Staying Connected

The summer is finally here. For most, at least for a while, that means no more homework, no more group projects, no more research, no more sitting through classes. Of course the professionals of Career Services Center are though urging you to take advantage of your summer. That could mean getting a jump start on those graduate school applications, touching up your resume, doing some career exploration, or meeting up with a few professionals in your desired career field.

"My summer isn't focused on those things, it's focused on vacationing," you utter. Of course the summer is about relaxing, having fun, recouping for next year, and regenerating energy BUT don't let it slip by without being at least somewhat productive. We don't want  you to miss out on all of your favorite summer activities, we just want to help prepare you for your future career. That's one of the main reasons the Career Services has tapped into the virtual. Allow us to help you stay up-to-date on the latest career development information through our social media outlets.

We're tweeting! Follow the Career Services Center on Twitter to stay up to date on the latest job search articles, highlights and Career Services Center happenings.
- Get short, timely messages from MU Career Services @MU_CSC
- Get job postings, interview information, and tips @MUCSCJobs

We're blogging! Be sure to visit the Career Services Center’s new blog, Career Chatter, regularly to get all the latest information and advice from our office. It's the Career Services Center... UNPLUGGED

We’re on Facebook!
Become a fan of the MU Career Services Center on Facebook.  You're on there anyway.

We’re LinkedIn!
Network with professionals in our MUCSC Group on LinkedIn. If you don’t already have an account - here is one good excuse to get one! To find us just search in groups for MUCSC and join.

The Informational Interview

Whether you are trying to declare a major, or looking for a job or internship, informational interviewing is one of the most valuable sources of occupational information and a great way to network.

What is an informational interview?
An informational interview is when you sit down with a professional in a field of interest, and ask questions and converse with him/her in order to gain insight and a better understanding of their profession. Not only can informational interviewing give you the inside scoop to a certain career, but it is also a great way to gain advice straight from someone who has been where you are today.

So, you may be thinking, “Yes this sounds great, but how do I find professional contacts in (insert field/occupation)?”

A great starting point is talking to your friends, and family members and anyone else they may know. I highly recommend using the professional networking site http://www.LinkedIn.com. It is not only a great resource for networking, but also a great source for finding professionals in your field of interest. Your first step is to establish a profile, which is basically your resume. Then start making connections- join groups, and build your network.

There are many useful areas on LinkedIn. Someone who is trying to find contacts will find the people search option the most useful. This option allows you to type in a key word or phrase, and the search engine will establish a list of people who have the key word in their profile. You can check out their profile, and send the person a message through the site explaining who you are and the reason for contacting them. Whether it’s a place you are interested in working, or a professional from your career field of interest, LinkedIn is great way to find and connect with professionals.

You have some people you’d like to contact. What do you say? For example message templates, see our networking and/or LinkedIn handouts in our online library at http://www.mu.edu/csc.

Here are some additional tips for when you have a meeting set up with someone:

The Do’s of Informational Interviewing:
• Know the name of the person you will be meeting, along with their title/position
• Wear business attire. You don’t need to wear a suit, but business casual is most appropriate.
• Arrive on time! Being prompt shows respect to the person and that you appreciate and value the time they take to meet with you.
• During the Interview, use this time to learn as much as you can. Don’t be shy to ask questions.

Some sample questions include:
1. In your current position, what do you do in a typical day?
2. What are the most/least interesting aspects of your job?
3. What are the jobs you had which led to this one?
4. What is the top position you can expect to have in this career field?
5. How long does it take to move up in this field?
6. Are there any other related fields where people may transfer?
7. Are there any specific courses someone may benefit from in this field?
8. What are the educational/training requirements of your position?
9. What are the salary ranges for the various levels in the field?
10. What is the job outlook for this field?
11. What advice do you have to offer to obtain a position that will start me in this field?

After the Interview

Jot down notes. Write down a summary of as many key points from the interview that you can, so you have notes to refer back to. You can always keep notes during the interview, but try not to let this break the flow of the conversation. Your notes will help you remember any important information.

Follow up with a thank you. Always thank the person for their time in person and through a thank you note. You can send one online, or a hand written one for a more personal touch. Remember to maintain the relationship after the interview. These are the kinds of contacts who may serve to be valuable to you when it comes time for the job search.

Back In My Day...

So who hasn't heard their parents or someone older start a sentence like that? Even I may or may not have done such things, and I'm hardly what I'd consider ancient (yet).

The simple fact is that we all live in the present. What each of you needs to do is take advantage of just that. I'm sure everyone is aware that the economy is not what it was a few years ago. There's nothing any of us can do about that right now though, especially since I'm assuming President Obama and Tim Geithner haven't added us to their daily blogroll quite yet. We're working on that one though...

If there's one thing that even older people will concede about this generation, its that we are technologically adept to say the least. The good news is that the world is moving more and more to a place where technology is king. Utilize those skills to make yourself more marketable than 40somethings who may have more experience.

Anyone who's ever met with any of us can tell you that if there's one thing we stress, it's networking. Every single day more people are moving their networking abilities onto the internet, a forum that most of you will find more familiar and comfortable than the Gen X'ers and Boomers that are also on the market. Platforms such as LinkedIn are gaining new users by the hour and are becoming the central point for many people's networking experience. You might not necessarily find a job directly through LinkedIn, but you can almost certainly find levels of success.

Times are always going to change. Our parents had to use card catalogs and typewriters to write papers during college. They definitely didn't have LexisNexis or even Google, two tools I know I heavily leaned upon during my college days. Our kids will probably laugh at the concept of dial-up or even not having phones without internet. But we can only live in the present. Currently you have that advantage over other job seekers of understanding social media and knowing how to use it to your maximum benefit. It's the way the job searching world is going at the moment, and I'd think you want to take your place at the head of the line.