What do you need in order to achieve?

I love TED.com. For those of you who are not familiar with it, TED stands for Technology Entertainment Design. Their tag line is, "Ideas Worth Spreading." Each year, TED holds a conference where thought leaders from various disciplines share their "Ideas Worth Spreading." There is a documentary about TED filmed at their 2006 conference called The Future We Will Create: Inside the World of TED that you can check out here on Hulu.   

I looked through the TED videos I have favorited over the past few years today, and rediscovered a presentation from the 2006 TED conference by Tony Robbins. He has a lot of great thoughts, but a particular one resonated with me.

Robbins says that emotion is the force of life. He believes the defining factor for achieving things in life is not resources, as people usually cite. The defining factor of achievement is resourcefulness, which is driven by emotions.

Resources           versus           Resourcefulness
- Time                                      - Creativity
- Money                                   - Determination
- Technology                           - Love
- Contacts                                - Curiosity
- Experience                            - Passion
- Management                         - Resolve

On job search and career advice sites, you usually only see articles about resources - networking for contacts, formatting resumes in Word, how to share your experience, etc. You don't hear about the importance of your resourcefulness, though. I believe it is the key, though, like Tony Robbins says. It is because of the resolve and determination you have during your job search, the creative ways you carry out your job search, and the passion you have for a job or company that you are successful in securing a job you will love.

How to "Work It" at a Career Fair

For my fellow K-Staters, the Agri-Industry Career Fair is in a few days. Career fairs can be intimidating. There are rows and rows of tables to navigate through crowds of students. How do you make yourself standout from the crowd to potential employers? K-State Career and Employment Services will give you this list of advice in a packet when you arrive at the career fairs, but check it out now so that you are prepared. Of course, all of this advice applies to other career fairs as well.

1. Know your job interests and your qualifications

Be able to express your qualifications - strengths, academic preparation, related experiences, and skills. For more information on how to best do this, check out my Elevator Pitch post. 

2. Have a well-written resume

This is key. If you want some resume-writing tips, check out my post On Resumes.

You may also want to have a business card with your name, degree, date of graduation, email address, and job objective.

3. Research companies in advance of the fair

There will be a lot of companies at the career fair. Too many to decide who you want to talk to after you arrive. Take the time to look over the list of companies who will be attending in advance, research those that interest you, and prioritize them so that you can better manage your time. In addition to your being able to better utilize your time at the career fair, the knowledge you gained while researching the companies will show potential employers that you are hard-working eager to work for them. 

4. Allow enough time and plan ahead

Realize that career fairs are typically held in large venues, they will be slow-moving crowds, and you will likely have to wait in line to speak to company representatives. Make sure you allot enough time in your schedule to account for all these factors. It's better to start earlier rather than later because you will be upset if you run out of time. Also, some companies may leave early if the weather is bad, they have a long drive back to their offices, or weren't having many students approach their table. 

When you first arrive and pick up your packet of information, find the map. Orientate yourself, and mark the location of the tables for the companies you want to visit with. 

5. Appearance counts - wear professional or business casual clothing

Dress like you would for an interview. Typically, people dress more nicely for an interview than they would for their job from day to day because they want to make the best impression possible for their interview. Think of this as a stepping stone to get an interview, so it just as important. 

Make sure you get a name tag at the registration table on your way in, too. 

6. Ask questions and listen

Find out what you can do to be considered, get more information, arrange an interview, or make an on-site visit. Reveal information in give and take fashion... this is an opportunity to identify employers' needs and the match of your skills.

Questions you may want to ask:

• What courses/major do I need to better prepare for a position in your organization? 
• What value do you place on GPAs? How important are extracurricular activities? 
• How beneficial/necessary is graduate work in this particular field/industry? 
• Describe your organization's training program. 
• What are the chief qualifications you seek in a first-year employee? 
• Does your organization hire _______ majors? What positions or division would they typically work in? 
• Do you offer internships or co-ops and if so, in what areas? 
• What do your interns or co-op students do? 

Make sure you ask for business cards or literature!

7. Record information in your notebook/padfolio

Take time between speaking to each potential employer to take notes on what you learned. Find a place that is out of the flow of traffic to do so - against a wall, for example. 

Oh, and heads up: You will feel silly if you have a notebook. I did at the first career fair I attended. Every student that is serious will have a padfolio. Get one.

8. Follow-up with a note

Show the company representatives you are interested by sending a follow-up note as soon as possible expressing interest. If there was a company's table that you didn't get to visit, then send them a note, too, with your resume included. Sending a note is a nice personal gesture, and it helps you stand out as a person so company representatives are more likely to remember you in the future.

I, personally, have experienced the benefits of sending a follow-up note. Company representatives may email you when they learn of a new job opportunity. Or, they may offer to schedule a phone call or meeting with you to discuss you employment options further.

Can You Pitch Yourself?

Prepare a sales pitch for yourself - a 30 to 60 second commercial. This commercial is often times referred to as an "elevator pitch," implying that is a to-the-point pitch that is short enough to give to someone on an elevator ride. Think of old episodes of The West Wing when the President only has time to talk to you while walking down a hallway on the way to a meeting with somebody else.

During your pitch, highlight what you can do, not what the prospective employer can do for you. You need to be able to express your qualifications - strengths, academic preparation, related experiences, and skills.

Key points:

• Introduction
• Thank him/her for their time
• Mention your bridge - Who referred you? Where did you meet them?
• Your education
• Your specialty
• Work history review
• Responsibilities - What did you do? 
• Major accomplishments
• Your present availability - Why are you looking? 
• Your goal

Take a break!

The job search process seems never-ending. With the internet as a resource, there is always another website to search for positions to apply for on or another potential employer you could be researching. After you have applied for jobs, you may wait for months to hear back from potential employers. Or worse, they may never contact you with a courtesy call or email saying they have selected a different candidate. One of my internship mentors said it was 11 months between when he applied for a job and when he started work. Settle in for the long haul because it will take awhile. Especially with today's economy.

I read an article today that gave me some much-needed advice, though. If you are like me and a recent college graduate that moved back home with your parents for the disjointed transition between college and securing your first job in the real world, then I guarantee you your parents wouldn't share this advice. I think it is important, though. Are you anxiously awaiting this tidbit of advice yet? Well, here it is... Take a break! (I know the title gave it away.) Writing 50 cover letters a day, 7 days a week isn't going to lead to your best work. The article suggests taking a day or two off to do things you love so that you may return to your job search process refreshed and ready to tell a potential employer why they need you. 

I, however, propose a different idea. I have daily activities that break up the monotony of the job search. I enjoy running (particularly the endorphins I get from running), so I will take a break and go for a run. I had an extremely demanding course load during my last semester of college, and didn't have any time for leisurely reading. There are currently two shelves on my bookshelf full of books I want to read, so I take time each day to do just that. 

Develop a list of things you love doing for fun, and take a few breaks now and then!

Have you Googled yourself?

Have you Googled yourself?

It may seem like a silly question in today's society where so many people have smartphones and tablets at the tips of their fingertips throughout the day to Google any and every question that crosses their mind. Some even Google a person they are going on a blind date with. However, I know people who have never Googled themselves.

If you Google people and things you don't know about, what makes you think employers aren't doing the same? Spoiler alert: They are. So, before jumping into the job search and sending out resumes, type your name into that neat little search box and press enter. I should tell you that I Google myself periodically, and when I Googled myself just now there were search items I didn't know about. (Sure, it was only my Pinterest profile, but who knows what else there could have been?) If photos of you drinking from a beer bong in a stranger's basement pop up, then it's safe to say you have some work to do. Fear not, though, because it isn't too late.

Damaging information online can harm your chances in the employment lottery. The first step in damage control is to change and monitor your online public profiles (i.e. Facebook) to keep them professional. The second step in damage control? Create a personal website that highlights your education, achievements, internships, and work experience. If you are like me and aren't a computer programmer, then there are several websites you can use to easily create a professional website. I recommend BeyondCredentials.com; it's free and prompts you with questions that will help employers get to know you both personally and professionally.

You may be thinking, "I can include this information on my Facebook/LinkedIn," and you can. If you want employers to focus on you (and you should!), then creating a personal website that eliminates the clutter of how many friends or connections you have and pictures of you at every football game you went to in college will be better.