Author Archive | Lisa Amato

How to Justify Your Impending iPhone 6, 6 Plus, or Apple Watch Purchase

By Lisa Amato on September 19, 2014 in Technology

Image from picjumbo.com

It’s all anyone in the tech-osphere is talking about; people are lined up at Apple stores around the world. But for the not-so-wallet-friendly base prices of $350 US (for the Watch), $199 US (for the 6), and $299 US (for the 6 Plus), you may be doubting whether the money is worth it. You don’t even want to know what the cost of the iPhones are if you don’t have a contract (but we’ll tell you anyways – starting at $649 for the 6 and $749 for the 6 Plus. Ouch). When you’re debating making the switch to the new iPhone, or sending in your pre-order for the Watch (set to come out in early 2015), here are the features you should be aware of that can benefit your student life:

The Apple Watch

After years of countless James Bond movies, we’ve all thought the radio-transmitting wrist watch was just a fascinating, futuristic gadget. Well, welcome to the future. Soon we’ll all be talking into our wrists and tapping our watches to make glorious things happen (although the ability to cut through glass isn’t available…yet). The exciting thing is that apps are only starting to be developed. Who knows what they’ll come up with in the next year? Here are some of the key things we already know about that will help you as a student:

Pretend you know where you’re going when you’re completely lost
When using Apple Maps, find directions to where you want to go – same old, same old, right? Wrong. One of my favourite new features with the Watch includes different vibrations to notify you when to turn left and right so your eyes don’t need to be glued to your wrist. No one will know you’re a freshman in a new city.

Draw when you don’t have time to type
When you’re trying to push through crowds on campus to get to your next class, the last thing you want to do is try to type on your phone. Chances are you’ll make mistakes that even autocorrect can’t figure out, and you’ll walk into people, trip over someone studying on the floor, or even drop your phone. The next time your friend texts you “Are you coming to class?”, you can just draw a checkmark on your watch and you’re back in action.

It’s hard to lose
Much like parents who clip a leash to their toddlers in the shopping mall, you now effectively have a phone on a leash. Strapped to your wrist at all times, you don’t have to worry about which class you left your phone in this time.

It gives you incentive to get back into shape
The Watch can sense your heartbeat and your altitude (among other things), which makes for an effective fitness tracker. It can tell how many calories you’re burning and how many flights of stairs you climbed today. It’s the cheat-free reminder you need (see also: guilt trip) to get up and get moving.

The iPhone 6 or 6 Plus

If you’re already an iPhone user, you likely don’t need much convincing to upgrade. Each subsequent iPhone generation comes with new and advanced features that you didn’t know you needed – but now your two-year-old 4S seems not only outdated, but inadequate (I know mine does).

It’s bigger (but still thinner than ever)
Now this is not necessarily a benefit for some users. Of course we want more information on the screen at once – we’re multitaskers with an attention span of zero. But what about fitting our phones into our pockets? There’s only one solution: jean manufacturers need to get on board with bigger pockets. Go big or go home, right? If you don’t care about pocket space (seriously, your phone will be glued to your hand anyways), the iPhone 6 Plus might be right for you. It’s great for videos on the go, and has a different landscape layout for ease of use. Those of us with smaller hands or no need for a phablet will be more than happy with the 6.

The camera is better
Are you the type to take pictures of the notes your professor has put up during the lecture, or ones your friends took when you missed that class? The 8MP iSight camera boasts 1.5-micron pixels and ƒ/2.2 aperture, for clearer photos than ever. It also includes auto-stabilization to make sure your selfies will be blur-free.

Leave your wallet at home
Apple Pay will let you tap to pay at select stores (220,000 locations to start) – just hold your finger on the TouchID and you’re done in seconds. Your bag will be heavy enough with textbooks; leave your bulky wallet at home and pay securely.

Longer battery life
For those long days at school, battery life is vital. The last thing you want is to be running around looking for an outlet (and there never seems to be one). The iPhone 6 gives you up to 11 hours when browsing on Wi-Fi (12 hours with the 6 Plus).

Faster wireless
Finding and connecting to wireless is half the battle, but actually being able to use it without hangups is a whole other frustrating issue. For those of you lucky enough to have functioning Wi-Fi in your classrooms, this is a great advancement.

10 Tips for Students Attending the Ontario Universities’ Fair

By Lisa Amato on September 12, 2014 in Colleges, Programs, Universities

Image by COD Newsroom, Flickr

The Ontario Universities’ Fair takes place in September every year (in 2014 you can check them out from September 19-21). When I attended, oh-so-long ago, I remember feeling confused. There were so many schools in attendance and I had no idea what to say to them. General questions that popped into my head, such as “is it a good school?” or “is it a popular program?” had no merit – every school would answer “yes” and it didn’t help me figure out which school I actually wanted to attend. So that you don’t end up wasting your precious weekend hours, here are a few tips to make the trip a useful one:

Before you go…

Tip #1: Figure out your top fields of study

Many students don’t know the answer to “What do you want to be when you grow up?” You’re young. You can’t be expected to plan out your entire future at the age of 17. But for the purposes of selecting a program to study, try to have an idea of what interests you. That’s what high school is for. Which classes do you prefer? Which ones do you excel in? If you can narrow it down to one field, great. If not, pick two, max three (if you have more than that, you’ll be exploring a General Arts or Undecided program). The good thing is, you still have another 3-4 years of studying in this field to figure out a career that’s right for you.

Tip #2: Rank your priorities

Figure out what will make or break a school or program for you. Will you cross a school off your list if it’s a long commute? Will you favour a school that boasts smaller class sizes? Make a chart (if you’re a visual person) listing all the schools you want to talk to, along with all the features you want to know about. When you ask your questions, you can easily check off ones that meet your requirements.

Tip #3: Do some research on schools

Before attending the fair, use your priority list to find out the top schools in the province, and the top schools for your specific programs of interest. If you can narrow your search down to the top 5-10 schools, you have a fantastic starting point.

Tip #4: Figure out whereabouts you want to study

Do you want to live at home or in residence? Do you like the big city feel or small town? If you’re open to anything, that’s great – just make sure to keep your budget (or your parents’ budget) in mind. Speaking of which…

Tip #5: Decide on a general budget

Remember that different schools and programs can run you varying costs. Residence and meal plan costs can add up and you may need to explore student loans. If commuting to school, you may need to consider costs of public transportation or purchasing a car. It’s best to have the “money talk” with your family and decide what you’re comfortable spending or borrowing.

While you’re there…

Tip #6: Try not to feel intimidated

Be prepared for a lot of students, parents, and booths. Be patient and remember these students are all in the same spot as you, and are likely asking many of the same questions. Feel free to listen to what other students ask; maybe the reps will answer a question you didn’t know you had. The fair will hand out a map of the area so you can easily find which booths you want to target. You may need to wait in line to speak to a representative, so it’s best to arrive with sufficient time. The Ontario Universities’ Fair has a great online resource you should look at before you attend.

Tip #7: Talk to student representatives

Many schools will bring current students as representatives, and in some cases, they are even better at answering your questions than administrative reps. Picture these current students as the “future you”. Ask them how they like it. Ask them what their favourite parts of the campus and program are – and more importantly, their least favourite parts. Students are likely to give you an honest view of what you can expect.

Tip #8: Pick up program-specific pamphlets

Many schools might tell you that the program details are online. If you’re a more visual analyzer, pick up the pamphlets there to bring home and you can directly compare the details for each school. The more information you have, the better prepared you’ll be to make your decision.

Tip #9: Ask about everything

There are no stupid questions. Ask about eligibility, the program, and costs. Ask about the campus. Ask about services offered to students. Whatever you can think of, now is your time to ask it. You’re not on the spot here – the schools are. Grill them to your heart’s desire. The Ontario Universities’ Fair put together a great list of questions to give you a starting point.

Tip #10: Be organized, but don’t limit yourself

You’ve prepared your questions and your top schools. Chances are you’ll make a beeline for those when you arrive – and that’s good. Take notes, because you’ll likely forget a lot of the answers when you leave. Once you’ve finished talking to your preferred schools, keep an open mind about everything else. Maybe there’s a school you forgot to research in advance. Maybe there’s a presentation starting soon about a school you haven’t talked to.

Good luck at the fair! For more tips, follow @OntarioUniFair on Twitter, or check out our review of the 2013 Ontario Universities’ Fair.

Hot Tips for Prospective Interns

By Lisa Amato on June 20, 2014 in In the Workplace, Search Strategies, Self-Assessment

Image by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Flickr

@USNewsCareers recently hosted a Twitter chat for current and prospective interns to get their questions answered and receive tips from the industry (#internchat). We were happy to be part of the chat (@StudentsDotOrg) and were joined by countless other professionals and interns. Below is a summary of our favourite and most useful tips from the chat:

Tip #1: Use free resources provided to you when searching for an internship

With technology these days, the world is literally at your fingertips. You have access to endless job postings – so use them. However, the consensus in the chat was to not limit your search to job search engines. As a student, you’re given free access to your school’s career centre and advisors. Take advantage of them. You also have an extensive network between students in your classes, your family, your professors, and connections you’ve made on social media sites such as LinkedIn. Ask around. Attend conferences and events hosted by your school; you never know what connections you’ll make.

Tip #2: If you don’t get an internship, there are other things you can do instead

Any experience is good experience when you’re talking about your resume. @CareerCounMatt gives a couple of examples: volunteering, taking courses, or starting independent projects can all give you worthwhile experience that provides added value to your resume and to future employers. Just because internship hiring season may be over doesn’t mean you should stop networking. Many companies will give informational interviews during the summer; you could end up on a short list for the next year if you make a great impression.

Tip #3: Develop your people skills

When we were asked what companies look for when hiring employees, not one person responded with “good grades”. Answers all centred around people skills: communication, leadership, teamwork, being proactive. There have been many discussions about how skills can be taught, but personalities can’t. Companies generally look for employees who will fit in well with their culture, and who are enthusiastic about helping take the company to the next level.

Tip #4: Use your internship to grow yourself – not just your resume

Although the goal of every intern is to find a full-time career, remember that your internship can provide a lot more value to your own development. Determine what you want to learn/develop during your internship and find out if that can be offered. Does the company offer training or a mentorship program? Are they giving you meaningful work or sending you on coffee runs?

Tip #5: Prove yourself before asking for more

Some interns go into their internship with guns blazing, demanding responsibility for more and more tasks to show that they are the Ideal Intern. Be wary about taking this approach – it could easily backfire. The consensus is that once you are able to prove you can handle the workload already assigned to you (handle = complete on time or early, error-free and above standard), you can ask your manager for more responsibility. Make sure to always finish what you’re assigned before looking for more. One great idea is to figure out what your manager finds the most difficult to deal with, and find ways to improve the situation. Discuss with your manager/mentor any particular interests or passions you have, and how you can apply them to your position.

Tip #6: Unpaid internships are not pointless

Many new regulations have come into play regarding the legality of some unpaid internships. If you end up in an unpaid internship, remember that even though you are not being paid, the internship is still worth your time in experience. You’ll have months to learn, and perhaps your company will send you to events or conferences where you can develop new skills.

Tip #7: Always ask questions

During your internship or volunteer experience, don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s a horrible feeling to complete a day’s worth of work only to find out you did it wrong. Asking questions will also let your manager know that you’re a thinker, not just a doer, and it’ll show them you’re interested in what you’re working on.

Tip #8: Sorry, but you do not know more than your managers

The one thing your managers have over you is experience. They know their company, and they generally know what works and what doesn’t. This is your chance to learn from them – not to compete with them. If you’re looking to turn your internship into full-time employment, the best thing you can do is listen. Show your interest and respect, and if you do have a new suggestion or idea, make sure you don’t propose it in a way that challenges their authority. No one likes a know-it-all!

Tip #9: Take your internship seriously

You’re not in school. You’re not hanging out with friends. Even if your internship is as short as 2-3 months, consider it to be your full-time job. Make a good impression, show up on time (early!), dress professionally, and don’t complain about the work being too hard or boring. If you receive constructive criticism, don’t mope over it. Apologize, correct any errors, and remember the advice for next time. There was a reason the company hired you over all the other applicants – show your worth.

Tip #10: Watch your social media usage

Never forget that social media is public content. Even though you think you’ve picked a clever pseudonym for your online self, it is very likely your employers will be able to find you. Never talk badly about your company on social media. Remember the impression you’re trying to make! Find out the office culture and policy towards social media. If you love social media, ask if you’d be able to create an @ intern account to document your experience and office happenings. Some companies may be excited by this – and some may not be. Learn to be ok with whatever response you receive.

Tip #11: Be irreplaceable

As mentioned, every intern’s goal is to turn an internship into a full-time offer. The best way to do this is to leave lasting impressions throughout your time there. Be irreplaceable. Show your worth. Make connections with other interns, managers, and coworkers. Make sure your manager is aware of your goals; you never know if they’ll be able to put in a good word for you. At the very least, ask for recommendations or referrals near the end of your program – these could provide you with the leverage you need to gain your next employment.

US News Careers also posted a recap of the chat. You can find it here.

Will Online or Traditional Courses Prevail? [Infographic]

By Lisa Amato on April 11, 2014 in Programs, Technology

Here’s an infographic you might find interesting. It compares the statistics of online vs. traditional courses. Pay special attention to the pros and cons to see if online learning is right for you. Send us a tweet @StudentsDotOrg and let us know which you prefer.

Remember, there is no pressure to take an online course if you’re not comfortable with it. Some may think that because you can work on your own schedule, that the courses may be easier – and this isn’t the case. You will need to be a motivated, independent worker in order to succeed in online courses. But, they are becoming more prevalent…do you think they will wipe out traditional courses in the future?

Source: Top10OnlineColleges.org

Why Watching the Olympics is Good for Your Marks

By Lisa Amato on February 3, 2014 in Academic Life, General, Programs

Image by rapidtravelchai, Flickr

Do you feel guilty about watching the Olympics this year? Like you really should be working on that assignment instead? Well, before you turn off the TV, we’ve got some news: it might actually be good for you, a student, to watch the infamous Games – and not just so you know what everyone’s talking about on Facebook.

The Olympics can be both inspirational and educational for students. No, we’re not just talking to those of you who happen to be athletes. We’re talking to students majoring in…well, everything.

Hear us out.

We’ve talked before about how you can’t get any better education than incorporating real-world experience into courses, and the Olympics gives you an opportunity to really see what goes on behind-the-scenes.

Still aren’t sold?

Here are some ways students in various majors can keep an eye on real-world happenings in their industry while completely enjoying the Olympic Games, guilt-free:

Marketing Students:

Over a billion dollars has already been spent on marketing at the Olympics. Can you see what it’s been spent on? Future marketers can watch for product placement and banners at the events themselves, and how companies all around the world take advantage of the buzz through commercials and social media. What’s the most effective marketing tactic for you?

PR and Journalism Students:

Sure to be one of the biggest news subjects of the year, watch the various events and figure out what you would write about. What do you think tomorrow’s big story will be? How would you handle a scandal for the media? What are the most tweeted events? Which news entity do you think is providing the best coverage?

Political Science Students:

Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Russian government is handling the event? What are your criticisms of it? What would you suggest for the use of the event venues after the Olympics to ensure the government doesn’t lose money?

Economics Students:

A lot of money has been spent on building new event venues and improving infrastructure for the Olympics. Would you have done anything differently? Do you think it was a worthwhile idea to spend money on infrastructure and buildings now, in hopes Russia can recoup the costs later?

Travel and Tourism Students:

Although many people will be attending the Olympics in Sochi this year, some may be wary about visiting Russia in the future. How would you promote tourism here? What would you do to help people feel safe in the country? Are hotels and restaurants doing anything special for the Olympics to welcome tourists? How much have prices increased during the event?

Biology Students:

Which country is taking home the most medals? Do you see a relationship between medals won in certain sports and the countries these winners are from? Do you think the genetic makeup of a person has anything to do with their skill in a sport?

Urban Planning Students:

Over 8 billion dollars was spent building new roads, railways, and even a glass-front train station in Sochi. Pay attention to what transportation is like – are people complaining about congestion? Did the company in charge of infrastructure do enough (or not enough) to host the event?

Physics and Engineering Students:

Look into how the engineers built the platforms for various events – how do they perfect the icy track for the luge? How do the skiers make sure they rotate the right amount in the air? Pay attention to the angles and surfaces used in different winter sports. Have any innovative materials been used this year?

Psychology Students:

Listen to the interviews of various athletes before and after the events. Are the expected winners taking home medals? Is anyone cracking under pressure? What might influence their mentality at the games?

As you can see, as a worldwide event, the Olympics is not just a sports competition. Every industry is involved in some respect, and if you are passionate about your major, you’ll find how the Games relate to you. You’ll learn about the way it applies in a real-world situation, and you may even be able to work what you’ve learned into your next assignment.

Meet a CEO for Coffee. Yes, it’s That Easy.

By Lisa Amato on January 22, 2014 in Academic Life, Search Strategies, Tutoring

Are your emails to company representatives getting lost in overflowing inboxes? Well, there’s a new way to get the attention of industry executives – and even go for coffee with them.

TenThousandCoffees.com is a new initiative started by Dave Wilkin, a 25-year-old entrepreneur with a classic dream: to connect businesspeople with the next generation over a cup of coffee. And, surprisingly, it’s catching on not only with students, but with experienced executives as well. Why? Wilkin attributes it to knowledge sharing. As much as students want to hear about how people got to where they are today, top executives want to know what the younger generation is thinking.

That’s right students: now is your time to shine.

These “coffee dates” are casual and non-committal. Don’t think you’ll be walking into a meeting and walking out with a job offer. Instead, use the opportunity to ask questions, propose ideas, and get feedback from your business idols. Yes, increase your network, but increase your knowledge as well.

The website is free to join for both Experts (anyone with experience or advice to share) and Novices (students and young professionals). More than 300 industry experts have already signed up for the site – and these include well-known faces such as astronaut Chris Hadfield, Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau, Elle Canada Editor-in-Chief Noreen Flanagan, and even the blast-from-the-past co-founder of Bodybreak, Hal Johnson.

We’ve barely scratched the surface with these participants, who have all signed up of their own accord.

They want to meet you.

Go to TenThousandCoffees.com and you can browse the profiles of executives from LinkedIn, Cineplex, Corus, Toronto International Film Festival, Telus, Maple Leaf Foods, PepsiCo, L’Oreal, Metrolinx, TD, MLSE, NHL, Molson Coors, Canadian Red Cross, Samsung, McDonald’s, and many, many more.

The list of Experts includes comedians and actors, marketers and project managers, CEOs and Presidents, professors, lawyers, politicians, news anchors and columnists, publishers, restauranteurs, a fire chief, and an Olympian.

Can you learn from these people? Definitely.

All you need to do is sign up on the site, for free, and send a coffee request to anyone you’d like to meet with. If they accept, you schedule a date and time to meet – it can even be a video chat. Remember, all of these Experts have experience to share. Even if your one business idol hasn’t signed up (yet), get some practice meeting with other executives and listen to what they have to say.

The site is currently open to Canadians, but Wilkin has expressed a plan to expand to the US and UK in the near future.

Share your coffee experience with us on Twitter @StudentsDotOrg. Who did you meet? What did you talk about?

You can also follow @10kcoffees on Twitter and on Facebook.

Eliminating the Question “When Will I Ever Use This?”

By Lisa Amato on January 17, 2014 in Colleges, Programs, Universities

Video courtesy of the Toronto Star

You’ve sat through countless lectures in high school and college/university. Guaranteed, there was at least one lecture where you asked yourself (or in some brave cases, the professor), “When will I ever use this in the real world?” With the fast pace of modern society, students are feeling like they don’t have time to spend learning content they won’t find useful. Many teachers and professors have begun to understand this need, and some are even tailoring their classes to combat it.

Take, for example, the Tourism, Sport and Leisure Marketing class at the Schulich School of Business (York University, Toronto, Canada). Recently profiled by Morgan Campbell in the Sportonomics series for the Toronto Star, the group project for this class is to respond to a real-life issue affecting a pro sports entity. Various companies sign on to work with instructor Vijay Setlur in designing a case specific to their company’s needs. Each group in the class is assigned a company and a corresponding case, and is tasked with pitching a plan of action not only to classmates, but to executives from the companies.

Morgan Campbell interviews Stephen R. Brooks, VP Business Operations for the Toronto Blue Jays, in the video above. Brooks says,

An opportunity like this where the Blue Jays can come talk to not only bright businesspeople with great ideas, but also people in our age demographic that we’ve been trying to focus on, is a terrific opportunity to get that one-on-one feedback from them.

And thus we see the merging of classroom assignments with the real world. These students are given the opportunity to tackle an issue that perhaps may not even be presented to younger staff in a company; one that may be reserved for top executives behind closed doors. A case like this empowers students to not only come up with creative yet feasible ideas, but receive feedback from people with a front-row view of the challenges in their company. It’s an eye-opening assignment that pushes the class to really think about what they’re doing; eliminating the “who cares, it’s just an assignment” approach and adding the “I need to make a good impression because I want to work for this person one day” initiative.

When selecting your courses for the upcoming semester, keep your eyes open for ones that offer real-world experience. It’ll give you the opportunity to be excited about an assignment and will add value and credibility when you’re ready to find your first job out of school.

View the Toronto Star article here.

Know What You Want Before You Try to Get It

By Lisa Amato on January 14, 2014 in Our Stories, Programs, Self-Assessment

Image by bpsusf, Flickr

In my first two years of university, I was set on finding a job in human resources after graduating. I attended information sessions and noticed that the majority of company representatives there were in HR. I could see myself doing this; touring schools and talking to students about what the company does, interviewing them and deciding who would be a good candidate for our company. Yes. For someone who liked talking to people, teaching people, and giving presentations, it seemed perfect.

Then two things happened:

Thing 1: “You can’t do that right out of university”
I eagerly attended information sessions and job fairs to enquire about any vacancies in the HR department – after all, every company needs HR. With this in mind, I assumed there would be plenty. I talked to accounting firms, who gave me looks like they were thinking, “We’re an accounting firm. We’re hiring accountants…”

No one was hiring for HR. One rep was nice enough to explain to me that their company didn’t hire students to work in HR; they preferred to post internally for those jobs to hire people who’ve worked in the firm and know the company from the inside. Their advice? Get a job in another field first, and move to HR afterwards. Oh. Ok.

Thing 2: The Interview
On a conference executive committee in my fourth year, I met an HR rep from our major sponsor. By this time, I had switched my focus from HR to marketing. From the meetings he attended and recommendations from my peers, he knew I was a hard worker and that I was still on the job hunt, so he brought me in for an interview. He asked what field I wanted a job in, to which I replied, “Marketing.” He said, “We unfortunately don’t have any marketing positions available, but there is an open HR position.” Ok – that was my second choice, and I wasn’t going to be picky about a job prospect. Let’s hear it.

When he explained the job to me, it was not at all what I thought HR would consist of – or at least not the “kind” of HR I wanted.

I’d be posted in a factory, working with 20-30 middle-aged men. They would likely approach me with family issues, illnesses, general complaints, or ask for advances on their salaries. He asked if it’s something I thought I could handle, to which I said, “Yes, of course.” Inside, I squirmed and thought, “But I don’t want to.”

Suffice it to say, and to my relief, he didn’t offer the job to me – we both knew I wouldn’t be a good fit. As stressful as it was, I held out until I could find a job that more closely fit what I wanted. I learned to thoroughly research a position before assuming it’s what I wanted to do. It turns out HR wasn’t right for me after all.

Do you have a similar story? Share it with us on Twitter @StudentsDotOrg or email it to us.

Check out Jenny Lugar’s post on Maclean’s On Campus: How Traveling After Graduation Helped My Career

Finding a Job After School: A Reflection

By Lisa Amato on January 13, 2014 in Our Stories, Search Strategies

Image by jdnx, Flickr

Throughout my business school undergrad, it was drilled into my head that an internship was mandatory if I wanted to get a full-time job right out of school. Marketing students were steered towards large consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies like Kraft, Loreal, and P&G. The goal of every student was to beat out their classmates to score an internship with one of these prestigious companies. I tried – albeit unsuccessfully – to be one of these students in first and second year. I knew by third year I had to get an internship.

I was an average student with a part-time job and some research assistant experience – but I didn’t have enough to make me stand out. As far as employers knew, I wasn’t the cream of the crop.

I didn’t end up with an internship in my third year.

I went into fourth year with no real (read: marketing) work experience. As predicted, my friends with summer internships received full-time offers. They coasted through their final year with confidence that they’d walk into a job the next year as long as they kept their grades up. Those of us without internship experience struggled to apply for any jobs we could find. We’d all start with ones posted by our school’s career centre, and some of us went outside to sites like monster.ca in hopes no one else was looking there (which they obviously were). I started applying to companies I recognized – but only big ones. As the months went by, my stress level increased, and my “ideal job” criteria decreased. I applied to smaller companies I recognized. I researched websites for any companies I could think of and sent them a resume, even if they didn’t say they were hiring. Then I started applying to any job postings I could find that “kind of, sort of” related to marketing, whether I recognized the company or not.

The life-changer for me in my fourth year was obtaining a position on a conference executive team. I was VP Marketing for the year and put my all into it. One of my team members, two years younger than me (and who I likely wouldn’t have met if not for the conference), sent me a vague message near the end of the year saying that a friend of a friend’s cousin was looking to hire a recent marketing grad. I was given a first name and a phone number – no company name or job description. But I called, found out about the company, went in for an interview, and started working full-time just one month later.

Is my company a CPG? No. Does my job make me happy? Yes. Nearly four years later, I can’t imagine working anywhere else.

So, what did I learn from this experience?

Don’t just apply for jobs because that’s what your program pushes you towards. Apply for jobs and companies that interest you.
Remove your tunnel vision when applying for jobs. You know how much competition there is in the job market. Consider expanding your search criteria.
Don’t be afraid to take a chance on a job. It’s your first one. Get that experience on your resume, and if you find it isn’t for you, move on.
Make room for extracurriculars in university/college. With some programs, your marks will hold greater importance for employers. In mine, that wasn’t the case. The reason I was hired over another applicant was because I had “marketing experience”. Even though it was a volunteer post for a university conference, it made me stand out.
Make connections – not only with people in your class or even your year. Expand your group of contacts. You never know who someone else will know.

Everyone will have a different experience on the job hunt; this is my own. Share your job hunt story with us on Twitter @StudentsDotOrg, or email it to us.

More tips for your job hunt:
A Student’s Guide to Attracting Recruiters on LinkedIn
5 Places to Start Your Internship Search
Do Extracurriculars Add Value to My College Experience?
The Best Time to Work For Free
7 Tips to Make Your Resume Stand Out
Doing Freelance Work to Pay for School

11 Quotes to Inspire Learning

By Lisa Amato on December 11, 2013 in Entertainment

Image by paul-simpson.org, Flickr

Learning is a great thing. Yes, exams can be stressful and you may be feeling forced to learn content that bores you. You’ve questioned the worth of the courses you’re taking and when you’ll ever use this information “in the real world”. However, once you’ve graduated and kicked off your career, you’ll be thankful for – and proud of – the degree or diploma you have under your belt.

We’ve listed some of our favourite educational quotes below to inspire you to push through your college or university experience, no matter how far off the end may seem.

Do you have a quote not listed here that inspires you? Tweet us at @StudentsDotOrg and let us know!

Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.
― Nelson Mandela

I’m going to college. I don’t care if it ruins my career. I’d rather be smart than a movie star.
― Natalie Portman

Education is the best provision for life’s journey.
― Aristotle

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
― Mahatma Gandhi

Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.
― Martin Luther King Jr.

Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.
― Leonardo da Vinci

Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.
― Malcolm X

All I have learned, I learned from books.
― Abraham Lincoln

Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.
― Albert Einstein

I don’t love studying. I hate studying. I like learning. Learning is beautiful.
― Natalie Portman

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
― Nelson Mandela

Perseverance is key, and students.org will be right behind you the whole way!

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