[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]  Author: Ryan Chase, Gator Career Consultant[/cs_text][cs_text]What makes successful people successful? This is a question that I think many people want the answer to. I would contend that most individuals want to be successful at the things they do, i.e. work, school, sports, etc. While some individuals seek a shortcut to success, long-term sustained success is not easily attained. The question of what characteristics make up a successful person led to the ground-breaking research by Dr. Angela Duckworth, professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Duckworth studied children and adults in a variety of challenging environments including the National Spelling Bee, West Point Military Academy, and top private sales firms to determine who was successful in these environments and why. After her numerous studies, she determined the main characteristic of these successful people was grit. Grit is a passion and perseverance for very long-term goals and requires you to work hard to stay focused on your goals. Grit, like other skills, requires practice to achieve maximum results. I want you to reflect for a moment and be honest with yourself (since you don’t have to share this with anyone):

• What are you passionate about?
• What are your long-term goals?
• What have you already done to start working toward those goals?

As you reflect, I want you keep in mind a few things to keep you on the path to success: Grit is not the same as talent. We often think of people with an incredible talent as successful, but talent alone is not enough to sustain success. Have a Growth Mindset. Know that your ability to learn is not fixed, it can improve over time if you believe in life-long learning. While competition can be healthy, you shouldn’t be competing with your classmates, co-workers, or Facebook friends. Your main competition is with yourself from yesterday. Understand that failure is inevitable but creates an opportunity to learn and grow and can increase your ability to learn. Your success is largely tied to you and your ability to focus and persevere in the face of adversity. Stay hungry for knowledge, determined to succeed, positive about yourself, kind to others, but most of all, stay gritty![/cs_text][x_line style="border-top-width: 1px;"][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/2" style="padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px;"][x_image type="none" src="https://career.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Ryan-Chase-1.jpg" alt="" link="false" href="#" title="" target="" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover" info_content=""][/cs_column][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/2" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]Ryan Chase graduated from UF in 2007 with a master’s degree in education. He is currently a middle school principal with Sarasota County Schools and has been in education for 14 years. The UF Career Connections Center spoke with Chase about his experiences at the university and his career journey in education. [/cs_text][cs_ufsa_general_button button_text="Get to know Ryan Chase" link_url="https://career.ufl.edu/alumni/gator-career-consultant/" button_align="left"][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]Want to share your experience and knowledge with other Gators? The Career Connections Center is recruiting Gator Career Consultants.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" class="cs-ta-left" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" class="cs-ta-left" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]

Ninoska Peterson

The Gator Career Consultant Q&A Series aims to create a diverse collection of career experiences through highlighting University of Florida (UF) alumni. Ninoska Peterson graduated from UF with a doctoral degree in clinical psychology. She is a health psychologist in the Department of General Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. In her role, she evaluates patients seeking bariatric surgery, prepares them before surgery, and sees them after if they have adjustment issues. The UF Career Connections Center spoke with Peterson on her experiences at the university and her career journey as a clinical psychologist.[/cs_text][cs_text]Can you share your experiences with involvement at UF? During my time as an undergraduate, I was involved in a couple of different research labs for the Department of Psychology and in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. I also worked in a research lab in the College of Health and Human Performance, and that was more of an exercise psychology lab. Hence, my transition from psychology to exercise. It was actually fun. I also did some volunteer work with Shands Hospital. I remember it was playing with kids in the waiting room,probably for pediatrics. And then, when I started my Ph.D., we actually worked with a lot of undergraduate students in our lab. At that time, I was a peer mentor. In my master's, we also got to teach different sport and exercise classes for undergrads. What did you learn about yourself from those experiences? I liked the interaction with people, whether it is patients that we were working with or in the context of teaching, research or mentoring. I wasn't the person that just wanted to sit in front of the computer and do data entry and write. That was a piece that I enjoyed, but I actually liked the interactions. How did you learn about the different opportunities? In our undergraduate classes in psychology, it was something that was mentioned. Also, I think that was a part of the UF career center where you could also look up the different opportunities that you can do, whether it was work-study or an opportunity to volunteer to get the kind of experience under your belt that you don't just get from sitting in a class and reading a book. How did you develop professionally from those experiences? The networking piece is something I really liked. It gave me a chance to meet graduate students when I was an undergrad working in the lab. It was reaching out to people that happened to take me under their wing and talked to me about, "Hey, here are some other opportunities that maybe you haven't heard about." Especially in psychology, people don't even know all the different things you can do. I didn't really know about health psychology and all the different aspects of that. Working in different labs helped me learn about that. I worked in the exercise science lab in Health and Human Performance, which I ended up doing my master's in. I didn't even know that was a thing. It was just meeting different people and then being able to go to conferences and present posters to meet more people and get different opportunities with that. Is there something that you know now about your career path that you wish you knew while you were a student? It's not a straight line. I think we always come in with our goals. Thinking, “This is what I want to accomplish.” People kind of tell you that. I finished my undergraduate degree in four years, and when I started, I thought I was going to go to medical school, and that didn't happen. I always stuck with psychology, but I did veer off into exercise science, and I'm kind of going back to psychology. But everything I've done really helped me with my career today. So I can look back and say it wasn't necessarily a waste of time, even though it wasn't straight line doing a bachelor's, doing a master's, and doing a Ph.D. It kind of went off a little bit, and it came back to where it was supposed to be. What is one thing that you have accomplished in your career that you're really proud of? I'm doing what I set out to do. I'm working at the number two hospital in the nation, which is amazing. I never thought I would see myself in Ohio. I'm from South Florida, and I lived in Gainesville for a really long time with all my degrees. I moved to Virginia, and now, all of a sudden I'm in Ohio. Never say never, and stay open. What are two things that you would tell current students to do now to prepare for their future careers? Reach out, ask questions and talk to people. I met with professors. I talked to graduate students and people who were in the field. So ask questions, and be curious. And again, be open to new experiences. It may just teach you what you don't want to do, which I think is just as important as learning what you want to do and what you enjoy. Want to share your experience with other Gators? The Career Connections Center is recruiting Gator Career Consultants.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" class="cs-ta-left" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" class="cs-ta-left" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]

Patrick O'Keefe

The Gator Career Consultant Q&A Series aims to create a diverse collection of career experiences through highlighting University of Florida (UF) alumni. Patrick O’Keefe graduated from UF in 2014 with a master’s degree in mass communication and is currently an adjunct lecturer for the political communications master’s degree program at UF. He is currently the director of customer success at Anedot, a financial technology company that helps nonprofit organizations collect donations. O’Keefe is responsible for managing the Success team to help Anedot customers get the most out of their efforts to drive fundraising and engagement. The UF Career Connections Center spoke with O’Keefe on his experiences at the university and his career journey as a director of customer success.[/cs_text][x_image type="none" src="https://career.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Patrick-OKeefe-Headshot.jpg" alt="Patrick O'Keefe Headshot" link="false" href="#" title="" target="" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover" info_content=""][cs_text]How did you balance your full-time job and your time as a graduate student? It varied depending on the semester. I think when you first get started, it's very challenging. The university provided a lot of resources, and I was able to come through it. And then after that, I felt really good about it. Towards the end, it became a struggle again, but that was mostly because I was working a lot. If you have a 9-to-5 workday I think it works pretty well. If you're working 80 hours a week, then it becomes a little more challenging. I did a lot of coursework on the weekends and in the evenings. I think it was a huge leg up to be able to do that because if I had to take time off and not be able to have that full-time working experience, it would've hurt my career. It would have also hurt in terms of income. I was able to not take out as many loans because I was working full time, and I was able to pay off a lot of the degree. It was really huge for me being able to do the degree the way the university positioned it because I have firsthand knowledge from the person who hired me that I got a promotion because I was doing the degree. I got to move from sales into more of a consulting role because of that. It was a huge jump for my career both in terms of advancement and in terms of salary. What were you involved in as a student? I did my undergraduate at Florida International University, and I was very involved. I was in Student Government, I was Student Body President when I was there and I was involved in a fraternity. I always encourage everybody to get involved because I think that was a huge learning experience for me, just in terms of maturity and meeting people. A lot of the people I'm still friends with to this day. There's a lot of advantages to that. Now I'm in Daytona, I think the cool thing about UF was that I felt a strong connection despite being online and not being on campus. Beach and I'm looking at the local Gator club here, which I really didn't know a lot about until recently when other alumni mentioned it. It's been helpful to be able to connect in that way. What advice do you have to students who are not on campus and might have to build connections virtually? The key is to take advantage of the resources you have and really put yourself out there. There are usually Facebook groups for the colleges and there are alumni groups local to your area. Take advantage of all those big names on LinkedIn. If you do meet an alum, see who their second connections are. See who went to UF and lives in the area and reach out to them. I think a lot of what you need to do is make yourself valuable in a lot of ways. If you reach out to somebody and say, "Hey, I really respect you. I'd love to get to know you because I like the path you've taken. Is there an opportunity to volunteer with you, or is there somebody else I should meet?" Most people are not going to say no. Most people are at least going to have the courtesy to say, "Hey, I'll take a call. Hey, I'll meet with you. Hey, talk to this person." When I think of networking, I think of, "How am I going to reach out to people that I respect? How can I get them to help me? How can I be useful to them potentially?" I think most people think that it needs to be like a formal internship, which can be really hard with COVID, where a lot of companies don't have these formal paid internships. But if you reach out to them and say, "Hey, can I volunteer with you five hours a week?" I think most people would be fine with that and let you shadow them. Did you always know you wanted to hold the job you have at the moment? Not exactly. It's kind of been a meandering path. I always had an interest in politics. I really thought I wanted to work on Capitol Hill, and then I went to D.C., did an internship on Capitol Hill, and really didn't like it. I went into business and found I actually didn't love sales, but I was fairly good at it. Then I moved into marketing. I did digital marketing a lot. I sort of used my interest in politics and my interest in digital marketing and brought them together. I definitely didn't always know. I tried a bunch of things out. I found a couple of things I liked, and then I found the cross-section between a couple of the things I liked. What are two things that you would tell students to do now to prepare for their future? It's all networking. When you're in college, get involved, whether that be in student government, a fraternity, a sorority or a club. Whatever that is you're passionate about. Also, connect to your professors. I found some of my professors had amazing networks. Especially in the political field. Even though they may not have done it, they had friends who were consultants or people that connected with them, and they did things on an academic level. They worked with the people who were doing on the practice level when they were writing the report. I think building those connections and really exposing yourself to a bunch of different types of opportunities is really important. Talk to people who are more senior level, who have the jobs that you think you want one day. Talk to them about their paths because everyone has a different path, but they can give you some good steps. I think the other piece of advice I would give is don't lose hope. A lot of people come out of college, and they can't get an entry-level job in the field they want. They think they are not cut out for this. Go get the job you can get and go spend five or 10 hours a week volunteering with the company or organization that you're really interested in. If you don't have the experience now, look at the job description and say, "What do I need to do to get that experience?" Even if it's not paid. With today's technology, you can go and Google anything and learn how to do nearly everything. Use LinkedIn and use Google to their full potential because if you hustle, you really can make it in any field. Want to share your experience with other Gators? The Career Connections Center is recruiting Gator Career Consultants.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" class="cs-ta-left" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" class="cs-ta-left" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]

Elena Pastore

The Gator Career Consultant Q&A Series aims to create a diverse collection of career experiences through highlighting University of Florida (UF) alumni. Elena Pastore graduated from UF in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in international business. In addition to being a freelance consultant, she runs her own career coaching business that helps develop and train college student leaders, especially in Greek-letter organizations, to enhance their leadership skills. Pastore’s programming includes career coaching and consulting services for people of all ages, industries, and experience levels and enables clients to be impactful and influential in their roles. The UF Career Connections Center spoke with Pastore about her experiences at the university and her journey as a leadership and career coach.[/cs_text][x_image type="none" src="https://career.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Elena-Pastore-Headshot-scaled.jpg" alt="Elena Pastore Headshot" link="false" href="#" title="" target="" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover" info_content=""][cs_text]Can you share your experience with involvement in UF? My involvement pretty much spanned Greek life and business school. Those were the two major groups that I was involved in. I really loved being a business major. We gained a lot of great insights in class, but then the learning really comes with the application of the principles and the things that you learn. There was one specific program that I was involved in for my whole duration of college, which was called the Leadership Development Program. I was a mentee my freshman year, then I became a mentor and then I had a few director roles. Eventually, I became president for my senior year. One of the things that really meant the most to me in pouring my time into that organization was creating the optimal experience for the mentees—making sure that they were getting a lot out of their participation, engaging with the group and the other mentors and mentees, and setting up the organization with a strong culture where everyone feels comfortable sharing, participating and feeling that sense of value and belonging within the organization. How did you come to create your own company? I had those leadership positions in college, and I've always liked helping develop other people. I’ve always loved teaching them how to be successful for the job and internship search and how to be a good leader when they embark on that next step. I wanted to find a job as a leadership coach or some type of people development coach where, regardless of whether it was a career- or leadership-related, I would be able to help them develop their interpersonal skills. That's what I wanted to do, but I couldn't find a company that hires a fresh graduate for that. I said, "I'm confident that I can get my own business if I start a company doing this, and I think there's an opportunity that I can take advantage of." I had the vision to start my company doing leadership coaching for students in Greek life organizations by training, coaching, and working with the executive boards. I had that specific idea because that's a group that I know. I had similar leadership positions, so I can relate to them. I've learned a lot from my business experience to where I feel like I can help them be really effective leaders and sort of walk them through things that I learned to prevent from making mistakes and being any less effective than they potentially could be. I'm very qualified to do that. It's just that there's no company that already does that. I really feel like there's always a way to do something you love, and you don't have to feel like, "I can't do something I love now. I have to wait five years." I would have probably enjoyed a lot of other jobs out there, but I didn't want to wait to do what I love because someone couldn't hire me to do it when I could hire myself to do it. What is one thing that you would tell students to do now to prepare for their future? Even when you don't know what you're going to be doing in a few years, you're always selling yourself. You don't know who might be able to hire you for a job or what person might be able to introduce you to someone that can hire you for a job. You don't have to have the end in mind, and you don't have to have the outcome picked out today, but you need to be meeting people, making connections, and treating everyone kindly. You need to be putting yourself out there, learning from people and learning about different things and different topics. All of those things can be connected in some way down the road that will make a transformational impact on your life and what you're trying to do. A lot of times, that's very hard for students to understand because it's very intangible. It's very hard to see or to picture how an ambiguous or seemingly insignificant situation could help me or how it could help you. Many connections I've made over the last few years have already paid off in the most unpredictable ways, and I'm still not even that far out of college. I think students really underestimate the power of networking and building those connections early on because it really does serve you well when you put the effort in. Want to share your experience with other Gators? The Career Connections Center is recruiting Gator Career Consultants.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" class="cs-ta-left" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" class="cs-ta-left" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]

Victoria Steele

The Gator Career Consultant Q&A Series aims to create a diverse collection of career experiences through highlighting University of Florida (UF) alumni. Victoria Steele graduated from UF in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. She is currently a principal software engineer at General Electric Appliances, where she develops firmware for induction cooking and motor control inverters. Steele also earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Louisville in Kentucky. The UF Career Connections Center spoke with Steele on her experiences at the university and her career journey as an electrical engineer.[/cs_text][cs_text]Did you ever use the C3 or attend Career Showcase during your time at UF? I went to the career resource center quite a bit. I used their resume and interview prep services and went to almost every career fair starting my freshman year. I obtained my job with GE Appliances by attending a career fair. How did you feel about attending Career Showcase your first year? My freshman year, I went right in the fall semester when I got there, and I kind of wandered around like a deer in the headlights. It was really overwhelming, but then, by my last semester, it was honestly really fun and invigorating. When I was actually seriously looking for a job, I already had some co-op experience because of the CRC, which was really cool. By then it was really fun talking to recruiters, getting dressed up, and having your resume game plan ready. It was awesome. Did you get your co-op through Career Showcase? I actually did seven internships. I started out in the Department of Transportation for Lee County, which I got through a connection through my high school. Based on this experience, I decided that civil engineering was not for me, and I switched to electrical engineering. I interviewed with GE appliances through the CRC my sophomore year. I joined GE Appliances full-time in 2013, so my job now is definitely because of Career Showcase. Can you share the skills you developed through your involvement in student organizations? I was involved with SWE (Society of Women Engineers) primarily and a little bit with Women in Electrical and Computer Engineering (WECE). For SWE, I actually chaired one of their organizational events for incoming freshmen. The event is called eSwamp. When all the incoming freshmen engineering girls came in over the summer, we would organize a day down at Lake Wauburg where they would do canoe races and all sorts of other icebreaker activities. Honestly, I think that experience has made me really interested in bringing more women into STEM, which is one of my personal goals. It also helped me understand how to interact with new people that are coming into our organization, how they might be nervous or uncomfortable, or what their fears are. It was really a great opportunity to just be involved with an upcoming generation of new engineers. What advice do you give to women in STEM? I absolutely love my job. I love my career. There are so many opportunities for you as an individual to grow. I think being in a STEM field really means being independent and courageous, and it's really empowering to be a woman in this field. Do you ever suffer from imposter syndrome? I work in a field called power electronics, which is part research and development and part product development. When I'm in the office, I sit between two PhDs guys that have over 20 years of experience. One of them has been writing code since I was born. Every day, I'm hanging on by the skin of my teeth, but I think what's important to remember is that I have skills that they don't. I bring something to the team that they can't bring. I am the only woman on the team. I've been the only woman on the team for five years now. That in itself is a position of power. Is there anything that you know right now about your career path that you wish you knew while you were in UF? I think one of the things that I really wish I hadn't focused so much on when I was a student is being absolutely perfect and knowing the right answer all the time. I absolutely had to have a perfect grade. When you go to the workplace, you realize that you are not going to know the answer all the time, but you were equipped to find the answer, and it is okay to make a mistake. What career accomplishments are you proudest of? When I joined the group that I am on, it was really kind of a disparate group of individuals. Everyone worked in their own silo. Everyone wrote code in their own silo. Nobody really communicated. Since I have joined the team, one of the things that I have worked really hard to do is to make us more cohesive and interactive. From a software development perspective, to bring up the current coding standards and make sure that we're really operating as a unit instead of 10 different individuals. I personally feel that I have worked and contributed to making that happen. And I'm proud of that. Is there anything else you would like to share? Be bold. If you're thinking about going to the Career Showcase, do it. The earlier you get out there and start exploring options, the earlier you figure out the right path for you. Interning, co-oping and working part-time are all really important experiences to help you develop as a professional. Those experiences make sure that not only are you finding a job, but you're finding your calling. Want to share your experience with other Gators? The Career Connections Center is recruiting Gator Career Consultants. [/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]

Ryan Chase

The Gator Career Consultant Q&A Series aims to create a diverse collection of career experiences through highlighting University of Florida (UF) alumni. Ryan Chase graduated from UF in 2007 with a master’s degree in education. He is currently a middle school principal with Sarasota County Schools and has been in education for 14 years. The UF Career Connections Center spoke with Chase about his experiences at the university and his career journey in education. [/cs_text][x_image type="none" src="https://career.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Ryan-Chase-1.jpg" alt="Ryan Chase's headshot" link="false" href="#" title="" target="" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover" info_content=""][cs_text]While you were at UF, did you ever utilize the career center? I did. Back then, they had some resume workshops, and I did some work with them. Then, through the UF education department, they would do career fairs in collaboration with the university’s career center; it’s actually how I got my first teaching job! As an administrator in my county, I have participated in UF career fairs to represent Sarasota County and try to hire Gators. I found it to be a great resource. I've hired probably a hundred people over the last 10 years, and workshops like these can help recruit some of the best talent coming out of college programs. Can you share your experiences with involvement at UF? I worked at the front desk of the Reitz Union Hotel, which was a fun experience. What's funny is when I got there, I didn't even know there was a hotel. I ended up interviewing because I met somebody in a class who worked there, and I got an interview, and it was just important to stay connected. I thought it was nice to work on campus because I got a good feel for what was going on. That was when we won a bunch of basketball and football championships, so I got to meet a bunch of the guys that would walk by. It was kind of fun. Then, when I was in graduate school, I ended up playing some intramural sports, and I thought that was such a good way to connect with people, too. We played softball and kickball, and I found that to be a nice way to stay connected to the campus because we were all so busy and we were also tired and stressed, but we would go out, we'd have fun and we’d connect in a different way. I find that that's like how we do business at the school I work at. As a principal, I connect with not only teachers and students in my building, but also when I see them outside of work, or I go to a student's basketball game. It's like that extra connection is what really drives home that relationship. That's really been an important part of how we can stay successful as educators, too. Did you have experience with job shadowing or practicum opportunities? As part of my degree, I had to teach in multiple locations. I did a practicum teaching experience at Kanapaha Middle School. I taught social studies there. That was a great experience. Then I did my internship teaching at Buchholz High School. Luckily, I got to go around to a bunch of different schools in the area and participate in those experiences. Those are the experiences that I remember because going into a classroom the very first time as a teacher, you draw on those experiences, and you remember what you've done. Having an internship or practicum experience provided me the confidence to say, "I know how to do this" or "I know who to ask when I am struggling." The group of people I taught with in those experiences was amazing. I still have relationships with a lot of them and I still talk to some of the professors and email with them. There are resources that are on my bookshelf from when I was a student 15 years ago, and I still look at them every year when I start the school year or am seeking assistance.[/cs_text][cs_text]What did you learn about yourself from those experiences? I'm a first-generation college student, and literally, no one in my family had ever been to college. No one had even thought about it and some members of my family barely graduated from high school. My dad got his GED, and my mom graduated with my brother in attendance. It wasn't a given. My brother finished high school but went to the Navy. When I graduated from high school, I knew I would go to college, but I didn't really know where to go, so I did two years at home, and then I transferred to UF. I felt like I was taking a chance. I was investing in myself for the first time. I was moving away from home for the very first time, and I was experiencing new things that I never knew. I think what I learned about myself through that is that I was far better than I ever gave myself credit for. I was far smarter than I would have given myself credit for. I had more skills than I would have believed in myself. I had the ability to be more confident. A kid like me who grew up in a small town in Connecticut, who came from almost nothing, moved to South Florida, knew no one, and went on to graduate with two degrees from UF, a third degree from another university, and is a principal by age 35. It's something that I'm very proud of. Just last week, I was elected the president of the Sarasota County Gator Club, the alumni association here in my area. Now I get to give back, and I get to be a part of this university that did so much for me and that really opened a lot of doors. Everything opened when I started believing in myself, and those experiences did a lot for me. What are two things you would tell current students to do now to prepare for their future careers? Get involved. Find something you're passionate about and find a way to get involved in it. Whether that's working with student government, starting an organization, working on campus, or volunteering. This has been vitally important throughout my career. I worked three years as an assistant principal at the high school level, and kids who were involved in the high school were so much more successful. What I find to be really kind of powerful is to find people that you can connect with on some level; it doesn't have to be academic. You could just start a bowling club, and that's it. It's people that you're interested in. When working with students, we talk about developing four key competencies: critical thinking, communication, sense of self, and teamwork. Would you be able to give me an example of how employing one of these competencies or all has helped you in your career? I have hired quite a few people: teachers, district staff, paraprofessionals, teachers' aides, registrars, secretaries, and anybody you can think of. One day I'll get to hire an assistant principal. I would say all of these things are important to me. When I look at a resume, I feel like I can see these things. When I ask questions, I can hear these things. These are definitely areas that I'm looking for. When I ask a question, sometimes it's not what I'm asking or what you're saying; it's how you're saying it. It's how you carry your response that I think is very important to me. Teamwork is critical to what we do. It's actually so important to us that our teachers teach on teams. As a school, teamwork is so important. I can't teach all those classes. I have to rely on our team of people to get the work done. I've got a team of assistant principals. We've got a team of support staff. I've got a team of teachers. And if we're not all working through the same shared vision, which is my responsibility, then we are not going to get our job done, which is to create a safe and effective learning environment for students. And that's our responsibility. That's what we get paid for. Every single one of those things is extremely important. Without a doubt, these are things that we can see in interviews and read on resumes. They are definitely part of our decision-making and interview process. Want to share your experience with other Gators? The Career Connections Center is recruiting Gator Career Consultants.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text] We all know that 2020 came with unprecedented challenges that pushed us in new ways. You may be ready to start 2021 with a new perspective, or you might be hesitant about what the new year will bring. Either way, a new year brings thinking about new goals and intentions. While planning for your career goals might look different in 2021, here are five ways you can be proactive about setting positive intentions for the new year. Start Small Planning for your career can be overwhelming- especially when you are thinking about what you want your life to look like in five, ten, or twenty years! Instead of focusing so much on your long-term plans this January, consider setting a couple of short-term goals that will allow you to act immediately. Focusing on one or two “action items” this month will give you momentum towards your longer-term career goals. Build Your Network Your greatest resource in planning for your career is your network. The concept of networking can be intimidating- especially for students and new professionals. Networking is just building relationships with people who have common interests. Think about the places and spaces you might be in over the next semester. Is there a student organization that you could join that allows you to meet people with similar goals? Is there an event that would connect you to other professionals or alumni within your desired career field? In the virtual world we are living in today, there are many opportunities for you to get connected to people with similar career interests that you might never have had the chance to meet in person! These contacts can provide powerful information and insight about your career field and possibly connect you to opportunities, including internships, full-time employment, or graduate school. Get Creative About Gaining Experience Gaining experience can change everything! Students who have had experience in addition to their academic classes learn new things about themselves, their work, and their career goals. While 2020 might have derailed your internship or other experience plans, there are many ways to gain experience outside of the classroom that you could consider for 2021. Many employers are hosting virtual internships or Micro Internships to creatively provide experiences for students. In addition to internships, you might want to consider other forms of experience, including research, shadowing, part-time work, service, or involvement. These experiences are also impactful for building your professional skill set! Update Your Professional Documents One of the most proactive strategies you can work towards in early 2021 is to update your professional documents, including your resume or CV. Focusing on creating quality professional documents ahead of time can help you prepare for when that dream internship application might open! Especially if it has been a couple of semesters since your last update, it is crucial to edit your documents to include the hard work you have accomplished and assess what type of experiences you still want to have during your time as a student. Connect with the Career Connections Center The most important thing to remember about planning for your career is that you have resources and tools at UF to help you! The highly ranked Career Connections Center provides comprehensive career services to all UF students and alumni. Whether you are just starting to think about your career plans or are ready to get connected to employers that want to hire YOU, the Career Connections Center can support you and your goals. Check out our list of upcoming events or find out how to meet with one of our career coaches to set you up for success in 2021. We are looking forward to meeting you! [/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]By: Wendy Li You’ve probably heard the words “research” or “lab” thrown around here and there. But what exactly is undergraduate research, what does it entail, and how does one get involved? Here at the University of Florida, we have a long tradition of discovery through the extensive research opportunities housed in all of our Colleges and Institutes. A very common misconception is that research is just for STEM/pre-med/engineering students. The truth is that anyone from any major with any interest can find a research opportunity at UF. Art and design, religion, history, finance, math, education… you name it, we have it. Here are five tips to get your foot in the Undergraduate Research door: 1. Research your research. Reflect on your own interests and browse the internet for the types of research going on at the University of Florida. There are literally hundreds of opportunities in all disciplines and colleges. The first step is to go to the department website and read about the various research that faculty members are conducting. Oftentimes, there will even be a whole page specifically dedicated to research. 2. Find research you are passionate about. I cannot emphasize this one enough! Find research that genuinely interests you and makes you EXCITED to commit your precious time. After you begin, give yourself a two-week trial period to determine if this experience suits your interests and ambitions. 3. Make a list of 7-10 faculty members whose research excites you. Why so many? Keep in mind that many faculty members have full-time research and/or teaching positions with the school, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t hear back from some of them. Some of them may be on the hunt for undergraduate researchers, and some may not have space or time. Be patient, and keep your options open. 4. Draft specific and articulate emails. If you want to stand out, cater your email to that faculty member. You do not want to send a vague and generic email. Show them that you’ve investigated their publications, and clearly articulate why you are interested in their research specifically. After all, there are literally hundreds of other research opportunities you could have chosen. Do not explicitly ask for a position; the goal of the email is a meeting with the faculty member or professor. 5. You’ve reached the interview stage! Congratulations! A faculty member emailed you back and would like to meet with you to discuss opportunities. Think of the interview as more of a meeting or a conversation. The purpose of the interview is for you to decide if this is the right research opportunity for your goals and interests. Prepare a list of questions to ask. Consider how flexible scheduling is, the lab environment, and the tasks you will be assigned as a new undergraduate researcher. Dress business casually; a t-shirt and jeans might be too casual, but no need to show up in a full suit either. Bring your resume and your semester schedule. I’d like to leave you with some parting tips. Think of your research experience as more than just a resume builder. Yes, undergraduate research looks stellar on your resume, but if you’re looking solely for a resume boost, research may not be for you. Research is a time and mental commitment, so make sure you are truly passionate about what you are doing. Research has impacted my own academic and personal career journey in ways I could not have anticipated. The transferrable skills I gained from my research experience manifest in my everyday life: from my study skills, to personal skills, to a greater understanding of my career path, research has helped me to approach problems in an innovative way. Lastly, if you would like some more help with getting started, visit the Center for Undergraduate Research (CUR) website at cur.aa.ufl.edu or drop by a virtual advising session with a CUR peer advisor. Best of luck as you embark on your undergraduate research career![/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]By: Wendy Li There are many ways to engage with the world around you, but nothing compares to an immersive academic and cultural experience in a foreign country. At the University of Florida, we are lucky to have a variety of programs to suit a multitude of personal and academic interests, from Spanish language courses in Latin America to engineering internships in Japan. Study abroad coursework can count towards a degree, and perhaps even more importantly, students who study abroad develop new skillsets and enhance their cultural awareness. Today, more so than ever, employers seek candidates with diverse experiences and global knowledge. Here are five career-related skills you can develop while studying abroad. 1. Communication Studying in a foreign country enhances your communication skills. Whether you are in a country that speaks a completely different language or in a country that speaks the same language as you, imbedding yourself in a new environment teaches you to listen more intently and look for interpersonal clues to build relationships. Studying Spanish in Madrid provides an immersive experience that will enhance your Spanish language skills. Completing an internship abroad in London may teach you some of the British lingo and slang used in the UK. In both cases, you will learn how to communicate effectively with people of diverse cultures and backgrounds. 2. Resilience Culture shock is real, especially when you are immersed in unfamiliar surroundings, and language and cultural barriers inevitably present obstacles to overcome. However, engaging with your community and surpassing these obstacles instills resilience, while also opening a door to valuable life experiences. 3. Practical Skills Learning to navigate a new environment is a very practical skill. Now imagine navigating a new city (in a new country), figuring out bus and taxi routes, and learning how to ask local residents for help. Studying abroad can force you to think quick on your feet and evolve into an adaptable problem solver. These newly acquired skills are just some of the experience pieces that you can highlight on your resume. 4. Creativity They learn how to apply creative solutions to both simple and complex problems. This could be as simple as acting out charades to communicate with a Spanish speaker, or as complex as creating a workshop to identify environmental issues in your host country. Either way, you will learn unique techniques to demonstrate to future employers that you can solve problems innovatively. 5. Cultural Awareness Studying in a foreign country not only allows you to learn about the culture, food, language, and history of your host country, but it also allows you to develop a newfound appreciation for your own culture. Cultural awareness is essential in both everyday life and in the workforce, as it allows you to understand and connect with people from all walks of life. Experiencing the world in a new way provides insight into your role as a member of a global community. As you gain a new perspective on culture and education while studying abroad, you will return to your home country with an eagerness to learn and apply your skills. A study abroad experience demonstrates diversity to employers; it shows that you are not afraid to seek out new challenges and step out of your comfort zone. Now is the time to explore the world and expand your global knowledge. Check out the UF International Center website to discover a program that meets your academic and career goals. Bon voyage![/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]By: Christina Hernandez You might have heard people on campus talking about their “top 5” or the Clifton Strengths assessment. * Before you write it off as just another self-assessment, though, know your Top 5 Strengths can serve as an invaluable tool to get you ready for the job search process. So, dust off those results and keep reading. 1. Reflect on them before the search. Your Top 5 Strengths can guide you in reflecting on what it is you are looking for in an internship or job and also give you clues to find a good fit. Before approaching your search, ask yourself the following questions:

1. What do my strengths say about me?
2. How are my strengths connected, if at all?
3. What kind of work/job environment would further these strengths?

Once you’ve brainstormed some responses, start to look for positions that will allow you to use these strengths on a regular basis and generally match the answers you gave. This will likely translate into greater internship/job satisfaction and overall fulfillment. 2. Incorporate them into your resume. Your Top 5 Strengths can also help you take your resume to the next level. By knowing what you naturally excel in and showcasing what you do well on a resume, you can increase your likelihood of leaving a great first impression with an employer. Now, you may be asking yourself “how do I go about doing that without simply listing them out?” Check out some examples below: If you have “Restorative” as one of your Top Strengths, you’re probably naturally adept at problem-solving. An example of how this might show up on a resume is: “Redesigned existing product to be compatible with new customer equipment.” If you are “Analytical,” you have probably found yourself considering all the possible factors that may affect the situation at hand. An example of this may be: “Performed detailed cost-benefit analysis.” Maybe you are a “Relator” who enjoys close relationships with others. Consider adding a bullet point that talks about a time you worked on a team to achieve a goal, like in the bullet point below: “Collaborated with five other shift leaders to create and implement a streamlined check out process, reducing customers’ wait time by five minutes.” 3. Use them as talking points in an interview. In addition to strengthening your resume, your Top 5 Strengths can serve as great talking points for your interview. You’ve probably heard common interview questions like “What is your greatest strength?” “What is your greatest weakness?” and “How would you describe yourself in three words?” But, your Strengths can help you formulate strong answers to questions that are situation/behavioral based in nature. Let’s say your interviewer asks you to talk about a time you made a difficult decision. If you have ‘Deliberative” in your Top 5, you can take this as an opportunity to highlight your natural ability to anticipate obstacles and the serious care you take in making decisions/choices. Similarly, if you have “Adaptability” as a Strength and are asked to describe a situation that required you to work under pressure, you can draw inspiration from your “go with the flow” attitude, emphasizing how you tackle things one step at a time. Conclusion While it may require some practice to get into the “Strengths” mindset, you will find it can be an excellent tool to help you learn about yourself and land experiences that can change everything! To receive additional support in the job search process, you can stop during the C3’s Express Drop-In hours on Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and get tips to kick off your internship/job search. You can also schedule an appointment with a full-time staff member through Gator Career Link. *If you have not taken the assessment, but would like to, go to StrengthQuest.com. Be sure to use your Gatorlink email address to receive a student discount! [/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]By: Chelsea Tobias During these times, it seems like almost every aspect of life is going through near-constant change and uncertainty. While there may be a lot outside of your control right now, it is more important than ever to identify what is in your control and focus on what you can do. Below are some options to help you stay engaged and on track this summer:

• Manage your expectations for this time. Your definition of productivity or success may shift, and that is totally okay. Your worth is not determined by what you have done or what you will do in the future. You are worthy right now, as you are.

• If you are finding yourself with more unstructured time, consider re-evaluating your priorities and setting some new goals, intentions, and routines for the next several months. This shift in daily life may help to clarify which things you really enjoy and are engaged by the most and what you can let go of. Use some of our self-guided assessments and activities to reflect on your career interests, values, strengths, and skills.

• While you may no longer be able to physically study abroad, you can still find ways to gain global experience. You can enroll in the UF International Scholars Program to structure global experiences through international coursework, language learning, and co-curricular activities. Additionally, programs like CEA are offering virtual internships abroad and apps like Duolingo allow you to learn a new language from home.

• If you are still looking for a summer internship or full-time job, there are options available through virtual internships or freelance and remote work. Follow up with positions you may have already applied to or consider attending an upcoming virtual career fair. You can identify employers who are still hiring here or searching Gator CareerLink.

• If you are looking for ways to give back while gaining meaningful experience, there are a number of virtual options out there. Visit these sites to search for online volunteer opportunities:
  • https://www.dosomething.org/us/articles/9-places-to-volunteer-online-and-make-a-real-impact
  • https://www.operationwarm.org/blog/25-volunteer-jobs-to-do-from-home/
  • https://www.onlinevolunteering.org/en

• Keep networking! Building professional connections is more important than ever, so take this time to attend virtual office hours with your professors, utilize the Find Alumni tool on LinkedIn, or set up a virtual informational interview with a professional in a career that interests you.

• Schedule time to update your professional documents and make preparations for your next steps – this can include updating your Resume or Cover Letter, preparing yourself for phone or virtual interview formats, or make time to study for the GRE or other examinations needed for graduate or professional school.

• In addition to taking online classes, you can learn a new skill through LinkedIn Learning, which is free to UF students.

If you need help strategizing, the Career Connections Center is here to support you. To get started, schedule a 30-minute virtual Career Planning Appointment. Our career coaches are available to talk about alternative plans and ways to move towards your goals during this time.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]By: Sara Gould Will I have enough time? What about my paycheck? Where do I even start? Is it worth it? These may be just a few questions you’re pondering if you’ve been in the working world for a period of time and are considering furthering your education by going back to graduate school. Graduate school can help advance and improve your career tremendously, but also means a lifestyle change. Let’s talk about some of the major factors to consider if you are ready to start hitting the books again.  Choosing a Program of Study Sometimes graduate school just makes sense. Example: You’ve worked as a Senior Business Advisor from moving up the ranks, but now it’s time to earn your Master of Business Administration. This will help you obtain that next promotion during your performance evaluation and the credential will help with recognition as a leader in your office. This is a great example of someone being pulled to a particular program. However, you may be feeling pushed out of your current situation and graduate school is your saving grace. Example: You’ve been working in a field for 3+ years and realized that it just isn’t doing it for you anymore. You don’t aspire to hold any of the promotional roles and are finding a general disinterest for the industry/field as a whole. Going to graduate school can help with that transition to changing careers and starting fresh (you may need to take a few prerequisite courses first).  Engage in informational interviews with people in your industry who have been in the field for a period of time who can give you solid advice if you are unsure of what the next best step is – what types of graduate programs would be right for me to pursue? Also interview people who have careers you are interested in and ask them what would be best to study so you can go down that path as well. Affordability Cost is a major factor when considering going back for more education. Some individuals choose to go to school full time, ultimately losing the paycheck they previously were earning, and others choose to stay at their job. Examine your finances thoroughly to see what makes the most sense for you. If you are currently working full time, some employers offer tuition reimbursement to help offset the costs, especially if you are studying a subject that relates directly to your current work. Scholarships, fellowships, teaching assistantships, and graduate assistantships also all exist to help with the costs. Assistantships typically pay for your tuition and include a stipend depending on the cost of living. Consider the timing of when you would ideally like to go back to school. Could there be an option to set up an additional savings account with money allocated strictly to that goal? Going back to school doesn’t need to mean going into a significant amount of debt, but taking out student loans at the graduate level is always an option as well. Managing Priorities Many graduate programs understand individuals enrolled may have part- or full-time jobs, families, children, and other life obligations and are designed with this in mind. Unlike obtaining your undergraduate degree, graduate level courses are typically mainly offered mostly at night or on the weekends. Undoubtedly, your life will feel more jam-packed than ever before, potentially working full-time 8 - 5 p.m. and then learning in class from 5:30 - 8 p.m. Trying to find the time for homework, studying, projects, and managing your personal life can be challenging. As you get into the groove of your new schedule, you might find that you now need to work out in the mornings instead of evenings, or that you need to record your favorite Monday night TV show and catch up on it during the weekend as your reward for writing that paper for class. Friday date nights might be rescheduled to Sunday afternoon, and maybe you and your partner restructure the childcare schedule. Consider the flexibility of an online program if you travel for work frequently or have other obligations that do not logistically work out with an in-person classroom. Ultimately, graduate school is an exciting time and privilege to expand your mind and grow in tremendous ways. You will be exposed to a greater professional and personal network, new knowledge and skills, and added value in the workplace. Even though it will shake up your current life situation, it can absolutely be worth it in the long run. Check out our Preparing for Graduate School Guide for greater insight on some of these topics and getting you prepared for your next step.   [/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text] By: Keira Simmonds I got up early the day of my interview to get ready. I chose my best professional outfit and looked the part. The job I was interviewing for was in a different field than I was used to and it was for a more advanced position. I was excited about the position and confident. After all, I was not a stranger to the interview game. I was aware and proud of the skills I had to offer and even knew the areas I would need to grow in, if I were offered the role. However, nothing prepared me for what was about to happen that day. I arrived at the site of my interview and was greeted by my potential supervisor with whom I communicated with via email over the past few weeks. She was very nice and cheerful. She immediately put me at ease. She let me know I was going to be interviewed by members of the board, but what I did not know was the ENTIRE board was there. I had never been in an interview with more than one person at a time. To sit in front of a panel was an entirely new experience for me. There I sat in the front of the room with seven professionals sitting around a U-shaped table setup with their eyes fixed solely on yours truly. As they all went around the table and introduced themselves, I thought to myself – I am never going to remember these people’s names. So the first lesson I learned was to take notes. When in an interview with multiple people, taking notes in your padfolio and writing down the names of the people in the room can prove invaluable. By utilizing your notes, you can answer their questions and also refer to them by name. It also allows you to personalize a thank you letter for each individual after the interview is finished. Once the questions started, I realized I felt conscious of all the eyes on me. I was a bit flustered, to say the least. Feeling nervous while in the spotlight is common. There is a fear of judgment that comes with being center stage. However, it is always easier when you are speaking from an area of expertise and who is a better expert regarding your life than you. However, a great tip to combat feeling flustered is to pause when asked a question. Don’t jump in right away. Take a moment to think and construct your answer. If possible, choose something that excites you. Taking your time to formulate your answer in your mind, will allow you to elaborate on skills and experiences you are proud of and present a thoughtful answer rather than ramble and seeming unsure. During the panel interview, I kept feeling the need to look at everyone when answering my questions. Looking back, I must have seemed flighty as my eyes darted quickly between one person and the next. When you are answering questions, mainly address the person who asked you the question. To ensure you are covering the room, it is perfectly fine to choose one or two other people to glance at. However, do not feel pressured to make eye contact with everyone. The next time you are asked to interview for a position, feel free to ask about the format of the interview and with whom you will be interviewing. Being mentally prepared for what is to come increases your confidence. Lastly, preparing for a panel interview is otherwise the same as preparing for any interview. You will want to give examples using the STAR method (discussing the specific situation, task, action, and result of the situation you are describing) and be prepared for introductory, behavioral and situational interview questions. Remember, interviewing is a skill that gets better with practice. If you would like to practice your interview skills with multiple persons, ask friends and family to assist by pretending to be your interview panel. Doing mock interviews are a great way to get valuable feedback and insight into how well you are presenting yourself. For more help with interviewing, check out the resources provided by the UF Career Connections Center.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

What does it mean to research an employer? With recruiting season starting and numerous opportunities to network with employers, it’s important for students to know how to effectively research a company. Here are four steps to help you with the process. 1. Review Company Websites and Social Media Pages Looking at a company’s website should be the first course of action for starting your research. The website is where you can find important information regarding the company’s mission statement, history, culture, products sold, and messages from top executives. Company websites may also feature a blog where posts mention innovation happening within the company, community outreach, and partnerships with organizations or policy makers. Social Media is also a valuable research resource. A company’s social media platform is often the voice of the company. It can provide insight into what type of culture the company has. Are they making funny posts or are the posts more serious and factual? Be careful not to lean too much into social media, as appearance on these platforms may differ from the company’s reality. The social media page of a company can also provide important information into current projects the organization is pursuing, their involvement in the community, and news on product innovation. Mentioning a relevant post during your interview is a great way to make a connection with the interviewer by specifically describing a post you connected with. 2. Research Employment Websites After you have delved through the company website and social media platforms, take time to explore other websites that provide meaningful information about organizations. Glassdoor: Provides pros and cons of the company from current and past employees, salary information, and even internship reviews. Buzzfile: Presents company description, contact information, demographics, sector/industry info and other helpful data about millions of companies. Hoovers: Displays company financial statements, top competitors, sales preparation data, and information about the industry. UF Students have access through UF Libraries. 3. Do Your Outside Research on Industry Trends Now that you’ve explored the company website, social media pages and employment websites, it is a good idea to conduct an internet search about the company and scan recent articles about them. Google is great for discovering interviews with the CEO, reviews of the company’s products, reports on the mission, articles about the culture of the company and other relevant information that allow you to gain knowledge and display an interest for the company come interview time. Another important aspect of research is examining the current state of the industry you’re interviewing for, as well as current and expected trends of the industry. Researching competitors of the company can provide some information into the industry. Often interviewers will directly ask you about your insight into the industry, making this an essential step of research. Finally, based on this research you could formulate potential innovations for the company and mention things that the company is currently succeeding at during the interview. 4. Connect with Employees via LinkedIn Matthew Cowley, associate director for student engagement at the Career Connections Center, emphasized connecting with people through LinkedIn. He suggests to start the process by looking to see if any alumni from the University of Florida work at the company you are interested in. Many alumni often enjoy helping undergraduates from their alma mater. When connecting with employees be specific about the type of information you want to know more about. Some potential questions could be about the company culture or what they like most about working there. Be careful how specific the questions are because some information is confidential. Getting your foot in the door by connecting with employer’s shows that you are eager to join the company and provides another way to share information. With so many resources available to the public, researching a company has never been easier. Whether you choose to focus on the company website, social media pages, employment websites, or direct information from employees depends on the position that you are interviewing for. The purpose of researching a company is to show the interviewer that you have an authentic interest in them and their industry. In addition, research can provide direct answers to potential interview questions and provide information that can help you decide if the company is a right fit for you. Good luck with your research! If you have questions about researching employers, please make a Career Planning Appointment through Gator CareerLink or visit us in the Reitz Union. Oliver Monaghan

  The way we interact with one another has shifted greatly in the past couple of months. This includes how students are connecting and interviewing with recruiters. The new normal in recruiting is employers interviewing candidates virtually. There are do’s and don’ts for interviewing on camera, make sure you are ready by following the seven tips below:

1. Location: Find a quiet, comfortable, and well-lit place in your home for your interview. Let your family or roommates know in advance that you are interviewing and to avoid interrupting you during that time. Provide them with the exact start and end time of your meeting including your preparation and set up time. You will also want to put away any pets to avoid surprise and distracting appearances.
2. Background: Make sure the background of your environment is suitable. Remove any posters or distracting elements. Some video apps allow for backgrounds to blurred or adding in an image of your own. Test out your options before the call to see how they translate on camera. You will also want to make sure that any area visible on the camera is tidy.
3. Practice: Prepare for your virtual interview by viewing yourself through your platform’s camera. Ask your friends or family to give their opinions on how you present on video and audio. Sometimes our voices can appear much different than how we imagine it to be. Determine whether your voice comes off as friendly, or if you need to practice inflection with your speaking style. Additionally, you want to make sure the camera from your computer is as close to eye level as you can get it.
4. Attire: Dress as if you were attending the interview in person, which means business professional attire. Just because it’s a virtual interview, it’s still your first impression with an employer. IMPORTANT: make sure to wear professional bottoms as well. There is a chance that you might have to grab headphones or address any adjustments during the interview, forcing you to reveal those dapper sweatpants.
5. Prepare: Write your notes of the given company and questions before the interview. An advantage of virtual interviews is that you can have your notes and questions handy on your computer screen during your conversation.
6. Connect: At the beginning of the interview make sure to greet the employer and ask how their day is going. Virtual interviews are less personable than in-person interviews, therefore make sure to connect with the interviewer as much as possible in the beginning and end stages.
7. Attentiveness: Display to the interviewer that you are listening and attentive to what they are saying. Nodding your head when appropriate and keeping the camera at eye level are some ways to improve in this aspect. It is also important to show enthusiasm by smiling and engaging in the virtual environment.

Virtual interviews are not something to be fearful of. Assuring that everything is set up on the technology side of things, the main advantage of virtual interviews is that they are “virtual”. Looking into a camera can be more comforting than in-person interviews for many people. I hope that these tips were helpful to you and remember…wear pants! For more information about the Career Connections Center’s virtual services or to connect with a Career Coach, please visit career.ufl.edu/virtualservices. Oliver Monaghan

There can be a lot of pressure when coming to college to know what you want to do right away. It is important to know that it’s okay if you don’t know what major to choose right away! The Career Connections Center’s Senior Assistant Director for Career and Professional Development, Allie Simon, gives you five reasons why you shouldn’t be freaking out:

1. Your Major Does Not Equal Your Career

Employers and graduate schools look at far more than just what your degree is in when they look at your application; they look for leadership in student organizations, volunteer/work experiences, and so much more.  

2. Experience Will Help You Figure Out What You Want to Study

Work with your academic advisor to find upper-level electives and general education requirements that will help you explore areas you are curious about. A lot of times those “random” classes help us find something we really are passionate about. Your academic advisor can also help you stay on track for multiple majors and/or minors you are considering.  

3. Volunteering and Involvement Will Guide You

Volunteering and shadowing often allow us to “try out” a certain major or career to see if we can see ourselves in that field. It is important to have these experiences to help you figure out if this is the right or wrong path for you.  

4. Talk to People Involved in the Majors You Are Considering

Professors, graduate students, current students and alumni can give us a lot of information to determine if certain majors are what we are looking for. Listen to their experiences and advice to see if a certain major matches your skillset and interest. Go to them for inspiration!  

5. Think About Your Values When Selecting Your Major

What is important to you in life? How will those values be met/unmet in certain majors? When considering what major to choose think about what is important to you and how that major will foster those values.  

---

  The Career Connections Center offers multiple services to help you in the journey of finding or changing your major. Some ways you can get started are:

• Make a career planning appointment
• Explore your options with CHOMP
• Attend an Explore Lab or Gator Professional Series Workshop

  By Caroline Redmond

by Brooke Schaffer I’m sure you’ve heard before that first impressions are everything. This saying holds true when it comes to potential employers and recruiters, as they form opinions about students within seconds of meeting. With Career Showcase just around the corner and various interviews on the horizon, you want to be sure to present yourself in the best light possible to make a dazzling first impression on potential employers. So, without further ado, let’s discuss some of the clothes you should steer clear of to assure that you make wonderful, professional first impressions at Career Showcase. 1. Be Aware of Clothes that Almost Fit There’s nothing quite like pulling your pants out of the dryer, realizing they’re notably shorter and deciding that you might have to bring back high waters. Or maybe your weight has changed since high school but you are trying to convince yourself that your ninth-grade dress shirts totally still fit. We’ve all been there, but Career Showcase is not the time to wear something that doesn’t show you in your best light. Whether it’s a shirt that is too big or too tight, slacks that look more like capris or a skirt that is cutting it close in terms of length, these are all clothing items you should leave home on the days of Career Showcase. 2. Take Notice of Shoe Shortcomings I realize that we live in Florida, but as much as you want to sport your flip-flops, Birkenstocks or favorite beachy sandals, you simply must ditch these shoes. On the other hand, if you’re thinking of showing off your sweet new Adidas tennis shoes because closed-toe shoes are a safer bet, then you’re still on the wrong track. It doesn’t matter if you’re stopping by Showcase in between classes: if you want to make a good impression, kick your tennis shoes to the curb for some appropriate and professional shoes. 3. Avoid Color Catastrophes Do you have a particularly strong sense of style or an undying affinity for bright colors? I hate to break it to you, but potential employers (for the most part) probably won’t take kindly to crazy, colorful ensembles or over-the-top accessorizing. In order to look professional, you want to wear classic styles of clothing in muted colors or neutral tones. Toss your favorite funny tie, color-blocked outfit and over-the-top accessories aside. Instead, stick to traditional business professional looks in simple and understated patterns. If you’d like to get an opinion on your Career Showcase attire, stop by the Career Connections Center for help. If you need assistance with getting proper suiting the Molm Family Gator Career Closet has a wide variety of offerings for feminine and masculine professional and business casual attire. The closet lends clothes to UF students free of charge and is there to help you nail your professional outfits for that great first impression!

Developing and executing a career plan can be a bit daunting even if you are armed with information to help you through the process. Here at UF’s Career Connections Center, we seek to assist you in becoming career ready by sharing related best practices based on theory as well as by providing insight on industry trends and adapting our resources to reflect any changes. Where you get your information matters, as relying on unreliable material can make your career path unnecessarily rocky. Below are a few tips to help you avoid falling victim to misinformation. 1. Connect with reputable employers If you are searching a job database ensure that you are connecting with employers that have been vetted so that you limited your chances of being preyed upon by fraudulent individuals. The Career Connections Center connects students online with employers by way of Gator CareerLink. Employers that utilize Gator CareerLink are screened by a member of the Career Connections Center. Should a suspicious employer sneak through the cracks, the Career Connections Center flags the account and notifies the UF body. 2. Connect and/or create a trusted network Connecting with staff or a faculty member that has an understanding of an industry of interest could mean you will gain information which may help you further develop your career path. Many of the individuals in your College have industry experience and knowledge that they are willing to share with you…just ask. Connecting with people that share your same career interest is a great way to gain information while also strengthening your professional brand. You may also limit the amount of misinformation that you follow as you have a network to share your ideas and materials with. If you need assistance with networking, the Career Connections Center offers workshops on the topic. 3. Connect with the Career Connections Center Admitting that you need assistance can be a bit discouraging, especially if you enjoy your independence. When it comes to sifting out misinformation, knowing you have a team that is willing to help you navigate your career path should hopefully put your mind at ease. Take advantage of a career planning session and/or attend an event of interest hosted by the Career Connections Center. We are here to make sure you are career ready. This is not an exhaustive list of tips, but rather an introduction as to how you can avoid bad career information. Who do you rely on to receive credible career advice?

Developing professionally is not something that occurs overnight. It is a process. What does it mean to develop professionally, anyway? Professional development is a mindset to becoming career ready, which is the ability to enter a career with a clear understanding of yourself and what skills employers value. Below are three proven ways to keep in mind as you start the process of professional development as a UF student.

1. Remember, Professional Development is a Continuous Process

Professional development is a lifelong process of acquiring new knowledge and skills relevant to your professional goals, job responsibilities, and work environment. It all starts the moment you begin your college career. The benefit of professional development is that it gives you the room to grow through a variety of learning opportunities that can occur both in and out of the classroom.

2. Explore the Gator Professional Series (GPS)

via GIPHY Gator Professional Series is a series of workshops offered both in-person and online to help you with your personal and professional development. You have a choice to select between two educational tracks that are offered: Discovering Professional You and Navigating Your Search. In these workshops, you will learn how to network, craft your professional brand, how to start your job/internship search, and more! The great part is, is that you can explore GPS from the comforts of your own home, GPS online is a way you can start becoming career ready.

3. Discover What Employers Are Looking For through Competency Labs

via GIPHY Competencies are knowledge, skills, and personal attributes that are relevant to work and life. Employers seek certain competencies in their employees to be able to perform their job functions. We focus on four competencies for our competency labs: critical thinking, communication, sense of self, and teamwork. These competencies are encouraged for you to start developing to help you become career ready. You may ask, “How do I start developing these competencies?” You can get started by attending our competency labs, which are workshops that allow you to explain and apply domains of each competency in a group setting. In each lab, you will learn why a specific competency is important to employers, participate in an engaging interactive activity, and reflect on your professional growth to prepare you for post-graduation career goals. What are some tools you use for professional development? Let us know in the comments below!

The job search process may seem very straightforward, first – you look for job online, next you submit your resume. Done. However, there is so much more to the process than this. Consider that you are not the only one applying for a position,  you can potentially be competing with hundreds or thousands of applicants for a single position. To remain competitive, avoid these job search mistakes that students make: 1) Not Customizing Your Application Materials to the Position

via GIPHY

Customizing your resume or cover letter is time consuming, and not doing so may cost you your dream job. Every job has specific duties and responsibilities, and if you see your current resume doesn’t highlight a trait a position really values, make sure to edit it so that your skill set matches the qualifications the position features. For example, if the job you are interested in values leadership, make sure that the leadership experience you have in your current position is listed at the top of your experiences. Also, if relevant, add any student organizations you may be involved in with a short description to show how your involvement in this organization is relevant to the position. 2) Not Proofreading Application Materials

via GIPHY

Proofreading your application materials goes a long way. But, because you are too familiar with your resume or cover letter, ask a friend or peer to proofread your materials. Have them to look out for any misspellings or grammar issues, and ask them if the overall flow of your writing makes sense. It’s better to have someone you trust catch your mistakes before a potential employer does. 3) Not Being Patient with the Job Search Process

via GIPHY

Searching for a job and actually getting to a final offer can take significant time to materialize. If you have applied for a position or recently had an interview, it is okay to follow up, but do not go overboard with constantly writing or calling an employer for a status update. Remember that they also have full-time jobs and possibly have several candidates they are considering. Be patient or the impression you will make on a potential employer will not be a good one. 4) Being Unprepared for the Interview

via GIPHY

You have successfully submitted your application materials and now you have an interview coming up. Many students make the mistake of thinking that they can just “wing it” during the interview. Don’t make this mistake. Before the interview, take the time to learn about the company you’re interviewing with and also to self-reflect on how the experiences listed on your resume relate to the position you’re interviewing for. Make it a point to have something to say about every position you have listed on your resume; you never know when an employer will ask you about something on your resume that you may have forgotten about. Finally, remember practicing the actual interview scenario with someone. The Career Connections Center offers its Express Drop In service, where students can come in for mock interview without an appointment. 5) Applying to Unrealistic Positions Students are encouraged to reach for the stars and apply to jobs they may be slightly underqualified for on paper. It is understandable that as emerging professionals, students will want to prove their worth and land a job that may be slightly out of their reach. However, you have to self-reflect and assess if you genuinely have the skill set and experience for the position. If you have only had one year of internship experience and you only apply to jobs that require 3-5 years of professional experience, your chances of getting an interview may be slim. It takes time to build experience, start by applying to positions that you are qualified for, gain industry insight and knowledge, and you’ll soon be on your way to applying for those dream jobs with the experience you’ve built. 6) Not Researching Industry Salaries

via GIPHY

Students should know how much they’re worth to be able to ask for or negotiate an appropriate starting salary. When doing salary research, use salary calculators  to help you determine what’s appropriate to expect while also considering your living expenses. Take into account the years of experience you have and the skills you have learned in your college career. Remember that your skill set will not be comparable to someone who has been working in the industry for five years, so be sure to have reasonable expectations in terms of salary. If you are unsure how to start the salary research process, the center holds a few salary negotiation workshops throughout the year. Check out or events on our website or Facebook page to stay up-to-date. Do you have any more questions about how to avoid job search mistakes? Make a career planning appointment today!

Are you new to LinkedIn or don’t know what to include in your profile? If you answered yes to either of these questions, don’t worry, we’re here to help. At the Career Connections Center, we want to help you succeed during your job search. And because LinkedIn has turned into a tool for job seekers and recruiters, we’re here to make sure that you, as a job seeker, are ready to stand out among the competition. Matthew Cowley, one of our assistant directors for career and professional development, recommends the following LinkedIn profile must-haves so you can stand out to employers. 1) Make Your Profile Picture Industry-Appropriate

via GIPHY People often assume that LinkedIn profile pictures need to be serious and professional but that’s not always the case. For example, someone who works in an university student affairs department needs to have a professional picture, but it should also convey that they are friendly and welcoming. A polished, yet more relaxed photo would be appropriate for this individual. A lawyer, however, may consider having a crisp and serious professional photo to represent them. To know what kind of photo is appropriate for your industry, do some research. Search for people in your industry and examine their profile pictures. Once you determine a pattern, take a picture that matches what is industry appropriate. 2) Write a Solid Headline Unless you write your own headline, LinkedIn will automatically populate it from the most recent job position you have listed. This isn’t ideal because your latest position isn’t reflective of all your experience, interests, and goals. Your headline should be strategic. It’s the first thing that people will see and it’s necessary to have a hook to draw them in. For current students, we recommend making it as specific as possible. A weak headline would be: “I am a UF student in the College of Journalism.” A solid headline would be “I am a junior at UF majoring in advertising. My interests include graphic design, photography, and video editing.”  Also, note that the headline is keyword searchable, so incorporate keywords that you’d like to be found by here. 3) Write a Summary This is a LinkedIn profile must-have that a lot of people skip. The summary is your opportunity to give potential employers a snapshot of who you are. Let’s put it this way. If the headline is “the hook,” the summary is what will convince people to continue reading about you so they can put together all the information you’ve provided. This section is especially important for students who are pursing a career that is not directly linked to their major. 4) Show that You Have Been Involved

via GIPHY

Under the Volunteer Experience section, make sure to list all the extracurricular activities that you have been involved with that are relevant to your career goals. This is your chance to show things that go beyond your resume. Use this space to tell about the things you’ve learned and to tell a story about yourself. Remember that your LinkedIn profile should not be an exact replica of your resume. This section gives you the chance to be more personable and tell things that recruiters wouldn’t ordinarily see in a resume or cover letter, so take advantage of it. 5) Include Your Skills

via GIPHY

The skills section of your LinkedIn profile is keyword searchable so filling out this section comprehensively could not be more crucial. By listing all your skills, you are helping LinkedIn rank your profile to potential employers. Try to find inspiration in the job descriptions of companies that you’d like to work in, and if you have that skill, include it in your profile. One misconception students have is that the skills section only applies to “technical” skills. But these skills include anything that will be essential to your job. Examples of non-technical skills to include in your profile are leadership, team building, or public speaking. 6) Make Relevant Connections Inviting your friends to connect on LinkedIn is great, but it will not help you grow your professional network. If you are majoring in linguistics but all your friends are engineers, that will not help you meet people who can potentially help you get a job in your field. If you don’t have many friends in your field, invite classmates that you’ve worked with on school projects or professors from previous classes. You can also go to UF’s alumni page and request people who you know that graduated, but you didn’t make a connection earlier. Our recommendation is to start out by making at least 50 to 70 connections. If you’re ready to have a top notch LinkedIn profile, follow these tips, or make a career planning appointment to get an in-depth look at how you can spruce up your LinkedIn profile. You can also stop by the Career Connections Center, Level 2 in the Reitz Union, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. during our Express Drop-In hours. Sharing is caring…do you have a solid LinkedIn profile headline that you want to share below in the comments?

Not all positions, industries or employees are the same but there are some universal and transferable qualities that all good employees possess. We spoke with Dana McPherson, the Career Connections Center's  Marketing and Digital Media Manager, to see what she values in her employees.  

1. Trustworthiness

There has to be a level of trust in any boss-employee relationship. Without this fundamental trust, a thriving and productive relationship cannot be formed or won't be able to grow.

2. Integrity

Integrity is a vital characteristic for all employees. It is important for employees to remain honest with their supervisor and to operate based on the moral and ethical principles of their company.

3. Desire to Try New Things

Bosses want employees who are willing to take risks and try new things, without being reckless. Creativity and the ability to come up with new ways of thinking are both valuable traits for any employee in any field.

4. Takes Initiative

A good employee steps up to the plate without being asked. Bosses want people on their team who will take action, adapt to changing circumstances and be ready for anything.

5. Team Player

For a department to be successful, it needs to operate like a team. A good employee will be a team player, keep those around them in consideration when making decisions and always have the goals of the team in mind.

6. Lifelong learner

A boss loves nothing more than an employee who is always eager to learn. An employee should never feel too complacent or comfortable in their position and constantly be looking for new things that can contribute to the success of the team and company. While you're in school, use your time in internships, part-time jobs and clubs to practices these qualities of a good employee. Not only will it impress your current boss or supervisor but it will set you up for longevity and success in your future, full-time career! Make sure to visit our blog for more career-related tips!

Have you ever wanted to work in startups?  You’re not alone! Startup companies not only have the reputation of being innovative but also of providing employees with a casual and fun office environment. To work for a new company that offers you endless room to grow, you have to know what that company is looking for. Startup companies have different needs than an already established company. While working for a startup may seem like an attractive option, there are also certain aspects you must be comfortable with such as accepting change. If this sounds like your dream job, these are the four qualities that employers look for in their hiring candidates.

1. Curiosity

As a prospective employee, you have to be curious not only about the purpose of the company but how it wants to grow. In a startup company, ideas are constantly flowing among its creators. The ability to have a curious and open mind can help you evolve with the company and will show your superiors that you too want to think of unique ideas that lead to expanding the company. [caption id="attachment_4918" align="alignleft" width="345"] Source: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/why-startup-company-internship-was-my-smartest-move-in-college[/caption]

2. Work Ethic

A casual and fun office environment comes with a lot of work—sometimes, at bizarre hours.  Working in a non-traditional office may mean non-traditional hours. To work in a startup company, you must have amazing work ethic. The business’s success not only relies on your bosses but the employees as well. Since a startup company usually relies on a small team, your job description isn’t your only responsibility. You have to be game to get your hands dirty and roll with the punches. Forget about how the company can help you, how can you help them? [caption id="attachment_4919" align="alignright" width="430"] Source: https://yourstory.com/2016/09/customer-communication-changing-landscape/[/caption]

3. Communication

For a startup company, internal and external communication is key. Unlike an established company, the employees of startups also serve as the public face of the company. Having effective communication increases the number of opportunities your company is presented with. As a potential hire, make sure that you are aware of your social media sites and ensure that you are using them efficiently.          4. Ability to Take Risks To work in startups, you have to be able to gamble a little. Success is not guaranteed with any company, which is why startup companies thrive on employees who provide innovative ideas and aren’t afraid to think outside of the box. The best part is that if your idea doesn’t work out then its okay… Startup companies are okay with trial and error as long as it doesn’t have a negative, long-term effect on the company.   Looking to work in startups? Make sure to check out Gator CareerLink for the most recent job openings.    

Seniors! That time we all have been waiting for is fast approaching—caps, gowns, and CAREERS?! It seems like it was just yesterday that we were getting lost just roaming around campus and now we are about to take the most important walk of our lives across the graduation stage. While that in itself symbolizes many things, perhaps the most nerve wracking one is figuring out how to find a job after college. While leaving the planning for later might seem appealing, it could ultimately hinder you from getting your dream job. So when should you start looking? The best answer: the sooner the better. Many students fail to realize that the job searching process isn’t measured in the span of days or weeks but by months. In order to limit the amount of stress caused by this process, you should use these tips:

1. Prep Yourself

Before you go dive into the job search make sure you’re well prepared. This means several things:

• Update your LinkedIn profile
• Update your website (if applicable)
• Update your resume
• Write cover letters
• Get recommendation letters

2. Research

Nine times out of ten, your job search will be smoother if you research companies that you’re interested in working for. Going in blindly can be overwhelming and extremely discouraging.

3. Time

Don’t wait until the day of graduation to start applying for jobs. You should begin early in the beginning of your last semester. Normally, recruitment takes up to two months so starting early is not a bad thing. Just remember to include your expected graduation date in your applications.

4. Apply For Roles You Are Qualified For 

Not all roles are for entry level candidates. It is crucial that you use your time wisely and apply for jobs you can actually say you’re qualified for. Also, look out for lines on applications that say “perfect for a recent grad.” That is for you!

5. If You’re Not Applying, Network. 

If it’s too far out to apply, take advantage and network with as many people as possible. We highly encourage to go to any career fairs or workshops hosted by companies where you may be able to network. If you are still wondering how to find a job after college or if you want more job search tips, make an appointment with a career adviser on Gator CareerLink.

A personal professional website can be a great tool to show employers the work you have done and showcase your skills. A professional website is something that students of all majors should consider making. We sat down with Jaime Harsell, the Career Connections Center's Assistant Director for Career and Industry Engagement, and she gave these four reasons why you should create a personal professional website.  

1. Professional Branding

A professional website can help you curate your own professional brand. It is an invaluable tool to show employers who you are as a professional, outside of your resume.  

2. Becoming a Better Writer, Editor, and Critical Thinker

Through the creation process that comes along with making your own website, your writing and editing skills will improve. You will have to write original content for every page and edit it for grammar and logic. via GIPHY  

3. Finding Your Own Voice

Your professional website can help you discover your professional voice. Do you want to come across as serious and proficient or more relaxed and creative? Whichever route you choose, you can use your website to communicate your voice to employers.  

4. Professional Development

Creating your own website helps you retain the information from your coursework and synthesize it with real world application  

---

  A personal professional website is an easy-to-access, online portfolio of your work, accomplishments and professional self. If used correctly, a website can propel you to new job opportunities and beyond. via GIPHY   Still need help with your website? Schedule a Career Planning Appointment through Gator CareerLink for help with your website, resume, interview and so much more!   By Caroline Redmond

When thinking about graduate school, you may be trying to convince yourself you need to have every question answered before you blink. And while you should have your ducks in a row before furthering your education, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and not know where to start. Skip scouring the Internet and let us help you explore the possibilities of graduate school. We are debunking the common myths about considering and applying to grad school, so you don’t have to.  

via GIPHY MYTH: Freshmen and sophomores can’t explore graduate school options. It’s too early. TRUTH: It’s never too early to start exploring grad school options. While plans may change by your junior or senior year, it never hurts to have a long-term career plan. Career plans give you a better understanding of what steps you need to take to achieve your goals and helps you visualize your future.   via GIPHY MYTH: It’s too late for a senior to think about graduate school in October. TRUTH: It is not too late; you can still apply! This also depends on what entrance exams are required for your program, like the GRE, LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, etc. and when you can schedule those. Ideally you don’t want to be rushed with your decision, but it can be done. A career planning appointment at the Career Connections Center can help you accurately plan out your preparation timeline so you aren’t left scrambling.   via GIPHY MYTH: I shouldn’t apply to grad school because there are no federal government grants for graduate students.                                                                                                                 TRUTH: It’s true that there aren’t any federal grants for grad students, but you should still fill out a FAFSA, it could grant you eligibility to student loans. Graduate Assistantships often provide partial or full tuition reimbursement, and often include a stipend. Grants and fellowships are other ways to find funding for research positions. Private scholarships can also help reduce tuition costs.   via GIPHY MYTH: I need to have my thesis/dissertation topic figured out before graduate school. TRUTH: You should take your first semester of grad school as an exploratory semester to figure out the topic of your research. This semester can be used to network, talk to academics in your field, and to do research. The time will fly quickly, so don’t wait too long to decide after your first semester.   The Career Connections Center will be hosting Graduate Education Week starting October 22. The series will begin with workshops that that will help you get started with graduate school preparation and culminate with the Beyond the Swamp Fair, an event where over 100 graduate schools from around the country will be present to network with UF students looking to explore grad school as an option after undergrad.  Visit Career.ufl.edu/gradseries for more information.   *This article has been updated to reflect the 2018 Graduate Education Week start date.      

As a first or second year student it can be hard to imagine how you need to start preparing for leadership and professional opportunities on and off campus. With campus leadership positions at your reach and internships on the horizon, it’s never too early to discover how to maximize that potential. We created the Career Success Institute (CSI) for students like you. CSI is a program designed to help you develop your sense of self as it relates to your future opportunities and leadership development. Not finding and developing a leadership style could be a potential crime scene to your career if you aren’t prepared. Here are five reasons to apply to CSI.

1. Leadership Experience

via GIPHY Let’s be real, we all know you don’t want to be the underdog forever. But in order to be a boss, you have to act like one and you can’t do that without obtaining experience as a leader.

2. Working with a Diverse Team

via GIPHY No matter what industry you’re going into, you are bound to meet and work with people from all walks of life. It is crucial that you not only know how to work beside them but know how to gather your experiences and talents in the name of success.

3. Develop Your Resume/Cover Letter for Future Opportunities

via GIPHY Developing and fixing your resume can be one the most frustrating things ever, but it doesn’t have to be that way! The staff at the Career Connections Center are fully trained and equipped to not only help with your resume but to highlight your best skills and experiences that will leave any recruiter saying “this is who we are looking for.”

4. Creating and Marketing Your Professional Brand On and Off Campus

via GIPHY It’s so important to know how to promote the experiences you are getting now to land a job in the real world. In order to knock it out of the park, you need to know who you are and what your brand is. How else can you successfully take over the world?

5. Develop Insight about Yourself through Career and Leadership Assessments

via GIPHY Before others are able to see you for what you are, you’ll need to figure yourself out first. Through various assessments like quizzes and activities, CSI will help you gain insight about yourself that will help propel you into a successful career. You’ll be able to take advantage of all of the above through CSI, a six-week series that starts in October. The application closes on September 30th . If you’re ready to become the best version of yourself and develop your leadership style, apply today. For more information, visit our CSI webpage.

Being an online student has its advantages…the flexibility of attending class from the comfort of your home or from the corner coffee shop, engaging with your professors from anywhere in the world, and having access to some of the impeccable resources that a campus student has. Whether you’re in Gainesville, FL or on the other side of the world - the Career Connections Center has services for every University of Florida student to take advantage of. Here are different online and virtual resources as recommended by Assistant Director for Industry Relations Kelly Barton.

CHOMP

via GIPHY One of our most popular online resource is our online tool that helps students figure out their passion and how it can relate to a major. CHOMP, which stands for Career Help or Major Planning, has the ability to help you explore potential majors and careers by taking an online survey about your interest and goals. From there, you can use these results to research majors and career fields more aligned with your interests.

Career Planning Appointments (Online/On-the-Phone)

via GIPHY Another resource that can be helpful is a career planning appointment and in today’s world, you don’t need to be physically present when you meet with your career counselor. Students have the option to Skype or phone in to get all of your career questions answered. With career planning appointments, we can even look over a resume or personal statement via video calls. Who says you need to be in town in order to get the individualized career help you need?

Mock Interview and Resume Tips

via GIPHY On top of career planning appointments, you can also navigate through our Gator CareerLink (GCL) portal and find useful resources like resume handouts, cover letter templates, LinkedIn profile examples, and virtual mock interviews that you can use as you prepare for applying to your dream jobs! With technology, you no longer need to wait to practice your interviewing style, you can simply log into GCL and begin recording yourself and review your responses, body language, and other vocal techniques you want to improve on.

Virtual Career Fairs

via GIPHY One really useful piece of our office is the ability to network without the need of being physically present. We’ve highlighted three of our biggest virtual fairs that can be useful for any student studying engineering, political science and everything in between.

SEC/ACC Virtual Fair

This fair is a career fair made for over 25 schools that fall in the SEC or ACC. Companies like Wells Fargo, Boeing, and Enterprise attend this virtual career fair to recruit students for internships and full time jobs. The SEC/ACC Career Fair will take place in early 2018.

Just In Time Virtual Fair

The Just in Time Virtual Fair is a fair held during the summer to help students who are looking for that last minute internship or opportunity to gain experience. This virtual fair is open to UF students and alumni.

Graduate and Professional Schools Fair

This fair is a graduate school and professional school fair that has the capability to go virtual as needed; schools such as UF College of Medicine, Georgetown Law School and many others are available to speak to about their grad schools and respective programs. Our GAP Fair will take place on October 18, registration and attending schools can be found on our website. On top of these fairs, there are many other networking opportunities to be found on our Gator CareerLink website, like virtual JPMorgan networking series and different virtual career fairs held by various companies and entities. Many of these can be found on our “workshops” tab in your GCL.

UF Career Services App

via GIPHY You can expect different tools and widgets in the new UF Career Services App that has similar usability as the website. From the app, you can schedule career planning appointments and find maps on the layout of different career events and fairs. The app, which is available in the Apple Store and Google Play, will become your one stop shop on all things career on a mobile platform. Make sure to download the app on your mobile device and download our 2017-2018 Career Events Guide. From there, you will be able to see all the major events happening for the next academic year. As a student at UF, you shouldn’t be limited to career development on campus. Whether you’re studying abroad, taking time off or just need a day at home, we’ve got your back. Make sure to utilize all of our countless resources and visit crc.ufl.edu and log in to your Gator CareerLink profile for everything career related.

By Caroline Redmond It’s job and internship search season, and the first step to a successful search is a great resume! Are you struggling with how to describe your experience on your resume? If the answer is yes, take a look at our list of transferable skills that many employers are looking for. No matter what your background is or the career path you are taking, these skills, along with some helpful key words should be included on your resume to catch your favorite recruiter’s attention!

1. Communication/Interpersonal Skills

Regardless of what your future goals are, communication skills are key. Adding keywords like assisted, guided, and taught to your resume shows employers that you are able to communicate your ideas to others clearly.

2. Adaptability

  Employers are looking for people who can adapt to anything that the job throws at them. Include buzz words like adjusted, fixed, and amended on your resume, it will show employers that you are the adaptable candidate that they are looking for!

3. Leadership

Keywords like led, controlled, and delegated communicate to employers that you have experience leading a group, which is a highly marketable skill.

4. Analytical Skills

via GIPHY Keywords such as developed, solved, and reviewed show employers that you are able to assess a situation or problem and decide an outcome. Remember, employers like people who come up with solutions, not problems!

5. Innovation

The value of being able to come up with new ideas and methods of thinking is not overlooked by employers. Use keywords like founded, proposed, and shaped on your resume to showcase your creative side.   No matter what your background is and what field you want to go into, these are five transferable skills that all employers are looking for! Put these keywords on your resume and you’ll be on your way to greatness! via GIPHY Did you add transferable skills to your resume but still need help? Come by the Career Connections Center weekdays from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. to have your resume personally reviewed by one of our Career Ambassadors.

By Caroline Redmond, Marketing Intern For most people, it seems like an interview and stress go hand in hand but it doesn't have to be that way! We talked with Allie Simon, the Career Connections Center's Senior Assistant Director for Career and Professional Development, and she gave us these five tips on how to calm you interview nerves:

1. Visualize

Before an interview, think about how you would ideally want to present yourself in the interview and then visualize yourself doing it. Think about how you want your personality to come across to your interviewer and picture this. http://giphy.com/gifs/culture--think-hmm-d3mlE7uhX8KFgEmY  

2. Take a Deep Breath

Don't forget to breathe! An interview can be a high-pressure situation but it is important to take a breath and collect yourself. When an interviewer asks a question, take a breath and think about what you want to answer. This process can slow down the interview and give you time to think about an intentional and thoughtful response to questions. http://giphy.com/gifs/maury-deep-breaths-3o7qDG6DXSQYRRMNgI  

3. Control Outside Problems

Before the interview, it is important to prepare beforehand so you can control outside problems. For example, figuring out where the interview is, if there will be traffic on the way, what you need to bring with you, etc. You can contact the recruiter before the interview with these questions, they will be happy to help! Remember- it is always better to over budget for time and arrive early than to under budget and arrive stressed and late. http://giphy.com/gifs/thehills-the-hills-1x05-105-3orif0C9va5XEfwrL2  

4. Think About Your Routine

The night before your interview it is important to center yourself. Think about what makes you relax and then do it; it could be exercising, watching your favorite movie, calling your mom, etc. http://giphy.com/gifs/hulu-nbc-scrubs-l0MYtRl33WaN4HGBq  

5. Use Built-in Breaks

If your interview is longer and more complex, be sure to utilize all of the breaks that they give you. For example, if there is a 15-minute bathroom break, use ALL of the 15 minutes, no matter if you have to go to the bathroom or not. These breaks can help break the day up and give you some much needed "you" time. http://giphy.com/gifs/nba-basketball-nba-all-star-xTiN0HQJ5RpR97kj16   During an interview, you want to stay calm, cool and collected. Interviews are a crucial step in the job process and we know that they can cause stress but use these five tups and you will be on your way to getting your dream position! http://giphy.com/gifs/madeahalloween-l0MYsD20YurCGasOA   The Career Connections Center is always here for you. Stop by Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. to get your resume or cover letter reviewed or for a mock interview!

For people with three internships, eight leadership positions and a plethora of honors and awards throughout their college experience, creating a resume can seem pretty easy. But for those who may not have work or internship experience, building a resume can be daunting. We talked to Jessica Phillipe, a recent graduate (UF ’17) and Career Ambassador about some tips on how to build a resume without any internship or work experience: 1.) Not all “work or internship experience” has to be paid

via GIPHY Though students are exceptionally hesitant to save the experience section on their resumes for paid jobs and internships, consider volunteering and unpaid activities as work experience. These roles can leverage your ability to be a good member of your community while showcasing your communication and interpersonal skills. 2.) Involvement, involvement, involvement! Work experience isn’t the only piece of the resume employers and grad schools are looking at. Involvement is just as important! Whether its related to your major or not, whether you are a part of Greek life or not, being involved or committed to a cause is extremely important. It’s never too late to get involved and find things you’re passionate about. Leveraging these interests can go a long way to catching the eye of a recruiter. 3.) Leverage the “quality over quantity” via GIPHY Remember that having two or three meaningful pieces on your resume can go a long way as opposed to having a wide assortment of involvement and job experiences that may not seem as meaningful. Employers hold weight over quality of work and the length of time you’ve done something rather than a lot short term activities on your resume. 4.) Match your relevant skills to those of the job Using your multitude of skills, whether inside or outside the classroom, you can always create a more strategic resume that fits the needs of the employer. You can always create a master resume with all your activities, classroom experiences and involvement and filter out with only relevant information. Be sure to use the job descriptions to match your skills with key words and traits of the job posting. Having a specific resume for every job you apply will show your future employer that you took time to build a resume for that organization. 5.) Consider your academic projects, papers and coursework as “experience” via GIPHY Running from class to class may not seem like an important skill to have, but the information you learn in class is. Leveraging your research skills, qualitative and quantitative knowledge, and ability to juggle different classes simultaneously can be easily implementable into your resume. Specific projects that required different software knowledge can be placed under a “Project Experience” tab of your resume. By using these tips, you can build a resume that fits best for you and the job you’re applying for. Bring a draft of your resume to the Career Connections Center, which is temporarily located in The Gallery on Level 2 of the Reitz Union, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and get it edited by our incredible Career Ambassadors.

By Caroline Redmond Applying to graduate school can be a confusing process and you might be struggling to figure out where to begin. via GIPHY But don’t fret! Melissa Lyon, the Career Connections Center’s Assistant Director for Career and Professional Development, wants to give you these useful tips for applying to grad school to help you get started with the process!    

1. Decide What Is Best For You

What do you want? Reflect on your purpose for going to graduate school, and what you need in a program to feel like it is a good fit. Is location important? Size of a cohort? Access to resources? Etc. Only pursue programs that will fit those values.

2. Do Your Research

Each program will be different, with different requirements. It’s up to you to know what each program is looking for and what documents are required, what tests to take, etc.

3. Stay Organized

Stay organized. Applying to grad school is like taking a whole other class- there are many deadlines and documents to keep track of. Don’t make it easy to be turned away from a program because you didn’t submit something on time!

4. Perfect your personal statement

Tailor your personal statement. Your personal statement should answer the question of why you will be a good fit for this program. It should reflect the research you’ve done on the institution. If there’s a specific question, make sure you answer it! via GIPHY

5. Ask questions

Talk to professors, current students, alumni of the program, people you know, etc. to learn more about the institution, the skills you need to be successful, and whether or not it will be a good fit. Don’t be afraid to ask for tips to applying to grad school! Think you’re ready to start applying to grad school? Come out to the Career Connections Center’s Graduate and Professional Schools Fair at the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom on October 24^th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to talk representatives from a wide variety of schools from law to medical school with everything in between! Can’t make it to the fair in person? There is also a virtual version of the fair!   For more information visit http://bit.ly/GAPFair          

The job/internship search process can be tedious and exhausting. And it can be especially discouraging if you’re not hearing back from employers or if they respond to your application saying that they’re pursuing other candidates. While this situation can be upsetting, the worst thing you can do is give up. Instead, take a step back and see how you can change your search strategy. Allie Ricker, the Career Connections Center’s, Senior Assistant Director for Career and Professional Development, shared some of the biggest mistakes students make during the job search process that hurts their chances of getting an interview. 1. Not Assessing the Job Posting Carefully

via GIPHY

Reading job postings and assessing them carefully is key to increasing your chances of being invited for an interview. After reading the job description, determine if you are qualified for the job. While it is always good to explore dream positions, make sure to apply for jobs that you are qualified for. Allie’s recommendation is to apply to jobs that you meet at least 75 percent of the qualifications listed. Whether that is in terms of time working in the industry, soft skills, or technical skills, make sure that you meet most of the basic criteria to make yourself competitive. If not, more qualified candidates will most likely always get the interview. 2. Not Customizing Your Application Materials Every job has different requirements. If you want to demonstrate that you meet these requirements, you need to customize your application materials accordingly. Customization can range from the content you include in your resume to how you arrange and present such content. Make sure that the requirements that are important to a particular position are easily visible in your resume. Some positions receive hundreds of applicants, which is why customizing your resume to suit the position you’re applying to can make you stand out from the crowd. Don’t forget about customizing your cover letter. This document gives you a chance to show why you’re interested in the position and what you could contribute to the company if hired. Telling your story in cover letters is not a one-size-fits all. If you want to get an interview, a relevant cover letter can be the way to get your foot in the door. 3. Only Applying for Jobs Online

via GIPHY

The Internet makes everything easy and convenient. Nothing beats being able to apply to jobs from the comfort of your own home, especially when so many job postings are online. However, you’re limiting yourself if your only job search method is applying to positions online. According to the 2017 edition of What Is Your Parachute: A Practical Manual for Job Hunters and Career Changes, applying online only works four percent of the time on average. That said, you shouldn’t rely on a single source to look for jobs. As a student, take advantage of all the career fairs happening year-round or use your network to ask for job leads. If you haven’t built a network of people who are in the field you’re interested in, consider joining organizations or attending events that will connect you to the appropriate people. 4. Not Using All Your Resources A mistake that students tend to make is that they don’t use the resources available to them. At UF, students can come to the Career Connections Center for career-related advice, regardless of the year they are in. From programs that help you explore majors, to resume reviews, and mock interviews, the center is here to make sure students have all the tools they need to find jobs that interest them as well as getting interviews with employers. Apart from using the center, students can also seek guidance from professors or their college’s resources. Students should know that they don’t have to go through the job-search process alone. If there’s help available, take advantage of it. 5. Not Readjusting Your Job Search Strategy

via GIPHY

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein. If you notice that there is pattern of you not being invited for interviews, take a step back and change your strategy. Persistence is good, but not if you continue doing something that’s not giving you the results you desire. In this case, rework your strategy by considering one or all the tips above. The tips above are just some that can get you started, to receive a custom job search strategy, make a career appointment today. Our team will be happy to help!

Have you heard that Career Showcase will be on January 24th and 25th 2017? That’s right, we are only six weeks away from our biggest career event, which will be back in its original location: The Stephen C. O’Connell Center. For those worried that they aren’t prepared to come face-to-face with employers, don’t sweat it; you have plenty of time to start preparing but the earlier the better. Many students don’t know where to start and luckily for you, we’ve gathered the five most important tips to help you get prepared.

1) Your Resume is EVERYTHING

via GIPHY Creating or editing a resume can be tedious; don’t wait until the weekend before Showcase to start. Take advantage of the winter break and edit your resume as much as possible. Once the spring 2017 semester begins, come into the Career Connections Center and have a career ambassador look over your resume to perfect it before Showcase.

2) Elevator Speech: Practice Makes Perfect

via GIPHY Knowing how you’re going to pitch yourself to employers is vital. You can’t go up to them expecting to just spark conversation and interest. Reality is, employers see hundreds of students during Showcase and your elevator speech is what’s going to determine whether you stand out amongst the many. Writing down your elevator speech and practicing two to three times is not enough. Rehearse until you get it down perfectly, if saying it in front of a mirror feels awkward, then recruit one of your family members to act as employer.

3) Research Employers

via GIPHY With hundreds of employers attending every year, Career Showcase can leave many students feeling overwhelmed. Avoid this feeling by researching which employers will be attending Showcase and making a list of the ones you would like to talk to. Before career showcase, you should take this list and further research the companies to grasp their identity and what they stand for. Knowing this can help you prepare your elevator speech to include skills that the company is specifically looking for. To find a list of employers attending the 2017 spring Showcase, visit Gator CareerLink.

4) We’re Hiring: But for What?

via GIPHY Along with researching the company itself, you should also look into the type of positions that are available. This will further narrow down the list of employers you should talk to. It important to note that if you feel strongly about working for a specific company, then we fully encourage that you talk to them anyway. Just because they don’t have the specific position you are looking for currently available, it doesn’t mean they can’t make one for the right candidate. Researching the positions available will assist both you and employers when it comes to making decisions.

5) Dress to Impress

via GIPHY Dress accordingly! Rompers, khaki shorts, and sneakers are not okay. This is a business formal event and it’s imperative to dress the part. If you don’t know the difference between business casual and business formal then click here. For those of you who don’t own a suit, make sure to stop by the Gator Career Closet and rent out everything you need from dress pants to accessories with your Gator One ID. We look forward to seeing you back in the O’Connell Center for the 2017 Spring Career Showcase! If you feel like you need additional help, make an appointment via Gator CareerLink to talk to one of our Career Advisors. Or, you can always drop in Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to have your resume reviewed by a Career Ambassador.

“The beauty of the impostor syndrome is you vacillate between extreme egomania and a complete feeling of: ‘I’m a fraud! They’re on to me! I’m a fraud!’ So you just try to ride the egomania when it comes and enjoy it, and then slide through the idea of fraud.” – Tina Fey What is the Imposter Syndrome? “I feel like a fraud”. I can’t remember the first time I noticed it, but it’s been the voice in the back of my head for a while. This voice has told me that I’m not good enough, that I don’t know what I’m doing, that I don’t belong. It’s silenced me from speaking up and sharing my voice or even just trying things that I may or may not be good at. As I’ve progressed throughout my academic and professional career, I learned a named for this voice. It’s called “imposter syndrome” and it occurs when you have a persistent pattern of self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy, to the point of feeling like a fraud, despite evidence to the contrary. The unfortunate side of imposter syndrome is that the more success and achievement you gain, the more pronounced it can become. Success gets attributed to external factors or luck and can actually result in feelings of guilt, like you didn’t actually deserve your accomplishments and recognitions over others. And sometimes it’s just weird to think of yourself as a professional anything. Maybe you’ve never thought of yourself as a “successful college or graduate student” or maybe you’ve never identified with any professional you’ve met. It’s hard to believe you are that person – that engineer, teacher, doctor, or lawyer – when you can’t relate or identify with anyone like that. Where does it come from? Being at a prestigious and selective university, it’s easy to compare yourself to everyone around you. Sometimes it seems like students are involved in so many clubs and activities and you are just struggling to get by. You may even wonder why you were accepted to college in the first place or ask yourself, “If they knew who I really was, would they have accepted me?” The truth is that others people’s achievements have no bearing on your worth or talent. Most of us are just trying to figure it out and none of us are perfect at what we do, even the most accomplished among us. It also takes some trust in the powers that be that yes, you do belong here and you were accepted for a reason. Beyond that, family expectations, identity – and intersections of identities, higher level coursework, perfectionism, depression, and anxiety can all be confounding factors that can contribute to feelings of imposter syndrome. Without digging too deep into these factors here, please contact the Counseling and Wellness Center (CWC) at (352) 392-1575 if you need someone to talk to or more support. What can you do about it? Name and accept the feeling. It’s okay to feel this way and a lot of people do. It may be uncomfortable, but it can be powerful to name and accept these feelings, sit with them, and let them pass. And eventually the more you do this, it becomes less of a big deal and easier to talk about. Cultivate a growth mindset. Focus on the learning or process of something rather than the result. Embrace challenges, be open to feedback, and understand that just because something is hard for you now, doesn’t mean it will always be. Embrace failure. Let go of the need to be – or appear -- perfect or the best. Allow yourself to be vulnerable enough to make mistakes or show a weakness. Even if you don’t know the answer to a question or how to do something, try it out. This is where the learning happens. Humanize your idols. Stop putting people you admire on a pedestal. (Yes, even Beyoncé). Again, none of us are perfect. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and focusing on the perceived perfection of others can really exacerbate these feelings. Talk about it. Talking to your friends, peers, or a counselor about these thoughts and feelings can help to normalize them. Your parents, professors, and mentors have probably dealt with these issues, too and can help. Of course, all of this is easier said than done. It takes practice, persistence, and support. One space to find that support is through Career Conversations, which are informal, small group conversations facilitated by a Career Connections Center staff member. Here you will be able to talk with other students with similar questions and concerns surrounding issues related to career and professionalism. Have you ever experienced the Imposter Syndrome, if so share how you have overcome those feelings below.

Career planning. For many students, these two words automatically cause a wave of stress but that shouldn’t be the case. As a UF student, you have a lot of support when it comes to career planning. The Career Connections Center and individual UF colleges offer a variety of free career services to help you plan your future. Between classes and extracurricular activities, life can definitely get a little hectic but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t carve out sometime to take advantage of the career services available to you. One of the most important aspects of planning your career is to start building a professional relationship with your career advisor. We have gathered the top four tips on how to start building a professional relationship with your career advisor.

1. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

Seems simple enough, right? It is! The first step is to step into their office. There is nothing to be afraid of because they are trained and looking forward to helping you. If you’re looking to see one of the advisors at the Career Connections Center, simply make an appointment through Gator CareerLink. If you prefer to meet with an advisor in your college, make sure to research and utilize the appropriate channels. Want an advisor that’s familiar with your college but not necessarily part of it? The Career Connections Center has liaisons for a variety of UF colleges. Find your college’s liaison here.

2. KNOW WHAT THEY DO

How can they possibly help you if you don’t know what they can help you with?  If you need assistance with making career decisions, grad school, application documents, interviews and job/internship search then look no further! Career advisors are trained specifically to assist you with these things. If you’re looking for help regarding academics and/or scheduling of classes, then you should visit your academic advisor.

3. HAVE AN OPEN MIND

Prepare to explore! As Melissa Lyon, Assistant Director for Career and Professional Development said, “You’re the CEO of your career.” There’s a misconception behind career advisors but the truth is they won’t tell you what to pursue. Instead, they will help you work through your values, interests and skills to determine the most strategic action to take. They don’t govern your career; they are your partners.

4. FREQUENCY IS KEY

Some students’ think that one appointment is enough… it’s not. You should really keep a consistent schedule and visit your advisor 2-3 times during the semester to update them and expand your interests. Done fixing your resume? Do you now need help with a cover letter? How can you use your previous experiences and skills as a mechanism to get hired? These could all be separate appointments. You should let your advisors know about your interests, goals and dreams. Career planning is vital if you want a smooth transition as you go from college student to professional. Whether you’re figuring out what you want to do or know your goal and just need help on figuring out how to get there, our career advisors are here to help you. Don’t be shy and make your appointments today!

When you’re on the hunt for a job you may come across a posting that seems too good to be true…incredible salary, work from home, vague or low level of responsibilities. However, we’re here to remind you that if an opportunity seems too good to be true, it probably is. In career services, we call those who post fake listings ‘fradulent employers’, and unfortunately, we have worked with students who have experienced negative interactions with as such. Engaging with fraudulent employers typically have financial implications for students who are not well-versed on reading and reviewing job postings. Here’s a real-life example. Recently, someone was posing as a University of Florida staff member in need of an assistant while he was out of the country providing services as a doctor. This person used what looked like an @ufl.edu email address. Once they made contact with a student, they changed email addresses to a gmail account and began to instruct that person to deposit money through an “e-check” to start on some tasks. Additionally, the student was told to keep some of the money for theirself. There are several problems with this. Once the student deposited the check into their account, which is a large sum of money, they “withdrew” the funds to purchase iTunes gift cards, or wire it to a different account for their employer. The catch is that the check is a fake and has no actual value. The student is now out of the money that was withdrawn (or supplied) to complete the task and the the amount of the check. Per the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Information website about fake checks, “you’re out the money because the money you wired can’t be retrieved, and you’re responsible for the checks you deposit — even though you don’t know they’re fake.” This is just one example of how someone pretends to provide our students with a job opportunity. Some fake employers even go the distance to say that they are with our student employment office. Below are some seven general fraudulent job posting red flags to spot a fraudulent employer. Red Flags 1. You received a random email, or check, out of nowhere 2. The job only says that they need help, but there are no specific tasks or duties 3. Employer will only communicate via text or email but will not speak on the phone 4. They are sending you money without meeting in person 5. You do not sign any formal hiring paperwork 6. The employer indicates that they need a “virtual assistant” 7. The salary for the position is much higher than you might anticipate – for example, if they are advertising $30-$50 per hour to work “whenever you want”, that is likely not a legitimate offer Here are action steps to take if you are contacted with an “opportunity” like this: Action Steps • Do NOT deposit any random checks that you receive in the mail without potential verification. Bring your “checks” to the bank to deposit, bank tellers are trained to identify fake checks • If someone with an “@ufl.edu” email reaches out advertising a position, look them up on the UF Directory and Google® the department for their name. You can always call the department to determine if the “person” works there and is actually looking for an assistant • Report the fraudulent email to abuse@ufl.edu and notify Erica Betz at EBetz@ufsa.ufl.edu to assist with the tracking of frequency If You Have Already Lost Money • File a police report with the University Police Department If you are questioning a job posting and wondering if it's legit, let us help you. Send a note to EBetz@ufsa.ufl.edu for assistance.

Career Showcase offers great opportunities to students like you - one of them being the ability to network with employers who are hiring for full-time jobs or internships. During recruiting season, you have the opportunity to network with employers not only during Career Showcase but also during information sessions, and employer-led workshops. The questions that many students want answered about networking range from ‘how do I approach an employer? to ‘what do I even talk to them about’? We have five tips to get you confidently networking! Prepare by Doing Your Research via GIPHY One way to feel more comfortable navigating a networking event is by doing your research. Research what companies are going to be there and what positions they are hiring for. Also, once you find companies you want to talk to, dig a little deeper and read their About Us page, learn about their mission, vision, and their culture. These will be good talking points to get a conversation started! Ask Things You Want to Know via GIPHY This may sound obvious but really think about what you want to know about the organization you are eyeing. If you are talking to a recruiter from a large company, you may want to know if your voice will be heard. If the location of the company is in a northern state, you may want to seriously ask about the weather and how employees manage during temps you are unfamiliar with. You get the idea. Ask questions that will let you know if you will be a good fit in the company. Mind Your Body Language Participating in a networking event is nerve racking. Of course trying to have a conversation with someone you don’t even know is intimidating! But just because you are nervous, your body language does not need to give that away. Make sure to make eye contact, stand comfortably but stand up straight, smile, and talk with your hands. This shows that you are comfortable and staying engaged in the conversation, which makes the person you are talking to feel comfortable talking to you as well. Remember: Quality Over Quantity It is easy to want to talk to as many people as possible but remember that quality conversations go a long way, even if that means not talking to as many people. Do not rush your conversations with someone just because you feel like you have to talk to other people. Pay attention and listen actively; if you meet this person in the future, this can be a “Hey, remember you mentioned…” talking point, and this shows that you are a good listener. Make sure to build real, significant connections with the people you talk to at networking events because those are the times of connections that will help you professionally in the future. Follow Up via GIPHY Following up with someone you met at a networking event is a good way to show how much you value that connection and also to possibly keep you at the forefront of the recruiter’s options. Don’t get lost in the crowd. Visit employers at Career Showcase, then research to see if they are hosting an information session so you can follow up with them there. Remember to get a business card so you can email employers you connected with to thank them for their time and express how great it was to meet them (this does not mean you should be emailing them every day, flooding their inbox, but a nice email after Career Showcase can go a long way. Do you have any other questions about what to do at a networking event? Let us know below!

Caroline Redmond, Marketing Intern Your first week on the job is an awesome and exciting time but it can also be pretty scary because there are so many unknowns. We sat down with the Career Connections Center’s Matthew Cowley, Assistant Director for Professional Development and Experience, for tips on how to survive your first week on the job.

1. Take a breath and celebrate that you got the job

         A lot of people get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the first week that they forget to stop and take a moment to celebrate the fact that they got the job!  

2. Take care of the logistical things first

Before you even get on the job it’s important to answer questions like “what forms do I need to bring in?”, “how long does it take to get there?”, and “where should I park?”  

3. Get there early

Plan to arrive early during your first week. There are many factors that could make you late, like traffic that you might not be used to. You don’t want to be the last one to arrive!  

4. Know the dress code

Ask what you should wear before your first day. You don’t want to show up in business casual (see our “So what exactly is business casual?” post) when everyone else in suits.  

5. Get to know your co-workers and the work environment

It is important to learn how your co-workers like to communicate. Does your boss prefer when you call them? Or would they prefer you to come into their office and talk in person?  

6. Don’t try to start to early with actual work

Don’t get so excited with your new job that you forget about training.  

7. Be patient with yourself

Remember- this is new to you!  There can be a lot of pressure and it is easy to get nervous so it’s important to take it one day at a time. On average, it takes about one year to fully adjust to a new position so don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be completely adjusted right away!   Our career planning services are open to UF graduates up to a year after your graduation. If you have questions about starting a new job, schedule a time to talk with our career planners in Gator CareerLink.

Preparation is the key to a successful interview

Kimberly Chin, Marketing Intern You've applied for a few positions and now you have an interview. So how do your prepare? Nadene Reynolds, Associate Director for Professional Development and Experience at the Career Connections Center, shared some questions you should think about before heading off to your next interview.  

1. What does the job entail?

Some people say “Yes” to a job without really knowing what they will be doing. Have an understanding of your tasks and responsibilities. Know what you are getting into and if you don’t, those questions need to be answered during the interview process. This will help you identify what skills to present to the employer. You can’t highlight your strengths and abilities if you don’t understand what you’re matching them to.  

2.  What questions do I have for the interviewer?

Don’t wait until the day of the interview to start thinking what you will ask. This is an opportunity to learn about whether this job and organization are right for you or not. Prepare questions ahead of time and practice the questions out loud or with a Career Ambassador at the center.  

3. What experiences do I have that translate well to the position?

Your resume got you the interview but it’s not enough to get you the job. Be able to talk through your experiences in a way that makes sense to a stranger who hasn’t experienced it. Tell the story of what you did and what you gained from your experiences. The employer might not be able to understand the depth and time commitment your roles took so make sure to communicate these well.  

4. What is the interview schedule?

If it’s an all-day interview or there is a facility tour be mindful of the shoes you’re wearing. You want to make sure that you’ll be comfortable the entire time.  

5. What do I need to know about the organization/job?

Do thorough research of the organization and find out as much as you can. Spend some time browsing the employer’s website and learn basic facts about them. Review the benefits of the job and identify the particular values you have that relate to where the organization is going.   Let us help you get ready for your interview. We provide face-to-face Interviewing practice for immediate feedback and evaluation. You can receive a mock interview at any time during our Express Drop In hours. For an online mock interview, log in to Gator CareerLink and click on the “Resources” tab.

Caroline Redmond, the center Marketing Intern

  If you are like most college-age students, you will be asked to arrive somewhere in “business casual”. Also, if you are like most college-age students this will be your face when someone says, “Attire for this event is ‘business casual’.”   When did business casual become this well-known phrase that everyone is just supposed to know what it entails??   Was there a worldwide seminar on business dress that we all missed? How are we supposed to know?   Is this business casual?? They are wearing a suit and a dress which is business-y but the denim really makes it more casual don’t you think?   What about this??   Should I wear a suit??   What kind of suit?? Does a superhero suit count??   We sat down with the Career Connections Center’s very own professional fashion guru Matthew Cowley, Assistant Director for Professional Development and Experience, to answer the burning questions that could be the difference between getting the job or not.  

So…what exactly is business casual?

  Matthew: “It’s almost literally removing some of the elements of business professional…It’s a more relaxed version of business professional. For young men it’s usually slacks or khakis and a button down. You can wear a tie or a sport coat if you want to but it’s not required. For young ladies it can be a wide variety of things: slacks and a nice blouse, a skirt with a nice top, or a dress with a blazer. For young women, business casual tends to start to look a lot like business professional.”  

Is it better to be over or underdressed?

Matthew: “It’s always better to be over dressed than underdressed. If you don’t know what to wear it’s always better to be over dressed. You don’t want to show up and be the only one who didn’t get the memo that it was business professional.”   **One special tip Matthew had for the guys was to wear a suit to an event if you don’t know the dress code. If you show up in a suit and everyone else is dressed more relaxed, it’s easy to take off the tie and/or jacket and be more casual! It’s easy to manipulate an outfit if you go over but not if you go under.    

If a student is going into an interview what should they wear: business casual or business professional?

Matthew: “First, go by what the employer specifies. If they say business casual, wear business casual. If they don’t specify anything, wear business professional.”   So there you have it. Now go forth, get that internship or job, be prepared for the workplace, you got this!

Six Ways to Take that Next Step

Kimberly Chin,

the center Marketing Intern

  Graduating from college is a major milestone. We asked Julia Fleming, Assistant Director for Career Development, for her advice for the Class of 2016. Here are her words of wisdom.  

1. Stop comparing yourself to other people

Understand you are not alone in this even though it may feel like you are.  

2. Create a vision (self-reflection)

Ask yourself if you were guaranteed to be successful, what you would be doing. Think about what you want your next step to look like. Go as far as deciding what you want to do in a typical day and where you would live.  

3. Think about your choices

After you figure out your vision, hopefully some choices have popped up in your head. Narrow down what you want to do and decide how you will move forward with it.  

4. Set a Goal

This is always important. I want to be doing this by insert date here or I will apply for insert amount here jobs a week. This really depends on your vision and what you want your next step to look like.  

5. Plan out action steps

A goal is just something out there and does not become reality until you take action on it. Make an action plan with small obtainable goals within the larger goal. Stop by the Career Connections Center to update your resume and CV. Figure out where you can find specific jobs. Be Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Realistic. Time specific when planning. Being time specific is really important because it will keep you on track.  

6. TAKE ACTION

Find an accountability buddy, someone who is in the same boat as you. Keep each other accountable and morale up. You will be more likely to stay on task.   As an alumni of the University of Florida, you can access our many services. You can attend career fairs (including Career Showcase), workshops and employer information sessions. Click the link below to access to job opportunities listed in Gator CareerLink.

You know what career path you want to take, why not get started as quickly as possible.

Kimberly Chin, the center Marketing Intern

To get a job, you must have experience. Internship opportunities are a great way to develop the professional skills you can use to land a full-time opportunity. We asked Julia Fleming, Assistant Director for Career Development, to highlight some of the important considerations to make before going after that internship.

1. Figure out the industry or job type that you want. Do you want to work for a Fortune 500 company, a nonprofit or just any internship in your field of study?
2. Start big then narrow down your search. Look at specific companies. Ask yourself are you location bound. Decide on whether you would accept a nonpaid internship or only paid internships.
3. Use your network! This is the most underutilized approach and can be very helpful with your internship search. Talk to faculty members because they have had students in the past that have gotten internships. Talk to members of student organizations that you are a part of or even just classmates. They could give you advice on how they got their internship.
4. Don't be afraid to reach out to past internships if you have had them. Reach out to the supervisor and ask them if they know of any other internships. It’s a small world.
5. Come in to the Career Connections Center to get all your documents reviewed.
6. Go through the Gator Professional Series: Navigating Your Search track. It teaches you how to build a resume and cover letter, network, how to navigate the internship process and how to be successful on the job after you get the internship.

For a list of workshops, visit us here.