UC Berkeley Career Center Peer Corner

Bearly Accurate – Common Career Conundrums: “Volunteering won’t contribute to my job search"

Many Cal students, as ambitious and capable as they are, focus so much on finding the perfect job after graduating and securing “brand-name” internships that they often forget how helpful and invaluable volunteering can be. Although you may not get paid for your efforts or receive a fancy name plate, there are plenty of other forms of compensation you can receive for your hard work in ways that can directly contribute to your job search! 

I hope you can excuse my self-plugging, but if you haven’t had a chance to check out my April 12^th blog post on writing a stellar resume without “work experience,” now would be an excellent time to check it out! While volunteering as an SAT tutor for high school students may not have quite the same pull as interning with a Fortune 500 company would, it can still reflect very positively on you to employers.

Here are just a few of the many benefits of volunteering: 

1)     It speaks loads about your work ethic and passion—long-term volunteering is an excellent testament to your dependability and ability to be devoted to a cause.

2)     You can gain a wide range of transferable skills which can be showcased on your resume and help qualify you for more positions. See my April 12^th blog post for more details!

3)     Volunteering opportunities are readily available and can be a great way for you to use your spare time efficiently! Hours are often very flexible and negotiable, which is another plus.

4)     It can lead to full-time employment—that’s right! I’ve heard about many graduates who were offered their current job after first volunteering for the organization. Think about it: if you can demonstrate your wide array of skills, reliability, and ability to commit long-term without being paid, what employer wouldn’t want to hire you?

5)     Finally, volunteering can be an invaluable way for you to network and gain impressive letters of recommendation! Even if you’re not planning to work for the organization you currently volunteer for, one of the employers there may know somebody who works at your dream company… you’ll be astounded at all the connections you can find if you just ask around, mingle, and network! 

Hopefully this article has helped you appreciate and realize the merit of volunteering. If not, I highly recommend you see for yourself the impact volunteering can have! The number of volunteer opportunities out there is, literally, endless—you can check out Callisto, student and on-campus organizations, and websites such as VolunteerMatch to help guide your search. Happy volunteering!

Blog written by: Catherine Choe, 3rd year History of Art major

 

There is No Such Thing As "Speed Networking"

Sometimes, the best networking practice is to assume the role of a person who does not even know the meaning of networking.  In other words, not acting like you are trying to network or push to receive any sort of benefit from the person you are talking to is an effective way to stand out to professionals and potential colleagues.  By approaching the idea of “networking” with key people through a different frame than the average job hunter, you will be one of the faces he or she remembers long after you hand them your resume.  Asking unexpected, even unrelated, questions at a career fair or getting to personally know someone on a non-career level over coffee are just a couple examples of networking practices that may not involve the discussion of work at all.

 “It is not what you know, but who you know” is a common quotation brought up when people speak to the value of networking, and it is backed by the fact that most jobs today are still staffed through connections and prior relationships.  In the end this is understandable, as recruiters are swimming in stacks of fine-tuned (and even professionally crafted) resumes and cover letters that can be most-differentiated by a personal reference.  People today, however, and eager college students in particular tend to think this simply means they should meet and talk to as many people as they can while being as enthusiastic as they can to each recruiter.  Oftentimes, however, they come off too strong or become just another face in the crowd.  Maintaining a laid-back persona while asking unique questions will often take you farther than a perfect GPA or impressive leadership position.  These recruiters work day in and day out hearing the same things from the same type of people, and being that breath of fresh air will make you memorable.

A few examples of how to stand out to a job recruiter at a career fair or networking event include: asking how their day has been (you will be surprised, many people don’t take the time to ask this simple question), and if they look like they enjoyed answering that question you can go a step farther by briefly mentioning an eventful thing that has happened to you; talking slow and showing a relaxed smile will ensure that you look at ease rather than strained, stressed, or overeager; talk to them as if you are meeting a friend of a friend for the first time—do not jump into the nitty gritty details about finding a job or what the company has to offer—give them more background about yourself (for example, tell them why you are interested in this particular career field and explain why you want to learn more about it through them).  In the end, maintaining a balance between looking genuinely interested in what the recruiter is saying and looking relaxed enough to actually ponder the things they say to you will go a long way.  If you walk away feeling like you would want to be your friend if you were the recruiter, you’ve done your job. That is the practice of forming a true “network” of relationships with professionals.

Post by Claire Lee, 3rd Year Business Administration Major
 

Why Being a Peer Advisor is the Best Job on Campus!

As I finish my third year of working as a Career Center Peer Advisor, I have decided to return to the Peer program for my 4th year in 2008-2009!  I know that to some that may seem like a long time to stay at one campus job, but I am so happy that I became a Peer Advisor and I wouldn’t want to leave!  Serving as a Peer has helped me to develop a wide range of skills and talents, as well as given me the opportunity to help out my fellow peers.
Here are the top three reasons why I love being a Career Center Peer Advisor:

1) Knowledge!!!
As a Peer you learn so much about career-related resources, as well as how to put together and conduct professional presentations. I definitely benefit from the all the knowledge that I have to learn in training and through my position. You not only get to help students, but you help yourself in the process! I am happy that I know how to use important resources such as Cal Jobs, OCR, and the Letter Service.

2) Building great relationships/Great Recommendations
My supervisors are very supportive and knowledgeable. I get to build great relationships with them and thus in return they have no problem writing me letters or recommendations or serving as a reference when I apply for internships, scholarships, and jobs.

3) Flexible Hours
You pretty much get to set your own hours here at the Career Center , and the schedule is very flexible every week. You only have to sign up for assignments and presentations that you are able to do, and you are rarely forced to work at a specific time. Since this is a Work Study position, the Career Center is very understanding of that fact that we are students who have demanding schedules and shifting priorities.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg! Stay tuned for more reasons why you should apply to become a Career Center Peer Advisor…..

by Peer: Erica McClanahan: 3rd Year, American Studies

Looking for a Great Job: Career Center Hiring!!!

 

CAREER
CENTER

NOW HIRING PEER ADVISORS!

 

+ Earn $12.50/hour

+ Create your own work schedule

+ Receive training on career exploration and job search techniques

+ Conduct presentations and advise other students on career-related topics

 

See the job listing at

career.berkeley.edu/Jobs/CalJobs.stm 

or workstudy.berkeley.edu

 

This is a work study position. To learn more about the

Career Center, please visit: career.berkeley.edu