How to Create Your Own Happiness at Work

Typically, your happiness and your work do not go hand in hand. But when it comes to making yourself happy, you need to learn and understand what works best for you. Being happy at work can lead to increased motivation and engagement, more energy, and increased productivity. Below are tips to encourage you to create your own happiness with your work.

First, you must understand that only you can determine your happiness. If you are unhappy with your current job, you can either look for another or stick with it. Anytime you are feeling stuck on a decision such as this one, remember that you can change your ways to enjoy your much deserved happiness.

Secondly, realize there are going to be obstacles that you cannot control. Do not worry over the things out of your control; it only adds unnecessary stress. It is okay to be aware of issues, but do not get wrapped up into changing them if it is beyond your means.

Thirdly, stop comparing yourself to other people! We grow up constantly comparing ourselves to one another to ensure we do not stand out from the crowd in a poor way. When you feel accomplished for your work, do not allow others’ comments and opinions take that satisfaction away from you. Tune out the negativity and solely focus on what makes YOU happy, not those around you.

Fourthly, stay authentic to yourself. Understand your limits and how large of risks you are willing to take. Stand your ground on actions that cross the line morally for you. Review your personal values often and do not take action on something you will regret.

Fifthly, smile and laugh often. Your facial expressions are closely linked to your emotions. Take time to chat and joke (appropriately, of course) with fellow teammates to lighten the mood of stress and pressure you may be feeling at work.

Hopefully with these tips you can find your own happiness at your work. Work does not have to be stressful and worrying all the time. When trying to decide which job offer to accept, ensure you are choosing the position that you will be excited to go to on a Monday morning. If you look forward to going to work in the morning, your happiness will certainly shine!

Don’t Forget About the Soft Skills

As seniors in preparation for landing our ideal job after graduation, we oftentimes get so wrapped up in showcasing our hard skills in our resume to land us the interview, we forget about our soft skills. The hard skills will get our resume noticed by employers and ensure them we are capable of completing the job’s tasks. Although our hard skills are vital to display in our job search, our soft skills are what will land us the job. An employer is not solely focused on whether you have the ability to complete the job’s responsibilities but whether you will be a good personality fit for the organization. Below are important soft skills I believe employers desire to see during the personal interview.

Communication Skills – These soft skills are used in all aspects of your everyday life. Effectively communicating is vital in the workplace to ensure there are no mistakes. In the workplace, plan to communicate with teammates, managers, and clients on a daily basis in written form and verbally.

Decision Making – Being decisive about decisions will make you a desirable candidate. Hiring managers are not seeking for an employee who procrastinates, takes long periods of time to make decisions, or avoids solving issues altogether.

Drive – Demonstrate to the hiring manager that you are a diligent employee. This is the time to showcase your commitment to your work and how hard you will work to complete an assignment. Tell the hiring manager what motivates you to complete your work; this will allow them to learn more about your personality and whether you are a good fit for the organization’s culture.

Positive Attitude – Personally, this is my favorite soft skill I believe each candidate needs to showcase during their interviews. No hiring manager desires to hire a “negative Nancy.” Interviewers can easily pick up on comments or your nonverbal cues and decide quickly whether they believe you can help their team succeed or hold them back from success.

You can easily prepare to demonstrate your soft skills in an interview by determining which areas are your strongest and incorporate them into your responses. Enter the interview with a smile and show the interviewer how special of a candidate you really are!

Your Social Media Could Be Costing You Your Dream Job

Let’s be honest, we all love posting funny, crazy photos with our friends on our social media accounts for all of our followers to see. Many people use social media to share updates and photos but few understand the affect these can have on a potential job. With graduation only a month away, we should be cleaning up all of our social media accounts so that they display a great version of ourselves. If used appropriately, social media can either help you or hurt you in your job search.

When you mention job applications and social media in the same sentence, typically social media is seen as a disadvantage to you. Social media doesn’t have to be harmful in your job search. Social media can actually help you land your dream job. Sites including LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook are frequently used by employers to list open positions within their company. These websites are great networking resources if used appropriately. Before sending employers the links to these accounts, ensure all of your information is clean and professional.

Although social media is a great resource to showcase your professional experience, it could sink you in a second. When an employer views unprofessional posts and photos on your social media accounts, it is an automatic turn-off. Employers search your social media accounts to ensure you would be a good fit and a strong representation of the organization. You may not realize what you do in your personal time affects outside views of an organization. It is important to avoid discussing politics, religion or any other related topics on your social media pages. While you have the right to express your opinions, your potential employer has the right not to hire you based off these opinions.

Social media can work for you during your job search if used appropriately. Clean up all of your social media accounts by deleting inappropriate posts and photos. Frequently search your name on Google and see what appears. If a link appears you do not want your employer to find, you should immediately delete this webpage if you are able. You can also change the privacy settings for your social media accounts so that employers only see what you want them to see. Social media can make or break your career so use it wisely!

How to Write a Memorable Thank You Letter Following the Interview

Now that you’ve aced the job interview, it is crucial to follow up with the hiring manager following the interview. A gracious thank you note is an absolute must if you are sincere about the position. The purpose of a thank you letter is to express your appreciation for the interviewer’s time and attention. Their schedules are extremely busy so it is important to thank them for taking the time out of their busy days to meet with you. It can be challenging for some job seekers to write a professional follow-up after an interview. Below are a few suggestions I believe you should consider including in your thank you letter that will impress the hiring manager and make you a memorable candidate.

The opening line of your follow-up email should express your thanks and appreciation to the interviewer for meeting with you regarding the specific position. Following your thanks and appreciation, recap on the interview. This is the time to emphasize your strengths and express why you believe you are the best candidate for the position. Oftentimes we get caught up in our own nerves and anxiety during the interview that we forget to mention key details about why we would make a great fit with the organization. Your follow-up note is a great place to include any extra information you want to share with the interviewer. Once you have clarified why you believe you are the best candidate, it is significant to reiterate the importance of the position to you. Be specific in explaining to the interviewer why this position is so important to you and what it would mean to you to be offered the job. Close the follow-up letter by letting them know you look forward to speaking with them again in the near future. The last line of the thank you note should express your thanks and gratitude once again.

Sending a thank you letter to the interviewer demonstrates a sincere interest in the position and the company. Statistics show that 75 percent of interviewers said that receiving a thank you letter from a candidate affects their decision-making process. Ensure that you send a follow-up email within 24 hours after your interview, while you’re still fresh on the hiring manger’s mind. Before sending the email, confirm there are no grammatical or spelling errors. Also, if you met with various interviewers, make sure to send them a thank you letter as well expressing your gratitude for their time and that it was a pleasure to meet them. Hopefully with these recommendations you will be prepared to write a professional, memorable thank you letter and highly impress the hiring manager!

How to Bridge the Gap between Student and Employee

As graduating seniors, we can expect the transition between college and the real world to be extremely challenging at times. I’ve spoken with several recent graduates who have all made similar comments about how difficult it can be to change your mentality of being a college student to being a full-time employee. Below are a few tips to hopefully make you aware of what to expect and ease this transition.

Don’t expect only a few days or a week of training in your new job. You should expect a pretty extended training period until you are truly comfortable with the job’s duties, computer systems, and the overall business strategy. Take advantage of this learning experience and ask questions. If you aren’t positive on how you are approaching a certain situation, ask a fellow colleague. Managers would much rather you ask questions if you’re struggling than attempt, fail, and have to completely start over. No one is able to read your mind; colleagues and managers are entrusting you with your role and expect you to know what you’re doing. If you’re unsure, ASK!

Our lives aren’t split into semester-like segments anymore. Unlike in college when one poor test grade could be replaced with a high grade on the exam and you forget about it the next semester, our work completed at our job will be effected for the rest of our time with that company. It’s important to consider what actions you take on any given day will impact your future actions and success with that firm.

In college, we were constantly given feedback by comments and grades from our professors on a weekly basis. In the working world, it is our responsibility to check in and receive feedback on our work performance. Once you complete a task or a big project, check in with your manager to ensure everything was completed correctly and ask what’s next on the agenda so that you can provide assistance. The more proactive you are, the more successful you’ll be as a team member.

Realizing your actions do not only affect you but your entire organization, can be frightening. Your poor test grade only affected yourself but your failing of a project could set back your entire company from a crucial deadline. Our personal success is not only celebrated within ourselves but it also benefits our company as a whole. Hopefully these tips will give you a greater sense of what to expect in the transition between being a college student and being a full-time employee!

How to Make a Great First Impression at a Job Interview

It only takes about six seconds for someone to form a first impression. First impressions are crucial in the interview process and could make or break a company’s decision whether to bring you onto their team. Below are a few tips to help ease your nervousness and greatly impress the hiring manager.

Smile – Turn your frown upside down! Sometimes we get so wrapped up into a moment of nerves and emotions, we forget about our facial expressions. During the job interview, make sure you are aware of your facial expressions so you aren’t accidently sending off a bad vibe to the organization. People love connecting with others who display a positive, friendly attitude. Smiling represents confidence, trustworthiness and genuine happiness. Show the company your bright personality and how grateful you are to have the opportunity to interview with their organization. 

Presentation – Dress professionally, look your best, and SMILE! Your physical appearance is the first feature others notice about you. You can impress the hiring manager before the interview begins by dressing appropriately and looking well groomed. Before the interview, ask the hiring manager about the organization’s culture. You must coordinate your dress with the culture of the organization. If the culture is business formal, you should wear your best business suit. Remember, dress for the job you want, not the job you have!

Confidence – Body language and appearance speaks louder than words. Stand tall, smile, maintain eye contact, and greet with a firm handshake. This body language is nonverbal clues the hiring manager will notice. Also, be aware of your nervous habits. Going into a job interview, your nerves will be extremely high. The last thing you want to do is make the hiring manager feel uneasy and uncomfortable because your nerves are out of control. By practicing and being prepared, you will be more comfortable and present strong body language.

Conversation – Small talk goes a long way. Follow the hiring manager’s lead during conversation. Nowadays, most interviews begin with small talk before jumping into the question portion of the interview. Small talk breaks the ice and allows you to feel more comfortable with the hiring manager by discussing topics of interest shared between the two of you. This is also a great opportunity for you to show the hiring manager your awesome personality!

You only have a few seconds to make a great first impression and it is almost impossible to change it. Much of what creates a good first impression comes naturally to you, but preparing yourself for the first encounter with someone could leave them with an even stronger, memorable impression of you. 

Interviews Are a Two-Way Street

A job interview is a type of employment test that involves conversation between a job applicant and a representative of the organization. Interviews are conducted to establish a relationship between the applicant and representative to determine whether the candidate could successfully fulfill the position.

Towards the end of the interview, you can always assume the question “Do you have any questions for me?” will be asked. Most candidates are more concerned about asking questions that make them look smart than the hiring manager’s answer. Asking the interviewer the right questions could highly effect their decision on whether you are the best candidate for the position.

If you are interviewing for a job, here are several notable questions to ask the interviewer:

“What do you expect me to accomplish in the first 60 to 90 days?”

Strong candidates are motivated to make a positive difference in the organization immediately. They are not extremely interested in “getting to know the organization” or “settling in.” You can be a top candidate by displaying your interest in diving into your work and providing successful results for the company.

“If I were offered this position, how would my performance be measured and what could I do to exceed your expectations?”

 

This question can provide you with great insight to understand the hiring manager’s expectations and determine whether to accept the position if you get an offer. As a candidate, you need to get a good measure of how you will need to perform to succeed in the organization.

“What is the typical career path for someone in this role?”

By asking this question, you can gain better insight on whether the company promotes from within and how they determine career advancement. This question shows the hiring manager you are interested in growing with the organization. The interviewer’s answer to this question can be useful to decide whether this career path is the right choice for you to pursue.

 

Job interviews can be incredibly stressful if you are not prepared. Preparation for an interview is vital if you are highly interested in the position. You can prepare by reviewing the highlights of your previous education and experience and explain how your strengths, knowledge, and skills can be an asset to the organization. Although an interview is geared toward getting to know you, ensure the interviewer that you are just as interested in getting to know them and the organization by asking thought-provoking questions.

How to Create a Memorable Resume

Let’s be honest – after you apply for a job, your resume usually ends up amid a stack of paperwork on the hiring manager’s desk. It takes about six seconds for you to catch someone’s eye and make an impression so having a strong, unforgettable resume is vital. Below are a few tips to enhance your resume and place you in the running for the position you desire. 

A simple way to ensure your resume will be noticed by hiring managers is to use relevant keywords that relate to the position you are applying to. Significant keywords to include are related skills, languages, knowledge or areas of expertise that are applicable to the position. To determine which keywords would be the most effective, review the job description and seek similar job postings on various job sites to decide which terms are most used for the position.

Including your professional social media profiles on your resume allows the hiring manager to get a better idea of your personality, industry knowledge, and how you brand yourself. If you’re looking for a position in sales or marketing, displaying your expertise and knowledge and having a strong social media presence is essential. As students applying for jobs, we are constantly reminded to clean up our personal social media sites. You do not want to include your personal social media accounts on your resume – only list your professional accounts.

Generic phrases and cliché terms such as “hardworking, determined, or great communicator” need to be removed from your resume ASAP. Cut the fluff. No hiring manager has the time to read a resume over a page long. Determine which points of information you want to emphasize and focus on those areas. You can certainly go into detail about a previous job or related experience during the interview, but your resume should not be an essay of information. Make it short, simple, and easy to read.

These tips are only a few of many that should be considered when creating your resume. Ensure it represents your authenticity, knowledge, and applicable experience to create an unforgettable resume that sets you apart from other applicants.

Communication is KEY in an Interview

There is only so much a hiring manager is able to learn from a piece of paper. A candidate may have great grades, relevant experience and is fully qualified for the position but during the interview, the interviewer realizes this candidate has a dull, boring personality. You may only be partially qualified for the position but convince the interviewer you are the ideal candidate for the position. It is all about how you present yourself! Below are a few tips for job seekers on how to communicate effectively with the interviewer.

Break the Ice – Utilize the time at the beginning of an interview for small talk to release some of the tension and stress. Instead of diving right into business and questions, chat about the weather, any recent news or any interesting information you came about in your research about the organization. By engaging in small talk, the interviewer can gain a better understanding of your personality and how you communicate with others.

Engage – Once the conversation is going strong, engage with the interviewer by incorporating your research and knowledge of the company into your answer. Show the interviewer you are serious about the position by sharing information you learned about the company’s culture, competition or any recent news released about the organization. Use the opportunity to engage with the interviewer and prove you are more than competent for the position.

Be Professional – Although your interviewer will try to make you feel as comfortable as possible and you have engaged in calming conversation prior to the question portion of the interview, you cannot forget to remain professional. You must remember that you are in a professional business setting and speak in a professional, polished way.

These tips are important to keep in mind during your interview with a company. From my experience, the interviews that were more of a conversation rather than an interrogation were more successful and efficient. My responses to the questions asked were more confident and poised when I felt comfortable with the interviewer. Begin by breaking the ice, engage in conversation, and remain professional and poised throughout your interview and you will impress the interviewer and rise above the other candidates!

"The time is NOW, the person is YOU!" – Dr. Nido Qubein

"The time is NOW, the person is YOU!" is often heard by students of High Point University by our university president, Dr. Nido Qubein. As a graduating senior, I oftentimes reflect on Dr. Qubein's lectures and the strong pieces of advice he offers our students.

I started this blog with a well-known quote by Dr. Qubein because with graduation quickly approaching, it is time for seniors to crack down on their job searches. I will be the first to admit attempting to balance going to school full time and conducting a serious job search is difficult to balance at times; but I am making it happen.

According to career experts, it is extremely important to think about landing that first job well before graduation. Now I know all you graduating seniors probably just felt a large pit in your stomach thinking about the g-word and the real world but it is coming SO much faster than any of us are expecting. Let’s start planning now!

There are many advantages to beginning our job searches now. The earlier you begin applying for jobs in your industry, the more ambitious you look to hiring managers. We all know the competition between graduating college students across the nation is extremely high. Get your name and resume out there and begin building your network! Depending on your desired industry, many businesses prefer to hire early. Understand your industry, grow your network, and take risks to stay ahead of your competition.

Don’t worry if your friends have already secured a job after graduation and you haven’t even began to apply for jobs. It is not as hard to get started as you may fear. A great place to start is creating a strong resume tailored to your industry. Begin practicing those difficult interview questions so you are more than prepared when you schedule your first interview. Most importantly, be prepared to do a little juggling. Although your job search is extremely important, you cannot forget about your obligations to school, work, or extra-curricular activities.

The time is now to begin your job search and the person is you that companies desire to hire!

Network, Network, Network!

The concept of networking is drilled into our minds as college students approaching graduation. Networking is the single most powerful marketing tool for an individual or organization. Build connections and relationships with successful business professionals in your destined industry who can put you in contact with the right people to make your dream job a reality. Education, skills, and experience can only get you so far. Networking is key – it is all about who you know; better yet, who knows you.

The power of networking is so critical during your job search. I landed my summer internship by networking with family friends in my hometown. I applied for the position and fortunately knew someone that worked for the company who was able to put a good word in for me and helped me obtain the internship. I made so many valuable connections by networking with colleagues at company meetings, lunches and various other events. As graduation is approaching, I am reaching out to my current connections as well as building new ones.

In my social media marketing course at HPU, my professor instructed us to complete a social audit about our LinkedIn. This audit showed all of our connections by drawing out a diagram of how everyone was connected with one another. It was amazing to see how many people I was connected with and to see the mutual connections with others. My audit showed I had over 50,000 bridges of networking opportunities! This was an eye opener to me, emphasizing the importance of having a strong LinkedIn profile and fostering those connections and relationships.

High Point University’s Career and Internship Services office provides ample networking opportunities for students throughout the academic year. The Career and Internship Expo is typically held once a semester to encourage HPU students to network with representatives from companies across North Carolina. Representatives from various organizations visit HPU throughout the year and host a night in order to meet with students specifically interested in working for that company. There are even courses set up by the Office of Career and Internship Services that teach students how to network! As a student who has attended some of these networking events, I encourage students to take advantage of these opportunities while they have the chance.

Get yourself out there and network with professionals in your industry! Networking is vital and the perfect opportunity to market yourself and make yourself known. Remember, your net worth is only as good as your network!
 

What to Avoid During a Job Interview

Job seekers have a pretty good idea of what the hiring manager expects from them during an interview. Most candidates know the basics: dress professionally, maintain eye contact, display manners and confidence, and bring extra copies of your résumé and references. Through my research in my job search, I came across some pet peeves of hiring professionals that I wanted to share with my fellow classmates to avoid during their job search.

When candidates apply for every position available within the company, it gives off a “desperate” impression to the hiring manager. Do not send out mass job applications just because you are frantic to land a job after graduation. Hiring managers will easily pick up on your desperate attempts and see it as a lack of focus or drive to obtain a specific position.

Hiring managers oftentimes automatically dismiss résumés with spelling errors, grammar mistakes, or missing information. One of the worst things a candidate could do is to exaggerate on previous job duties in order to impress the hiring manager. Misrepresentation by stretching the truth about a position will not do you any favors. On my résumé, I have a brief description of what my job responsibilities entailed and if asked about them during an interview, I provide an example of how I demonstrated a specific duty. How embarrassing would it be if the hiring manager asked you about a job responsibility you had listed on your résumé and you were not able to explain the duty in detail or you forgot you even listed it on your résumé? Only list accurate data regarding personal information, your education, skills, and professional experience.

Time management skills are vital in any professional career. Being late to the interview shows the hiring manager that you are unreliable, unappreciative of their time and not entirely serious about the position. To avoid running late, I always map out the distance it will take me to get to the office. I take into consideration the time of day, whether it be rush hour in the morning or late afternoon. If the office is not too far from home, I will drive to the office the day before to ensure I know the location and to prevent panic the day of the interview.  

One of the most common distributed pieces of advice for all interviewees is to research the company and job position beforehand. Lack of preparation appears as laziness to the hiring manager. There is a vast amount of information available to candidates and yet many still do not complete their homework prior to the interview. This advice is highly stressed at HPU from our professors that being prepared is key to a strong interview. Before an interview, I google the company and research any recent news regarding the business or industry. I prepare several questions in regards to the future of the company by tying in some of my research to impress the hiring manager.

Although many of these aspects of a job interview may seem obvious to avoid, many candidates still seem to make these mistakes. Be prepared, on time, and represent your true self. By following these tips, you can ensure the hiring manager that you are a strong candidate for the position.

Steps to Accomplish Getting Your First Job after College

Searching for a job after college graduation is a full-time job within itself. I realized quickly how important time management skills are when trying to juggle being a full-time student and running a full-time job search.

Often I find myself reading articles via LinkedIn or Facebook pertaining to advice and tips on obtaining a job after graduation. January may seem early to be thinking about applying for jobs after graduation, but May will be here before I know it. I read a recent article from Forbes.com I found helpful in my job seeking process that explained several steps you must accomplish to get your first job after college. I emphasized a few of the steps below that I believe are the most important for soon-to-be college graduates.

Create a LinkedIn profile.

LinkedIn is a vital tool college students, like myself, must take advantage of in their job search. Statistics show that 94% of recruiters use LinkedIn to source candidates. LinkedIn acts as a digital version of your résumé and allows you infinite space to describe yourself versus the one page limit of the traditional résumé. LinkedIn allows you to connect with professionals in your industry. My professors at High Point University encourage us to send out our résumé and start making connections ASAP. Networking has become a vital step in my job search process and LinkedIn allows making professional connections easier. The number of active users on LinkedIn is exponentially increasing and it has become one of my favorite social media sites.

Get an internship as early as possible.

Internships provide valuable experience to students who are interested in pursuing their dream career following graduation. Along with valuable experience, internships offer various advantages. Getting your foot in the door with a potential employer is extremely important. Making yourself known within the company, networking and making connections with fellow colleagues, and proving your worth as a strong asset to the company increases your chances of being offered future employment.

Another advantage of working an internship early on is to “test drive” a career. Internships can help you decide the best industry and career path for you. This past summer, I applied for a marketing internship position with a company. I chose marketing because I am studying business administration and marketing. The internship did not work out as planned but the HR manager of the company offered me an internship working with the HR department. I had not taken any classes in HR and was nervous to jump into something I had very little knowledge of. It actually was a blessing I received the HR intern position because I fell in love with HR and I plan to pursue a career in HR after graduation. Even if you are slightly interested in a field, try to obtain an internship and gain a “real world” perspective on the occupation.    

Use your school’s career services office.

The Career & Internship Services office at High Point University provides students with resources to strengthen their résumé and cover letter, practice interviewing, search employment opportunities, and engage in career and internship showcases. Before sending out my résumé to potential employers, I met with a career ambassador who reviewed my résumé and cover letter and gave me suggestions for improvement. I highly suggest soon-to-be college graduates to take advantage of their school’s career services office.

 

Creating a strong LinkedIn profile, gaining internship experience early on and taking advantage of their school’s career services office are ways soon-to-be college graduates can increases their chances of landing a full-time job after college.