New Blog!

Hello All,

The UIS Career Devlopment Center has a new Blog. You can now find us at http://uiscdcblog.wordpress.com/ check it out and let us know what you think!

Also, keep following us on Twitter http://twitter.com/UISCareerCenter and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Springfield-IL/UIS-Career-Development- Center/60675721557 !!!

Gloomy Internship and Job Outlook...Make It A Priority!

Employers expect to hire 22 percent fewer new grads from the college Class of 2009 than they actually hired from the Class of 2008, according to a new study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). http://www.naceweb.org/press/display.asp?year=&prid=297

Employers are cutting the number of college students they will offer internship opportunities to by nearly 21 percent, according to another new study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). http://www.naceweb.org/press/display.asp?year=&prid=298

Please share your thoughts and comments about the current job market and the new found results!

Overwhelmed and need assistance with your internship or job search?

To schedule a first-time appointment, visit http://www.uis.edu/careerservices/ and click "Request a FIRST TIME advising or counseling appointment" on the right hand side of the page. If you have previously had an appointment with the Career Development Center, log in to UIS-Success from http://www.uis.edu/careerservices/ to schedule your appointment.

Services provided by the UIS Career Development Center include:
• Job Search Strategies
• Resume & Cover Letter Critiques
• Mock Interviews
• Choosing or Changing Majors
• UIS-Success (job, internship, and career opportunity postings)

"Right Now" Career Fair Coaching

Still need that last minute piece of advice? On the day of the Career Fair, February 19th, quick tips and advice will be available in the Career Fair Participant Hospitality Room, inside the PAC restaurant from 11:00 to 3:00 pm. You can even have one final chance to perfect your self introduction or your elevator pitch.

I am at the Career Fair. . . Now What?

By this time you have gone through the process of research, preparation, and production that is comparable to the amount of work that goes into any major classroom or office presentation. Just like a real presentation, you also need to follow through here.

Introduce Yourself. Let the employer know who you are. Present yourself as confident and enthusiastic about meeting them. They want to hire someone who wants to work for them so show it with your body language. They also are hiring you and not your skills so remember to show that you are not a machine. Be friendly, be courteous, and remember to smile.

Keep Their Interest. Anybody with enough people skills can talk to anybody, but if you want to set yourself apart from everyone else, then show that you have gone the extra mile. You have spent all of that time researching the companies so now you might as well apply that information. Ask intelligent questions that show you have researched their company because they will be much more likely to remember you if you do.

Follow Through. The last thing you do will be to make sure you can keep in touch. Employers will always have a means in which you can contact them later, and most of them will have a business card that you can ask for. The business card makes following up, especially with a thank you letter, very easy.

If you follow these three general ideas for all of the employers, you will be much more likely to be remembered which in turns makes you more likely to get an interview with them. Just be sure to watch your time. If you spend too much time with one person, you may not get to see everyone you wanted to. Also, feel free to take notes between employers on information you gathered or what was discussed since it makes excellent reference material later.

For more information on how to work a career fair, please contact the UIS Career Development Center with your questions. You can email us at careerservices@uis.edu, call us at 206-6508, or come in and visit us at SAB 50.

"Last Chance" Career Fair Ready Resume Critique

With the Career Fair just around the corner, here is the last chance for serious revision on your resume. The entire day, Friday, Feburary 13th from 9 am to 4 pm, has been set aside just for working on your resumes. Hope to see you there.

Just in Time Career Fair Prep Workshop

The in-depth guide on how to prepare for a Career Fair, how to work the floor when you are there, and tips for following up with the employers afterwards.

Wednesday, February 11th 4:30-6:30 pm at SAB 50.

Preparing for the Career Fair

With the Career Fair around the corner (February 19 11:00-3:00) it time that we should all start preparing! It is really important to prepare for the Career Fair in advance so you do not get overwhelmed. Here is a brief list of things that should ideally be completed before the Career Fair.

1. Research
2. Create a Target List
3. Action Plan
4. Ask and Answer Questions
5. 30 Second Elevator Pitch
6. Resumes
7. Portfolio
8. Punctuality
9. Dress for Success
   

Research

It is very important to research the event, employers, expected participants, and requirements to participate. At our Career Fair we have a dress code, be sure you prepare a business professional outfit ahead of time.

Create a Target List

Our website, www.uis.edu/careerservices, is constantly updated with a list of participants. Take a look at the list on a regular basis so you are aware of who will be attending. Then create a target list of the employers you wish to visit the most. It’s a good idea to look deeper into their company (website) to get a better understanding of who and what they are looking for. Rank each of these employers and make sure you visit everyone on your list while at the Career Fair. It is wise to visit an employer towards the bottom of the list first to get your nerves out and practice. When you feel comfortable go see the top employers on your list.

Action Plan

Create and action plan with goals of the Career Fair. It has been proven that when you write out goals you are more likely to achieve them. So go ahead, write out who you want to meet with and the outcome of each.

Ask and Answer Questions

Be prepared to ask the employers questions about their company and openings they may have. However, it is also necessary to expect questions back. Practice responses to questions that may likely arise.

30 Second Elevator Pitch

Practice and perfect your 30 second elevator pitch that you have created. For more information on what to include in your 30 second elevator pitch and more about it, view our 30 Second Elevator Pitch Blog!

Resumes

It is recommended that you bring 10-25 well developed resumes to the Career Fair. To get an idea and help with resumes visit the Resume 101 series on the Blog. It is best that these resumes you bring have been critiqued. The CDC can critique your resume during walk-in hours (Tuesday-Friday 11:00-1:00) or you can set up a 30 minute appointment at a time more convenient for you. Visit our office at SAB 50, or call us at 206-6508

Portfolio

Bringing a portfolio containing resumes, pens, paper, networking cards, transcripts, and references is the best way to be sure you are prepared. Carrying around a portfolio also looks more professional than a purse or a backpack and allows you to grab what you need quicker and easier.

Punctuality

Arriving early to the Career Fair is one of the best decisions you can make. Not only does it look good that you are prompt and ready to go but the employers are more likely to remember the people they first meet and those that they last meet. However, it is unknown when an employer may choose to leave. They often stay to the end but at times get tired or have other business to attend to. So arrive early and make sure you get to see everyone!

Dress for Success

Dress attire is one of the most important pieces to a Career Fair. Showing up in a hoodie, jeans, flip flops or gym shoes does not give an employer a good representation of you and your abilities. You want to look more professional and business like than a college student. The Career Fair also has a dress code and only allows those dressed in business professional or business casual clothing in. For more ideas and tips on what to wear view the Dress for Success Blog.

Need help?

Stop by the Career Development Center. Walk-in hours are 11:00-1:00pm Tuesday-Friday. If this window doesn’t work for you simply call 206-6508 and set up a 30 minute appointment! We are located at SAB 50 or call 206-6508

Career Fair Prep Expo: Making the Most of Career Fairs

Confused about Career Fairs? Not sure how to prepare for one, how to act at one, or how to follow up after one? Want a job?

Come to any of the three Career Fair Prep Expos. Bring your resume for quick critiques.

Thursday, February 5th 11:00-1:00 pm
Thursday, February 5th 4:30-6:00 pm
Friday, February 6th 11:00-1:00 pm

All three Expos will be in the lower concourse of the PAC (across from the Food Emporium).

Dress for Success: Career Fair Chapter

Think jeans are okay? Worried about your outfit? Not sure what to wear?
You know you should be getting your outfit together well before the event but you just can’t seem to find the “perfect” outfit!

Dressing right for the Career Fair is a very important aspect of preparation. The Career Fair does have a dress code of Business Casual or Business Professional wear. Participants that are wearing jeans, sweatshirts, flip flops, gym shoes, etc. will not be let in until they have changed. This is exactly why you need to get your outfit picked out ahead of time! Don’t wait until the night before, you never know when your pants might not fit the way you want them to, or your shirt has lost a button. Shoes are always a difficult challenge as well. So prepare ahead of time and focus your attention on the other preparations for Career Fair!

· Need help thinking of outfit ideas?
· Not sure what is considered Business Professional or Business Casual?
· Want to know if your outfit is acceptable?

Visit out website at http://www.uis.edu/careerservices/launch/dress.html!

· The break down of business professional and business casual attire
· What not to wear items for both men and women
· Other tips and a list of links and resources for even more information

So go ahead take a look, I guarantee you will be glad you did!

Remember: Make your first impression GREAT, it may be the only one you get!


If you need any additional help stop by the office (SAB 50) and ask, or call us at 206-6508
Remember to check the events calendar for dates and times of the Career Fair Prep Sessions!

Questions/Comments??Blog us! Post a comment and a Career Outreach Specialist will get back to you ASAP!

Quick Career Fair Prep Headquarters

Need help with your resume, networking cards, or career portfolio for the upcoming Career Fair? Come down to SAB 50 from the 26th all the way up to February 13th for personalized advice and assistance. Career Advisor will be available on those days from 11 am to 1 pm.

Your Career Fair Portfolio

The 2009 Springfield Collegiate Career Fair is coming up in just a matter of weeks, and it is now time to start thinking about what you are going to prepare for the career fair. The most essential item that you can bring would be your portfolio.

The portfolio itself needs to be a simple durable container. You can specifically find them near the writing supplies aisles in most department stores and they often are as cheap as ten dollars. Inside your portfolio you will keep all the documents that will be helpful for you at the career fair. Some things to include in your portfolio include:

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter
3. Networking Cards
4. Transcripts
5. Certificates, Awards, or other Special Commendations

Your resume and cover letter are two very important items for your portfolio that you should begin revising or creating now. Since by now you should have a list of employers that you wish to specifically visit, you will be able to customize your resumes to each position. You will also be able to write a cover letter for each employer as well.

Each one of your resumes will at least need to have personalized objective statements for each employer, and at most, will be a completely remodeled resume in regards to your skills. You will want to examine job descriptions from the companies, call the companies for information, visit their websites to do research, or even set up an informational interview with the company to find out what kinds of jobs they are offering to see if they match your interests.

Alongside all of your resumes, you will also be writing well crafted and personalized cover letters for the employers. The cover letters will show your dedication and interest in their companies by showing off your knowledge of their company and how your specific skills will be perfect for the jobs they will be hiring for.

There are many other items you can include in your portfolio. If you think that something shows off your skills, include it. You will also want to make sure that you have up to date and accurate Networking Cards in your portfolio. Details on Networking Cards will be the subject of our next article as well.

If you have any questions about what to include in your portfolio, how to put together a resume or cover letter, or have any career fair related questions in general, the UIS Career Development Center is here to answer your questions. Email us at careerservices@uis.edu, call us at 206-6508, or come in and visit us at SAB 50.

What is a 30 Second Elevator Pitch and What Will It Do For Me?

A 30 second elevator pitch is a “commercial” about you. This pitch is great to give when meeting a recruiter or employer for the first time. This pitch is a brief overview of you and your professional skills and goals. It tells the recruiter/employer a little bit about you and your best abilities. It is important to have an elevator pitch memorized and perfected for the career fair because you will be introducing your self to a large number of recruiters.

To Begin: Start with a firm handshake and give your name (very important). Include information on your professional background, education, professional and academic goals and visions. Avoid personal information and nonrelated details. If you have a business/networking card this would be an excellent time to hand it out! If you do not have one visit http://www.uis.edu/careerservices/active/networking.html for information and how to make or get your own personalized networking cards!

Practice your 30 second elevator pitch to a friend and in front of a mirror. You want to have it memorized and sounding natural when given. Get comfortable with what you have to say so you can breeze through it when the time comes.

Here is a checklist to help you get started:

____ Name
____ Year in School
____ Major
____ Skills
____ Career Goals

Examples:
Hi, my name is Brett Bretterson, and I am a senior Communications major here at UIS. I’ve worked a lot with television broadcasting over our campus channel, and I liked is a lot. I’m looking for an internship with a local news station in Central Illinois to help me get started in a news-media career.

Nice to meet you, I’m Jackie Jackson. I’m currently a junior at UIS, where I study Computer Science. I hope to become a computer network specialist when I graduate. Right now, I’m looking for an internship with a large company where I can use my networking and troubleshooting skills.

Please Post A Comment:
Have you used a 30 second elevator pitch before?
If so how did it go and do you have any tips for the rest of us?
Sample elevator pitches…

NEED HELP?
Come down to the Career Development Center (SAB 50) for further assistance or to practice your 30 second elevator pitch.
http://www.uis.edu/careerservices/

Resume 101 - Revision

By now you have been through the entire resume creation process once and have an excellent resume, or at least you did some time ago. Some time has passed, you have gained new skills, and now you need to add those skills to your resume. Because you continue to gain new experience and skills throughout your life, it becomes necessary to regularly update your resume.

The easiest way to do this is to go through a similar process to which you created your resume. In general, you will brainstorm for your new skills, evaluate if your resume needs any big changes, write out these new skills in detail, and then integrate those skills into your resume. This is an excellent chance to replace current skills with new, more important, and more relevant skills. This entire revision process, from personal experience, usually takes an hour or two if you are updating your resume monthly.

Your resume could take longer to revise if you decide to switch which resume format you are using or if you find a position you want to apply for which is different from which your resume is currently aimed at. Depending on how drastic the change you make, the resume revision process may feel more like when your resume was first created. However, if you have saved all of your old brainstorming ideas or kept an in-depth master resume, making large changes can happen quickly.

After you think you are done revising, there are a few details that should get a final look. Go over your entire resume making sure items like your address, phone number, and email address are all up to date. All dates on your resume should be double checked to make sure they are still accurate, and also check the older bullet points for jobs you still have since something may have changed. Last, proofread thoroughly. Nothing is worse than introducing grammatical errors into an otherwise perfect resume. After the final proofread, you are done with this revision and are one step closer to landing an interview.

And if you are ever unsure of your current revision, the UIS Career Development Center is available for advice and assistance. The UIS Career Development Center is located in SAB 50 or you can contact us at 206-6508 or careerservices@uis.edu.

Formatting Your Resume

So now that you have made it through most of the resume steps it’s important you do not settle for what you have before doing some formatting. Formatting choices come down to what the individual chooses however we have some great suggestions for you!

Some common suggestions include
• Make your name and contact information large! You want the employer to be able to read it, or even glance and the top and have it stand out. Don’t be scared to personalize it a bit, maybe pick a different font for your name…let it become your own personal letterhead. Include this heading on your cover letter, resume, and references page (yes these are all documents you will need and most definitely they are all separate, this means no references on your resume!)
• Avoid white space. White space on a resume give the appearance of it being empty, use up all that great space you have. If you need to change your margins a little bit do so (try not to go smaller than .5 around).
• Another helpful hint is that changing your font to a minimum of 11 size font and the margins will allow you to use your paper to the max. Not only are you avoiding the dreaded white space but you also are more likely to fit your information onto one page, the ideal length (unless you have excessive relevant experiences).
• Aligning all your dates along the right margin looks great. Not only is this eye catching but it also makes it easier on the employer when they are looking over your information, this will give your some brownie points!
• With that said bullet points work wonders! Avoid writing in paragraph form, its likely the employer will not take the time to look at it (remember a resume is only looked at for about 45 seconds…its purpose is not to get you the job but an interview!
• Use the same format for your dates throughout, using months is always the most ideal!
• When including dates arrange things in reverse-chronological order (starting with the most recent).
• Use past tense action verbs when writing abilities, skills, and competencies from previous positions. Notice: I wrote abilities, skills, and competencies NOT duties from past experiences!
• When handing in a resume use resume paper. This paper is a little heavier than normal copy paper and comes in different colors (ivory, white, off white, beige, etc.)

Need help?
Stop by the Career Development Center. Our walk-in hours are 11-1 Tuesday-Friday. If this window doesn’t work for you simply call 206-6508 and set up an appointment!

Resume 101 - Organizing Information

After you have all of your content typed up on the page, you will want to consider which points should go where. Often, students simply follow a template when they organize the information. While this often works just fine, some students may find that they wish to emphasize different parts of their resume to cater to a specific employer.

There are a few easy ways to emphasize information to an employer:

• Separating Information
• Changing the Location
• Using Headings
• Quantifying Information

Separating information helps to organize information by letting the employer know where each point begins. A great way to do this is with bullet points. By separating out each task into a bullet, you make it much easier to skim through and find information. Bulleting works especially well when you start off with action verbs, because this puts the most important part of your sentence at the far left. Also, bulleting helps the employer get an idea of which skill area you may have a lot of experience in- their eyes will be drawn to the sections with more bullet points, because those would seem more important.

The location of information also has an impact on how the employer will read your resume. On a resume, the most important information should go to the top of the section, likewise the most important sections should go to the top of the page. This means that your name, which is the focal point of your resume, should be right at the top of the page, followed by the objective. The other sections are more flexible, but typically for recent graduates, the education section becomes the next most important.

Headings also help the employer to be able to skim your document. Make sure that they are easily visible to the naked eye. In my opinion, headings should be either one or two font points bigger, or perhaps bolded, and they look better when they are aligned to the left (they tend to get lost in the center unless they are accompanied by decorative lines). Another note- make sure the headings are accurate and straightforward.

If you still can’t figure out which information to put first, think about the quantities attached to them. If you spent more of your time on customer service tasks than on clerical tasks, that may help you decide where to put things. Employers will typically assume that the points near the top are the most recent and/or most important.

Need some advice on which skills or qualifications you should emphasize? Call 206-6508 to schedule a 20-minute quick stop appointment at the CDC, or drop by our walk in hours, Tuesday – Friday from 11 – 1 in SAB 50.

Crunch Time...

Since there are only four days from now until the LSAT, my brain has officially moved into panic mode. Thanksgiving break went by a LOT faster than I expected, and I don't feel like I'm nearly prepared to take this test. I took a prep course a while back, and it helped a little, but between homework and final exams and term papers, I haven't had time to just sit down and study. So for those of you who're interested, here's my current plan of attack:

1. Work through bits and pieces of some online sample tests tonight
2. Read through those dusty practice books tomorrow
3. Panic a little bit... then work through more practice tests
4. Play a few logic puzzles (my least favorite part of the LSAT)
5. Get a good night's sleep on Friday

Are any of you planning on taking a graduate school entrance exam? Have you ever taken one before? I think everyone applying for grad school and taking entrance exams could use some awesome study (or cramming) tips, or even just advice about how to not stress out!

Resume 101 - Writing Content

Writing the content of your resume is one of the most time consuming steps in the resume-writing process. However, if you work strategically, the process may seem to go a lot faster.

The first piece of advice I have is to start writing from the “skeleton” of the resume. The most difficult part of writing is getting started. If you come up with an outline first, writing the resume will seem much less like a huge task, and more like a simple worksheet to fill out. The sections in your resume may vary between formats (chronological vs. functional) or even between different career fields. A good place to start is with your Contact Info, Objective, Profile, Education Information, and Work Experience (or Relevant Skills). Keep in mind that these titles are not set in stone, they can be renamed and adapted to your liking.

Another tip: start with what you know. Obviously, your personal information will take only minutes to complete, and writing it down will help make visible progress. Likewise, feel free to skip around and fill in the different sections out of order. For example, writing the job titles out before you write the skill bullet points will help you organize your thoughts. (And if you’re working in chronological format, it gives you a nice outline to work in.)

One common tough spot is the bullet point section that describes the skills you learned at a particular job or volunteer activity. There are three keys to remember that will help you help your resume make a good impact on the employer: Quantities, Results, and Responsibilities. If you find yourself simply listing the duties you had, you may wish to revise them with these three things in mind.

For example, maybe your main task at your previous job was answering phones. To make this point more interesting, tell how many, what happened, and what sort of responsibility you had in that situation. You might come up with something more like this: “Responded to around 30 phone calls per day and streamlined the client intake process.” This shows that not only did you answer phones, but you took proactive actions to improve the efficiency of your workplace while managing your time in a stressful and busy environment. Instead of simply seeing that you can answer a phone, the employer sees that you have several transferable skills: communication, time management, customer service, organization, and the ability to function under stress.

And as always, it’s good to have a second pair of eyes look over your resume. Call 206-6508 or stop by the CDC (SAB 50) for a quick critique, and personalized advice on tailoring your resume to your target employer.

Job Radio

One of our awesome Career Outreach Specialists, Craig, ran into this great career resource. I checked it out, and thought you might enjoy it as well. There are a ton of awesome podcast-type presentations about resumes, interviewing, and general career advice. If you're looking for a job, I'd definitely recommend you stop by this site and snoop around!

Here's a link for you:
http://jobradio.fm/

C.L. Lindsay: Campus Computing and the Law

On Wednesday, November 12, attorney C.L. Linsday of CO-STAR (Coalition of Student and Academic Rights) spoke to the UIS community about campus computing and the law. Lindsay’s message is not new; in this day and age, who hasn’t heard about internet safety, plagiarism, and illegal downloading? Lindsay even admitted in his interview that “all of this should be common sense.” Yet his unique, lighthearted approach to the topic made it seem to come to life again.

Lindsay illustrated his lecture with scandalous photos depicting action figures getting into exactly the kind of trouble he finds on most college campuses. “Shaggy” and the gang from Scooby Doo showed the dangers of posting what Lindsay later called “dumb pictures” of illegal activities on social networking profiles like Facebook and MySpace. The “creepiest Ken doll ever” portrayed a would-be thief downloading illegal music and videos. And “Frodo” and a few other hobbits were the underage drinkers, because “well, they’re short!”

The sobering reality of C.L. Lindsay’s presentation was the breakdown of actual UIS policy on actions such as underage drinking, drug use, plagiarism and illegal downloading. Though our campus computing policy is “one of the more lenient” that Lindsay has seen, it still leaves very little expectation of privacy. And according to Lindsay, academia is virtually exempt from the 4th amendment “exclusionary rule” of evidence, which covers only government institutions in criminal cases. This means that UIS officials such as Housing and possibly even the campus police could very well use what they find online to incriminate students for anything from a simple policy violation all the way up to a full out expulsion, even if the evidence is not obtained “fairly.”

“Students have a whole different code of ethics when they go online,” Lindsay explained, “but what you do online can affect you later on in the real world.” Recent surveys indicate that a growing number of employers look up candidates on the internet before making a decision about hiring. So before you post your latest party snapshots online, think about how these photos could have a real impact on your career, and ultimately, on your life.

This presentation was sponsored by the Career Development Center, partnering with the UIS Student Government Association, Student Activities Committee, the Office of UIS Alumni Relations, and the ECCE Speaker’s Series program.

What’s the Best Resume Format for Me?

Chronological, Functional, and Combination are the most common formats to a resume. With all these choices how do you know which one is right for you? To market yourself to the fullest read the following to determine when to use each format!

Chronological: A chronological resume is a traditional resume that begins with listing your most recent experience. This style is most effective for individuals who have quality work and employment. The chronological resume shows past employers and titles that are notable. It draws attention to promotions and other elevation in your work history.

• Pro: This resume matches your work history to your skills and abilities because the employer is able to see exactly where you got each skill from and how long you have been using it!

• Con: If you do not have that practical experience, then it will draw attention to that. Your work history may not have relevant experience. Not to worry! A Functional or Combined resume style may be right just right for you!

• TIP: This resume style works best for those individuals with work experience in the field of the job they are applying for.

Functional: In the functional resume style skills and qualifications are categorized by function. These are the most effective in stressing skills established through a non-work experience (volunteer, class, etc.). A functional resume is easier to navigate around overlapping work and allows you to use experiences that have been gained in the classroom; after all we do spend a significant amount of time there and are learning a great deal! A functional resume is used when applying for a position in which you have no direct experience.

• Pro:This style highlights all your skills you have to offer an employer even if it was gained through a non-relevant experience. Oh the wonders of transferable skills!

• Con: This does not tell the employer what skills were gained from each of the specific positions held. However, if you have one or two positions that pertain to the field you are entering and would still like to highlight those great skills you have from other places check out the Combination resume!

• TIP: Students commonly use this resume style because of the skills and information learned through school and the number of part-time jobs. Many of the positions held may not relate to your field of choice but you will be surprised the skills that can transfer over! Remember those volunteer opportunities and the number of skills and abilities taken away from them!

Combination: The combination resume merges the two prior formats, catering to your skills. It is used when the employer needs your work history and related skills. This format is good when your most recent work is not your most relevant.

• Pro: It still allows you to include certain positions in full detail while still including the skills from class, volunteer, or other unrelated positions.

• Con: An employer may not know exactly where the skills were gained from, but after all the resume is to get you the interview where you can answer any questions they may have!

• Tip: When you have held jobs that are not related to the position or field but you had one great internship that is related to the position a combination resume would be great. You are able to give details about the internship and still include all the skills from your past jobs and experiences.
  

Need help?

Stop by the Career Development Center. Our walk-in hours are 11-1 Tuesday-Friday. If this window doesn’t work for you simply call 206-6508 and set up an appointment!