Find a Mentor

Throughout your college career, it can be overwhelming to try and balance all the different responsibilities and obligations that you need to get done before you can call yourself a college graduate. It can be daunting to try to choose a major, complete all of your coursework, find an internship, and still have some semblance of a social life. The stress of trying to complete everything can be lessened by securing yourself a mentor that can be a helpful source of support to you.

Mentors can be extremely beneficial. Think about the professors you have for class right now and see if you can see yourself working with any of them. Ask if they would be willing to let you interview them to get a feel for how they got to where they are now and how they arrived at their chosen field. Mentors can also put you in contact with others they know that might be able to help you.

Career Services has an alumni database that can put you in contact with GMC graduates out in various careers and fields. It is a great way to get in touch with others who have gone through what you are experiencing now and they can give you great insight into what worked for them.

Remember that people like to talk about themselves and in most cases, are more than happy to help young people develop career aspirations and work on getting to their dream career. Think about people in your life that you can ask to serve as your mentor, and get one step closer to figuring out how to achieve your goals. Contact Career Services for more help about finding a mentor!

Get your Backup Plan Ready

If you are a graduating senior, chances are you have been inundated with a checklist of things that need to be accomplished before you receive your diploma. Make sure you get everything done (pay your parking tickets! Return your library books!) but also keep in mind some other important things to consider as you make the transition from college student to college grad.

Take steps to get a solid backup plan in place. The job search can be frustrating after graduation and it can be easy to give up on your major or dream job because it isn’t falling into place like you envisioned it. But instead of giving up on your dream career because it is taking a bit longer than you would like, think about what you could be doing in the meantime. Can you volunteer in a similar organization or in a field related to your interests? That will allow you to gain experience while staying busy and it will also help you to bolster your list of contacts. If a position opens up, they will be more inclined to think of you when trying to fill it.

There is also nothing wrong with taking a job in the interim. Your major does not have to directly relate to your career. Just being in the workforce can keep your professional skills sharp and can allow you to stay in the habit of being a good employee.

Hopefully your dream job will arrive after graduation in a timely manner. If that doesn’t turn out to be the case, you must be equipped with a Plan B so that you can continue working and improving your professional self and gaining the experience that will only enhance your overall package.

For more help with this, contact Career Services at (215) 646-7300 x 230 or careerservices@gmc.edu

Know Your Personality Type

When deciding on a major or career, it can be helpful to do a little research on yourself before making a decision. Once you know yourself and have a better idea about what job might suit your personality, you can make a more informed decision about what direction you want your professional career to go.

Career Services has many resources that can help you narrow down your search. Before you make your appointment, think about some questions that can be helpful for you. What gives you energy? Do you like to be around people? Do you prefer environments where you get to work by yourself? All of these types of questions are important to take into consideration when deciding on a career path.

By being honest with yourself and knowing what makes you tick, you can be better prepared to arrive at your dream job. Make sure that you look into jobs that you can honestly see yourself doing everyday. That way, you can maximize your chances of having a job that makes your life happy and fulfilled.

The Myth of the One Page Resume

Somewhere along the line, it became an accepted truth of resume writing that your document must only be one page in order to be considered for a position. In reality, that is not the case. It is perfectly fine for your resume to be more than one page, as long as the information on it is relevant and significant to the position you are applying for.

Recent graduates might be fine with just one page to describe their education background and their work and internship experience. But others that have been working for longer periods of time will most likely need more than one page to get their message across. In any case, make sure you prioritize the most important parts of what you want to convey. Ensure that the resume presents the information you most want to impart to a potential employer. Regardless of length, the purpose of a resume is to give enough information to an employer to allow them to see what you can do for their company. If it takes one, two, or in some cases, three pages, go ahead. Just make sure that everything you include has a purpose and serves to enhance your image, not just fill up space.

Contact Career Services for more help on making your resume the perfect length for you!

25 Reasons Job Fairs Are Not a Waste of Time

A very timely article since Gwynedd-Mercy College's Career Services office is involved in 3 different job fairs in March. Check out the job fair information at http://www.gmc.edu/students/careerservices/Events.php

The article on why job fairs are valuable can be found at
http://jobmob.co.il/blog/job-fairs-reasons-to-go/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+JobMob+%28JobMob%29

Student discusses interviewing experience

Career Services spoke with Gwynedd-Mercy College (GMC) student, Beth about her experience at the recent Mock Interview event that was held at GMC.

1) How did you prepare for the Mock Interview? What did you bring with you? How did you dress?
I prepared for the Mock Interview event just like I would have prepared myself for a legitimate job or internship interview. I made sure my resume contained the most recent, accurate information, and had two copies of it. I also had a copy of my updated contact reference sheet with me. In addition to those documents, I also brought a pen and had a notebook to record any important feedback that I would receive from my interviewer at this event. In regards to dress, I wore business casual attire because your presence with an interviewer is crucial. You want to make a positive first impression to increase your chances of landing an internship or job position.

2) How did you feel during the mock interview?
During the mock interview, I felt a little more relaxed because I knew it wasn't a real job or internship interview beforehand, but I still treated the mock interview as if it was a legitimate opportunity to receive work. My interviewer, who is a GMC alumnus, provided a really great range of questions that a potential employer could ask me. Even though I have had several interviews prior to this event for college related activities and internship opportunities, it's still great to learn valuable advice and receive constructive criticism.

3) What was the most helpful tip or piece of advice you learned?
There were many valuable pieces of advice I learned from my interviewer and the actual interview. I realized that I shouldn't be afraid to emphasize certain achievements from my involvement at college that could apply towards a work opportunity. I also learned how to formulate some statements that can effectively communicate why the employer should hire me.

4) Other comments?
This event was very helpful not just for me, but for other friends of mine who also attended it. I would love to have all juniors and seniors required to attend this event, and have this event once per semester because the sooner they are exposed to an interview format, the better prepared they will be for internship and job opportunities.

Joining a Professional Organization

No matter where you are in your college career, it is never too early to start thinking about ways to enhance your knowledge of your field or to become involved in professional discussions about topics in your area of interest. It can be beneficial to you to join a professional organization to expand your network and learn more about the big issues in your field.

In addition to joining a professional organization, become a member on LinkedIn as well. There, you can have the opportunity to reach out to professionals and participate in discussions about issues pertaining to your major or career. That way, you can receive a variety of viewpoints on topics and share your own as well.

Another idea to think about is choosing a conference to attend. Do some research and see what is going on in your area. Pick a conference or workshop that will enhance your knowledge and that will be a valuable addition to your professional experience. It is also important to remember that these types of events can be great ways to network with others in the field. If you go, be cognizant of that and make sure you are prepared to speak with others about what you are hoping to do. Don’t be shy about asking others for their input, and make sure to be professional at all times.