Nervousness & Body Language

By: Emily

Communication is about sending, receiving and interpreting a message. Even before we begin speaking, we start the communication process with our bodies. Everything about our posture, our gestures, our energy, and our expressions sends information about us to others who assess that information either consciously or subconsciously. Everything we do and say changes the way the receiver responds to us, like a game of ping-pong.

We know body language plays an enormous role in first impressions. If an interviewee is tense and nervous during an interview, interviewers may find them defensive, distant or flustered. If, however, a person comes into an interview cool, calm and collected (even if they might not feel that way on the inside), their relaxed state will spread throughout the room. Interviewers will likewise feel comfortable and will be more able to picture working with the interviewee in the future. According to studies done on this subject, it takes a person only 30 seconds to capture enough data about another person to make a first impression. Other studies have shown that it is harder to overcome a bad first impression, than it is to loose someone’s good opinion after making a good first impression. If that is indeed the case, those first few seconds of meeting someone can determine a lot, so how do we make the most of it?

It’s important to be aware of yourself. What are you like under pressure? What areas of your body do you naturally tense up? Before an interview check in with these places and give your body a face massage, shoulder rub and anything you need to loosen up. Invest that nervous tension into a focused, positive energy. Some people are afraid of being nervous and are positive that it will cause them embarrassment. Nervousness is not a bad thing when managed and directed in the right ways, it can give you an incredible energy boost and separate you from other competitors.

The part of your brain that causes emotions such as anxiety, anger or sadness is different than the part of the brain in charge of speech, problem solving and decision-making. Sometimes, when you are immersed in emotion you may find that you are unable to articulate what you are feeling in words or you might make impulsive decisions that you often come to regret later. That can be because the part of your brain that is in control of your emotions is more active than your frontal lobe, or more logical part of your brain. To be at your absolute best during an interview, you might need to find ways to engage your frontal lobe beforehand. This can help you get a better handle on your nerves. Sit down and do a random math problem. Think about different key points you would like to touch on in your interview. Avoid thoughts that engage the emotional part of your brain, such as dwelling on insecurities or anticipating the worst.

By considering the psychology behind your emotions and behaviors, you can gain some control over them. Tension caused by nervousness can sabotage the verbal and nonverbal messages you are trying to send to your interviewers. Before interviewing anywhere, I strongly recommend watching this TEDTalk by Amy Cuddy. Having studied the psychology of body language for several years she has some insightful information and advice.

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Expanding Your Network

By: Andrew

There are many ways to expand your professional network. These ways range anywhere from chatting with someone while waiting in line, to attending a formal networking event. As we all know, a positive first impression is key to making a strong, lasting impression with someone. Making this impression can be easy for some to do and quite a challenge for others. Luckily, there are a few different mediums to go about making this professional first impression.

For the extravert, a job fair or a networking event will be a great place for you to be in your most comfortable setting. You have the opportunity to talk to many people and show that you are outgoing and charismatic, which is easy for you. This setting will provide you with many different business professionals that are looking to connect with talented students. When at a networking event, especially, you will get a chance to also connect with your peers. This piece of networking is key, in my opinion. Though you want to impress as many prospective employers as possible, you also want to get to know your peers. Your peers will be who you work with all your life, so getting to know them will not only build lasting relationships, but will also help you meet some of their network.

In contrast to the extravert is the introvert. The introvert may feel uncomfortable at a job fair or networking event, most likely. Though both an extravert and an introvert should use this, LinkedIn is a great alternative to meeting someone and connecting, but is also a great way to follow-up with someone you have met at a job fair or networking event. If you have a LinkedIn account, you are well aware of all the search features there are. You are able to search specific people, industries, or even search keywords of what you are interested in. These search features are important to finding the people that you want to connect with, even if you don’t know them to start with.

Of course, you may feel uncomfortable connecting with someone that you have never met, but by sending the proper message when connecting, you may be able to expand your network without knowing the person. When connecting with someone on LinkedIn you have the following options to choose from:

Even if you do not know the person, that is okay. I would recommend that you put them as a “Friend” and write a quick, personalized message explaining whom you are and why you want to connect with them. I have done this many times and have been met with positive responses. By doing this, you are not only expanding your network to business professionals, but you are taking control of who could be future contacts for job inquiries or informational interviews. A great approach is to search for someone in the field or industry you are hoping to work in one day. What I search for is someone’s job that I want, and then I send him or her a message to connect.

This approach through LinkedIn allows an introvert or an extravert to expand their network without having to worry about any awkward face-to-face interactions, while still being able to professionally connect with the person. What strategies do you use to build your network?

Comment below and keep the conversation going!

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What Else Can I do with a Degree in Education?

By: Whitney (an actual Education major!)

Did you know that you could do more with your teaching degree? Like most degrees there are several other areas that as a licensed teacher you can work in other than a classroom. When I tell someone that I am going to school for Integrated Elementary and Special Education they automatically assume that I am going to school to be a teacher, which I likely will do, but what if I want to do more? What if I decide that I teaching isn’t for me or if I can’t find a teaching job right out of college? Are there other fields that I can be working in and still feel like I am using the $100,000 degree I am getting? The answer is yes.

Earning a teaching degree teaches people many valuable skills that many employers are looking for. It teaches organization, epic planning skills, social skills, critical thinking, the ability to solve problems quickly, assessment skills, and behavior management skills. All of these are great when it comes to being in the work force. I decided to look up different types of places that would hire an education major if they were to decide that the classroom is not their best fit or if they can not find a job in a school when they get out of college, which is a scary reality for many college graduates. To find my information I used the “What can I do whit this Major?” link on our Career Services webpage. I have selected just a few of the opportunities in areas other than in a classroom to talk about in this post.

The first field I will describe is business and communication. Who knew that businesses wanted to hire teachers? Different places of employment under this category are bookstores, publishers, test-preparation companies, toy retailers and educational supply companies, and software companies. These companies hire teachers for curriculum development, publishing, editing, technical writing, management, and training.  There are some steps you can take in order to achieve a position in this area. Like in any area you may be interested in, it is very important to stay up to date on technology and business trends in the field. Part-time jobs and internships in the field are always a plus because it gives great experience that will help you meet job qualifications. If you are looking into publishing, test-preparation, or working for a software company it is important to become at a minimum familiar with the software you will be using. Another way to one up the competition is to get a second degree or minor in business or communication.

There are many government agencies that also hire teachers. A few of these include the Department of Education, Educational Resources Information Center, Library of Congress, National Science Foundation, or social service agencies. Again these are not the only areas that the government will hire teachers for. They hire for positions such as planning, management, teaching, community affairs, and administration. If these are areas that you are interested in, get involved in student government or political groups, civic organizations, and community service projects as soon as possible as a great way to gain knowledge. Experience can be gained through these activities or volunteering at a government agency. Networking and conducting informational interviews are also a great way to gain information.

Nonprofit organizations love teachers. There are many service organizations, youth organizations, community recreation centers, adoption agencies, and immigrant and refugee service providers that hire teachers for positions such as programming, public relations, fundraising and development, and research. An important part of working with a nonprofit is to make sure that you are all in on their mission and their values. For most people, you have to be passionate about what they do in order to really enjoy working for them. It could be helpful to volunteer at different nonprofit organizations in order to get an idea on what it is like. Skills that one looking for a job in a nonprofit field should work to be confident in are: presenting, fundraising, grant writing, public speaking, and the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds. Other areas that are helpful to have knowledge in are business, human services, counseling, or psychology.

Who says that if you get a degree in teaching that you have to be a teacher in a school district in order to use your degree!? There are so many opportunities outside of the classroom that you can incorporate your skills. With teaching comes strong communication skills, various strategies to solve problems or look at things from a different angles, and knowledge of technologies. Employers also love the enthusiasm of teachers, which will help you to obtain a position or internship in a field other than teaching. Don’t let anyone tell you that you have to be in a classroom, teaching while it seems like a very narrow field can open the door for so many opportunities.

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Belief as a Strength

By: Annie

Belief, according to StrengthsFinder, attributes this strength to “people who are especially talented in the Belief theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of these values emerges a defined purpose for their life.” Belief is not in my top five strengths, however, it is in my roommate’s top five. When I asked her what it meant to her, she said it means she looks for work that aligns with her values before the amount of money she could earn. These values do not necessarily mean religious values. She also told me this strength makes it easy for her to disagree with those who do not share her values.

My roommate’s description of how this strength is noticeable in her life is similar to the people who are quoted in the book StrengthsFinder 2.0. One example describes a man who does a lot of work with the Boy Scouts because he finds value in the future. Another lady accepts a lower salary, compared to others in similar positions, because she values the work she does. And lastly, a lady working in a stressful position finds motivation from her belief in the importance of her work.

StrengthsFinder 2.0 provides a list of this strength in action:

• To better define your core values, think about a good day and ask yourself what values were apparent that day? Then consider how you can structure your life to have more days that include these values.
• Look for positions or organizations you can join that define themselves by what they give back to society.
• Consider how the meaning or purpose of your work can help others find meaning or purpose in their own work.
• Write a “purpose statement” for your life and share it with your friends and family. The emotional appeal of this can inspire them.
• Save letters, pictures, or other mementos that remind you of the difference you make in the work that you do. On a bad day, these can be powerful reminders of the importance in the work you do.
• Do not spend every moment working. Make time for your personal life and your own needs as well.

Here are a couple of ideas of how to use Belief in career planning (from the StrengthsQuest book):

• Spend time think about your “calling.” Once you have articulated this mission, learn about careers that can help you fulfill it.
• Environments that are a good fit with your own mission and beliefs will bring out your best. Seek employment in companies and organizations that exhibit a strong sense of mission – that is, a commitment to positively affecting the quality of people’s lives.
• Environments that are people-oriented, that provide service to others, or that reward personal growth are likely to allow your Belief talents to flourish.
• Workplaces that respect your commitment to your family and allow for balance between work and family demands will enable you to thrive.

For more examples of Belief in action, read the section in StrengthsFinder 2.0 or log into strengthsquest.com.

Quick note: StrengthsFinder and StrengthsQuest are actually the same assessment. Where they differ is the resources available to the assessment taker. StrengthsFinder has resources aimed at individuals working in Corporate America type of companies while StrengthsQuest has resources aimed at college students. You can take StrengthsQuest, for $15, at the Career Services office in SCC 22.

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Taking Care of Yourself

By: Megan

It’s finals week! Whether you’re a freshman or graduating, it can be super stressful. So I thought I’d do a post on how to relieve stress. But it doesn’t have to just apply to finals week. Looking for a job, starting a new job, moving, applying for grad school, and a bunch of other milestones can all be stressful, and learning how to deal with that will help you be more successful and happier in the long run.

Here are some tips and tricks on how to relieve stress during high-pressure times.

Don’t make it all work

Yes, you need to get that 15 page paper done AND study for a final in your hardest class. But you also need a break. Last month, Ashlee wrote a post about “playing” in the office. Some of these would be really great study breaks. Make sure to take a break (ideally 10 minutes every hour), and schedule some time to just sit down and unwind, hang out with your friends, or go to the gym. Whatever makes you feel energized and rejuvenated, just take some time and go do it.

Eat Healthy

Comfort foods are awesome and necessary, but too many for too long will make you feel bloated, tired, and cranky. Not the ideal way to study. So indulge in your ice cream, potato chips, pizza, or whatever. But don’t forget to eat healthy too. Make a quick salad for lunch, have some yogurt for breakfast (Greek yogurt has extra protein, so it keeps you full longer), maybe make some fish for dinner. You want your brain at full power, so make sure to eat lots of food with healthy fats which include nuts, beans, eggs, fish, and avocado.

Get some sleep

Sleeping regularly is especially important during finals week (and whenever else you’re stressed).  It also gets more difficult. Stressing makes sleeping harder, which in turn makes you stress more. That is quite the loop. Relax and take a break from studying about an hour before you head to bed for your best bet in sleeping well. Cramming may seem like the best way to get all the information back into your brain, but staying up super late is just going to make you less able to concentrate. Not to mention, your brain processes memories while you’re asleep. You want to be able to remember all that information you just crammed during your test, don’t you? Get your full 8 hours, de-stress before bed, and try to keep a regular schedule.

Don’t procrastinate

Back in February, I wrote a post about procrastinating. We all know a large part of studying for finals is procrastinating. Your best way to not stress is to start early, keep yourself on task, and focus. That doesn’t always happen, however. So when you do get around to studying, don’t panic. I’ve done it: when I’ve procrastinated on something much too long, I often shut down and spend hours surfing the internet instead of actually doing my work. That only leads to more stress.

Reward yourself

Here it is: the best part. When you get to a point where you’ve accomplished something and you actually know what you’re supposed to know, give yourself a treat. When you walk out of a final, whether you feel on top of the world or drained, treat yourself. Take a bath, get some ice cream, get dressed up and go out to dinner. Celebrate. You’ve accomplished something, and you should feel good about it.

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Non-Competes (Employment Agreements)

By: Cody

Many of us seniors who are graduating next week are eager to find a job, including me. Most of us are so eager that we will take the first job that lands in our lap, without any real consideration. For an entry level job this usually is just fine. However, some jobs may require more consideration before accepting them.

A good example of this is when a job has a “non-compete.” A non-compete is an agreement between an employer and an employee. The agreement stops an employee from going to work with the employer’s customers, potential customers and competitors. This helps the employer protect their proprietary information and knowledge from being given to other companies. The non-compete has a specified time period. This time period is generally one year after the date that the employee leaves the company.

If an employee breaks a non-compete agreement, both the employee and their new employer can be sued for breach of contract. This can end up costing thousands to tens of thousands of dollars, so it is definitely something that you want to pay attention to. An employer can also threaten to stop working with your new employer until they fire you. So non-competes are serious business.

Some companies have buyout options for non-competes. This would require you to pay your employer a certain sum of money in order to “buy” your way out of the contract. However, these buyouts are often too expensive to afford or simply aren’t offered by the employer.

Most of you may not feel like an entry level position would require a non-compete. While it is true that most do not, I just so happened to interview with a job last week that would require a non-compete. I am taking this non-compete into great consideration before I make a decision about whether to work there or not (assuming I am offered the job, fingers crossed!). This company has a large market share of my career field. So if I do work for them, I would not be able to work with 60% of the companies in my field, if I decided to change jobs. So I have definitely been taking this into consideration while thinking about making my decision about the company.

This post is meant to get you to ask questions during your interviews to see if the prospective employer requires a non-compete. You can do this by asking if they have non-compete agreements, or employment agreements as they are sometimes called. If they do, make sure to get a copy of it before you accept the job and thoroughly read it and make an educated decision based off that. No one wants to be out of work for a year just because they didn’t review the non-compete before they signed it.

If you have any questions about non-competes stop by our office and talk to Mary. She may have the answer or can point you in the right direction to get your questions answered.

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Photo By: Filipo

U of M Job Fair Internship Survey

By: Taylor

Earlier in the year, two Peer Educators from the Career Services office decided to talk to employers about their internship programs. Andrew and I made our way down to the U of M Job Fair in February. We were prepared with questions and equipped with iPads to collect the data. At the end of the day we had communicated with 30 different employers and gathered some great information. Each of the interactions were brief so we only had a chance to ask five questions.

So what did we ask? In regards to obtaining the internship, we wanted to know what the top traits employers were looking for in their potential interns. Some of the key words we heard were: communication, passion, and leadership. When piecing together your resume, it is critical to highlight your experiences and expertise in these areas. Employers will be sure to notice and it will help you to stand out from your peers.

We also wanted to collect information about what an internship was like during the employment period. We asked how big of a contribution interns made to the business as well as what types of activities they usually did. Not surprisingly, we had a broad range of answers. Some of the most recurring activities were: paperwork, projects, and “real world” contributions. Before you accept an internship offer, ask your employer what your average day will look like. This will help lessen any shock of activities you weren’t expecting to do.

Summarized above are some of our results. By this summer, the full report will be available online at www.d.umn.edu/careers. We are looking forward to continuing our research in the fall since we have now seen what works well and what doesn’t!  We are generating new questions and will be attending a variety of different career fairs to gather a wide-range of information. Given the opportunity to ask an employer any question about internships, what would you want to know?

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