Build Your Career by Building Community

Ace the Job Search--Business Information

Learn how to research companies, industries and other critical business information to give you an edge in the job search process.

Fri, 03/23/2012 - 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Location: S30C Wilson Library
Instructor(s):
Caroline Lilyard ()
Van Houlson (http://www.lib.umn.edu/about/staff/van-houlson)
Status: Open
Register for this Course (http://www.lib.umn.edu/services/workshops/ace-job-search-business-information-fri-03232012-300pm-430pm)

Fri, 04/20/2012 - 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Location: S30C Wilson Library
Instructor(s):
Caroline Lilyard (http://www.lib.umn.edu/about/staff/caroline-lilyard)
Van Houlson (http://www.lib.umn.edu/about/staff/van-houlson)
Status: Open
Register for this Course (http://www.lib.umn.edu/services/workshops/ace-job-search-business-information-fri-04202012-300pm-430pm)

Did you miss the PASA Personal Branding workshop, but still want to know more about how to "brand" yourself and get a web presence for job searching? Check out some resources we compiled to learn some great tips.

Also, check out some additional resources on getting your brand out online professionally:

• How to Make a Difference to your Personal Online Marketing on LinkedIn from Richmond Personal Career Advocates
• Managing Your Brand Online from Clockwork Active Media Systems' "Geek Girls"
• Branding Yourself for Personal and Career Success from Humphrey Alum Trista Harris' Do Good Guide

RFP: Small Grants for Poverty-related Research

The Center for Poverty Research (CPR), located at the University of California, Davis, would like to encourage public policy researchers in your program to participate in our Small Grants Competition (RFP due Jan. 31). CPR seeks to fund research that will expand our understanding of the causes and consequences of poverty. The goals of this program are to expand research in our Center's core research areas, with sound research design and high potential impact. CPR anticipates funding up to 5 proposals, up to a maximum of $20,000 per award.

About the UC Center for Poverty Research
The Center for Poverty Research is one of three poverty centers with core funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). The Center was created in September 2011. One of its core missions is to facilitate non-partisan academic research on poverty in the United States, with special emphasis on the particular research themes listed below:

- Labor markets and poverty
- The non-cash safety net, broadly construed to include education and health policies
- Children and the intergenerational transmission of poverty
- Immigration and poverty, especially in connection with the above three areas

Projects using either qualitative or quantitative data sources are eligible for funding. Because of the short length of the performance period (activities completed by 2/2013), we do not anticipate funding projects that seek to collect new data.

For more information and details of the RFP, please visit http://economics.ucdavis.edu/faculty/ahstevens/grants2012.pdf. Inquiries may be sent to poverty@ucdavis.edu.

Thanks so much,

-----------------------------------------------

Adrienne Wonhof

Manager, Center for Poverty Research

University of California, Davis

aiwonhof@ucdavis.edu

(530) 752-4024 | 1265 SSH

Have a quick career question?
Come to the Career Services Drop-In Hours on Friday, Dec 16 at 10-12 noon & 1-3 pm

Where: Room 209
With whom: Our Guest Counselor, Mary Pat Cleary
When: THIS Friday, Dec 16, from 10-12 noon & 1-3 pm
Why: For that quick career-related question

The Hipolitics team is looking for highly talented communicators to join our Editorial Board in 2012. With the 2012 U.S. election just around the corner, Hipolitics will be the place where young people are generating news, information, and opinions in a hip and sophisticated fashion. We hope that you take this opportunity to share our announcement with your students (on your departmental listserve, for example). Students can learn more about the writing position and apply online at: www.hipolitics.com/contentfellow.

We would be happy to answer any queries that you may have about Hipolitics.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Best wishes,

Sam Davis
Managing Director

Andrew Michael Lee
Editorial Director

Grad Students: Ready for your Job Search?

REGISTER NOW
Career and Job Search Preparation for Graduate Students, CFAN / APS 5201, Spring 2012

Open to all graduate students; emphasis is on job search for non-academic careers.

The course helps students *prepare* for their job search (we recommend they take it a year or full semester before they graduate): employer research, networking, resume and interviewing skills.

One credit, S/N

The course description:
Career and Job Search Preparation for Graduate Students (APS / CFAN 5201), 5:15 P.M. - 06:30 P.M. , Tu(01/17/2012 - 05/04/2012), STPAUL.

Open to all University graduate students planning on non-academic careers. One credit, S/N. The purpose of this course is to understand and utilize the synergistic elements and tools of job search preparation and career development: self-awareness, job and employer research, relationship-building, self-marketing and strategic planning. The focus is primarily non-academic job search but some class content and work may be targeted to academic search and careers.

Feedback about our first job search class for graduate students was overwhelmingly positive.

- 100% of course evaluation respondents would recommend the course to other students.
- 100% of course evaluation respondents described the course as valuable or extremely valuable.

At the recent internship panel series, Internships Near and Far, we heard 2nd year students' practical tips about how they found their internship and made it a worthwhile experience. Here are Martha Krohn, Career Services Internship Coordinator's top 10 tips that she heard:

* Start early - One great way to "start early" is to update your resume to make sure it's current in case there's a reason to send it out.
* Talk to everyone about what you are looking for - Mentors, faculty, staff, family members, classmates, friends - you never know who will have a great idea or lead for you
* Be persistent - bug people (in a nice way) - Keep in touch with your contacts about where you're at in your search and what you're interested in
* Be open to opportunities - even if you don't know for sure it is what you want - An internship is a chance to learn something new, and you might be surprised and enjoy something unexpected
* A little email goes a long way - This goes back to being persistent and keeping in good communication with contacts
* Apply for internships even if you don't think you meet all of the qualifications - you are doing the internship to learn - Internships are a learning experience by nature - the hiring team expects to teach you about the job and field
* If you need to submit a letter of reference - draft the letter for your referrer - Your referrer is probably very busy, plus you know more about the opportunity and your fit with it. Put it in words and provide it to your reference to save them time
* Once you have an interview, find someone at the organization who can
give some "inside scoop" about it - Ask your mentor, faculty and other contacts about the internship and what they might know about it. You might be surprised at who are "insiders" to the organization
* Apply to a lot of things - don't put all your eggs in one basket
* While in the internship - use some of your time to connect with people at the organization and other organizations you might be in contact with - Here's a way to build your network and learn about other people's jobs

Hope these tips are motivating. One last thing that surprised me was how many students found their internship on the Career Services internship listings. Just use the user name and password that Martha has emailed out, or email her at mkrohn@umn.edu for a reminder. Why don't you "start early" by checking it out today!

From Lynne in Career Services:

Practice your elevator speech and learn about interesting government agencies and nonprofits at....

Minnesota Government & Nonprofit Career Fair

Visit with representatives from city, county, state and federal government agencies and, new this year, nonprofit organizations!

Date Friday, October 21st, 2011

Time 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Location Coffman Memorial Union, Great Hall

View participating employers at www.mcucsa.org/govjobfair.

FREE admission for U of M students and alumni!

Be sure to bring your U Card and copies of your resume!

Sponsored by the Minnesota College and University Career Services Association.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator. Disability accommodations are available upon request.

I came across this article about "The 10 Worst Mistakes of First-Time Job Hunters." While it's geared toward undergrads, the article is full of great reminders of things to make part of our daily habits as graduate students of a professional program. Here are some of the top tips:

• Start early - be on the look-out for opportunities from the beginning of your grad school career and start on your career action plan now
• Network! This school has tons of events to attend that community leaders speak at and attend. Outside the Humphrey are even more chances to network. And a great way to network is...
• Have an internship, part-time job, and/or graduate assistantship that will build your resume, AND
• Get involved in career-related extracurricular activities (read those emails from your fellow students for some ideas on what to get involved with)
• Act and look the part - dressing professionally at school ensures that you're prepared if a networking opportunity presents itself unexpectedly, and helps your professors and contacts know you mean business and have your act together
• Identify, document and learn to talk about your skills and achievements. You are building your resume up every day in the projects and work that you do. Learn to communicate it in ways that show others how you might contribute to their work.
• Use the Career Center. They are a great resource!

These are simple things, but things that can go undone most of the time. The trick is to make your "job search" a part of your every day habits to make sure you have the opportunities when you need them.

Did you know you can order business cards with Humphrey School formatting? It's true! I ordered cards for myself last year and had to order more this year because I went through them all!

Business cards are a great way to give your contact information to professionals you meet, helping you keep in touch and making you look professional. They are handy for events, conferences, informational interviews and other events and meetings you attend. My biggest use for them has been to include one in hand-written thank-you notes I send after interviews I conduct for career information, internship interviews or class projects. They make a great impression!

Here's how to order them:

1. Go to the West Bank Copy Center in the basement of the Social Science tower. To get there, take the Gopher Way through the basement of the Humphrey Center toward Heller, Blegen, and Social Science Halls and Wilson Library. Pass rows of lockers and take a left through the glass doors at the end of the hall. Take a right toward Social Science Tower. Pass the elevators and on your right is the copy center. Congratulations - you found it!

2. Ask to order student business cards for Humphrey School students. The person will have you fill in your contact info into their template.

3. Pay for the cards with cash or check

60 cards = $15 + tax (this is how many I ordered and it was more than enough for one year)
120 cards = $20 + tax
180 cards = $30 + tax
240 cards = $35 + tax

4. Pick them up after one business day

These business cards have a basic U of M - Humphrey School format. It's an easy and affordable way to have some printed.

Some students have decided to design their own to make theirs more creative - maybe they are a dual-degree candidate or have other information they want to share about themselves, like a tag-line, or want to have a fancier design. This option is better for some, but may be more expensive. I can connect you to students who have gone this route for advice about getting them designed and printed. Email me for more information if this is of interest to you.

Please let me know if you have any questions about how - or why - to order business cards.