“What’s Your Major?”

It’s a perennial question for college students to ask each other, and a frequent question asked of students by family, friends and prospective employers.  At college career fairs, I use the question as an ice breaker to encourage the often nervous student to talk about him/herself.  Unfortunately, but realistically, the question also serves as a screening device to identify people whose major would not appeal to the clients whom I serve.

In today’s world, with new graduates taking many months to find their first “real” job, and with over 40% of recent college graduates working in jobs that don’t require degrees, the question “What’s your major?” has taken on increased importance.  Some students will go to college knowing exactly what they want to do – but most don’t.  Most have to make that decision while in college, often having to choose from a list of 250 or more majors. 

As you go through this daunting task, I can only give you some old advice and maybe some that you haven’t heard.  The old stuff involves math, science, and technology – if there is any way that you can be passionate about any of these three subjects, you will absolutely maximize your future employability.  Looking at the top 10 most needed jobs for many years, the healthcare and technology industries dominate the list, and of course, these industries rely heavily on the three subjects cited.

But looking back on my own six years in college, where I dropped out of pre-med and never liked math much, there were some electives I took that have furthered my business career.  I took two Logic courses, where I learned how to think logically and reach sound decisions based on evidence, rather than on emotion.  And I took Writing courses to enable me to set my logical thinking down on paper and convince others of my positions and decisions.  The hardest elective I ever took was Library Science, but it taught me how to do credible research and find reliable information.   

Later, I formed the belief that the two most valuable skills that I learned in college were writing and logical thinking, and I haven’t changed my mind.  If you learn to think and write logically, you will also be able to speak in the same manner, giving you convincing verbal skills. 

One last suggestion: I continue to thank my Mother for forcing me to take Typing in high school- keyboards are best handled with ten digits, not two! 

Good luck to you in your own careers. 

Doug Hart, Incepture, Tampa

“As mentioned in my last blog about how to land a job in a competitive market, I now want to provide a few tips on how to make a good and lasting impression. After speaking to many members of Human Resources and researching websites (www.simplyhired.com), here are six good tips:

Prepare for the interview – Never walk into an interview without first doing your research about the company and position. This includes knowing what the company does and how they do it, recent news/press, and information about their competitors. Not knowing about the company is a turn-off for most interviewers.

Dress well – The moment you walk into the room, your interviewer is going to start making judgments about you, and the best way to impress them is to pay attention to your appearance. This means dressing professionally and being well-groomed and having impeccable hygiene.

Arrive on time – Even if you have a good excuse, your interviewer won't think as highly of you if you're late. Plan to arrive 10 minutes early. If you get to the building sooner than that, use that extra time to prepare for interview questions in the car—arriving more than 10 minutes early may make your interviewer feel rushed.

Act confident – Although being interviewed might be on your top ten list of most intimidating moments along with public speaking and skydiving, try your best to emit confidence! A couple ways to feign confidence is to smile, stand/sit up tall, make eye contact with the interviewer, have a firm handshake, and respond to those interview questions with enthusiasm. And hey, besides dating, this is the only time when can speak about ourselves without appearing arrogant (refrain from that, by the way), so try to sound proud, cheerful about your achievements and be sure to correlate how it applies to what the job is seeking.

Ask intelligent questions – By asking intelligent questions (and not questions you could find out from a quick Google search), you'll not only impress the interviewer with your interest but also set yourself apart from the competition. Such questions may include:

• Why is this position open? (Find out why the previous person left or if it’s a new role in a growing company)
• What traits or experience would a person need to be successful in this role?
• What are the top goals for the person you hire in this role?
• What are the next steps in this process?

Say "Thanks" – As your mother might say, "Mind your manners!" At the end of your interview, don't forget to thank your interviewer for taking the time to meet with you. The next day, send a personal "thank you" note to each person you met with via email. It'll set you apart from the crowd.

With these tips, you'll make the best possible impression for any interview.

Go get ‘em!

Robin L.

I’ve read many articles about effective ways to land a job in these uncertain economic times. After organizing, attending and participating in job fairs as well as hosting Career Expos, I want to outline a tutorial of some of the most effective and modernized tools to gain employment for job seekers.

Create a Self-Marketing Plan

To start your job search process, it is important to create a self-marketing plan. Just like starting a new business, you need to determine your target audience, identify your unique attributes and selling points and look for effective ways to promote yourself by delivering a powerful proposition. Located below are a few tips on how to effectively market yourself to potential employers:

• Take Action –

Post your resume to general and niche job sites that are targeted to your industry or location. Consider a resume distribution service to more efficiently target key employers and improve your chance of getting noticed.

• Let People Know You Are Looking –

Reach out to new and former contacts to inform them you are searching for a new career. The more people who know you are looking for a job, the better chance of finding a great job opportunity.

• Go the Extra Mile –

Create an online career portfolio that incorporates your resume and other relevant career-related information to distinguish yourself from other candidates. For example, although most companies have their own source, you can prove to potential employers that you are serious about your job search by getting a background check, which will save them valuable time and money.

• Create a Unique Brand Identity –

Identify your strengths and capabilities that distinguish you from other candidates, and then communicate these attributes to potential employers in verbal and written correspondence. Reinforce your unique selling point throughout your job search to convey the value you will bring to each organization. It’s OK to customize your message based upon your audience.

• Attend Networking Events –

Join industry associations and attend career fairs to build connections and network. These events allow you to interact with professionals who may have a job opening in their company, or are aware of a job through their network of contacts. Networking is a powerful marketing tool.

• Protect Your Reputation –

Review any social sites that you have subscribed to, in order to be sure that you are presenting yourself in a positive manner. Some employers will review these sites and you will want to make a good impression. It’s important to protect your online reputation.

Get Noticed by More Employers

When searching for a job, it is important to post your resume on as many relevant job sites as possible. Resume distribution services allow you to instantly post your resume and job requirements to many well-known job boards, saving you hours of research and time. You can take advantage of this service by completing a simple online form, and within hours, millions of employers will have access to your resume.

And also, don’t forget to set-up or modify your job alerts and take advantage of some career resources that will allow you to better market yourself to potential employers.

As you begin to market yourself, it is the perfect time to start improving your interviewing skills. Start by having faith and belief in yourself, but know how to illustrate that confidence in a professional manner.

My next blog will discuss helpful tips to make a great impression when meeting and/or interviewing with potential employers, so stay tuned….

Robin