To Bow, or Not to Bow, That is the Question.

Fair Spring is upon us and campus is awash with the visual delights it brings.  Seersucker is resplendent in striped glory; white bucks gleam with care; pastel colors abound with new vigor; and the bow tie graces the neck of many an Auburn Gentleman.  With all of these clothing inspirations strutting before us, some may even be tempted to purchase a new bow for their job search or to jazz up their already established professional wardrobe, but before you saunter into your favorite men’s clothier and commit to becoming a member of that most noble and honored league of bow wearers there are several things to consider…

On the Job Interview

It is important to note that bow wearers are in the tie minority.  When you see them you notice them.  Bows are individual, striking and at times loud.  It takes a certain amount of moxy to confidently wear a bow in a straight tie dominated world.  They do a magnificent job of drawing attention to oneself.  So at this point you’re likely saying to yourself: “By Jove, then the bow is the perfect way for me to stand out from my peers and have jealous looks cast upon me.  I’m rushing to the haberdashery this very instant.” Cool your jets Bennie.  As a bow tie wearer myself it brings me great pain to write these next words, but… DO NOT wear a bow tie to your interview.  Yes you will stand out, yes you will be remembered, but often not for the reasons you desire.

I know, you’re likely a little morose at this point.  I’ve spent all this time discussing how amazing bow ties are and now suddenly, a stupendous let down.  You’re thinking, “But Torey, Robert Frost said to take the road less traveled and it made him happy as a lark in springtime. Surely he knows what he’s talking about.”  Don’t listen to Robert Frost, he’s a dead poet laureate.  I am your alive career counselor, and in this instance conformity is suggested.

Picture if you will, this scenario.  Two dapperly dressed gentlemen interview for a position.  Both are smartly fitted in dark suits; matching shoes and belt; well-manicured and coiffed hair; but one wears a straight tie, the other a bow tie.  They both provide articulate, well-delivered and thought out answers to pivotal interview questions.  Our traditionally tied friend is remembered later for his pointed responses, the diverse use of language and delivery.  Our bow tie wearing friend is remembered as “that guy who wore a bow tie”.  Which of these do you think wins? If you guessed the former, you would be correct.      

The entire, let me repeat that, entire point of an interview is to be remembered for how well you sold your candidacy as a potential employee.  Instead, if all you are remembered for is your accoutrement selection, then you have failed.  In the vast majority of interview situations the bow tie is not your friend.  Stick with the traditional, if however tired, straight tie.  Your future paycheck will thank me and you for it, and once you have the job you can reward yourself.  Go on, newly hired employee, get that bow, you deserve it.

On the Job

Once you have secured your hard-won employment our tie discussion changes.  Without question, our dear poet laureate friend Frost gives terrible advice about the interview attire, but on the job he’s not that bad.  However, before you break out that brocaded floral paisley number in tasteful lilac, cream and accents of gold, you should pay attention to your workplace culture.  Notice what your fellow employees are wearing.  Are ties of any sort common? Have you seen an elusive bow before? Is there a strict dress code policy?  Will you be castigated, called mean names and subjected to all sorts of heinous treatment for daring to wear a bow? Ok, maybe not that last one, but you get the picture.

A bow tie can be a great way to punch up a drab professional wardrobe or to showcase a little personality.  (I have a fondness for those tasteful floral paisley numbers; bold stripes and polka dots, but that’s just me.)  Recognize, the thing about wearing bow ties is that you must be confident.  One cannot wear a bow tie think every whisper a verbal jab or every finger pointed a spear of judgment.  They could just be marveling at your taste and refinement.  Will disparaging comments be made, probably, but they’re likely just jealous.  Pay them no mind.

Bow ties are fun, and if you are going to wear one have fun with it.  Don’t be afraid of their tying complexity (Pro Tip: They’re Not), nor the looks of the passerby.  We started with a question —–should you bow tie or should you not bow tie– and now an answer: it depends.  As in all things, use critical thinking, do your research and above all else ask your alive career counselor if you have a question.

  

What Do You Do with a B.A. in English?

My sister-in-law, who is a freshman in college, came to visit sunny Alabama for spring break. We talked about her college classes, her friends, joining the intramural bowling team, and finally came to the topic every relative of every college freshman trots out during family gatherings since, well, the dawn of higher education.

Her major.

Turns out, she likes her ancient history class and knows all the names of early Roman emperors. She fantasizes about traveling to the Mediterranean to dig up the bones of our pre-historic ancestors. I thought as hard as I could, accessing all my career super-powers, and acclaimed, “Have you thought about majoring in history or anthropology?”

She had, of course. Astonishing how many people know what they want without even a counselor’s super-powers. Then:

“But you can’t do anything with a history major.”

Ah, my friends, here, as Hamlet says, is the rub. What will the history major do after she’s graduated? Or, for that matter, the English, art, philosophy, music, Spanish, or theater major? It’s no secret only a select few write the next great American novel or land roles on Broadway, and these few not only made the best grades, gained huge amounts of related experience since age five, and created connections with all the right people. Plenty of liberal arts majors have done the same. The “professional” liberal artists of our generation also were born under some, even if it’s barely twinkling, lucky star. The hard truth is that, yes, almost all liberal arts majors do not “do” what they “went to school for.”

But not being able to do anything with a liberal arts degree? That’s just unimaginative. You’re a liberal arts major, right? Haven’t you learned to be creative? To find answers to problems in new ways?

What about those excellent writing skills you gained in Personal Essays 311? You learned to work as a team with every cast and crew member for the curtain go up on opening night, right? What about that verbal fluidity you loved cultivating in Ethics, ferreting out holes in classmates’ arguments? And hey, didn’t you perform well under pressure during your senior recital, even though you also took four classes and served at Mellow Mushroom this spring? These are called transferable skills , and, my dear liberal arts major, employers want them.

I’ll tell you another secret: these employers don’t care if you developed these skills as a business major, family studies major, or liberal arts major, but they need you to make that connection between your degree and your transferable skills for them. It’s up to you to explicitly flash the following in neon lights: “Developed Strong Leadership Capabilities Through Stage Managing Cast Of 50.” Otherwise, they’ll never know how jam-packed full of skills that theater degree really is.

Who are these employers? And how do you find them?  

Honestly, they’re everywhere. Now, these employers certainly do not hire liberal arts majors for positions that require specific degree paths (think nurses, engineers, architects, etc.), but every engineering firm and every hospital needs people to organize, schedule, promote their services, and basically keep their business running. Find a company or organization you like, and look at the position posting section on their website. I guarantee you’ll find positions for the liberal arts major, more than likely camouflaged in titles like “Coordinator,” “Outreach Assistant,” or “Social Media Editor.” Truly, liberal arts majors can be found anywhere, and do not just end up in education (tell that to the aunt who inevitably asks at holiday dinners, “What are you going to do with that- teach?!”), unless, of course, they want to be teaching. 

But there’s another glitch to gaining that position. Not only does the savvy liberal arts major market her transferable skills well, she plans ahead. She knows that it’s not enough to just have a degree, but that almost all employers are looking for related experience. If she’s going to be hired right after graduation, that means she has to gain experience while still in school. This means pursuing an internship, co-op, or volunteer opportunity within the industry in which you’re hoping to work.       

So, go on, major in your most-loved subject, and create a career plan. Be prepared that, more than likely, your career following graduation may not be exactly in that subject area. This may be frustrating. I argue that if you’re convinced you shouldn’t major in art because you won’t be able be able to use that degree, well, then you spend your entire college career and beyond not doing art. But if you major in art knowing you might not get to use all aspects of your art degree, you at least spend four years immersed in your passion, and then hopefully are in a better position to either engage in art in your spare time following graduation while earning a living, or find ways to incorporate your passion into your current position.

For example, an English major who works in a career center can volunteer to write a blog post on using a liberal arts degree. 

Shari Black

Graduate Assistant in the Career Center

pursuing PhD in Counseling Psychology

Bachelor of Arts in Theater and English

"This is my experience..." Intern Spotlight - Bradley

Bradley Addison, a senior in Supply Chain Management at Auburn University, landed a full-time job with Dow Corning after interning for them during summer 2012. I talked to Bradley recently about his internship experience and asked for his advice to other students considering an internship experience. 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am currently a senior and will be graduating August 2013. I have always enjoyed being involved on campus with various student organizations such as ASCMA, DEI, Alpha Kappa Psi, and the College of Business Student Council. I always make a point to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way and to take the initiative needed to be successful. My goals are set high and I will use my strong work ethic and drive to achieve those goals.

Where did you intern and when did the internship take place?

I participated in a Procurement Internship with Dow Corning this past summer 2012 in Mt. Meigs, AL.

Describe your internship experience and the responsibilities you had.

I was given goals and responsibilities for my internship that allowed me to get a picture of Dow Corning and the industry that it was in as well as gain some experience in the Procurement function of the organization. My goals/responsibilities included:

• Analyze site spend and achieve an annualized cost savings goal
• Map and document workflows of the site to identify bottlenecks and improve efficiency
• Evaluate INCO terms of supplier base
• Interface with site suppliers
• Present findings and project progression to site and corporate management

My internship experience was very valuable not only to my professional development, but to my industry knowledge development as well. I applied things I learned in the classroom to my internship and then applied things I learned during my internship to the classroom. I could apply the concepts I was learning in class to the real-world experiences I had with my internship.

I was even flown out to Kentucky to participate in an intern trip that toured the company’s facilities in Kentucky and Tennessee. It was a great networking opportunity!

Have you participated in any other internship opportunities during your college career?

This was my first true internship experience. I have worked for the Auburn University Career Center since I arrived at Auburn as a student Peer Event Planner but have not worked directly in the Supply Chain Management area of a company.

Do you recommend that other Auburn students participate in internships and why?

I not only recommend, but think that it is essential for students to participate in an internship. It will give you an immediate advantage when searching for full-time employment. Even if you end up not enjoying your internship as much as you would have liked, it will still give you great experience and will provide you with effective talking points during an interview. You will gain hands-on experience in your field of study and will have incredible networking opportunities with professionals in your field. Cast your net wide and apply for as many internships as you can. Do not get discouraged if you are rejected! With enough effort you are almost guaranteed to receive some type of internship.

What are your career plans following graduation?

I was interviewed at the conclusion of my internship for full-time positions. I was offered a job and accepted it within a couple of months. I will be moving to Midland, Michigan to work at Dow Corning’s corporate headquarters in a Transportation Management and Supply Chain Planning role.

If you are willing to relocate, career opportunities will greatly increase for you!

Student Perspective: Overview of Career Center Resources

In addition to providing excellent resume assistance and career guidance, Auburn University’s Career Center offers a myriad of services to those students who are currently in search of part-time or full-time opportunities, co-op positions and internships. Traditionally, job searches were conducted through use of local newspaper advertisements and bulletin boards; however, due to advancements in technology, the national influx of recent graduates as well as national job shortages, locating and acquiring positions has become an almost daunting task. Furthermore, thanks to online services such as: Interview Stream, Career Shift, Going Global and USA Career Guides, Auburn graduates remain at the top of their game in job placement.
Listed below, you will find brief descriptions of the previously named services and how they may be used to aide you along your job search:

Interview Stream is the pioneer of online video interviews. This remarkable software provides students who will be interviewing for jobs and on-campus positions with the resources necessary for acing the interview process. Through use of Interview Stream, students may engage in virtual interviews specifically customized with questions relative to the position in which the student may be applying for, view examples of successful interviews, and watch interview webinars that provide tips from interview experts on how to successfully market oneself to a potential employer. Students have the option of using Interview Stream services on their PC, Mac or iPad as long as each of these technologies is equipped with a video camera and microphone. The student then has the option to watch, assess and share their interview for further critiquing.

Career Shift provides job hunting and career management solutions proven to aide job seekers in securing employment. As stated on Careershift.com, “CareerShift is available to everyone simply by signing up and logging in; or through institutions and organizations nationwide.” CareerShift is a top performer in providing assistance to students in landing jobs. The “My Jobs” function allows the user to view every job posted at every website. “My Contacts” facilitates the networking process by allowing the user to find, save and organize a list of contacts. “My Documents” allows the applicant to upload or create, edit and save resumes and other documents related to their job search. “My Campaigns” allows the applicant to send documents via mail or e-mail. Lastly,“My Calendar” reminds the applicant of arranged appointments and interviews; the applicant has the ability to setup both e-mail and text reminders.

Both Going Global and USA Career Guides are services created by Mary Anne Thompson. These sites are comprised of individuals representing many different countries who all share the commonality of having worked outside of their native countries. GoingGlobal.com provides students with access to career and employment services for more than 80 worldwide locations. It is the only career resource of its type. Local experts who also provide annual updates regarding those positions have researched each posted job. Thompson and her staff are committed to encouraging international employment and delivering useful and unique material to help applicants make an informed decision regarding job opportunities away from their homeland.
For further information regarding use of these resources, please contact the Career Center at 334.844.4744 or via e-mail at cdsserv@auburn.edu.

Peer Career Advisor Post by: Kierra Rumph

Halloween Inspired Job Search To-Do List

1. Make a boo-tiful resume

Your resume is often the first impression you make on a recruiter. First impressions begin forming immediately when recruiter opens your resume and according to a study completed by The Ladders, you only have about 6 seconds to convince them of your awesomeness as a candidate before they move on to the next resume in the pile. In order to help the recruiter make the decision to bring you in for an interview, it is very important that your resume have a clear structure and an organized layout. Also, the study found that recruiters focused most of their attention on the applicant’s name, education, job experience and job start and end dates. Taking time to improve content organization and formatting can help recruiters quickly locate the main information they are seeking from that first 6 second review.

Action Steps: Visit the Auburn University Career Center during walk-in hours M-F noon-4pm for one-on-one help with your resume and use the AU Career Handbook for tips and samples.

2. Rid the skeletons in your social media profiles

Your past actions on the World Wide Web can come back to haunt you and with more companies reviewing applicant’s online profiles than ever, taking time to clean up your online presence is vital to the job search. First, Google your name to see what displays in the first two pages of results. Don’t like what you see? Check your Facebook privacy settings if you don’t want that information readily available to anyone and everyone. Keep in mind though that even the strictest privacy settings will not prevent recruiters from getting information. Remove any unwanted pictures, status updates and comments. Lock your Twitter feed if not using in a professional manner. Check your Pinterest account settings to turn off the search ability function in Google if you don’t want your latest pins popping up in a search of your name. Increase your activity in professional networking sites like LinkedIn to push your professional profile higher in Google search results.

Action Steps: Go to Google and search all variations of your name. Clean up social media profiles and build a professional profile in LinkedIn. Consider starting a professional Twitter handle or blog related to your industry. Sign up for Google Alerts when new information with your name is posted on the web.

3. Brew up a killer elevator speech

When meeting a recruiter face-to-face, a well prepared pitch or elevator speech can make a great first impression. Think about how you would wow a recruiter in a limited amount of time if taking a quick elevator ride with them. The elevator speech is a brief pitch of who you are, what you do, why you’re good (or the best) at what you do, and where you want to go from here. An ill prepared introduction makes it easy for a recruiter to pass up on reading your resume and inviting you to interview for a job. If you can’t sell your best skills and assets, why should he or she take time to read between the lines.

Action Steps: Prepare and practice your elevator speech before the next career fair, employer information session or networking event. Visit 15secondpitch.com for help writing your pitch.

4. Scare up some professional references

Most recruiters will ask for references at some point in the hiring process. And unless specifically stated otherwise, they don’t mean character references from your favorite Aunt Josephine or your best friend Sara’s mom who’s known you since preschool. To prepare for this request, think about 3-5 people who can serve as professional references and can speak about your skills and qualities as an employee or student. Start with current or former supervisors from your internships and part-time jobs who can talk about your on-the-job skills. Think about professors that you have developed a good relationship with or advisors who have gotten to know you well as a student. Talk to each person first to verify that they are willing to be a positive reference for you. Supply your references with a copy of your resume and the description of the job you are seeking. They will be better prepared to answer questions about your skills and abilities to perform that job when contacted by a recruiter.

Action Steps: Develop your list of professional references and discuss your job search plan with each to prepare for a call from an employer.

5. Develop hauntingly good interview skills

The interview is a chance to show your fit for the position and with the company. More than likely, if the recruiter has invited you to interview, he or she is fairly confident in your ability to do or learn to do that job. Now they are assessing your overall fit. Researching the position and company prior to the interview is a great way to learn about the organizational culture (i.e. conservative, zany, laid back, structured, etc.) and communicate your fit. Also, preparing for the interview by practicing typical questions may help you feel more confident about your skills when the interview time arrives. Know your best skills and qualifications and how they will benefit the company. Communicate how your previous experiences have prepared you for this new position. Make sure the employer knows why you are the best candidate for the job.

Action Steps: Develop your interview skills through online resources like Interview Stream or schedule a Mock Interview with a career counselor. Research the company by reviewing the website and talking to people you know who currently work or have previously worked for the company.

Wishing you a job search that is filled with treats and no tricks!