I hope that your school year has been as awesome as mine! I cant believe that I am 2 days away from finishing off my junior year at WPI. I had a lot of fun this year and had all sorts of new experiences. One of the most exciting experiences is this gig over at the CDC. I got to meet a ton of new students. I also learned a lot more about some CDC resources and I have been doing everything I can to inform you all! Thanks for checking out these blogs, asking me questions and attending events. I hope that everything has been fun and helpful for you all; I know they have been for me! This job has been a ton of fun because of you guys. I can’t wait to keep doing it again next year!

Speaking of the future! This summer will rock. I prob wont blog too much (or at all really) but I will coming up with super cool ideas! So if you’re feeling creative you should hit me up! When I’m not brain storming I will be doing some awesome lab work in Westford, MA! I would go into more detail but I’m not even sure what I am doing! What I do know is I will be working in a room that looks something like this:

http://www.pinta-elements.com/en/home/competences/architecture/references/project/juniper-networks-westford-massachusetts-usa.html

working things that look a lot like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/junipernetworks/7003980031/

So yeah I am excited!!!!

But yeah Im not the only one with something awesome this summer so congrats to everyone who has already landed a cool gig! Congrats to everyone who is graduating! Congrats to everyone for getting another year or a first year of school under your belt. Congrats for congrats… congrats congrats congrats…

Anyway if you’re still looking for something to do this summer (internship) or the next couple of years (full time) the CDC will be more than happy to help you find that thing. This super cool place will be open all summer so stop by get your resume critiqued, do some job search strategies appointment or just say hi!

That’s enough talking from me! see you next year? or whenever else I decide to blog!

Thanks for stoppin’ by!

- Sam

GE Transportation helps power the travel of trains. http://tinyurl.com/GElocomotive

Well, it’s the end of the Academic Year, and that means I’ll be moving out to Erie, Pennsylvania to work for General Electric Transportation.  Specifically, I’ll be working in Specialized Locomotive Sourcing, which means I’ll be researching, evaluating, and developing proposals for the most quality and affordable goods and services that put together the technology that drives trains.

Erie, Pennsylvania, is right on Lake Erie, about an hour from Pittsburgh. flickr.com

But!  I’ll likely be blogging for the company out there, meaning that should you care to keep up with my blogs over the summer, I will be sure to log into my WPI account here and spread the word about how to keep up with my adventures out there!

Thank you so much to those that have read my blogs and that have received help from my advice – I’ll be around the CDC blogging next year as well, and hope that you’ll find my senior tips and tricks as useful as my junior ones!

Until next time,

Adam

That’s alright.  Me too.  Which is why here’s 5 quick steps you can take to make the most of your last 7 academic days this year at WPI!

Don't underestimate professional social networking. http://tinyurl.com/linkedinmadeeasy

1.  Get on those LinkedIn Recommendations from friends, professors, and advisors.  

Simple, quick, valuable.  Take the time in the Dunkin’ or Food Court line to write someone up on LinkedIn, and ask if they’ll do the same – chances are, they’ll feel humbled and just a little bit obliged to do the same for you!  Endorsements on LinkedIn are also a big plus.

2.  Chop up everything you dislike about your resume.

NO – not ‘revamp’ your resume – just look at it one last time before the

Resumes don't have to be painful. Moderate the editing and it'll be that much easier! http://tinyurl.com/resumemoderation

mid-summer boredom hits, and figure out all those things you really dislike about it.  Then revisit it when you have a breather, and get cranking on the latest version.

3.  You have a JobFinder profile.  If you have it updated, APPLY TO ALL AVAILABLE JOBS!

The beauty of JobFinder is that once you update your personal information, all of that becomes ingrained in the application process, making a few simple clicks of the mouse all you need to submit for a job that they only want WPI students for!  Take advantage of this opportunity with one less visit to Facebook and one more step toward employment.

Even if you're not around Worcester this summer, the CDC is and CAN BE a great resource for you!

4.  Figure out what you enjoy in your field, and Google a few blogs to read over the summer.

Employers love when you can talk up something new and developing in your industry.  The easiest way to do this is to have a professional or business blog take all of that valuable information and bring it to your fingertips via smartphone apps or websites.  Figure out what you are passionate about if you haven’t already, and get those feeds going!

5.  Make a commitment to keep up with a CDC counselor over the summer.

We’re open all summer long, and WANT to hear from you!  This means that counselors will be at the CDC for appointments, phone calls, and even Skype sessions to help with your career advice!

I hope that you found these 5 quick steps helpful in your last Academic Week of the Year, and be sure to email me at amoreschi@wpi.edu for any more peer-to-peer advice!

Until next time,

Adam

BUT!  During this summer, there’s a lot more free time when most of us are away from organizations, academics, and school friend groups, allowing us to fill a little bit of that time with career-related boosters.  Here’s 6 great steps you can take to put you on track and ahead of most people only soaking up rays, and not opportunities as well.

Get on track and stay there this summer! http://workwithorlando.com/mlm-diary/

1.  Do some research into future companies of your interest.

The way to connect with companies is NOT through websites; it’s through people.  And people of influence remember good first impressions.  Study up on the size, services, and values of those top five companies you would LOVE to work for, and come fall 2013, you’ll be ready to talk them up.

2.  Revamp your resume and JobFinder statuses.

Keeping up with the little things matters – imagine if you didn’t get a haircut all year.  People would notice, right?  The same goes for employers that review resumes and JobFinder profiles — don’t be caught with high school creds if you’re a junior at WPI, and don’t state that you’re a freshman on JobFinder if you’re about to be looking for full-time work opportunities!

Don't underestimate a good recommendation! http://mashable.com/2012/05/16/linkedin-recommendations/

3.  Ask for LinkedIn recommendations and consider joining groups/org pages.

Most people only work on asking for recommendations when it comes time for a specific chance at a job or award.  Brainstorm a list of professors, classmates, and advisors with whom you have a healthy relationship, and ask for a few sentences on your character to boost your credentials on LinkedIn.  You can do the same for them!  While you’re at it, consider joining a group or two on LinkedIn that pertain to your industry or involvement.

4.  Reach out to a few contacts that you wanna keep up with either from school or industry.

One of the hardest things to do in networking effectively is keeping up with people at a healthy rate.  During the summer, don’t let your initiative on communication slip — instead, reach out to a few people that might be recommended to you on LinkedIn, or that you have been interested in meeting on campus.  Chances are they’re still around the Worcester area, or would be excited to meet you in the fall!

Don't be caught with an inaccurate resume. It's embarrassing. http://resume-revamp.com/

5.  Check that all your formal clothes still fit!  If not invest in some new ones.

I’m guilty of this one as well — I bought my last suit four years ago.  I’ve grown a little bit since then…*cough* went from 5’10″ to 6’1″… *cough*  Don’t be caught two days before the next networking event or career fair with a tiny suit or shirt/tie combo!  There are usually great summer sales at men’s and women’s professional clothing outlets in the summer.

6.  Keep up with the CDC!  We’re open all summer long!! 

Take the opportunity to walk into the office to have an appointment, learn about WPI student resources, or even Skype call into a counselor’s open hours — we’re open all summer, and want YOU to have the chance to improve your professional profile throughout the entire year!

Career initiative is never easy.  But when you put a few minutes aside every week to improve something positive, from LinkedIn and your wardrobe to researching your industry, it makes all the difference!

Feel free to email me at amoreschi@wpi.edu with questions you might have about your career profile or the CDC in general!
Until next time,

Adam

So this week is cool with Quadfest going on but it turns out Thursday has an awesome event. I know everyone is thinking, I am talking about their MQP presentations but no! I am sure those will be awesome and good luck to all the presenters. The presentation I had in mind is a presentation on leaderships skills.

In case the email got deleted, you should check this out:

Time to Leverage Those Leadership Skills – April 18^th, 6pm, OH 107

http://www.empowernetwork.com/withdee/files/2012/11/leadership-skills.jpg

This presentation will help you figure out how to align your skills with the top skills that companies say they are looking for in new hires. The event is co-sponsored with the Student Activities Office and SocComm (as part of QuadFest) and will be fun and interactive for prizes! There will be FREE FOOD, raffles to win gift cards, WPI and SocComm giveaways, and a KINDLE FIRE!  Attendees will also receive a free CDC water bottle!

 Even if you already know how to market your leadership skills you should still swing by! The prizes are sick and dinner is on us! You can’t lose! Oh yeah it will also be insightful!

 Hopefully I will see you there.

Thanks for stoppin’ by
- Sam

LinkedIn is where social media meets opportunity. http://tinyurl.com/linkedinphotoshot

The students that speak like this either don’t truly care about their LinkedIn profiles, or they don’t really understand how to leverage LinkedIn to their advantage.  In the past three years, LinkedIn as grown exponentially (up 58 Million users since 2011!) and with over 5 billion searches in the last year, it’s no longer considered Facebook’s ugly duckling of a cousin.

Check out the 7 value I personally find within LinkedIn for students like you and me:

1.  The number of of users (200,000,000+).  It’s…well, a lot.

Not only that – LinkedIn does this really cool thing where instead of being that annoying relative at the family party who can’t wait to tell you all about “their cousin’s niece’s friend from Nypro,” LinkedIn takes all of that information and places a “1st” or “2nd” right next to the name of someone if you happen to be connected through a network affiliation.  Pretty sweet, right?

The world's not so small anymore. Neither is LinkedIn. http://tinyurl.com/worldislinkedin

2.  Facebook is great, but LinkedIn is your professional social media outlet.

The beauty of LinkedIn is that is somehow made the concept of resumes and job searches interesting and appealing.  In fact, with updates like the Notifications, Messages, and Requests to Connect, it’s really not too far from the Facebook model, except you’ve got a shirt and tie in your Profile Picture instead of a adorable animals or friends planking.

3.  It’s got relevant business articles that give you something to talk about.

Sometimes I really want to talk to an employer to gain a good impression, but after talking about an opportunity or event at hand, things tend to simmer down and get awkward.  By reading a few of LinkedIn’s easily available articles pulled from sources like the Huffington Post and Forbes.com, you’ve now got some relevant things to mention in that industry.

Haven’t got that for that?  Well LinkedIn’s got a mobile app (of course) – so use that elevator time or wait in the Dunkin’ line to get less aggravated and more educated!

4.  You’re always in the know!

I hate trying to keep up with everyone’s business – thankfully LinkedIn does that for me.  By notifying users about work anniversaries coming up, job changes, and how to improve your profile, it’s like a personal assistant that you don’t have to remember to feed.

LinkedIn Insights have all the things Facebook does. But without so many teenage users or "lawlz" comments.

5.  LinkedIn Groups are networking gold.

My co-worker recently told me about this really epic group called “Network After Work” that you have to request to get into – it’s basically a cool way to keep a job and meet new people without sending the wrong impression.  Uh – why not join?!  With groups like this, there are 12,000+ organizations on LinkedIn to create powerful conversations through.(Network After Work; Professional Societies; university pages; CDC page)

6.  Building credibility outside of a resume.  

Endorsements from friends.  Recommendations from professors.  Personal websites or portfolios.  Even technical skills and course work that don’t fit on one page.  LinkedIn’s the place to put your life’s work in a beautiful interactive display.

7.  It’s only growing from here.

With such credibility and extensive interactions, LinkedIn is only going upward in importance and workplace relevance.  If you don’t have one yet — well, you’re missing out!

Happen to miss our CDC LinkedIn Lab this past week on campus?  Talk with a counselor in Walk-In Hours or consult one of us in the Peer Advisor staff for more info on it!  Lastly, you can check out JobFinder’s “LinkedIn And Your Job Search” CDC Handout, found under the Resources Tab of JobFinder for more info.  Or, check out the articles listed at the bottom of this blog!

As always, thanks for listening to my rants and feel free to hit me up at amoreschi@wpi.edu for any job-related tips or inquiries!

Later,

Adam

Sources of info:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/joshbersin/2012/05/07/linkedins-growth-continues-fueling-the-corporate-talent-machine/

http://visual.ly/top-5-linkedin-stats-nov-2012

http://press.linkedin.com/about

http://excelle.monster.com/nfs/excelle/attachment_images/0010/5953/interview1_crop380w.jpg?1282060605

Companies conduct phone interviews to get a better idea about candidates before inviting them for on-site, face to face interviews. Phone interviews usually last 15 to 30 minutes and mainly focus on your resume. Most likely an HR person calls you up and asks you to explain your past experiences on your resume.

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17r3boqljaq5ajpg/original.jpg

Try to be concise when you’re explaining your experiences. Pay attention to answering two questions: “What did I complete/accomplish during this experience?” and “What did I learn/gain from this experience?”.

As with any kind of interview, preparation is the key. You can use “The Phone Interview” handout which is located at the CDC front office on the turning handout stile. This handout addresses all the questions you might have about phone interviews and has a list of commonly asked questions at the end of it.

Another way to search for common phone interview questions and tips is of course Google. I typed in the word phone interview questions and clicked on a couple websites to get a general idea. The two websites that I found useful were:

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/a/phoneintervquest.htm

http://blog.simplyhired.com/2011/12/how-to-handle-the-five-killer-telephone-interview-questions.html

To make things easier for yourself, you can come up with answers to these questions and take short notes on each one. Then have printed copies of your resume, cover letter, job description and your answers to common phone interview questions in front of you during the call. This will save you from trouble if you need to come up with an answer on the spot, you can simply check your notes (cheat sheet)!

You can also practice with a friend. At first, it feels a little funny and it’s hard to keep a straight face, but you can give the list of questions to your friend and have them ask you the questions either face to face or on the phone. Practice and preparation will help you relax and be ready to ace that phone call! It’s not as nerve-racking as you think, just follow my suggestions.

Good luck with the job hunt!

Evy

http://tinyurl.com/internshipcomeapril

It makes me sad when I hear students say this around campus in April, because 1) WPI gets out SO much earlier than the majority of universities around the Northeast; 2) there is still ample time to apply to as many as 10-20 jobs PER WEEK on JobFinder, and 3) no offense people, but if you want a great opportunity, you’re going to need less social media time and more gear-grinding searches!

http://tinyurl.com/takingachance

Try sticking to some of this advice, and if you’re still having trouble, see some of my past blog tips and tricks to see if those work out!

Network With Your Network.

The one flaw that even LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google have yet to pinpoint is how truly extensive personal networks are – within companies, with colleagues of friends who know people, even with your past schoolteachers whose best friend from that town over knows someone who went to school with you.  Yeah.  It’s crazy.  And it’s true!  Ask around your personal connections and see how they can help you out.  Even your friends on campus and professors can be a resource: THE WORST THEY CAN SAY IS NO!

JobFinder, CareerSearch, and CDC Appointments

This is the spoken word of almost every CDC advertisement on campus, and guess what?  I’ll preach it again!  The simple yet powerful effects of effective job searches start online nowadays, and by building your profiles on JobFinder and CareerSearch (Log into JobFinder to see it on the right-hand column: blows up the search to thousands of companies NEAR YOUR HOMETOWN) is the way to do it.

Also!  Never underestimate the help and importance of CDC appointments – walk-ins are Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10am-4pm and will point you in the right direction for getting that search off the ground smoothly.

http://tinyurl.com/utilizeyournetwork

Don’t be afraid to take a chance.

More often than not I run into friends on campus that will only attend a certain event or opportunity if they know other people that will be going – the problem, however, is that people don’t personally leverage themselves in this case, and thus lose out on the opportunity in both cases.  Don’t be afraid to attend an event or run with a new program, it may just lead to that next open door!  Prime example: TONIGHT – a CDC-facilitated workshop on How To Find An Internship Or Job, being held in Salisbury Labs 407 at 6:00pm.

For more tips, tricks, and other helpful advice, be sure to check out our full website when you can!  Posts from Evy and Sam are equally as helpful.

Until next time!  Email me at amoreschi@wpi.edu with any of your concerns!

-Adam

http://9gag.com/gag/6336091

Let me know what works for you guys and please share your experience with me!

Thanks for stoppin’ by
- Sam

As all of you are aware, the Life Sciences Career Fair, which is the last career fair of the year is happening tomorrow! You probably did all the related work throughout the year. Got your resume critiqued, attended some info sessions organized by CDC, attended company info sessions and anything that might get your foot on the way for an internship or job. Now this is the last jump. Do yourself a favor and log onto JobFinder and check out the companies that are coming. Currently there are 29 that is signed up and most of them offer both internship and full time jobs!

One little tip from me: Have a professional looking, pocket notebook and write information about each company. Check out the descriptions on JobFinder and go on the company websites. Write down short notes about positions available, easy-to-remember facts about the company, company values, your experiences that relate the the available positions. This way you can skim through your little notebook while you’re walking around the career fair and plan what you’re going to talk about to the employers.

You can check your notes before you walk into the Rec Center, while you’re waiting in line to talk to an employee, etc. Also pick 1 or 2 companies and utilize them as a ‘experiment table’. Go talk to these companies first to get rid of your rustiness in talking and practice your elevator pitch on them. This way, once you stop by that company that you really want to work for, you’re all prepared and ready to go. Follow my advice and see how it makes a positive change.

Good luck out there tomorrow! 

Evy