Check out the awesome article here written by Brandon Laush about Fox School Accounting Student, Marcus Jones.

http://sbm.temple.edu/features/marcus_jones.html

There’s been no shortage of warnings about the career dangers of posting racy content on sites like Facebook and Twitter. Yet many job hunters still don’t heed that advice, and others don’t realize they’re doing just as much damage by doing things like bending the truth or spamming their résumés. Recruiters say such faux-pas can result in immediate and lasting career damage.

“You’re going to be remembered—and not in a positive way,” says Colleen McCreary, chief people officer for Zynga Game Network Inc., a San Francisco developer of social games including FarmVille. “Recruiters move around a lot from company to company, and that can carry on with them for a long period of time.”

Job hunters also regularly flub by submitting their résumés to multiple recruiters and hiring managers at a single firm. “What they’re doing is a huge turn off because it sucks up a lot of time for people,” says Ms. McCreary.

Likewise, job hunters repeatedly derail their chances by applying for positions for which they don’t even meet the basic requirements. “There are a few people out there who seem to see it fit to apply to every job we ever post,” says Dan Goldsmith, a managing partner at AC Lion, an executive-search firm in New York. “Those people just go right in the trash folder.”

There are also job hunters who repeatedly send the same recruiters their résumés year after year, which can give the impression that they’re desperate or a job hopper, adds Mr. Goldsmith.

Liars make up another category of memorable job hunters. “People will say they graduated from [a] school and you find out from looking online that… they just took a course,” says Ms. McCreary.

Executive recruiter Russ Riendeau says he checks candidates’ résumés against their LinkedIn profiles and often discovers discrepancies. “It’s helping me assess whether candidate is indeed who they say they are,” says Mr. Riendeau, a partner at East Wing Group, a search firm in Barrington, Ill. Résumés should tell a candidate’s full story, he says.

Meanwhile, many job hunters are also continuing to overlook the dangers of posting provocative photos and other dubious content on social-media sites. Case in point: Recruiter Lori Fenstermaker says she lost interest in a recent candidate for a legal-assistant job after finding her raunchy MySpace profile. “She represented herself in a way that would not align with the company’s philosophy and ethics,” says Ms. Fenstermaker, founder of Automatic LLC, a search firm in Grand Rapids, Mich. “Anything someone publishes online could knock a person out of the running per se.”

There are also some job hunters who are unwittingly going out of their way to spoil their prospects. Last year, a candidate for a senior client-services position invited Mr. Goldsmith to be part of his Facebook network. After accepting, the recruiter found a semi-nude photo of the candidate, prompting Mr. Goldsmith to withdraw this person from consideration. “It was so horribly inappropriate,” the recruiter recalls. “To flaunt that with such a lack of sensitivity to professional decorum is very disquieting.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704107204575039361105870740.html?mod=WSJ_Careers_CareerJournal_4

“Don’t let school get in the way of education” – Mark Twin, Author

What does Mark Twin mean by this? Isnt your education all about classes? 

While your education is very much based on the practical knowlege gained in the classroom, I have seen it so many times where student say that they are going to college…but really they are going to “classes.”  College is an opportunity to explore and experiment, decide what you love to do and sometimes more importantly what you hate to do, and it is the perfect time to discover what you are passionate about and decide how that translates to the rest of your life  in the “real world.”  Now I am not by any means saying that classe are not important, because they absolutely are, but what I am saying is that just going to class will not provide you with the FULL college experience. 

So how do you get this said “college experience?”  GET INVOLVED!

Did you know that Temple University has over 200 student organizations?  21 of those organizations are housed right here in the Fox School.  Check out the list of Fox SPO’s (Student Professional Organizations) right here.  Student organizations can be a wonderful tool for any student and will provide you with a great group of like minded students who many say become their “family” here on campus.  They also will introduce you to many business/major related topics pertinent to your interests and the networking opportunities are exceptional.  Many of the active orgnaizations on campus bring in corporate representatives, recruiters from companies, or high level professionals to talk about their careers, missteps in getting there, and how they became successful.  Many students have found internships and full time positions just by networking with these guest speakers.

How else can you get invovled? 

Volunteer…Temple has a ton of great service organizations on campus and the Philadelphia area is definitely full of them.  Check out some of the ways to volunteer here.

Start an organization…I dont care if your passion is skateboarding or scrapbooking…starting an organization on campus is a great way to get involved and gain the leadership experience that employers are looking for on a resume.  If an organization does not already exist for one of your interests, find others who share the same interests, and start your own!

Work on campus…Temple has a lot of work study/student worker opportunities.  Check out the jobs currently available through the student jobs portal on TUPortal or stop by a particular department and see what needs they may have.

10 Types of Interviewers

Find Jobs

Interviewing for a job comes with several question marks. What do I wear? How should I answer this question? How long will this take? A good job seeker prepares. Take your suit to the cleaners. Think about your answers. Arrive for the interview in plenty of time.

Internships are considered the Key to Career Success.  If you look at an internship as an extended interview you will understand how important it is to maximize your internship experiece.  There are many Fox School students who will be embarking on their first, second, some even third, internship experience this summer.  Below are 4 main goals for your internship.

1. Develop new skills
   Exhibit a can do attitude.  Pass the attitude test and you are on your way to success.  Take on with enthusiasm, ANY task assigned, no matter how small.  Take the initiative to acquire new skills.  Take your assignments seriously and build a reputation for being dependable, diligent and accurate in your work.  You may encounter ambiguity in the work environment, so seek direction and ask questions.  Also, set realistic goals and expectations!  A learning agenda is what distinguishes a short-term job from an internship.  This is a critical element, often times overlooked.  Determine with your supervisor the specific skills and competencies you wish to acquire.  IT IS UP TO YOU to establish a correlation between your learning goals and daily tasks.  Maintain a journal of activities and accomplishments and seek regular reviews from your supervisor to assess your performance. 
2. Show your capabilities
   Assume that everyone knows m ore than you do, however, do not be afraid to offer useful ideas that may save time or money or solve problems.  Employers greatly value assertiveness but not aggressiveness.  Learn how to properly address colleagues and customers, and maintain a pleasant and respectful demeanor with others.  Be a team player.  Learn how your assignments fit into the grand scheme of things and keep a keen eye on getting the job done.  Success if often defined by your ability to get along with and interact with others.  You’re a winner only if your team wins in the working world.
3. Learn about the company
   Get to know co-workers early in your internship.  These colleagues will help you quickly “figure out” the culture.  Being the “new kid” is like being a freshman- you will need to adapt, observe, learn and process a large volume of information.  Watch closely how things get done, ask questions and pay attention to how people interact with eachother.  Also, get a mentor.  Identify at least one individual to serve as your mentor that is willing to take a personal interest in your professional development.  Ask other seasoned employers to share knowledge, perspectives, and insight.  Get noticed-  many more people thant you are first realize will have a role in determing your future.
4. Assess “fit” between you and the company
   Understand the company so if a full time job offer is presented to you, you can make an intelligent and well thought out decision on your fit within the organization.  Remember to take into account:
             Friendly or formal environment?
             Team based or independent working environment?
             Structured or loose culture?
             How are decisions made?
             How are employees valued?
             What types of attributes gain recognition?
             What professional development opportunites are available?
             What is the work/life balance?

There are a lot of things to think about on an internship but most importantly…have fun!

NACE, The National Association of Colleges and Employers, the governing body of many Career Services and hiring managers, has issued its newest statistics on the importance of the internship.

Following are some highlights from the 2008 NACE Experiential Education Survey:

• The percent of interns receiving full time job offers as a result of their internships increased from 56.9% in 2001 to 69.6% in 2008.
• The percent of interns converted to full time employees (those offered jobs that accepted) has increased from 35.6% in 2001 to 50.5% in 2008.
• “High-Touch” activities are rated as the most effective recruiting methods in filling internship positions and are also the most widely used.  Participating in career fairs, recruiting on campus, and getting referrals from interns lead the list of the most widely used and effective recruiting techniques.
• The paid internship is a nearly univeral practice among respondents to the survey…More than 99% of respondents reported paid internships within their organization. (This is true here at The Fox School as well.  Many of our internships pay between $15 and $23 an hour!  The national average is $16.33 per hour.)
• The most widely applied benefit for interns is the copmany-sponsored social event.  2/3 of respondents indicated underwriting such activities for their interns.
• 1 out of 2 employers provides their interns with paid holidays and 45% provide some level of relocation assistance.

As you can see from the above statistics, there is a lot of proof as to the importance of the internship and how it can lead to a full time job offer.  Remember, many employers use their internship program as their feeder for their full time college hiring.  For these employers it is difficult to be hired out of college, if you dont have previous internship experience at their organization! 

If you are still interested in a summer internship, check FoxNet!  We still have a lot of great internship opportunities for students interested in interning this summer.

The telephone interview or screening call is becoming more and more popular and many students will be faced with a telephone interview during their job search.  A phone interview has many advantages for both the employer and the interviewee, but some disadvantages as well.  An employer can conduct a phone interview rather quickly, the cost is less, and the list of questions can be standardized.  You will be able to keep in front of you a record of your achievements, i.e. a resume, and also a cheat sheet of some other details you would like to talk about, including the job description and information on the company.

You are unlikely to win a job offer from a phone interview, so you goal is to secure an in-person interview with someone who has the authority to make a hiring decision.  Approach the call with that attitude.  If you recieve a “surprise” phone call from an employer when you are not prepared, professionally ask to reschedule and confirm a date and time. 

Before the phone interview gather:

Make sure you have made all resonable changes to your environment to take away any distractions.  Turn off all TV’s, computers, cell phones, etc. and let anyone else in the area know what you are doing and ask not to be distrubed.
 
During the call:

For a stand-out performance:

Please share any additional questions or concerns about a face-to-face or telephone interview in the comments section and I will be sure to answer!

Take a moment to google yourself…Go ahead…. What comes up when you search your name on the internet?  Your Myspace page?  An old paper you wrote freshmen year?  A newspaper article documenting your latest volunteer service or an article on your arrest from high school?  Now imagine an employer doing this…would they get the RIGHT impression of you? 

 This whole topic of managing your online image has become increasingly important in this connected world.  It is extremely important to realize that your “E-portfolio” can have a very strong impact on your hireability.  Hiring managers agree that having a professional online presence has become more crucial.  Getting a job may rely on your online footprint and the management of your personal brand. 

Here are some statistics:

44% of hiring managers use google, myspace, and facebook to do online background checks on candidates. 
Nearly 1/3 of these background checks lead to rejection of a candidate!!  Thats huge!!

The E-Portfolio is the newest career tool in this era of job hunting!  Take advantage of it.  The E-Portfolio will give you a competitive edge and will give you a positive online image if an employer were to search for you online.  I will be giving you all the details on how to create your very own E-Portfolio or online image!

So what exactly is an online image or E-Portfolio? 
It gives you an opportunity to communicate with a large audience and be part of a large social audience that you may not have had the opportunity to reach with traditional methods.

Some Tips on creating your own online image:

1. Join Linkedin.com.  This is a great site that will allow you to create a professional social networking “resume” and allows you the chance to connect to a lot of great contacts.  Your linkedin.com profile will also show up when you google your name.  Use this to your advantage and list all of your strengths, education, and experience using well written short descriptions. 
2. Start a blog.  Starting a blog is not just for people with uncommon niche interests.  Find a topic you find interesting and is relevent to your professional life and write in it often.  Read other blogs on industry news and comment.  All of these small things will help to create a good social presence for your on the internet. 
3. Check your myspace and facebook profiles.  If there is anything that would give an employer the wrong impression of you, take it down!  Pictures should be professional.  You can stand out from the pack if you use your myspace or facebook page as another tool in your job search strategy.  Not everyone has the attitude of “its just a social profile.”  Make sure all privacy settings are enabled so only close friends can see things about you.
4. For those more web saavy people, start a website or create an online resume.  These can be great additions to your paper resume and you can certainly include a link to your online resume on your paper resume and in any footings or signatures of any emails you send to employers regarding your job search.   You can detail more experiences, share some volunteer experiences and even include pictures, showcase some examples of your work.  Be careful with this though….professionalism is of utmost importance.

Utilizing these simple steps will allow some really interesting information to pop up when a potential employer runs their background check on you.  If they google you and find your linkedin page, a really interesting comment on a professional blog related to your industry, and a sample of your marketing collateral created in a class, you one step closer to that new job!

During your job search your IMAGE is everything.  Your professional image is made up of 5 components:  

I – Impression

Students make and leave impressions with every employer they make contact with, whether it be at a networking event, interview, or another social setting.  You have to remember that impressions are remembered.  Think about how long it takes you to make a judgement on a new professor, potential date, or coworker.  Whether positive or negative, these judgements make lasting impressions.  Immediately establishing yourself as a credible and valuable resource will save you time and energy on trying to prove this down the road.

M – Movement

The evaluation of your non-verbal cues, or movement, will begin as soon as you enter an employers lobby, and will continue until the interview is finished.   Make eye contact, smile and nod appropriately, dont slouch, sit all the way back in your chair and lean forward to appear engaged and interested, all of these are important non verbal cues that an interviewer will be looking for.

 A – Attitude

Many things in an interview are out of your control but your attitude is the one thing you have complete control over, take advantage of it.  We all have a choice every day if we will embrace a positive or negative attidue.  Your positive attitude, and a smile during even a telephone call, will be noted by an employer.  You can hear a smile!  Show your enthusiasm for a position and stand out!

 G – Grooming

This is stressed time and time again but for due reason.  It is certainly important to make sure you’re dressed for an interview (nice pressed suit, good shoes, etc.) but it is equally important that personally you are looking your best.  Make sure your hair is neat and conservative, no crazy colors or styles, your nails are trimmed, and for the men, any facial hair is well groomed.  It would be a shame to answer every question well in an interview but to lose points because you forgot to take off that crazy, half chipped bright green nail polish!

E – Etiquette

Understanding how to handle yourself at a business meeting, company party, or over dinner is crucial to your success.  Simple things to remember, your bread is on the left and drink on the right, never order any alcohol or the most expensive entree on the menu, keep to simple foods that aren’t messy, and always follow the lead of the employers.  Watch what what they do, and when they do it, and follow suit. 

All components of your image are definitely in your control.  Make the most of your image and give yourself the advantage to succeed.

Bizarre Interview questions… We hear so much about them, but what purpose do they serve?

I recently sat down with a student who had just been on an interview and wanted to review his answers and his performance.  He said he felt great, looked professional, nailed every question….And then…the employer asked him, “If you could be a tree, what kind would you be and why?”

These types of questions are creeping up in more and more interviews.  More importantly than finding the right answer, which there may not even be, it is important that you understand WHY the questions are being asked.  Employers know that you are being trained on the interview process, you can find many interview questions specific to company on the internet, and many people are great at telling the employers what they want to hear.  These off-the-wall questions allow the employer to see how you think on your feet and also let them see a little more into your personality.

Sample questions:
If Hollywood made a movie of your life, who would play the lead role and why?
If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?
How do I rate as an interviewer?
If you could have lunch with anyone, dead or alive, fictional or real, who would you pick and why?
Why are manhole covers round and not square?
How many golf balls would it take to fill a VW Beetle?

So remember the next time you’re on an interview and the employer, with a huge smile on his face, asks you one of these questions, take the time to think through what is being asked, pause to formulate a coherent answer, smile, and be honest.  It is a great way to bring a personal element to the interivew and break the tension.  The student mentioned above did just that and said to the employer, “If I could be a tree, I would be a Christmas tree, so at least someone would love me once a year.”  He got the job.

So, if you could have lunch with anyone, dead or alive, fictional or real, who would it be and why??