PTT: How to Rock the Career Fair

Professional Tip Tuesday
This time, last year, I was probably freaking out a little bit. The career fair was quickly approaching and all of a sudden everything was starting to feel real. Graduation was 7 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days away. And I still had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. 

Oh, the game of life.

Walking into that career fair for the first time was terrifying and exciting. There were rows and rows filled with so many companies. Employers from all across the country were right in front of me. And I had no idea where life was going to take me.

Career fairs can be an awesome way to see your options, network, and open some doors. It's not very often you get a sea of employers who are hiring all in the same place. With all of that in mind, this week's Professional Tip Tuesday is:

How to rock the career fair. 

As you prepare for the fair, here are some questions to think about: 

1. How should you prepare?

• Research! If you know a little something, it will for sure set you apart from the masses.
• Use that amazing source we all have access to - the internet! 
• Spend 15 minutes and look up at least 5 companies that you know will be at the career fair and write down 2 facts about each of them. You won't regret it. 
• Be ready. Get all of your stuff together in advance. 
• Finalize your resume and have someone look it over. Print 5+ copies (depending on how ambitious you are feeling!). 
• Use a plain folder or padfolio to keep your resumes from getting all crinkled. Bring a piece of paper to take some notes and a pen.

2. How do you talk to employers?

• Be confident. Flash a big smile, go for the handshake if it seems appropriate, and say something super original like...
• "Hi, my name is Anna. I am graduating this May and I am looking for a full time job." 
• The research will help. But even if you see a company there you have never heard of, don't be afraid to wing it. Also, flattery will get you far.
• i.e. "Hi, my name is Anna. I am graduating this May and I am looking for a full time job. [Insert company name] looks like an awesome place to work.. can you tell me a little bit about it?" 
• Be open minded. Don't pass up an employer just because you don't think it's for you. Last year, I got a free trip to Texas just to interview for a company I almost didn't stop to talk to.

  

  My first 'business trip' flying in style into DFW International Airport.

3. How can you follow up? 

• Following up can be one of the most important parts. It's how you develop a network and show initiative. 
• Immediately after you leave a company's booth, take down some notes about what you talked about. Try and be as specific as possible. 
• After the fair, email the person or send them a message on LinkedIn. Use the notes you took to make it feel personal! 
• i.e. "Hi Susie, It was nice to meet you today. It was great to hear how much you like x about your job. I would love to learn more about your role and the company. What next steps are there for applying? Thanks for your time, -Anna"

Those are 3 big things that can help you make the most out of the career fair! Have you attended a career fair before? What are your go-to tips for talking to employers? Comment below.

And in case you were wondering.. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. But I think exploration is what your twenties are for :)

PTT: Strengthen Your Career

Professional Tip Tuesday

My sophomore year of college, I was a Resident Assistant in the biggest dorm at the university. It was a lot of fun - but for an entire year I lived and worked in the same building as the 21 other people that made up my staff. And as you can probably imagine, with a group that size we had just about every type of personality.

In the spirit of team building, we had training on ice breakers, fighting fictitious fires, and learning about our strengths.

I loved it all. I couldn't get enough of it.  And the strengths part really hit home for me. Have you ever taken a personality assessment? We took one called StrengthsQuest that gives you your "Top 5". My Top 5 Strengths were: Empathy, Communication, Harmony, Positivity, and WOO (Winning Others Over). 

Today's Professional Tip Tuesday is:

How to take advantage of your strengths in your career.

If you ever get the opportunity through an organization or work to take a personality assessment - do it! They can be sort of silly but it's also kind of fun to read your results.

Below are my 3 tips to using your strengths to further you career:

1. Know what you're working with. 

• Whether you have taken a personality assessment or not, even just thinking through your attributes can be a really awesome way to gain perspective on your personal style. 
• Being aware of what you're good at will help you understand what value you add to a team. 

2. Play to your strengths. 

• It's not just about recognizing those strengths, it's about knowing how to use them. Based on my Top 5, I am a relational girl. That's where my skills really come in handy. 
• When you start thinking about the different skills each person is contributing, it can help you to figure out where you fit in.

A bunch of characters that made up an awesome team.

3. Embrace 'em. 

• Take pride in what you have to offer. Help others see what you are bringing to the table!
• It can also be to your advantage to bring them up during a job interview. By saying, "My strengths are X", you're not only pointing out your best features - but you are also telling them that you are confident and self-aware. 

So those are my big 3 tips. How have you used your strengths to your advantage? Comment below!

PTT: Blurred Lines

Professional Tip Tuesday
Over the weekend, my sweet boyfriend and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary. He got me an awesome old-school Raleigh bicycle - now we are ready to explore Kansas City in style!

A happy girl with a new set of wheels!

Aside from that, I happened to read a HuffPost article that said: 22% of Americans meet their significant other in the workplace and 84% of millennials are totally okay with that.

           
Britt and I must be part of that 84%. We met when we worked for the orientation program at our university and now we both work together at the same company as post-grads! Just call us Jim and Pam. 

This week's Professional Tip Tuesday is inspired by my weekend activities and my boyfriend's love for The Office.

Summer 2011 - Just a couple of Orientation Hawkeye Guides.

Jim and Pam's office DOs and DON'Ts.

DO... 

• DO try and separate yourselves professionally. - As an admin and a sales guy, Jim and Pam can definitely attest to this one. 
• It will be better for your relationship and your career if you are working in two different parts of the company. 
• Why? You won't be directly competing with each other. This will save you from tension at the workplace and with your relationship.
• DO support each other's dreams and career goals. - Take note, boys. Jim encouraging Pam to take art classes is sweet as can be.
• Do what you can to help each other succeed. Leverage each other's skills and knowledge to get where you want to be in your career.
• Why? There is nothing better than having someone on your side - especially when they know the ins and outs of the workplace.

DON'T...

• DON'T be inseparable. - Didn't Jim and Pam seem a little nutso with those mini-bluetooths?
• It is nice to be able to chat occasionally during the workday, but keep it to a minimum. 
• Why? Even if you are getting all of your work done - it won't look good if your coworkers, or your manager for that matter, catch you chatting with your significant other all day. ...Even if your manager is Michael Scott.
• DON'T let your relationship woes show at work. - While Michael Scott isn't afraid to pry, Jim and Pam do a little too much oversharing at times too. 
• It doesn't matter if it's a coworker that is getting a little nosy, or if you are just feeling a little extra chatty - do not divulge.
• Why? Your co-workers are not always looking out for the best interest of your relationship (or your career). Plus, in the heat of the moment you might say something you don't actually mean. And it makes it even more awkward that they work with your significant other also.

There you have it, some office relationship DO's and DON'T's from Jim and Pam.

With the significant number of millennials okay with dating a co-worker, I was surprised to find there weren't many articles on the subject. The only search results were about "office flings". It will be interesting to see what research and studies will come out in the future on this topic.

Comment below with your thoughts on office relationships. Any "Do's" and "Don'ts" of your own? 

PTT: Presenting like a Professional [Woman]

Professional Tip Tuesday
My roommate told me this morning a radio host referred to today as: "National Don't Want to Go Back to Work Day". Man, oh, man I couldn't agree more. My first 'paid' holiday and I still felt like I could have used an extra day!

Friday after work, I made a split second decision to go back to Iowa City for the home opener football game. As much as I love Kansas City, it was fantastic to recognize some faces and be in a familiar place for a bit.

A holiday weekend spent with good friends and cheering on the Hawkeyes.

And now, I am in my last week of training at work - hallelujah! But before I get there.. I have a big presentation coming up on Thursday. So today's Professional Tip Tuesday is: 

Presenting like a professional [woman]!

This post specifically goes out to the ladies. We tend to have a different speaking style than men. The following 4 tips are things to be aware of when presenting. 

1.Watch out for that upspeak? (The question mark is ironic...)

• Occasionally girls aren't quite as confident in the words we're speaking and we phrase our sentences as questions. But what does that do? It totally discredits everything we have said. That's no good.

• You are presenting on the topic for a reason. You know your stuff. So show it with a strong, confident ending to your sentences!

2. Use punctuation. Don't interrupt yourself.

• I didn't even know it, but this describes exactly what I do ALL the time. Do you ever find yourself adding on ands and buts and howevers like they are going out of style? Compound sentences are another big thing we do when we're feeling unsure. 
• Tara Sophia Mohr explains it perfectly in her article (linked here): "When we don't feel we have the right to take up space in a meeting or conversation, or when we are nervous, we tend to rush, and never leave a moment without words". 

3. Be an expert. Know it and practice it. 

• The key to successfully do 1 and 2 is to actually be sure of what you are talking about. If you are comfortable with the content, the rest will come way more naturally. 
• And here's the secret - it's ok if you don't know everything! The audience will be oblivious as long as you can say most of it with confidence. 
• **Bonus tip: If someone in the audience asks you something you are unsure of, deflect the question with something like: "I want to make sure I give you the right answer so let me check up on that and get back to you." You will still sound like you know it all. And as long as you follow up with that person, your credibility is saved.

My friends and I didn't know everything about the university when we worked for orientation.
But we definitely had to be comfortable with the material when presenting to students!

4. Embrace your personality! Our warm tones can set us apart.

• The more I read about women in the workplace - the more excited I get. We have a special niche skill that makes us an incredible value to any team. 
• Especially in the context of tips 1, 2, and 3 - an empathetic but confident tone can make for one killer presentation!

There you go. That's my 4 big tips on a successful presentation. These are all things I am learning to embrace slow but sure. All of these tips will do wonders if you can get them down. 

Men tend to naturally speak more matter-of-factly than women. So for this week's questions: Whether you are a man or a woman - what's your trick to sounding like you know your stuff? What are your top presentation tips? Comment below! I would love to hear your advice since my big speech is coming up on Thursday :)