Here are a couple of valuable tips for planning your career:
The first tip is, “Do what you like and the money will follow.” If you work at something you like, you will be good at it, and the best people usually rise to the top. Don’t do something just for the money unless you do not have any better options.
Second, in the United States, it is becoming common for a person to have more than one career in a lifetime. Doctors and attorneys tend to stay in the same field of work, but engineers, computer scientists, and entrepreneurs may change the type of work they do as many as five times in a lifetime.
Third, “When in doubt aim high.” If you are torn between becoming a doctor or an engineer, aim for the highest paid career that also has the most demanding educational requirements. If you try the hardest first, and decide it’s too tough, or you just don’t like it, at least you will have tried it. It’s easy to move to a field with lower educational requirements. It’s almost impossible to move up once you’ve started.
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Posted in Talent and Career
If you want to negotiate the best deal for yourself going into a job, do as I say, not as I do.
When the Free Press asked me whether I wanted a job, I immediately yelled, “Yes!”
Not very cool, I know.
And I quickly slammed any door I had for negotiating. Fortunately, I was treated pretty well anyway. Now, I tell people (even people I make offers to) not to accept instantly.
A little about the dynamics of hiring: Between the time when a company offers you a job and you accept, you have leverage.
Inside the company, a bunch of people have met and decided that you are the person, out of a handful of candidates, whom they want to hire. The person who makes the call is expected to get your acceptance. They do not want to reconvene, go to the next candidate or re-ignite their search.
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Posted in Talent and Career
For many students there is nothing more nerve-racking, stomach-churning, and downright intimidating than college interviews. The other components of college applications–application forms, essays, transcripts, and recommendation letters–are evaluated in the private offices of admissions officers. However, college interviews put you face to face with an actual person.
Many colleges require interviews with an admissions officer or alumnus. They use interviews as a way to get to know you beyond the dry facts of your application and to let you ask questions about the school.
The Most Commonly Asked Questions
The secret to doing well on interviews is to practice. Do a mock interview with your parents or teachers. This may sound strange, but once you hear how much better you answer the same question the second time around you will understand.
To give you an idea of what kind of questions you will be asked we have compiled a list of the most commonly asked interview questions. Try to develop answers to these questions for yourself and use them in your mock interviews.
- Why do you want to attend X university?
- What is your strongest/weakest point?
- What have you done to prepare for college?
- What has been your greatest experience in high school?
- What do you want to do in the future?
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Posted in Talent and Career
College Senior Job-Search Advice
1. Max Out Your Experience.
While you’re still in school, find time to fill any experience voids in your resume so that by the time you begin your job-search, you’ll be an unbeatable prospect to employers. If you have not yet worked in your field, now is the time to secure an internship — whether during one of the terms or during your holiday break (or even during your spring break). Internships are your strongest experience, but certainly not your only experience.
If you’re like most college students, you probably belong to a few student organizations. As a senior, you’re typically expected to help lead — and employers want to see that leadership ability, so grab a leadership position in at least one organization.
Of course, many other types of experiences can benefit you — some of which few students ever list on their resumes, such as work-study, part-time jobs, volunteer work, team sports, and class projects.
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Posted in Talent and Career
Interviews with an admissions
For many students there is nothing more nerve-racking, stomach-churning, and downright intimidating than college interviews. The other components of college applications–application forms, essays, transcripts, and recommendation letters–are evaluated in the private offices of admissions officers. However, college interviews put you face to face with an actual person.
Many colleges require interviews with an admissions officer or alumnus. They use interviews as a way to get to know you beyond the dry facts of your application and to let you ask questions about the school.
The Most Commonly Asked Questions
The secret to doing well on interviews is to practice. Do a mock interview with your parents or teachers. This may sound strange, but once you hear how much better you answer the same question the second time around you will understand.
To give you an idea of what kind of questions you will be asked we have compiled a list of the most commonly asked interview questions. Try to develop answers to these questions for yourself and use them in your mock interviews.
Posted in Talent and Career