Be sure to read the application for the full list of criteria and how to apply.

* Eligibility:  sophomores and juniors who are underrepresented in their choice of industry.

Please attach the application along with your resume via email to chanceje@bc.edu or mail/deliver to the Career Center, 38 Commonwealth Ave/Southwell Hall by March 30th at 4:00 PM.  If you have any questions, please call Jessica Chance at the Career Center at 617.552.0917.

Looking for a 2nd semester volunteer opportunity in Boston or with a campus service organization?
Join us!

And don’t forget to:

• Decide which employers you want to speak with.
• Read their websites and news articles about them.
• Develop a 30 seconds or less “elevator pitch” to introduce yourself.
• Compile a list of questions to ask employers.

Please note:
FTI Consulting has moved to Tuesday, Jan. 24^th
Greenough has moved to Wednesday, Jan. 25^th

Interview Prep Week
January 19 – 27, 2012

Here’s how it works…

1.  Attend one of the following Interview Skills Workshops on Thursday, January 19 or Monday, January 23.  Register in advance via EagleLink (Events > Workshops)
Thursday, January 19, 2012
10-11am    McGuinn 334 Conf Rm
12-1pm    Gasson 305
5:00-6:00pm    Gasson 205

Monday, January 23, 2012
10-11am    McGuinn 334 Conf Rm
12:30-1:30pm    Gasson 305
5:00-6:00pm    Campion 302

2.  Get matched with an employer for a Practice Interview (a very rare and valuable opportunity!) on Thursday, January 26 or Friday, January 27.

•  Participating employers represent: Accounting, Communications, Consulting, Education, Financial Services, Human Resources, Insurance, Marketing, Retail and Technology.
•  Behavioral and case interviews are available.
•  You’ll be able to choose your date and interview type preferences when you attend an Interview Skills Workshop.

This is a unique and limited time offer, so don’t miss your chance!!! Register in advance via EagleLink (Events > Workshops)

MONDAY DECEMBER 12 9 AM – 4:30 PM
TUESDAY DECEMBER 13 9 AM -4:30 PM (no evening drop-in hours)
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 14 9 AM – 7:30 PM
THURSDAY DECEMBER 15 9 AM – 4:30 PM
FRIDAY DECEMBER 16 9 AM – 4:30 PM

MONDAY DECEMER 19 9 AM – 4:30 PM
TUESDAY DECEMBER 20 9 AM – 7:30 PM
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21 9 AM – 12 NOON (no drop-ins all day)
THURSDAY DECEMBER 22 9 AM – 4:30 PM
FRIDAY DECEMBER 9 AM – 4:30 PM

WE WILL BE CLOSED FROM DECEMBER 26TH THRU JANUARY 2, 2012.

Thank you and happy holidays from the Boston College Career Center!

The 2012 dates for CICs are:
Washington, DC – January 6
Boston – January 9
New York City – January 11
Los Angeles – January 12

Interested?  Register Today!
Visit http://www.rochester.edu/careercenter/cicstudents/ and click on the registration tutorial for complete registration details. Alternatively, you can  go directly to the registration site at http://cic.erecruiting.com/. This year’s password token is “cic2012.”

Want to work or study in Europe? Looking for a full-time job, internship or university? Submit your resume today for free!  Only registered candidates get access to the online database of job postings and make their resume visible to employers.

Discover the many opportunities that international companies, academic institutions and non-profit organizations from Europe have to offer at the European Career Fair (ECF) at MIT.

January 21
•    Exhibits and presentations by companies and academia
•    Networking with employers and other candidates

January 22 – 23
•    Interviews
•    Career development seminars
•    Networking

•    Largest career fair of its kind in the US with 130+ companies & 5000+ participants.
•    Searchable database allows employers to view your resume, and schedule interviews.

The deadline for resume submission is Tuesday, December 13, 2011.

European Career Fair from Ryan Abernathey on Vimeo.

If you are interested in one of the spring internships, this will be a great opportunity to learn more about what Art Buying and
Studio/Traffic/Production are and what an internship would be like day-to-day in one of these groups.

Please RSVP by Friday 12/1 or Monday 12/5 at the latest.  You will NOT be able to attend if you do not RSVP by Monday at 3:00 PM.

By Mike DelPonte ’05 Theology
Marketing Manager, BranchOut

Yep, I totally get it.

On the one hand, everyone keeps telling you that you need to “network.” On the other hand, networking may feel intimidating to you. Or even kinda sleazy. So if you’re like most college students, you’ve procrastinated. You haven’t set up the informational interviews. You’ve skipped the networking events.

Luckily, I’m here to tell you HOW to network better than 99% of people out there. But first, let me tell you why I’m so passionate about this topic.

When I was at Boston College, I was pretty shy. I definitely didn’t consider myself a networker. Now I’d say that networking is my greatest skill. In fact, it’s the source of almost all of my success.

So how has it paid off?

The relationships I’ve enjoyed building over the last few years got me invited to the White House as one of the nation’s “Next-Gen Leaders.” I’ve been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, CNN, and Inc Magazine. I tripled my income in less than 6 months. Last year I traveled to the Bahamas with a group including Russell Simmons, Richard Branson, and the founders of Zappos, TOMS, and Quicksilver. And just last week I was at billionaire Peter Thiel’s house with Sean Parker, founding president of Facebook and cofounder of Napster. I attribute all of this and so much more to learning how to networking. So yeah, it’s important.

Ok, so here’s the good news. Most people suck at networking. So if you can do the things I recommend below, you’ll dominate.

Here are my Top 5 tips on how to get a meeting with just about anyone through email:

1.     Offer value before you ask for anything

This is the golden rule of networking. You should constantly be asking yourself “How can I help this person?”

And don’t discount yourself just because you’re young. You have unique insights, social media skills, connections, and the ability to hustle that most older people do not.  Offer what you have based on what people need.

Here’s an example. I frequently get requests to mentor people. I turn down almost all of them. But right now I’m focusing on just one person. Guess who it is? Someone who offered to help me create a website I’ve been meaning to launch for years. He’s adding value to my life. In exchange he gets to attend cool events with me, meet amazing people, and learn through our interactions. Sound good? You can get something similar. Just offer value first!

2.     Do your research

There’s nothing worse than someone wasting your time because they haven’t done a simple Google search before reaching out to you or meeting you. (Ok, there are a lot of things that are worse, but you get the point).

You need to take the time to check Google, Twitter, BranchOut, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. so you really understand what the person is all about. Know the basics. Then go one step further and search for details. For example, one of my mentors is someone I connected with because I reached out and mentioned we both play squash. Another is someone I bonded with based on where he goes to church. Do your homework and find a good hook so you stand out from everyone else.

3.     Talk like an adult

Please, please, please! do not start your emails with “Dear Mr. ___________.” It makes you sound like a fifth grader. Start with “Hi John” instead because this less formal greeting makes you sound like a peer.

Most college students are WAY too formal. Be conversational. Don’t use “sincerely” when you sign off.  Use something like “Best,” or “Hope to talk soon.” They work better.

(Editorial Note: ‘Talking like an adult’ means using correct grammar. Also, notice Mike recommends starting with ‘Hi,’ not something as informal as ‘Hey.’ Keep in mind that if you’re writing a cover letter for an interview and have not previously met the person, it can be safer to stay with ‘Dear Mr/Ms. ______. Your best bet? Do the networking beforehand so that you’re not writing a cover letter to someone you’ve never met.)

4.     Keep it short

The fastest way to be ignored is to write a long email. Check out my sample email below. It’s super short. Why? Because we’re all flooded with emails and don’t have time to read essays. I like to receive emails I can skim and still understand. Formatting – like bold fonts and bullet points – is helpful. Don’t use colored or weird fonts. Ariel is a good one. Most importantly, keep it short to show you respect the person’s time.

5.     Make it easy

 Make it easy for the person you’ve emailed to fulfill your request. If you are trying to set up an informational interview, offer to meet the person at his or her office, at a time that is convenient for them. If you want a phone call, promise to keep it brief. If you want an introduction, offer to draft an email the person can easily forward on.

Everyone is busy. If you make things easy, your success rates will sky rocket.

Ok, so I these are the exact rules I used to get meetings with tons of powerful and busy people after I graduated. You can too. Here’s a sample email that you can modify (see how easy I make it for you!).

Hi John,

Thanks for giving a great talk at BC last night. You recommended reading Never Eat Alone, so I bought it immediately. I can’t wait to read it this weekend.

You also mentioned you have a new product coming out next month. If you need beta testers, I’m happy to get a group of BC students to test it out, complete surveys, and even do video testimonials. Please let me know if that would be helpful.

Also, I see your company is hiring interns. I want to work for you, for FREE, and add more value than any intern in the history of the company!

Do you have 15 minutes next week to meet about this? I can come to your office at a time that fits your schedule. And I promise to be organized to make the best use of your time.

Excited to hear back,
Mike

Two final things!!

1. You can practice on me if you’d like. Email me at: mike AT sparkseed DOT org
2. You can get more tips, insights, and funny links at twitter.com/mikedelponte

Enjoy!

Candid Career features thousands of videos from people working in a wide variety of career fields. You can hear first-hand about the kind of work people are doing in various fields, what they enjoy and what they find challenging, what they do on a day to day basis, how they ended up in their position, and what advice they have for those people interested in pursuing a similar path. Some examples of the types of careers being highlighted are music producer, pilot, fashion designer, journalist, and doctor.

The videos are searchable by industry, career title, college major, and keyword.  Use the advice they give to help you with future education and career decisions.

Check it out! You can access their website by logging into EagleLink,  navigating to the passwords sheet, and following the link.