hello friends.
i've missed you all. it's been over a year since i've written a post and BOY OH BOY has a lot transpired. i come to you with new perspective, greater faith, and a new job.
let's play catch up:
last time we talked i was working as a marketing assistant for a small company. i worked there for little under a year and it was an excellent experience. i would advise anyone who is about to graduate or new in the post grad world to work for a small company. you get to do a lot which means you learn a lot. consequently, you learn and grow into a better person. from one small marketing role that started with sales calls, i got to write marketing collateral, social media posts, and produce a monthly newsletter. i also got vendor management experience as well as account management experience. it wasn't without bumps in the road, but it was extremely beneficial.
lesson one: walk before you crawl. it makes walking a lot easier.
if i hadn't worked in this role, i wouldn't have been able to move into a bigger and better role feeding off my previous experience. we're all in a rush to make 6 figure salaries and be financially secure, but who are we kidding? we're still kids trying to figure this game called life out. success will come, if you're willing to humble yourself in learn.
i was definitely rushing. i got my first loan statement and said "Jesus, have mercy - how am i going to afford this?". instead of managing my money, i began looking for more money. i worked two second jobs to no avail and then i started seeking a new full-time position. i was exhausted, underpaid, and unhappy. i searched for three months and couldn't find a new role.
lesson two: discipline is everything. you could be rich and still broke if you're not willing to say no.
so i pushed although life (in my case) Jesus was telling me it's not time for you to switch jobs. to give myself a break from financial turmoil, i applied to graduate school. BEST DECISION EVER. it was something i did for all the wrong reasons, but worked in all the right ways. I always wanted my master's degree and i'm so glad i'm now pursuing it. back to my job situation - so after about 6 months of searching i found a position! joyous rapture right? NOT.
it was completely the wrong role for me. i found myself in a old, dirty warehouse with miserable people doing hardcore sales on the phone while other employees were playing basketball behind me (strange, i know). i cried driving there everyday.
lesson three: trust the timing of your life. AKA trust God.
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." - romans 8:28
in a situation so crazy that if i explained it you would think i made it up, i found myself without work...for seven months. it was the longest seven months of my life full of many challenges both personal and professional. i lost two dear friends to death, a relationship, and my peace of mind. i had no idea why this was happening. i was angry with God and myself.
however, we must realize that nothing is in vain, but rather everything has purpose. from these ashes of my former life, i was given another. we focus so much on what we lost rather than what we can gain. on monday, i start the job of my dreams. this position is key to my future as a project manager. i just finished my first year of graduate school with a 3.85 this semester ( i want a 4.0 grr).
lesson four: temporary. everything is temporary including pain.
there were moments when i thought my life was over, where i didn't see the light at the end of the tunnel or the purpose in the pain. we must recognize that almost all feelings and situations are temporary. this means they have an end. life is made of building blocks and tunnels. you go up based on experiences or you go through experiences to another experience. in all of this know - there is a destination.
"Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be." - psalm 139:16
Showing posts with label employers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label employers. Show all posts
cheers.
amb
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i'm preparing for an interview tomorrow so, i've decided to share with all of you some important tips and tricks. we all want to be interview ready. preparation is key. if you don't prepare for an interview, you're not serious about employment. searching for a job is a job and you much treat it as such.
STEPS TO PREP
- you are a salesperson.
what are you selling? yourself. think of yourself as a product with benefits and drawbacks. the company is a consumer with wants and needs that you seek to fulfill. you want to highlight why they need you and why your product is better than the competitors.
2. know your resume.
you need to know everything about your product. thus, you should memorize your packaging. go over your resume until you know it front to back. they're going to ask you about things that you've listed so be prepared to answer without looking.
3. rehearsal typical interview questions
there's some questions that they going to ask...guaranteed. prepare for it ahead of time. it will prevent you from going through an awkward moment of umms and silence. also, it will increase your confidence knowing that you already have half the interview memorized. good preparation is key to success. you'll feel better and do better if you prepare for what's coming.
some typical questions include:
tell me about yourself
what are your strengths?
what are your weaknesses?
can you review your work history for us?
tell me about a time where you had to resolve a conflict
why do you want to work for our company?
here's an example of how to answer the question "tell me about yourself"
my name is alysha bellamy and i recently graduated with honors from albright college in may of this year. i graduated with a degree in business marketing. i always was curious about the role that marketing and advertising plays in convincing the consumer to go from interest in a product to purchasing a product. now i recognize that i would like to pursue a career in advertising where i can help transfer a company's vision into the mind of the consumer. i believe my strong communication skills, leadership, and creativity will help me in this pursuit.
4. know WHO and WITH WHOM you're interviewing
a) research the company before the interview. look at reviews of the company as well as their website for information and potential questions. they're going to ask you, as listed above, why you want to work for them. this step will help you answer that question. they most likely will also ask what you know about their company. gather as much information as possible so you can give a complete and full answer. if they've provided any company literature, read it prior to the interview. they may ask about it.
b) know the name of who you've spoken with and who you're interviewing with. nothing is more embarrassing then not knowing who you are interviewing with when getting to the office. furthermore, your custom cover letter should be addressed to this person
5. based on your research, have questions for the company
this interview is just as much about them getting to know you as you getting to know them. ask questions! as many as you can. make sure you have a understanding of what the job and company are about. asking questions shows that you're intrigued, listening, and seriously considering employment.
here's some good questions i like:
how will my leadership responsibilities and performance be measured? by whom?
can you explain what a day in the life of the position would be like?
what sets this company apart from its competitors?
when and why did you start working for this company?
is travel required for this position?
tricky business ---->> compensation questions
some say let the employer bring it, but i think that it is only fair for a potential employee to know the salary and compensation package for the job they're applying for.
prepare for this conversation by researching online what this position typically makes. good resources are sites like glassdoor.com
base your expectation on these numbers factoring in your education and experience.
know what you're worth, but be realistic. consider the worth of the entire package aka your benefits and retirement not just your annual pay.
6. check your online presence
keep your online persona clean. moderate your twitter, facebook, instagram, vine..etc for inappropriate content. i don't care how private your page is or what fake name you put it under, they will search for you and find you.
7. pack your bag properly
you'll need: multiple copies of resume and cover letter, a pen, a note pad, business cards(if you have them), porfolio( if you're in a creative industry), copies of recommendation letters or your degree if necessary, and the name of who you're interviewing with
8. get there EARLY
15-20 minutes early is excellent. make sure to provide extra time for your commute, finding the office, and checking in. if there is any paperwork to fill out prior to interviewing, that may take time too.
9. say thanks
after the interview, mail or email a thank you to your interviewer. make sure you have some method of contact information to do so. it's a good practice and it shows you're respectful and appreciative of the interviewer's time.
fun fact --> i got my thank you cards at staples for $3.99, they're fun colors that show off my personality and i handwrite them.
10. follow up
don't leave the ball completely in their court. ask for a timeline for the consideration process then follow up. if it's been a week, its absolutely appropriate to call and inquire about your application's status. you are your own advocate. don't stalk the company, but don't go with the flow either.
need more information?
i referenced a few things i read in passive panda's article about interview tips. it's an awesome read with tons of helpful tips and tricks. see it here
rock that interview! go in with confidence and own it. a successful interview is one part preparation and one part finesse. hope i helped with one portion.
-amb
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"things to do after graduating college"
i typed this phrase into google several times. there are many lists of things to do after you graduate college.
you can travel. you can work. you can apply to graduate school. you can start doing yoga.
there were many suggestions. the lists, in my personal opinion, were either too real (THERE'S NO JOBS OUT HERE SO GET USED TO BEING BROKE) or too soft (become a hippie until you figure something out).
i'll save you the trouble of sorting through the good, the bad, and the ugly. here's my very short list of things to do after college that i believe kill two birds with one stone. everything on this list will benefit you in your future career while giving you something to do for the moment. don't you love accomplishing multiple things at once?
things to do after graduating college
- volunteer
benefits:
- valuable experience that i can now list on my resume.
- keeps you busy and out of the house
- a variety of experiences keeps you well rounded and thinking
- may produce things you can use in your portfolio
i volunteer weekly at my mother's job. she works for a busy church office that can always use help. in total, i've accumulated three years of office/administrative experience that i can now list on my resume. you can list skills and experience that you've gained from hobbies and/or volunteering. find a place where you can volunteer that is relevant to your future or that will help you acquire favorable skills. if you can't find anything relevant, volunteering is an excellent answer to the question "what have you been doing since graduating college?".
2. network
benefits:
- builds your social network
- collecting leads for potential employment
- building bonds in your local community
approximately eighty percent of jobs aren't advertised consequently, you have to get out and learn about opportunities. networking is key to accomplish this. ask around to your peers, neighbors, family, and friends about opportunities or people they know that can lead you to opportunities. many sororities and fraternities have message boards where members exchange information. alumni associations for college also have forums. check out linkedin to connect with these organizations. keep your profile up-to-date. i've had several potential employers check my linkedin profile. join a club for professionals in your industry and attend events. be sure to bring business cards and copies of your resume!
3. exercise or any personal improvement activity
this one may sound ridiculous to some, but it's important to take care of yourself and your health. number three is really any activity that will lead to your personal improvement. do things that will allow you to grow as a person whether that's fitness, learning to cook, taking a trip, or being social.
when you do get a full-time position you won't have as much free time to do things that truly make you happy. identify those things now and pursue them so that when you do step fully into adult life, you are developed. personally, exercising and cooking relieve stress and place me in a positive mindset. i feel that when i get a full-time job i'll do these activities as my break from office life.
overall:
i think all post graduates should be realistic, yet positive. don't be discouraged if you don't get any bites at first. i received fourteen rejection letters before my first interview. as the days go by, stay positive. the job search is a process that requires you to put work in. you have to do your part. someone once told me that searching for a job is a job. it's all about the hours and effort you put in. hard work pays off.
number four is try, try, and try again. keep reaching for your goal whether it be employment or graduate school. opportunities are on the horizon for those who are hungry.
this is post grad life.
-amb
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so you've graduated, congratulations!
now what?
three weeks ago, i asked myself the same exact question. in the weeks leading up to graduation i wasn't excited like my classmates. i was nervous. i was scared. what would i do now that my schedule wasn't made for me? i would no longer have the responsibilities of a college student, but rather the duties of working girl.
what does that even mean?
a lot of my friends were annoyed with my sometimes ridiculous desire to have my whole life mapped out before graduation. they called it unrealistic and said it was okay not to have everything figured out. funny thing is...they now are feeling the anxiety and uncertainty that i was feeling about the future. everyone wants a plan, something that they know is going to work out.
so, being the intellectual that i am, i decided let me research post graduate life. i kept thinking there has to be a resource for recent graduates. i didn't really find one. i found clothing blogs about what to wear to interviews. there were articles here and there listing advice for recent graduates however, there was not a single source that i found for the total package. after seeing dozens of hopeless, depressing statuses and tweets i decided to create a blog where i can share tips and tricks i have found. i'm going to document my journey while passing along any helpful information i find.
this is "from class to corporate: #postgradlife"
-amb
