Summer time

Hey Lancers! We hope finals are going well and that you are getting your beach towel, sunscreen and beach supplies ready for summer. Just a few tips on using your summer well:

 - Take some time to update your resume. Think about any conference you attended, things you are involved in, jobs you worked, volunteer hours completed, etc. and add those to your resume.

 - If you are interested in working on campus next year, check out CareerConnect to search job openings.

- Explore career options for your major.

 - Take time to do some self-assessment to get to know your skills, values and interests. This will help you decide on a career that is right for you and prepare you for interviews.

- Thinking about grad school? Why not visit some campuses over the summer. Take a tour even so you get a feel for the college/university.

 - Volunteer – this can be a great way to explore a career area/industry you are interested in pursuing.

 - Job shadow/conduct informational interviews as they are a great way to gain valuable insight on a career field you want to know more about. And speaking of job shadowing, we have some fellow Lancers that are happy to host you in the month of May. See this site for more details: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/4912634823#

Good luck on exams Lancers and have a wonderful summer! Remember the ACAC is open all summer and we would love to hear from you. Also to our seniors who are graduating, congratulations on all you have achieved and remember our services continue to alumni!

 

Try your luck, pick a duck

Happy last week of classes Lancers! In order to give you that burst of energy to tackle the last week of classes and have some fun in your final weeks, the Career Educators will be out on Brock Commons this week. Stop by their table at the Chi fountain between 11 am and 1 pm on Tuesday or Wednesday to win a prize.

Also remember that the ACAC is open all summer. If you have questions, please feel free to call or email our office at 434-395-2063 or career@longwood.edu.

Good luck wrapping up classes and on finals!

Got questions? We’ve got answers…

Do you have questions about internships such as when to do one, how to find one, how to register it, etc? The ACAC will be hosting open internship workshops where you can get the answers to your questions and learn about great resources.

• Monday, April 15 at 4 pm in Grainger G16
• Tuesday, April 16 at 4 pm in Ruffner 254
• Wednesday, April 17 at 4 pm in Ruffner 108

Getting the 411

 

 

 

 

Students in Communication Studies had a great day visiting with Richmond employers. Visiting with professionals in different companies is an excellent way to gain information about the career field you want to enter and that specific company that you might want to work for one day. This is called an informational interview.

Etiquette  –  Do’s and Don’ts of Informational Interviewing

DO research the field you’re exploring so you have questions to ask.
DON’T ask for a job — even if you are bursting to do so! You could, however, say something like this: “I really enjoyed meeting with you and learning about your television station and what a producer does. WGJX is the kind of setting where I would like to work. Do you know of stations with a similar work culture that I might contact?”
DO ask for names of more people to contact, and if it’s okay to use his/her name when you contact others.
DO write a thank-you note within two days of the interview, referring to any particularly helpful or thought provoking information the contact gave you.

Possible Questions to ask:

How does your education and experience relate to what you are doing now?

How did you get into this field and into this position? What are some alternative routes into the field? What kind of background, training, special programs or other learning experiences does one need to enter the field?

Is there any advice you would give someone just entering the field, maybe something that you wish someone had mentioned when you were starting?

Has your work experience differed very much from what you imagined it would be? In what way?

Do you anticipate employment in this field to grow, decrease, or remain stable?

Describe how you spend your time during a typical work day/week.

What strategies would you be using if you were in a job search for a position in this field?

Is your head in the clouds?

US dept. of labor defines cloud computing as an Internet service that “allows users to access storage, software and other computer services over the internet.”

Career opportunities are good in this rapidly growing field:

“Eleven cloud computing companies added 80,000 jobs in the US in 2010, and the employment growth rate at these organizations was almost five times than that of the high-tech sector overall.”

Key players in cloud computing include Amazon, Concur, Google, Intuit, Netsuite, OpenTable, RightNow, Salesforce, Success Factors and Taleo.

Career paths in cloud computing include: software engineers, cloud computing optimization specialists, cloud platform architects, data analytics specialists, user experience designers, security engineers, sales engineers and consultants, applications developers, systems administrators

Reference: “Cloud Computing” – Career Advancement Management (CAM) Report, Volume 35, Number 16, 2012

So you are good with numbers?

Interested in accounting? Thinking that it might be a possible career option for you? The U.S. Dept. of Labor predicts that employment for accountants and auditors will grow by 16% between 2010 and 2020, adding more than 190,000 jobs. Part of this demand is in response to the recent financial crises and subsequent financial regulations which create a need for certified public accountants (CPAs) n particular.

What are some important skills in accounting? Problem solving, communication, relationship building

What to look for in this field

The field of accounting is becoming more specialized. Typically CPAs find their niche and passion then just stick with it. Specific areas can include forensic accounting, international financial reporting, tax planning (can be broken down further by federal, estate, or sales). Forensic accountants, tax specialists and accounting professors are especially high in demand today.

Organizations related to this field:

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants: www.aicpa.org
• BAI: www.bai.org
• Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting: www.efwa.org
• Institute of Internal Auditors: www.theiia.org
• Institute of Management Accountants: www.imanet.org
• ISACA: www.isaca.org
• National Association of Forensic Accountants: www.nafanet.com
• National Society of Accountants: www.nsacct.org
• Start Here, Go Places: www.startheregoplaces.com

Reference: Career Advancement Management (CAM) Report, Volume 35, Number 16, 2012

Following Up

Hey Lancers!

It was great seeing you all at our Job/Internship Fair, Local Employer Showcase and Student Alumni Networking Event last week. We hope you made some great connections and want to provide tips for following up with any recruiters/employers/alumni you met with.

Send a thank-you note immediately. E-mail is fine for this and has the advantage of arriving faster, but handwritten notes are still appreciated (and are increasingly unusual so will stand out).

Start making your contact database. This can be a simple list you keep in Microsoft Word or Excel that lists the person’s name, contact information and how you know them. You can even start this database with family members then let it grow from there as you meet some of their connections.

Do your research. We are excited that you met with some great companies last week, now spend some time getting to know them by researching their website. Look over their mission statement, values, goals, etc. This research will help you in writing cover letters and on interviews.

We hope you enjoy your spring break!