Graduate fairs What you need to know

Graduate fairs What you need to know by Aaron Obeng Want to find out your employment options after graduating? Here’s a great starting pointNo matter how far you are into your degree, graduate fairs are amazing ways to stay ‘in-the-know’ and up-to-date with immediate and future career opportunities. Even if you’re just seeing what’s out there before making a final decision on your future.So whether you’re an undergrad, graduate or postgrad, here’s everything you need to know about graduate fairs â€" and how they can help you kick-off your job seeking journey:What is a graduate fair?Typically hosted on university campuses, graduate fairs (also known as career fairs) aim to help students’ get-to-grips with their employment options after graduating.They also give companies the opportunity to promote their brands and source new staff for their business â€" whether it’s right away, or for a future position.What happens at a grad fair?Grad fairs offer a range of different services to guide you in you r job seeking and ultimately aid your future career decisions.Examples of services on offer during graduate fairs include:CV writing clinicsProfessional career adviceSpecialist speaker presentationsMock interviewsSample assessment exercises (e.g. psychometric tests)Some of these services are available for a limited time, through pre-registration or on a first-come, first-serve basis so be sure to do your research before attending.Additionally, there will be numerous companies attending who have booths dedicated to the careers they have on offer. So it’s a great place to ask questions and gather insights about working for some of the biggest businesses in your industry.Five ways to make the most of career fairsWhat companies attend graduate fairs?Demand for the top graduate talent is higher than ever meaning some of the world’s biggest companies attend grad fairs across the country.If you’d like to pursue a career in technology, companies such as Microsoft and Virgin Media wi ll usually be represented. Accountancy your preference? Well you can count on at least one of the ‘Big 4’ firms to be present.Other companies who often attend grad fairs include Aldi, the Army, Teach First, Rolls-Royce, Sky and many (many) more.So even if you’re not sure where your future lies, there will be a company there for you.Grad fairs tips for undergraduatesOK, you’ve only just started your university journey. So why should you attend a graduate fair?Well, they’re just as important for undergrads â€" and can help you understand where your degree could take you after you study.Work placement options These are great opportunities employers offer to undergrads moving into their second or final year of study. They provide great insight into work life after university and if you’ve worked hard enough, you may be guaranteed a full-time position to move into after you graduate.Work experience placements: What you need to knowResearch companies in your field Attending fairs as an undergrad can give you a good idea of the type of companies you may want to work for. Strategic research can also be done here to decide the stand-out competitors, and then determine what it takes to get there.Take advantage of available discounts Many organisations on the day provide discounts on courses and memberships, all of which will allow you to save dramatically during your years of university. So don’t be shy, cheapskate away (and don’t forget the freebies). Grad fair tips for recent graduatesPrepare your CV â€" Best practice is to apply for graduate positions at least six months before leaving uni. But what if your CV isn’t quite ready to face the outside world? Most fairs offer a clinic, giving jobseekers the opportunity to have their CV’s scrutinized and edited by industry experts. This could easily be the difference between getting noticed and ending up at the bottom of the pile, so make sure to have a lot of copies to hand.                                                                                                                                       Graduate CV Template Brush up on interview techniques â€" If job seeking wasn’t a priority during university, it’s possible you haven’t had much interview prep. Take advantage of the mock sessions during fairs, which will prep you for everything from common interview questions to what to wear â€" and enable you to feel more confident and ready when it comes to the real thing.Pre-interview checklistHow to: Prepare for an interviewAsk about grad schemes/the application process â€" Commonly regarded as the ‘holy grail’ of post-graduate employment, graduate schemes provide a fast-track route to training and development opportunities within an organisation. Speak to participating employers and find out how to apply, and if there are any prerequisites to enrol.Graduate schemes: What you need to knowSponsorship of professional qualifications â€" Career development is high ly favourable these days, and companies are always looking for new graduates to invest in. As a result, many of them will subsidise professional qualifications for you to attain whilst working. This is highlighted during fairs, and some membership bodies like CIMA may even offer discounted fees on the day â€" making it a more cost-effective route to reaching your career goals.Five jobs with excellent career progressionGrad fair tips for postgraduatesNetworking â€" Ultimately, postgraduate jobseekers will make of use of these fairs in the same way graduates would. However, they may find more value in networking directly with participating employers to find out more about the positions currently on offer. Constructive conversations here could open new doors, which you may not have even been previously aware of.What is networking?Still searching for your perfect position? View all of our current vacancies nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the

How Microsoft Word Resumes Could Benefit From Google Docs

How Microsoft Word Resumes Could Benefit From Google DocsYou have probably heard that Microsoft Word resumes are the most popular resumes out there. Google Docs Drive, meanwhile, may be the most popular business document management software. What do these two things have in common?Both Google Docs Drive offers you the ability to set up templates to help you with your resume writing. If you use these products, you are going to be able to easily create a template for each type of company. While you won't necessarily be able to edit the contents of the template, you can change the title, headings, and background images. It will allow you to get a general idea of what your resume should look like, without having to go through and edit each individual field individually.Why is the appearance of your resume so important when you are using Microsoft Word resumes writing? The main reason why is because of how Microsoft Word creates the appearance of the document. In addition to making sure t hat each resume page has a format similar to all the other pages, Word will also automatically adjust the header to appear as an indent. The indent on a Microsoft Word resume will be no different than the indent in a word document, but in a resume it makes it very hard to read. A Microsoft Word resume is an absolute nightmare to read, because of all the different formatting options on the screen, so this makes your resume look far less professional.And what happens when you are trying to get your resume turned into a Word resume? Well, once you have created your Google Docs Drive document, you will simply open it up in Word. This is fine if you are just having a quick one-page resume, but if you are creating a more complex document, you need to be able to customize it to fit Word's guidelines. Thankfully, this is very easy to do.First, you will want to pull up the keyboard, then use the contextual menu to select 'Resume Layout'. This will open up a dialog box where you can adjust th e content area of your resume. Next, you will want to select 'Fit Document', and click on the tab that says 'All' in order to see the whole resume. You can also do this from the toolbar by clicking the little wrench icon next to the word resume.Then, you can choose a style that is specific to your job and design document. For example, you can choose the design layout style for whatever company you are applying for. You can even make your resume look completely different from others by using different styles. Of course, there is a lot more you can do to customize the appearance of your resume beyond the simple use of styles. You can use color schemes, or get them printed on t-shirts, and just about anything you can think of.But the real benefit of Google Docs Drive is the ability to automate your resume writing. With this application, you can simply drag and drop your resumes onto the forms and publish them online for anyone to view. You can edit the content on the forms yourself, an d even add extra fields and descriptions if you want. This is one thing that Word does not do, which makes Microsoft Word resumes far more difficult to edit.If you would like to create a resume, then you might want to try using these tools. Word, of course, is great for marketing your own company, but the fact of the matter is that Google Docs has created a much easier system for doing this. If you would rather create a resume that looks exactly like what a person might expect from a Microsoft Word resume, you can do that as well. Simply make sure that you use the same template throughout the entire document, and you will be able to do most of the legwork for you.

Understand Thank You Notes to Prevent a No Thank You! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Understand Thank You Notes to Prevent a No Thank You! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In todays competitive job market, it is common sense to take the extra time to write a post interview “thank-you” note.  It not only shows you appreciated your prospective employers time, but it gives you another chance to refresh the interviewer’s memory about your application. There are ways to maximize the effectiveness of your note. Don’t think of the note as merely a thank you.   Most interviewers dont really care if you thank them for the interview; theyre not interviewing you to be charitable but rather because they might want to enter into a business arrangement with youâ€"one that theyll benefit from. So, despite the term thank-you” note, your correspondence shouldnt be as much about giving thanks as about following up on the interview in a way that demonstrates your enthusiasm for the job. It should build on the conversation from the interview and explain why youd be a good fit for the job. Timeliness:  Sending a thank-you note after a job interview is a good way to signal your interest in the role and solidify the interviewers positive impressions of you. Confirmation of your interest in the positions:   Even if you think an offer is practically guaranteed, you can always improve your chances of getting the job if you send a thank-you letter. Content:   Your letter should reiterate your core strengths and emphasize the value you offer. Overcoming obstacles about your application:   You can use the note to squelch any concerns the employer raised about your qualifications and smooth over any faux pas or glitches made during the meeting. Supplemental information:   You can add important information about your skills and qualifications which you didn’t get to discuss in the interview. Use the  thank-you letters as a marketing tool just like your résumé, says Wendy Enelow, author of The $0,000+ Job Interview: How to Nail the Interview and Get the Offer. Youre writing the thank-you to further your candidacy. Surprisingly, most applicants overlook the opportunity available from crafting a well thought out post interview thank-you note. How To Write a Great Thank You Note Theres some disagreement about whether the note should be e-mailed or snail-mailed. As with other business correspondence, Enelow says, the proper thing to do is type it on paper with the same heading as your résumé and cover letter. But some believe that handwritten thank-you letters are such a lost art that doing one will stick in the hiring managers mind. Theres another argument in favor of the handwritten note. The e-mail might be discounted or lost, says Cynthia Shapiro, a former recruiter and author of What Does Somebody Have to Do to Get a Job Around Here? People get 500 e-mails a day. Wring an old-fashioned note is so rare today and will stand out. Either way is fine; just make sure to send it no later than the day after the meetingespecially if youre mailing it. Also, send notes to all the people you interviewed with, not just your potential manager. In the note, thank the interviewer for taking the time to bring you in and show you around. If you felt that you didnt answer questions strongly, use the note as a chance to further express your ideas. But be confident. Never say something like, I dont know if I made that point clear. Heres what I meant… Instead, state your points without hesitation and with confidence. Also, instead of saying, I think Id be perfect for the job, write, I really appreciated meeting you and the time you spent with me. Im really excited about the position. Since this is the last time youre initiating contact with the company, end the letter boldly by saying, I look forward to hearing from you. Act as if you know theyre going to call, says Shapiro . Sort of like dating. In most industries, the best thing to do from there is to wait for the company to call you. In Shapiros book she writes about a hiring manager who was preparing an offer letter to the top candidate but decided not to make the offer. The candidate called throughout the week for updates on whether he was going to be hired. The manager became extremely worried that hed act the same way if a sales deal went sour. The manager offered the job to the runner-up. Ive seen many sample letters and theyre easy to find online.   I chose this one as its general enough that most candidates can use it and apply it to their candidacy. I suggest looking online as well for more models that might be a closer fit to the job your pursuing. Keep in mind that the Thank You note is a part of your personal marketing campaign and reflects your personal brand.   Make sure the tone you use is casual but professional and that it reflects your best persona. The goal is to remind them of who you are and highlight your likability.  SAMPLE LETTER:   December 8, 2008 Rick Jones (Position title) Company Name Street Address City, State zip code Dear Mr. (or Ms) (Hiring Managers Last Name): Thank you for taking time to talk with me yesterday. I enjoyed meeting you and learning more about (company name), the (job title) position and your goals for the department. Based on the performance objectives you shared for this role, Im convinced my (specific experience) will allow me to very quickly contribute to (department names) success. In addition, my (specific skill or ability) will allow me to excel in the performance of (position specific function) and Im excited about the possibility of becoming a member of your team. Enclosed is the reference information we discussed and as promised this information has also been forwarded to (appropriate name). Ill look forward to hearing from you regarding your interest in my candidacy. If any additional information is needed in the meantime, please dont hesitate to call me at (333) 444-5555. Best Regards, (Your hand written signature) (Your printed name) Note the tone of this letter;   Its friendly but business like. The content is tied to the position requirements and expresses the writers interest in the position. This interview follow up example may be used as a template by replacing the text in parenthesis with your individual information. If the verbiage is not your style use it as a general guideline for form and write a letter in your own words. Its important that you use the thank-you note to capture the main points about why you are the right person for the job and remind them about something personal so your good name stays at the top of the interviewers mind. Author: Beth is Founder and President of Get Hired, LLC.   She advises students on how to bridge the gap from school to career.  Beth is the co-author of  From Diploma to Dream Job: Five Overlooked Steps to a Successful Career.  Her coaching assists students and career changers to successfully match their needs, interests, passions, skills, and personal goals with the needs of a sustainable industry in a sustainable location.  She is a resource for print and online media and offers workshops for University Career Service Departments, Executive Recruiters, Outplacement Services, College Guidance Counselors and College Alumni Associations. See website for more details about Beth’s services  www.fromdiploma2dreamjob.com.  Beth’s Webinar was sponsored by George Washington Universitys Career Services Dept. for their worldwide alumni association: Leverage Your College Diploma.  You can follow Beth on twitter @BethKuhel

Creating Chemistry Between New Talent and Your Brand

Creating Chemistry Between New Talent and Your Brand While most peoples first impression of a chemicals products company is that its full of people in white coats and safety goggles, youll be surprised to know that thats not the case at all. Weve been chatting with a large chemical products company about talent attraction and what they do to overcome common challenges that arise while implementing employer branding strategies. One of the people responsible for that is Kate Klingman, who is the Employer Branding Strategist at BASF North America. Have a listen to the episode below, keep reading for a summary and be sure to subscribe to the  Employer Branding Podcast. Listen on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify,  Stitcher  or  Soundcloud. In this episode you’ll learn: What its biggest talent challenges are How they work in tandem as a global employer with their base in Germany What #belongatBASF means Why they started capitalizing on moments in line with their EVP What they do to try and employ more women You can connect with Kate  here.

Writing Follow Up Letters After Sending Resume

Writing Follow Up Letters After Sending ResumeWhen you send a resume to a job vacancy, there is a two-step process for writing a follow up letter. In this article, I'm going to share with you the basic steps for creating a follow up letter after sending your resume.To begin, you will want to write the initial letter of the follow up. In other words, you should put some thought into the first letter. Most people don't do this because they don't really understand the importance of following up.The primary goal of following up is to create a professional impression for yourself. You may be feeling like you've accomplished everything you want to in your job search, but you haven't. If you don't follow up, it's easy for people to think that you're not interested in them. That will be extremely negative.As such, you need to follow up, even if you don't really want to contact the potential employer. That is to say, the follow up needs to be done, because it will create a positive impression . Remember, you'll never get a job by ignoring your prospects. It's just ridiculous.You should start the follow up letter with an introduction. If you don't know who the potential employer is, mention it right away. But be sure to include your name and some personal information, like address and contact information. The introduction will serve as a summary for the entire follow up letter.Continue to follow this pattern in the following letters. Again, you should be very friendly and keep the tone of the entire letter as warm and friendly as possible. At the end of the follow up letter, always provide a link to the resume. If it's a different job opening, make sure to include your contact information as well.Remember, these letters are to follow up on the initial letter. It's a good idea to make a list of all of the jobs you may have missed and send those letters. If you send them all, it will look unprofessional. You may be surprised at how many times you miss jobs that you might ha ve seen if you did this routine on the initial letter.By doing this follow up, you can catch those jobs before you ever go to the company and apply for the job yourself. Many companies, especially larger ones, check resumes before actually calling applicants. So don't make the mistake of ignoring these opportunities.

Essay Writing Tips - Arguing and Persuading - How 2 Become

Essay Writing Tips - Arguing and Persuading - How 2 Become Introduction â€" Essay Writing TipsA key skill to have throughout your secondary and higher education is the ability to write strong essays. In this sense, we mean an ‘argumentative’ essay â€" one which argues for a thesis (core idea) or argues against another thesis. The central part of this type of essay is the ‘argument’. You need to be able to create a convincing, persuasive argument based on facts and interpretations. Here, we’re going to look at the best argumentative and persuasive techniques you can use to create sturdy, convincing essays.What is Persuasion? â€" Essay Writing TipsFirst, let’s take a look at what we mean by persuasion. In this context, persuasion is the ability to convince others that your point of view is either correct, or at least reasonable. For example, you might have to convince someone that military intervention and war is acceptable in some cases. You would have to use techniques to persuade whoever you’re talking to (or arguing with) tha t your position is right. In order to convince anyone that your position is right, there is one thing you must have:EVIDENCE!  Evidence and Persuasion â€" Essay Writing TipsIn order to form a persuasive argument or essay, you need evidence to back up your ideas. Evidence is any kind of credible material which supports your point of view. Evidence can take many forms, such as:‘Hard’ facts, including statistics or scientific studies;Interpretation (this is extremely important for Humanities subjects such as History and English Literature);Quotations, such as “If music be the food of love, play on” from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.You need to be able to give evidence to convince other people that your point of view is correct.Think of your argument or essay as a car. For it to go anywhere, you need three things: fuel, working parts, and a driver.In this analogy, the driver is you. You’re writing the essay, so you’re driving the argument.The ‘fuel’ for your argument is your evidence. You need to fill your argument with high-quality evidence for your argument to move and be effective.The working parts of your argument are your persuasive and argumentative techniques. Without these, there’s nothing to process your fuel and turn it into energy to move your argument.On that note, let’s take a look at some persuasive techniques you can use in your essay.Proposing Your Argument â€" Essay Writing TipsIn order to write any good essay, you need to make it clear what your argument is! A strong introduction is the best place to propose your argument.In an introduction, you should aim to do the following:Briefly summarise your argument for the entire essay.Give some basic context for your argument, such as why it’s important.Do both of these in as few words as possible â€" don’t let your introduction go on forever.Once you have your introduction in place, it’s time to move on to your main argument.Creating Your Argument: Introducing Key Points â€" Essay Writing TipsAny good essay is made up of multiple parts (or points). These add up to become your overall argument. You can think of these parts as ‘mini-arguments’. Each one needs to be introduced, argued for, and then concluded. This technique is commonly known as Point, Evidence, Explain, Link.So, you begin by introducing your point: “Let us consider the claim that…”Then, you give your evidence: “For example, this study shows that…”After this, you need to explain your evidence: “Therefore, it seems likely that…”Finally, you need to link this point back to your main argument: “So, if this is the case, then we need to consider the core argument of this essay.”Linking Your Argument With ‘Linking Words/Phrases’ â€" Essay Writing TipsLinking Words and Linking Phrases are used to link parts of your argument together. This helps you transition smoothly between different ideas, creating an argument that flows. An argument that flows well will be easier to read, and probably more convincing! So, try to link your points together using phrases such as…“There is a great deal of evidence to support this…”“In addition to the previous point, we must also consider the following…”“At one level, this seems plausible. However…”“One reason for accepting this argument is…”“Ultimately…”“Furthermore…”“Moreover…”“Nevertheless…”“Even though evidence suggests this…”Balancing Your Argument With Other Points of View â€" Essay Writing TipsIn some essays, you’ll be expected to ‘weigh up’ opposing arguments or points of view. In this type of essay, try to use the following phrases to create a balanced atmosphere:“While it appears that the issue of _______ is straight-forward, closer inspection reveals compelling arguments both in favour of and against…”“If we are come to a conclusion, we must consider both points of view…”“Others have opposed this point of view, arguing that…⠀While you need to get multiple perspectives in an essay, this doesn’t mean that you can’t take a side. In fact, most essays which ask you to evaluate two or more positions will expect you to come to a conclusion. So, use phrases such as the following to reach your conclusion:“While there is compelling evidence for both _____ and _____, it’s evident that _____ is the correct perspective.”“While there are several convincing arguments that support this perspective, the balance of the argument is weighted in the favour of _____…”Evaluating Evidence â€" Essay Writing TipsIn some subjects, you will be required to evaluate evidence presented to you, or evaluate the evidence that you’re using in your own argument. For example, in History, you might be asked to evaluate a historical perspective or historical data. You need to consider the credibility of the source. Is the source biased? Does the writer have a vested interest in supporting one perspective over another? If so, does this have an obvious impact on the evidence? Must we discount this evidence?Remember: most sources are biased in some way. The best we can do is identify any possible bias, and take it into account when constructing an argument.Here are some useful phrases to use when evaluating evidence:“The evidence to support this argument is accurate / credible / reliable / unreliable / difficult to substantiate.”“While this seems like watertight proof, the writer omits important details which completely changes the data, such as…”“While the writer seems unbiased, the evidence is actually presented in an incredibly subjective fashion. It’s entirely possibly that the writer is unaware of his or her own biases.”Concluding Your Argument â€" Essay Writing TipsWhen you finish your argument, you need to come to a conclusion. So, you need to wrap up all of your points as neatly as possible. Here are some tips to do so:Try to summarise the main thread of your argument in one or two sentences, and how this means you’ve arrived at your conclusion. You want every point to flow from the last, so that your conclusion doesn’t seem like a huge leap in logic!Don’t introduce any new ideas in your conclusion. If you have more ideas that you can write about, and are relevant, see where they’ll fit in your argument. Then, expand on your ideas.Just like the introduction, try to do all of this in as few words as possible. Keep your conclusion short and sweet!In Conclusion… â€" Essay Writing TipsSo, to conclude:There are three key parts to an essay: the driver (you), the working parts (persuasive techniques), and fuel (evidence). You need all three to make your essay take off!Keep your introduction short and sweet.Introduce key points, justify them with evidence, then link them to your main point.Balance your argument by evaluating other points of view.Evaluate bias and other motives in your sources.Keep your conclusion concise and neat. This entry was posted i n Education. Bookmark the permalink. Jacob Senior Formal Writing Tips: Improve Your Academic Writing TodayEssay Writing Guide â€" Using Evidence In Your Arguments

To Have or Not To Have a LinkedIn Profile Photo

To Have or Not To Have a LinkedIn Profile Photo They say a picture is worth a thousand wordswhat words does your LinkedIn profile photo shout? Having a profile photo results in up to 21x more profile views and 9x more connection requests (LinkedIn) 19% of recruiters time is spent looking at your photo on LinkedIn. (TheLadders 2014) While we can complain and say thats discriminatory, the facts are the facts.   It may go all the way back to how our brains work. Subconsciously, humans looked at faces to determine whether the individual is a friend or foe. Blame it on DNA. Many of the job seekers Ive spoken with believe that including a picture will encourage age discrimination.   Sad and maybe true.   But each person needs to think about this and make the appropriate choice for themselves, rather than using a blanket-excuse. What message are you sending by NOT having a picture? With the majority of profiles today having pictures, NOT having one can almost work against you. Is this what you want to say: I do not have a picture and am too lazy/cheap to have one taken. I am old/ugly and dont want people to see me. I do not know how to upload a photo (interpreted by those looking at your profile as  his/her technical skills are outdated) Learn how to upload your picture here! Ive also heard another excuse for not having a photo I am a very private person and dont want to make my photo public. Seriously? What are you hiding? Have you googled your name and seen what images/photos come up already, without your permission?   People hire people, not faceless avatars. Heres more advice on adding a photo to your LinkedIn profile:  Does My LinkedIn Profile Really Need a Photo from Meg Guiseppi of Executive Career Branding. How old do you really look? Do you look old? Is it the grey hair you are worried about or is it the out-of-date glasses and hairstyle?   The easy solutions would be to remove the glasses and dye the hair IF these are really your concerns.   What are you really afraid of? Hire a Professional With the magic of Photoshop and other editing tools, your photo doesnt have to harm your chances. If you need to hire a professional photographer or editor, its a worthwhile investment. The Bigger Picture (pun intended!) And my final words are about managing your career! LinkedIn isnt just a job search tool! Many professionals use it to develop new business, solve problems and interact with others. If you look at the long term investment (bigger picture), having a picture helps people see you.   It helps establish trust through transparency. It is about being authentic and real! Other words of wisdomuse your profile photo consistently across the different social mediums. It makes it easier for others to recognize you! (Its called personal branding!) For more help modernizing your LinkedIn profile, check out these posts: Is Your LinkedIn Profile Awesome Fix Your LinkedIn Headline Today What To Put In Your LinkedIn Summary  Section Make Your LinkedIn Profile Media Rich