Job Out of College

Achieving Your Goals

Peter Buniak — 2008-01-25T09:25:37-05:00

Being the ambitious and driven person you are, you undoubtedly have many goals in your life that you are eager to achieve. However, you probably find it difficult to motivate yourself to get started. Here is a 3-step approach to goal achievement that I find helpful:

What is your Goal, Why do you want to achieve it, and by When?
What do I need to Know to achieve it?
How will I achieve it?

The most important part of successfully achieving your goals is knowing why you want to accomplish them. Clearly define how you will measure success of the goal by assigning a reasonable time frame. Once you have this deep understanding, brainstorm what information do you need to accomplish this goal. Then plan out the process into 4 or 5 high-level tasks, and then 5-7 smaller sub-tasks with time frames associated to each. Feel free to use the Work Breakdown Structure Template.

Advice for Accepting Rejection

Peter Buniak — 2007-12-04T08:04:01-05:00

Every person faces rejection at some point in life, but what separates the successful from the mediocre is how that person reacts. Most people have ambition and passion to accomplish great things in their lives, however, few choose to pursue them because they fear feeling the emotions of failure and rejection.

Have you ever...

Chose to apply only to safe schools instead of shooting for the moon with an Ivy League?
Sat back and watched as other guys/ girls walked up to the beautiful/ handsome person across the room?
Didn't apply for that dream job because you thought you were under qualified?

Well here are a few steps to consider next time an opportunity crosses your path:

Understand your fears. Why are you afraid of applying for that dream job? Why are you afraid of taking a risk? Are you afraid of failure or rejection? Are you afraid of commitment? Are you afraid of trying something new?
Analyze your emotions. Take a third person view in understanding why you get angry or frustrated in certain situations.
Challenge your fears. The only way to grow as an individual is to do things that scare you. What's the worse that could happen?
Practice. Do one thing every day that scares you. If you are uncomfortable in social situations, spur up a conversation with a stranger. Who knows who you might meet?

Facing rejection is very difficult. It makes a person feel unwanted, unsuccessful and unappreciated. But remember that understanding your fears and emotions will help you grow as an individual. Next time you face failure or rejection, try to understand the other side's perspective. Once you learn why you were rejected, learn from your mistakes.

What stories do you have to share?

Find a Career, Find your Identity

Peter Buniak — 2007-12-03T10:50:13-05:00

Over the weekend I had the chance to talk to a few scout counselors for Plast, a Ukrainian scouting organization whose mission is to develop honest and hardworking individuals who possess personal responsibility, self-discipline and leadership skills. The counselors were worried that attendance in their weekly meetings was very low. They pondered ways to motivate their thirteen to seventeen year-old scouts to attend their weekly meetings.

At first, they felt that the best way to increase attendance was to use various advertising and marketing strategies to out-compete other activities such as soccer practice or parties with friends. However, they finally realized that the best way to motivate each scout is to help him/her understand how the activities at the weekly meetings help develop character traits of the individuals they want to become.

If you are having difficulty finding a job or profession, you could benefit from a similar paradigm shift in your approach. Many of my articles talk about the practical side of making good career decisions, but this article focuses on connecting your personal life goals to your career choice. If you purchase my system, you can read much more about your personal ambitions and aligning it with your career choices. But here is a small taste of what you should consider:

Who do you admire and why? Think about individuals you respect and admire. What similar character traits do they have? Are they impeccably dressed? Are they good speakers? Are they interesting? Do they tell good stories? Are they honest? Hardworking? Are they effective motivators?
What do you want to accomplish? What is your mission in life? Do you want to raise a happy family? Be the CEO of a large company? Do you want to be rich? Do you want to travel? Do you want to impact the world? Do you want to improve the environment?
What character traits do you need to accomplish your life goals? Should you mimic the individuals you admire (question 1)? Should you be honest? Do you need to be a good leader, motivator, speaker?
If you had unlimited funds, what would you do with it and why? Would you travel? Would you buy a yacht and sail around the world? Would you donate 90% of it to charity?
And finally, what kind of career will get you there?

Although each one of these questions is difficult the answer, the fifth one should be the easiest of all. Once you understand who you want to be and why, it will be much easier for you to find a career that will help you develop your individuality.

If you want to read more about finding your individuality and a career that supports it, read more about my system.

Happy Hunting

Employers are Googling You

Peter Buniak — 2007-11-30T15:18:40-05:00

Did you know that thirty-five percent of hiring managers use Google to perform background checks and that nearly one-third of web research leads to lead to job rejections?

The Bad
That is why it's a great idea to make sure that you are in control of the content about you on the Web. Sites like MySpace and Facebook are perfect ways for hiring managers to find out who you are in real life. A picture tells a thousand words. So if you have a MySpace or Facebook account, make sure you restrict access to every picture. Make sure you periodically review your tagged photos. And don't post any comments or blogs that you wouldn't want a hiring manager to read.

The Good
Don't get discouraged, though. You can use Google as a great way to market yourself to hiring employers as well. You can talk about your accomplishments and goals in an E-portfolio. Talk about your interests and have links to your clubs and organizations. But paint a good picture of yourself.

Resources

Bored at Work?

Peter Buniak — 2007-11-28T10:45:40-05:00

FACT 1: More than two out of every eight hours at work (not including lunch and breaks) are wasted on activities that are non-work-related such as Internet Browsing.

FACT 2: The top cause of stress at work is lack of time to "get things done"

To quote Alanis Morisette, "Isn't it ironic... don't think you think?"

We all need our downtime to reduce stress and clear our brains, but couldn't you use your downtime more effectively? Here are a few ways to fill your downtime at work:

DO...

Start a Blog
Organize your email, calendar, and files
Read and take notes on developmental e book
Go speak to a mentor with a formalized agenda
Walk around your office and say hello to a few individuals
Talk to others and find out what they do in their job - make sure it does not turn into complaining
Research and think of ways to improve the way the business functions

DON'T...

Read news sites. Save that for the car-ride home.
Read non-educational blogs.
Browse "Video Websites" like ebaumsworld or break. They add no value
Shop online - you'll waste time and money

What are some of your ideas?

Resources:
Staying Productive at Work
How to Reduce Stress at Work
Four Hour Workweek

Picking a College Major

Peter Buniak — 2007-11-27T13:27:45-05:00

"I'm 18 years old... how should I know what I want to do for the rest of my life?"

If you really want to get the most out of college, it is important to first determine what you want to study and then choose a school. Sounds obvious, right? Problem is, do you really know what you want to do out of college?

Here are a few considerations to take into account when choosing a major.

Outline your strengths and weaknesses then you should talk to your parents, friends and teachers to solicit their input. Are you good at math, science, literature, art, music, computers, debate, drama? What personality traits make you good at those subjects?
Talk to a career or guidance counselor at your school to determine what kind of jobs lend themselves to your strengths.
Do your homework about those careers. Talk to people you know who work in the field. Ask them what they like about their job, what they dislike, what are the important success factors, how they got into that position, etc. Ask them how much they make and what the future holds for that field. Make sure you take good notes while talking to them. Go to wikipedia and research those positions.
Make a practical decision. Understand that the purpose of attaining a college degree is to take the first step in your career. Make sure that you pick a degree that not only interests you, but will also get you a job out of college. If you are interested in Middle Eastern studies, that's great. But what are you going to do with that? Teach, Research, Write?

Bottom line is, find out what you are good at, do your research on possible careers, and pick a degree or concentration that will land you a job out of college. The last thing you want after $100K and 4 years of hard work is to be unemployed and miserable.

Worried About Student Loans?

Peter Buniak — 2007-11-26T14:33:01-05:00

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday, I had a conversation with a family member who is a freshmen in college at a pricey university in Boston. She is worried that her degree choice will not land her a high enough paying position where she will be able to pay off her high student loans.

Although I was impressed that she had such a mature concern about her financial future, there are a few things she could do to ensure her financial well-being out of college:

Don't get overwhelmed! - Remember that an education will provide an excellent Return On Investment over the long-run. Regardless of the average salary your profession pays out of college, there are always options to choose from.
Plant your seeds in the job market - Even as a freshmen in college, you can set yourself up for a job right out of college. You have probably heard the horror stories of graduates who were unable set find a job for years; and others who had a position waiting for them as soon as they graduated. Be part of the latter population! An Internship is a great way to accomplish this. Remember not to focus strictly on getting the highest GPA, focus on getting the practical skills you need in the job environment.
Do your homework - If you are concerned about your student loans, the best thing you can do is go talk to your financial aid officer. Although this thought may scare you, financial aid officers are there to help you. They have resources and information about making the right choices about consolidation or changing your loan terms. Establish a relationship with your financial aid officer and learn as much as you can. Also, you can take a personal finance course which will help develop a better understanding of handling money. Unfortunately, this is one skill that is extremely important in the real world, but that school does not automatically teach you.

The average person will change job functions three to five times in their lifetime. Who knows what might happen after your undergraduate career - you may go to medical school, join the marines, or start your own business. But the bottom line is that you need an education to get there and 9 out of 10 times, you will need a loan to get one.

Resources:
FinAid

College Internship: Why it's a great idea

Peter Buniak — 2007-03-19T13:23:27-04:00

It's the beginning of spring. Spring break has past and there are only a few more months of school before freedom of the summer. You and your friends are all talking about plans for the upcoming months. Maybe you will be renting a beach house or traveling for a few weeks around Europe then bumming around the house getting a nice tan.

And why not? You have definitely deserved it after all the hard work you have done this year!

I completely agree that you need a break from your stressful lives. However, one of the best ways you can set yourself up for a great career while you are still in college is working an internship or co-op in the summer. Because internships are generally about 8 weeks long, this still gives you plenty of opportunity to relax and have a good summer vacation.

Here are a few reasons why it's a good idea:

Experience - talk to some of your friends who have recently graduated and currently seeking employment. Most of the time, the reason they can't find a job because employers want to see experience. So you have a Bachelors or Masters degree, but you have not been able to put it to practice yet. Get some experience - whether it's a paid or non-paid internship, you will still be able to put it down on your resume.
Networking - in working an internship or co-op, you are able to align yourself to people in your field. It gives you the perfect opportunity to be able to talk to people, establish relationships and learn as much as you can. Who knows, when you graduate, they might even have a job opening for you. That's how I got my first job out of college!
Speak the Language - college may teach you the "technical" skills and knowledge you need to know in your career, but they don't teach you much of the "practical" skills that are required. If you are able to understand the lingo, you will sound much more qualified during your interviews when you graduate.
Money - depending obviously on the internship, you can make a lot more money as an intern at a corporation than painting houses or working at a bar. As a freshmen college intern, I made an equivalent to $38,000/yr. Not a bad deal for someone with no degree and no experience.
Decisions about a career track - you have thousands of dollars in student loans, your parents are scrounging for cash to pay for your tuition, and your not even sure if you like what you are studying! In working an internship in your career, you will be able to tell first hand whether or not you like the career you are aiming to reach.

So there are 5 really good reasons why you should work an internship or co-op this summer. What are some of your success stories?

Preparing for a Career Throughout High School & College

Peter Buniak — 2007-03-16T10:23:21-04:00

Despite what your high school guidance counselors and teachers tell you, you are not really preparing yourself for college throughout high school - you are really preparing yourself for your career. Though you may not know exactly what you want to do with your life in high school or even college, you are still building on the fundamental skills that you will need to be successful in your career. These include:

Work Ethic
Leadership Skills
Communication Skills
and a few others which you can read about in other parts of my blog

So even if you don't know what career you want, you can still begin building on these fundamentals to make you a stronger candidate for whatever career you will eventually choose.

If you want to be ahead of your peers in high school and be generally more mature and ready for college, career, and life, here are a few practical things you can do:

Find a mentor - mentors are one of the most valuable sources of information in my opinion. Early in your high school life and definitely in college, you should find someone who you respect and emulate. Begin speaking with them about their career and what they know. This also sets you up for more relationships with other successful individuals since successful people tend to flock together. Talk about your interests, but more importantly, listen to what they have to say.
Read - read books, blogs, magazines, newspapers, anything you can get your hands on. The more well-rounded you are, the more marketable you become. If you don't know what career you want yet, reading might help you develop an interest in something. If you know the career you want, learn more about it. Read books about leadership, communication, anything that is written by successful and intelligent people that can teach you something useful.
Practice - once you have read some material and learned more about leadership, communication, or maybe even specific knowledge to a potential career, put it to use. Begin exhibiting leadership skills. Try public speaking or giving presentations. Go shadow a doctor or physical therapist, or build a website on your own. The more you put your knowledge to practice, the more you will retain.

So remember, you're not preparing for college in high-school, you're preparing for life. Make a conscious effort to find a mentor, read, and practice fundamental skills like work ethic, communication, and leadership.

Mini-Course Day 4: Follow Up

Peter Buniak — 2007-03-08T14:29:22-05:00

Two years ago, I went searching for a dog at the local pound. Little did I know that in adopting that black lab puppy, I would be adopting one of the best salesmen I have ever encountered. From the moment our pairs of eyes met, I knew he was the dog for me. Even though there were 5 or 6 other black labs who looked just like him in that glass-wall room, there was something different about Knight. He seemed like a loyal, friendly, and trustworthy companion. I couldn’t put my finger on it at the time, but in any event, he had me sold.

One of the most important principles in sales and marketing is persistence and follow-up. I recently went looking for a photographer online for my upcoming wedding. I searched for a photographer in Detroit, and came up with about 100 different photographers. I narrowed it down to 15 by going through some websites. I then sent out an email to all 15 to fill out a questionnaire I had prepared – 8 replied via email, 4 of which followed up with phone calls as well. Right off the bat, from 15 photographers I was down to only 4 for the simple reason that those were the four who put the effort into winning my business. After a week or so, I continued to get phone calls from one photographer to make sure I didn’t need any other information. He built a personal relationship with me, a feeling of trust, and credibility through that follow up. The same goes for the job search.

Trust

When you follow up with someone, you get to know the person and therefore develop a feeling of trust. Although trust is subjective, there are things you can do to develop trust in your potential clients (recruiters). When you go to a store, and you have that commissioned salesman who is nagging you about the sale – you just feel annoyed because you know that the salesperson is just looking to make a buck. What you are looking for, are signs of an honest person you can trust.

For example, my dog has these big, expressive eyes. When I’m eating at the dinner table, he will walk up, sit down next to me, put his head down on my lap and just look up at me with his big brown eyes. Although I know that he is looking for some table scraps, he doesn’t make it obvious that he is begging. He just sits there, and makes his presence known. When I do give him some food, he is very appreciative. The visual cues he gives me develop a sense of trust. To learn more about these visual cues, read up in my system.

Credibility

When you follow up with someone, via telephone, a letter, or even an email, you create a sense of credibility with your customer (recruiter) - it allows the recruiter to put a face to your name. When you follow up, you reveal to the recruiter things that you probably would not think about. Even if you never speak to them during your follow up in person and you just leave a voice message, think about everything you accomplish: you show them that you are not afraid to pick up the phone and call someone you don’t know; that shows confidence and maturity and maybe even leadership; it shows that you are determined to get the job, and you are willing to put a lot of effort into getting it even with the knowledge that you might not get it in the end; it also shows that you really want this job, and you feel like this job is worth the effort.

And if you do happen to catch the person, talk about some personal things so they remember you. The photographer who got my business talked to me about his son and family, other people he photographed, his career, places he’s lived, and this was all in a single 5-7 minute initial conversation with him. I’m not even sure if he even mentioned photography in the first phone conversation. And yet, he still developed a sense of credibility and dependability in speaking to me.

Relationship

Make sure that you develop a relationship with your customer before you try to make the “sale” – this is business 101. You need to work towards developing a relationship to learn something or to network with people in the business.

Who knows how long you will have your current job, or whether you will need to find a new one somewhere else. Even if you don’t get this job, you still have a relationship with someone in the business. Maybe this person will be able to teach you something about your future career, or even refer you to a friend he knows is looking for someone like you! If another job ever comes up with that person, you might be getting an unexpected phone call, especially if you keep following up with them.

I bought my diamond engagement ring for my fiancé from a husband and wife my parents knew through their business. Since then, they have sent me Christmas cards, followed up with phone calls, and have asked my fiancé and me to dinner at their house. They don’t have to do this, but they want to maintain the relationship. Also, since then, I have referred 3 friends who were also looking to buy engagement rings because we had a good relationship. Needless to say, I will also be buying my wedding bands from them, and any future jewelry I ever need.

It’s all about networking!

Just remember, that getting a job is not just a simple equation of knowing how to write a resume, answer questions, or send the right cover letters like most traditionalists will tell you. There is this whole “soft side” to getting a job that can really distinguish you from the next guy. Remember, anyone can follow instructions on how to write a resume… not everyone knows how to interact with your recruiters in the most influential ways.

So remember to create a feeling of trust, credibility, and maintain the relationship with everyone.