Updating Your Resume

As Finals Week winds down, many students are starting to look for jobs. Seniors are often focused on finding “full-time” jobs, while many underclassmen are looking for summer jobs or internships. No matter what you’re looking for, it’s important that you have a current resume that will help you to stand out to potential employers. Career Services is open all summer (Monday-Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm) to help you with writing/updating your resume. If you want to meet with a staff member in Career Services to work on your resume, please call 503.943.7201 to set up an appointment. And if you’re heading home for the summer, we’re happy to set up a phone appointment if that works better for you.

In the meantime, here’s an article with some tips for writing a strong resume: http://www.careerealism.com/top-resume-words/. 

In case we don’t see you before you leave, have a great summer!

Written by Mary Beth

Research Yourself

Interviews can be scary, easy, or unsettling, but they’re not the end of the world.  When approaching an interview, I try not to stress or think about its significance or the impact it will have on my life.  It is just a conversation that tends to go by quickly.  Yet, it is formal in the sense that one must be appropriate and remember that it is a professional setting.  In my opinion, expressing your true self is the most important aspect of an interview.  But how are you supposed to convey your real personality and character in such a brief time and with the increased anxiety you feel from answering unknown questions?  This is the hardest part of an interview for me, especially because I don’t like to talk about myself.  However, my solution for this predicament is to research yourself.  What does this mean?  Well, the most basic definition of this sort of research is finding an answer to the most basic interview questions about skills, strengths, and weaknesses.  I have found that it is easier to think of these personal attributes over time instead of on the spot.  When asked in the moment, I blank.  So it has been helpful for me to keep a list of things that I do well or that come easy to me.  If it suddenly pops into my head one day, “Oh, I am really good at this,” then I will make a note of it.  Taking notes of certain group work or projects can be valuable too.  My cell phone usually holds my notes, but a Word document or a particular piece of paper can also work.  By knowing more about myself, I can be and feel more confident in an interview.  So my advice is research yourself.  It will make a difference.

Written by Jonathan, a Junior Organizational Communication Major

Spend the Summer Feeling Productive!

There are only about 5 more weeks until this semester is over, so this is prime time to start thinking about how you’re going to spend those upcoming four months. Instead of going back to your hometown, wondering where all your high school friends are, try making this summer a productive one!

One great way to do so is to find a summer job or volunteer experience. By attaining a summer job, you can get helpful experience to include on your resume and you can earn extra money to use during the school year. With so many people getting out of school at the same time, these opportunities often get filled fast. I’d suggest getting started on your search right now, so below are some helpful resources:

•  UP Online Job Board, http://www.collegecentral.com/up/ – Try visiting the UP Job Board to find a job. The jobs and internships posted on this website are from employers who specifically contact Career Services to employ UP students or graduates. That means they’re already looking for students like you and the public might not know about these job opportunities, unlike other job boards like Craigslist or Monster.

•  Portland Parks & Recreation, http://www.pdxparks.org/job_board/output/db/jobs_List.asp – Portland Parks & Recreation is actively looking for students to be Playground Activity Leaders and Day Camp Instructors this summer! The dates of employment are June 21^st-August 15^th. This position is perfect for students who have experience working with youth and/or have a passion for that population. Why not spend this summer playing outside with kids and showing off your leadership skills.

• Summer Camps, http://www.ymca.net/career-opportunities/camp-positions.html – Another similar way to spend your summer fostering youth development is to be a camp instructor through the YMCA. The YMCA has day camps and residential camps all over the country. Take a look at their website and see if there’s a camp in your home state!

• Interns for Justice, http://wordpress.up.edu/moreauservelearn/interns-for-justice/ – The Interns for Justice Program invites University of Portland students to engage in summer service with local community partners serving underserved and marginalized populations throughout the summer. While this is an amazing program to embark on in general, students also get an $800-$1000 UP scholarship and a summer stipend to assist with living expenses.

• Volunteering, http://www.up.edu/moreaucenter/ & http://wordpress.up.edu/moreauvolunteerblog/ – Volunteering is a great way to spend your summer and gain experience working with people from different walks of life. You can volunteer with one organization throughout the summer or even try a different volunteering opportunity each week! Check out the Moreau Center website to see current opportunities in the community.

Written by Lissy

Career Fair Tomorrow!

Are you going to the First Avenue Career & Grad School Fair on Friday, 3/2 from 11 am to 3 pm in the Chiles Center? Here’s what you need to know…

Review the 2012 Schedule of Events

Remember that a little research goes a long way, so take some time to find what organizations will be at the fair: 2012 Attending Organizations

Take advantage of additional networking opportunities:

• Panel: Employer Point of View (10 – 10:45 am): Hear from recruiters about what they are seeking in applicants.
• Panel: Getting a Job in Public Service with the Federal Government (11 – 11:45 am)
• Panel: Getting Into Grad School (12 – 12:45 pm): What admissions reps want you to know.
• Contacts & Connections: Career Conversations with Industry Pros (1:30 – 3 pm): Don’t miss this opportunity to network with professionals.

Below are some tips on how you should prepare for the career fair: First Avenue Career & Grad School Prep

Feel free to contact Career Services (Orrico Hall, Lower Level) at 503.943.7201 or career@up.edu if you have any questions.

We hope to see you there!

Benefits of Attending a Career Fair

After tabling in the Commons and talking to a few classes about the upcoming First Avenue Career & Grad School Fair, I realized a lot of people don’t recognize the benefits of going to a career fair. Students asked me, “Why should I go?” or they said, “I’m doing clinicals/field experience/practicum and will probably get a job through that.” However, career fairs are not only great opportunities for discovering employment possibilities, they’re also prime occasions to expand your network, perfect your interview skills, and gain valuable industry information.

Students may write off career fairs as a means of searching for a job, but according to a SHRM/Career Journal Poll Search Tactics Survey, over 70% of human resources departments rely on job fairs to recruit employees. At a career fair, students get to inquire about available and upcoming positions with organizations. You’re also able to submit your resume in person to company recruiters—which puts you at an advantage in the hiring process! The First Avenue Career & Grad School Fair is also a valuable resource to discover grad school options. Students can meet grad school faculty, staff, and other students to talk about admission and ask questions about the school. Even if you don’t feel ready to search for jobs or grad schools, the First Avenue Career & Grad School Fair will have organizations that are looking for interns. You can introduce yourself and talk to representatives from a multitude of organizations that you might spike your interest in interning. If you aren’t sure about jobs, grad schools, or internships, you can still go to the career fair just to see examples of different career paths for your major or field of study. This is also a worthwhile time to practice interview and networking skills. You’ll have more skilled experience in talking to professionals just by visiting a career fair and intentionally chatting to recruiters.

Going to a career fair is a great chance to explore a broad spectrum of internships, jobs, and grad schools all at one time and in one location. It’s never too early to start looking or practicing your skills!

Written by Lissy

Saying “No” to Myself

I am an over-extender. In efforts to be the best that I can, I take on project after project. It is so hard for me to simply say “no.” I think this is because I have always prided myself in being the best at juggling commitments—being that girl who could do everything at the same time and still make it look effortless. I would say things like: “Sure, I’ll be in another club” or “I’d love to help you with that research” or “Let’s start a community forum” and “Oh, I just have 3 jobs and 2 internships, no big deal.”

However, things eventually had to fall apart—which actually wasn’t a bad thing. My schedule got too full. I was double-booking myself, not meeting deadlines, losing sleep, and forgetting everything! Most importantly, all those commitments I wanted so badly to be perfect at weren’t actually getting the effort they deserved.  But what does someone do when it seems like their world is crumbling around them? I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. I didn’t want to be a failure. It took my life getting this bad for me to realize: You are the only one who can say “No” to yourself.

So that’s what I did. I took hold of my life and started saying no. I learned that being spread too thin wasn’t good for me or anyone I was making commitments to. To make these changes for the better, I didn’t think of my actions as “quitting”; I just picked the commitments that really counted to me. I started making true dedication to only the parts of my life I was passionate about—and had time for. And you know what? I’m much happier now and so are my professors, my employers, and even my friends.

Written by Lissy

What is a volunteer coordinator?

While looking for jobs and/or internships, you should definitely keep an eye out for opportunities to become a volunteer coordinator. I have been working as a volunteer coordinator for a local non-profit for the last 9 months and I absolutely love it! This type of position is ideal experience for students. Students can get their feet wet in a number of skills, such as networking, management, interpersonal communication, marketing, and community outreach.

My position as a volunteer coordinator requires me to be a liaison to over 300 volunteers in the Portland metro area. Communicating with that many members of the community means on-going networking with individuals in all sorts of positions. Many of the people who I coordinate with are leaders in the community such as politicians and non-profit program directors. These constant networking opportunities are great because I get to make valuable connections with people in the professional field that I’m interested in. These connections are also helpful for the organization I’m interning with because it provides a framework to build community coalitions on.

I’m also in charge of recruitment and screening of potential volunteers, as well as providing training and support. This management experience has taught me how to be a point-of-contact and hospitality leader. Before this internship I had no idea how much recognition and appreciation means to volunteers and employees. I’ve learned that it’s necessary to make personal appreciations for everyone’s efforts in an organization and how to coordinate appreciation events to address this need.

Managing volunteers also calls for the ability to draw on volunteers’ skill sets for special organizational projects or events. This means actively communicating with volunteers and effectively getting to know aspects of their lives, like their special talents and what their work schedules look like. I communicate regularly with volunteers through physical check-ins, phone calls, and emails. In order to fully conceptualize and keep track of volunteer information, I’ve been trained to create and utilize spreadsheet applications to maintain a list of the organization’s volunteers. I also utilize my data entry skills to schedule and log volunteer hours for the organization—which is vital to secure grants for a non-profit. Although communication and data entry skills are particularly helpful for me to have as a future social worker, these skills would come in handy for any future job.

After learning so much about management and gaining experiential knowledge during this internship, I would fully recommend this type of experience to other students. I feel more equipped to work with the community and with staff in the future. I’m also more confident with my skills in communication and networking—which could help me secure a full-time job when I finish up school.

Written by Lissy, a senior Social Work major

First-Aid Certification

Have you ever seen an employment opportunity that asks for applicants to be First-Aid/CPR/AED certified?

After going through employment opportunities on our school’s College Central job board (http://www.collegecentral.com/up/), I noticed that employers often include “First-Aid/CPR/AED certification preferred” on candidate qualifications. However, you shouldn’t let this qualifier stop you if you’re not currently certified! Becoming First-Aid/CPR/AED certified generally only takes 6-7 hours of coursework and is a $110.00 investment that goes a long way. Many jobs in the healthcare field require First-Aid/CPR/AED certification, as well as jobs that work with children. Most families looking for babysitters or nannies even ask for this certification. The process of becoming certified is pretty easy and accessible.

During First Aid certification, participants “learn to recognize and care for a variety of first aid emergencies, such as burns, cuts and scrapes, sudden illnesses, head, neck and back injuries, and heat and cold emergencies” (American Red Cross, 2011). CPR certification is split into two different categories based on age groups: CPR Adult or CPR Child & Infant. CPR Adult certification gives participants the tools “to perform CPR and care for breathing and cardiac emergencies in adults,” while CPR Child & Infant certification helps participants “learn how to prevent, recognize and respond to cardiac and breathing emergencies in infants and children under 12” (American Red Cross, 2011). Some certification classes offer coursework in both categories, while other classes only certify for one age group. The last portion of First-Aid/CPR/AED certification, AED certification is less widely asked for, but can be just as important. This certification is when “participants learn how to use automatic external defibrillators” (American Red Cross, 2011).

Steps to becoming First-Aid/CPR/AED certified:

1. Go to the American Red Cross website to find a First-Aid/CPR/AED certification course near you: http://www.redcross.org/,
2. Click on the “Preparing and Getting Trained” tab,
3. Then, click on the “Take a Class” tab in the left-hand corner,
4. Now enter your zip code and under the “Select a Course” drop down menu, select “First-Aid,”
5. Once you enter in the course format you prefer and the start and end dates you’d like, click “Find Courses,”
6. From there, you’ll be able to select a course that is near you and within your time-frame preferences,
7. All you have to do now is register and pay for a course!
8. Once you complete your coursework, you’ll receive a certificate and wallet card that symbolizes your First-Aid/CPR/AED certification. You should keep your certificate in a safe place, and keep your card in your wallet. The wallet card can be provided on the spot as proof of completion of a first aid course. It’s also advisable to make copies of both your certificate and card.
9.  Now that you have completed training and are First-Aid/CPR/AED certified, you can include your certification in resumes and applications for employment.
10. Good luck!

Written by Lissy

Network, network, network. And when you’re done with that, network some more!

For the most part, I would consider myself a pretty shy person. Other people intimidate me, easily.  My face turns bright red, my palms sweat, and I want to cry every time I speak in front of other people. Talking about myself is probably one of the hardest things I could ever be asked to do. To top it all off, I have little to no work experience. Now you may be able to imagine why the word “networking” makes me squirm in my seat. Up until just recently, I had come to prefer my nice little bubble, where I could be as shy and quiet as I wanted, and anyone who was interested in talking to me could simply approach me. When I was crowned Rose Festival Princess, however, my bubble began to deflate slightly. During court travel, we spent all day, every day, networking. Literally. We went to countless business luncheons, board meetings, presentations and events throughout the area where we had to present ourselves to intimidating men and women with business suits and briefcases. By the end of court travel, my wallet was busting full of business cards. I had to learn to sell my strengths to these people, let them know why they should be talking to me, and I had to learn how to carry on a conversation with somebody who may have had absolutely nothing in common with me. It was not easy, at all. I spent 6 weeks with a red face and sweaty palms.

I got through it figuring that once I had finished my duties on the court, I could re-inflate my little utopian bubble and go back to my shy self. But then I got a job in Career Services. And then I read a book called “Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to do Before You Join the Real World.” As I began to read, a pattern started to emerge, right before my eyes. Tip 29: Be able to introduce yourself. Tip 30: Network with your neighbors. Tip 34: Associate. Tip 36: Work some new rooms. Tip 37: Make every networking event a success. It seemed as though this concept of “networking” was creeping up on me from every angle. I continued to read, and then the statistic came—70-80% of jobs are found through networking. So my bubble popped. Big time. And this time, it is going to have to stay popped because it’s time for me to face the facts. I am going to be entering the big scary work world very soon, and I have realized that if I want to be successful, I am going to have to network, a lot. I am going to have to get over being intimidated. I will have to work through the red face and sweaty palms. I simply have to get myself out there. The thought of having to do this still makes me squirm a little bit, but with my new-found resources from Career Services and my experience with the Rose Festival Court, I can rest a little easier knowing that I have the skills necessary to succeed.

Written by Sarah, a freshman Business student

Search for a Job or Internship on College Central

Are you looking for a job or internship? Want to know who is recruiting on campus? Visit www.collegecentral.com/up, a job and internship board exclusive to UP students and alumni. Below are just a few of the opportunities currently posted on College Central:

Audio Visual Specialist for Dr. Elayne Shapiro (ON CAMPUS!) – Job ID 2363357

Volunteer Coordinator for the World Affairs Council of Oregon – Job ID 2376935

Allocation Analyst for Nike, Inc. – Job ID 2381773

Senior Visitor Services Representative for OMSI – Job ID 2358456

To view the details for these and many more positions posted on College Central:

• Log in or create an account at www.collegecentral.com/up
• Click Search for Jobs/Opportunities Posted to My School
• Enter the Job ID listed above