Missed Opportunity: A Lesson Learned

This time of year our office is flooded with students looking to do internships during the upcoming semester. Many students are excited to get hands-on experiences in their field of choice and can’t wait to get started. They want to get out there, make connections, build their resume and skills set, and make themselves more marketable in the months to come.

But not all students take advantage of the incredible learning opportunities gained through internships. They find this to be their biggest regret when trying to break into the working world. Here’s a recent example: An alum stopped in last week as he found himself in need of our services. He had graduated this past May and had already found himself frustrated. After chatting with him about his current situation, he openly admitted to his disappointment with himself for not doing an internship. His focus was in accounting/management and he was finding that temp agencies couldn’t even help him, due to his lack of experience. When I asked him why he decided not to do an internship, he said “I chose to make $300 a night at the bar rather than do an internship. Now I’m really kicking myself.”

So, if you’re tossing around the idea of whether or not you should do an internship, recognize that in this tight economy, internships help give you that edge against the competition.

~Sara

"Failure is success if we learn from it."

~Malcolm Forbes

Notes from the field-Highlights of Curry interns doing good things

As a Boston sports fan, imagine one of the most exciting internship opportunities you can think of. Yes… working for the Boston Red Sox. Paul Travaglini, a Management major, got that experience this summer. Paul also learned what it means to start at the bottom and the importance of always doing your best. He was assigned to the Security and Emergency Services Department and in addition to screening fans at the gate, was also given some rather mundane responsibilities. After a week of these “rookie” assignments he became a bit discouraged but did not complain and always gave his all. Shortly thereafter, he received a note from his supervisor informing him that his superior work ethic had been noticed by several of the area managers. He not only began getting more interesting and challenging assignments but got an opportunity to hone his communication skills. One highlight Paul shared was meeting and talking with White Sox centerfielder Ken Griffey, Jr.


Carrie Hormanski knows what she wants to do when she graduates and that’s be a police officer. This was her primary motivation in choosing to work at the Pawtucket Police Department for her internship. “This internship was important for me because I discovered why I truly want to be a police officer”, Carrie said , and “I made several new contacts.” She decided to come back to school to finish her degree although she was encouraged to apply for an open position by her site supervisor. He gave Carrie “Outstanding” ratings on her evaluation and we think she’s much closer to getting that dream job.

~Michelle

Economic Crisis and the Class of 2009

As I've been watching my retirement account take a nose dive, I've been thinking a lot about this upcoming class of 2009. Graduation is 8 months away and it's unclear what our economic situation will be in a few days, never mind a few months. Right now, things look bleak. The credit crisis has affected small businesses, Wall Street, homeowners, parents of college age children and more. The lack of access to credit has affected virtually every aspect of the economy including the job market. Many industries are experiencing layoffs as other companies collapse. I've gotten phone calls and emails from a number of alums who have lost their jobs and many seniors I've spoken to are paying attention to this crisis.

So what are you to do if you are graduating this year? Besides crossing your fingers for Washington to figure out how to stop the crisis, I have a few more recommendations for the class of 2009.

1. Don't wait until April to start looking for a job. Most likely your job search is going to take a while. Spend your winter break getting your resume perfected and conduct some research on various companies. If you were planning on taking the summer off, you may want to reconsider.

2. Start networking with family and friends now. Don't wait to contact someone about a career in their industry. Do it now. Begin figuring out who you have in your network and don't hesitate to contact them and ask to set up an informational interview. Start letting your network (i.e. friends and family) know that you will be looking for a job in a few months.

3. Don't assume that the industry you want a career in won't be affected. Every industry from retail to marketing, and from business to human services will be affected by this crisis.

4. Be flexible. If you are set on a job in a particular industry, you are limiting other opportunities. The more narrow your goals, the longer it's going to take to find a job. If you are open to working in different industries, don't hesitate to apply to jobs that interest you. Also think about having a Plan B in case you can't find a job in your industry. Plan B may include moving in with Mom and Dad, going back to your summer job, or postponing graduate school.

5. Be patient. It's going to take a while for you to find a job. This is the case even when the economy is strong. Make the most of your time and don't put your job search on the back burner.

6. We're here for you. Always remember that the Career Services Office is here for you and can help you with your resume, interviews, and job search. Don't hesitate to contact us about doing an internship, or attending one of our workshops or events. We will also continue to work with you after you've graduated, regardless of the state of the economy.

~Elizabeth

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt,

just how we play the hand."

~Randy Pausch, Last Lecture

Notes from the field: Stories and Highlights of Curry Interns doing Good Things

It’s a great motivator when your boss tells you you’re doing a good job. Curry Management student, Sam Beausejour, discovered this while completing a summer internship at Enterprise. He was regularly encouraged by positive feedback but also asked for constructive criticism so he could improve on his skills. “I really learned a lot this summer”, Sam recently said. “I know my professional presentation has improved and I feel much more confident.” Sam did so well, in fact, that he was one of two in the entire region to receive a $500 scholarship for his sales performance.
Congratulations, Sam. Nice job!


Another Curry intern, Com major, Colleen Keddy, had a very good internship experience this summer. Colleen was the primary caregiver for an adult woman with autism. “It’s hard work”, Colleen said, “but it’s rewarding.” It takes a special kind of person to do this kind of job and the folks at the May Institute had lots of praise for Colleen’s work. She was selected as “Employee of the Month” and was hired to return during Intersession.
Way to go, Colleen!

~Michelle

"Success is simple.

Do what's right, the right way, at the right time."

~Arnold H. Glasow

Thoughts about the value of work study...from the mouth of a recent grad.

You go to college to learn, plain and simple. Sometimes that learning happens in the classroom, sometimes that learning happens at internships or hanging out with other students, but sometimes that learning can happen in the least expected place of all: your work-study job. If someone had told me that the reason I would get my first job out of college was because of the experience I gained while working at my work-study position, I wouldn't have believed them. But that's what happened, and that's what could happen to you.

I worked in the Career Services Office at Curry for three years. Throughout those three years, I got my hands wet, so to speak, with the various activities that go on in that office daily. I assisted with event planning, student advising, marketing/PR for the office, filing, typing, answering and directing phone calls, all while utilizing office resources. I would help students with obtaining or exploring internships, study abroad opportunities, part-time and full time jobs, and choosing majors. Whether I was doing administrative office tasks, or calling up companies to get them to come to our career fairs, I was learning. I picked up a variety of skill sets that I wasn't even aware I was picking up, and actually enjoyed doing it.

When graduation rolled around and it was time to find a job, I applied at all different types of companies, organizations, etc. At each interview I would go, I noticed that a lot interviewers were interested in my work experience while I was in school. They kept going back to my time at Career Services. Of course, that wasn't the only thing they wanted to talk about, but they always seemed to find it interesting that I had done work-study and had learned so much from it.

Then I came across an open position at the Massachusetts Society of CPA's in Boston, MA for an Academic and Career Development Coordinator. After some research and reviewing the job description I realized that I would be helping high school and college students who were interested in the field of accounting, pursue that career through internships, job fairs, lecture series, etc. I would be servicing accounting students throughout the state of Massachusetts and although it would be more specialized to accounting, I would be using the same skills I learned at Career Services. The main theme of helping students find their way on their career path was still consistent. I had a feeling this was going to be a good match.

As luck would have it, I got the job and have been here a little more then a month. I'm learning a lot every day and know more about the accounting field then I ever thought I would, and more importantly I love it. I love the challenge of learning something new and using not only my Career Services Office experience, but also the skills I learned through my classes and professors. One of my co-workers and I recently were talking about the search process for my position and she told me, "It just really worked out great. I mean you had such a similar experience working at your school with what we do here, that it just made your resume stand out so much more." I couldn't agree more.

~Allison Sturchio, '08

Welcome back students!!

Welcome back to campus! We hope you will stop by to learn about all of our wonderful opportunities and resources in Career Services. It's never too early, or too late, to visit.

First Years Students:
Career Services can help you choose a major and assist you with self-assessments. Feel free to stop by anytime (M-F 8:30-4:30) to pick up information.

Sophomores and Juniors:
Participate in an Internship! Consider Studying Abroad!
Stop by Career Services to learn about the process of participating in an internship. We can also help you get started on studying abroad.

Seniors:
Career Services is here to help you transition from college life to work life. Stop by to learn about current job opportunities, company information, interviewing assistance, job search websites, help with writing your cover letter and resume, and graduate school advising. Don't forget to attend the Career Fair on March 31st!

Courses Offered:
EXP 2340-Introduction to Experiential Education (3 credits)
This course is the pre-requisite for doing an internship for credit. Sign up for this class in your sophomore year and get started on doing an Internship!

EXP 2800-Career Development (3 credits)
This course is designed for Juniors and Seniors and discusses topics such as resume & cover Letter writing, job search process, the world of work, interviewing tips, and more.

To learn more about all of these services and opportunities, contact Career Services to make an appointment!

~Elizabeth

Your Job Search is a Pie

I was speaking with an alum the other day regarding her job search and we got on the topic of posting resumes on job boards (Monster, CareerBuilder, etc). This is a common first step for recent grads and I'm always amazed at how many students rely on this technique as the sole way of landing a job. Months later they find themselves still unemployed and frustrated with the number of calls they've received from temporary agencies.

Passively posting your resume on a job board is probably the least effective way to land a job. From my experience, the vast majority of employers who pay money to troll resumes on job boards are temp agencies and staffing firms. Posting your resume on Monster is not going to result in a phone call from your dream company asking you to come in and interview for your dream job. I wish landing the perfect job was as simple as posting your resume on a job board, but it isn't. It takes a combination of techniques and tools (and sweat and tears) to find a job that excites you.

I often recommend to people to consider your job search to be a warm, delicious, pie. Each slice represents a different tool and not all slices are the same size.

The biggest slice of your pie should be the most effective job search tool: networking. It's important to remember that a significant number of jobs never make it onto a job board. The jobs you see posted on Monster or CareerBuilder are a fraction of the jobs that are truly out there. Many jobs are filled before they ever see the light of day. Networking isn't just about attending formalized networking events, it's about making every person in your life, or every person you meet, aware that you are looking for a job in X industry, or with Y company. Networking allows you to access jobs through word of mouth. It also gets other people on your job search team, which results in more ears to the ground.

The next slice in your pie should be the job postings slice. This does not mean picking one job board and checking it once a day. It means going to a number of different job boards, not just the large ones. Large job boards like Monster and CareerBuilder cost employers thousands of dollars to post jobs. Employers who post jobs on these sites are likely to be larger corporations with significant hiring budgets. Other sites like Craigslist.org or Idealist.org, cost significantly less so they tend to attract smaller companies, non-profits, and more unique positions. There are also a number of job boards dedicated to specific industries. It's important to research the industry you are interested in and find where those specific jobs are posted.

The next slice of the pie is to attend career fairs. The Career Services Office holds an annual career fair in the spring and graduating seniors and alumni are encouraged to attend. There are also many career fairs in the Boston area you can attend. Attending career fairs is a great way to learn about different companies, find out who is hiring and to talk to a recruiter. Attending a career fair is not going to necessarily land you an interview, but they can be effective. What other time during your job search will you have an opportunity to research a bunch of different companies at the same time?

The last part of your pie is comprised of a number of activities. These activities include cold calling employers, randomly sending out your resume, and posting your resume on a job board. These slices are sort of like the last part of the pie you wish you hadn't eaten. You're completely full, yet you decide to try and cram one more tiny slice in your mouth and all it does is make your stomach hurt. The same goes for these techniques: they are rarely effective and will probably result in a stomach ache.

Don't rely on one tool when you're looking for a job. Don't expect that posting your resume on a job board is going to get you anywhere and checking Monster every other day is not going to cut it either. Your job search should be a full time job and your time should be spent participating in a number of different activities. Not just one. Or even two. Your job search is a pie. There's more than one slice.

~Elizabeth

"Nothing will work unless you do."

~Maya Angelou

Google is your friend

I'm consistently surprised by the number of people who do not use Google as an active tool in their job search. I'm frequently asked questions like "Where can I find a list of financial companies in Boston?" or "How do I get licensed as a substance abuse counselor?" or "Can you tell me where the state police academies are in Massachusetts?" To which I usually respond, "Have you Googled it?" The typical answer is "no".

These types of questions are usually answered with a simple Google search. Three clicks later I have a list of financial companies, substance abuse licensing requirements, or the list of police academies in Massachusetts. Why does it not occur to job seekers to do the same?

Google is an incredibly powerful tool that should be used during the entire job search process. At the beginning of your job search it should be used to research industry information, company profiles, networking events, career fairs, salary ranges, and more. Most importantly, you should Google yourself to see what part of your history is floating around in cyber world.

Once you've begun to apply to jobs, use Google to do more in depth research on the companies you've sent resumes to. You've just received a call for an interview? Great! Google the name of the person you are interviewing with. Ideally you'll find information on their career, education, or their history with the company. You may find that you are from the same town, or went to the same college. Isn't this information you would want before that first interview?

I believe that Google is the best thing to happen to the job search process since the invention of the resume.

Use it. Google it.

~Elizabeth

"I think it's fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we've ever created. They're tools of communication, they're tools of creativity, and they can be shaped by their user. " ~Bill Gates

Congratulations to the class of 2008! And some thoughts...

When I think back to the first few months after I graduated, there are a few things I wish someone had said to me. So to compensate for the lack of advice I received after graduation, here are a few thoughts I'd like to pass along...

1. Don't hesitate to ask for help with your job search. Tap into your network, use Career Services, don't be afraid to ask a friend about openings in their company. At times your job search will feel like a lonely road, but it's other people that frequently open doors for you or lead you to opportunities.

2. The flip side of advice #1 is to remember that you are the captain of your job search. You are your own advocate. You should be leading the journey. Don't sit back and wait for your Dad/Mom/Sister/Aunt to contact their friend in the company you're dying to work for. YOU contact them. Don't hope that something will fall in your lap, go out and seize it.

3. Remember that your job search might take a while. It can take anywhere from 6 months to a year or more to find your first career related job. It takes hours of perusing job sites, weeks of sending out your resume, and months of interviewing to finally get a job offer. The process is time consuming. The only thing you can do is make sure you are spending as much time as possible on your job search. The more you put your job search on the back burner, the longer it's going to take.

4. Keep your options open. Maybe you have a dream of working as an investigator. Or maybe you've always wanted to be an investment banker. The reality is that you are most likely not going to get that type of job right out of college. You need to think of what jobs you might apply to that will start you on your path to becoming an investigator, or an investment banker, etc. Look at your first job out of college as a step in a direction; as new door to be opened. Hopefully that door, or first step, will lead you towards your dream job, but it very well may introduce you to a field or career you've never thought of.

5. Don't be too hard on yourself, but do your best. There will be interviews you bomb. There will be mistakes found on your cover letter after you've already sent it out. Try to roll with the punches. It's all a part of the process. Learn from each mistake and move on. We've all been there and have lived to tell the stories.

~Elizabeth

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." ~Thomas A. Edison

Welcome to Our Blog!

Welcome to the Curry College Career Services Blog! Our hope with this blog is to use it to relay information on a variety of topics including job searching, internship information, study abroad, graduate school, resume writing and more. We will use this forum to post interesting articles we've read, stories we've heard, conversations we've had, etc. Check back frequently to see what's going on.

Feel free to post any questions in the comments section and we'll do our best to answer them. Don't forget, you can always contact us for an appointment, or to ask a general question.

Enjoy!