***COMPANY SPOTLIGHT***

Click the enterprise logo above to listen to hear about what Management Trainees will learn at Enterprise. Enterprise will be on campus recruiting on Friday, October 10th and they are strong supporters of the Fox School. They are heavily involved in SPO meetings, supporting the CSPD in their endeavors (Including donating the money for the Career Makeover Suit) and many other things on campus. Please make sure to keep an eye out for all of their full time positions and internship opportunities on FoxNet.

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Hey CSPD readers,

It’s been a while since I’ve written and I apologize for that, but I’m back with a new article. I was fortunate enough to have a great job with an online social network startup by the name of Anthillz. Though I no longer work with Anthillz as heavily, due to the fall semester, I think working with a startup was a great experience and I want to try and convey why I think other students might get alot out of the experience like I did. (more…)

Hello Fellow Students,

I am proud to introduce myself as the latest blogger to the CSPD site. I am currently a Business Law Major, and this is my third year attending Temple. I have prior work experience as a Manager for a local pharmacy, and also as an Aide in a Nursing Home. I decided that I wanted to get into Business because I wanted to help people, but through the business aspect of things. Furthermore, Law will strengthen my ability to help people. (more…)

PodCast Episode 5 – Email Etiquette for the Job Search and Beyond

Click above to listen!

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Click on the image above to read an article from “One Day One Job” about how 5 job seeking students utilized Facebook advertisements to get thousands of employees from their Target company to contact them.  This is a really interesting approach to turning the tables on employers and instead of companies posting ads and students click on them, students post the ads and hopefully the employers click on them.  Interesting concept! Check it out!

How To Negotiate Your Salary (Video)

Salary is one of the key elements to factor into a job offer. Remember, it is not the only thing to consider and should be taken into consideration with the whole offer, including benefits, responsibilities, etc. Please watch the movie above which offers some great, simple tips on how to negotiate that starting salary with a prospective employer. (more…)

Evaluating a Job Offer <— Click this link to listen to the CSPD podcast!
5:44 minutes / 5.25 MB / MP3
Have your received one or multiple job offers? Do you need to evaluate each to decide if they are right for you? Learning how to evaluate a job offer and determining what is important to you personally will make the process easier.

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Everyone says since I’m a business major, I should be “networking.”  Sounds great, but I don’t have a clue how to get started.  Any advice????

- Bob R.

Hey Everyone!  I got this question sent over to me through email and I thought it would be helpful for everyone to get some more information on NETWORKING!  I know a lot of students think the whole concept is overwhelming and scary but it really doesn’t have to be.  It is as simple as letting people around you know, you are looking for a job!

Too often students rely on the “mass-email my resume to 1,000 employers” approach and then get discouraged when they only hear from 1 or 2 employers.  There are many success stories of individuals who came across great positions on Monster.com and landed their dream job, but there are far more success stories of individuals who put themselves out there and met the right people, and landed their job that way.  In the most recent surveys, 86% of people have reportedly received their positions through their networking efforts.  Now, your lucky, the Fox School and CSPD have bridged a lot of the gaps for you with employers and many of them are right here on campus many times a year.  You must take advantage of them.  Listed below are the top 10 ways to network!

1. Friends and Family and Family and Friends
   This old cliche of talk to everyone you know couldn’t be more accurate.  You would be amazed at how many business contacts you can come up with if you just take the time to ask your friends, parents, 3rd cousins, and distant uncles who they might know that could help you.  These relationships need to be cultivated and regular updates on your job search are important.
2. Mock Interviews and Industry Resume Critiques
   For weeks on end, every year, the CSPD has employers come into the office for no reason other than to assist our students with perfecting their all too important resume and interviewing skills.  Whether you feel you need your resume critiqued again or not, this is a great way for you to have personal time with an company bigwig or hiring manager.  Use the opportunity to start building a relationship that may pan out to a great contact down the road.  Mock interviews are also a great way to let the employers tell you what they want to hear during an interview.  If your dream job would be to land a position with JPMorgan and you see that they will be here on campus for a few different occasions, make sure you are there!
3. Professional Associations/Organizations
   There are numerous professional associations in the Philadelphia area that focus their meetings on networking and business card exchanges.  Print up a few makeshift business cards and get yourself out there.  The Chamber of Commerce is a good place to start but do some research.  There is a Womens Referral Network  that has a lot of great networking opportunities.  The Young Professionals Network of Philadelphia is a great association to be involved in.  There are also a ton of industry specific organizations to look into!
4. Professors, Faculty, and Alumni
   Talk to your professors.  Many of them have spent years in the field and years maintaining great relationships with others in their industry.  See if they can refer you to anyone to speak to, see if they know of any companies hiring, and let them know of your goals.  Many will be compelled to assist you reach those goals!
5. Informational Interviews
   An informational interview, though underutilized, can be one of the most effective tools in building your network and landing a job.  Find a job you are interested in, find someone who currently holds that job, reach out to them and ask them if they would be willing to give you about 30 minutes of their time, either on the phone or in person.  When you do speak with them, have well thought out and prepared questions such as: How did you get into the field?, what challenges did you face?, What classes would be especially important for me to have on my resume?, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, Do you know anyone else I should speak to that may be able to give me some more information on the field?.  This is how you build your network. After meeting with them be sure to followup with a thank you and keep following up on a regular basis to let them know you are still looking for a job.
6. Target Employers
   Create a list of target employers and identify current contacts affiliated with these companies.  Reach out to each insider offering something to attract their attention- not about asking them for a job!  Make your communication about them, not you!  Let them know you came across an interesting article they might like to read and send over the link, tell them about a good event you attended, etc.
7. Promote your web presence
   As mentioned in a previous blog, publishing and promoting a blog, establishing a web portfolio, joining and interacting on email lists or chats, producing a podcast, publishing an ebook, etc. can be really helpful.  Periodically update these and inform your network contacts about your new developments.
8. Volunteer
   Volunteer for community education programs, school events, sporting activities, etc. where you can meet people and demonstrate your initiative and work ethic.
9. Career Fairs
   In addition to the 2 career fairs through the CSPD, there are numerous other career fairs in the area.  CSPD’s blackboard organization actually has a list of those we have come across in one section.  Use these as a good opportunity to get your name out there and meet some people in a professional setting.  Even if none of the companies particularly interest you, it is a great time to collect some business cards, practice your 30 second elevator speech, and get comfortable speaking with employers about yourself.
10. Send a letter of interest
    Up to 80% of jobs remain unadvertised and hidden.  It is up to you to find this hidden job market.  Just because a company doesn’t have a position posted, doesn’t mean they are not hiring.  Send a letter of interest, much like a cover letter, detailing what type of position you are interested in and ask them to please keep your resume on file for any positions that may open up.  Followup with these employers and try and find someone in your network who knows someone in the company.

These are just 10 ways to broaden your network.  When I was in college, I remember hearing that it normally takes about 25 contacts with people to land an interview.  This is a large number but can come easily if you get out there and network!

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.