Future Career - Lesson Two
Wednesday, October 15, 2008 @ 8:52 PM
Today's lesson will be short and compendious, because
I'm seriously drained, I have to go to school for 10 days without a weekend (!!) until I get my well-deserved break, I wrote about 8 tests only this week (*counts* which was about 3 days so far?), and all in all, everything is killing me nowadays, including the "Getting A Part-Time Job" Project I don't know much about
finding an internship, but I think that it is really important, so I want you to give some tips based on my little knowledge. (Just for the record, when I want to write about a topic I don't know well, I always read many articles about it on the internet, and try to sum up everything in my own words, which is not that easy, escpecially at night, after I have been spending hours learning Geography).
So, I will make an exception for today, and just simply paste some useful information and credit the sites. I'll also add my ideas, don't worry. (And later, if I get the job, I might provide you with my very own pieces of advice!)
"
Internships are a great way to gain real world experience while you’re still in school. Most internships are unpaid in monetary terms, but most, if not all, offer course credits. Besides the credits, having an internship can be a huge payoff in the long run. Not only will you have practical experience in your chosen field, but your prospective employer will see that you are focused, serious, and determined about your career path; a winning combination in anyone’s book." -
LoveToKnow"
Start by building up some type of work or volunteer experience that does not require a resume. For example, get involved volunteering at a homeless shelter or as part of a school activity. Or look for one of the many jobs that don't require a written resume, such as babysitting, camp counselor, retail sales, and some types of restaurant work or administrative assistance. Why is this important? Because to apply for a professional internship or job, you need a resume, and your resume should include a work or volunteer experience section. Also, remember that just by holding down a job--even one that seems totally unrelated to your future career goals--you are showing future employers that you have enough responsibility to show up on time every day, not get in fights, etc.
Write a resume, including your educational background (if any), your work and volunteer activities, interests, etc. When writing about your experience, keep your points concise but be sure to quantify them. Make sure to emphasize any skills that might be related to the job or internship you want in the future. Most importantly, make sure you can be reached easily by phone or email. Make sure your voicemail message and email address are professional, and check them often. If you live with roommates or family, alert them that you are job hunting and your messages are of utmost importance-- or just put your cell phone number on your resume.
Search for internship or job opportunities. Good sources are various websites, networking with your friends, family, acquaintances, etc., professional associations and organizations in your chosen profession etc. If you attend a college, your school may have a career center with job or internship listings just for the students of your school--don't overlook such resources. People in other situations, such as mid-career professionals wanting to switch careers, may want to focus on the networking route more specifically. Some nonprofit organizations can also help people with special situations, such as people who are unemployed, who have disabilities, or homemakers returning to the (paid) workforce." -
WikiHow
Be persistent, even if you get rejected more than once. So what? Problems are made to
solve defeat them. While you are waiting for them to call you back, be sure to practice your interview with your friends or relatives, and build your self-confidence!
When they call you,
arrive on time for the interview, and if you get the job which you applied for, think about whether you really want it (think about the following:
Do you have enough time in your hands? Or energy? Will you be able to do your best?), and if you are not sure, ask the employer for some more time to decide.
Labels: career, future, internship
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Future Career - Lesson One
Thursday, October 9, 2008 @ 10:14 PM
When I was younger I wanted to be a
zoologist and work for National Geographic as a
journalist besides that. (I was serious about this. It seemed to be an approachable plan. Even though I didn't care much about Biology.) Then, I wanted to become a
writer. I still want to write a book in my life, so that's something I really want to reach, no matter what. I didn't want to be a model or an actress, because I knew that I just didn't have the skills and required characteristics for those. (Wow, I was a pretty sharp kid, wasn't I?)
Finding your dream career can be quite difficult, but... I'm here to help. (: Or give you some ideas on the topic.
First of all, do you have any
special talents, which you could use in your future job? (For example, if you are cheerful and a people-person, then you would make a good teacher! Probably.) Think about the activities you enjoy and the subjects you like at school, and make a list of possible jobs, which may suit you.
If you already know what you want to do, read information about it and ask people who have got that certain job. What are the negative and positive sides of it? Ask those people to give you tips and share some tricks/their experiences about it.
You can also
go to a guidance counselor. To be honest, I've never talked with one. Yet.
"You and your guidance counselor can sit down and discuss your school career thus far. He or she will have access to your records and will be able to give you an objective opinion on your future plans. Be sure to:
- Come armed with a lot of questions.
- Don’t be shy and speak up if you disagree.
- Ask for the counselor’s opinion and really listen to their answer.
- Don’t get discourage if you hear something you don’t like. Many, many people have been told by a guidance counselor to go down one career path, only to end up on a completely different career path.
- All final decisions are up to you. This is very important and bears remembering." - LovesToKnow
Join clubs, take extra classes. Personally, I have one called 'ECDL'. Don't know what the heck that is? "The ECDL certification training is designed for novices and will get you to a high computer literacy standard. It is the fastest growing IT user qualification in over 125 countries." So it might be pretty useful in the future! I'm glad I decided to take it. So don't be lazy to spend some more time learning!
Labels: career, future
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