Quick activity to choose your major or career

As I recently shared in a review of the outstanding career book, So Good They Can't Ignore You, you don't have to have it all figured out in college.

But when it comes to choosing your major and career, the sooner you find some kind of direction, the better. It's okay if that direction changes (it probably will) but having it will propel you towards graduation. 

The key is to choose a major and future career path that matches your talents, interests, and economic need.

So below is a quick activity you can do right now to start to explore what this might be for you. I also highly recommend talking about this with a professor, career counselor, or professional mentor as soon as you can. 

1. Take a piece of paper and draw two lines so that you have three columns. 

2. In the left column, write "things I'm good at" and then list all of your skills and talents in that column. Think of your best subjects, the things people compliment you on, your people skills, your thinking skills - everything. Keep writing, no matter how long it takes, until you fill up the column. 

3. In the far right column, write "things that bring me joy" and then fill up the column with everything that brings you joy. Don't analyze; just write. It can be hobbies, interests, things you like to do in your free time - anything. Just think about when you feel most alive and happy, and write it all down.

4. In the center column, write "something people pay for" and then see if any of the things that bring you joy in the right column match your strengths in the left. Draw connecting lines between anything that seems like it could have a match, and then write on the line where they intersect (in the center column) what kind of jobs could match that talent and interest. Be creative, and consider how your skills and interests translate into doing something people would pay for. And then consider what major(s) would qualify you for that kind of job. 

5. Keep your list and don't feel like you have to fill up the middle column right away. You may only come up with one thing, or you may feel stumped. That's okay. The process is the important part, and it's a process you should continue throughout college. Continue to edit your list, and bring it to a mentor for advice. 

If you find your skill or interest column is lacking, let that be a reminder to build more skills (e.g. studying, reading) and try new things (e.g. volunteering, clubs, or internships) so that you can build your career capital and have even more options for your future career.

Learning about the job market from the mall? Yep.

Three for Thursday

Learning about the job market from the mall? Yep.

The college that I work for is on spring break this week.

Which means, simply: Spring Break - wooooooo!! =)

During my spring break I paid a visit to the mall and, because I love metaphors and my blog readers, it made me think about how the mall represents how you can look at the job market as a college student in a way that will help you in your career journey. 

I think the mall can teach 3 important things about the job market that can help you figure out your future after college:

1. You sometimes walk through big stores to get where you want to go – I don’t know about your parking preference, but whenever I go to the mall, I park at the big department stores.  I rarely plan on doing all of my shopping at those big stores – I like to look around and see what they have and what is new, but usually they aren’t my intended destination.

The job market reflects that same idea at times – your dream job might not be the first company that offers you an opportunity for experience out of college. However, it can often lead you towards great adventures and provide you with incredible experience that will move you closer to your intended goal. Look out for "parking spots" and "entrances" to your first career that will give you great experience, even if it isn't your intended final destination. 

2. Kiosks are companies too. One thing about any industry or job field is that there are always going to be surrounded by businesses that correlate and intertwine, but aren't directly related.  The kiosks in the mall are a good example of this – they use the traffic of the mall shoppers to bring business to their product. 

When you are looking for a job in a particular field out of college, you might want to think about what “kiosk” companies (not literally) are out there. For example, if you are interested in education, but aren’t sure you want to teach, consider working at a tutoring center or a nonprofit that works closely with school systems. Those are the kiosks outside of the huge field of teaching, and now would be the time to "walk by" and meet with professionals who work in these industries to get a feel for what they do on a daily basis. 

3. There is a reason that the Apple store is always crowded. I went to buy something for my iPod at the mall, and even though I arrived at the mall literally as they opened the doors, I was like the 12th person to enter the Apple store. Why? Because quality is attractive. And that is important to remember when you enter the world of employment. 

You aren’t always going to have the most experience, you aren’t always going to have the most mass-appeal, but if you do the work necessary to show your quality to a few - cultivating relationships with peers, professors, and professionals - you can start to build a “following”. You will start to have that small group that is passionate about the product of you – just like Apple did – and then branch outward with those connections and widen your appeal to potential employers.  
The job market is always changing and evolving, and while it is awesome to live in a place where we have so many options, too many options can feel overwhelming - because we're terrified of choosing the wrong thing. Remember to enjoy the journey, and that you can always try different things on until you find a good fit. The key is to see it as an adventure.

Community College Success - the book - is now available on Amazon.com! If you can add an Amazon.com review once you read the book I would appreciate it so much. Thank you! :)

Interview Time! How to answer the strengths/weaknesses question

There is nothing more awkward then being in an interview where someone answers the strengths and weaknesses question poorly. It usually goes something like this:

Interviewer: “Tell us about your top 2 strengths and top 2 weaknesses.”

Interviewee: “Well, um, I guess I am really good at math. And uhhh…I’m pretty good at customer service. And for my weaknesses I am definitely a procrastinator, I just sometimes wait ‘till the last minute. And I also can be pretty disorganized.”

[insert awkwardness here]

In any interview, whether you’re trying out for a student leadership position, a part-time job to pay your tuition, an internship, or the big-league’s, you’ll want to know how to answer this question correctly.

The key to remember in interviews is that you are selling yourself. So even if you are asked to present a weakness, you are still selling yourself for that particular job. However, selling yourself should never sound like bragging, because that doesn’t work either. It requires some finesse.

The first key is that you need to know yourself. This question is testing how well your strengths and weaknesses fit the job, as well as your level of self-awareness. Keep that in mind as you read below.

How to answer questions about your strengths

• First, you must know yourself. Take a strengths test to learn more about your personality type and the strengths that come along with it. I highly recommend the Strengths Finder book and test by Gallup (really worth the investment - I promise). Notice what people compliment you, where you get fantastic grades, and where you shine….and why.
• Read the job description carefully and before the interview and think about your top 2-3 strengths that fit perfectly with the most important skills/qualities the job description explains the company is looking for. You have many strengths, so get to know all of them and then pull out the most relevant 2-3 for each interview.
• When you explain your strengths, give specific examples based on past results. Don’t just say “I’m really good with people.” Instead, say “I have highly developed interpersonal skills and have always thrived in serving and communicating with others. For example, in my college honors society I used my relationship-building skills to bring top speaker XYZ to our regional conference and helped recruit new members so that our meeting attendance doubled.” Make the examples as relevant as possible to the job itself.

How to answer questions about your weaknesses

• Know the job description very well and do not give a weakness that is listed on the job description. Just don’t do it! For example, if it’s a job where you have to talk to people, do not say one of your weakness is shyness. (If you are really really weak in an area the job is looking for, then maybe it’s not the right job for you.)
• Remember that when you talk about a weakness, the goal is to show that you are self-aware and that you are always working to improve yourself.
• Choose a weakness that isn’t too weak (e.g. something that every job wants). For example, do not say you are disorganized, a procrastinator, lazy, not a team player, aggressive, that you like to water your Farmville crops all day instead of work etc. Focus on weaknesses that have more to do with personality and that are easily improved. For example, one of the weaknesses I cite is that I am not very assertive with others when it comes to stating my own opinion if it is in opposition. Since I do not want a job that is confrontational because I know it wouldn't suit my strengths (e.g. lawyer), this answer suits me well because it is based on my personality, and isn't something that would be considered a huge general flaw in the workplace. 
• End on a positive note by using your weakness to illuminate an example of success. When you talk about a weakness, end your answer by explaining how you are already working to improve in that area and are finding success. For example, when I say one of my weakness is not being very assertive, I end by saying that I have learned a lot from my mentors in my current job and have been working on being more assertive when it comes to ideas and opinions that I know will improve the organization and help us meet its goals. And then I would give an example of when I had done just that. This shows the interviewers that you are self-aware, that you understand the importance of improving that weakness in terms of organizational success, that you are working on it, and that really you’re not that weak at all because you already have had success in that area. 

Always prepare for interviews before hand by thinking these things through and writing them down. I usually bring a small notecard or typed up sheet with my top strengths and how they relate to the job, along with my questions for the interviewers (will share those in a future post!).

Good luck on your interviews! And feel free to send any other questions you have about interviews to advice@communitycollegesuccess.com.

For more tips on preparing to enter the working world, check out Community College Success – the book – now available on Amazon.com! 

College Fashion for Bros Part 2 - The Interview

Since the first version got some great feedback - I decided to do a follow-up.  Here College Fashion Tips for Bros Part 2 - The Interview :)

How to Choose the Perfect Work Shoe

One of the most difficult transitions to make from college to the “real” world is your wardrobe. At least it was for me.

Throughout this year, I will on occasion share with you what I’ve learned and my tips for making the perfect choices for your work wardrobe without sacrificing your creativity and personality.  I wrote about the basics of this in a piece I did for USA Today College. But I want to be able to help you get into specifics.  

Let’s start with shoes.

I like to categorize my shoes in three ways:

Weekend

Wow-factor

Work-worthy

Understanding these categories can make choosing your shoes in the morning a breeze – especially before an all-important job interview, internship, professional event, or even just rushing out the door for another day at work.

The first question to ask yourself: what is the wear and tear factor?

My favorite category of shoe is weekend – they are my flip flops, flats, and sandals –

 and they usually have the most wear and tear. I can wear these shoes to the beach, to the theme park, out shopping – anywhere. They are cute and comfortable which is why they were also my go-to college shoes. But that has now changed.

My favorite weekend shoe (at a theme park) :)

Once you transition to a work environment these shoes become weekend wear. Sandals are amazing, but they are typically not the most appropriate for work.

The second question to ask yourself: would these shoes cause someone to whistle at me? ;)

If so save them for your nights out or really special events.

I am only about five-one, so I love to have that extra height that the dangerously high heel provides. 

But the reality is, in most jobs, the six-inch heel stands out a bit too much.  I’m not saying to avoid height altogether at work, but you never want any of your clothing choices to draw attention to you in a negative way at work.

You never want someone to say: she wore those to work? It’s unfortunate but trust me, it happens.

So I have a general rule of thumb – I call it the red carpet factor.  If I put on a pair of shoes and I can imagine myself wearing them at a red carpet event (c’mon, you know we all have those fantasies ;)), then I will save them for nights out and special occasions.

I love these grey Jessica Simpson heels and have worn them on special occasions and to galas, but the truth is, I can almost dunk a basketball in them.

Fun, but a bit too much for an every day at work. 

Shoes like that will just garner too much attention on the job – and not the attention I’m looking for. 

So, finally, you ask yourself what is a work appropriate shoe?

The third question you need to ask yourself is : what is the culture of my workplace?

Culture is everything in work as every environment can be very different. As you spend time at a job notice what kinds of shoes the women in executive positions wear.

But on an interview and the first few weeks of a job you are still getting acclimated to the culture –s o what do you do?

You can almost never go wrong with a clean, neutral flat or small heel. My favorite neutral color is one that that matches your skin tone as it can make your legs look longer and goes with everything.

When I have to run an event or know I’ll be walking around a lot at my job I wear comfortable flats. But when I’m going to be going to a meeting or have a speaking event I’ll wear a medium heel. Just remember the higher the heel the tamer the color should be for work. If you wear a pop of color or a heel with a unique design, you’ll want to keep the heel a bit smaller.

You can also use longer pants to help balance out a higher heel.

Here is an example of my go-to work shoe – they are also Jessica Simpsons (I am a sucker for how comfortable her shoes are). I love these because they match my skin tone, are incredibly comfortable, give a little height, and also have a cool suede texture that I find fun and unique.

The fun of a heel, but the balance of work-appropriate :)

The key is to find your own style, express yourself, have fun, and be appropriate for every situation so that you can own it with confidence and style.

I hope you enjoy picking out your shoes for your next interview, internship, professional event, or day on the job– I know I will ;)

And if you have any other fashion questions feel free to send them to advice@communitycollegesuccess.com 


And Tweet me your favorite work shoe :) www.twitter.com/isaadney 




To read more about Isa's personal story & how you can build relationships to: make positive friends, be more successful in academics and work, find the right people to connect with, and access the hidden job market, grab a FREE e-copy of the first chapter of Community College Success: How to Finish with Friends, Scholarships, Internships, and the Career of Your Dreams! Claim your free copy on the Facebook page!

Having the wrong email address is like showing up to an interview in a bathrobe and backwards hat

How is having the wrong email address is like showing up to an interview in a bathrobe and backwards hat?

It's funny, awkward, and TMI.

I run a college e-mail list and I cannot tell you how many hotnsexy305@email.com or ieatcookiesyum@email.com email addresses I see. And while it often provides a good laugh, I know these e-mails are not beneficial to students - and I want to help. 

If you are still rocking your e-mail from high school (or middle school for some) it’s time to let it go and tell the internet world that – while you may still be hot n sexy and eat cookies - you have grown up.

Your e-mail is a first impression - like what you wear on a job interview. It's not everything - but it does make a difference. 

But before I tell you how to make the right e-mail first impression, I realize many college students do not check their e-mail all that often. I recently heard only 25% of students were checking their college e-mail account. This is bad.

I know it’s hard because e-mail may not seem as important in your lives right now. But trust me – it is and will only become more so. And I find the most successful students (and the ones for whom I am more apt to write stellar recommendation letters for and bend over backwards to help) are the ones who check their e-mail every day and usually respond to my e-mails within 24 hours. These students are superstars and I naturally perceive them as more organized and responsible. If I hear of a scholarship or job opportunity, who do you think I’ll think of first?

You can be that superstar if you’re not already.

And even more importantly, while in college you are receiving vital information about when to register, when to check financial aid, when to apply for graduation, etc. The students who keep up with this kind of information daily are the ones who will succeed. Even if you’re a star student the internal college process is complicated and the e-mails your college sends are meant to make it less so.

Students who don’t check their college e-mail often don’t get the classes they wanted because they didn’t register early, miss out on financial aid, sometimes get their classes dropped, and sadly many miss out on graduating on time.

It happens every day.

So what should you do to avoid this? It’s actually quite simple. And the habits below will serve you the rest of your e-mail life.

1. Set aside specific time (10-20min) to check your e-mail at least once per day every day.

2. Delete quickly and unsubscribe from everything that is irrelevant.

3. Read and respond to each e-mail that is left. If you can’t attend to it at that moment add the task to your to do list or calendar and file the e-mail away in the archives.

4. File away all the rest in appropriate folders/labels.

5. Have a clear e-mail inbox at least once each day.

Now back to your e-mail address identity. 

What does your current e-mail address say about you? If you walked into a room and you were a visual representation of your e-mail address what would you be wearing? What would you look like? What would people be thinking?

If it makes you laugh than it’s time to get a new e-mail address.

This is daunting for some because you think of all the information that is already being sent to your current e-mail. It feels like having to get a new cell phone number.

But trust me it’s much easier.

You can get your old e-mails forwarded to your new professional email account. You can direct your school e-mails to this portal as well. I am sure many e-mail servers can do this but I have found the best and easiest is Google Mail.

You can sign you for a free Gmail account here (and no Google has not paid me to say this – I wish! – I just seriously think they are the best).

And below are the 4 quick and easy steps to enter into the land of e-mail adulthood.

1. Use your name as your e-mail address

I recommend using your first name and last name (e.g. isaadney@gmail.com). If that is taken try using a period or underscore in between (e.g. isa.adney@gmail.com or isa_adney@gmail.com). You can also try using your middle name (e.g. isamarieadney@gmail.com). If you have a common name sometimes you have no choice but to add numbers at the end, but try to avoid that as much as possible. 

2. Forward your old high school e-mail AND your school e-mails to that new account

Google explains it best but if you want further help feel free to e-mail me at advice@communitycollegesuccess.com).

Also be sure to check the box that allows you the option to also send e-mail with the forwarding addresses so that when you receive an e-mail in google from your college you can also email the college back using your college email to ensure it doesn’t go into a professor’s spam folder.

3. Never give out your hotnsexy305 email again.

4. Set up a professional signature at the bottom of your e-mail like:

Sincerely,

First Name Last Name

Student, Awesome Community College*

firstnamelastname@gmail.com

*If you have a prestigious leadership position share that here as well. For example: 

Vice President, Student Government Association

Awesome Community College

Now when you walk into someone’s e-mail inbox what will they think about you? They will know your name. And that is good.