Make the most of your summer internship!

June 18, 2012
Sign reading: "Hello, I am a new intern"

Hello, intern!

It seems like the last day of classes is long gone, and you may have already started work at a summer internship. Here’s a list of three great ways you can make the most out of this experience, so that you come away with more than just money (or college credit) and a few more lines on your resume:

Take Initiative. Some companies have well-established internship programs that are packed full of responsibilities and activities for their interns, but many internships aren’t quite as laid-out. If your role as an intern doesn’t define how to spend all of your time while you’re at work, use that opportunity to go above-and-beyond what your supervisor has planned for you. This doesn’t mean simply asking “what else can I do?” but actually identifying an area in which you can contribute, and running a plan past your supervisor. This is a sure-fire way to get yourself noticed, and it shows that you’re not just there to meet expectations.

Network. The value of networking doesn’t just go away now that you have your internship. Remember, this could be an audition for a full-time position, and the more people you have in your corner, the better your chances of snagging that offer will be. One of our former peer advisors, Dhruv, really took advantage of this strategy, and made sure to have lunch with different people from his office as often as possible. He was able to ask questions about the organization, questions about each person’s role within the company, and to discuss some of the projects he was working on. He ended up with a full-time offer after his internship, in part because in addition to doing an excellent job, many people beyond his immediate supervisor were able to see what an excellent job he was doing. He definitely stood out among all the other interns.

Evaluate the Company/Industry. I mentioned that internships are like auditions for full-time jobs, but this is also the organization’s time to show you what they’re all about. Make sure you use this summer to figure out what you like (and dislike!) about the organization, so that you can make a better decision about full-time offers later on. For instance, if you find that it’s frustrating working in a huge, hierarchical organization as an intern, that will help you focus your full-time search on smaller companies, with a more flat organizational structure.

If you need some career coaching this summer, don’t fret — The Career Center is open 8-5p every weekday, and you can make an appointment to stop and see us.

Photo credit: adpowers on Flickr.

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Posted by Scott Tsuchiyama

Senior Struggles: Expert answers to your LinkedIn questions

March 7, 2012

Follow each week as we present step-by-step suggestions to achieve post-college success with less senior year stress.

The Career Center’s resident LinkedIn expert, Scott Tsuchiyama, answers some basic, yet important questions about how to maximize your LinkedIn networking experience and find a job.

1. My profile is complete, what is the first step toward having active interactions with the people on LinkedIn who can answer my career questions or possibly help me find a job?

First, start by finding and connecting with your family, friends, co-workers and classmates–anyone who knows you and will want to help you. Don’t worry about whether or not these people work in your field of interest; the more connections you make, the better. Next, start joining the LinkedIn groups that pertain to you. You should join the obvious college and alumni groups, but also groups that relate to the field you want to work in.

2. What are some things to do on LinkedIn to get my profile noticed, so that people start contacting me?

Visit some of the groups that relate to your career of interest and post thoughtful and smart questions. The people who who can help you are likely to see those and reach out. So, for example if you wanted to work in social media marketing, you could ask something like, “What are the most important social media platforms to be experienced with?” If someone answers this, you can ask to connect with them and then begin a conversation about how they got to where they are and if they have any advice for you.

3. What if I’m not ready to start contacting people directly? How can I still use LinkedIn to my advantage?

LinkedIn can be a great learning tool. Start finding people who work in the field you want to find a job in. Check out their career path–what experiences led them to their current position? How can you emulate their route to career success? What groups are they a part of? Think of this as a non-creepy form of Facebook stalking, only this might actually benefit your future!

4. How do I know if it’s ‘okay’ to connect with someone whom I don’t know personally?

This varies from situation to situation, but in general, LinkedIn etiquette dictates that you should not try to connect with anyone whom you do not know. However, if you want to make contact with someone outside of your network, try looking to see if you have any connections in common. If you do, you could ask them to ‘introduce’ you on LinkedIn, or even better, you could email or call the mutual connection and politely ask them to email the person you want to connect with. The person you’re trying to connect with is much more likely to agree to communicate if you are recommended.

5. Okay, I’ve connected with someone whom I think might be in a position to help me, how do I initiate a conversation?

Come up with several solid, smart questions, but DO NOT start with, “Hi, can you help me find a job?” You can either InMail them or email them with a few questions and simply ask them to help you answer those questions. If you are able to start a dialogue with someone, see if you can eventually take the next step and achieve in-person contact. Ask if you can take them to lunch or coffee. People are way more likely to remember you from an in-person meeting than by your online profile alone.

Remember, LinkedIn is a great tool for online-networking, but it is not magic. It only works if you work it! So, get online and start making some connections. If you’re still unsure, here are some more tips on learning to use LinkedIn.

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Posted by Nell Gable

Senior Struggles: 8 basic networking tips

February 15, 2012

Follow each week as we present step-by-step suggestions to achieve post-college success with less senior year stress.

Whether you’ve been looking since the fall or haven’t begun to think about it, it is by no means too late to start or continue your job search. In fact, sometimes it’s best to take a deep breath, and go back to the basics. Here is a basic set of networking tips to help you get started.

spider web

Not that kind of web.


1. Cast a wide net. Start by making a list of anyone and everyone whom you know that might be able to inform you about your desired career OR who might be able to link you to someone who can. Some find it helpful to create a networking spreadsheet, others a simple word document. Find what works for you and start emailing, phoning and talking to your web of contacts. I try to constantly talk about my career aspirations–to my hairstylist, professors, co-workers friends–anyone who might suddenly realize that they DO have a friend or uncle or hairstylist who might be able to help. You just never know.

2. Don’t forget about social networking. Is your LinkedIn account up-to-date? Is your Facebook profile appropriate? Start learning the tips and tricks to networking via social media.

3. Keep asking questions, but make sure they’re the right kind. Once you’ve reached out to your network of contacts, start asking questions and advice. Say you get the email address of someone in the industry/area you’d like to get a job in. Don’t start off with, “Hi I’m really hoping to get hired at your company, can you help me?” It’s best to ease into this new and fragile relationship. Start by simply asking how they got there, and what advice they have. Hopefully previous networking has led you to some of the “right” questions. By building on your previous networking experiences, you are better informed when it comes to the next level of networking.

4. Thank people as you go along. It’s easy to forget this one, but it may be the most important part of networking. Being gracious and appreciative makes people WANT to help you. If you treat people like stepping-stones, they tend to disappear.

5. Target specific organizations. We often talk about researching an industry, but at some point you need to start targeting specific companies and perusing networking contacts within them. There are a number of ways to do this:

  • LinkedIn- search the company you want to work for and find someone within it to politely contact for advice, NOT a job.
  • Career counselors- visit The Career Center and talk with a career coach. Ask about ways you can identify people to contact for advice or even an informational interview.
  • Google- you can find out just about anything on Google these days. Try searching the company you want to work for and finding an employee to reach out to. Take a look at names mentioned in press releases, news articles, and on websites.

6. Achieve in-person contact. This can take shape in a number of ways, but will likely be an essential part of job search networking. Here are some things to try:

  • Set up an informational interview with one of your contacts. Ask to buy them lunch or coffee, and come prepared to ask questions, NOT ask for a job (yet).
  • Join a professional association.  These groups often hold networking events and gatherings where you can meet people and practice your pitch.

7. Maintain relationships. Again, don’t forget to express gratitude to those who have helped you along your networking path. Simple thank-you cards are great, thank-you emails and phone calls are good too. Let people know how you are doing, and ask how they are doing too. Networking is two-way street.

8. Stay true to you. Take some time to revisit your iPlan. Make sure you know your story, community and presentation, and don’t stray too far from your unique personal brand. Stay true to who you are what it is you really want to do. And remember…

“If you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen.”

-Conan O’Brien

Photo credit: cybershotking / CC BY 2.0

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Posted by Nell Gable

Senior Struggles: 5 email mistakes to avoid in your job search

February 2, 2012

Follow each week as we present step-by-step suggestions to achieve post-college success with less senior year stress.

1. Punctuation and grammar mistakes: writing skills are essential for just about every career so make sure you know the difference between your/you’re, to/too/two, their/they’re/there BEFORE you send that friendly networking email. These small mistakes can be glaring and it would be to bad if you had you’re chances at a dream job ruined.

2. Forgotten attachments: Make sure you attach all the files you’ve promised. There’s nothing more embarassing than following a perfectly polished email with, “oops forgot the attachment” so always double-check.

3. Overly conversational tone: keep your audience in mind and always write appropriately and respectfully when asking for a job, or for advice. You need their help, not the other way around. Avoid excessive exclamation points and smiley faces. Some people (especially those from older generations…) may not get the implied light-heartedness of the extra punctuation and could just think you’re yelling at them.

4. Overly dry tone: In our post on advice from publicist Kelly Cutrone, we emphasized the benefits of creativity in reaching out to people during the job search. Use your own unique voice and speak passionately to ensure that you stand out, but make sure you avoid the above mistakes.

5. Failing to follow up: don’t take a lack of response as rejection. Chances are, the person you’ve contacted is busy and has important people and responsibilities to deal with, so a friendly follow-up email is nothing to worry about. Simply start with something like, “Dear___, I just wanted to follow up on my previous email, please let me know when you have a chance to talk…” While the rule still stands–be respectful and “politely persistent,” if you want your voice to be heard, then you might have to speak up.

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Posted by Nell Gable

Winter Break: Career Advice for the Holiday Season

December 30, 2011

Winter Break is a time to relax and spend time with friends and family, but it can also be a great time to network, re-vamp your job search and reflect on exactly what it is you’d like to do with your life — after all, you’ve probably been asked about it a few times already the past couple weeks! The Career Center is giving you the gift of great advice this winter, so check out these previously posted blog articles before your New Year’s Eve party:

Freshman Friday: Thanksgiving Break Questions

Senior Struggles: Revamp your job search over the holidays

How to Network Over the Holidays

The View from the Thanksgiving Table

Happy New Year from The Career Center!

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Posted by Nell Gable

Winter Break: Tackling LinkedIn

December 28, 2011

LinkedIn penThe professional networking site LinkedIn can seem a bit overwhelming to college students, but it can be an invaluable resource when it comes to connecting with professionals. Why not work on building your LinkedIn profile and network while you have some free time this winter break? Once you’ve created your profile, you can use InMaps to see a visualization of your connections, and from there, the possibilities are endless! Here are some helpful LinkedIn-themed blog posts we’ve run on this blog previously, to get you started:

Getting started on LinkedIn

The value of LinkedIn

Student-friendly LinkedIn profile options

InMaps tips and tricks

LinkedIn for struggling seniors

Photo credit: sheilascarborough / CC BY 2.0

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Posted by Nell Gable

Senior Struggles: Use a spreadsheet template to organize your job search

December 7, 2011

messy stack of papersFollow each week as we present step-by-step suggestions to achieve post-college success with less senior year stress.

We all know the feeling: lying awake in bed at night going over your list of worries: “when’s the deadline for that analyst job application?” “Did I remember to send in my referrals??” “I have an interview next week and I can’t even remember what the job description said!” That feeling is terrible, and once again, the best thing you can do to prevent it is to stay organized.

It seems like we’re ALWAYS telling you to stay organized, and now we’re going to show you exactly how to do that. We’ve selected a great Excel spreadsheet, downloaded free from Microsoft’s Office website, which will be extremely helpful for managing your job applications, contacts, and interviews. Use these sheets as a tool to record your job search activity and your quest for employment will seem far more manageable, giving you the confidence to be successful.

Click here to visit the download page for the helpful Job Search Log.

Photo credit: Kate Ter Haar / CC BY 2.0

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Posted by Nell Gable

Career Crawl: Putting your creativity to work!

November 17, 2011

image of participants at a career crawl event

Thinking about your job or internship search?
Wondering what it means to have a “creative” job?
Want to meet Michigan alums who found success working in writing, design, marketing, and the arts?

Expand the reach of your Michigan community and sign up for the Career Center’s latest Career Crawl! This fun and informal event will give students the chance to meet recent Michigan alums, working in creative fields and positions, in a lively “speed-networking” format. This Career Crawl will take place on Friday, December 2 at 1pm at The Career Center.

To attend, students must register in advance and space is limited.
Registration opens Friday, November 18 at 9am. Before that, this event will not be viewable in your Career Center Connector account.

To RSVP:
1. Login into your Career Center Connector account
2. Click on the “workshops and employer events” tab and select “workshops” where you will find “Career Crawl: Putting Your Creativity to Work”. Sign-ups will be available until all spaces are closed, after which time you will be placed on a waitlist.

Students from all academic majors and class levels are encouraged to sign-up. Space will be on a first come, first served basis.

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Posted by Scott Tsuchiyama

Senior Struggles: Revamp your job search over the holidays

November 16, 2011

Follow each week as we present step-by-step suggestions to achieve post-college success with less senior year stress.

Many companies take a break from hiring from Thanksgiving until after New Years, so this time can be ideal for regrouping and preparing for the next phase of the job search. In between holiday parties this winter, take some time to evaluate each aspect of your job search approach. It’s easy to get tired of the daunting process, so take a break from applying to jobs to reflect, rejuvenate and refresh. Here are some things to consider:

Resume and Cover letter(s): have you done anything worth adding to your list of credentials/experience this semester? While you’re home, try asking some family members or family friends to take a look at your resume and give you some feedback. This could be a great opportunity to do some networking as well as gain career advice.

What is your focus?: Have your career interests changed in the past semester? If you’ve been taking advantage of the career fairs and networking events then chances are you’ve become aware of some new opportunities. Perhaps you don’t want to go into finance after all! Again, use holiday parties and family gatherings to seek career insight.

Informational interviewing: Before you go home for the holidays, try reaching out to someone in your hometown area for an informational interview in a field you might be interested in. This can be advantageous for two reasons. First, you will learn about the field. Ask why they chose their career, how they got to where they are and what the job involves. The other benefit is the chance to build your network. By asking for advice, not just a job, you open the door to building a relationship with that person. Once you’ve gotten to know them and their work, you can eventually shift the conversation to helping you find a job.

Practice your elevator pitch: make sure you can tell someone who you are and where you want to go in 30 seconds or less. This doesn’t have to be the exact position you want, but at least the type of work you’re interested in and why. You never know who you’ll be standing behind at the grocery store.

Read, Read, Read: It’s easy to get stuck in the college bubble and forget that there is a whole world outside of Ann Arbor. Yet, any career person will tell you that up-to-date knowledge of the field you’re interested in entering is essential to success. So, take some time to catch up on news about your dream job or industry.

Update your Social Networking Profiles: Flesh out your LinkedIn profile, delete those scandalous pics, and start tweeting about things that are relevant to your chosen career field. Social networking is hugely important to hiring managers and should not be ignored.

Catch up on sleep: somehow the future always seems brighter after a solid 8 hours of sleep.

There’s nothing like some turkey, sleep and free-time to remind you that all will work out. Take plenty of time to relax over the holidays, but use the breaks wisely. By revamping your approach to the job hunt, you can return to it in January ready to search for a job like it’s your job (pun intended).

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Posted by Nell Gable

Words of Advice from Alumni in the Entertainment Industry

November 15, 2011

microphoneOn Friday, November 4th, the Department of Communication studies and the Michigan Association of Communication Studies (MACS) hosted the Entertainment Media Career Forum. At the event, a panel of Michigan alumni shared stories about the paths that led them to work in the entertainment industry. They also provided tips and advice on how to be successful in their industry.  The common theme throughout the event was “work hard and be persistent”. All of the panelists said they’ve struggled due to the unpredictability of their field, but judging from the exciting stories they shared (Allie Foster recently bumped into Julia Roberts on the set of the Today Show), the struggle was well worth the career.

Sad you missed the event? Here is some of their best advice:

“In the entertainment industry, it’s about making any connection that you can, you never know who might be able to help you land a job one day”

“People with the ‘never say no’ attitude are the ones who get ahead. It’s all about working harder than the other guy.”

“If you want to work in the entertainment industry, it’s ok to have no idea what you want to do as a senior. My best advice to you: don’t freak out.”

“Be prepared to move far from home if you’re passionate about something.”

“Don’t be above any entry level job, everyone has to work their way up in this industry.”

“They key to success is being ‘politely persistent’, that’s how I got my job at NBC.”

“It’s a little bit of luck and a lot of time, persistence and hard work.”

“When you don’t know, say you don’t know. You don’t want to learn that lesson the hard way.”

“Read, read, read. It’s important to know what’s going on in the industry you want to work in.”

“Make sure you have an opinion. Your opinion is never wrong, because it’s an opinion!”

“The best idea in the world won’t work unless you do.”

Events such as this one are a great reminder that the University of Michigan Alumni network is an invaluable resource, composed of fellow Wolverines who want to see you succeed — never be afraid to utilize your alumni connections!

Photo credit: hiddedevries/CC BY 2.0

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Posted by Nell Gable

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