was eye opening to me because I once thought networks make EVERYTHING available on demand.
  • Ad Trends. I learned the difference between ad loads that were C+3 and Day 4 Forward (If you are not sure what this means….Google it! It’s a lot to explain).

For the second half of the summer, I interned with CBS Watch! Magazine.  As a Watch! Intern I helped with the day-to-day operations of running a magazine. This meant attending daily edit meetings, helping secure and track artwork, and preparing mock ups to be presented to section editors. I, along with two other interns, had the task of preparing social media content to be posted on our Facebook page. Other intern tasks included assisting at photo shoots. This summer I got to attend three, my favorite being an early morning shoot at Bergdorf Goodman with Anna Sophia Robb, the star of the CW’s Carrie Diaries. This was extremely exciting because we got to work in the iconic Bergdorf before it opened to the public. I loved working with the different CBS stars and their publicists. At first, it was a bit intimidating but then I ultimately realized that celebrities are just like every day/normal people.

When my summer came to an end, it was a bit bittersweet. I realized that I would probably never be an intern again. I was able to experience so many new things while learning so much about my own strengths and weaknesses, which to me was a great way to spend my last summer at CBS!

At the end of the summer, I was approached to write a blog for the CBS Diversity site about my four summers at CBS as well as my participation in the Emma Bowen Foundation program. Click here to check it out!

Are you ready for Career Fair 2012?

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Are you thinking….
Should I go to the career fair? I don’t know…I’m not a senior yet. How useful could it be?

VERY useful. Here’s the deal. This Friday over 116 employers will assemble in Dillon Gym to meet YOU and tell YOU about their organizations. If you’re interested in a full-time job, an internship, or a fellowship, the career fair is a great way to meet representatives of your prospective career or post-grad path. If you are a junior or senior, you probably already knew this. If you are a freshmen or sophomore, you may wonder if it is worth your time to go, or if it is too soon in your college career to speak with employers.

No matter what your class year, you are probably NOT thinking: “This is going to be a breeze.”

Why shouldn’t it? Sure, everyone’s in suits (including you!), but a formal environment doesn’t mean that this isn’t also a learning opportunity. If you’re a freshman or sophomore, this is a great event to attend to get a feel for various industries and to learn how to make a crisp first impression. If you’re nervous, here’s the remedy.

Just think: What does camping in the wilderness and going to a career fair have in common? Answer: You’ll be better off doing both if you’re prepared. 

Here are three ways to get the preparation you need to thrive, not just survive:

  1. Check out Career Fair tips here. There’s more that a little finesse involved in “working” the career fair. These tips will take you from just another student in the crowd to that student—the one on top of her/his game who makes an unforgettably sharp impression. That can—and will—be you!
  2. Research participating employers. TigerTracks has a list of all the employers you’ll meet. Pick some favorites, and do a good Google search. Then, plan some company-specific questions to get the conversation flowing. It will look good when employers see you’re curious AND that you know a thing or two about their companies. 
  3. Get feedback. Career Services is offering extended walk-ins from 2-5 pm every day this week until Thursday. Counselors will offer friendly, expert feedback on your resume and elevator pitch (the way you will introduce yourself to employers). If you’ve never been to a career fair before, this is an excellent opportunity to get prepared.

Okay, if you are thinking: “This isn’t for me. I enjoy curling up with a good textbook. I’m not a meet and greet type of person.“

I have two things to say to this. One, of course you are! You’re (clearly) smart, talented in your own ways, and, if the median person on campus is any indication, you’re really, really, ridiculously good looking. Two, in that case at least come for the LinkedIn Photo Booth. Career Services will be offering free professional headshots near the gym entrance. This is a great way to professionalize your LinkedIn profile and get rid of that mystery photo at the top of your page. 

Looking forward to seeing everyone at the fair—come early and come prepared!

It’s NOT Too Late to Land a Summer Internship!

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Does it seem like everyone has an internship this summer?  Your best friend, your boyfriend, your best friend’s boyfriend, your preceptor, your preceptor’s boyfriend…just about everyone, that is, except you. If this is the case, don’t give up hope!

Many summer internships aren’t secured until April or May. It’s not too late to find the internship that is the right fit for you. Stay focused,  search smart, and be bold. Here are some tips I found:

  1. A lot of jobs re-open applications right about now. A lot of employers, especially in publishing, media, and nonprofit, may not even begin hiring until the spring months. Check out http://www.mediabistro.com/joblistings/default.asp?gdsr=1&=0&jbdr=10. It has a selection of internships in media—all posted recently.
  2. Are you finding internship with expired deadlines? You can sort your search results by upcoming deadlines in TigerTracks and UCAN. When conducting your TigerTracks search, go to the top bar of your internship search results, put your mouse over “date posted” and click “Application deadline.” Or, go to UCAN and under “sort by:” at the top, select “deadline.” UCAN still has over 1,300 summer internships you can apply for in a variety of fields.
  3. As you might imagine, four times as many people apply for paid internships than for unpaid internships on Internships.com. If are still considering an unpaid internship, now might be a good time to apply. Here’s a link to some other advice on finding internships late in the game: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2011/05/04/its-not-too-late-to-find-a-summer-job-or-internship
  4. Keep a discerning eye. Watch out for bogus internships and stay focused on your goals. Try going to the pull-down tab at the top of the Career Services website and click on “Online Resources.” The “Specifically Internships” page aggregates internship search engines specific to your interests, industry, and preferred location. Backdoorjobs.com is one of the most interesting links listed. This site lists adventurous, short-term summer jobs, from safari guides in Alaska to International volunteer opportunities. Here’s a link to Career Service’s Online Resources, which is a good place to start: http://www.princeton.edu/career/about_us/online-resources/. And here’s a link on detecting a bogus internships: http://www.wetfeet.com/advice-tools/internships/how-to-identify-a-shady-internship.
  5. Don’t overlook networking as a way to tap into unadvertised or non-posted internships. Be sure to reach out to family, friends, alumni, and other professional contacts to explore potential opportunities they may be aware of. To search the Alumni Careers Network for alumni in your field of interest, click here.

Lastly, to pull your “just-in-time” strategy together, schedule an appointment to meet with a career counselor for personalized guidance.

Best of luck!