Justin Gold | Owner & Founder of Justin’s

Written by Amanda Barrell with Bolder Young Professionals

Peanut butter and chocolate is probably the ultimate match made in heaven. The only way the combo could get any better would be to put it in a spread, or a handy to-go pack that won’t get smushed out of shape in a pocket or backpack.  Justin Gold, Boulder entrepreneur and owner of Justin’s, has done just that, with his variety of nut butters (in convenient squeeze packs) and candies. Paired with a commitment to using all-natural, organic, GMO-free ingredients, Gold has found overwhelming success in his business producing the nut butters and peanut butter cups, particularly given his unconventional background.



“I grew up in a small rural town in Western Pennsylvania with dreams of becoming an environmental lawyer until I interned at a law firm in college and, well, changed my mind.”
Gold’s grandfather started one of the first “health food” stores in western Pennsylvania in the 1960’s, and Gold credits him for giving him an early introduction to natural products. In college, Gold worked towards earning a degree in environmental studies, helping to organize field trips to hazardous waste facilities, landfills, meat packing plants and dairy farms. These factors, coupled with his vegetarian lifestyle and his upbringing, helped to solidify Gold’s dedication to sustainability and using organic and natural products for what would become Justin’s.
“Imagine telling your parents that you are giving up a law degree for the opportunity to make peanut butter… They were totally supportive and that has made all the difference.”
Gold moved to Boulder shortly after finishing college where he worked as a waiter and at an outdoor store for several years until his company was stable enough to launch.
The inspiration for Justin’s was born from Gold’s vegetarian lifestyle and eating lots of peanut and almond butter during his many outdoor adventures. Originally starting with jars sold at farmers markets, it was Gold’s squeeze pack that really helped launch his company nationally.
“I was on a long mountain bike and was sick of my bars and gels and just wanted a packet of peanut or almond butter. The squeeze pack innovation instantly put our company on the map with national distribution in Whole Foods Market and Starbucks.”




Today, 11 years after Justin’s was founded, the nut butters are sold nationwide in a variety of flavors and styles, from classic peanut butter to chocolate hazelnut butter and maple almond butter (Gold’s favorite).  It was a natural progression then, to break into producing organic peanut butter cups. Gold capitalized on the classic combo of chocolate and peanut butter, much like the ever famous Reese’s, but with an all-natural, organic spin to them in both milk and dark chocolate peanut butter cups.
As any business owner will tell you, Gold is simultaneously challenged and rewarded by the things that come each day, pulling him in a hundred different directions all at once. His day-to-day work is rarely ever the same, but he tries to keep things consistent, as best he can.
“My day always starts with a workout then getting to the office first so I can rock out to music while I catch up on emails.  The rest of the day blows by with meetings, projects, etc.”
Gold strives to stay true to Justin’s mission, using quality, organic and all-natural ingredients that come together in delicious, vegan, gluten- and GMO-free products.
Looking to the future, Gold hopes to continue to meet the growing demand from his increasing fan base, keeping them stocked with delicious Justin’s products.
“It sounds crazy, but my big milestone is to have us in a position where we have plenty of inventories to sell to our customer who are constantly out of stock. We’ve never had the opportunity to catch up with customer demand.”
As for his participation with the Boulder community and Bolder Young Professionals, Gold encourages all budding entrepreneurs and young professionals to follow their passions and start somewhere.
“Our economic future lies within the courage and curiosity of the young minds. I’m thrilled to be involved with organizations that support and encourage intellectual curiosity at young ages”.

Leaving No Stone Unturned

Interview by Annie Sugar

Rhea Williams earned a BS with a double major in Chemistry and Mathematics at Salem College in 2009. CU-Boulder's Chemical and Biological Engineering Department's broad, contemporary energy related research opportunities and its connection to the Colorado Center for Biorefining and Biofuels (C2B2) drew Rhea to Boulder for her doctoral studies. She plans (hopes!) to defend her dissertation and graduate this summer.
 
What are your plans when you finish your degree? How are you preparing for your new career and job hunt after graduation?
My plan post-grad school is to head down an "alternative" PhD career path. By alternative, I mean that I am seeking roles where my scientific knowledge and organizational skills will be a key asset in furthering a company or organization's goals, including scientific program management, scientific publishing, or the coordination and administration of research and development team projects.

I realize these are niche positions to find, so my job hunt is already underway. While attempting to leave no stone unturned, I have availed myself of the help offered by the graduate counselor, Annie Piatt, in CU Career Services. Her critique and advice for my CV and cover letter was timely as I prepared to submit online applications this spring. Another great suggestion Annie gave me was to use LinkedIn's various search mechanisms (by company or within alumni, for example) to find first and second degree connections I could reach out to. My follow up visits to Career Services have been reassuring as I continue the job hunt process and I've appreciated getting an objective person's perspective as I prepare to interview professionally.  

What role does networking play in your career preparation and what skills are you developing to that end?
I believe networking will play a key role in my job hunt. To date, my time in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, undergraduate January internships, and professional meeting/conference contacts have already served me well as mentors, with whom I check in periodically for feedback and to ask relevant questions. Their insight and experience helps me explore the possibilities and shape the vision I have for a fulfilling career. Building relationships, demonstrating a professional communication style, and just having the courage to reach out and ask questions are useful skills I'm developing.

What is your networking strategy and how has networking helped you?
My networking strategy is multifaceted and includes emails, periodic check-ins and updates, and getting coffee at conferences over the years. I would encourage other students to find out what works best for them. I have had good success by sending "blind emails" of interest and inquiry to root out opportunities. As an undergrad, I relied on the power of suggestion to open a door at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and they created an internship for me based on my offer to spend my January Term at their Washington DC headquarters. It worked out so well, that the agency now hosts two students every year in the particular program office I worked in. My not-so-secret love for film took me to the Sundance Film Festival in 2009. A straight-to-the-point email to a few folks saying, "Anybody need help?" received a good response and resulted in a volunteer spot in the Theatre Operations office. It's worth mentioning that working the Sundance Film Fest was a goal I'd set for myself a full year prior. I believe sufficient forethought is important so you can "connect the dots" throughout the year and when the time comes, your circumstances are such that you can seize the day.
 
Where have you discovered are good places to network (online and offline)?
Conferences have been fruitful for me, but you need an "in" to help you start conversations. It's hard for anyone to walk up to a stranger! Non-conference aspects of the meeting provide good inroads. Just show some interest and nine times out of ten, the person will be happy and willing to answer your questions and have a discussion with you. Follow up on professional networks such as LinkedIn every time to connect, and be sure to personalize the invitation message rather than rely on the automatic one provided by the site. You can and should follow up fairly soon after the event, being sure to mention an idea or point from their presentation or related to your recent conversation, etc.

Do you have any networking success stories to share?        
A couple recent efforts resulted in multiple beneficial informational phone interviews and invitations to send my resume for personal referral to hiring managers for positions that interested me. The first connection came through a friend I met at my REU, now working in the industry, was linked to a chemist post-doc at Pfizer who then connected me with a chemical engineer in research and manufacturing, which led me to a CU-Boulder chemical engineering undergraduate alum working in the same R&D group. My second connection came via my mother's former employer where an executive business consultant spoke on my behalf to a friend who is working in the oil industry supply chain, Conveniently, this contact's father is a Ph.D. chemical engineer working at LyondellBasell, a large international chemical company.
 
What advice do you have for other graduate students seeking to establish or improve their networking skills or strategies? How should they get started?
Get started by checking out the Career Services website and maybe set up an appointment with Career Services to discuss your personal approach to what can be an overwhelming task. Next, think about a person you can reach out to. This person will feel like a "stretch," someone you haven't spoken to in a long time but you think they might know something that could help you. Reconnect. Send them an update on your accomplishments and current project. Have a goal in mind before you hit the send button. For example, I was seeking an answer to the question "What does an industrial chemical engineer really do?" when I conducted my info interviews.

Basically, you have to put yourself out there on the limb. Don't take it personally if only one out of five attempts nets an offer of help. It's cheesy, but just keep turning over stones until you find a gem. I want to emphasize how important it is to follow through when the contact offers to introduce you to someone or sends you some helpful information or asks you to send your CV. Now is not the time to procrastinate! Promptly read what was sent, reply and ask another relevant question to help move the dialogue forward, eventually building a relationship.

Taking the Road Not Taken

Interview by Annie Sugar

Peter Hutchings started his undergraduate career studying Theater and Film at Northwestern University, but transferred to CU-Boulder where he completed a BA in English Literature and then received an MA in Comparative Literature. After graduation, he left Boulder to pursue his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature at Princeton University where he has also returned to his first love, film-making, while completing his dissertation. After graduation, he intends to continue writing and directing films while publishing independently.

How are you preparing for your career after graduation?
After deliberating at length between a career in academia and one in film-making, I ultimately decided on the latter. In doing so, I diverged from the path most often traveled by graduate students in the Humanities. Yet, ever since I was an undergrad, I have tried to identify basic transferable skills in any course I've taken, whether on Translation Theory, Renaissance poetry, or Spinoza's philosophy, so that I could apply them one day in a chosen career. Close reading, critical thinking, and writing skills stand out to me as the three pillars of my liberal arts education. These tools have equipped me to deal with many aspects of my job as a filmmaker, from screenwriting to script analysis to working with actors.

What role does networking play in your current work, and what is your networking strategy?
As an art form, filmmaking is about collaboration; as an industry, it's about connections. Sometimes these connections come ready-made, like when someone has a family member in the business. In my case, personal connections helped me get my start. But while this type of connection can help you get a foot in the door, you need to work hard to broaden your network.

My strategy is two-part. First, never burn a bridge. I've seen it far too often in the short time I've been in the industry. You never know when a current connection can lead to a future collaboration. There's rarely a good reason to close a door. Second, when I work with talented team-players I keep them in mind for future projects. The old adage is true: a director's only as good as the people with whom he surrounds himself.

How did you learn to network?
My mother worked in television, and my father is a photographer. They're two of the most gregarious people you'll ever meet, and I learned a lot from them. I also found a lot of opportunities to practice networking in graduate school -- not just by forming enduring relationships, but also by watching my professors strike a balance between the personal and professional when dealing with students and colleagues. A lot of this happened outside the classroom at conferences, parties, dinners for invited speakers, etc. In this respect, some of my professors acted as both teachers and models.

Where have you discovered are good places to network both on and offline?
I don't spend a lot of time networking online. That said, I'm one of those people who is on Facebook exclusively for the network. I don't like to approach networking like a shark, and I'm really turned off by people who do, but I like to keep my lines of communication open. Offline, it seems to me that any setting or situation can be fruitful. I was once outside a pizza place waiting for it to open, and I struck up a conversation with the man standing in front of me; it turned out he's a working screenwriter, we exchanged information, and we've kept in touch ever since. For me, it's more about staying open and attentive, and never feeling "above it all."

Is networking different in different parts of the country?
It seems like 90% of the film industry is in Los Angeles and most of the rest is in New York City. I've bucked the system by living in the Hudson Valley, where my next-door neighbor is a herd of cattle. I find this environment very conducive to my creative process, but it has certainly insulated me from some of the realities of the industry. What has struck me is how technology has made a lifestyle like mine possible. Being able to Skype or video chat with actors, writers, producers, and crew members is a great example of how I've been able to work and network without being in one of the industry's main centers.

What advice do you have for graduate students seeking to establish or improve their networking skills beyond academia?
I think one of the real pitfalls of networking is approaching people opportunistically, as if they were rungs on a ladder leading to a successful career. This is not only ethically but also professionally problematic, because people can easily sense when someone's trying to use them or take advantage of them for personal gain. Ambition is a tenuous quality; it rarely identifies goals that bring personal well-being or that engender significant social contributions. I think people respond much more to friendly, open, and cooperative people. You can approach every encounter as a potential opportunity without being opportunistic. The difference is important for many reasons.

Major Problem: How to Choose a Degree with Confidence

Written by Lauren Lind

When it comes to choosing your major, it can feel very overwhelming. There are so many interesting areas that you could decide to focus your studies on and you don’t want to make the wrong decision. Don’t worry, we’ve got some tips for your ‘major problem.’



Here’s how you can choose a degree with confidence:

• Take a deep breath and relax. Your major does not automatically equal a set career path. When employers are hiring, they will look at your major; however, they are interviewing and hiring YOU, not your degree. Be sure to think outside of your major.

• Be honest with what interests you. Decide what sparks your excitement and what does not. If your parents want you to study engineering, yet your passion lies in a completely different area, go with your gut instinct or you could end up being miserable.

• Come into Career Services. Meet with a career counselor to look at different
career paths within your major and explore some other majors you might be interested in. Look at the requirements for different degrees. Don’t forget to look up salary ranges on a site such as Salary.com, so you aren’t surprised after you have received your degree.

• Research. Look into different possible careers that you could go into that your desired major could be applicable to. Use your resources and talk to people who are studying what you think you might want to pursue studying. This is a great opportunity to do an informational interview with someone in a career you’re interested in pursuing.

• Be resilient. Don’t be ashamed to change your major after trying it out. One in three CU students change their majors by junior year. College is the time to explore and study things that you might not get an opportunity to study ever again.

• Don’t over think things. This is an exciting time in your life. You should be proud of yourself for pursuing a higher education. There will be times when you love what you study and other times when you feel an immense dislike for your major. Over-thinking about what to study isn’t the best use of your time, so instead pick an area that interests you and go with it! You can change your major, but if you never try, you’ll never know.

Be sure to check out Career Service’s “Explore Majors and Careers” on April 8th at 5:30PM in C4C S350.

What’s your major and why did you pick it? We’d love to know more about what our fellow buffs study. Tweet us at @CUCareerserv, leave a comment, or write on our Facebook wall.

Hat tip: Chris Kyle

Changing Careers and the World

Written by  Interview by Annie Sugar, Writer/Editor, Career Services Future 411 Graduate Student Newsletter

 

Allison Freedman started her career with a BSEd from Northwestern University and later returned to school to get an MA in Middle (Near) Eastern Studies at New York University. After several years working in a variety of roles in education and nonprofit management and parenting her her twin sons, Allison returned to school once more and is currently working on her MBA at CU-Boulder.

How did your career goals lead you into your master's degrees? How did your first master's degree change and shape your career?

I was getting ready for class in my midtown apartment when the first plane struck the World Trade Centers. I was concerned about being late for my Arabic test, so I hurried out and was on a subway underground when they fell. The trains were stopped, and I emerged from the subway station into a world that seemed so different than the one I had known just an hour before.

I always wanted to focus my career on the developing world, particularly the Middle East and its languages and cultures, but September 11th changed that because, ironically, no one seemed to know how to use my skills.  I had an apartment and school loans, combined with a variety of skills and interests, so I embarked upon the challenge of teaching about the world in a difficult New York City public school instead.  From my first master's degree, I learned Arabic and acquired a framework for ideas about the Middle East and the world that I had gained from traveling, living, and working overseas.  I learned a great deal from my students, colleagues, the community and the experience.  And I worked tirelessly to ensure that my students, colleagues, and the community learned from me as well.

What made you decide to pursue your MBA and why at CU-Boulder? What are your plans when you finish your degree?

I always wanted to better the world, or at least do my part toward that end. Although I was always grateful for the contributions I had the opportunity to make to lives and communities through education and nonprofit work, I began to yearn for something different.  There were other skills and global perspectives I wanted to share, but there was no appropriate forum to do so in those environments.  It became obvious to me that, in addition to education, nurturing financial stability was a critical element in improving people's lives. In turn, overall better living standards can foster environments where conflict can be replaced by peace. I still wanted to improve the world, and I recognized that I needed to update and/or learn many of the skills taught in an MBA program to help me to do this. I decided to pursue an MBA for the chance to acquire tools to rejoin the workforce in a new way, to take on a new role with broader, global impact.

Having learned the value of connecting with the surrounding community as part of an academic experience, I waited until I was living in a location in which I was eager to invest and could commit to before deciding to go back to school. I finally made my way back to Colorado and, once settled, began the process of researching and applying to business schools.

At CU-Boulder's MBA program, I am learning core business skills, such as how to read key financial statements.  The entrepreneurial spirit that flows through campus from the startup culture that surrounds it is invigorating.  I am discovering how ethics and sustainable initiatives can play an integral role in many businesses and that there are opportunities to connect these to my own values in a meaningful and productive way.  I am getting out into the community, meeting people and learning from local business leaders, through school and community-sponsored events and leadership roles in several students groups.

How did you know you wanted to make a career change? What changes do you want to make? What does graduate school offer as a means to this end that you couldn't get with any other instrument of change?

As a parent, it quickly became more important for my children to see me working hard toward something that is very important to me, even if for me that "something" takes me out of the house and back to school toward a brand new career.  I think it's important for me to do, and it's important for me to model values of global connectedness, working hard, and peace.

When I first entered the workforce almost 20 years ago, there were many skills that you could simply learn on the job.  Employers were willing to hire you for your ability to think and learn.  Job searching no longer works quite the same way, and many other people looking for work will already have many of the essential skills that employers value and graduate school offers me the opportunity to show my commitment to acquiring the most critical skills and my ability to still grow and learn.

What advice do you have for other graduate students seeking to use their degree programs to change careers?

I love learning, but from years as a student, teacher, and supporter of students and teachers, I will be the first to say that the classroom is not the right place for everyone.  Many of the skills and tools I am learning I might have been able to acquire through on-the-job training, but it might be harder to find the "right" job when you are in a quest for a new direction. I think it's too easy to get off track or find yourself needing to make several job changes in order to get where you are trying to go.  I think that - for people with drive and commitment - graduate school offers a powerful, respected way to acquire a solid foundation in a discipline or industry to lead you where you are going in a much more straightforward way.

How are you preparing for your new career and job hunt after graduation?

I feel fortunate to have the support and resources both targeting the MBA students here at Leeds, as well as the general career services of the broader university in my efforts to find an internship and ultimately a new job and career after graduation. This support has been clear and readily available and it helps me to embark upon these next steps with the greatest possible confidence and preparedness.

Through the MBA program, the emphasis on setting career goals and taking strategic steps toward meeting those goals is something that begins with the orientation before classes. The staff is enthusiastic and dedicated and provides opportunities for students to evaluate their career interests, develop their own job search skills, and take advantage of all that networking has to offer.

As part of the effort to develop our job search skills, the MBA program invited Annie Piatt from Career Services to present to our entire class. She provided invaluable advice and resources that helped me emphasize important skills and processes when looking for an internship or job, and broaden my perspective about possible career trajectories. Her presentation make me aware of the wealth of additional services available to MBA students through the CU Career Services as well.  In only one semester on campus, I have already found Annie to be a refreshing source of support and guidance as well as an additional voice of critique and guidance as I embark on the internship search in earnest. 

Advice from Yahoo! Global News Anchor Katie Couric- Special interview by Christine Mahoney, JMC Internship Coordinator

“Now?!”
One word and a rather startled expression was the response I got when I plopped down next to Katie Couric at the Denver Press Club’s 20^th annual Damon Runyon Award Banquet, and requested a quick interview.  Couric was the evening’s keynote speaker and winner of the Runyon award, celebrating her remarkable decades-long career in television news, as well as her empathy in covering sensitive stories like the Columbine High School shooting in Denver in 1999.

My request – for career advice for young, aspiring journalists – came out of the blue, but Couric’s response was thoughtful.  It even put a new twist on the standard advice journalism students often hear:  Be persistent.  Don’t give up.  Evaluate your skills.  Her perspective, as a professional journalist and mother of two girls, added a layer of intention and purpose to the process of job-hunting. She suggests a more passion-driven strategy.

Here are Couric’s nuggets of advice:

•  ”Be persistent:  You may not get offered the job you want right away, but go back and ask again.  Don’t give up.”
• “Take a critical look at your skills, and understand which part of the (journalism) business you really like. For example, if you’re really detail-oriented, you might make a good assignment editor. If you’re reticent about intruding and asking a lot of questions, you might want to re-think becoming a reporter. Find out what you love and what you’re good at, and pursue it.”

During her acceptance speech, Couric recounted her own early struggles in the TV news business. During college at the University of Virginia, where she earned a BA in English with a focus on American Studies, Couric wrote for what is now the Cavalier Daily, UVA’s student-run newspaper, and interned at radio stations each summer.

Even with that relative wealth of experience, Couric says it was hard to land her first on-air job. She worked as a desk assistant at WJLA, the ABC news affiliate in Washington.
“I basically got sandwiches for the anchor,” she said.
Then, she happened to be in the right place at the right time. CNN launched nine months into her sandwich runs, and she jumped ship.

“CNN was a non-union shop – a start-up,” Couric recalled.
She was able to jump onto the update desk as a fill-in anchor. The experience wasn’t exactly confidence-building.
“In my earpiece, I could hear the other anchors asking, ‘Who is that? She looks about 12 years old!’” she said.
But she persisted – working on her on-air delivery and presentation skills, staying at CNN for four years and working in every imaginable role:
“Assignment editor, producer, you name it,” she said.

Couric’s first “real on-air job” was at then-WRC Channel 4 in Washington. There, she met Tim Russert. Couric had found a mentor.
“It only takes one person to believe in you, and my person was Tim Russert,” she said.
Everyone is familiar with Couric’s career trajectory. The TODAY show, CBS Evening News, Katie. Through it all, she maintained her journalistic principles.
“Asking questions is not enough,” she said. “A journalist’s job is to get answers.”


At her new post as global anchor at Yahoo!, Couric says she’s going to bring old-fashioned journalistic practices– fairness, accuracy, experience – to this new platform. But she’s also going to keep her favorite new acronym in mind:
“TMI and NEU – Too much information and not enough understanding,” she said.
Couric will provide coverage with compassion.





CU JMC student Annie Melton, winner of Tim Russert
Scholarship, with Katie Couric at the Damon Runyon
 Award Banquet, March 14, 2014
 
So, aspiring journalists, keep Couric’s advice in mind when plotting your own career
path. What’s your passion? How can you align your career goals with your life goals? How can you stay true to yourself while pursuing success? Keep Couric’s advice in mind, when considering job offers. “There are a lot of opportunities in journalism today,” she said. “Find one that matches your skills and your passion.” I had to wonder if Couric had heard that same advice from her mentor, Tim Russert, way back when. And I hope journalism students are listening, when they hear it from her today.

They’re Just Not That Into You, but Why?

Written by Lauren Lind

You think you aced the interview but you still haven’t heard back. You got good vibes from the recruiters and the conversation flowed perfectly, so what’s the deal?

Here are a few reasons why the employer may just not be that into you:

• When the recruiter asked if you had any questions you said “no.”

• Your social media profile has inappropriate posts.

• You forgot to send a thank you email or card.

•   You only sent a thank you email, but neglected to send a handwritten card as well. Some employers will only talk to interviewees who handwrite their thank you cards.

• You called the recruiter to personally thank them and tell them every detail about why you loved interviewing with them.

• Your thank you card was overly detailed and slightly creepy.

• You sent a thank you card but never followed up again one to two weeks after the

interview. 

• Many interviewers are trained to be “players.” They want to make every candidate feel wanted. Don’t become too comfortable during your interview. Make sure you are answering questions professionally with support to back up your claims.

And last but not least…

• You simply were not the best candidate for the position.

Feeling neglected after an interview hurts the ego, but don’t let it hurt your chances to learn from each interviewing experience. After each interview, even if it’s an informational interview, be sure to thank the employer genuinely, but don’t go over the top, and follow up appropriately.

There are many reasons why the employer has decided to pick a different candidate so don’t be too hard on yourself. The right employment match is out there for you; stay positive and remain persistent in your job search. With any relationship (personal or professional) always remain calm, collected, and respectful in the face of rejection. Crazy isn’t a good look on anyone. Don’t speak ill of any organization and definitely do not dis the company that decided to hire a different candidate on the internet. Word spreads like wildfire, especially in our technology saturated society.

For advice on job search andinterviewing skills, save the date for Career Services Buffs Pros event on Wednesday, March 19th at 5:30 pm in the Center for Community S350.

Set Yourself Up for Success: 5 Must Do’s

Written by Lauren Lind

The pressure is on for those looking for internships or jobs as we are officially past the halfway point of the semester. Don’t panic! Here are 5 tips that can help to set you up for job searching success.

5.  Go shopping. Yup, that’s right, we said it. What better excuse to go shopping than to update your wardrobe with professional attire fit for interviews? Be ready to look dapper in case you land an interview that requires you to come in on short notice.

4.   Find good references. Make sure that you have asked trusted friends, co-workers, supervisors, or teachers ahead of time to be your references. This will let them know you are looking for jobs and they will not be caught off guard when contacted by an employer. 

3.  Prep yourself for interviewing. Do your research; learn about the ins and outs of companies you are interviewing with. You will want to know as much as possible and show the interviewer that you did your homework. Train yourself on interview etiquette (how to answer difficult questions, writing thank you cards, etc.) and be sure to have thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer.

2.  Polish your resume. Be sure to update your experience and skills. Stand out from your competitors by having a strong resume free of grammatical and spelling errors.

1.  Network. Finding a job if often about who you know. Networking is crucial in job searching. It always helps to have someone put in a good word for you. The more people you meet and connect with, more opportunities will come your way.

What are some things that you have done to set yourself up for success? For more information about how to be prepared for job searching attend Career Services’ Resumes and Networking workshop on Wednesday, March 12th at 5:30pm.

Hat tip: The American Nurses Association

There are No Wrong Paths

Written by Lauren Lind

Some say that the DWYL (do what you love) mantra will lead to the eventual decline of interest in what you used to be passionate about. Others say that you should find what you love and go with it because when you are doing what you love, it no longer feels like work.

I believe that you should have a passion for what ever you do for a living because it makes your work feel worth the energy. College students are at a pivotal point in their lives. I know this first-hand about what it is like to feel confused about what to be when I grow up. I ruled out grad school for a couple years and I knew I wanted to travel the world and help people. However, I also knew that I was going to have to support myself after graduation. I felt completely overwhelmed, not wanting to make a mistake by choosing one path over another. The truth is, there isn’t really “one” definitive path.  Finally, I have decided that I want to go into the industry that my majors have trained me for, simply because I love the field that I study. There are many types of jobs that advertising and communication can be applicable to, and I have decided to that I want to work in account management, brand strategy, public relations, or marketing. Some people may not feel that they want to go into the industry that their major has trained them for and that is completely okay because majors do not  equal careers.  I think that whatever you decide to do, you should feel passionate about it.

Howard Shultz, founder of Light-hearted Entertainment, attended Career Services Executives Tell All Panel a few weeks ago, and he said, “I tell my kids that whatever they do, they must be passionate about it. If they were to tell me that they want to be a garbage truck driver, then I’d tell them to go and be the best garbage truck driver there ever was.” He described being eager and passionate about what you do as one of the most important factors when entering the work force.

My father has been pilot for United Airlines for the past 30 years and he is one of the few people I know that genuinely love their job.He studied economics in college and originally went into sales. My point is that where you end up will most likely be very different from where you thought you would end up when you started considering your options. As for being worried about choosing the wrong path, keep in mind that there are no “wrong” paths at this point. So far, I have learned that one decision can connect you with people and things that you had never even considered before. Take a leap of faith and follow your instincts.

If you are unsure about what it is you are passionate about here are a few tips from Martha Beck:

•Quit with the “yeah-but” statements. Go with the yeah and get rid of the but. This will open you to infinite possibilities. Think about what you would do if there were no limitations.

•Get enough rest. If your mind and body feel fatigued and like they cannot be excited about life, take care of yourself.

•Do what you had previously considered to be forbidden. Many times the thought of doing something becomes a shutdown thought due to being judged by others, so instead surround yourself with people who support you.

•Follow your dreams even when you are scared. Fear can hinder us, but it can also provoke us to take action. In order to become unstuck, you must stand in the face of fear and embrace it.

Be passionate about whatever you do. Do what you love and love what you do. It is possible. If you are passionate about energy frontiers be sure to attend the Energy Career and Networking Fair on Thursday March 6th at 5:30 p.m. in the Glenn Miller Ballroom!

We'd love to know what you are passionate about Buffs! Tweet @CUCareerServ,  post on our Facebook wall, or leave a comment. 

Hat tip: Martha Beck

When Should You Use a Functional Resume?

Written by Lauren Lind

Chronological resumes are the norm; however, there are times when a functional resume can be more beneficial. What is a functional resume anyway? I wasn’t sure what they were until recently. A functional resume highlights your skills and experience, as opposed to your chronological work history. You might want to consider this option if you are just starting your resume, lack a ton of experience, are changing careers, or who have gaps in your employment history. Be sure to chose a resume format that shows direct correlation between relevance to the job and your skills.

Here are a few tips when writing a functional resume:

•  List your most important skill first (the skill that best matches the job requirements). Be sure to list the most information about this skill.

•Continue listing your skills in the order of their importance to the job.

•List at least 3-4 skills.

•  Write 2-3 bullets on each skill explaining achievements and accomplishments.

• Show growth and progress with your responsibilities.

Here is an example of a functional resume: 

If you need some help writing your resume be sure to stop by our Resumes that Rock! workshop March 4th in Norlin Library room E303 at 5:30-7:00pm.

Hat tip: Alison Doyle, damngoodresumeguide.com, worksmart