Tag Archives: Princeton University Career Services

Know Your Passion: Advice on Applying to Graduate School

Posted on by

On Friday, Career Services hosted “Preparing Your Graduate School Application Materials,” which served as an introduction for students to the world of graduate school and graduate school applications. Satomi Chudasama, Assistant Director, Liberal Arts & Engineering Career Counseling, gave the presentation, and about twenty students attended.

Chudasama emphasized that students should not pick a graduate school based on ranking alone; they should also pay attention to the programs offered. “What you want to do and what the school is offering need to match.

The presentation drew many parallels between graduate school applications and college applications, but the chief difference between the two is that faculty members read graduate school applications. Because of this, it is important that undergraduate interests correlate with the program. “Graduate schools want you to know what you’re applying for,” Chudasama said. Having this sort of passion is important for reasons beyond the application. Graduate school, especially a Ph.D. program, is all-consuming. “It’s intense.”

When considering which program to apply for, it was emphasized that highly ranked schools might not be ideal for a student’s specific interests. Students need to look at specific offerings as well as other characteristics, such as location (“You’re going to spend a long time there.”) and faculty.  One tip Chudasama gave was to look at the authors of articles you enjoy reading for class. “If they are teaching somewhere, where are they teaching?”

As far as specific application materials go, Chudasama mentioned the letter explaining grade deflation that Princeton encloses with a transcript and said transcripts are also scrutinized for the students’ course selections. Standardized test scores can also counter a sub-par GPA. Since scores are valid for five years, it was recommended that students take tests while they are still in school, when they have good study habits.

For the statement of purpose, students may show their passions. “There’s no right or wrong way to write this statement, which is tricky for a lot of people,” Chudasama said. Career Services can provide reading and editing services, but it’s best to avoid the late-November rush.

The deadlines may be in the fall, but it is advisable for students looking to prepare over the summer. Sophomores, she said, should develop their passion and specific area of interest, but juniors can do more to research specific schools and take the relevant tests.

Career Services can provide more information on graduate school, setting goals, and specific elements of one’s application. Chudasama also highlighted the Credentials File service, which keeps letters of recommendation on hand for students applying to multiple schools or applying several years after graduation. For more information about the Credentials File system or about graduate school in general, visit http://www.princeton.edu/career/undergrads/grad-prof/.

 

Students and Summer Planning

Posted on by

Now is the time of year when well-meaning adults and classmates ask, “What are you doing this summer?” While I tend to answer in tones of great despair, it seems that many Princeton students have their plans all sewn up.

Natalie Scholl, a junior in the classics department, will be working in the office of Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann this summer. Scholl was drawn to the internship because it would be in her native Minnesota, only a forty-five minute drive from her parents’ house. Scholl is exploring opportunities in law for after graduation, and said, “It’s good to be involved in local politics.” Scholl credits her extracurricular activities, which include leadership roles in conservative Princeton groups, for helping her to land the internship. She made use of Career Services’ online tools and guidelines in writing her cover letter and organizing her resume. Despite resources from Career Services, Scholl said that one of the hardest things about the internship search “was just knowing where to look.”

Brandon Zamudio ’14, a politics major, will be interning in France this summer. Through OIP, he found a museum internship at Musée de Compiègne. “You can put that I’m not interested in museums,” Zamudio said, who looks at the internship as “exposure to culture and language.” Before coming to Princeton, Zamudio had never taken French, but is now looking at a French certificate. He sees the internship as an opportunity to “be independent internationally and in a different language.” Though the internship application was similar to that of a domestic internship, there was one noticeable difference – the interview was in French. Zamudio said he prepared for it “just like in any other interview,” though he took care to brush up on specific phrases he thought he would need. “If I have a good answer but can’t articulate it, what’s the point?” Zamudio said. Clarified 4/19/2012: Zamudio, while not exploring museum work as a long-term option, still looks forward to exploring related professions during his summer internship.

Also planning on an international internship is Reena Glaser, a sophomore in the psychology department. Glaser found her consulting internship through Birthright Excel, which connects students with internships in Israel. Before coming to Princeton, Glaser had thought of becoming a dentist, and last summer she shadowed dentists and other doctors. However, through personality tests and sessions with Career Services advisors, Glaser found that consulting would be a better fit. She applied for around 30 internships, but was rejected from all but this one. Glaser succeeded in spite of the obstacles of changing her career path in the last year and having “no business learning on campus.” Internships are essential for supplementing a business resume.

Though Zamudio and Glaser’s internships are taking them to different countries, remote internships allow the work to come to you. Lizzie Martin ’14, who is in the Woodrow Wilson School, has two remote internships lined up for the summer. Martin said these opportunities are rare, but found “applying for them to be relatively easy.” She will be working for literary agency and for a literary magazine, which requires her to read manuscripts and write reports. Martin has been working for the literary agency, which is based in New York City, since January. Meeting with Career Services advisors helped Martin land both jobs. “I have a solid resume because of the help I got in Career Services,” Martin said.

These students all have different plans for the summer, but they all approached their searches with great diligence and patience. It can take time to find a dream internship, and sometimes the perfect internship doesn’t present itself right away. What counts is making the most of any opportunity given.

Understanding Japanese Business Etiquette

Posted on by

This past Friday, I inadvertently observed a key tenet of Japanese business etiquette – and violated another – as I skidded into Michiko Yamashima’s presentation on Japanese Business Etiquette almost twenty minutes late.  I had sprinted over to the Career Services office after an exam ran long, and slid into a back row, bending forward and inclining my head to duck into a seat. I had performed, in essence, a hurried form of the Japanese indication of respect and sincerity, the お辞儀, or formal bow.  I neglected, however, to appear in full Western business attire, dark suit and conservative shoes included.

These gestures – formal bowing, and the observance of appropriate attire—are but two of several important Japanese business customs to be observed in corporate situations. Why are these gestures necessary? And why should we Princetonians familiarize ourselves with their importance? Just as Americans expect foreigners to greet us with a firm handshake and jovial grin, so too do Japanese businessmen and women anticipate compliance with a few basic customs as a show of mutual respect.

In a business setting, junior employees should take their seats closest to the door, and take care to avoid the most comfortable chairs. Women take a relatively subservient role, and customarily serve alcoholic beverages and other drinks to their male counterparts. Resumes intended for use in Japan should include the applicant’s age and passport-sized photo.  If nothing else, however, the following three aspects of Japanese business etiquette should be observed:

  1. Bowing is more than a neck exercise.  Western-style handshakes span the spectrum from wet fish to bone-crusher; bowing, too, requires practice and precision. There are three levels of bows, Yamashima explained: the least pronounced an informal greeting, the mid-level appropriate for business meetings, and the third, deepest bow reserved for apologies. When bowing to an associate, keep it slow and measured, and make sure to maintain eye contact at the beginning and end of the gesture.
  2. Business card presentation is a form of art. In Japan, business cards, like credit cards, are treated as extensions of people themselves. Business cards are typically exchanged between all parties present at a meeting, and are presented and received with two hands. The recipient is expected to briefly inspect the business card, indicate admiration with a brief nod, and provide their own in return. Travelers to Japan should arrive fully stocked with business cards – it is not uncommon to hand out 100 cards in a single week!
  3. Dress for success – conservative, subdued success.  Western business attire is commonplace in most Japanese cities, and both men and women should dress in dark suits with dark ties, socks, pantyhose, and shoes, as appropriate.

Yamashima’s message, while most useful for those anticipating a career in Japan, is applicable to all students seeking future employment: do your research, and pay attention to the customs of your workplace.

What Kind of Law Will You Practice?

Posted on by

Tuesday night, Career Services hosted “What Kind of Law Will You Practice?” a panel featuring seven Princeton alumni with legal degrees. Around thirty undergraduates attended, and the alumni shared their experiences in law school and beyond.

The majority of the event was given over to the alumni to describe their career trajectories and offer advice. Among the panel, there were several unconventional paths to law school, including Chris Colvin ’88, who was an MAE major at Princeton and Jason Eaddy ’98, who worked in computer science before obtaining a law degree through night school.  “It took my parents a good five, six years to understand what I do for a living,” Eaddy said, who now consults with lawyers on technology-related cases.

The panel also included two alumni who work in criminal law. Facing a question from the audience about the possibility of becoming jaded as a public defender, Arthur Hopkirk ’81 and Isabel McGinty *82 offered words of encouragement. Both agreed that working as a public defender was a very tough field. “There’s no let-up…in criminal law, it is people’s lives,” McGinty said. Hopkirk said it can be difficult to find fulfillment in public defense if you want to win cases, since even the best lose 80 – 90% of their cases. Instead, “you have to really take internal satisfaction,” Hopkirk said.

Two panelists who talked about the reality of debt incurred over law school were Christina Keddie ’03 and Ani Mason ’00. Keddie was drawn to law school as “the extended Robbie George experience.” She now works as a labor and employment lawyer, saying that nonprofit work may not pay enough to effectively manage the debt. In contrast, Mason was able to obtain scholarships because she was interested in human rights.

Mason also said networking through the Alumni Careers Network was instrumental in building her career. At any point in her career, she was trying to develop relationships with people in the field. Colvin, who founded two networking companies, supported this view. “Network now, and network for your entire careers,” Colvin said.

Though the panel distributed a lot of information on the difficulties of law school and a legal career, Zachary Goldstein ’05 was optimistic for the attendees’ future: “You go to Princeton. It’s up to you.”

For those looking for more information about law school, Lyon Zabsky is Career Services’ pre-law advisor. She was present at the event and can answer more detailed questions about law school applications.

Career Services’ Facebook Offers Glimpse into History!

Posted on by

Just like everyone else in the world, Career Services had to switch to the new Facebook timeline format last week. Career Services’ unveiled and introduced their new Facebook timeline with this status update:

Welcome! We hope you like our new Timeline format! An overview of the history and evolution of Career Services at Princeton University is available on our timeline. A career function was established in 1912 and the office has undergone many transformations over the past 100 years! (Yes, that’s right Career Services celebrates its 100th Anniversary this year!!) We are adding the last two decades worth of history over the next few days to bring us to present-day Career Services. “History aficionados” out there should enjoy this wealth of historical information!

Career Services has had many transformations over the years and the historical information in the timeline includes photos as well as news articles from each period. In order to see our Facebook page, first click here. (Don’t forget to “like” the page so you can receive updates on events, news articles, and expert career advice.) On the right hand side of the page, one should see a timeline. The timeline dates from “now” all the way back to when Career Services was “founded”. If you click on the “founded” link, you will be taken to a page that gives details about the center’s founding as well as shows you a picture of Career Services’ first director, George MacFarlane Galt, graduate of the Class of 1890! In 1912, Career Services was called the “Self Help Bureau” and was designed to assist students with financial needs to find work during the academic year, summers, and post graduation.  

As you browse through the various decades, it is so interesting to see the different name changes, events, and happenings of Career Services throughout the past century. For example, I was able to read a clip from a 1935 newspaper article in the Daily Princetonian entitled, “What Employers Looked For in Graduates in 1935.” Who knew that articles like this were being written in 1935? (I didn’t!) Another milestone that caught my interest was a 1976 Daily Princetonian article titled “Career Services Reduces Seniors’ Anxiety” that discussed how students who came to Career Services were less anxious about the challenges of the job market and economy because they were developing a plan.  This is so similar to students of today!

I really like this new feature of the Career Services Facebook page. I hope other students take the time to browse through the history of Career Services to understand how the center has changed in many aspects, but remained the same in one, which is to help students find their way in the career development process!

Break into Vault!

Posted on by

Shhh…this resource is so good, you might not want to give it away. Of course, your efforts would be in vain, since this exclusive website is free for all Princeton students, faculty, and staff. Nevertheless, there’s a certain element of mystery as you traverse Vault, the Gringotts of job and internship search engines. So when I stumbled on Vault at the bottom of Career Services’ website, I was intrigued. I clicked on the link, set up a password, and found myself in one of the job search’s best-kept secrets.

Here are some of the perks:

The Guides: Vault’s website contains an eye-watering 80+ career guides on industries, employers, international opportunities, interviews/resumes, and other career topics. I thought I’d never find information on careers in music writing, my rather narrow field of choice. Did they ever have what I was looking for! From the creative side to the business side, possible interview questions, the inside scoop (will I really be fetching coffee?), pay rates, and job descriptions in the field. Also, check out Vault’s Guide to Top Internships, co-written by senior education editor and Princeton alumna Carolyn Wise.

The Search Engines: You can search by company, industry, profession, or filtering through job or internship databases. I decided to search professions and typed in “lawyer.” Vault came back with a list of “uppers” and “downers” as well as personality “matches” and “misses.”  Among the uppers were “high salaries” and “Large-firm perks such as firm retreats and free meals.” Sounds pretty nice. The downers told the other side: “long hours, high stress level, and high level of dissatisfaction.” Hmm…maybe I’ll keep looking.

Blog and Career Advice: From their Career Advice page to their blogs, Vault has information from every step of the way: the job search, on the job, career advancement, etc. The videos and blogs offer a nice, accessible alternative for students. Since signing up for Vault’s emails I now welcome the arrival of my weekly email with articles on topics like unpaid internships (very useful), cover letter mistakes (very useful), and office romance (not at all useful for me, but very interesting nonetheless!). I also read an article warning against using the exclamation point! …there I go again.

Other Inside Scoop: Do you want to what it’s like to work for a specific employer? Have you ever wondered how much you’ll make with your prospective job/company? Shhh…this is the secret part. Vault has a section all about Salaries and Reviews. I won’t tell you the reviews and rates that I looked up—check it out for yourself!

Pinterest for Career Advice and Inspiration!

Posted on by

Fashion, food, art, books—and now career inspiration. For all the Pinterest fanatics out there, Career Services has started a Pinterest of its own with 8 different boards. Get the latest career info from interview tips and career advice to events and inspiration like this pin: “The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones that do.” These words of wisdom from Steve Jobs are enough to get me through a hard week…maybe even through midterms week.

Another one of my favorite boards is “Social Media & YOU!” which has cool infographics about how to create a professional online presence, how to use social media in your job search, and how recruiters use social media to find information about candidates.

Following Career Services on Pinterest is a great option if you:

  • Want to be notified about the latest eventsAre looking for inspiration to re-pin to your friends
  • Want interesting, visual tips about how to make a solid impression in the interview or at the job fair
  • Are interested in what your peers are doing to jump-start their careers
  • Want to browse visuals about the latest on social media and recruiting

Check it out at http://pinterest.com/princetoncareer/.

Learning About Business Etiquette in Japan

Posted on by

On Friday, Michiko Yamashima gave a presentation on Japanese business etiquette. Around thirty people attended, with many of those being students who planned on working in Japan.

Yamashima began her presentation with an overview of Japanese demographics and government. She then moved on to cultural norms, such as the Japanese emphasis on courtesy and respect.

Bowing was a major topic of discussion, and Yamashima brought up the fact that bows are often seen as a sign of subordination by the United States. To Japan, said Yamashima, a “bow is a gesture…showing respect and sincerity.” There are three levels of bows, with the deepest being for apologies and the least pronounced being a casual gesture. All bows are from the waist; nodding, Yamashima said, “is not a bow; this is neck exercise.” Other etiquette for bows includes the speed (slow is preferable to fast) and eye contact (at the beginning and end but not during a bow).

Yamashima covered other elements of Japanese business etiquette as well, such as the proper attire (dark suits with white shirts, and white socks are too casual) and the handling of business cards, which should be given and received with two hands. Respect for business cards is very important. “The business card is the person himself,” Yamashima said.

Most elements of Japanese business etiquette emphasize humility and respect. A junior employee should seat himself near the door of a tatami room and in the least comfortable position in a car. A junior employee should also use humble expressions when describing himself and his company, but may use honorific expressions when describing his superior or his client.

Miscellaneous items covered were Japanese resumes (should include age, business picture and dates in the Japanese era), compulsive retirement in Japan, and rules for serving alcohol (females should serve males, and junior employees should serve seniors before seniors serve them).

This is Career Services’ third year hosting the Japanese business etiquette seminar, and even for those not considering jobs in Japan, it proved a fascinating topic.

Women’s History Month – Alumni Advice for STEM Majors

Posted on by

Three Princeton alumnae gathered Wednesday at Career Services Wisdom for Women in STEM Majors. Akira Bell Johnson ’95, Cheryl Rowe-Rendleman ’81 and Joanna Nice ’06 have all had substantial careers in the sciences since leaving Princeton, and they offered advice and perspectives on being a woman in the sciences.

One of the most repeated pieces of advice was to find a mentor. All the women spoke about being humbled during their undergraduate years, and Johnson put it succinctly when she said, “It doesn’t pay to try to figure something out for a long time.” In any situation, it’s important to recognize when you need help, because that produces better results. “It’s okay to ask questions,” said Nice. “Part of your job is to ask questions.”

The women also emphasized the importance of a support system while balancing work and family. A few grad students asked the panel members, all of whom had children, how they approached the work-home question. Rowe-Rendleman had her first child while in graduate school, and said, “He sat on my lap while I was writing my dissertation.” Though the women it said it’s impossible to be perfect, Johnson said that having a “network of support around your family” helps immensely.

For those not thinking that far into the future, the panel also shared their perspectives on what to do in college. “It’s never too early to start interning,” said Johnson. Even non-science pursuits can be valuable, added Nice. Nice did crew while at Princeton and said she learned about “hard work and discipline and tenacity and teamwork” from her teammates. As far as picking a major, the women agreed that it’s important to do something you’re passionate about that allows you to shine.

For their final words, the panel encouraged taking risks. And “if the guys are talking, talk louder,” said Rowe-Rendleman, later clarifying, “Or, talk differently.”