In-Depth Look at Career Buffs

By Kelsey McWilliams, Marketing Intern at CU-Boulder Career Services

Question: have you created a Career Buffs account? If the answer is yes, continue reading for an in-depth look at our comprehensive online system. If not, let us introduce Career Buffs: CU-Boulder Career Services’ online job, internship and event database.

Click here to read a previous post about how to create an account and then come back and finish reading this blog post once you’re all signed up!

Career Buffs is an incredibly useful tool once you know your way around the site. Continue reading to learn more about our user-friendly database.

Your Profile

Your personal information can be accessed through the My Account tab by clicking on My Profile. Take a minute to go through each section and complete all fields, especially Job Preference and Type of Position Desired (full time, internship, part time, etc.). Sometimes Career Services sends emails that match your criteria, so make sure you fill everything out and keep it up to date. The more detailed your profile is, the better we can assist you!

Upload Your Resume

First, make an appointment with one of our career counselors to get your resume checked or attend Resume Critiques with the Peer Career Assistants (PCAs) on Wednesday, November 7. Once you’ve updated your resume, upload it to your Career Buffs account by clicking My Account and then My Documents. You can also upload cover letters, recommendation letters, writing samples and transcripts. Allow Career Services to send your resume out to employers by clicking YES next to “Allow resume referrals to employers?” on the My Profile tab.

Search for Jobs and Internships

Career Buffs has thousands of listings of paid and unpaid internships, part-time jobs, full time jobs and more! Click the Job Search tab, and then explore your advanced search options. Fill out the applicable sections such as a Job Category, Position Type and Job State Location. Career Services recommends that you use fewer criterions so that you do not limit your search results (i.e. if you specify Boulder as the job city location, you may miss out on an amazing opportunity right outside of Boulder).

Save Your Work for Later

While you still have your current search open, select “Save Search” to easily access the same job search the next time you log in to Career Buffs. Select “Email me New Jobs for this search” to receive daily emails when new positions are posted that match your selected criteria. You can also keep track of your favorite jobs to review later by clicking the grey star next to each job title. These will be saved under the My Favorite Jobs link on the left side of your homepage.

What else?

• Career Events is a list of upcoming career-related events including employer information sessions, career and internship fairs, networking events, career panels, resume workshops, etc. Search for events that interest you and find out the time, date and location as well as whether or not you need to RSVP.

• Our Employer Directory keeps track of more than 9,700 employers that have posted jobs with our office.

• My Activity (under the My Account section) tracks any positions to which you have submitted your resume. It also keeps track of your on-campus interview schedule and any events you RSVP for.

• The On-Campus Interviews section is a list of organizations conducting interviews at CU-Boulder. You can choose to either “View Schedules I Am Qualified For,” or “View Upcoming Schedules.” Even if you think that you are qualified for a position under the latter section, you will not be able to submit your resume for that position if it does not show up under the qualified section. You may just need to update your profile, so be sure to do so often!

If you have any questions or concerns while exploring your Career Buffs account, please contact our Career Services Help Desk at 303.492.4100.

What If You Don’t Get the Call Back?

By Kelsey McWilliams, Marketing Intern at CU-Boulder Career Services

We’ve all experienced the uncomfortable waiting period after submitting an application or sending a resume and cover letter to a company that you’re just dying to work for. But what about after you’ve already had the interview? This silence from a potential employer can be incredibly painful.

The most important thing to remember: don’t freak, but do take action. It’s easier to let your mind run wild with questions... What did I do wrong? Should I have worn that outfit? Did they like another candidate more? Am I unqualified? Don’t let this happen! Keep calm and don’t put words in the employer’s mouth. Instead you should ask yourself several questions...

First, did you follow up? You can’t expect an employer to make the first move after you’ve interviewed. Following up is not an optional gesture; it’s crucial if you’re serious about standing out amongst your competitors. All it takes is a quick email (within 24-48 hours of the interview) thanking the employer for the time they spent with you. These tips about Following Up After a Career Fair can also be applied to job interviews.

Next, was your contact information correct? Candidates often forget to update their contact information on resumes and cover letters – especially when transitioning from college to professional life. Make sure that your email, phone number and address are clearly written on both sheets.

Employers may just be taking their time or testing you. Many employers are curious to see if candidates are truly interested in a certain position, so they may refrain from responding to your first email. Be persistent and show them that you’re the right person for the job.

The other option is that an employer may be waiting to interview more candidates before getting back to you. In this case, make sure to keep yourself on their radar while remaining patient and respectful at all times. You definitely don’t want to annoy them with too many emails.

Finally, the sad truth... it’s possible that they’re just not that into you. If you’re not the right person for them then they are not the right company for you. Remember to keep your head up because there are many other opportunities ahead. If you’re still obsessing over the company, then think about applying for another position that you may be better suited for. Or you can always apply after you’ve gained more experience at another job.

No matter what their reason is for lack of communication, always stay positive. Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done, so maybe you’ll be receiving a response faster than you know it. Otherwise, another opportunity is sure to present itself.

Network Like a Pro

By Kelsey McWilliams, Marketing Intern at CU-Boulder Career Services

Networking can be an intimidating experience, but it can also be a very rewarding one if you play your cards right. Even though you may not realize it, you are constantly surrounded by potential networking opportunities, whether you’re interacting with peers, parents, colleagues or strangers. Read on for some helpful tips that will surely enhance your next networking experience.

The art of networking is a difficult skill to teach or explain. The best way for me to give advice is through personal experience, so I’d like to share one of my most meaningful networking encounters.

Two years ago CU-Boulder, among other schools across the country, hosted the Clinique Fresh Faces Tour, which offered students the chance to “win” a summer internship with Clinique in New York City.

Hoping to work at home in Los Angeles for my first summer back from college, I wasn’t particularly interested in the New York internship opportunity. I was, however, very interested in a Public Relations career in the beauty industry. Knowing that networking was going to be my ticket into the industry, I decided to go to the event, hoping that there would be some influential executives in attendance.

Tip #1: Know who you want to talk to in advance

I arrived at the event with every intention of finding someone with whom I could network. At first when I asked if there were any corporate representatives from Clinique in attendance I was completely shot down. This brings me to my next networking tip...

Tip #2: Persistence is key

With a hunch that my luck would change if I were patient enough, I stuck around the event awaiting for my opportunity. After lingering for a while I finally got the chance to meet CeCe Coffin, Senior Vice President of Global Communications for Clinique (and a CU-Boulder alum)!

Tip #3: Strut your stuff

Don’t be afraid to talk about yourself in a positive light while also making sure to maintain a two-way conversation (it’s not all about you)! I showed CeCe that I am a motivated, passionate and reliable job candidate through stories about my past job experience at a PR firm in Los Angeles, and she ended up recommending me for a position at Smashbox Cosmetics. Who knew that a short conversation could land me such an incredible opportunity? My summer internship at Smashbox was a direct result of my networking opportunity with Cece Coffin.

Tip #4: You have lots to learn

Take networking encounters as an opportunity to learn. By asking open-ended questions like “How have you enjoyed being in the industry?” and “What are the challenges you’ve faced?” I gained insight into CeCe’s career and personal background. This information was incredibly helpful in making my own decisions, as I was able to relate to her experiences and foresee myself in a life like hers. Not only did CeCe end up helping my find an internship, but she has also served as a mentor ever since we met.

Tip #5: Follow up, follow up, follow up

As a general rule of thumb it is always important to follow up, and networking opportunities are no exception. Make sure to get the contact information of the person you’re talking to so that you can send them a thank you note via email. It is important to recognize and appreciate the time they took to speak to you. Plus, you never know when you may want to email them with a question or favor!

Overall, make sure to always be engaged, professional and appreciative. Networking opportunities often lead to potential jobs and internships, so it is important to always put your best foot forward!

You’re Fired: Do’s and Don’ts

By Kelsey McWilliams, Marketing Intern at CU-Boulder Career Services

Getting fired from a job is a terrible feeling, but unfortunately it can happen to the best of us. In the heat of the moment you will be filled with emotion, but there are some very important steps you must take and guidelines you must adhere to.

Keep Your Cool

No matter how angry and sad you may feel, it is very important to stay calm. Always be respectful to your coworkers and superiors, and do not lash out in the heat of the moment. Trust us, you will be remorseful later. As tempting as it may be to post an angry Facebook status or tweet, you will also undoubtedly regret informing all of your friends and followers that you were fired. Instead of lashing out, confide only in those who you trust and love, surrounding yourself with people who can support you through this tough time. Keeping your cool will help you move on quicker in the long run.

Respect the Company

While you may feel like sending out an angry email to your boss or coworkers, refrain. The things you say and write can be held against you and will absolutely tarnish your reputation. No matter how you feel about the company, never badmouth it – this could seriously prevent you from being able to find another job. Don’t forget that future employers will be calling your old company for references, and you want them to have good things to say about you. A bitter, hostile exit will put you in a horrible situation as far as finding a new job.

Think Before You Sign

Many companies offer severance agreements to employees they fire. These forms release the company from legal cases surrounding your employment. Take your time on signing this form. It is best to run it by a lawyer and consider negotiating a higher payment if you deserve one. Also make sure that you are not a victim of wrongful termination. Experts estimate that more than 250,000 workers are unjustly fired every year, so make sure that this does not happen to you.

Consider Unemployment Benefits

If you qualify for these compensation benefits then you should definitely apply right away. Contact your state unemployment office for specific cases on whether or not you qualify. Most fired employees do qualify as long as you weren’t fired for misconduct.

Cut Back

Think again about how you’re spending your money while unemployed. This would be a great time to get your finances in order, review your budgets and cut back on expenses. Assume that another job is not just around the corner because it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

Look Back

Once you’ve cooled down, think about what happened that led to your firing. Is there anything you could have done differently? This is a very important conversation to have with yourself because it could mean the difference between finding success at your next job and a future of unemployment.

Keep Your Head Up

No matter what happened towards the end, the company hired you for a reason in the first place and other employers will see that too! Try not to let yourself be discouraged and remember that you are not alone. Start looking for and interviewing for new jobs while remembering that everything happens for a reason. This closed door could open an even better one in the future! Be positive about your prospects.

Interviews: How to Prep, Dress and Shine!

By Kelsey McWilliams, Marketing Intern at CU-Boulder Career Services

Just showing up at an interview definitely does not mean that you are prepared. Beforehand you must complete some simple steps of interview preparation that will put you ahead of the game and help you outshine the competition.

What can make you stand out from other applicants in today’s competitive job market? Knowledge. Knowledge about the company, about how you can contribute to the position, and how you are more qualified than every other applicant.

Research

The key to learning about a company is through research. Before the interview find out as much as you can about the company and the position you’re applying for. Do some basic web research about what the company does, how big it is, what they say about their products/services and recent news (if you were applying for a job at Apple, for example, you would want to know about the new iPhone5). Make sure that you clearly understand the job description, so that you are able to demonstrate your qualifications.

Reflect

Think back on your past job experiences and remember a couple stories that demonstrate your fantastic work ethic. Make them pretty general because you’re not sure what the interview’s questions will be, but chances are they will ask you a lot about yourself and your experience. Be prepared to answer them confidently with stories that highlight your skills.

Dress

Make sure to pick out your interview outfit the night before. This should include professional and tasteful clothing in solid, dark colors like navy, black and brown. Men should remember to wear a tie, long sleeve dress shirt and a jacket. Women don’t forget to dress conservatively, avoiding sheer clothing, low-cut shirts and short skirts. Click on the highlighted links on “men” and “women” for more tips on how to dress!

Shine

Go into the interview with confidence – your hard work and preparation will pay off! Don’t be afraid to show the interviewer why you are right for the position because after all, they need to know why!