Social Media in the Workplace: The Pinterest Edition

As a Communication/Rhetoric Major, I find myself more engaged and thoroughly interested in new pieces of technology because it directly relates back to the classes I am taking. When I found out that we were utilizing new pieces of social media in the office, I was ecstatic. Our Pinterest board, especially, caught my attention because it was so easy to find information. From clothing tips to internships, Pinterest is able to display career related tips to our students and alum. 

One of the perks of working at Career Services is learning about professionalism in the workplace. I absolutely love dressing up, and I have the opportunity to do so in the office. Through learning what to wear, I was also able to learn about interview dos and don'ts, too! The counselors in the office enforced these ideals, but Pinterest was also a large component in this learning curve. 

Why has Pinterest become so popular? It's simple -- over the years our brains have subconsciously adapted to the developments in technology and social media. Most importantly, our brains (since they're starting to process the world around us so quickly) have become accustomed to only seeing pictures or short phrases. Pinterest caters to this "new brain" and also allows audiences to interact with one another almost instantly.

Our Pinterest board caters to shopaholics everywhere, through boards titled "Men's Accessories" to "Women's Attire". There is a board for every job, interview, and internship question you may have. Want to learn more? Explore all of our Pinterest boards and let our office know what kinds of things you would want to see! 

http://www.pinterest.com/nazcareers/

Credential Files: What are they and why should I have one?

A lot of students frequently come into the office curious about credential files and what they entail. Credential files are used to store letters of recommendation for Nazareth College students. In order to create one you can come into the office (located in Shults for the remainder of Fall 2013, and moving to the 1st floor of GAC for the Spring 2014 semester). Students will select a "teaching" or "general" credential file. Those students that are education majors or who student teach should utilize the "teaching" credential file while all other majors, the general credential file. It costs $10 to set up the file which can be paid through cash or check.

A credential file packet holds four cover sheets that should be given to your letter writers when you ask them to write a letter of recommendation. The top of the form should be filled out by the student in which you should print and sign your name along with the date. You should also choose if you want your letter to be confidential or non-confidential.

Credential files allow for potential employers to read all the good things your teachers, past employers, and other important figures in your education view you and your skills. Your letters are an opportunity for grad schools or employers to see what kind of individual you are and to hear these testimonies from people other than yourself.

What can I put in my Credential file??

Credential files hold letters of recommendation. (Certifications & Proof of Fingerprinting are now accessible on the Teach System.)

Note: Transcripts, GRE scores and NYS Teacher Exam scores CANNOT be placed in the file.

Confidential vs. Non-Confidential 

Confidential means that it is not open for your review and therefore you cannot read what your letter writer has said about you. Because of this letters of recommendation that are confidential appeal better to potential employers as they know the candidate has not had the opportunity to read their letter at all.Students with confidential letters cannot have access to them as easily as non-confidential letters. For example, if a teacher has your letter finished and wants to give it to you to bring to career services, they must seal the envelope and sign the seal in order to ensure that you have not read it when you bring it into the office. Confidential letters brought in without the letter writer's signature on the seal cannot be accepted as confidential.

Non-Confidential letters are able to be reviewed by the student. Therefore there aren't any limitations to access that the student can have to these letters.

How do I send my Credential file out to Grad Schools or Potential Employers?

When you need to send out your credential file you simply contact our office. You can come in person, call (585-389-2878), or email our offices (careers@naz.edu). All you need to do is specify where you want your letters sent and if you only want specific letters sent. You need to know the name of the contact person and address of the employer or grad school you are sending your letters to. 

The Monroe-2 Boces system is an online web recruitment system used by various school districts in the Rochester area. We are able to upload these files for you through our office provided that you supply the email address you have associated with your online account. There are several other Upload Systems as well.

The first 5 send requests are FREE.

After we've sent your file 5 times, it costs $2 each time you request to send or upload your file 

For More information visit our office or call us at (585) 389-2878

Top Interview Tips

TOP INTERVIEW TIPS

1)      Do Your Research:

Find out all you can about the company; how long it’s been around, its purpose, current events etc. Make sure to do research not only on the company’s website, but on news or business sites too.

My very first internship interview that I went to I was asked what I liked and didn’t like about the company’s website. Luckily I had done my research and was able to give an in depth and specific answer which really impressed them

2)      Think About Some Questions They Might Ask You:

There are common questions that many interviewers ask. Practicing what you might say to these answers helps relieve anxiety and allows for a more polished answer.

During one of my first interviews I was not prepared with answers to possible questions that might be asked. When I was asked to describe a situation that was difficult that I overcame it took me a while to scan through all of my experiences and my answer was not strong at all.

3)      Think About Some Questions You Might Ask Them:

What I have found to be the most beneficial in Interviews is having a list of questions to ask the person interviewing you. An interview is not just for the employer to find out if you are a fit for the company, it is finding out whether the company is a fit for you.

One of the best interviews that I ever did was due to the fact that I brought a list of questions. The employer was really impressed and actually told me that it really showed that I cared. They actually ended up upgrading the work I would do as an intern to make it more focused on what I would be best at.

4)      Go There Before Hand:

Being late is embarrassing in any situation, but being late to an interview sets the tone for what you would be like as an employee. When your interview is set, go to the site ahead of time so you can know exactly where it is, and how long it takes to get there. This, aside from eliminating the chance for you to be late, relieves a good amount of pre-interview stress/anxiety.

I had an interview once at a company that had many locations nearby and I went to the wrong building. This made me so stressed out and thinking that I had screwed up my chances. It showed I didn’t know how to follow instructions and I was late to the actual interview. Although the people were very forgiving, I will never forget how unprofessional that made me seem.

5)      Prepare for an Interview that is not Face to Face:

Employers may not be able to meet with you face-to-face whether it be due to lack of time to sit down or the distance being too great to meet with the employer. This can be done over the telephone or via Skype. Here is what I would suggest to do to prepare for these situations:

·        Find a Quiet Space: Distractions can throw off your answers and make you less confident in what you are talking about.

·        When Skyping, make sure your Internet connection is reliable.

·        To feel more comfortable/to ensure eye contact during the Skype interview, you can tape a picture of someone you’re comfortable talking to near the webcam

·        Still have the questions and research prepared, and dress as if it still were a face-to-face interview

·        Make sure what is behind you in your Skype frame is appropriate. My recommendation would be to sit at a desk with a blank wall behind you.

6)      Reputation Etc.:

           --First and foremost have a good resume and cover letter to get your foot in the door. 

           --MAKE SURE ALL OF YOUR FORMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ARE APPROPRIATE. More and more employers are looking at Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc. before the interview, so keep it clean and professional. 

            --Lastly, when you show up to the actual interview, dress to impress; wear clothes that are appropriate and professional. First impressions have a lot of impact. 

7)      Thank Them for Their Time:

Send whomever you meet with a thank you note shortly after the interview. This simple act has the potential to set you apart from other candidates; it also keeps you fresh in the employer’s mind after your interview is complete.

8)      Learn from Past Experiences:

Clearly, as you can see from the rest of this blog, I have taken every interview as an opportunity to reflect and improve. Some of the above personal examples are embarrassing but I learned from my mistakes and it only makes me more confident for my next interview.

If you want more practice before your next big interview schedule an appointment with Career Services to have a Mock Interview. It allows you to make the mistakes that I did without having an actual employer see. It’s a really great resource to have .

FAQ: How Do I Find A Job On/Off Campus?

The most frequently asked question during the first few weeks of school is: How do I find a job on campus? Students are often lost as to where to look for jobs .. but this is where Career Services steps in to save the day.

One of the best decisions I made at Nazareth College was applying for a position at the office of Career Services. I was able to start working on campus as soon as my freshman year started. Through this experience I have been able to learn how to find a job on/off campus and how the job search process has changed over the years. Here are a few things you should know:

• NazLink is one of the most important accounts you will make while at Nazareth. Ever. NazLink provides students with an easy, and efficient, way to look for jobs both on and off campus. Simply visit our Career Services website and either log-in or make a Nazlink account. After you complete that step you may search for jobs on and off campus, various opportunity types and even different job categories! How cool is that?

• If you have trouble looking for a job on NazLink you can always set up an appointment with one of the career counselors for a "Job Search". They will help facilitate this search in the best way they can. [ Not only do they help with job searches, but they will also help you in any other way they can! ]

• Last -- but certainly not least -- LinkedIn is a great resource for networking. It is easy to use as Facebook and provides students with lots of opportunities to show off your best skills. This website combines the best features of all social media sites and provides you with just as many opportunities. Like I said.. its as easy to use as Facebook!

If you have any more questions about job opportunities off and on campus feel free to call our office, or stop by during drop-in hours! 

Fact vs. Fiction: When Is It Acceptable to Change Your Major?

Fiction: Once you pick your major freshman year, you're stuck with it.

Fact: Not only can you change your major, but it's easy to do!

What happens if you don't like your major? Don't worry! There's no need to panic. Nazareth College provides you with a simple, and easy, way to switch majors. I started my freshman year as an English Lit major, and ended the Spring Semester as a Communication/Rhetoric major. I talked to my advisor and he provided me with the paperwork to make the transition. After researching majors in the course catalog (located on Nazareth College's homepage), and talking with a few of the career counselors in Career Services, I made the decision to switch to the Communication/Rhetoric program.

I focused on my interests, which included reading and writing, and narrowed my search from there. A lot of the program websites provide students with an in-depth look at career options, a possible program outline and even alumni profiles. Looking at the Comm./Rhet. website, accompanied with guidance from a career counselor, aided my decision making process. There was a simple form to fill out (called the "declaration/change of major/minor form) and I needed the signature of an academic advisor. That's all!

The most important thing to remember is that college allows you to tailor your educational experience. If there is a class that is not compatible with your learning style, or you don't feel as though your major fits your interests, there is a way to adapt your schedule so you get the most out of your Nazareth experience. Don't be afraid to think outside of the box!

Internships

I think experience is so much more important than what you learn in the classroom. Myself, being a nursing major, my best learning takes place in the hospital or clinical setting. I feel like sometimes we don't always get those opportunities in school because we are so focused on understanding the theory or course content that we need to know originally. I recently did a nursing internship over the summer and was fortunate enough to make it into the program and work in the hospital shadowing nurses and working with patients. I feel like I learned more through my internship than I did reading my textbook. Experience is everything and the more you do, the more you know. Not only did I learn so much from the multiple nurses I worked with, I networked with this hospital becoming an internal employee and getting my foot in the door for future job opportunities. By showing interest, doing good work, and working for a corporation you may have interest in working for after graduation, you set up opportunities that other graduates in your field may not have. This definitely sets you apart and helps you to set up job opportunities that you may not otherwise have after graduation. If you can get an internship in your field of study you should! It's a rewarding experience and it looks great on your resume!

If Only I Knew: A Step-by-Step Guide to Internships

Why should I care about this blog? Who is Meghan, and why does what she’s saying matter?

Disclaimer: I am not an expert; I don't have fancy letters after my name that give me credibility and status for what I am saying...

HOWEVER…I have recently completed my very first internship this past summer, and not to sound corny but the experiences that I received have been, and will without a doubt continue to be valuable in my hopeful career path. 

What might sound a little less rehearsed is the fact that several if not most of the aforementioned experiences did not go without many speed bumps. Thus bringing me to the purpose of this blog post: I am writing to address what I wish I knew then, now, to help anyone and everyone who is thinking about partaking in the ever-praised experience that is an Internship. I will essentially take you through (what I have found to be) a step-by-step ‘how-to’ of the internship process.

First and foremost; the resume. This is one way that I felt fully prepared, hands down…and I’m not just saying that to toot my own horn. My resume has been, and continues to be revamped by the Career Counselors at Career Services. Call me a perfectionist, I don't care, I want my best self put out there to get me interviews.

Which brings me to my next point, the dreaded interview. I have always thought of myself as someone who is good at holding conversation, but after my experiences I cannot stress how much I wish I prepared more for internships. The very first internship interview that I went to, I shall forever mark in my memory as ‘a learning experience’ and that is all. I was cocky, I admit it. I was like “I got this far, why wouldn't they hire me?”...what a fail. I was nervous, unrehearsed, had no questions and it was uncomfortable for both parties involved. So I learned from it, my second interview I went in with questions prepared and printed out  on a piece of paper; “what is the work environment like?” “What would my day-to-day tasks be” etc. Also I prepared various answers to common questions that the employer would ask .  It went so smoothly, that I walked away feeling confident and proud.

Learn from my mistakes. Prepare as much as you can. Not to sound too promotional but Career Services actually offers students the chance to rehearse their interview through Mock Interviews.  So put aside your nervousness and pride and use the resources at hand.

Another crucial part of the interview that I wish I knew was that you, as the potential intern, are interviewing the employer. Please keep in mind that you need to work there for a solid amount of time and you don't want to be miserable. Therefore you should make sure that the environment is one that you want to be in multiple hours a day, multiple days a week.  I took my internship based on the fact that it was offered to me, not on anything else, which I realize now was a big mistake.

This is not to say I regret my internship, it was great and I learned a lot. But certain aspects of it made me realize that this was not the type of work I wanted/want to do. Which is why my internship will also be marked as a learning experience.

My advice for the internship itself can be summed up rather briefly; speak up if you're unhappy/unsatisfied, whether it’s to your supervisor on site or Emily Carpenter. You would drop a class you were taking if you hated it, how is this any different? Again, no I did not hate my internship. What I wish I did was let my supervisor know that I wanted more difficult/relevant work given to me besides my weekly routines. This is your time to learn from the real world so don't waste it doing things that don't teach you anything.

And finally (my rambling has gone on long enough) do not burn any bridges.  Whether you like your internship or not, make sure you leave on good terms because you never know who your supervisors, co-workers, or really anyone you interact with knows or will know. One bad attitude can screw up your entire career path if you aren't careful. Thankfully this aspect is not spoken from personal experience but from talking to others who are currently job searching who cannot stress this enough.

All in all, I highly recommend partaking in an internship. Since employers often look for candidates with experience, an internship is a way to gain that experience before you start working and if nothing else, is something to put on the resume for future employers to (hopefully) applaud you for.