The Career Development Center Blog

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Job/Internship of the Week
Social Media Marketing
Nextsport

Description:

Responsibilities:
– Develop strategies for building and expanding compelling on-line communities for our target consumer
– Build and manage on a daily basis our brand presence on all relevant social media platforms
– Continually refine our strategy to create content and community for or target audience
– Continually expand our knowledge of social media techniques and integrate this knowledge into our on-going strategy
– Work and communicate with our national pro scooter team to effectively expand our message and brand throughout the world
– Think of out-of-the-box ways of making our community increasing compelling for our customer
– As a secondary effort, develop and implement strategies for reaching influencers and reviewers that reach both the user (kids ages 5 to 14) and their parents.

In addition to an hourly salary, the individual will be eligible for discretionary yearly bonuses based on consistent and high quality performance.

We are looking for two long term, part-time individuals that are interested in growing with the company and potentially joining Nextsport in Emeryville California on a full-time basis upon graduation from college.

The position will be performed on a remote basis. Location is not important effective expansion of our brand through effective, efficient and smart social media is what is required of the candidate.
If you feel that your experience, skill set and above all passion is a perfect match for this part-time position, please forward a detailed cover letter (in addition to your resume) outlining why you are the perfect candidate.

For more information on how to apply, check out the posting in Beaver JobNet.

Something I think not a lot of students realize is that you can definitely make student business cards, and, in fact, it’s highly recommended that you do. They’re a great option for Career Fairs, so you can leave your information with an employer even in situations where it might not be appropriate to leave your entire resume. Business cards are very professional and are a great resource for networking.

I recently personally made some new business cards so I wanted to share the process and some things I noticed.

In terms of what information to include, the most important pieces are:

First and last name
University name
Major
Phone number
Professional email address

I personally also included my expected graduation date, and on the back a QR code that goes to my LinkedIn profile. Make sure you only do the latter if your profile is complete and you are going to make sure to keep your profile up to date and professional.

For the design, make sure your business card looks professional but don’t be afraid to use it to showcase your personality a little bit. A business card that’s too boring and doesn’t stand out at all is probably just as bad as one that’s unprofessional. Here are some options for ways to design your business card:

Online sites (Vistaprint.com, Moo.com, etc.): Some sites have an option for free business cards, but make sure you pay the couple dollars to take off their ad on the back of the card! Leaving the sites ad on the back will detract from your professional image
OSU Printing and Mailing (for OSU branded cards)
Use MSWord to print your own using the templates options and special paper
Retailers (such as Staples, Office Max, etc.)

Make sure you triple-check everything to eliminate any mistakes before you place your order! You can even get a business card holder if you want, or just use whatever method you want to keep your cards nice. Now you’re ready to start networking!

posted by Deirdre Newton, Career Assistant

References:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/04/27/college-students-business-cards/

http://www.internqueen.com/blog/2011/08/how-to-make-savvy-student-business-cards

Job/Internship of the Week
Civil Engineer
Black & Veatch

Description

We currently have full-time and internship opportunities within our company for Civil Engineers. These opportunities are available within many of our divisions and could encompass many emphases. Assignments are in conjunction with engineering, procurement, planning, designing, and construction of: bridges, dams, military bases, tunnels, water and wastewater facilities, hazardous waste facilities, power plants, hydro-electric power, telecommunication systems, and commercial and industrial facilities.

For more information on how to apply, check out the posting on Beaver JobNet.

Ready to get inspired for your job, internship, or career search? Each month we will spotlight an OSU student that has inspired us when it comes to their career development. Check out their success stories—besides inspiration, they also show that academic major does not have to restrict your goals and that there are many ways to define success.

Want to nominate an OSU student or alum for the Student/Alum Spotlight series? Or do you want to share your own success? Then please fill out this quick form and Career Services will contact the person nominated.

Name: Marcella Florez

Major: Masters of Education in College Student Services Administration

Year you graduated: 2013

Company: Coordinator for Orientation Programs at Portland State University

Tell us about yourself (include major, career goals/aspirations, etc.)

I have my bachelors of art in American Sign Language and English Interpreting from Western Oregon University. While at WOU, I was heavily involved with Orientation Programs, Service Learning, Career Development, and student leadership. From these experiences, I learned I loved Higher Education, particularly Student Affairs. After searching nationwide for a master’s program, I decided on staying in Oregon and am currently in my second year of the Masters of Education in College Student Services Administration program. I prefer to dream big when it comes to my career goals/aspirations, particularly within Student Affairs, I would love to someday be a president of a small liberal arts institution or a dean of student life. Until then, I want to be in Orientation and first year programs because of the energy and variety of students and family members we have the opportunity to interact with consistently.

How did you land your dream job (Coordinator) in New Student Programs at PSU?

How did I land… Well, personally it was all of the experiences I had leading up to such a wonderful opportunity. After my first year as an Orientation leader at WOU, I knew that is something I wanted to do in my life at some point. So from there on out, I kept thinking what things would I enjoy doing and what would prepare me to get a position in New Student Programs (at any institution). In addition, the people I have met. I have had the pleasure to work with, and have been mentors with me since I realized I wanted to work in New Student Programs. I can HONESTLY say have been the number 1 reason I landed this job. They taught me the ins and outs of the field, provided me opportunities of growth, supported me in every aspect of my experiences, and helped me network around the nation in Student Affairs.

What advice do you have for others who are preparing for their job search or career?

Take your time and enjoy the process. I know there are a lot of people who just want to apply to a lot of jobs and hear back as soon as possible, because finding a job upon graduation can be stressful and daunting. But allow yourself time to create your resume, time to find references and discuss the job itself with your references, set up mock interviews, have your friends/family/former employers/mentors look over your resume, cover letter, and other aspects of your application. The more eyes you have on your materials, the better they will become. Allowing time to create the best application and prepare for the best interview you can give, the more relaxed and confident you will feel in the end.

Did Career Services assist you anyway? If so, how?

Yes! I had worked in Career Services for 4 years prior to coming to OSU, and I thought “oh I don’t need a mock interview, resume help, etc.”. I still set up an appointment to have a mock interview JUST in case. It really helped me begin to rethink all of my experiences, convey my experiences that were applicable to the job, and just become used to “talking about m myself” again (something no one really enjoys doing)! In addition to my mock interview, the career counselor (Marian), knew my first interview was a phone interview. She sent me helpful tips and ideas to help me prepare for a phone interview as well, which was really helpful since phone interviews and in-person interviews can be very different.

Thanks Marcella for being our Student /Alumni Spotlight! If you are interested in learning more about interviewing, there are many resources available to you on the OSU Career Services website.

When I applied for my first job out of high school, my entire resume was made up of activities and clubs that I had engaged in during high school to make myself look impressive to the world. I was proud of the long list of things I had done: math team, speech and debate, and the like. I was convinced that I had picked up a plethora of skills that I could take with me for the rest of my life. But then I got most of my way through the first year of college here, and was told suddenly and harshly that it was time to take high school off of my resume. That was it— the long list of accomplishments that I had spent four years developing was erased in the time it took to hit the backspace key. Then I looked at my resume, and surprisingly it wasn’t empty. It was a good time to take high school off, to make room for more opportunities.

So when is the optimal time to break free of your past? My first recommendation is to start moving away from high school as soon as you can once you get to college; college is a great place to start forming new and exciting relationships with professors, and to get involved in clubs and activities, sometimes even the same activities you did in high school. These sorts of things will make great references and talking points on your resume that would draw any employer’s eye. And really— let’s face the facts— you’re in college now. Everybody knows that you went to high school, and did at least reasonably well, so it is definitely time to take your diploma or GED out from your education section of your resume.

There are other sections of your resume though. One big aspect of a resume will always be to choose relevant experiences to include. Sometimes the most relevant experiences will be from high school, and it is okay to use those for your first few years of college, but by the time you are an upperclassmen, it’s time to lose the training wheels. While you are in your first two years of college, though, you can pull from those things you did in high school- volunteer opportunities, and even select clubs and activities, they can all be relevant to a job you are applying for.

There is one last aspect of your high school experience, and that is one that will never have to be omitted from your resume— the skills you developed. By the end of high school there are some skills we might have developed: proficiency with Microsoft Office, intermediate skill in a foreign language, technical writing, public speaking, etc. These are all skills you can always boast on your resume all the way through college.

Remember when you are constructing a resume that you only want to put down the most relevant experiences, and sometimes those will come from high school, but college is a place to start developing new and exciting sets of skills to show off to employers.

What are the skills you attribute to your high school experience? How are you building on those in your current academics and career opportunities?

by Richard Thomas, Career Assistant

Job/Internship of the Week
UAS Avionics Technician
Near Space Corporation

Description:

Near Space Corporation has recently opened a new UAS flight facility and is recruiting for several key positions. We are a small aerospace company that specializes in the testing and maturing of space and aviation technologies. Our customers include a wide variety of government and commercial customers including; NASA, NOAA, DOD, laboratories, universities and new commercial space companies. NSC has extensive experience providing relevant space like environments for maturing new technologies and testing concepts of operations using high altitude balloons and UAVs. The facility was specifically designed to support testing, training and research involving a wide array of UAS platforms with integrated engineering, manufacturing, and flight operations. Remote flight operations are supported throughout the US with dedicated launch facilities in Oregon and Hawaii.

Located west of Portland on the beautiful Oregon Coast, Near Space Corporation is a great place to work. We value innovation, teamwork, commitment, and offer an environment of growth and advancement opportunities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

For more information on how to apply, check out the posting in Beaver JobNet.

How do You Know When it’s Time to Go?

Graduate school requires a commitment of time, money, and energy. Determining the ideal time in your life for pursing a graduate degree is often difficult, however; if you are asking yourself whether or not now is the time for graduate school that may be an sign it is at least an appropriate moment to seriously consider applying to a graduate program.

For individuals in any situation three important factors to consider before applying to graduate school may be motivation, financing, and feasibility.

Defining your motivation for enrolling in a graduate degree program requires you to think about the things you hope to accomplish by earning your graduate degree. These goals will be different for every individual, but having a general understanding of your motivations for pursuing a graduate degree may help you evaluate if getting a graduate degree is the best way of achieving those goals.

Attending graduate school costs money, thinking about the ways you plan to finance your graduate school education is an important step in determining if it is financially possible and responsible to attend graduate school in the near future. Upon inspection you may discover you need to develop a longer term plan to explore scholarship, grant, or assistantship/fellowship options or build up your savings to offset the costs of school.

Determining feasibility entails taking a look at how graduate school will fit into your life, this includes consideration of the amount of time you expect to be in graduate school, and other personal goals you may have such as starting a family or moving to a specific city, state or country. It may also include determining the amount of debt you can reasonably acquire and your current situation in the workplace.

After taking time to think about the factors discussed above you may have a clearer picture of the appropriateness of attending graduate school in the near future and the type of program you would like to apply to. It may also provide a starting point for establishing a plan for success in graduate school.

Graduating from an Undergraduate Program

If you are currently a college student, you might be thinking of going straight to graduate school. Your area of study and your professional goals should help you make this decision. You may want to pursue a graduate degree because it is absolutely required for your intended career path or you may feel a need for more training in your field. These are good reasons to consider immediately enrolling in graduate school following completion of your undergraduate degree.

Some undergraduate programs offer advanced standing graduate programs enabling students to earn a graduate degree by completing 1 additional year of study immediately following completion of their undergraduate education. If your program offers an advanced standing option it may be worthwhile to consider continuing your education without taking a break between your undergraduate and graduate studies.

Even if you are certain graduate school is in your future, it can also be a great idea to get a little real world experience prior to enrolling in a graduate program. Spending some time in the real world may give you a better understanding of the area of research you would like to specialize in as a graduate student or you might want to see how much you really need a graduate degree to follow a particular path.

Assistantships are a great option for students thinking of enrolling in graduate school immediately after earning their undergraduate degree. Earning an assistantship means you may be able go to school without paying tuition. You can also gain valuable work experience. Even though the stipend you receive for that work might not be great, the free education and benefits might outweigh the small amount of pay – especially if you are not already accustomed to a higher salary and you do not to have too many financial demands.

Experiencing Difficult Economic Times

Earning a graduate degree may be a good strategy to help change the course of your career. Even during healthy economic time’s unemployment, underemployment, and job dissatisfaction are causes for concern among the working population. Graduate school may offer individuals the opportunity to network, gain new knowledge and skills, and refocus their career. Graduate school may enhance a person’s current resume helping them gain advancement within an organization or grab the attention of a hiring manager at a new firm. The time and financial commitments of a graduate degree make it important for individuals making the decision to enroll in graduate school to make a full commitment to the process and do everything possible to get the most out of their time in a graduate program.

There is some controversy in the blogosphere about the benefit of graduate school for unemployed individuals concerning whether or not it is a wise decision to take on additional debt during a time of financial hardship, however; while the decision to advance your education is timely and costly it may be a good option for individuals who are truly invested in the idea of gaining more knowledge and expertise in their field or interested in entering into a new career path. Be sure to carefully consider your personal circumstances before enrolling in a graduate program. Carefully weigh the costs and benefits of graduate school against your personal and career objectives and explore a variety of program offerings and formats before making your final decisions.

During your Career

If you have been working for a while and feel compelled to get more education, see if your employer will pay for you to earn a graduate degree. It isn’t an option in all fields, but it makes even more sense financially than an assistantship; you will be gaining the same work experience while you earn your degree, but you will be getting paid a regular salary rather than a more meager stipend. The downside, of course, is that it can be very demanding on your time. (Assistantships are built for graduate students; most other jobs are not). Still, if you have the motivation to get your school work done in your spare time, it can be a great option.

Some programs are designed especially for working professionals; they might not be tuition-free, but they might enable you to earn your degree quickly enough that the out-of-pocket cost to you will be manageable. For example, summer programs are increasingly available for teachers who wish to earn a master’s degree. They can go to school full-time while they are not working and thereby finish the degree in just one or two summers. Evening programs are also popular in a number of fields. You might need more time to complete one, but you can probably afford the monthly part-time tuition if you are still working.

Individuals who plan to work full time while attending graduate school should also find out if the graduate program they are interested in has any field work, research, travel or practicum/internship requirements. These requirements may affect a person’s ability to work at their current job during normal office hours and may create additional time constraints. Discuss any potential conflicts with a school advisor and your work supervisor in advance to determine the feasibility of completing this type of educational requirement while maintaining a full time job.

If working and going to school at the same time seems like too much of a time commitment, you might want to consider taking some time off for full-time study. This is an especially good idea if you are thinking of some sort of change in your path. It will undoubtedly mean a financial sacrifice, though you can still benefit from an assistantship or fellowship as well as from your own personal savings.

Information compiled by the GradSchools.com team – January 2013

This post was written by a guest blogger and the content for the post approved by Oregon State University Career Services. We are not responsible for the content on the guest blogger’s personal website and do not endorse their site.

Job/Internship of the Week
Account Executive
International Sports Management Inc.

Description:

Are you about to graduate and ready to launch your career? Would you like to sell championship events for major sports? At ISM, we sell corporate sports hospitality and ticketing packages to the Super Bowl, Masters, U.S. Open, Ryder Cup & the NCAA Basketball Tournament to name a few. Since 1997 we’ve built a client base of over 70% of the Fortune 1000 and many smaller companies as well. ISM is the global leader in corporate hospitality & ticketing. We’re seeking assertive, educated, money-motivated individuals with the aptitude to close deals. The position will initially focus on new business acquisition through cold calling for the first six months and you will be responsible for data mining, sourcing the correct contact info, pitching the prospect, and setting up the close. You will then perform a combination of account management and acquisition for the remainder of the first year. Selling is conducted 100% via telephone as the territory includes the entire U.S. However, this is not a telemarketing job; it is an executive business to business inside sales position. Your direct clients will include VPs, Presidents, and CEOs.

Our operations team custom creates hospitality functions centered on over 40 sporting events annually. These events range from $15K to well over $200K+. The packages are designed to entertain elite corporate clients, and our services are utilized by our clientele to foster their key client relationships.

We have recently expanded our sales staff in our Portland office and are excited for further expansion. You must be an exceptional candidate with either 1-2 year B2B sales experience preferred, or a recent grad looking to begin their career in a business to business sales position.

You must be dedicated, driven, assertive and articulate, possess excellent writing skills, and be phone savvy. If you want the chance to do more than talk about growing with a company, and have the work ethic to match, this could be a perfect fit. Initial focus will be on selling upcoming events while you receive ongoing mentoring. Exceptional growth potential exists for successful Account Executives including participation in our management trainee program within 12 months. Opportunities exist not only here in Portland, but also in our U.S. Headquarters in Chicago and many other markets across the U.S. and abroad.

For more information on how to apply, check out the posting in Beaver JobNet.

How to prepare for a networking event:

As an introvert myself, I find that preparing is the key to being successful at these types of events. The initial idea of going to a crowded place, where the goal is to have some conversations with strangers, does not sound like my cup of tea. In my younger years, I had many similar experiences that were not beneficial for me and only resulted in a few very awkward conversations and free pens. However, it is a valuable use of time if one is prepared. By researching companies and people that are coming, preparing casual conversation topics, and preparing questions, you can have a successful experience at the event. Introverts feel most comfortable in situations in which they feel knowledgeable about the topic of conversation. If you have questions prepared and know a little about the companies and people you want to talk to you, it is going to make the conversations flow a lot easier. You will be empowered to initiate a conversation and feel knowledgeable enough to contribute to it. Introverts often feel that if they are going to say something, it should be something valuable. Having a basis of knowledge about the company and what they are working on will provide you with valuable things to say. However, don’t hesitate to talk about topics that you think the employer probably already knows about. Just because they know it, doesn’t mean that they don’t want to know that you are aware of it as well. The goal is to demonstrate your knowledge to them.

Making connections:

Now comes the hard part. Taking a deep breath and actually going to the event. Put it in your calendar and give yourself a deadline for researching companies and people that will be there, so that you will have no excuse not to go. It is too easy to “forget” to prepare for it. Don’t take the easy way out. Hold yourself accountable and make sure you get there. You could even ask a friend to go with you.

Once you walk in the door and wander around for a bit, you might feel the urge to quietly slink out the door, to breath in the sweet relief of solitude. Don’t give in! Do what you came to do and talk to some people. You might want to make a goal ahead of time. For example: I will have at least two successful conversations before I go.

Unfortunately, it might take you more than two conversations to meet this goal. Humans are unpredictable creatures and as much as you would like your conversations to go as you had planned, they don’t always. Some people might be more willing to chat with you than others. Sometimes certain people are very popular and you might have a hard time finding an opportunity to chat with them. You might encounter a fellow introvert who might not always give you enough information to initiate further conversation. But be sure and use the questions and knowledge you prepared. Even introverts can have great conversations about a topic that they are knowledgeable about, but they might need prodding more than others. If an employer has a very popular table, you might want to wait and come back later. If that is not an option for you, try to make yourself heard and visible.

How do you start a conversation?

For most extraverts, this is a very natural process. But introverts can have a difficult time initiating conversations. You of course are prepared with your lists of questions and interests, but social norms dictate that you don’t jump right into these. Here are some simple steps for making conversations:

Say “hello”, introduce yourself, and smile. I also would recommend adding something along the lines of “how is it going?” Sometimes people at professional events don’t get asked questions about themselves and it really makes them feel like you care about them and not just a potential job.
Identify a topic of conversation that can apply to most people. For example: Think about what day of the week it is. If it is on Monday, you could say something along the lines of “I can’t believe it is Monday already, the weekends just fly by.” If nothing else, this shows that you are capable of small talk.
Remember that body language is also important, so try to have upright, confident posture. Also, a common trait among introverts is to look around as you speak. Try to limit this. It can appear as if you are disinterested in the conversation. I often role my eyes while I am thinking about what I am saying, but this can come off as nonchalance.

Once you have successfully had some chit chat, you can move into your comfort zone- the reason you are talking to them. Try to confidently articulate the conversation topics you researched ahead of time. When you have exhausted your conversation capabilities, end with attaining some contact information from the person you talked to. “Do you have a business card in case I think of any more questions?” I recommend bringing your own business card or resume to hand out as well.

Congratulations! You did it! That wasn’t so bad, right? Once you have met your conversation goal for the event, you may swiftly make an exit. However, you are not done. Don’t let the connections you made go to waste. File the business cards you received with notes to remind you about who they were. For example: Jo Shmoe with Apple Computers- Brown hair, green polka-dot tie, and we talked about internships in HR. Shortly after the event, send Jo Shmoe an e-mail thanking him for chatting with you and inviting him to talk again in the future. Be sure and remind him who you were with some specifics about the conversation you had. Ask Jo Shmoe if he would mind connecting with you on LinkedIn (if you don’t have a LinkedIn, get one). Once Jo Shmoe e-mails you back and says “of course”, you are assured of the beginning of a new relationship that may be useful in the future. But, don’t let your relationship die! Stay in touch and in the near future invite him to coffee for an informational interview.

These steps will ensure that your time at the event was not wasted. You now have contacts that might be able to help you get a job someday. By showing interest in them, you are demonstrating your good qualities. There is no need to let intimidating situations deter you from having the career that you want. Everyone has unique qualities and passions to contribute, but you have to make sure that others are aware of those qualities. Networking is a key component of the world of work, so start building those skills now.

Posted by Rebecca Schaffeld, Career Services Graduate Assistant

Job/Internship of the Week
3D Design Assistant Internship
InternsLink Recruiting Ltd.

Description:

InternsLink Recruiting Ltd., (“ISL or ISL Recruiting”) is a specialist organization dedicated to arranging internship and work placement opportunities for international students and graduates by matching their internship interests and career goals with those of the hosts and finding them the best internships in both international and Chinese companies and organizations in China. It is our belief that learning in a hands-on environment while living in a foreign country will encourage a broader understanding of the world, the individual and the international businesses.

We pride ourselves in our personal and professional demeanor and treat each participant as an individual and take into consideration his/her background, experience and career goals when searching for the optimal placement. We fully understand the investment of time and resources participants provide for an overseas internship. As such, ISL Recruiting strives to provide the maximum return on that investment in terms of both personal and professional growth via affordable and pre-professional internships.

One behalf of one of our program partnering companies, who is a leading display, exhibition, and products design company headquartered in Guangzhou with a work force of over 600 employees, we are seeking 2 qualified candidates for the Design Internship positions for their Guangzhou Design Center.

For more information on how to apply, check out the posting in Beaver JobNet.

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Explore. Educate. Empower. Engage.

Job/Internship of the Week-Social Media Marketing

Student Business Card How-To

Job/Internship of the Week-Civil Engineer

Student / Alumni Spotlight – Marcella Flores

High School: When is it time to say goodbye?

Job/Internship of the Week-UAS Avionics Technician

Grad School: Now or Later?

Job/Internship of the Week-Account Executive

Event Networking as an Introvert

Job/Internship of the Week-3D Desgin Assistant Internship

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