A Day in the Life of Vail Resorts’ E-Commerce Coordinator

When Charles Townsend first began his college search, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to study.

“I just wanted a school that had a lot to offer and also had good skiing nearby,” Charles said. “That’s why I came out to Colorado.”

However, it’s Charles’ job as Vail Resorts’ User Experience and E-Commerce Coordinator that has ultimately helped him earn a living and continue living in Colorado. Part of Charles’ role at Vail Resorts includes managing the e-commerce sections on the company’s different websites—from ski pass purchases or equipment rental. He also provides recommendations to the larger marketing organization on site usability, or giving the website a consistent look and feel that is both user-friendly and leads to a positive customer experience.

When he first arrived at CU and discovered that he had an interest in marketing, Charles began taking the prerequisite classes in order to apply to the Leeds School of Business. However, as soon as Charles discovered that he had to take classes he found less interesting before he could take marketing classes, he decided to explore his interest in sociology.

“I figured that would be a great application to marketing, to use my knowledge of large groups of people, as opposed to one person’s mind like in psychology, and leverage that knowledge in more of a marketing/advertising sense,” Charles said.

Around this time, Charles made an appointment to see a counselor at Career Services who helped him network and reach out to alumni. One of the alumni Charles met through CU’s alumni database was a sociology major who worked in the marketing field, and because of their shared backgrounds and interests, Charles was able to arrange a meeting with him. Charles developed a friendly relationship with this alumnus, who he spoke with about once a month. The CU alum accepted a position at Vail Resorts, and when he had been working there for about six months, Charles was just starting to look for internship opportunities for second semester of his senior year. During his search, Charles asked this friend about possible one day per week internship opportunities that might exist at Vail Resorts and ended up landing a spring internship with their online marketing department.

“That worked out great and that was my foot in the door,” Charles explained. “It gave me great exposure to the company and I really enjoyed it.”

Charles interned at Vail Resorts during the summer after his senior year until he was offered a full-time job in the group sales department. Charles worked in sales for about a year before his current position opened up in the online marketing department and he was able to transfer.

What does a day in Charles’ life look like?

> Around 7:30 a.m., Charles starts his morning with breakfast and spending some time with his dog out before heading to work.

> From 8 or 8:30 a.m. until around 5:30 or 6 p.m., Charles reviews and responds to emails, attends a meeting with his team or the IT development team, and troubleshoots and makes changes to various areas of the website.

> Charles finishes his day off with a 30-minute commute home.

What’s ahead for Charles?

“I love being in the online space and focusing on websites. I’d love to be able to spend more time exploring the local space. Another one of my responsibilities has been to oversee our local website platform and maintain those other sites which are different than the standard Vail.com that people visit.”

“In terms of the future, the online space is something I like being involved with. I’ve really enjoyed my time with Vail and hope that there will be some good opportunities that come up. I’m still looking for opportunities out there, but ideally, that next step up would be within my same department, but who knows? I think the online space is where I want to remain, and I want to keep working with passionate people who have similar personalities to me.”

What advice would you offer current CU students?

“I’d say definitely use Career Services for all they offer. I certainly tried to leverage that resource as much as I could by meeting with a career advisor once a week and getting job interviews even if it’s a job you know you won’t be interested in long-term—just having an interview is extremely helpful and helped me. It’s not like I just applied to my job at Vail; I applied to jobs through Career Services and while none were as exciting as Vail, they were all great experiences in terms of having that interview practice. I’d also say to be passionate about your major and what you’re interested in; it separates you from the rest of the pack. Embrace that instead of trying to hide it.”

Student Spotlight: Job Searching Strategies for Arts and Sciences Majors

The prospect of finding a job in today’s job market can be daunting, especially for students in the College of Arts and Sciences. As a graduating communication and psychology major, I consider myself lucky for landing a job in this economy. A computer-based financial analysis software company, named FactSet, has extended a job offer despite my non-business background. Here’s why:

FactSet is a company that operates as a consulting amenity in the financial services sector. Prior to receiving the job offer, I had no idea a company like this would be interested in me. However, my communication and problem solving abilities—skills refined in Arts & Sciences majors—gave me a leg up on the business students I competed against. If I hadn’t initially been open to interviewing with a company off job radar, I wouldn’t have a job lined up. So, be prepared to be surprised during the job search process.

As a Peer Career Advisor for CU Boulder Career Services, I’ve been exposed to campus recruiters for several years. What I’ve come to realize is that the interview process starts long before the interview itself. Thanks to my exposure to FactSet’s recruiters at past career fairs and employer information sessions, the company was familiar with me before my senior year and interested in talking to me about employment opportunities before graduation. When I walked into FactSet’s San Mateo, California, office for the interview, I had already established rapport with two of the four hiring managers due to my networking efforts on campus

One piece of advice I have to graduating job seekers is to stay up-to-date on hiring trends and current events relevant to the industry in which you wish to work. During my interview, I was asked to discuss recent trends in finance that interested me. After reading portions of The Economist magazine the night before to prepare for the interview, I spouted off an impressive answer that reflected my interest in market economics. Staying educated on industry news can be difficult, especially while classes can still require large amounts of reading; however, a few minutes a day spent reading information-dense texts like your local business journal or trade magazines can make the interview environment more relaxed and conversational.

Lastly, make the interview about you, too. Instead of feeling nervous about what questions are going to throw you off point, think of questions or concerns you would like to ask the interviewer. This can serve you two ways. Having questions prepared can, indeed, make the interview more conversational. Rather than simply responding to each question as if it were interrogation, you have to ability to respond to a tough question with a question of your own. Additionally, preparing questions prior to the interview will show the interviewer that you are serious and curious about the position. Turning the infamous interview setting into a conversation will relieve your anxiousness and  dissolve uncertainty once hired—two birds with one stone.

How I got my social media internship

My name is Mindy Rappoport and I’m a Peer Career Advisor (PCA) at CU Career Services. I’m currently a senior news-editorial journalism major who is also earning a technology, arts and media (digital media skills) certificate. My interest in communication ranges from traditional print media to public relations to social networking.

A little over a year ago, I interviewed Elyse Heslin for the Career Services blog. Elyse was a former PCA who had graduated the semester before I started working at Career Services. After graduating, Elyse began working at Room 214, a social media agency based in Boulder. I had stumbled upon their website while I was searching for social media and communications internships in Boulder. I couldn’t help but wonder what Elyse’s job was really like, so I emailed her some questions for her to answer for the Career Services blog post. I was amazed when she replied and told me that part of her job entailed managing “social media communities and online conversations” about such brands as Sanrio (Hello Kitty) and Crock-Pot. Working at a social media agency sounded like an incredible job for someone like me, who has strong research and writing skills and also loves social networking and communication. Once the blog was complete, I sent Elyse the link and told her how interested I was in her line of work. I could see myself going into a similar career after graduation. Elyse replied back with an offer to meet with me to talk about my career interests and learn more about social media marketing.

With graduation just a year away, I needed to hone in on the specific type of communications job I was interested in. I set up an informational interview with Elyse, where I asked her even more questions about her job and what it’s like to work at a social media agency. I left the meeting more ecstatic than ever! Not only did Elyse love communications just as much as I did, but she had landed what I was convinced was my dream job. I immediately scoured Room 214’s website for information about their company and watched every YouTube video they had posted.

Once I completed my research, I emailed Room 214 my cover letter and resume. I hoped that I could show them what a valuable and helpful part of their team I could be. They didn’t have any open positions at the time, but nevertheless I applied because the worst they could say was “no.” After interviewing with Room 214, they extended an internship offer to me and I accepted.

I’ve been working at Room 214 for a little over a month now, and as a social media intern, I conduct research, test Facebook applications that our developers have created (quality assurance), and help manage social media accounts for clients. I love the work I do in the office, and to this day I can’t help but think that if I hadn’t met with Elyse to find out more about her job, I might not have found my place in this growing social media industry.

A Day in the Life of a Veterinary Journalist

As a May 2011 graduate, Kate Spencer was part of one of the last graduating classes from CU's School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

"I really never thought of doing journalism in high school, but decided I might as well try out CU's SJMC when I came to CU in 2007," Kate explains. "When I got involved with the CU Independent, CU's online news source for students, I discovered that I loved journalism."

That love of journalism led Kate to the CU Independent, where she held multiple editorial positions, including editor-in-chief, before graduating with a double degree in journalism and international affairs. In addition to journalism, Kate has also been passionate about animals since she was a child, when she would constantly rescue wild animals and try to convince her parents to get another dog. 

Now, she has combined these two passions in her job as an online reporter/editor for Trends Today, an online source for veterinary news that is produced by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).

"Finding a way to combine my natural love of animals with my journalism skills was the best thing that could have happened to me right out of college," she said.

As a veterinary journalist for Trends Today, Kate writes, edits, develops and posts content to the website. She's also working on redesigning the AAHA's Web content management system, and she's a member of the AAHA's Social Media Task Force. Kate says that the most fun part of her job is that her coworkers always bring their pets into the office, so she's always surrounded by animals, and that she loves all of the traveling she gets to do as she attends conferences all over the United States.

Kate found out about her present job from her former internship coordinator at the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), where she served as a social media intern during her junior year.

"My former internship supervisor from the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association called me one morning and said she had found me a job that I would love," Kate explained. "She said she had already talked to the hiring manager there and had already sent along a letter of recommendation — all I had to do was send my resume and officially apply! If I had never had the internship with the CVMA, I wouldn't have my current job."

  

What does a day in Kate's life look like?

> From 6:30 to 7:30 a.m., she wakes up then checks her email and responds to anything urgent.

> From 7:30 to 9:00 a.m., Kate makes the daily hour and a half commute to work. 

> From 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., Kate reads the veterinary news of the day and posts at least one story online about what is happening to various social media outlets.

> From 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., she works on more in-depth stories that will be published later in the week.

> From 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., Kate attends a departmental meeting for Trends Magazine and Trends Today, the online news source.

> From 2:00 to 3:30 p.m., Kate meets with the social media task force.

> From 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., Kate works on redesigning the Trends Today website before heading home for the night.
What's ahead for Kate?

"I love my job – I think that’s a very rare thing to be able to say these days. There’s really nowhere else I’d rather be right now. I love knowing that I am putting my degree to a good use and am making a difference while I do it. I would like to get into government work someday, either in policy or communications, but I love where I am now. I know I also want to go back to school in the next five or seven years, likely to law school. CU is also an incredible atmosphere – I love the university and will always remember the opportunities it gave me and the friends and connections I made during my time there. I would love to come back someday and work in communications for either the Boulder campus or the CU system."

What advice would you offer current CU students?

"It was really my practical experience throughout college that landed me a job after graduation. To be competitive in today’s job market, students really need to tap into the resources the university offers and connect with professionals in the CU community."

Creative Cover Letters

Writing a cover letter can be the most difficult part of job application process.  In fact, half the battle is simply sitting down to a blank document and knowing where to start.  The following is a format CU’s Career Services office suggests for students when starting a cover letter. 

Cover letter formatting:

-        Contact information should be at the top of the page (same style as your resume)

-        Cover letters should be no longer than 1 page

-        Use a basic and professional font, size 12 pt.

-        Business style letter

Professional's Contact Information

To Ms. Smith (or “To whom it may concern” if you don’t know the person):

Introductory Paragraph:  This is the attention grabber.  Show enthusiasm to arouse the reader’s interest.  When you are applying for a specific internship or job, note the position title and the name and date of the vacancy listing.  If you saw the listing on CSO, list that information as well.  If applicable, give the person’s name that referred you to the organization.  Most introductory paragraphs are short, so be brief and clear.

Middle Paragraph:  This is the sales pitch.  It is the longest of your paragraphs.  Present specific skills, education, and/or experience that make you an attractive candidate for the position.  Highlight special skills that are relevant to the job description.  Prove that you know the company by directly referencing how your skills and experience match the position.

Final Paragraph:  This is the request for action.  Be proactive and ASK for an interview or a meeting to discuss how your skills might assist the employer.  Offer to provide more information (e.g. samples of your work, more details of your past experience or education, etc.).  You may ask the employer to call you, or you can take the lead and indicate that you will call.  Provide your telephone number and email address with the best times to contact you. 

Thank the employer for his/her time and consideration.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME

Although this is a good starting point for formatting the cover letter we also strongly encourage you to be creative!  Unlike the resume that simply states your facts and experience, the cover letter shows the employer who you are.  At the end of the day there could be several other applicants who have similar experience, but ultimately it’s your personality illustrated in your cover letter that is going to get you the interview and hopefully the job.

For more information check out our Resumes That Rock Presentation on Tuesday, November 1 from 5:30-7:00 in Norlin E303.

The secret to networking

Become career keen at the Annual Networking Night this Wednesday!

While unemployment rates in today’s job market have hovered around 9% for several years, the prospect of finding a job is promising for students who do their homework and start early. Yes, I’m talking about class projects and papers; but also, networking. Many people say the interview itself can make or break a job opportunity. However, I argue that employers begin to interview you much sooner than the formal interview process.

The job market is crowded with individuals looking for work, but rest assured, there are opportunities out there. Often there are many opportunities that go unapplied for on CSO (Career Services Online). So what’s the secret to finding a job? The secret is: companies are looking to meet their future employees early on in their college careers through career fairs, networking and internships. Intentionally reaching out to employers and people in positions to hire well before graduation has greatly aided CU students. This shows that networking works!

Fortunately for CU students, Career Services is hosting their Annual Networking Night this Wednesday, October 26, at 5:30-7:00 p.m. in the Abrams Lounge (C4C). With over 40 industry professionals in attendance, this is a fantastic opportunity to meet employers from various industries and occupations. Along with learning about what types of opportunities await you after college, you may have the chance to spark a relationship that lands you a job. Sponsored by Pandora Radio and LivingSocial, this event has been a favorite among student job seekers for years. Free appetizers and beverages will be served. This event is open exclusively to CU-Boulder students and alumni. Pre-registration is highly recommended, but walk-ins are welcome! Register here.

Before attending the Annual Networking Night, here are some words of wisdom from Cori Shaff—Career Counselor and Student Outreach Coordinator:

- Try finding something in common with the potential employer when starting your conversation.

- Be sure to give a great first impression (attire, smile, handshake, and introduction).

- Research the companies in attendance to have something to talk about with them (this information can be found when registering for the event on CSO).

- After your conversation, ask for their business card so that you can contact them afterward.

- Be interested, interesting, and genuine!

- Engage other students in conversations. You never know how your connections can work for you in the future!

Testing Services

One of the many great features about Career Services is that we offer testing services to students in our office right here on campus. Many graduate programs and employers either recommend or require certain tests to qualify. We offer tests that can exempt you from courses here at CU, in addition to graduate, professional , and certification exams. If you’re unsure if your particular path requires a graduate/professional test, you may want to see a counselor today for more information. If you are interested in, or need to take a graduate school or certification exam, Career Services can help you along the way as well. We offer a broad range of tests from GRE, TOEFL, SAT, CLEP, to foreign language proficiency tests. To go about getting more information about the tests in general, or to schedule an appointment to take a test, contact Testing Services (give phone and website).  You can also meet with a Career Counselor to learn more.  We have  walk in hours, from Monday – Thursday between 1:30-4pm, or.ou can also stop by our office (Center for Community room N352) and schedule an appointment.

Changes to the GRE
The GRE is a computer-based test that determines your aptitude for graduate school, and is required by most programs. The GRE has recently changed, and if you are interested in seeing what these changes consist of, click on this link.

Here is the full list of tests that Career Services offer: ACT, LSAT, MCAT, PCAT, SAT, GMAT, GRE, MAT, MPRE, PRAXIS, and TOEFL

It’s never too early to start preparing for a test, so stop by Career Services today to figure out how to proceed with your preparation!

A Day in the Life of Co-Founder of Tweety Got Back, Rachel Ryle

Rachel Ryle, a CU alum, has found her calling…giving your Twitter page a free, custom designed background. As the co-founder and lead designer at Tweety Got Back, and in charge of digital and virtual goods at Threadless, Rachel has embarked on a new adventure that has made waves in the social media community.

Tweety Got Back, created initially as a hobby, grew into a business with countless paid partnerships and valuable and unique advertising aimed toward specific companies. Over the last year and a half, Tweety Got Back has gained an amazing 32,000 Twitter followers.

On top of creating eye-catching designs for Tweety Got Back, Rachel is also in charge of business development for the site. With the ever-evolving world of social media taking company’s websites to a new level, Rachel decided to reach for the stars with her goals, literally. 

Most recently, Tweety Got Back has worked with NASA to create out-of-this-world space themes for users. She’s constantly jumping fences and finding unique connections by helping bring value to new contacts. Through networking, Tweety Got Back connected and began a partnership with Threadless, offering Threadless artistic themes on the site.

Threadless, a Chicago-based company prints t-shirt designs created and chosen by its community of local artists. The digital and virtual worlds of gaming are growing rapidly, so the partnership has been mutually beneficial. At Threadless, Rachel helps develop business in gaming, always asking herself, “How can Threadless grow into the virtual world?”

Rachel helps Threadless better understand the gaming market in order to help raise market awareness. Threadless has developed deep connections and interactions with fans and consumers. “Threadless is a very unique community where they include their costumers. A ‘Threadless spotting’ is whenever we recognize a Threadless design on the street. We approach that person as a part of the community and give them a gift card. We simply consider it an investment,” said Rachel.

What’s in the future for you?

With Threadless’ business growing rapidly, Rachel is focused on developing new business relationships for Tweety Got Back. “I want to take Tweety Got Back to the next level by engaging with new consumers and finding interesting pockets of people,” she says. Tweety Got Back has paired with a cutting edge design firm in NY, Fueled. The strategic partnership will deliver brands to consumers in an artistic way.

What does a typical day look like you for?

- Wake up early and get going with new ideas. Rachel is always eager and excited for creation days.

- A visit to the coffee shop allows for a creative burst and allows Rachel time to create themes and engage with the community.

      - While creating, Rachel seeks users opinions and views.

      - When the workday is done, a bike ride around Boulder helps get the creative juices flowing.

      - After her bike ride, usually the ideas are flowing. Rachel works on blog posts and theme creations. “If I’m in the zone often these turn into power days that don’t end until 3 am.”

Public Service Jobs and Internships

Are you interested in obtaining a career with the government, but aren't sure how to pursue it? Come check out Career Services' Public Services Career Panel on October 19 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Abrams Lounge in the Center for Community. Some of the professionals serving as panelists at this event include Christine Berg, Community Outreach Manager at the Office of Congressman Jared Polis, and Katie McCune, a Program Evaluator at JVA Consulting who previously worked in Public Health.

Katie offered a little insight as to what it's like to work at JVA Consulting.

Q: How did you find your job?
A: I found my job on the Colorado Nonprofit Association website (great resource!), and I was one of the lucky few who was able to get a job even though I hadn't done any networking with the people at my organization prior to applying. I think this is really rare though, particularly in the public service sector.

Q: What does your day to day look like?
A: One of the beautiful (and sometimes stressful!) things about my job is there is very little "day to day stuff." As a consultant, I never know when a client will need support. That being said, on any given day, I might be conducting phone interviews to help an organization evaluate their programs, write grants, or draft reports for our clients to help them understand the results of an evaluation. However, no matter what is going on any given day, there is very rarely a day where I don't work closely with a team.

Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I absolutely love seeing all the great work that is going on in the world. All of our clients are so passionate about what they're doing, and just like happiness, that passion is contagious. I've become so much more aware of different social causes that were never before on my radar, and I think that is awesome! I also love the amount of learning that goes on in my job, and with every project, I gain a new perspective or new skill set. Finally, I love the collaborative aspect of my work because it makes me feel connected.

Q: What advice do you have?
A: Get out there and find ways to connect to the work you want to do, prior to applying for a job. In my opinion, internships are the best way to do this. The downside is many internships in the sector are unpaid, but looking back, I wish I had done an internship for credit while I was still in school. In this field, it's really important to have some experience with the population you want to work with and some connection to the mission, so an internship cannot only give you experience, but prove to future employers you're passionate about the cause. Also, as a wise CU Career Counselor once told me, network, network, network! I didn't fully appreciate how important this was until I was in the field, but this is how many people find their jobs. A great place to start is informational interviews, and from my own experience, I wish I had done a lot more of these during my job search.

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And if you're interested in internship opportunities that involve working with government or non-profit organizations, apply for the CU Public Interest Internship Experience (PIIE) for summer 2012. Those undergraduate students who are accepted to PIIE for summer 2012 will be able to chose to work at one of the pre-selected organizations, or create their own internship opportunity with a government or non-profit organization in Colorado. A few employers that PIIE interns have worked with in the past include the Boulder Valley Humane Society, the Colorado Council on the Arts, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Export Assistance Center), and the I Have a Dream Foundation.

Students interested in applying for PIIE must be full-time undergraduates at CU Boulder in good academic standing (2.0 or higher). In addition, applicants must be enrolled and returning to CU Boulder for at least one semester after they finish their summer internship. Those who are accepted to the program will be required to write a thank you letter to the donors and a reflective report at the end of their internship experience, as well as potentially make an oral presentation.

To apply, fill out the PIIE general application and submit it by November 18.

A Day in the Life of a Facebook Employee

Meet Travis Eagles-Soukup, a CU graduate from the class of 2011, who now works at Facebook's Austin, Texas, office. Travis stated he always had an interest in the different aspects of business, but at first he thought he wanted to study and get a job in finance. Upon positive experiences at Boulder start-up companies, including a technology company, he knew he wanted to end up in the fast-paced high tech/internet/start-up scene.

"From there, Facebook was a perfect fit," Travis said. "Even though it's technically no longer a start-up, it definitely feels that way. The amount of impact each employee can have and the variety of interesting challenges we face each day really makes the work a reward in itself."

After graduating with a business degree and an emphasis in operations information management and systems, Travis moved to Austin to start his job as a User Operations Analyst at Facebook, which he heard about through the Career Services' Careers in the Buff newsletter and the Career Fair. He applied for the job using Career Services Online. As an analyst, Travis is "responsible for maintaining user safety, engagement, and site understanding by responding to email inquiries and abuse reports." He also collects information about Facebook users' behavior, analyzes it, and then explains it to his department and the company.

Facebook's Austin, Texas, office

Travis says the most fun aspect of his job is working with his "incredibly intelligent, focused, energetic, resourceful, and fun" coworkers, who are always willing to answer any questions he has or point him in the right direction if they aren't sure of the answer. Because Facebook's office is completely open and doesn't have rooms or cubicles, Travis says it's easy to walk up and ask anyone a question.

"It's one of the most collaborative and supportive environments I've ever been in," he explains. "[...] Just look both ways first. You never know when a gang of Facebookers will come whizzing by on a few of the many scooters/skateboards/bikes/rip sticks ... conveniently placed around the office!"

While Facebook employees receive many benefits and perks, it's for a reason; Travis said he thinks employees who feel good are more likely to work harder, and that this rings true at Facebook.

"We work fast, prioritize ruthlessly, and do everything we can to make the largest possible impact every single day," he said.

In his spare time, Travis, who is an identical twin, enjoys skiing, watching movies, learning, singing in the shower, and almost any outdoor activity.

What does a day in Travis's life look like? 

> During the workweek, Facebook provides employees with three meals per day. From 9 to 10 a.m., Travis has breakfast in the cafeteria at Facebook, where he says the food is amazing. After breakfast, he collects his thoughts for the day, prepares for meetings, and finishes any work that didn’t quite get done the night before.

> From 10 a.m. to noon, Travis focuses on his individual work and attends various meetings, among other daily tasks.

> From noon to 1 p.m., he has lunch in the cafeteria with his coworkers.

> From 1 to 6:30 p.m., he completes more individual work and group projects, among other tasks.

> At 6:30, Travis has dinner before heading home for the day.

What's ahead for Travis?

"We’ll see where the journey takes me! I would like to say, however, that I hope to continue on the same path. This industry, the people I get to work with, and the impact I can make every day always leaves me wanting more."

Facebook will be holding a drop-in coffee hour on CU's campus on Wednesday, October 19, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in room N215 in the C4C. Come learn more about Facebook and available opportunities at the company. The User Operations Analyst, Risk Operations Analyst, and Security Engineer positions at Facebook are currently posted on Career Services Online. Be sure to submit your resume and answer the required questions before the application closes this Thursday, October 6! Facebook will be holding interviews on October 20 based on those students they meet at the drop-in coffee hour.

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Career Services will be holding their annual Fall Career Fair this Wednesday, October 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the UMC Ballroom, Room 235 and The Gallery. Over 100 employers will be there, so be sure to come dressed professionally, bring copies of your resume, and have specific questions for employers about jobs posted on Career Services Online. For more tips about how to prepare for the Career Fair, read our Career Fair Quick Tips and watch the video above.

Make your own business cards

Have you ever been in a situation where you met an influential person in your field of interest and he/she asked for your contact information, and your only option was to quickly and unprofessionally jot down your information on a scratch piece of paper?  If you answered yes, there is an easy solution to this problem – BUSINESS CARDS!  Having and distributing business cards may seem unnecessary or too advanced for many college students, but the truth is you don’t have to be a high-powered business executive to distribute information.  The most basic level of networking involves distributing your contact information. Subsequently, having a professional business card available at all times is a great idea. You’ll never know who you’ll meet. 

Business cards can include everything from:

-       Name

-       Company name (if applicable)

-       Title (if applicable)

-       Personal/Business Address

-       Personal/Business Phone Number

-       Personal/Company Website

-       Personal LinkedIn (or any other professional social networking source) Account Web Address

-       Blogs

How to Make/Buy Business Cards

In order to design and obtain personalized business cards, you can be as simplistic as designing and printing them on your own or designing them on an easy-to-use professional business cardwebsite.  If you choose to make your own business cards, there are free templates available in Microsoft Word.  Overnightprints.com and Gotprint.net also offer affordable business card templates, or you can design your own and have them printed at a local printer such as The UMC InkSpot.

Text Message Business Cards

For those of you who are tech savvy, you may want to consider text message business cards.  Contxts (www.contxts.com)  is an online service and smart phone app that allows you to send and receive mobile business cards through SMS text messaging.  When you register either on their website or through the smart phone app, you choose a username and enter in any contact info you want to appear on your SMS business card – email address, phone number, social networking sites, and more. 

Once you have saved your SMS business card, there are two ways to exchange it with someone that you meet.

To send your recipient your contact information

To send your SMS business card to someone, text “send theirnumberhere”, replacing “theirnumberhere” with your recipient’s 10-digit phone number.  Shortly after, your recipient will receive your SMS business card.

To exchange information with each other

1. The person you want to send your SMS business card to texts “yourusername” to 50500, replacing “yourusername” with the username you registered on Contxts. 
    
2. Shortly after, you will receive a text message asking you to confirm that Contxts should send your SMS business card to your recipient (that is, unless you have turned off this feature).
    
3. After confirming, your contact will be send your information, and you will be able to save their number through the confirmation text message.

Business cards are one of the simplest, yet most important tools you can use when you're networking, so make sure to bring them with you when you're going to an event; you never know who you'll meet and want to exchange information with.  Be sure to bring some of your business cards to hand out to new professional contacts at Career Services' Annual Networking Night on October 26 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the C4C Abrams Lounge. We'll see you there!

Casual Fridays: Business casual in the workplace

Student models Z and Elolm at last week's
Suit Yourself fashion show.

You have just finished your fourth day at your new job when your boss comes up and tells you, "Feel free to dress for casual Friday tomorrow."

"Hmm, business casual clothing," you think as you scrunch your brows in concentration and try to remember what characters on "The Office" wore for their weekly office ritual.

Business casual is a broadly defined dress code permitted in some workplaces. Its purpose is to allow employees to dress in a more casual, comfortable manner than more formal attire, such as suits and ties, according to the Colorado Daily's article, "A Casual Conversation." Each company defines business casual differently depending on location, company culture, and daily agendas, among other factors.    

If you're unsure how exactly a company you're working at or interviewing to work at defines business casual, there are a few steps you can take to figure it out:

1. If you have already been hired, think back to the company's interview process. What was everyone in the office wearing? If business casual attire is permitted for an upcoming interview you have at a company, it's safer to dress more conservatively for the interview and your first few days of work until you're more familiar with the dress code.
2. Factor in location. Are you working at a company on the East Coast or Midwest? Though it's not true with every company, employees located in these regions tend to dress more conservatively.
3. What type of company do you work for, and what department are you in? Again, not always, but sometimes technology companies have a less conservative, more casual dress code. Ask around the office or ask the receptionist what employees typically wear.
4. Who are you meeting with that day? If you have an appointment with a potential client, dressing up is always the safe bet.

If you're still unsure what to wear, here are a few basic guidelines for business casual attire:

• Women: Slacks, skirts that are knee length or longer, button down blouses or shirts, sweaters that aren't too tight fitting, jackets, blazers or vests, dressy shoes with low or flat heels, minimum makeup, and conservative accessories.
• Men: slacks, khakis, chinos, gabardine trousers, button down or knit pullover shirts with a collar, sweaters with a collared shirt underneath, business or sports jackets, dressy shoes with matching brown, dark blue or black socks, or a tie if in doubt.

Remember, how you dress for internships, work, and career-related interviews should reflect your personal brand. Make sure your attire is a representation of how you’d like yourself to be seen by employers—clean, crisp, and professional.      

If you're still struggling to find something in your closet that qualifies as business casual and/or you're looking for more formal business attire, stop by Abrams Lounge on the third floor of the C4C today for Suit Yourself, a professional clothing sale sponsored by Career Services. We will be selling clean, gently worn business attire to students at a discounted price today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Gently worn suits from designers such as Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers, Talbots and Jos.A.Banks will be on sale for $20, and jackets, shirts, pants and skirst will be sold for $5 to $10 each. Come pick out a new suit or jacket today!