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Consider 2 Things Every Employer Wants
Tweet Share on Facebook January 31, 2012 CommentA few months ago I was listening to a presentation by developmental molecular biologist John Medina. That's quite a title, right? The short version: He's a brain scientist. Medina has spent more than 20 years studying how we think and—as you can guess—technology has caused a big-time shift in what's going on upstairs.
Amid some discussion on multitasking (we can't) and sensory overload (we do), there were two points in Medina's presentation that really hit home in the crowd of 3,000+ employers. Almost every recruiting director I spoke with afterwards said they've noticed these in their new hires, so I'm sharing them with you now.
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3 Tips for Students to Ace Job Fairs
Tweet Share on Facebook January 17, 2012 CommentFeeling like a late bloomer on the summer job hunt? While it's true that many companies like to have their entry-level staff and interns in place by the close of the year, there's still a lot of opportunities out there if you know where to look.
Perhaps the most low-hanging fruit are career fairs. As someone who used to hire interns for a Top 15 accounting firm, I wanted to give you some pointers.
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How to Turn Your Career Resolutions Into Action
Tweet Share on Facebook January 3, 2012 CommentRecently, on a visit to the Newseum in Washington, D.C., I caught an exhibit of iconic photos starring some of the greatest athletes of our time. Many of the images were taken by famed sports photographer Walter Iooss, Jr., and in the center of the room, under glass, I discovered something that captured my attention far more than the shots of Michael Jordan in mid-air.
It was a series of handwritten journals from Iooss himself.
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3 Steps to Establish Your 2012 Career Strategy
Tweet Share on Facebook December 20, 2011 CommentPicture yourself one year from now. It's December 2012 and you are just coming off your most successful year to date. What do you see? A new job? Your own company? Graduating with honors?
Since ambiguous goals are never achieved, take some time over the holidays to really analyze what you want most from your life and career over the next 12 months.
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Get Your Résumé in Front of a Living, Breathing Person
Tweet Share on Facebook December 6, 2011 CommentI get the most satisfaction from my work when students have "light bulb" moments and begin to expect a better future for themselves. It's as close to flying as you can possibly get with two feet on the ground.
But getting to that point often takes weeks or months, and sometimes immediate needs get in the way. In other words, sometimes you just need a job right now. Since I can't argue with that, let's talk about how you can make a recruiter stop and notice you—even amid a toppling pile of other applicants.
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Avoid Negative Thoughts When Job Hunting
Tweet Share on Facebook November 22, 2011 CommentI have a friend who has been job hunting for a few months. "I don't have much trouble getting interviews but nothing happens from there," she said. "I'm not sure what's going on."
This particular friend is a downer. Nothing ever works in her favor. Nothing is ever just right. Accordingly, her low-level thoughts about herself and the world create a low-level energy that's very obvious to others—including potential employers.
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3 Things Exercise Can Teach You About Career Success
Tweet Share on Facebook November 8, 2011 CommentAs a nation, we are completely obsessed with winning and weight loss. Even more so, it seems, when the winning is the weight loss. Stroll past any magazine rack at any given time, and you will be faced with multiple stories about celebrities—how they got into shape, got out of shape, and got back in shape again. Over and over, all year long.
The editors of these magazines will tell you the "lose weight fast" issues are among their most popular. This shouldn't be surprising. In a country where a whopping one third of the population is considered obese, it's reasonable to assume folks are looking for inspiration to shed a few pounds.
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Craft Your Message Before Using Social Media to Job Search
Tweet Share on Facebook October 25, 2011 CommentI had the privilege of teaching an M.B.A. course on social media recently. Out of 12 sessions total in the semester, I dedicated three to the topic of personal branding.
Why would I devote a full quarter of the class to one subject when there are so many other "cool" things like Twitter and video résumés to cover? The answer is simple.
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4 Steps to Discover Your Path From College to Career
Tweet Share on Facebook October 11, 2011 CommentWhere do you want to be in five years?
It's the classic question every mock interviewer prepares you to answer. But rather than search for an answer you hope will get you a job, I want you to think about what you really want for your life. Here's four steps to get you started:
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Get Hired Before Graduation
Tweet Share on Facebook September 27, 2011 CommentI know you're nervous about the unemployment numbers. Eventually, the safe nest of higher ed, while cozy for now, will come to an end—and then what?
As an intro to this column, I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Emily Bennington and I help new grads transition from college to career. Frankly, this became my life's work only after I failed so miserably at it myself. Even my first boss (who later became my coauthor) described me in an interview as "a bit of a mess" as a rookie.
