If you're thinking of a unique way to utilize your resourcefulness, creativity, writing, or if you're like me and you're open to an interesting opportunity for English majors, consider becoming a blogger. Blogs can be personal and professional, and they're great for communications, public relations, and marketing purposes. Be part of the industry you're interested in working for, but in a new way. Bloggers can work freelance, for newspapers and magazines, book publishers, radio and television stations, and business or non-profit organizations. Plus, it's a fun way to be subjective about a topic that you're passionate about!
Imagine all the contacts you gain from the people that follow your blog. It's a great way to network professionally, while allowing people to get to know your interests based on the information you write about. Some experience is needed, preferably a bachelor's degree, but majors vary. You could be hired to write an economics blog if you majored in economics. The same goes for political science, botony, anything! And tell Mom and Dad that, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in a summary of 2009, the average salary was $54,000/year nationally. That's about $26.00 per hour, and if you get to freelance in your pajamas, that's not a bad trade-off!
If you consider yourself someone with insatiable curiosity and you're looking for an "out of the box" way to target a career path, consider blogging. Or start doing it as a hobby and see what kind of following you get. It's not the same old kind of personal or professional writing you're used to, so you might learn you're a writer and you never even knew it.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Juggling the Transition from College to Everything After
As a graduating senior, I'm fully aware of the looming responsibilities a senior endures in his or her final semester as an undergraduate. I keep thinking back to senior year in high school, when arrangements were in the works to choose a college and the relief I felt when I finally had my plans lined up for post-graduation. I also remember the struggle it was to balance school work, extracurriculars, and time to plan for the future. That was high school! Now, the options seem endless, and so does the school work. I'm ready for it all to be over, but at the same time, thinking about everything I need to do before it's over is beyond overwhelming. Finding time to devote to planning for the imminent future, which will be here, ready or not, in 40-some days, is now more of a challenge than ever.
My advice is to figure out how much time you have to devote to various responsibilities, otherwise known as Time Management 101. But, as a soon-to-be college graduate, you're a pro at time management by now, right? I tend to think about the "here" and "now," focusing on what I need to do in the moment, taking everything day by day. That will leave me without a plan, which I will have to scramble to put together immediately after I graduate. Take about an hour or so, depending on how much homework, how many extracurriculars, hours at work, etc. you have, to devote to a job, internship, or graduate school search. Organizing the information you encounter is also helpful, so be sure to file or save your information in case you need to come back to it. Be sure to set goals for yourself in terms of following up with your application. Employers aren't necessarily going to do it for you! Remember, the ball is in your court from here on out.
It's not all about planning for a career or graduate school. Graduation is also about leaving some room for emotional and social fluxes. Everything is exciting one minute, and then for the same reasons it was exciting, it's all stressful the next minute. Take time to slow down and reflect on yourself so that you can be prepared to know yourself and what you expect from yourself when you graduate. Don't have an identity crisis, but rather embrace these challenges as a motivation. And don't forget to savor the last several weeks by really spending time with YOU because those 40-some days will be over before you know it.
My advice is to figure out how much time you have to devote to various responsibilities, otherwise known as Time Management 101. But, as a soon-to-be college graduate, you're a pro at time management by now, right? I tend to think about the "here" and "now," focusing on what I need to do in the moment, taking everything day by day. That will leave me without a plan, which I will have to scramble to put together immediately after I graduate. Take about an hour or so, depending on how much homework, how many extracurriculars, hours at work, etc. you have, to devote to a job, internship, or graduate school search. Organizing the information you encounter is also helpful, so be sure to file or save your information in case you need to come back to it. Be sure to set goals for yourself in terms of following up with your application. Employers aren't necessarily going to do it for you! Remember, the ball is in your court from here on out.
It's not all about planning for a career or graduate school. Graduation is also about leaving some room for emotional and social fluxes. Everything is exciting one minute, and then for the same reasons it was exciting, it's all stressful the next minute. Take time to slow down and reflect on yourself so that you can be prepared to know yourself and what you expect from yourself when you graduate. Don't have an identity crisis, but rather embrace these challenges as a motivation. And don't forget to savor the last several weeks by really spending time with YOU because those 40-some days will be over before you know it.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Government Career Day on March 24th
Are you interested in careers in government? If you answered YES, plan to attend Government Career Day on Thursday, March 24th at the Dolan Center for Science and Technology at John Carroll University from 9 am to 2 pm.
Government Career Day is a unique opportunity to connect and network with government agencies that have immediate or future hiring needs. Additionally, a series of workshops will be offered during the day covering such topics as navigating the usajobs.gov web site; writing KSA's; applying for jobs with the State of Ohio; and federal employment for veterans.
The event is sponsored by the Federal Executive Board of Cleveland and Cleveland State University in cooperation with John Carroll University, Baldwin-Wallace College, Case Western Reserve University and Ursuline College.
To prepare for Government Career Day, take advantage of Career Services scheduled resume writing clinics or express lanes to create and polish your resume. If you are not able to attend any of the scheduled workshops, just call 440.826-2101 or drop by Career Services, Room 104 Bonds to schedule an appointment with a career advisor.
If you’re interested in internships and/or government careers, you won’t want to miss this event. Mark your calendar for Thursday, March 24th!
Government Career Day is a unique opportunity to connect and network with government agencies that have immediate or future hiring needs. Additionally, a series of workshops will be offered during the day covering such topics as navigating the usajobs.gov web site; writing KSA's; applying for jobs with the State of Ohio; and federal employment for veterans.
The event is sponsored by the Federal Executive Board of Cleveland and Cleveland State University in cooperation with John Carroll University, Baldwin-Wallace College, Case Western Reserve University and Ursuline College.
To prepare for Government Career Day, take advantage of Career Services scheduled resume writing clinics or express lanes to create and polish your resume. If you are not able to attend any of the scheduled workshops, just call 440.826-2101 or drop by Career Services, Room 104 Bonds to schedule an appointment with a career advisor.
If you’re interested in internships and/or government careers, you won’t want to miss this event. Mark your calendar for Thursday, March 24th!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Calling All Seniors!
Are you a senior getting ready to enter the workforce; this can be a very trying time and a nerve-wracking one as well. Although I am not a senior, while meeting last summer with professionals I experience the “real world” first hand. It was definitely one that you want to be fully prepared for and have a smooth transition into. Career Services and Counseling Services have teamed up to present to all seniors insight on how to make your transition from college to career. It will take place on Wednesday, February 23rd at 4pm in SS2; this is sure to be a great presentation and a very helpful one as well.
Wrestling with an Undeclared Major, No Problem?
Are you undecided about your major; this is not a bad thing. Being undecided affords you the opportunity to sample courses from many majors and choose one that fits your likes and interests. We all were at some point undecided majors within our college careers and it takes time to figure out exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life. For instance, I understood coming to B-W that I wanted to be a business major, what I did not know was what area I wanted to pursue. I eventually took courses from different majors within the department and settled on one that fit me well and that I could see myself doing. If you are undecided about a major or career path, Career Services can help you. On Thursday, February 24th we are hosting an event to help undecided students prepare to declare a major. It will take place in SS3 during community hour. So come on down and PREPARE TO DECLARE!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Governement jobs webinars
No fear Career Services is here!
With graduation quickly approaching, finding a job is taking the number one spot on many college students to do lists. Does the secret service or FBI sound like your dream job? Well you’re in luck because Career Services is having a webinar directed towards students who are interested in jobs and internships with the federal government. This webinar will highlight a number of internships across government, and show students how to research, find and apply for an internship that is right for them. Even if you are not completely sure if this may be the right fit for you, give it a try anyway and who knows you may find that working with the federal government is perfect for you! For me personally, whenever I am not completely sure if I should attend an event by Career Services I give the office a call or simply go anyway. That way I do not feel guilty for not going and to my surprise the event turns out to be very helpful.
There are going to be two webinars on 2/8/11 and 2/16/11 both of which you can call and register for at 440.826.2101. Don’t forget, you can always register for any Career Services events on the B-W Career Network, too
With graduation quickly approaching, finding a job is taking the number one spot on many college students to do lists. Does the secret service or FBI sound like your dream job? Well you’re in luck because Career Services is having a webinar directed towards students who are interested in jobs and internships with the federal government. This webinar will highlight a number of internships across government, and show students how to research, find and apply for an internship that is right for them. Even if you are not completely sure if this may be the right fit for you, give it a try anyway and who knows you may find that working with the federal government is perfect for you! For me personally, whenever I am not completely sure if I should attend an event by Career Services I give the office a call or simply go anyway. That way I do not feel guilty for not going and to my surprise the event turns out to be very helpful.
There are going to be two webinars on 2/8/11 and 2/16/11 both of which you can call and register for at 440.826.2101. Don’t forget, you can always register for any Career Services events on the B-W Career Network, too
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Study Abroad: More than a Vacation
I studied abroad in Spain this past summer with the notion that there would be no homework. Why I thought this, I don't know. I was on summer mode, and I have never once taken a class, let alone done homework, in summer. Also, I didn't think of myself as really being in school. I was in a foreign country, making new friends, and everything was new. There was too much to see and too little time to think about academics. But after I started developing relationships with my peers, the professors, and the coordinators of my study abroad program, I realized that I was establishing contacts with people that might be useful in my career. Then I started focusing a little more on my purpose for studying abroad.
Even though many people think of "studying" abroad as nothing more than travelling, I have to admit that studying abroad was not a vacation. Many people have internships abroad, or study another language with professors that don't speak the students' native language. Don't get me wrong, this experience was challenging in a completely beneficial and fulfilling way, but I think students need to know that most study abroad programs are not a cake walk. You have to attend classes regularly, as most of your grade depends on class participation, and since, in my opinion, temptation to not go to class and not do homework is a bit more prominent while studying abroad, you really have to prioritize.
My Spanish professor did not speak any English. Yes, that was extremely intimidating at the beginning of my program, but I knew I needed to delve in. No professor in any country teaching any language expects the study abroad students to be perfect. Why would students be studying if they already had the subject, language, and culture down pat? Conversations you can have with professors and program directors about the language, culture, and prospective career opportunities will really help you develop contacts within that country if you potentially choose to work there.
And then there is the "vacation" part of studying abroad, which I think is the travelling aspect of it. I studied in Spain, but I travelled to many different countries and met many different people last summer. I made a friend in my study abroad program who travelled with me, and so not only did I make contacts with people I interacted with in other countries, but people who live not far from me in the U.S. No matter what your focus is when you study abroad, you're only benefitting yourself! You make friends, learn about different cultures, and boost your resume potential by having this experience. Even though you still need to work hard, and you should to get the most out of your time abroad, it is a fun opportunity in a challenging way. Yes, studying abroad is more than a vacation, but if you do it right, you'll learn a lot about yourself!
Even though many people think of "studying" abroad as nothing more than travelling, I have to admit that studying abroad was not a vacation. Many people have internships abroad, or study another language with professors that don't speak the students' native language. Don't get me wrong, this experience was challenging in a completely beneficial and fulfilling way, but I think students need to know that most study abroad programs are not a cake walk. You have to attend classes regularly, as most of your grade depends on class participation, and since, in my opinion, temptation to not go to class and not do homework is a bit more prominent while studying abroad, you really have to prioritize.
My Spanish professor did not speak any English. Yes, that was extremely intimidating at the beginning of my program, but I knew I needed to delve in. No professor in any country teaching any language expects the study abroad students to be perfect. Why would students be studying if they already had the subject, language, and culture down pat? Conversations you can have with professors and program directors about the language, culture, and prospective career opportunities will really help you develop contacts within that country if you potentially choose to work there.
And then there is the "vacation" part of studying abroad, which I think is the travelling aspect of it. I studied in Spain, but I travelled to many different countries and met many different people last summer. I made a friend in my study abroad program who travelled with me, and so not only did I make contacts with people I interacted with in other countries, but people who live not far from me in the U.S. No matter what your focus is when you study abroad, you're only benefitting yourself! You make friends, learn about different cultures, and boost your resume potential by having this experience. Even though you still need to work hard, and you should to get the most out of your time abroad, it is a fun opportunity in a challenging way. Yes, studying abroad is more than a vacation, but if you do it right, you'll learn a lot about yourself!
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