Can u reed thsi?

My ears are still ringing.

After a long conversation with a high-profile employer I was left completely stumped.

He had been wading through resumes and interviewing UCSB students all day and boy was he fuming. Why? TYPOS! This particular employer was interviewing students for a very detail oriented, software engineering job that was largely about checking for errors and these resumes were filled with them! Hm-mm.

As a marginal typist myself I can’t imagine anyone ignoring the red line. I am completely devoted to spell check even though once in a great while I am actually right and it is wrong.

Here are some tips from us and also some we borrowed from Grammar Girl to avoid your resume being stuffed into the shredder.

 Forgive Thyself 

Nobody is perfect and everyone makes typos because your brain knows what you meant to write.

Use Spell Check!

Please!

Have A Few People Proofread Your Resume

Roommates, friends, the writing lab or drop into Career Services. We will be more than happy to look it over for you. A new set of eyes can see things yours just can’t. Especially if you have lots of acronyms or English isn’t your first language, we are here to help you shine.

Read Your Resume Backwards

Line for line, this exercise will refresh your brain so that you can see errors and possible words you may have omitted.

The Money Is In The Edit

Print it out and read it again. Your resume can make or break your chance to win the interview for a job worth large amounts of cash. You may be short on time but we recommend that you let your resume sit for a day and then go back and read and edit it again. And then again. Most likely you will find more errors once it is on paper.

For more help on resumes and other career topics come to Career Services or visit our website.

How to Achieve your Goals

By Ignacio Gallardo

The answer to this question is consistency. Regardless of what you are trying to accomplish, if you are consistent in your approach, you will be successful in achieving your goals. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself. Look at it this way; if you want to develop tennis skills, you have to hit tons of tennis balls. If your goal is to run a marathon, you have to run…A LOT If you want to learn a new language, you have to immerse yourself in it for long periods of time. Show me a leader in any arena, and I’ll show you a model of consistency.

It’s a New Year and if you’re like me, you felt an obligation to declare a resolution or two, something in your life that you want to accomplish. If you’ve had trouble in the past sticking to your resolutions then let me help…BE CONSISTENT! It doesn’t matter how you do, the bottom line is successful people just figure out a way to get it done.

Many of you will make resolutions to find a job before you graduate. The best piece of advice I can give you is to be consistent. The bad news about the job market in the media is enough to make anyone feel hopeless. But let me assure you, there ARE jobs out there. And the students that are consistent and persistent are the ones that are finding them.

A consistent approach also includes not cutting any corners, especially in your job search. Tend to your professional network. Do your employer research. Have your resume and cover letter looked over again…for the 20th time! Work on your smile and handshake. Practice your interview responses out loud in front of the mirror. Dress your best. Trim your nails. Yes, all these little things count.

Beating yourself up over past failures will get you nowhere. We’ve all been in situations where things just didn’t go our way. It’s more important to learn from your mistakes and only use the past as a reference point. A much better use of your time and energy is to focus on the future. Visualize success by keeping your eye on the prize. The pictures in your mind will carry you through.

So, don’t miss out on this opportunity to be consistent in your approach to fulfilling your goals. January 1 is your chance at a new start. Decide what you want to accomplish and take action. Don’t stop until you reach the finish line. Be consistent in everything you do and success is sure to follow.

What to do AFTER the Career Fair! (Hint, Hint) It is the MOST important part!

Do you know what to do once you get to the Career Fair?

Watch this for our most important info on making the most of your opportunities at the Career Fair!

UCSB Q & A about what to expect at the Career Fair

UCSB Daria Baxter, a UCSB senior, gets the lowdown on what the Career Fair is all about. These were her own questions for our fearless leader Ignacio Gallardo. Perhaps you have some questions of your own…feel free to ask us right here, or stop by Bldg. 599
The Career Fair is Next Tuesday 1/24!

Do you know how to prepare for a Career Fair?

Benefits of an Internship

• Increased Experience and Confidence 

Studying a major is one thing, applying that knowledge to “real world” situations is entirely another. In an internship, you learn to back up your smarts

with action

• Résumé Builder

Relevant work experience is the first thing employers look for when recruiting. For certain industries, such as media and entertainment, internships are essential.

• Focused Career Direction

Explore what you like and don’t like.

• Contacts

Tap into a network of professionals that can offer references, advice, and information about new job opportunities.

• Future Job Offers

Many companies use internship programs for their recruitment efforts. Working with interns gives them the chance to try out motivated, ambitious students before employing them. If the intern makes the grade, the company may make a permanent job offer.

• Types of Internships

Local
Find local, part-time (10 to 15 hours per week), paid or unpaid internships by applying through GauchoLink. More than 200 different internship opportunities in government, non-profit, media, and business-related organizations can be found throughout the academic year. Don’t overlook on-campus peer advising, leadership, and student affairs
internships. On-campus positions can offer valuable career-related skills as well. See student positions at www.sa.ucsb.edu. Recruitment for these positions is typically early Winter quarter for the following academic year.

International
Many study abroad programs offer field research or internship options as part of their course offerings. Students are then able to transfer units back to campus. Or you can do a combination of travel, short-term work, and/or teaching in more than one country. Here are some places to start: www.internabroad.com  www.bunac.org www.hiusa.org

Summer (National)
Typically, full-time, paid programs are used by companies to recruit future employees. Therefore, they can be quite competitive. A cover letter and résumé are mandatory for all national internship programs. For summer research positions, recommendation
letters and a short essay are also required. Seasonal and/or camp or park related positions may also enhance one’s confidence and skill development.

Post-BA Internships                                                                                                       These highly competitive, and often times year-long, programs can be found primarily in the government or non-profit sectors. Business or private sector companies can no longer hire you as an unpaid intern once you graduate.

Career Services offers many resources regarding internships. Drop into our Career Resource Room for more information and to find the right internship for you. Also, check out internshipratings.com to rate, research and compare internships in various industries across the United States. While not endorsed by Career Services, we think this is a valuable tool in your internship search..

My First Internship

By Erin Doherty

I found my first internship in a Daily Nexus advertisement.  It was a marketing position for a sports team and as a freshman I was so excited to get my first internship.  I couldn’t wait to start.

The reality was slightly less exhilarating.  I stuffed envelopes during the first month of my internship.  No joke.  My supervisor would put on MTV to entertain us, and we would fill envelopes or alphabetize lists for 2-3 hours after class everyday.  Hardly the ideal situation I had been hoping for.  Nevertheless, as a freshman I figure I didn’t have much else to do, especially since I was taking only 12 units at the time, so I stuck with it.  Two years later, I had planned multiple events and created an entire email marketing campaign for them.  I became Mac proficient (I’m a PC girl), wrote and designed multiple newsletters and even trained new incoming interns.  Better yet, it helped me tremendously in obtaining my next job.  I’d say it was worth it that first month of stuffing envelopes.

There are two bits of advice I would pass on to hopeful internship applicants.  First, don’t begrudge the grunt work.  It is a necessary part of the job.  I didn’t want to stuff envelopes for hours on end, but it did help.  Showing up day after day to perform mundane tasks showed my employers that I was ready and willing to be a part of their organization, regardless of the duties.

At the same time, don’t be afraid to be vocal about what you want from the position.  I told my supervisor on the second day of the internship that I would love to help out with creating a newsletter for the team.  I was eager to be involved in a more creative, marketing oriented role.  By the end of my internship, I had created an entire email marketing campaign for the team.  I learned how to use new software programs, trained new interns, interviewed players, wrote articles, and even did the graphic design work for the newsletters.  Even after I moved on from my internship, I still stayed on as a consultant, coming back periodically to train the new interns.

I gained invaluable experience from my first internship.  Most importantly, I learned to be vocal and ask for what I wanted.  I don’t mean that a first time intern should begrudge running errands and getting coffee, because everyone has to start somewhere.  But you should talk to your employers; tell them your interests and strengths, and what you hope to gain from your experiences.  And now, time for my shameless plug.  Go to Career Services.  Get your resume critiqued.  Go to drop-in hours and ask the Career Counselors how to get the most out of your internship.  They can help you brainstorm ways to approach your employer and get the best experience possible.  Good luck and go Gauchos!

What NOT To Do

By Annika Rittenhouse

I have now told you a lot of things I recommend that you do, but here are some things I would say NOT to do:

* Do not forget about your grades- it will come back to bite you and it would be unfortunate to be ineligible because your grades were too low.

* Do not assume internships will find you- they won’t. You need to actively seek them out and it can take a lot of work sometimes, but in the end it will be worth it.

* Do not get down on yourself for not finding jobs/getting call backs- You are going to need to apply to hundreds of jobs before you get a call back sometimes. It may feel bleak but at some point you will find a job that suites you and it may take some time, be patient and start early!

* Do not wait until your senior year to do an internship- this can work, but in most cases having multiple internships is what is going to give you the experience and skills you need for the real world.

* Do not get stuck in the stereotype of what your major says you should do. Your major does not have to dictate the type of job that you apply to or choose. Choose something you are interested, even if it is not something that relates to your major.

* Do not let opportunities pass you by- they may not come around all that often, and you have 4 years in college, take some time to do something different!

* Do not do the same thing for all 4 years of college. Take risks, try new things, otherwise you will never know what you enjoy, hate and have a passion for.

What I didn’t do that you should:
I did not start early when it came to looking for internships. I had done a great job of taking opportunities when they came to me, but I was a step behind when it came to internships. Lucky for me I had that extra quarter to fit in exactly the kind of experience that got me to where I am today- so starting early is key! I also didn’t look for jobs early enough (again had I not had that extra quarter I would have been way behind). A lot of companies hire fall of senior year and I had not even started looking at that point in college. So make sure you are prepared early! Most of the most useful things I did, I took advantage of in those extra few months I got because I extended. Such as my internship with the State Department, working at the Career Center, and applying to big companies in the fall all of which I should have done early in my senior year had I not extended. There are a lot of things I did well and a lot of things I could have done better, but these are just some of the suggestions I can give based upon what worked and did not work for me and the people around me. I hope you find them helpful and if nothing else make you think about some of these topics in deeper sense.

Visit Annika’s Blog at https://sites.google.com/site/annikaadvice/about-me

Walk In Stupid Everyday

By Cody Corona

The darkest of times – the times when you’ve not a clue what’s going on, you don’t have the answers, anyone to talk to – those are the times you’re most the creative. The most innovative. You feel stupid, but, really, things will never be clearer.

Imagine this: there’s a problem to solve, but there’s no clear way to solve it. Or, a deadline’s looming, but there’s tons left to do. There’s something to erect, but you’ve no resources. There are people watching, but you’ve no idea why, or how, or when. You’re confused.

The problem needs to be solved, though, and you do it by all means necessary. Your method, and your end result, is something that no one’s done before. By being absolutely strapped for resources (or time, or information, or contacts) you’ve gained access to the raw aquifers of human ingenuity, and scraped up a bit of genius.

Watch any episode of McGyver and you’ll understand.

So, students, this year challenge yourself to attack every problem, every project, every internship, every new job, every day with a fresh mindset. Be a blank slate. Start from scratch. Every day.

Or, as Dan Wieden, the most innovative and successful creative director in the world, puts it: “Walk in Stupid.”

On my first day at Wieden+Kennedy, Dan Wieden’s advertising shop inPortland,Oregon, those words greeted me – “Walk in Stupid” – and they’ll stick with me forever. It’s a mentality that I’ve adopted and one that you, too, should implement every day.

Here’s why:

1. Leaving your pre-suppositions at the door, focusing on the important details and nothing else, and checking your ego with your jacket (i.e., “Walking in Stupid”) will grant you access to your pure creative potential. A great company, group or school will foster an environment that will allow you to do that, so find that place. Wieden+Kennedy, for example, doesn’t hold an “orientation” or “training-day” for new interns, as I was in 2010. You’re expected, as an intern, to walk in the first day and immediately be productive. To figure things out as you go. To solve on the fly. To give yourself a tour of the building and, on your own, find the right people to talk to. Imagine if UCSB refused to give a freshman orientation. Classes start the same day you show up, you move in to the dorms between lectures (assuming you signed up for the right courses that morning, on your own) and, oh yeah, there’s a quiz in the evening. Did you study? Fifty percent of incoming freshmen would drop out day one. But the ones who creatively solved and survived, they’ll be the stronger ones, the most innovative, and the most proud of their accomplishment. Walk in stupid. Be confused. You’ll win.
2. Walking in stupid will check your ego. When you finally land that big internship or that sweet job after graduation, you’re going to feel pretty good. You’re going to think to yourself: “Let’s get this paper.” You’re going to feel on top of the world. I did. Everyone has an ego – it might not be the size of Kanye West’s, but you have one. The very reason you’ve landed a sweet job is due to your ego. Your self-promotion. Your personal branding. Getting your name out there and telling everyone how awesome you are. Later, yes, your work “will speak for itself.” But right now, you’re no Don Draper… no one knows who you are, and there’s no “work” to judge you on. So you have to be loud to get noticed. That’s fine. But in the “real world” you’re walking with the big dogs. And big dogs don’t like know-it-alls. They respect drive, ambition and hunger. I’ve seen interns start day one as though they’re taking over the company, ready to impress everyone with the knowledge they’ve gained in college. It never turns out well. People at Wieden+Kennedy, for example, are especially good in seeing through crap. They can spot fake people. Soulless talent. They want none of that. One of their mottos is “Don’t Act Big” – and trust me, you’re graded on how thoroughly you meet that criteria. Walk in stupid.
3. Walking in stupid helps you make friends. It’ll help you find reliable teammates. At the workplace, you’ll be seen as trustworthy, and people will want to help you.Too often, people think they have a problem solved before they know what the problem is. This, of course, isn’t a good problem-solving process. Don’t be that person. In fact, you, with your team, should go in the reverse direction. Instead of belittling a task with pre-conceived solutions, make the problem bigger than it actually is. Give your team an arbitrary deadline that’s sooner than the real one. Give the team fake consequences, like: “If we don’t have a brief written by noon, Brian has to ask out the barista at Starbucks.” Again, the right workplace will foster a healthy sense of urgency and creativity, but if not, do it on your own. Don’t overly stress yourself out – I’m not saying that. But make the problem a bit more challenging, and you’ll see, the task will be a bit more fun, and your results will be a bit more genius.

And finally, being stupid allows you to learn more. It only makes sense. Act as though you don’t know anything, and nothing will hold back your learning. Your development won’t be blocked by anything. You’ll do the impossible because you didn’t know it was impossible.

Walk in stupid every day – no matter what – and you’ll enjoy yourself more, be less stressed, and be smarter and more creative than everyone else.

 

 

 

 

 

Cody Corona has helped craft brand strategy and manage client relationships for some of the world’s largest companies, including Old Spice and Denny’s. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 2010 and currently lives in New York City. For more information, visit his website at codycorona.com or follow him on Twitter:twitter.com/codycorona