DRESS for SUCCESS

Dress is key to making an impression. Not understanding or considering your environment at the workplace or during an interview can cause a positive or negative first impression. Your attire and appearance conveys to others who you are, and many of us want to make a good impression. Sometimes it is difficult to understand what does and does not constitute business professional attire, business casual or casual dress, and the magnitude of importance this plays in our professional lives.

Continue reading to learn more…

Attire is a critical aspect of professionalism that many people overlook. It is important for us as students and emerging leaders to show that we want to be taken seriously. Your clothes should stand out as polished, but not draw a lot of attention. Appropriate attire supports your image, furthermore allowing you to exhibit yourself as someone who takes the interview process and employment seriously. For example, your appearance gives a college recruiter or interviewer a first impression, before directly speaking with you. Your attire should make you feel confident. I hold firmly to the saying “Dress for the job you want, not the one you have.” I try to do so at my internships and summer jobs because of the opportunity to network with other professionals. Keep in mind that these professionals did not interview you so they do not know about your experiences or skills. Their first impression of you will be based solely on your appearance. In addition, once you are employed, always be sure to dress appropriately for the type of job or industry. If you are unsure about proper attire for the workplace, ask your supervisor before your first day on the job.

**** (NOTE: Attached is a helpful guide to proper business attire and etiquette. Feel free to use as a reference.)

C:\Documents and Settings\career\Desktop\Guide to proper dress & etiquette.pdf

What Employers Want

Hmm…Have you ever wondered what qualities or skills employers look for in an employee? Employers look for employees that are enthusiastic and motivated. They seek qualities such as oral communications, writing skills, teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity. It is important as college students to be able to fine tune these skills while attending school; taking necessary steps such as:

• Becoming a leader on campus can bolster teamwork and communication skills
• Taking challenging classes can expose you to problem-solving
• Experimenting with different forms of art can bring out your creativity

Learning to immerse yourself in a diverse range of activities, courses, and experiences can pay huge dividends for you later. Not only are you expanding your social capital by meeting new people, you are simultaneously becoming a well-rounded, diverse individual. In addition to that, do not disregard the importance of networking and resume-building activities; they will essentially provide the opportunity for you to showcase your abilities.

In conclusion, as a student here at B-W I have reaped benefits from being involved on campus. I was able to use these resume builders to obtain a job as a Resident Assistant; involvement is another way to create opportunities for yourself.

SPRING INTO CAREER WEEK

Hey, B-W students!

Check out the Spring 2010 Career Week events:

1.Monday, February 22nd

Why Science & Innovation?
4:00-5:00 pm, Center for Innovation & Growth

Express Lanes
1:00-3:00 pm, Tressel Lounge, Rec Center

2.Tuesday, February 23rd

Resume Writing Clinic
11:45 am-12:45 pm, Kamm 106

Internship Registration Workshop
12:00-12:30 pm, Career Services, Bonds 104

Express Lanes
3:30-5:00 pm, Wheeler, 2nd floor

3.Wednesday, February 24th

Express Lanes
9:00-11:00 am, Kamm 1st floor Snack Room

Why Social Science & Humanities?
4:00-5:00 pm, Malicky 10

4.Thursday, February 25th

Graduate School Workshop
11:45 am-12:45 pm, Malicky 10

Express Lanes
2:00-4:00 pm, Lang, Main Lounge

5.Friday, February 26th

Cleveland State University Spring Career Fair
9:00 am-2:00 pm, Cleveland State University, Wooding Gym

6.Saturday, February 27th

Kaplan Graduate School Practice Exams (pre-registration required)
Start time vary, Math & Computer Science Building

Prepare for summer internships, after graduation and much more! Take advantage of these events that will lead you towards Career Success.

If you have any questions about the upcoming events, feel free to contact the Career Services Office at 440-826-2101 (ext 2101), or email career@bw.edu. You can also stop by our office in Bonds #104.

Connection to the Real World--Employment, Graduate School--Start Networking!

Throughout my time at B-W I have realized how extremely important it is to network and establish connections for future endeavors. Whether you are searching and applying for jobs, internships or graduate school, it is important for you to begin establishing a connection to the real world early in your college career. This will allow you to be better prepared for life after graduation. Let me explain how you can begin this process:

•Test drive career choices with internships to see if you like the environment or career path.

•Evaluate your best fit career choice based on your interests and strengths.

•If you’re unsure about attending graduate school, then research graduate school programs, requirements, and talk to professionals in the field.

•In addition, begin to network with employers you meet, attend networking events on campus, connect with alumni career mentors, and keep close contact with past employers & contacts for future references.

Compile a list of people who can serve as potential references by developing relationships with faculty and supervisors. Come to Career Services and utilize the mentoring program, Career Connections. This program allows you to connect with B-W’s alumni professional who have volunteered to provide you with real world advice and tips on how they reached their goals, the process of adjusting to life after college, and much more. You can also consider informational interviewing that will allow you to identify what employers in your field seek and begin to prepare by tailoring your experiences or developing necessary skills. Baldwin-Wallace College and Career Services can provide you with many resources to prepare you for the real world. Begin taking advantage of all the resources that will help you down the path to a successful career.

Reasons to Consider a Job with the Federal Government

When students start looking for jobs, a lot of them don’t consider the possibility of working for the government. They may think that they aren’t qualified, there aren’t any jobs that would fit with their major, or that the government doesn’t hire students who haven’t graduated or who are fresh out of college. However, this is not the case. According to a new report — Where the Jobs Are: Mission Critical Opportunities for America, released in July by the Partnership for Public Service, government-wide projected hiring needs based on a survey of 34 federal agencies and representing nearly 99 percent of the federal workforce , finds nearly 193,000 mission critical jobs need to be filled in the next two years!

There are also some benefits included with a job in public service, including loan repayment! The Federal student loan repayment program permits agencies to repay federally insured student loans as a recruitment or retention incentive for candidates or current employees of the agency. The program implements 5 U.S.C. 5379, which authorizes agencies to set up their own student loan repayment programs to attract or retain highly qualified employees.

So where do you look if you’re interested in working for the government? Here are some sites to get you started:

• http://www.studentjobs.gov
• http://www.students.gov.
• http://www.usajobs.gov
• www.makingthedifference.org/index.shtml
• www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/employ/govtjob/fedjob.pdf
• www.pmf.opm.gov/

Finally, here are some tips on finding a job with the federal government: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWcJWyHEn9Q

The Career Services Office also has many resources available in our resource library and online. Stop by Bonds 104 or call 440-826-2101 if you have any questions!

References

References are essential elements to a resume that can further solidify your hiring at a company. Companies look to references to gain further insight on: who you are as a person, what type of work ethic you possess, and what type of skills you bring to the table. Furthermore, references can either make or break you. Be sure to ask before adding someone to your resume as a reference; this can backfire and become a very messy situation if the reference does not know of you adding them as a reference. In addition, make sure that you have a well-developed relationship with the person you chose as a reference.

Next, after choosing the appropriate reference, it’s time to prepare them to be able to speak informatively about you in the letter; this should involve giving them a copy of your resume, talking with them about your goals and aspirations, as well as, informing them of the position you are applying for and the job requirements; this will allow them to tailor your skills to the position and speak strongly about you as a candidate.

Lastly, follow-up and thank them for taking the time out to write the reference letter and be sure to keep them updated on the outcome of the whole process.

All You Need to Know about Internships

Internships are a great opportunity to get experience in a field that is interesting to you! Whether you're interested in a specific career path, major, or simply curious about what a job requires, internships offer real life experience for academic credit.

Benefits of internships include:

• Test potential career paths without a permanent, full-time commitment.
  
• Develop competencies and gain knowledge that employers seek when hiring college graduates.


• Explore and clarify your major and career goals with professionals in your field.


• Establish a network of professional contacts and mentors who may serve as references and assist you with your professional, full-time search.
  
• Increase your marketability for your full-time employment and admission to graduate school.
  
• Take responsibility for your own learning and create a more rewarding college experience.
  

Career Services is offering an Exploring Internship Workshop a few times throughout the semester. Anyone curious about internships will benefit from this workshop, so come find out anything you would want to know about how to get an internship.

To begin the process of interning, you will need to attend an Internship Registration Workshop, offered every Tuesday at noon in Career Services, Bonds room 104. Pre-registration isn't necessary.

The following resources can help you locate an internship:

• Office of Career Services
  
• B-W Career Network
  
• ClevelandIntern.Net
  
• Annual Career & Internship Expo
  
• Family, friends, faculty, and staff contacts
  

Remember that you must have at least Sophomore status, carry at least a 2.0 GPA, and meet the criteria established by the specific department/division and the Office of Career Services.

Examples of places B-W students have interned in the past include:

• The Cleveland Museum of Art
  
• The FBI
  
• The Cleveland Clinic
  
• The Cleveland Indians
  
• The Cleveland Cavaliers
  
• The Cleveland Browns
  
• The Cleveland Orchestra
  
• The Great Lakes Theater Festival
  
• FirstEnergy
  
• Earth Day Coalition
  

Further information and guidelines about internships can be found on the B-W Career Network, the Career Services website, and by calling or stopping by the office of Career Services, located in Bonds room 104. Start planning for this terrific opportunity!