Career Placement Tests

When I was a sophomore in college I began to realize that I was not in the right major for where I wanted to go. I was not sure where to turn or how to figure out what the right career field was for me. Someone recommended making an appointment with my school’s career services department to discuss what I could do.

When I met with my career advisor, she recommended that I take a series of tests. My first thought was, “Ugh, I can barely pass my accounting exam, and now I have to take more tests?” She further explained to me, however, that these exams were not graded, rather they were known as career placement test. She said that they could help me to learn which fields I may be best suited for based on my interests and personality. The best part of all, the tests, which can often cost hundreds of dollars, were free!

Conversation with Cydney Bain, Senior Recruiter

Looking for a job can be daunting. There are so many ‘unknowns’. Cydney Bain is a recent graduate of Rutgers University where she obtained a degree in Psychology and Human Resources. After only a year out of college, Cydney was recently promoted to Senior Recruiter at Open Systems Healthcare, a home healthcare staffing firm. I spoke with Cydney recently, about her experience of looking for a job after graduating and what she now looks for in candidates.

Ali: Hi, Cydney! Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today.

Cydney: Thank you for having me!

Glamour’s Editor-in-Chief on Six Reasons Why She Would Hire You

Cindi Leive, Editor-in-Chief of Glamour, a very popular women’s magazine, recently penned an article titled” Six Reasons I Would Hire You.” She states that more women (and people in general) are looking for jobs than ever before. I found the article to be inspiring and reminiscent of what I want this blog to convey. So what are the six key steps that Leive lists? 

1. You’ve Done Your Homework

No, she is not referencing your biology homework. She is talking about the knowledge you possess about the company. Make sure you heavily research the company you are about to interview with. The best place to start is the Internet, of course. Look at its website in depth. Also research any articles where the company was mentioned. If you have friends who are aware of the company, ask them a few questions. Leive wrote something which stands true to this argument, “Your interviewer lives and breathes her company; when you’re in her office, you should too.”

Questions to Ask Your Interviewer

I am sure you have heard it time and time again, but just in case you were not sure, asking questions at the end of the interview is not an option; it is a requirement. The best thing to remember is that you are interviewing the company just as much as they are interviewing you.

Asking questions provides you with the opportunity to further understand the job and the culture. You can go over topics that may have not been covered in the initial interview. In addition, it also shows the interviewer that you are interested and engaged. Coming up with thoughtful and engaging questions, however, can often seem like a challenge. Below is a list of excellent questions to ask!

1. What is a typical day like for this role?

This question is direct and gives you the opportunity to understand what you would be doing day-to-day.  It also enables the interviewer to outline expectations of the role.

College Life vs. Work Life

I love infographics. I think it has something to do with the fact that I am a visual learner. Anyhow, I thought I would share this interesting infographic with you about the differences between being a student and being a professional. Enjoy! 

Also, happy Tax Day to all my finance and accounting friends out there!

Career Fair 101

Recently, I attended a career fair at my university. As much as I wanted to feel confident going into it, I could not help but feel a little nervous. What if I forgot something or said something wrong? To help myself feel a bit less nervous and to hopefully help you, I came up with a list of things that I feel are important to remember before going to a career fair or networking event.

1. Bring Resumes! 

It goes without saying that resumes are a crucial part in landing a job. A lot has changed in the job market over the past few decades, but one thing has remained the same – resumes are always required. Don’t bring just one resume or even a couple, bring several. Depending on the size of the event that you’re attending usually 15 to 20 is a good starting point. 

LinkedIn & Indeed

In the previous post I talked about the importance of tailoring your resume to the specific job that you are applying for. Where do you find these jobs you may ask? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Below, I will outline my two preferred resources for locating job opportunities!

LinkedIn
I am a HUGE promoter of LinkedIn. In my opinion, there is no better tool for online networking, career conversations, and job openings than LinkedIn. If you do not have a LinkedIn profile, create one now! Don’t worry, I’ll wait.

Back? Okay great! Searching for job openings on LinkedIn could not be any simpler. Basically, you just enter in what you’re looking for into the search bar and they populate. You can refine your search as narrow as you would like it to be. The more information you provide to LinkedIn in your profile and the more people you are connected to, the more LinkedIn will be able to suggest jobs that you may be a good fit for.

Welcome!

Hi! Welcome to my professional blog! My name is Ali and I am currently a senior at Drexel University. I am managing this blog as a part of my senior project to explore my passion for all things career related. Several of my posts will focus on things that can help you establish your own career. Every now and then I will post about my own personal experiences of searching for a full-time job. In addition, I will feature some industry professionals who can offer helpful tips. I’m really excited about posting my thoughts and ideas and hearing back from you!