Standing Out In Interviews with George Costanza

By: Kristyn Mott, Peer Advisor

I was watching Seinfeld the other day and it was the episode where George Costanza has his interview for the New York Yankees. I found it quite funny because he does everything that you are basically told not to do in an interview. He uses a very laid-back and unprofessional conversational style, he is wearing non-professional clothes, he explains why he quit his previous job in a negative light, he didn’t shake the boss’s hand, he critiqued everything the organization stood for, and is the complete opposite of every applicant that applied for the job. Ironically enough, he ends up getting hired. Although George Costanza had a horrible interview, you can actually learn from him. Now, I am not saying to act how he did in interviews, in fact I encourage you to do the complete opposite. What I am saying is that you need to stand out from the other applicants. Obviously your competition will be emphasizing the same qualities as you might be, so you need to think critically about how stand out from the other applicants. Make yourself memorable in your interview, just not the way that George did. Also, the only reason why George got hired after a horrible interview was based on the fact that Seinfeld is a hilarious TV show – and unfortunately not real life.

R-E-S-E-A-R-C-H

By: Emma Duca

For many of you, the time may be approaching to graduate. Those exciting thoughts of the cap and gown and that precious diploma gripped tightly in your hands tend to be accompanied by terrifying thoughts of “well…what now?” The lucky ones will have a job lined up and ready to go the minute they step off that stage. However, not everyone happens to be in that boat. Whether you’re considering graduate school, an internship, or maybe trying to find a full-time job, my best advice is to do your RESEARCH. There is nothing worse than finding a master’s program that is perfect for you, and sitting down to create your application, only to find out that the deadline was two weeks ago. It is best to start looking into programs and/or jobs of interest as early as possible, not only to stay up to date on deadlines, but also to give yourself time to find references, and get any questions you may have about the application answered.

Furthermore, it is important to keep your options open. Remember all of the schools and programs you looked into in high school for your undergraduate degree? Well, there are even more possibilities open to you now, so don’t limit yourself to one field or one location. Perhaps now would be the perfect time to see if the west coast really is the best coast. Or consider an internship abroad; the valuable independence skills you will gain, not to mention the ability to immerse yourself and thrive in a foreign culture are unique skills that will impress future potential employers (plus the amount of sightseeing you would get to do doesn’t hurt either…).

Whatever interests you have, make sure that you consider all available paths you could take towards that “ideal career”. Also, don’t be afraid to talk to others who are currently employed in your field of interest – they likely took some very different routes to get to where they are now, and chances are that you will be inspired by some of their success stories.

Finally, make sure to come and visit the career centre when conducting your research. The resource centre here is full of books, brochures, guides, and other material to help you explore the many opportunities that are available!

The Seinfeld Strategy

By: Jessica Amaro, Peer Advisor

An old classmate of mine posted an article recently that talked about something called “The Seinfeld Strategy.” (You can read it here: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231023)

It’s pretty simple: pick a task that is “meaningful enough to make a difference, but simple enough that you can get it done” and focus on doing that every day. Don’t focus on results or performance, but instead on “not breaking the chain.” For Jerry Seinfeld, that meant writing jokes each day.

I think it’s an interesting take on things. We are typically driven by, and pushed toward end results. Fitness goals, grades, money…you name it. Instead, this approach makes you focus on the process. That’s where all the change and learning is happening, after all, but we tend to look past it anxiously striving for the end.

I think this is great for creative endeavours, and I’m also hoping that I can apply this strategy in my summer job search. Maybe one day I’ll tweak my resumė, another day work on my personal branding on LinkedIn, the next day work on making a new connection or maintaining contact with an old one. Breaking it down into bite-sized chunks will create not only results, but meaning.

It might not be the most aggressive approach, but it does form a habit and means that constant, consistent improvements are being made. If you feel like you’re stuck and aren’t sure where to begin your job hunt, maybe this tactic will work for you!

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

By: Kristyn Mott, Peer Advisor

As a child you were always asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Well guess what? I am currently 20 years old and I am still asking myself the same question. But now instead of, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, the question has changed to, “What do you want to be in a couple of years?”

I always thought that coming to university would provide an answer to that question, but unfortunately that is not always true. I have learned that university is a time to find yourself and explore many different career opportunities that interest you. Laurier is not just a place of education, it is a place of self-discovery and it offers many resources to help you find the perfect fit. A lot of those resources can be found at the Career Centre; they offer personality and interest assessments and many hard copy and online resources to assist with your career research.

Start your self-discovery now by booking an appointment with a Career Consultant at https://navigator.wlu.ca/home.htm Don’t worry if it takes you longer than you hope to find a certain career that you are completely committed to, everyone arrives at that decision at their own pace.

A New Spin on the ‘Same Old’

By: Ying Ying (Cam) Luo, Peer Advisor

“Although we perform The Nutcracker many times in our career, there is usually something new each season. For me this year I have new Icicles to my Snow Queen.” – Tanya Howard, National Ballet of Canada.

Tanya has played the characters of Mother, Snow Queen and Bee in The Nutcracker numerous times. Although she keeps playing these roles repetitively every season, she still finds something new for her performance each year. Recently, I’ve been seeking for magic power to boost up my motivation in this ever-so clockwork, job-searching season. Along with increasingly busy course work, I am feeling overwhelmed with the repetitive job applications during this typical job-hunting season. Unlike Tanya, the exhaustion and lack of motivation seem to make us forget to dig into “something new”, resulting in approaching things the same way, year after year. It’s important to stay motivated and to tackle seemingly old events in life, with new breathe. Maybe join a new club this year, master a new software, consider volunteering abroad, or initiating informational interviews with professionals in fields you are interested in. Taking a fresh approach, to an old exercise (job searching) will help you discover new avenues and ideas. While you are working on your resumės and cover letters, try to brainstorm “something new” and relate them to the jobs you are applying for. It will definitely be more refreshing than simply doing ‘the same old’, year after year.

Lessons From Career-Related Films

By: Jodi Bergman, Peer Advisor

As winter drags on and job applications continue to pile up, it is time to kick the job search into high gear. While most students are busy sending out resumės and cover letters, networking and going for interviews, sometimes I think we just need to take a break. But that doesn’t mean your time off can’t be fun and effective to your job search!

Below are some of the best career-focused movies that I’ve seen and why. In some instances the life lessons are clear, and in some they’re just plain amusing. Keep an eye out for career dos and don’ts and happy watching!

The Devil Wears Prada: Sometimes from the outside it seems like we should take that amazing-sounding job, or do that one little thing for our boss that’s actually completely inappropriate – until one day we find out the job has completely taken over our lives. When it comes to drastic career moves, trust your gut on what feels right and what feels like too big of a compromise…and always dress to impress 😉

The Pursuit of Happyness: “Don’t ever let somebody tell you that you can’t do something….You got a dream, you gotta protect it. You want something, go and get it, period.” I can’t say it much better than Will Smith, but this film shows it is never too late to change your career and make something of yourself – so go out there and try, try, try.

The Wolf of Wall Street: While a clear message from this film would be to not let greed go to your head, I think an equally valuable lesson is that your drive will make you successful if you refuse to quit. Despite his intentions, Jordan Belford created an empire from almost nothing, and if he can do that, imagine what you can do with your potential as well!

Jerry Maguire: This film shows that it is, in fact, possible to love what you do, make a difference, and be successful without turning into a Jordan Belford type. Even if you’re on the right career path, the company may not be the right fit for you. Don’t be afraid to take a chance and see what else is out there. The risk is great but the pay-off can be even greater.

Office Space: The lesson here is co-workers can make or break your situation. The best thing about this movie is the cast and how the characters work together (and sometimes completely mess with each other). They teach us how you can stand even the worst job when there are awesome people involved. Get to know the people in your work environment; they will help shape your experience.

It’s a Small World

By: Resi Walt, Peer Advisor

I often find myself repeating this phrase on a weekly basis. I say this every time I hear about a connection made between people living several hours apart from one another. These days it seems that people are meeting over the internet faster than they are in person! There is no doubt that the internet and social media has made our world seem smaller than it really is.

In the past couple months, I have heard of two relationships starting because the couple met over Twitter. In my own life, I have engaged in conversations over Twitter with complete strangers, simply because we were both interested in the same topic/post. Twitter has definitely become my favourite social media tool. There are endless possibilities when it comes to the people and organizations you can “follow”. If you want to get noticed by a particular organization, start following them and begin engaging with their Twitter posts. It is an excellent way to get noticed!

Another favourite tool of mine is Skype. This is truly an excellent way to talk to people who live in another province or country. You are able to talk “face-to-face” with someone – which is much more personal than emailing – without the long-distance phone charges. Think of it like meeting up with someone for coffee, but over the internet. I was able to set up an informational interview with a woman living in Indiana. I would never have been able to gain such meaningful insight from her without conversing over Skype. Some things are just not possible over Twitter and Facebook.

If you are not already a part of LinkedIn, I strongly encourage you to create an account. It is a great way to meet professionals in the field you are interested in. All you have to do is take elements of your resumė and add them to your profile. Just like Twitter, you can follow or become part of groups that interest you. You can join in on discussions as well.

Also, take a minute to look up a new organization called Ten Thousand Coffees, an organization aiming to facilitate meaningful connections for students. Here is the link to a Globe and Mail article on Ten Thousand Coffees:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/career-advice/program-connects-mentors-with-aspiring-leaders/article16420243/

So I ask you, why not take advantage of these tools in your own career planning? There are numerous outlets for you to start connecting and conversing with professionals who can provide advice and mentorship. As Ten Thousand Coffees has proved, most people are willing to offer advice if you just ask!

Beware of the Brand

By: Amaryllis Jones, Peer Advisor

The concept of personal branding has become a popular subject when it comes to building an image of the “best me” to present to employers. But what I have come to realize is that people have a hard time understanding this concept because of the big B. What does branding mean to you? Branding is intended to tell potential employers what you can offer them and how you differentiate yourself from other candidates, but I find it increasingly difficult to project this demeanour when I am focused on meeting job application deadlines, attending networking events, volunteering, studying for midterms and dozens of other commitments. So I decided to scrap the “brand” terminology and focus on showcasing my individualism and personality.

I created a mantra called a “DAMN portfolio” (DAMN stands for documents, attire, media and network) where I focus on simple tricks to make myself stand out from other candidates, especially those who may have the same or, or even better qualifications for the job.

1. Documents – this aspect encompasses your cover letter, resumė and networking cards that tell your story on paper. There is nothing worse than a never-ending resumė that makes an employer feel like they are trapped in a spinning vortex (if they even read that much of it). Networking cards have been a trend but I always see students sticking to the basics with monotone colours and simple font. JAZZ IT UP! Tailor your card to the industry you are applying for and don’t be afraid to add some colour for a pop. But to take things a step forward, I applied the design of my networking cards to my cover letter and resumė to create a consistent look across all my documents. Snazzy right?

2. Attire – the key is to dress for success. Bring out your best attire, even if it means investing in a few sports jackets or blazers that you can interchange with a white dress shirt. The mistake students make is showing up to networking events dressed in jeans or running shoes. Consider every opportunity your last shot to seal the deal and kick it up a notch. If an event is “business casual” avoid graphic t-shirts, jeans, running shoes or leggings! With the Job Fair coming up on February 5th, consider slipping on a dress shirt and dress pants; not only does it put you into a professional mindset but it also shows employers that you are serious about the event.

3. Media – in terms of professional networking you want to start building a LinkedIn profile if you haven’t already. Setting up your account is the easy part; the difficult comes in when narrowing down what to display on the profile. A connection of mine had over 10 volunteer positions, 6 work positions and 20 skills displayed on her profile (not to mention a never-ending list of courses she has taken over the duration of her undergraduate). Narrow it down to your top positions that are most relevant to your career objective. Check out the Career Centre’s LinkedIn Workshop for an opportunity to revamp and redesign your page. My last tip is to beware of sharing your twitter handle with employers on your resume or LinkedIn. Make sure that you have an appropriate handle name (not @buffstud_92) and monitor what you tweet and re-tweet!

4. Network – last but far from least, you need to NETWORK. Go to any and every networking event you can attend, especially those that are free. It is a great opportunity to meet new people, pitch your “DAMN portfolio” and potentially connect with individuals who can kick-start your career! In an effort to connect students to career-center events, the Career Centre has created a Facebook page that posts updates on events for all students (search “Laurier Career Centre Events 2014 – Get Connected” and hit the ‘attend’ button)

And that, ladies and gentleman, is your unique DAMN Portfolio! I’d love to know what tricks and tips you have for career searching, networking and interviewing! Leave your comments below!