Gain Experience to Own Your Future

Posted on September 24, 2018 by Edward Gallo

With the fall semester well underway, both new and returning students are preparing to own their future.

Every individual will have a unique career path, and no one can predict the road you will take to the future of your dreams.

Designing the ideal path is full of complex questions, there is no one “right answer”.

All you can do as a student is get to know yourself, and build upon your strengths and skills. An employable candidate has a generalizable set of skills, with demonstrated career competencies.

But how does one gain those skills? Here are three tips that can help:

Join Student Organizations

You are not on this journey alone, there are hundreds of student organizations available to you from your first day on campus.

Membership in an organization allows you to both explore your interests and network with like-minded individuals contributing to a common goal. You will have the opportunity to experience leadership, work with a team, and make connections that can last a lifetime.

The sheer number of organizations available can be a little intimidating, there are over 400 listed on Owl Connect. Narrow your search via keywords and categories.

See how this Temple student used her student organization to launch her career!

Gain Internships

Most people will tell you, “a successful internship placement in college is the best way to find a job after graduation”. There is certainly a lot of truth in that statement. Many companies and organizations hire their interns at a high rate, and of course building experience in your field of interest is important.

Internships are much more than a ticket to employment. With an early start, you’ll have the opportunity to explore and work through several internship opportunities, there is plenty of room to learn more about yourself.

Sometimes it’s worth it to take a chance on an interesting placement, even if it doesn’t align with what you think you “should be doing”. The worst case scenario is you learn more about what you don’t want to do.

If you start early, and keep an open mind to a diversity of opportunities, the possibilities are plentiful.

Check out the Career Center Guide for Internships where you can learn: what they are, where to find them, what to look out for, and how to make the most of your experience.

Your greatest resource is Handshake, our online portal where over 4,000 job, internship, and fellowship opportunities are posted at any given time.

At the time this was written, there were well over 1,200 internships available to apply to.

The Career Center’s Employer Partnership Team is approving new jobs and internships every day, so check often for opportunities!

We are also launching the Temple University Internship Program (TUIP), which provides experiential opportunities to work on-campus with Temple staff and faculty.

Attend Career Center Events

The Career Center works diligently with both employers and partners around campus to aid in your professional development through events.

Workshops are held so you can learn important skills for the job search like writing a professional resume and cover letter.

Networking events provide an opportunity to meet with employers to learn more about their field and what they’re looking for in potential candidates.

Career Fairs put your skills in action, come prepared to make an impression on dozens of employers who are actively recruiting Temple students!

There is no shortage of events on and off campus, be sure to check Handshake early and often.

There are so many experiences available to you that will mold your career path, the only “wrong” choice you can make is inaction. So start exploring, own your future, and enjoy the ride.

O*NET OnLine: Career Exploration and Job Search

Posted on August 2, 2018 by Edward Gallo

by edward gallo, graduate intern at the temple university career center

The Occupational Information Network, or O*NET, is a handy resource for multiple facets of career development. The professionals at O*NET have gathered data on over 1,000 occupations, giving you access to detailed descriptions about what it’s like to work in a variety of fields.

While O*NET has many features students can utilize, it can be especially helpful for career exploration, planning, and the job search process. Learn one way to navigate this valuable resource!

Career Exploration

O*NET has an adaptive search function, simply entering key words or sample job titles will result in a list of relevant careers. Here’s how to explore further:

On the home page, the “Advanced Search” function allows users to sort potential occupations by different criteria. While all of these selections are valuable, “Interests” are more generalizable and simple to conceptualize.

https://imgur.com/a/AIJiMXU

You will be brought to a page listing six different areas of vocational interest. These are the “Holland Codes”, or the “RIASEC” model. If you have not yet determined your top three vocational interests, use the link provided to access a brief questionnaire hosted by My Next Move.

https://imgur.com/a/kIh9VjK

After selecting one interest, you’ll be able to plug in the other two in order to generate a list of occupations most suited to your code. You can play with different amounts and combinations of interests to get new options.

https://imgur.com/a/G8t9Ujl

Careers are sorted by “Job Zone”. This is a reference to the amount of preparation needed to enter that field. Here’s how it breaks down:

Job Zone 1 – occupations that need little or no preparation

Job Zone 2 – occupations that need some preparation

Job Zone 3 – occupations that need medium preparation

Job Zone 4 – occupations that need considerable preparation

Job Zone 5 – occupations that need extensive preparation

These lists are a great way to explore and brainstorm career options. Feel free to use the other search criteria like Abilities, Knowledge, or Work Values to draw comparisons. O*NET’s biggest strength is the “Summary Report” for any given occupation.

https://imgur.com/a/3vQAB48

At first glance, a summary report will provide a brief description about the nature of that job. “Sample Job Titles” can be useful when it comes to the job search process, as well as for continued exploration.

If you’ve found a promising occupation, make sure to check out the education requirements. The “Knowledge” tab gives students an idea of what competencies they should be cultivating while working towards this career.

You can use the “Find Training” function to look at what majors are usually associated with this field.

https://imgur.com/a/TpayO5s

Job Search

If you’re passed the exploration process and ready to apply, or would just like to see examples for potential openings, the “Job Openings” section provides a fantastic job search tool.

https://imgur.com/a/pVGA216

The “Find Jobs” function will prompt you to search by state, or by specific zip code. You’ll end up with the most recent results provided by Career One Stop in your area. Usually the bulk of these listings are from the National Labor Service.

https://imgur.com/a/2k1ikJE

Under the “Job?” specifier, you’ll see a code. Through O*NET OnLine, you’re able to search all related careers at once, so your results will not be limited by specific key words in a job title. Cross-referenced with other popular job boards, these results are comprehensive.

Results can be further filtered by distance, city, company, and date posted. You’ll be redirected to active job postings where you can apply directly.

Prepping Application Materials

When it comes to writing a resume and cover letter for any position, you should be tailoring those materials to each specific position. This means identifying the tasks, skills and competencies described in the posting.

O*NET Summary Reports give great examples in terms of action verbs, tasks, knowledge, and skills.

https://imgur.com/a/WYMXRdb

When drafting descriptions in your experience section, you can use these examples as a model.

O*NET OnLine is just one of many resources utilized by Temple’s Career Center. Connect with us on for more articles, tips, and to learn about upcoming events! Use Handshake to make an appointment today!

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Taking His Show On The Road To Harrisburg

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Samantha Munsch

Temple senior, Kiryl Marchuk, is a Criminal Justice major in the College of Liberal Arts. This past Spring, he participated in the Temple University’s Institute for Public Affairs, PA Capital Semester. This program allows students to have the opportunity to explore government affairs, policymaking and implementation first-hand while being full-time students and staying on track for graduation. Read more about Kiryl’s experience working in Harrisburg…

What company and department did you work with?

I worked as a full-time fellow for the House of Representative in the Judiciary Committee (Republican side) in Spring 2017.

What is your major and date of graduation and Major?

I am majoring in Criminal Justice and graduating in Spring 2018.

How did you find out about this opportunity, and what was the interview process like?

I learned about this internship while I was standing in line for the elevator in Gladfelter Hall. I saw a commercial/poster of the “Pennsylvania Capital Semester” on one of the TV screens. That day when I came home, I did a quick search on Google, read about the program, and became really interested in it.

As I completed my application and scheduled my interview, Michelle Atherton did a fantastic job in assisting me, making sure I filled everything out correctly. I was accepted into the program, and Michelle then scheduled an interview with Professor Cassidy where he asked about my interests, goals, and what I wanted to get out of this internship. We then discussed the internship placements that would best fit me.

What was your job function, and what does a typical day entail?

Every day is a new day. This was the most exciting part of my internship. Two weeks prior to taking part in this fellowship, I pondered the idea of what a criminal justice major might do in state government. In reality, I did not know much about state government. I was worried that I would not have experience related to my interest and my major, as I am planning to go to law school. However, within the first week of the internship, I found myself pleasantly surprised.

Fortunately, I was placed with the Judiciary Committee, and I was the first ever “fellow” to intern with the Committee (Republican side). Being a Criminal Justice major, I was mesmerized by the relevance of my coursework to the actual problems/agenda the Judiciary Committee was working on. For example, on the second week of my internship my executive director asked me to do some research on the mandatory minimum in regards to drug laws. I had recently completed a similar task in one of my courses at Temple, so I was able to come back to him within minutes with the completed assignment. He was astonished! This is one of many examples where I was able to apply my coursework from Temple University for work purposes.

I never had a “typical” day at work. Everyday entailed its own adventure. In general, I was responsible for drafting bill analyses, constituent letters, and performing extensive policy research for various House members. On other days I would attend Judiciary Committee meetings as well as House sessions. Often my executive director would take me to lobbyist and special interest group conferences and delegate me to research numerous topics relating to the legislation the Committee was trying to pass. Working with the Judiciary Committee, I had the opportunity to develop close relationships and network with many of the representatives in my county.

I had the honor to work besides the most hard-working and intelligent co-workers. Each one of them played a significant role in making this a special and rich internship experience for me.

How has your internship related to your coursework?

As I mentioned above, my coursework was closely related to kinds of tasks I worked on at my internship. The final project of my fellowship consisted of researching and drafting an original piece of legislation. I based my legislation on a paper that I wrote in one my course called “Planned Change” with Professor Joanna Metzger. At my internship, I then “translated” my research paper into a piece of legislation with the help of a few legal experts.

My legislation called the “Corrections Investment Act” consisted of a simple formula, reducing the state’s high recidivism rate and saving taxpayers’ dollars on corrections by providing small tax breaks for employers who hire ex-offenders.

The bill’s focus to reduce the recidivism rate and save taxpayers’ dollars has bipartisan support. Currently, a few legislators offered to pick up the bill. Dom Costa, a representative from Allegheny County, most likely will be the candidate to introduce the legislation on the House Floor in the near future.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned during your internship/job experience?

My experience in state government has taught me the importance of having good character. One of my favorite quotes was written by Charles H. Spurgeon, “A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.” Helping others and doing upright deeds to people around us will not only benefit others, but it will also significantly impact our lives. These values developed a desire in me to work on a bill idea that would revolve around these principles. My bill is designed to:

Reduce our state’s large recidivism rate
Reintegrate ex-offenders into our society
Save/invest money for our state

In addition, I have learned that developing healthy relationships with individuals around you at work is an essential component that will only help you later in life. That’s why networking is one of the keys to success.

What piece of advice would you give to current students embarking on an internship/job search?

If you truly want to expand your knowledge and development as an individual, finding the right internship is essential. No matter what major you are or what your interests are, the abilities that you will gain at an internship will benefit you in any field of study that you are pursuing. This is something of great value.

Have you learned any valuable lessons about obtaining jobs/internships during your time at Temple?

I believe Temple University does a wonderful job of helping students find various kinds of internships. For example, Professor Joseph Alkus is a great asset to Temple in aiding and providing students with the best feedback on how to write excellent resumes and cover letters, as well as finding internship and job opportunities that best fit the student’s interests. Overall, Temple helped me understand the wisdom, skills, and abilities that I may need to aid in reaching my future career goals.

I have also learned that it’s incredibly important to take part of the opportunities (such as workshops, career fairs, etc.) that Temple University offers to its students.

Finding a Job Through Social Media

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Emily Street

If you haven’t stepped up your online professional presence by now, today is the day! Now more than ever, employers are turning to social media outlets to find their next candidate. Why? It’s quick, easy, and effective.

First, let me hit you with some astounding statistics about recruiting via social media:

94% of companies are using social media to recruit
14.4 million job seekers have used social networks to find a job
73% of companies successfully hired a candidate with social media
93% of companies use LinkedIn for recruiting, 66% use Facebook, and 54% use Twitter
Having a professional LinkedIn photo makes your profile 14 times more likely to be viewed

If you haven’t checked your LinkedIn account since that time you had to make one for marketing class, think again. Networking has become a vital tool in today’s job market, and LinkedIn makes it easy! You can literally find and apply to jobs and internships across the country on LinkedIn. Of course, you should first try digging through the 1,000+ jobs and internships on the OwlNetwork. If you don’t know what that is, click the link and explore!

If you’re going to be job searching on social media, keep your LinkedIn profile updated, professional and complete. Don’t forget a professional head-shot as well! As I pointed out, having a professional LinkedIn photo makes your profile 14 times more likely to be viewed, and the career center literally does that for free. Yes, save your monies for more Richie’s, and let us take a fabulous professional photo of you so your LinkedIn profile can shine!! And if you haven’t seen our very own Hooter the Owl get his head-shot done, you missed out, Here’s that gem:

Another thing to keep an eye on is your personal social media. If you do not want potential employers going through your tweets about the giant pizza you devoured at Philly Style at 2 a.m. last night, keep it private! Check all your settings across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Recruiters won’t think twice about throwing away your application if they find your profile picture of you doing a beer bong at your fraternity party. 92% of employers would reject a candidate who made negative comments on social media, so just keep your personal accounts separate or private, and be mindful of who could be seeing your posts.

If you are a forward thinker, and have made a professional Twitter, go you! It’s not a bad idea to create a Twitter just for the workplace. Follow industry leaders and influencers, share articles pertaining to your interests and re-tweet newsworthy information for your field. This can get you noticed, and lead to more connections and possibly to job or internship offers! Just don’t forget to check which account you’re tweeting from…

So give yourself some time to get your social media and LinkedIn accounts looking fab and ready for the real, professional world. Tip: do this before you apply to jobs and internships!

Check out our upcoming events here and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more updates!
————–
By: Emily Street
Communications and Design Intern
Temple University
Junior, Art Direction Advertising

Sources:

http://www.jobcast.net/26-social-recruiting-stats-and-facts/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/2016-linkedin-stats-you-should-know-updated-katy-elle-blake?published=t

Resume+Cover Letter 101

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Emily Street

No matter what year you are, you’ll need an updated and professional resume, for whatever job or internship you’re applying to. Resumes are the first thing an employer sees before meeting you and they typically only spend about 5-7 seconds reviewing it, so it’s important to leave a positive first impression. Seriously, it’s time to adult and get your act together. Here are some easy tips and suggestions that will get your resume where it needs to be!

For Resumes:

format

There are lots of different ways to organize the information on your resume, but the reverse chronological order (where your most recent experience is listed first) is still your best bet!
Stick to one full page! Put the most important information, even if you have to get rid of information about your lifeguard job from high school. That doesn’t need to be there anyway.
Keep it organized and readable. Use a basic font like Helvetica or Arial and leave some white space around the page for readability.
Keep the page consistent with the fonts and spacing you are using.
Experience should be listed before education.

spelling/grammar

Triple check your spelling and grammar! 43% of hiring managers will disqualify a resume because of a spelling error.
Come to the Career Center and have it checked by our coaches!

references

Do not write “References available upon request.” The employer assumes you have references and may ask for them later on. Keep a separate document of all your references.

Sample Resume

content

Keep your listed skills aimed toward the job or internship you are applying for, avoid using cliche words like “organized, good communicator, leader,” these words are overused and your hiring manager has probably seen these hundreds of times.
Don’t include a photo of yourself. 88% of employers reject resumes with a photo on it to avoid accusations of discrimination.
Add any notable awards, volunteer roles, or leadership roles!
For contact information, include your name (should be the biggest heading on the page), your phone number and email. If you really want that job, you’ll retire your iHeaArtJOnasBrozxoX@aol.com email. Your email should be professional and should have your name in it. 76% of resumes with unprofessional email addresses are trashed! An easy fix!
Also include your LinkedIn username, link to your website or portfolio if applicable. A website is a good way to showcase your work if the employer is further interested in hiring you.

The difference between your resume and cover letter is that your resume should provide the reader with a better understanding of who you are. Your cover letter should connect the dots for the reader and show how your previous experiences apply to the job for which you are applying.

For Cover Letters:

Research – Read the job description.
Select – From the job description, select 2-3 key responsibilities or qualifications that you possess.
Substantiate – For each of the 2-3 responsibilities or qualities that you have picked, develop a specific example that represents how you have previously performed similar tasks or displayed similar qualities/skills. (This evidence can come from your previous work or academic experiences.)

Format

Opening Paragraph:Indicate the position for which you are applying or the general field to which your background applies. Mention how you became aware of the position (e.g. through advertisement, referral, etc). Next, in general, state the 2-3 job responsibilities or qualities you chose from the job description that distinguish your candidacy and meet the needs of the prospective employer.
Body Paragraph:Provide evidence that supports the 2-3 job responsibilities or qualities you found in the job description.The goal of your cover letter is to generate interest in the resume itself. Be sure you use the language of your field. Also, use words that imply action.
Closing Paragraph:Refer to the documents you have enclosed, such as your resume and other requested materials and ask for a meeting (interview) at the employer’s convenience. In this paragraph, you should also provide your contact information again so that this information is accessible.
Signature and Printed Name

For more on resumes and cover letters, check out the career center website, there are more resources and information there!

By: Emily Street
Communications and Design Intern
Temple University Career Center
Junior Advertising Major