Roadmap Book Review

Roadmap: The Get-it-Together Guide for Figuring out What to Do With Your Life by Roadtrip Nation is an easy read that is helpful for those who are unsure of where to go in life. When I first pulled the book from a shelf at a Barnes & Noble bookstore, the grainy texture of the book cover made me doubt the content in the book. I figured it would be a nice book to display on a coffee table, but as I read through the book I realized there was more to it than I initially thought.

 Not only is the book an easy read, but it is interactive too. For example, the authors ask “questions about why-starting with, where are you headed?” and the authors give you room to answer. For example, “The voices around me are saying, ‘I should be a ___________________________.’” The book’s vibrant colors, supportive diagrams, and attractive pictures also add to the enjoyable reading experience.

The authors use quotes by notable people, such as Gregory Carroll, CEO of the American Jazz Museum, Tony Hale, actor (and Buster Bluth on Arrested Development), Jim Koch, founder and brewmaster of Samuel Adams, and many others, who offer helpful advice on your career and your life. The authors even give snapshots of other notable people talking about how they found the job they love, how they got there, what they had to overcome, etc. to provide inspiration for readers.

You can find the interviews these notable people gave on the Roadtrip Nation website. With the purchase of this book you get a free limited membership to the Roadtrip Nation Interview Archive were you can watch thousands of videos. Roadtrip Nation are also the creators of the acclaimed documentary series on PBS. Check your local listings.  

The Career Playbook Book Review

            I will be reviewing The Career Playbook by James M. Citrin. I bought the Kindle edition, which is around $7.47. You can uy the paperback version from Amazon for $7.86. Barnes & Noble is selling it for 7.86 too. It is also available as an audible book, for those of who don’t like to read, and they are selling it for $14.95.

            The book contains 258 pages and is a quick and easy read.  It’s a nice little book providing enough practical information without getting too overwhelming.  This book provides essential advice for those of us who are transitioning from academia to the professional workforce. Although much of the advice presented in this book is pretty much common sense, he does provide some helpful tidbits of information that seem useful.

            At the start of the book, Citrin describes the six phases of your career, which I found to be the most interesting part of the book. He gives examples and tips for writing a resume and a cover letter. Also, there is a whole chapter devoted to how to prepare for an interview. I find it hard to develop questions to ask employers when they ask me if I have any questions and the author provides example questions to ask and how to gather information and ideas for these questions.

Not only does he provide tips and helpful information to attain a job, but how to further develop your career as you move along. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a recent graduated from college and is conducting their job search.

Next, I will provide a review for The Get it Together Guide to Figuring out What to do with Your Life, which I will post sometime next week. Please subscribe and share! 

Introductory Video to My New YouTube Channel

Like what the description in the video states, this is an introductory video for my YouTube channel, which will be associated with this blog. Enjoy!

8 Ways to Have an All-Star Linkedin Profile without Having to Update to Premium

Linkedin is a social media network for business professionals and companies. It’s a fantastic way to gain connections, market yourself to potential employers, and search for jobs. Furthermore, it’s one of the many ways employers can find you online.

I have a friend who was interviewing to hire an IT programmer for her company. One of the initial leading candidates for the position didn’t make the cut. One reason was because he didn’t have a Linkedin profile. “He was an IT guy,” she told me. “You would think he would have a Linkedin profile!” Therefore, I consider having a Linkedin profile to be crucial in your job or internship search. If you do not have a profile on Linkedin, I would suggest you should create one. 

Here are 8 ways to boost your profile:

1. Use a Professional Photo as your Profile Pic. According to Linkedin, providing a photo makes your profile 7 times more likely to be found in searches. Profiles without photos are likely to be perceived as incomplete or inactive and are less likely to be viewed. Avoid photos with pets, kids, significant others, and anything that can be viewed as inappropriate. That lovely Facebook photo of you and your sister at her wedding, doesn’t work.

Also, be sure you are in business attire when you take the photo. If you want your photo to be exceptional and professional as possible, go to a professional photographer. However, if you are on a budget, grab a friend with a nice camera or a camera phone with excellent quality. Have him or her take the photo of you in a professional background. Pick a background that isn’t too distracting. A room with a red or white wall with good lighting that doesn’t reveal your shadow would be the best place.  

2. Create a Noteworthy Headline and Include your Industry and Location. You have 120 characters to inform potential employers what you do. Don’t just use your job title, include your areas of expertise for which you would like to be known and found in searches. You may also want to include areas of interests and locations you are interested in working. Using brief, informative, and noteworthy keywords will help employers find you and lead to more profile views. For example, my headline is “Video Production Intern at [Company]. Interested in Multimedia, Journalism, Writing, Blogging in Big City Areas.”

Other examples: “Experienced Transportation Executive at [Company] in New York”; “Web Designer and Information Architect at [Company] in Los Angeles”. If you don’t have a job currently and you’re interested in going into the Film and Television industry in Los Angeles, you may write: “Recent College Grad Seeking Entry-Level Jobs. Interested in Film and Television in Los Angeles.”

3. Have a Killer Summary. Think of your Linkedin profile summary as your digitalized elevator pitch. This is the chance for you to describe who you are, what you do, what you have done, what you are passionate about, and what makes you unique. People are viewing your profile because they are interested in learning about you, so be sure to distinguish yourself from others. Also, your summery isn’t your professional résumé, so make it sound personal and conversational. Tell stories and paint a picture of yourself, but remember to keep it professional. As always, be sure to proofread your summary before posting.

For an elaborate example, here is my summary: “I am a member of the class of 2015 at [College/University] with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies and I am interested in pursuing a career in Multimedia Journalism and Writing, but my dream job is to be a travel writer. I absolutely love to travel abroad and get giddy whenever I prepare to go on a trip. During my time at [College/University], I was involved in the student newspaper, theatre, and was a brother of a service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. I also took an intensive course on writing film reviews and a three-day screenwriting workshop under the instruction of Joe Boucher, a producer of The Simpsons and King of the Hill.”

3 Stunningly Good Linkedin Profile Summaries offer a few more examples.  

4. Add your Current Position and Previous Work History. According to Linkedin, having your two most recent positions makes your profile 12 times more likely to be found. Be sure to leave a description with your current position and at least two or more previous positions. Also, add any corporate and volunteer positions that would be of interest to job recruiters.

Since it’s not your resume, you shouldn’t go overboard with your previous job experiences. A simple brief summary and some top accomplishments should be fine. That job you did as a rabbit whisperer won’t cut it. However, you could add that to your summary as an interesting fact. As a recent grad, it is acceptable to list jobs you had while in high school and in college, as well as internships and fellowships.   

5. Add Skills and Expertise. The skills and expertise section of your Linkedin profile gives you an opportunity to showcase the specific and detailed areas of your expertise. You should avoid being too vague or general, but rather list specialties. Adding skills and expertise also gives your connections the ability to endorse you in those skills.

You should list at least 5 skills, minimum. The average skills a college grad attains that you can add to your skills if you haven’t already: Microsoft Office; Social Media; Facebook; Twitter; YouTube; Teamwork; Research; Public Speaking; Event Planning.  

6. Include your Education. Don’t forget to add your education details in your profile. Add higher education school(s) you attended, degrees received (including minors and concentration), awards (can include making the Dean’s List), notable clubs and organizations (ex. Alpha Phi Omega, Chamber Chorale, Debate Team, Quiz Bowl, Student Activities Board, Young Republicans/Democrats).

Also, if you’ve studied abroad for a semester or more, you should add the university you attended, which country, how long you were there, relevant courses, and any clubs and organization in which you were involved. One of the many benefits of adding the school(s) you attended is that it allows you to connect with fellow classmates and alumni to find you and connect.

If you didn’t finish your degree, you should still include information about your attendance. If you didn’t attend college, it is better to list the high school you attended than having no education details at all. Not adding your education details will leave your profile incomplete and raise unnecessary questions.   

7. Provide your Contact Information. If you wish to be contacted by job recruiters or those who want to help you succeed, you should add your contact information. At a minimum, to protect your privacy, only give your email and phone number. Be sure it’s an appropriate email address that you check regularly and that the phone number you provide is associated to a phone you use regularly.

8. Get Connected. Linkedin requires that you have at least 50 connections. This can be easily accomplished by browsing connections. Go to your Linkedin homepage. Then, hover your cursor over the “Connections” tab between “Profile” and “Jobs” on the bar near the top of the page. There will be a pull-down menu, click on either “Add Connections” or “Find Alumni.” In “Add Connections” you can upload contacts from Gmail, Outlook, Hotmail, etc. by logging in to your personal email and see who has a Linkedin profile. “Finding Alumni” will provide you separate lists of students and alumni, notables, and recommendations from the school(s) you attended. One piece of often-ignored advice is to write a simple personal message when you send out invitations to connect.

There you go, eight tips on how to attain an all-star Linkedin profile! A complete and compelling profile helps you stay connected and broadens your personal brand. Regularly update your profile and keep it fresh. Imagine your profile as another Facebook profile. You should give your Linkedin profile as much attention as you give to Facebook if you want to maintain an all-star profile and a good start to your career. And don’t forget to proofread!

I’ve Studied Liberal Arts, but Unable to Obtain a Job. What Should I Do?: 6 Tips to Getting Employed with a Liberal Arts Education

If you’ve studied in the humanities or have a liberal arts degree, like me, then this post is for you!

If you majored in degrees such as history, English, political science, anthropology, music, geography, art history, or like me, communication studies, how can you take a degree and obtain a job in this competitive job market? This question has become increasingly more difficult to answer when liberal arts graduates are becoming unemployed, underemployed, or less well compensated than our competitors who majored in computer science, engineering, and business.

However, do not despair! According to liberalartspower.org:

If you couple your liberal arts education with the following tips, you will be well on your way to success. I also encourage you to visit the page previously mentioned. It has valuable resources and information you can use.

Here is some concrete advice for liberal arts graduates:

1. Know Your Skills and What You Want to Do. Be sure you can communicate what strengths you have and have an idea of what you want to do. Be ready to connect the strengths you acquired in school to a skill that employers will value. For example, if you enjoyed studying complex and intricate macroeconomic issues, consider working in market research or product development. I know many of you don’t exactly know what you want to do yet and I will address this in a later post. To get you started, I would recommend checking out Now What?: The Young Person’s Guide to Choosing the Perfect Career by Nicholas Lore and Roadmap: The Get-It-Together Guide for Figuring Out What to Do with Your Life by Roadtrip Nation, Brian McAllister, Mike Marriner, and Nathan Gebhard. (I plan to produce two videos reviewing both books respectively once I’m finished reading both of them).

2. Become Skilled in Tomorrow’s Disciplines. According to Alec Ross, Hilary Clinton’s senior advisor, you should “commit to gaining a foothold in the fields that will propel tomorrow’s economy,” as well as big data, analytics, genomics, cyber, and robotics. Step outside your comfort zone and pursue courses outside a traditional liberal arts focus. When interviewing potential employees, Alec states, “I like it when a comp. lit. major tells me that he took an intro to programming class because both comp. lit. and programming are rooted in ‘language’ and its structures.” If you add work in tech and engineering disciplines with your humanities studies, you’ll find yourself on the same level with graduates from more professional programs. And if you do this while taking advantage of your broad liberal arts education, you may even be ahead of the game. Currently, I’m taking a free programming class on Coursera.org taught by a programming professor from the University of Michigan. If a comm. studies major can do it, I have no doubt you can too! You may want to try taking free classes on Coursera.org or take classes at your local community college. Even go back to school and obtain a minor or concentration in tech and engineering disciplines if you have the financial resources.

3. Meet with Career Services and Alumni Relations. Odds are, your career services and alumni relations offices are tirelessly working to help connect students with internships and entry-level jobs. Enroll in programs aimed at helping recent grads and alumni succeed in their job search. Chat with the career center about the types of jobs and companies that interest you, and then follow any leads they provide you. College career services and alumni relations offices are doing the best they can to support your success- both because they actually do care about you and as a matter of their own survival. Your school’s career services office needs examples they can produce when trying to talk about their success rate. Why not make yourself one of those success stories?

4. Be Creative about Getting Your Foot in the Door. Networking is a crucial key to your success, but it is particularly important for liberal arts students. This is because liberal arts students graduate with limited credentials that employers can rely on when making hiring decisions. Whenever a position at big companies such as Ebay, NBC, The Huffington Post, or NPR is open that’s appropriate for a liberal arts major, these companies receive thousands of applications. For this reason, it is important to take advantage of any connections you have to find someone who can introduce you to someone else at the company. According to Laura Chambers who runs Ebay’s program for new employees, “Finding a way to leverage any connections will ensure you get noticed among the crowd.” This is where Linkedin should come as a useful resource. The next blog I’ll post will be solely on Linkedin and how to use it to your advantage.    

5. Think Globally. Consider working outside the traditional business hubs of the United States or Western Europe. According to Alec Ross, “Today’s frontier economies are tomorrow’s developing economies and today’s developing economies are tomorrow’s developed economies.” Try to position yourself for the long term if you’re willing to take a risk in a frontier economy while your pals are having a blast in New York City, San Francisco, and London.

6. Consider Sales. If you’re persuasive and enjoy surrounding yourself with people, your liberal arts education can help you become a strong performer in sales. Jay Walker, the founder of Priceline.com states, “Sales is the best job in the world if you like people, can communicate and synthesize well, and are skilled at solving other people’s problems. The fact is nothing happens in the world without sales. Give me any field, and I’ll show you how, without sales, there is no forward momentum. Even scientists have to sell to get their funding. There is never a recession in sales.”

 

These tips were borrowed from The Career Playbook: Essential Advice for Today’s Aspiring Young Professionals by James M. Citrin where you can find a plethora of more helpful tips and tricks to landing a job. I plan to produce a video reviewing this useful book.

Please leave any other tips or questions you may have in the comments section, so other readers can be informed. Plus, please share with your friends on Facebook and Twitter! 

14 Ways to Spend Your First Year Out of College, without Taking a Full-Time Job

It’s becoming more common for college grads to take advantage of the few years of freedom post-graduation, opting to consider other paths before diving into a full-time career. If you’re a recent graduate hesitant to jump into the nine-to-five, consider doing something else with your time, such as interning, volunteering, or traveling. However, whatever you choose to do, make sure it would be something of value to add to your résumé.

1. Be an Adventure Guide. Are you an adventurous individual? Whether you enjoy whitewater rafting, rock climbing, kayaking, paragliding, sky diving, bungee jumping- turn that passion into a part-time job. Many adventure companies are looking for young people to hire. There are opportunities both within the United States and internationally, as many companies are becoming increasingly eager to hire. Search the Internet for adventure sites that are hiring. Click here to a link to help you get started if you are seriously thinking about going in this direction

2. Become a Nanny. Becoming a nanny would be an excellent opportunity for those who enjoy working with children. If you decide to be a nanny, you can often get free room and board, which is an excellent way to save money. It also has its perks, such as traveling with the family, a nice weekly paycheck, and the complementary use of a car. Being a long-term nanny, such as working for the same family for a year, can also be a great way to gain strong personal references you can provide other employers as you start your career. Search the Internet for postings, such as on Indeed or Linkedin. My best recommendations would be going to Care.com and GreatAupair.com, which both offer free searches.

3. Become a Research Assistant. If you live close to a college, being a research assistant could be a good option, as many universities invest greatly into research. Not all research is exclusive to the sciences, in fact, research goes into other fields too, such as journalism, international relations, business, economics, and art history. There are many opportunities for recent graduates. Ask your previous professors and other faculty and staff you may have developeda relationship with while at school if there are any potential research projects occurring at the university where they can use your assistance.

4. Participate in a Gap Year Program. If you’re interested in investing your time towards a good career, consider a gap year program, such as the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, or City Year. Participating in these programs not only provide you with life lessons, but can be added benefit to your résumé and provide you with intereresting material to discuss at a job interview. Additionally, these programs can connect you with other alumni who may be valuable future references during your upcoming job searches.

5. Find an Internship. Although many internships require that interns be enrolled at a credited university, there are some internships that don’t require it. Many of these types of internships are paid, offering monetary compensation instead of college credit. If you’re a recent graduate, there’s a chance you will find an internship that would be a great fit for you, especially if you are fully available. It would be sensible to search for internships in career areas that interest you most and where you can thrive on your strengths and talents. Also, for those who are uncertain or their career path, you can use an internship to discover if it’s the perfect career track for them or not. Not only do internships offer valuable work experience, but they can be added benefit to your résumé and provide you with connections to potential employers.

6. Invest in Your Passion. What is your passion? Do you love yoga or pilates? Do you enjoy theater or the fine arts? Do you thrive on the ski slopes or the rock climbing wall? If you have a passion that you can transform into a part-time job, consider investing your time in a training course to get certified, or even teach it yourself. For example, you can take a yoga instructor training course, become a certified ski instructor, become a certified belay at a rock climbing facility, or become an art teacher at your local community center. This will not only let you have fun at work, but you can gain experience and skills to add to your résumé and it can also turn your hobby into a job you can use as a safety net. Even if you can’t transform your passion into a part-time job, there may be volunteer work. For example, if you love theater, you can volunteer as a stage hand at your local community theater or if you enjoy reading books, volunteer to read to children at your local public library. This brings me to my next point…

7. Volunteer in the U.S. Of course you won’t obtain a paycheck by volunteering, but it’s a great way to gain experiences and skills to add to your résumé. If you don’t know which direction to go when deciding on a career, volunteering can provide you a way to explore various career fields and discover your talents and interests. By volunteering you are making positive changes to society while also building connections with fellow volunteers, co-workers, supervisors, and organizations that might be important for your future work, such as providing a reference. You can find day-to-day opportunities in your hometown, or ask a non-profit organization if they need an extra hand. If you are searching for volunteering opportunities that fit your interests, I would suggest setting up an account at VolunteerMatch.org. This site is completely free and matches your interests with available volunteer opportunities in your area. That was how I found an opportunity to be an adult tutor at Blue Ridge Literacy. 

8. Take a Continuing-Education Class. Whether you’re interested in pursuing a field other than what you majored in, or want to further develop your skills useful in the workforce, consider taking continuing-education courses at a community college or at an adult-learning center in your area. If you don’t have access to such places near you, another option is Coursera.org. The site offers free online courses, taught by professors from 122 accredited universities around the world with varying topics from Intro to Finance to Social Psychology to Modern & Contemporary American Poetry. For example, if you were an English major but want to pursue a different field such as computer programming or graphic design, taking classes would give you a solid foundation to begin looking for entry-level jobs.

9. Teach English Abroad. Many American attain jobs abroad every year. English is increasingly becoming the dominant language in international trade to export countries, especially Asia and Latin America, who are eager to have their citizens learn the language. It would be helpful to have a working knowledge of your host country’s language. Popular options include programs through international embassies, such as the JET program or InterExchange.org. You may also want to check for jobs at international schools and service organizations.

10. Work Seasonal Jobs. If you want to have varied positions to add to your resume, pursuing a few seasonal jobs for a year is fun and you can gain experiences and skills to add to your résumé- all while enjoying yourself. Jobs can include, but are not limited to, positions at ski resorts, cruise ships, beaches, country clubs, water or amusement parks, etc. If you plan wisely, you can find employment for a full year in this year.

11. Volunteer or Work Abroad. Do you love to travel, but want to make a difference simultaneously? Try searching for international volunteer positions through organizations, such as the PeaceCorps, Global Vison International, Cross Cultural Solutions, or the Red Cross.

If you want to travel and still earn a paycheck, consider working abroad by pursuing a “working holiday” visa. Particular countries, including Australia, Canada, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, and many more, offer “working holiday” visas in which U.S. citizens are permitted to stay in the country and maintain temporary jobs. Try visiting the desired country’s embassy or immigration website for information on how to obtain a visa and for any policies and regulations. For example, if you wanted to work in New Zealand, I would suggest you go here. For other countries, try Google searching your desired country + “working holiday visa.”

12. Travel Recreationally. The best time to travel is after college, when you are free of obligations to a job. If you have the opportunity to travel, you should do so, as it broadens your perspective of the world and is a valuable life experience. Make the most of your travel time, take lots of pics to post on Tumblr, blog about your experience on Blogger, create a Prezi of your trip, or construct a presentation on SlideShare.

If money is an issue, there are plenty of travel sites that offer cheap fares for young travelers, you’ll have to do some digging to find the best prices that will fit your budget. Consider exploring these sites: EF College Break, Budget Travel, Travel Channel, Rick Steves, and Time. If you are really serious about traveling, I would suggest to give this book a quick read, How to Travel the World on $50 a Day by Matt Kepnes.

13. Work at Your College. If you decide to continue living close to your alma mater, consider pursuing a part-time job. Many job opportunities can be found on college campuses. For example, you could work in the department were you majored or you could work as a teaching assistant. These types of jobs can be particularly convenient if you still live in your college town, and can also lead to further opportunities, such as funding for post-graduate courses or a degree. Many universities even let their employees take classes for free. 

14. Try Organic Farming. The World Wide Opportunities in Organic Farming program- also known as WOOF- is a program that helps individuals find opportunities on organic farms across the planet. For a small fee, participants have an extensive database of opportunities at their disposal in the country of their choice. The duration of your experience depends on where and when you work as the guidelines of the agreement are between the farmer and the volunteer, Most situations are a few months long and include room and board.  

         

The Positives of Uncertainty about What to do with Your Life After College

There are several positives on being uncertain about your future and not knowing what you want to do with your life. First of all, it’s alright if you don’t know what you want in life. We are at a young age where we have enough time to explore what we want to do and to figure out where to go from here. There’s no rush.

Second, we wake up every day with the possibility that today is the day we are going to figure it out. That does not mean we have to figure everything out. Discovering clue after clue each day is the reason why it’s great to wake up every day and following a hunch.

Third, we still have a sense of wonder about our lives. It’s a great time to explore interests, discover new talents, and create and pursue goals.

Fourth, we tend to be open to things a lot more. It’s great to meet new people, go to events and gatherings to which we would never go, read books we may not normally read. We’re looking for any kind of help and guidance, and there’s nowhere we’re afraid to look. Personally, I’ve been utilizing this method as much as I can; and I will be willing to share the resources and tips I’ve found to be helpful, which is the whole purpose of this blog.

Fifth, being confused, restless, and uncertain is better than being bored. You have a sense of curiosity and a strong desire to figure out what you want to do and making it reality.

Sixth, we have the answer right at our fingertips. Yes, it’s not going to come to you in an instant, but we have all the resources to understand what we want to do in the world and how to attain it. With the Internet (including this blog), an infinite number of books, and any mentors we may have, we have plenty of people and things that are waiting to provide us with the guidance we need.

Seventh, people always want to help. When we learn to start asking, and to start telling people we need help, we’ll find that there are more people willing to help than it seems. Whether it’s sharing a few pieces of advice to sharing a connection that may help you find your dream job. I will go further on developing connections and tips on effective networking in a later post.

Eighth, we realize that we don’t have to attain a career that won’t fulfill all our wants and needs. Many lucky people do find that their work provides them with great fulfillment. However, uncertainty about what you want to do also means you have the opportunity to learn and grow, such as developing new hobbies, volunteering for something we are passionate about, going back to school, starting a family, or following our interests and passions. These things can be beneficial in regards to leading a fulfilled life.

Ninth, there doesn’t have to be only just one characteristic that defines us forever. Our lives are not about achieving something and then basing our life experiences and self-identities around them. Instead, our life is based on how we act, who we meet, what we learn, and how we become the people we are today while we are on the journey trying to understand what are purpose is in life.

Finally, when we do start figuring it out, we can appreciate it a whole lot more because of everything we went through to get there.

For more ideas and inspiration, check out this video from John Green the author of The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns here.

Next week: Take a Leap Year: Productive Ways to spend Your First Year out of College

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Also, I read your comments. If you have any other positives to add to this list, put it in the comment section.