I have a slight confession to make.... I have nothing to wear to the Career Fair. I have dress pants and a couple of nice t-shirts but nothing that is both modest and professional. This leaves me with a week to figure things out. I'm going home this weekend to hopefully pick some clothes up, but as I know there are probably a bunch of you out there who don't have the option to go home for and pick things up and who don't have a ton of money to spare. Seniors, you all have no excuse not to have at least one outfit to wear to the Career Fair. YOU WILL NEED THESE CLOTHES IN JUST A FEW MONTHS ANYWAYS!! Start looking for classic pieces that fit well (I can't stress that enough). Buy a little large and find a good tailor and get them properly fitted. You can buy slightly cheaper items this way (think Old Navy vs. Banana Republic) but they'll make you look 100% nicer.
OK so I've made suggestions for the seniors, now what about the rest of you? Don't have any dress clothes or any form of transportation? Option 1 - borrow something from a friend. I know it's a limited option but it really should be your first. Option 2 - Take the Woo Bus!!!! It goes to the Target Plaza on Fridays and Blackstone Valley on Saturday. The bus is free, and you can probably grab dinner with your friends or something while there. If you're on a tight budget, check out Target. Few items are more than $20. You can also work with pieces that you already have. For men, if you own a polo shirt, a pair of black, grey or khaki dress pants can go a long way. For girls, a nice sweater or dress shirt will give a professional look. If you can afford it (or already own it) a nice button down shirt will always impress.
Other Side Notes:
- IRON your clothes. If you don't have one the wrinkle releaser spray works amazingly... Hanging up your clothes and steam them while your in the shower works too.
- Don't wear heavy perfume/cologne.
- Don't wear hats.
- GIRLS COVER UP!!! (this includes a hidden safety pin if your buttons might reveal something)
- Don't let not having something to wear hold you back from attending the career fair.
- Girls, don't wear heels if you can't walk in them!
Anyways that's my rant.... have fun above all!!!
For more info on Dressing for Success go here.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Get Started Already!!!
It seems like everyone I know is finally getting started on preparing for the Career Fair. If you haven't, what are you waiting for??? The weather's gross for this weekend, so you know you'll have extra time to work on it. If you haven't gotten started this is a great place to start. It outlines all of the content you should include in your resume. If you're staring at a Microsoft Office resume template (yes you know who you are), head here to check out different examples. You can also login to your Job Finder account and check out the resume packet there.
So you've got it started and you have a week to get it critiqued. That may seem like a long time, but let me tell you that it's NOT. Get started as early as possible, and DON'T forget that Resumazing is your last chance to get your resume critiqued before the career fair. Sophomores, keep that date in mind, as you need your resume critiqued to apply to do your IQP abroad. There will be a week after the Career Fair before your applications are due, so you're better off getting it fixed now and you can kill two birds with one stone.
No matter what step in the process you are, you've got a week and a half to get ready, USE IT WELL!!!
So you've got it started and you have a week to get it critiqued. That may seem like a long time, but let me tell you that it's NOT. Get started as early as possible, and DON'T forget that Resumazing is your last chance to get your resume critiqued before the career fair. Sophomores, keep that date in mind, as you need your resume critiqued to apply to do your IQP abroad. There will be a week after the Career Fair before your applications are due, so you're better off getting it fixed now and you can kill two birds with one stone.
No matter what step in the process you are, you've got a week and a half to get ready, USE IT WELL!!!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Career Fair is only 2 weeks away!?!?!?!
So, lately my blogs have consisted of my epic journey to discover the perfect resume before the career fair... ok well maybe not perfect but as close as I can get to it. Today I had some down time and updated my resume with all of the suggestions I got from the last time I got it critiqued and added in my IQP. As I hope all of you know, Walk-In appointments are offered every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1-3 pm. Today, I checked the time and it was 2:15, and I thought "OK perfect I can fit in a critique before 3, AWESOME." Needless to say, by 2:15 all of the slots for critiques had already been booked. This happens every year once the Career Fair comes around, I just didn't realize that it was that time of year already!!
In case this has happened to you as well, I have a few suggestions.
1) DON'T GIVE UP. There are still plenty of ways to get your resume critiqued! Sitting around and complaining that you couldn't get an appointment will get you nowhere!
2) Resumazing may just be your lifesaver, as it's on September 17th from 1 to 7 pm.
3) Walk-Ins continue until the 16th, and if you get there early (and sooner rather than later) you shouldn't have a problem getting a spot.
4) There are a few appointments available if you can't make it to Walk-Ins (I can't stress enough that you need to act NOW to get these spots because they are going fast).
5) You still have the option to either email or drop off your resume at the CDC (cdc@wpi.edu) and pick it up 4 business days later. (If you decide to drop your resume off I would suggest getting it in by the 14th at the latest to make sure that you get it back in time for the fair)
And, if you still haven't started your resume yet (yes I am talking to YOU) the CDC has an extremely useful Resume Writing handout available either in the turnstile in the office or through your Job Finder account online (found in the Podcasts and Handouts section of the Documents tab). This handout includes samples of resumes that cover your entire WPI career from freshmen to seniors.
Lastly, BEST OF LUCK and go work on your resume... NOW! :-)
In case this has happened to you as well, I have a few suggestions.
1) DON'T GIVE UP. There are still plenty of ways to get your resume critiqued! Sitting around and complaining that you couldn't get an appointment will get you nowhere!
2) Resumazing may just be your lifesaver, as it's on September 17th from 1 to 7 pm.
3) Walk-Ins continue until the 16th, and if you get there early (and sooner rather than later) you shouldn't have a problem getting a spot.
4) There are a few appointments available if you can't make it to Walk-Ins (I can't stress enough that you need to act NOW to get these spots because they are going fast).
5) You still have the option to either email or drop off your resume at the CDC (cdc@wpi.edu) and pick it up 4 business days later. (If you decide to drop your resume off I would suggest getting it in by the 14th at the latest to make sure that you get it back in time for the fair)
And, if you still haven't started your resume yet (yes I am talking to YOU) the CDC has an extremely useful Resume Writing handout available either in the turnstile in the office or through your Job Finder account online (found in the Podcasts and Handouts section of the Documents tab). This handout includes samples of resumes that cover your entire WPI career from freshmen to seniors.
Lastly, BEST OF LUCK and go work on your resume... NOW! :-)
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
A resume critique AND a free t-shirt?? COUNT ME IN
Any of you who know me know that I love the fact that you can almost always get free t-shirts from WPI. But now, the first 250 people who get their resume critiqued in the month of September get a super spiffy t-shirt for FREE. I know pretty awesome right? Ok truth be told I'm more excited about getting my resume critiqued and brought up to date than I am about the t-shirt (hold off on the geek comments :-D ). I spaced out a little bit and forgot to add on my IQP onto my resume, so I've still got to get it critiqued another time or two to figure out how exactly to fit everything I want to display onto one page.
Before I started my resume 2 years ago, I thought it was something that you write, get critiqued, upload into Job Finder and then forget about... HAHA. Resumes should always be a work in progress, and should get updated often, with new courses you've taken, new skills you've learned and experiences that contribute to your qualifications. It's a good idea to get your resume started as early as possible and update it minimally once or twice per year to make sure it shows everything you've got to offer. I'd be mortified if I handed a company my resume that left out my IQP or some of the new courses I'm taking. This is just something to keep in mind, and maybe on some random Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday from 1-3 when you're chilling out in the Campus Center biding time before your next class, you'll remember that Walk-Ins are available and only take about 15 minutes of your time. You'll thank me later, I promise!!!!
Before I started my resume 2 years ago, I thought it was something that you write, get critiqued, upload into Job Finder and then forget about... HAHA. Resumes should always be a work in progress, and should get updated often, with new courses you've taken, new skills you've learned and experiences that contribute to your qualifications. It's a good idea to get your resume started as early as possible and update it minimally once or twice per year to make sure it shows everything you've got to offer. I'd be mortified if I handed a company my resume that left out my IQP or some of the new courses I'm taking. This is just something to keep in mind, and maybe on some random Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday from 1-3 when you're chilling out in the Campus Center biding time before your next class, you'll remember that Walk-Ins are available and only take about 15 minutes of your time. You'll thank me later, I promise!!!!
Monday, August 31, 2009
I love it when technology fails... at a tech school
Ok, well maybe not all technology, just that relating to me. Recently my computer died (big surprise if you happen to know my luck) and took along with it my most recent resume, which I happened to like quite a bit. I checked through every possible place I could have saved it in addition to my computer (because I tend to be paranoid about such things, with good reason) and could only find one from late January on my toaster drive. I guess it's better than nothing, and resume critiques are super easy to get, especially where I've still got a lot of time before the fall career fair. I think I'll try to make it to a walk in meeting with a counselor sometime this week. In case you didn't know Walk-In appointments are every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1-3pm and generally last for 15 minutes. They give you an opportunity to ask just one major question (have your resume critiqued or a cover letter read over). This is perfect for me, because I still can't remember what on earth my schedule looks like for this term yet, so I'll stop by when I have some free time. Even though I blame my computer, it's a great idea to get your resume looked at minimally once a year, but I aim for twice, once in the fall and once in the spring (right before the major career fairs). Things change, maybe you got promoted, learned a new skill, took a useful course or gained a position in a club on campus and the counselors will be able to help you highlight everything you've done. Also, I'm hoping to get my resume checked before RESUMAZING which is Thursday, September 17th from 1-7 pm in the Odeum. Resumazing is a great event because recruiters from various companies will look over your resume with you and give you an idea of what it tells them. These are the people who review resumes for candidates at positions with their company, so I find their input extremely valuable in addition to the counselors' input. I'll give you all an update on how both critiques go, as I'm sure there will be all kinds of things I'll find out :-). Hope you're all having a great A-Term so far!!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Half Way Through Already?? I just got here!!!!!
I know when I last blogged, I had talked about starting my IQP and I am SUPER PLEASED to report that it is officially OVER!!!! While just about every day brought a new gigantous disaster, we made it through the project and bettered the school a little as a result. The best part? I can focus on classes and MQP shenanigans this year, which make all the trouble we faced during the project worth it.
Today marked the start of not only the second half of my college career, but also the first term where I have taken strictly engineering courses. I don't really know how I feel about that just yet, so I'll get back to you on that as the term gets on. In some ways I guess it's a good thing, fully submersing myself into my field. It gives me the opportunity to see if it's really what I want to do with my life, and hopefully guide me to figure out what on earth I should choose for a concentration. It's also pretty strange that the last two terms at WPI have been project terms for me, so this is my first time having a full course load since C-Term. We'll see how it all works out but so far I think my professors will be pretty awesome!
After two years at WPI, most of which has been spent as a Mechanical Engineering student, I finally checked out the Career Development Center's Major Binders, and all I can say is I am so mad at myself for not reading through it earlier. I mean we all know what the majors here are, but what they mean you'll actually be doing outside of college? Well that's another story all together. Do mechanical engineers sit at a desk checking equations or at a machine fabricating parts or at a table brainstorming with others? It's all in the binder, who knew. I would highly recommend that all students, especially those who like me might be wondering "But what will I do?" should take some time to visit the CDC and read through their major binder, because even if it doesn't answer all of your questions I can guarantee you'll learn something new.
Today marked the start of not only the second half of my college career, but also the first term where I have taken strictly engineering courses. I don't really know how I feel about that just yet, so I'll get back to you on that as the term gets on. In some ways I guess it's a good thing, fully submersing myself into my field. It gives me the opportunity to see if it's really what I want to do with my life, and hopefully guide me to figure out what on earth I should choose for a concentration. It's also pretty strange that the last two terms at WPI have been project terms for me, so this is my first time having a full course load since C-Term. We'll see how it all works out but so far I think my professors will be pretty awesome!
After two years at WPI, most of which has been spent as a Mechanical Engineering student, I finally checked out the Career Development Center's Major Binders, and all I can say is I am so mad at myself for not reading through it earlier. I mean we all know what the majors here are, but what they mean you'll actually be doing outside of college? Well that's another story all together. Do mechanical engineers sit at a desk checking equations or at a machine fabricating parts or at a table brainstorming with others? It's all in the binder, who knew. I would highly recommend that all students, especially those who like me might be wondering "But what will I do?" should take some time to visit the CDC and read through their major binder, because even if it doesn't answer all of your questions I can guarantee you'll learn something new.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Soooo close
Summer is approximately 22.75 hours away from me as of this moment... but I'm not counting or anything like that. It's been a while since I've last posted, mainly due to finals and me being wicked sick (and before you ask I do not have the swine flu). Not much has changed in the status of my IQP, I do have a partner though so at least I won't be doing it by myself. I'm really excited except for one gigantic hitch - financial aid STILL hasn't gotten back to me, so I don't know if I can actually do this or not. That's beside the point and I am changing the subject before I start ranting though....
I am however looking for an MQP for next year. I've recently decided I want to be a double major and where *crosses fingers* I'll be getting my IQP done before the start of Junior year, I'm hoping to space the two apart so I'm not juggling two MQP's plus all the 4000 level courses I need to graduate senior year. We'll see though as I still have no idea what I want to do for it and can't really talk to my advisor until A-Term.... it's a struggle basically.
Now to the cheerful side of this entry - IT'S ALMOST SUMMER!!!!!! Needless to say I was sitting in class today with one of my good friends and all of a sudden realized that I was less than 24 hours away from being half way through my time here at WPI. I almost screamed... in class... but I didn't. I mean it's really scary to think about. I still consider myself "barely not a freshman" but at the same time feel like I've been here working like crazy forever, and I can't decide if it's taken eons for the past two years to go by or seconds. Either way, they've been an... interesting two years filled with a ton of memories, some good, some bad, some hilarious, some hilarious for anyone but me :-), and some pretty amazing people I've met along the way. I guess here's to the next two years... may they be as interesting as the past two. Cheers!!
I am however looking for an MQP for next year. I've recently decided I want to be a double major and where *crosses fingers* I'll be getting my IQP done before the start of Junior year, I'm hoping to space the two apart so I'm not juggling two MQP's plus all the 4000 level courses I need to graduate senior year. We'll see though as I still have no idea what I want to do for it and can't really talk to my advisor until A-Term.... it's a struggle basically.
Now to the cheerful side of this entry - IT'S ALMOST SUMMER!!!!!! Needless to say I was sitting in class today with one of my good friends and all of a sudden realized that I was less than 24 hours away from being half way through my time here at WPI. I almost screamed... in class... but I didn't. I mean it's really scary to think about. I still consider myself "barely not a freshman" but at the same time feel like I've been here working like crazy forever, and I can't decide if it's taken eons for the past two years to go by or seconds. Either way, they've been an... interesting two years filled with a ton of memories, some good, some bad, some hilarious, some hilarious for anyone but me :-), and some pretty amazing people I've met along the way. I guess here's to the next two years... may they be as interesting as the past two. Cheers!!
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