So for the last two weeks I have had THE flu. Of course getting sick at WPI makes getting back on track nearly impossible, but that's what I'm working like crazy on right about now.
While I was stuck in bed, I got an email from a company I had previously interviewed with asking for a follow up interview!!! As excited as I was there was also the small fact that I was on a lot of medication, and decided it would be in my best interest to wait a few days to email back. Needless to say I got a phone call while I was home requesting a phone interview!!!
So now as I am getting back on track, I am also trying to prepare for a phone interview. Professional phone calls kind of intimidate me for some reason, so I'm going to do my best to prepare ahead of time. In my previous internship I handled many of the professional calls, pitching things to other companies and setting up meetings, so that is going to help a little bit. I am also heavily drawing from my mock interview experience. If you haven't had one of these, I cannot suggest them enough.
It may sound simple enough but trust me:
PRACTICING FOR YOUR INTERVIEW WILL HELP YOU GET THE JOB!!!
Not only that but it will help you feel more prepared and have the confidence you need to ace the interview. I found a couple of great articles that I'll post below with great tips like smile during the interview even though you aren't face to face, stand up during the interview or sit up tall as it makes you feel more confident. Also make sure you have a copy of your resume and the job description in front of you!!! If you're going away for a term or just want to be prepared you should definitely read through them as they're helping me figure out what to do!
One of the CDC staff members sent me this article which is a great short and sweet reference guide (although I'd still highly suggest reading through the rest of the articles too).
ALSO know that you can use one of the CDC's interview rooms to stay in when you're on the phone. I'm planning on doing this so that I'm not just in my apartment lounging around when they call!
How to Prepare for a Telephone Interview
Phone Interview Tips
What to Expect & How to Prepare for a Telephone Interview
Monday, November 30, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Things I wish I knew earlier!
So if you've been reading this blog you know that I've been considering a job offer for a while now. I don't think it's a great fit for me, so I'm working on exploring other options. One thing I wish I knew how to use earlier was how to utilize Career Search. Career Search is a database that WPI subscribes to that you can access through your Job Finder account (there's a link to it under the quick links section). One of the main reasons why I feel like this intership would be a bad choice for me is the location, as I would prefer to be close to either my home or school. Career Search to the rescue!! You can use it to search through over 4 million companies in specific geographical locations that are in certain fields.
You may be asking why on earth do I want a list of a few hundred companies to research????
The answer is simple - over 80% of jobs out there aren't posted on online sites such as Monster. THAT'S A LOT OF JOBS!!!! Where could you possibly find these postings? Through the companies' websites! Most companies want YOU to find THEM.
So you, yes you, stop complaining that you can't find a job... I've heard enough of it!!! With a little effort you can quadruple the number of positions you are elgible for, it's all up to you though! If you are serious about finding a job be it an internship, co-op or full time position, put forth the effort, who knows maybe you'll find something that has everything you are looking for!
The database is fairly simple to use, but I'd recommend watching the Podcast on Career Search (available through your Job Finder account) if you have any problems with it.
What are you waiting for GO!!!!!
You may be asking why on earth do I want a list of a few hundred companies to research????
The answer is simple - over 80% of jobs out there aren't posted on online sites such as Monster. THAT'S A LOT OF JOBS!!!! Where could you possibly find these postings? Through the companies' websites! Most companies want YOU to find THEM.
So you, yes you, stop complaining that you can't find a job... I've heard enough of it!!! With a little effort you can quadruple the number of positions you are elgible for, it's all up to you though! If you are serious about finding a job be it an internship, co-op or full time position, put forth the effort, who knows maybe you'll find something that has everything you are looking for!
The database is fairly simple to use, but I'd recommend watching the Podcast on Career Search (available through your Job Finder account) if you have any problems with it.
What are you waiting for GO!!!!!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
How to make your job hunt easier!!!
My spam filter is usually pretty good about detecting bogus emails... usually. But lately I've been getting a few spam emails about various "job" opportunities that all sound a little too good to be true, and I've been hearing questions from friends thinking that some of the CDC's about job postings through Job Finder are spam (which is not the case!) so I figured I'd clear the air so to speak.
First off... if the email is titled something along the lines of "On-campus Recruiting Resume Submittal" and is signed by a Career Development Center staff person... it is NOT spam! In fact these are usually awesome opportunities for you to interview with a company on campus for positions ranging from internships to co-ops to full time positions. If you receive one of these emails, you should log into your Job Finder account ASAP and check out the job by clicking on the "On-Campus Interviews I Qualify For" on the "Shortcuts" tab on the home page. On-Campus Recruiting (or OCR) positions are the only ones where you may receive an email if you qualify for them.
However, if you'd like Job Finder to email you when new positions are posted that fit your criteria, it's easy to do, you just need to set up a "Search Agent." Follow these steps to set up your own:
1) Log into Job Finder (link can be found here or through the CDC's website).
2) Click on the "Jobs" tab at the top of the screen.
3) Click on the "Advanced Search" tab.
4) Choose the "save as" check box and type in a useful name to save the search as (mine is ME Internships 2009).
5) Go through and choose what parameters you want to search for. Ex. I searched for Internships in Mechanical Engineering located in either New Hampshire or Massachusetts (you can choose more than one option by CTRL-Clicking on the choices).
6) Hit "Submit."
7) Go to the "Search Agents" tab and then choose the "Schedule" button.
8) Check "Yes" to enable scheduling of the search agent.
9) Choose how often you'd like results emailed to you and if you just want new postings or if you want all (I'm going with once a week and all postings).
10) Hit Submit!
There you go 10 easy steps to make job hunting THAT much easier.
Even with the search agent, it's a great idea to check your Job Finder account periodically in case positions slip through the filters! Good luck to you all!!!
First off... if the email is titled something along the lines of "On-campus Recruiting Resume Submittal" and is signed by a Career Development Center staff person... it is NOT spam! In fact these are usually awesome opportunities for you to interview with a company on campus for positions ranging from internships to co-ops to full time positions. If you receive one of these emails, you should log into your Job Finder account ASAP and check out the job by clicking on the "On-Campus Interviews I Qualify For" on the "Shortcuts" tab on the home page. On-Campus Recruiting (or OCR) positions are the only ones where you may receive an email if you qualify for them.
However, if you'd like Job Finder to email you when new positions are posted that fit your criteria, it's easy to do, you just need to set up a "Search Agent." Follow these steps to set up your own:
1) Log into Job Finder (link can be found here or through the CDC's website).
2) Click on the "Jobs" tab at the top of the screen.
3) Click on the "Advanced Search" tab.
4) Choose the "save as" check box and type in a useful name to save the search as (mine is ME Internships 2009).
5) Go through and choose what parameters you want to search for. Ex. I searched for Internships in Mechanical Engineering located in either New Hampshire or Massachusetts (you can choose more than one option by CTRL-Clicking on the choices).
6) Hit "Submit."
7) Go to the "Search Agents" tab and then choose the "Schedule" button.
8) Check "Yes" to enable scheduling of the search agent.
9) Choose how often you'd like results emailed to you and if you just want new postings or if you want all (I'm going with once a week and all postings).
10) Hit Submit!
There you go 10 easy steps to make job hunting THAT much easier.
Even with the search agent, it's a great idea to check your Job Finder account periodically in case positions slip through the filters! Good luck to you all!!!
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