UC Berkeley Career Center Peer Corner

Networking for International Students

Heidi Roizen, the most well connected professional in Silicon Valley, said: everything is relationship driven today.  As international students, we’ve all experienced, at some point of our college life, getting rejected by a recruiter because of visa-sponsorship issue. We go to career fairs, submit tens even hundreds of resumes online then wait for months to hear back from the automatic online job portal. It is time that we revolutionize our way of getting that dream job/internship: networking.

I know that as soon as you heard networking, you might say: I am not naturally forward. I am not comfortable talking to strangers. I don’t know what to talk about. That’s why I am giving you the following tips to help you get over the fear and get that dream job:

1. Practice talking to the mirror. As weird as this sounds and looks like, talking to the mirror effectively let you see how you look when you talk to people. Imagine you are having a conversation with the employer and play both roles in front of the mirror. In the end, judge yourself from the employer’s point of view. Are you friendly (do you have smile on your face)? Did you feel the passion for the company? Were you intrigued by the person’s experiences and want to learn more about him/her?
2. Practice with employers/companies that you are not so interested in. Go to career fairs and information sessions and talk to recruiters and professionals from companies that you don’t want to work for. This way, you can practice talking to strangers and eventually feel relaxed talking to recruiters and professionals.
3. Follow up with the people you met with. Follow up within 24 hours of meeting someone new and recap on your conversation. Within the email, try to set up an informational meeting with him/her soon and get to know him/her better. Connect with the person on LinkedIn with a personal note instead of a generic invitation. When you see update on the professional’s LinkedIn profile, ask them about it or congratulate them on a promotion. Look up news related to the companies/industries you are interested in and discuss the news with them. Follow up with him/her at least 5 times a semester(information meetings, discuss news, discuss your updates, professionals’ updates, ask questions about the industry, holiday greetings, etc.) This with help you get to know his/her job area and companies better, help you figure out what field you want to go into with your career and makes sure when he/she heard of a job opportunity, you are the first person who comes up in his/her brain.

Only about 15-20 percent of all available jobs are ever publicly advertised in any medium. That means networking is the most effective channel that we can pursue. When in doubt of whether to approach that recruiter/professional, I encourage you to think about what is the worst that can happen: he/she can hear you. Worst comes to worst, you guys had a horrible conversation. So what? There are thousands of other great companies; you may never see this person again in your entire life and most importantly, you will learn about what conversation areas not to cover in your next conversation with a professional. You only need to have one good job offer in the end not 100, 50, not even 10. Look forward to seeing you all talking confidently in the next career event!

 

 

It Takes a Village and a Plan

 

 

Last week, during my typical Monday afternoon shift, a warm and pleasant-looking
woman, decked-out head to toe in full Cal gear, walked into the career center.
I promptly greeted her and asked how I could be of service. She happened to
come in on behalf of her student-athlete son. She wanted to learn more about
all of the possible resources which were available to her son regarding grad
school programs, internships, and full-time job searches. She expressed concern
about her son, who, as an injured student athlete, was unsure whether or not
his dreams of going pro were still realistic. I happily spent the majority of
my shift discussing with her the different hypothetical scenarios of what
services to use for either the career or grad school path. In doing this I myself,
re-learned a lot of information that has remained untapped since my career
center job training. I think it’s safe to say that this caring mother has
gained extensive knowledge on how the career center operates and can easily
help guide her son in whichever decision he should make. The moral of the story
here is that parents care, and even though they may step on our toes, cramp our
style, and not understand what we’re going through on this crazy journey to
finding ourselves and our life passions, they just want us to be stable,
secure, and happy with zero struggles. Keeping this in perspective, we should always
appreciate our parents’ efforts and involvement in our lives no matter how
misplaced or unnecessary they may seem at the time.

Getting Our “Lives” Started

We are constantly told to enjoy our young years-- to enjoy our college life! On the other hand, we are expected to have our life after graduation figured out! How can we do both at the same time? This is question I might have the answer to...

 

I am senior this year planning to graduate in May 2015 and I finally know what it feels like to hear the question, “what are you planning on doing after graduation?” Suddenly, just having the title of senior makes that question daunting and at times overwhelming (to those of us not set with a full-time job yet). Some majors and areas of studies lead to a specific career field rather simply. However, there are those of us studying something not as definite or maybe we just don’t know if what is expected of us is what we actually want to do. I’m thinking it’s our approach to determining where our career should start that may cause us to freak out to a simple question.

 

Maybe we need to be enjoying our college life by discovering what we like and don’t like about it! Being in tune with our response to different kinds of assignments, the way we interact socially, our learning styles, our relationship with superiors in the workplace, etc. etc. etc. The list goes on and on! Every single day, we have the opportunity to learn something about ourselves and the contexts in which we thrive and succeed. Aren’t these the factors we should be considering when deciding on what to do after graduation?

 

That’s what I’m doing (finally)! I’ve learned a lot about the kind of person I want to be, the kinds of interactions I want to have, and, based on my coursework, the kind of career I am hoping to make a reality. College life isn’t something limited or finite. It’s a time to have fun, discover ourselves, and transition into this construct called Life.

 

Blog written by: Yasmine Bensidi, Psychology/MCB ‘15

 

 

My First Time at the Internship Fair

 

 

So you might think that because I work at the Career Center I have been to all these amazing career/internship fairs...well...you guessed wrong! Though I have worked in a handful of them setting up and such, I have never gone to one to be recruited for a job or internship. Usually, my mom has friends who want me to intern for them so I do. 

 

However, next summer I want to try something different, which requires me to do some searching. Thankfully the internship fair had an array of interesting opportunities with several companies. So I looked them up on the Career Center Website and on their own independent websites. With enough information, the next day I ventured into the internship fair...

 

To be honest, it was nerve racking! Though I had an "elevator pitch" and a good resume, I had no idea how the whole introduction thing would start. I decided to start with a company that I wasn't a 100% interested in so if I messed it up I could learn from my mistakes and be better for the companies that did mattered to me. 

 

It was fine, it was simple, and it was easy. I started by introducing my self, as I was finishing, the recruiters started talking to me about the company, the internship positions, and they asked follow up questions! They were very excited individuals who were there to talk to us Cal students. That's the reason they are here, because they want us to intern at their companies, which is awesome and makes the process that much more simple. 

 

Though I could have stuttered less, the experience was great! I would recommend it to everyone, regardless of their grade, experience, and major to go check out a career/internship fair to get a feel of what recruiting is all about. Also, recruiters are great at giving advices to those who might need more experience!!!

 

If I survived an internship fair, so can you!

 

 

How to Land Your First Internship

  

 

Why an Internship?

An internship is a great way to explore career paths, gain valuable exposure to an industry, and develop professional skills. It gives you a chance to "try out" a career that may or may not match your academic interest. And of course, having internship experience ultimately makes you a more competitive applicant when you're looking for that full-time position.

 

But I have no job experience! Why would anybody hire me?

Don't fret. This is a common concern for college students. Employers don't expect you to have a whole list of relevent job experienes - they know that students, especially freshmen and sophomores, may not have had a lot of opportunities yet. What they do want to see, however, is that you've thought about your career path and have taken some steps to achieve your goals.

 

Here are some tips for those of you who are just starting out on your job or internship search:

 

Explore Career Fields

Have no idea what you want to do with your life? It's okay - we've all been there. Luckily the Career Center has many resources for career exploration. We have great information on the "Career Exploration" and "Grad/Prof School" tabs on the Career Center website. Also be sure to check out Vault, which offers Employer and Industry Guides on various fields. You can access this free service through Callisto. Finally, be sure to schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor to further discuss career exploration and job search strategies.

 

Think About Your Skills and Experiences

It's a good idea to look at your skill set and past experiences to see what career you might be interested in, and what you can offer to an employer. Now, once you start getting real internships, you might want to drop your high school activities from your resume. But if you're just starting out, they can absolutely help to get your foot in the door. Think you have no job experience? Remember that volunteering and involvement in clubs are also ways to show interest, dedication, and leadership, commitment - all great qualities that employers are looking for. Think about all your experiences and what skills you gained from them. Tutoring elementary school kids? That probably took good communication skills, organizational skills, and a lot of patience. Vice President of your high school Debate team? I'm sure your leadership and presentation skills will be a great asset to you. Not only are these experiences great for your resume, but you can also talk about what you did during an interview with your employer to show that you are motivated and have taken initiative to do something.

 

Shape up your resume

Your resume is the first thing that recruiters see. Make sure it represents you and all that you can offer. Remember, you are essentially marketing yourself and letting the employers know what you can bring to the table. Don't undersell yourself! If you need help on structuring your resume, or want some tips on improving it, pick up a Job and Internships Guide at the Career Center. Or, come in for a 15-minute Resume Critique with one of our Peer Advisors. We have drop-in hours from 12 - 3pm from Monday through Friday and we'd be more than happy to help.

 

Try an Externship

Have some free time over winter break? Try an externship! Through an externship, you'll get a chance to shadow Cal alumni in their workplaces. This gives you the opportunity to observe day-to-day activities of your sponsor, explore a career field, and to connect with someone who's been through all what you are going through right now. Externships are available in a variety of different fields, so whether you want to be a doctor, architect, engineer, social worker, attorney, or a TV producer, you're sure to find something that fits your interest. The best part is that externships are available in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., and other domestic and international locations, so if you're going home for winter break, you can still get some valuable experience. The application cycle starts in November, so be sure to check back on our Career Center website for more information.

 

The Job Search

So now that your resume is in tip top shape, and you have some skills and experiences to talk about under your belt, you're ready to start applying. There are many resources available for students to find jobs or internships. If you haven't already, you should check out Callisto [https://career.berkeley.edu/careerapps/callisto/callistologin.aspx]. Remember that employers list their open job and internship positions on Callisto because they want to recruit Cal students (that's you!).  Besides Callisto, you can speak to recruiters directly at Career Fairs (there's the Early Bird Internship Fair coming up on the [October 8 from11am-3pm ]), or at Info Sessions. Check our calendar to see who's coming! 

So there you go. Getting your first internship or professional experience can be stressful and nerve-wracking, but don't underestimate your potential! If you're stuck or want to discuss internship search strategies, be sure to come and see a Peer Advisor during our drop-in hours (Mon-Fri from 12 to 3pm). Or, make an appointment to see a Career Counselor through our website. Remember, we have many resources to help you succeed, but it's really up to you to make the most of them. Best of luck to you!

 

 

Taking the Nervousness out of Networking/ Networking: A love-hate story

 

The Cal Career Fair last week kicked off the Fall 2014 recruiting season with a bang, but as exciting as the job hunting process can be it can also bring out the nerves in us all. Suddenly we are faced with making sure our resumes are in order, our handshakes are firm but not overwhelming, and our smiles are always ready and inviting. It all seems to culminate into one very essential part of the job procuring procedure - networking.
Simply put networking is a way for you to grow and enhance your business and social connections and then hopefully use those connections to further yourself in the professional world as well as help others. However when networking is first brought up in conversations it can seem to be even more stressful and nerve-wracking than a multiple round interview, but it does not have to be! Here are some tips to help you along in your own networking journey:

1. Get a Game Plan Going

Make sure you have a plan before you embark on any networking endeavor. Whether you’re going to a career fair or and info-session, do your research! And while you’re doing your research see how your interest and ambitions coincide with what the companies you are researching are doing. This way you can show them how you will be a good fit for their company while also showing off your knowledge. 

1. Fake It till you make it  If you aren’t feeling particularly confident about the whole idea of networking just fake it until you are. Project a confidence through your attitude and body language and of course, remember to smile! However, “faking it till you make it” does not mean faking your interest or skills. You will be more likely to get a shot at a job or internship if you have some genuine interest in it and like what it involves.
2. Come with Questions Networking is just as much about listening as it is about talking, so prepare some questions for you to help get the conversation going. The questions can be about the company, what the job position entails, or about the professional background of the person you are talking to. Just remember to make sure that they are not just random actually help with the flow of your dialogue.
3. Follow-up One of the most important things that people forget to do when they are networking is to follow up with conversations. Following up with people you have talked to not only helps to keep your contacts in order but helps make sure that you are making the most out of each connections. You can follow up through a thank you email, by attending other recruiting events held by the company, or through LinkedIn.

Networking is something that can seem hard for us all but with a little practice and a good attitude it is something that can have a whole lot of benefit to your professional life.
Blog Written by Patricia Narayan, Political Economy/ EEP ‘15

 

 

 

 

Prepping for a Career Fair? There is a Link for that!

 

This Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, the Career Center will hold its first major Career Fair of the year - and personally, I am slightly freaking out! Why? Before I began my job as a Peer Advisor at the Career Center, I knew next to nothing about, and was hesitant to attend, a Career Fair. (Well, unless you count my freshman year as I quickly poked my head in and left soon after...)

But this year, my hesitation vanished. I spoke to my friends and advisors, and conducted my own online research, slowly getting acquainted with Career Center fairs. I learned various tips and tricks about the importance of career fairs and how to maximize the time I spend while attending one. Some things I would have never thought of, and I am happy I get to share this information  with my friends here at Cal!

As a new peer advisor at the Career Center, I expressed my main concern to my mother: How do I provide the most support to students planning to attend a career fair? She told me to remember the six P’s she taught me while growing up: Prior, Proper, Planning Prevents a Poor Performance. Then, I realized that knowing those who might attend future fairs also meant I should examine a few frequently asked questions readily answered. Lo and behold, the Career Center has a link for that! Just login to Callisto with your student username and password, go the right hand banner, click 'Career Fairs,' and select 'Cal Career Fair.' Once there, you have access to a list of ALL the companies on their way to Cal! Now, here's your chance to devise a plan and make your best impression! One tip counselors suggest is to visit  your favorite company last. In this way, you can get as much practice talking to other recruiters and iron out the wrinkles as you learn to communicate to employers at a career fair. In addition, remember: recruiters are people, too, and the best way to connect with folks is to have a good ol’ fashioned, down-to-earth conversation. If all goes well, the recruiter will be more than happy to look at your resume.

Along with dressing sharply and speaking smoothly, your resume needs to top notch. But how can you get your resume up to par with only two days left until the September Career Fair begins? You guessed it! There's a link for that, too! Simply visit to the Career Center homepage, click 'Internships,' and select 'Resumes and Letter Writing' to start off your journey. After constructing a resume on your own, come to the Career Center and ask a Peer Advisor to review it! We'll even give you some extra tips to boost your potential for success at a Career Fair. If you wish to have further critique, then a 15 minute appointment with a Counselor should do the trick (appointments can be made easy peasy online! 'Career Center Homepage' > 'Counselors' > 'Make an Appoinment.')For further resume help, our FREE Job and Internship Guides (J.I.Gs) do wonders! It has great tips on how to spice up a resume, and even real examples of prime resumes. Feel free to grab one at the Career Center! Not only will you be killing the game with your style and speech, but on paper with your resume as well! Resume building and attending a Career Fair may seem like a daunting, I know. But, it is essential to the college experience, and should not be missed. Take a chance and head on over. As someone once told me, "The worst thing a recruiter can say is no; but if you don’t go, there is no opportunity for a recruiter to say yes." And remember, us Peer Advisors are here at the Career Center, and will be there at the fair,  to lend you a hand and provide words of encouragement for the big day. The tips and resources at the Career Center helped me, and I'm certain that they will help you. Please leave comments down below if you have any questions or concerns, or if you have any special tips on how to thrive at a Career Center. Also, let us know if these tips worked for you. Good luck, and we hope to see you soon!

 

-Valerie Cordier- Rice

Reflections on Recruiting

Throughout my first two years of college, I tried to immerse myself in as many organizations and volunteer programs to help me figure my interests and what types of activities I could excel at. This process resulted in a wide spectrum of potential opportunities. By the end of my sophomore year, I was still uncertain of what direction I wanted to take with regards to my post-college career. 

Going into junior year, I started looking into internship opportunities more focused in the business sector. I researched the consulting industry and learned about the various types of consulting (ie. strategy versus implementation). From there, I took more initiative and began networking with associates at career fairs and information sessions to learn about these respective companies, the company culture, and the life as a consultant. Fortunately, having had these valuable opportunities to gain insight, I realized that the work-life balance as a consultant would not be a good fit for me at this time. As such, I needed to explore other fields and gain more experience in order to further my career. 

Given this knowledge, I became interested in the field of Human Resources. From there, I started to apply for internships that solely focused on HR and Recruiting. Fortunately, after a long and tiring semester, I was able to secure an internship in this industry. My internship not only provided me with the necessary skills to succeed in Human Resources, but I also had the incredible opportunity to work and live abroad. For me, it was killing two birds with one stone.

Blog written by Michelle Tran, Political Economy '14

Answering Why Medicine: From a Non Pre-med’s Perspective

This is a question every pre-med student will undoubtedly encounter, and it helps to start thinking about the answer to this question early on before you either apply to medical school or before you make a hasty decision about your future profession.

As a fourth year, I have the confidence now to say that I am not pre-med, and I am very happy with my decision. But at some point, every biology-related major at Cal has probably considered the pre-med track, and I am no exception to this statement. I also entered college with hopes of saving lives and making a difference in the world.

I think most people who are currently pre-med or are considering pre-med will agree with me that the field of medicine is initially appealing to them for one of the following reasons:

1.     Biology is interesting and an area of academic aptitude
2.     There is constant change and learning in the field of biology
3.     Medicine can change and save lives, and helping people is a rewarding experience
4.     There is a high demand for doctors around the world
5.     Physicians have high-paying, stable professions

For me, numbers 2, and 3 on this list were what initially drew me to pursue medicine. However, after much thought and counsel from my faculty advisor, professors, health professionals, and peers, I realized that I could accomplish all of those conditions with a PhD.

At Berkeley we are privileged to have a distinguished mixture of MD, PhD, and MD/PhD professors on our faculty, and they can serve as wonderful resources for any student considering the pre-med track. As I mentioned earlier, it is important to critically reflect on what it is that draws you to medicine in the years before you apply. Consider alternative paths: is it an MD, DO, OD, PharmD, RN, DVM, MS, MPH, or PhD that you truly want to pursue? Each career has its merits! Once you have looked at your options and can afterward say with certainty that only the MD path is right for you, then the answer to why medicine will be much more transparent.

Good luck with finals everyone!

Blog written by Jessica Hsu, Molecular Toxicology '14

Bay Area or Nay Area?

    You may be looking for an internship or job, but everything you found is in the Bay Area…What if you don’t want to work in the Bay Area? Maybe you want to live in another part of the state? Country? Or world? These were questions I asked myself, a Bay Area native and a junior trying to find an internship for the summer. I decided to take a different path. One that most people don’t realize they have the opportunity to take.

     As a peer advisor at the Career Center and also simply as a student, I believe that the Career Center has so much to offer to Cal students and UC alumni. But as a university in the Bay Area it made sense that I was having a hard time finding an internship outside of the state. I went through every single Callisto listing and when I found something I was interested in, I either didn’t meet the qualifications or it was in the Bay Area…I decided to take a different approach. I went through the list of employers that would be at the upcoming Career Fair! You’re probably telling yourself, ‘Yasmine, those recruiters are almost always hiring for the Bay Area.’ Well yeah, I knew that. However, if the recruiters are at the Career Fair, it means that the company is hiring in general! If I liked the internship program or the company’s description, I went to the company’s website and searched for job opportunities in other states or in other parts of the world!

    Of the 7 or 8 companies I was interested in, about 5 had established offices with interns outside of California. I spoke to all 5 of these companies at the Career Fair with the interest of working for them but also with the knowledge of the internship programs. My prior research gave me an edge and I stood out to the recruiters because of it. One company agreed to send my resume to New York. Another company told me that I would apply for the Bay Area and then specify that I’d like a different location later. I had options that seemed limited to the Bay Area, but it wasn’t until I took the Career Center resource (Career Fairs) to the next level that I realized my options were not limited at all!

    In the end, I decided to stay in my home town, Sunnyvale, CA, doing an internship with Macy’s Inc. Even though I’m staying in the Bay Area, which I love dearly, I learned a great deal about utilizing available resources, doing extra research, and networking to expand my opportunities for my future career.

Blog written by: Yasmine Bensidi, Psychology/MCB ‘15