courses

Teaching at Barnard: How to get a job using social media

by Marian Schembari on January 18, 2010

On the 2nd of February I will be teaching my very first workshop in Barnard’s career services department. The subject? Using social media as a job hunting tool (I know, right? Apparently I need a hobby).  You all kind of know how I feel about “traditional” job search methods, and as I’ve mentioned before, schools don’t really do the best job of teaching us anything besides the basics. So I reached out to various colleges and universities in New York (Columbia, Sarah Lawrence, Hofstra, Barnard, etc etc) saying I was available to show soon-to-be-graduates the essential social media  tools like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook as part of their job search.

Looking for work today is drastically different than it was a year ago. Yesterday, even. Here’s a very brief outline of what I will be teaching:

  • How to create an attractive and effective online resume
  • The three big social media platforms
  • The importance of personal branding and how to create a strong web presence

Through my research I’ve found that some schools have actually started programs that are keeping their students on top of their game (kind of). Gonzaga University hosted an event in October called: “Social Media: Friend or Foe“, but other than that I’ve had a hard time finding anyone even close to venturing into arena. Meaning part of me thinks I’m an utter genius for thinking of this brilliant way to earn some extra cash. Until, of course, I realize I’ve been doing my research wrong and every school has already hopped on the bandwagon. In the meantime…

It would be great to get some input before my initial presentation. What do you guys think would be useful? Anything you wish you knew before the ole job hunt? Anything you still want to know? You’re the best!

And this kind of goes without sayin,g but if you’re a school and would like me to speak (or know of a school, or went to school, or know a guy that goes to school)… shoot me an email or whatnot.

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Colleges have a tendency to harp on about the world of work and the basics we absolutely-positively-no-excuses-allowed must learn. But they did get some things right. Operative word: some.

What college teaches:

1. How to use the alumni network. I went to Davidson College, a liberal arts school in the South with about 1,600 students, meaning Davidson grads bond together like a cult. Ex: my parents were on vacation in Canada, ran into a woman wearing a Davidson sweatshirt and became fast friends. That being said, alums from universities around the country form a bond and, coupled with the fact that people love to mentor, means you can use and abuse the network like a cheap whore.

Davidson College, my alma mater

2. Job Fairs. The one time I did go to one of these events I made a great connection and a wonderful friend. These events are so effective because you’re put in touch with HR people at companies where you may want to work, which is uncommon outside the bubble of college. Graduated? Call your alma mater  and ask for their contacts then shoot the reps an email saying you went to College X and you’d love to ask them a few questions.

3. Concentration. Despite the fact that many of us had  classes only a few hours a day, we had a lot of work  outside of class. I spent the last 4 months at Davidson sitting at a desk writing my thesis,  meaning a 9 to 5 was starting to look pretty sweet. The enormous pile of work, along with balancing a social life, extracurriculars and copious amounts of alcohol, teaches students time management, organization and how to work for ourselves. Regardless of the irrelevance of most of my classes, it was learning how to learn that was as useful as any job.

4. The basics. Regardless of the extra steps we take to land work, it’s always important to dress appropriately for an interview, have a good working resume, know how to write a cover letter and understand the necessity for a timely thank-you note.

5. Follow the rules. Both campus career centers and day-to-day classes give us strict guidelines that dictate assignments. When you’re a student, this is great and in the real world this comes in handy as candidates who try and bypass the system are seen as annoying and “above it all”. Regardless of what additional steps you take to land a job, it’s always a good – and polite – idea to do the bare minimum first. It’s what comes later that gets us stuck…


What college doesn’t teach:

1. Personal branding. Career centers are old pros at giving workshops on everything from interview attire to  appropriate resume layout. While these workshops are helpful, they really only provide you with a foundation. What they don’t teach is how to stand out from the crowd. What if you don’t have a ton of experience? This is where social media and networking really come in handy.

2. Build an effective network. True, many schools have great alumni networks, but that’s not the only way to make friends in your field. Notice I said “friends” and not “contacts”. A friend/contact of mine gave me some kick ass advice about how to meet and really connect with people professionally – find out what you can do for them rather than how they can boost your career. I’m going to post later on the best ways to build your network. For now though, keep in mind that universities generally suck at this.

3. You don’t have to take a real job. Seriously. If it’s one thing that pissed me off about Davidson, it’s that we were all expected to take Big Important Jobs in finance or law or medicine. Maybe it’ was the plethora of rich white kids, but there was little to no variation in the school’s expectations. Many kids had consulting or banking jobs before graduation but honestly, the thought of taking something like that make me want to light myself on fire. I can only speak from the perspective of a Davidson grad, and there might be plenty of other schools with more creative opportunities, but just keep your eyes peeled for those not-so-cubicle opportunities.

4. GPA doesn’t matter. I was NEVER – not once – asked for my grades when looking for work. Want to know why? Because no one gives a crap. Your abilities to write a philosophy paper have zero bearing on your ability to rock your job. Unless you’re a doctor/lawyer/financial consultant, big companies don’t ask. So stop stressing.

5. Don’t always follow the rules. Send your thank you notes. Firmly shake hands. Wear a tie. But the bare minimum will usually cost you the job. Go the extra mile and don’t just network, make friends. Make your resume snazzy (not pink or scented, mind you). I use quotes on mine – the idea came from Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters and they have great resume resources online. I also suggest getting business cards.

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Aaannd, I’m back (a life update slash Big News)

by Marian Schembari on December 11, 2009

So, I peaced out for awhile, but not without reason. Here’s the scoop:

  1. I left my job
  2. I was accepted to the French Culinary Institute
  3. I’ve started freelance writing more seriously, as well as doing some social media consulting

WTF? Correct, my friends. I don’t think I’m made to work in an office, first of all. I think I have too much energy and a (healthy?) amount of attitude. Regardless of my awesome job, I’ve always wanted to be a pastry chef. I mentioned in an earlier post how I want to do a thousand things in my life and we shouldn’t all be tied down to one career. Well, ever since writing that I’ve been wondering why I wasn’t practicing what I preached.  Then, I picked up a copy of Gary Vaynerchuk’s Crush It! (review to come) and his no-nonsense attitude really kicked my ass in to gear. That night I applied to my dream school, the French Culinary Institute, was accepted, and quit my job.

It’s kind of been a whirlwind since then. Fifty percent of the people I’ve told think I’m a crazy person.  AppRetro Housewifearently if you’re lucky enough to have a job “in this economy”, quitting is suicide. Well, eff that my friends. I’m not going to wait 10 years and end up tied down to a life I don’t want and a job that doesn’t make me insanely happy to wake up every day. So regardless of what random people (and the occasional family member) tell me, I’m going to be a kick ass pastry chef who writes.

Classes start soon and I’ll be baking up a storm three nights a week and doing random jobs by day to pay the bills. I picked up a Twitter gig with the New York Times and a few other opportunities have come my way. Hopefully I can find a waitress job and temp a little. My biggest problem? A loan. Pastry school is expensive and apparently at 22 I’m still a dependent (bite me, FAFSA) meaning I can’t take out a loan without  a cosigner or relying on my parents. I guess the next goal is figuring out a way to do this on my own. If anyone has any suggestions, please send them my way. Also, I’m going to be doing some website revamping in the next few days, so keep the eyes peeled!

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How Useful Are Those Publishing Courses Really?

by Marian Schembari on August 16, 2009

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Since officially deciding to “get into” publishing, I’ve been toying with the idea of taking one of those publishing courses. There’s the famous summer program at Columbia, and a certificate from NYU. Stanford and Denver also boast impressive courses (you can find a whole list of other schools here). But at $5,000 a pop, is it really worth it?

Honestly, I’d love to take a class at NYU’s Center for Publishing. They offer a Master of Science in Publishing, professional certificates, continuing education and a six-week long Summer Institute. The classes sound like a lot of fun too (or at least they do for nerds like me). You only need to take five for a certificate, but I don’t know how I’d choose! There’s everything from fundamentals to copy editing to freelance to graphic novels.

So I’m back and forth on this. With each class at around $500, I don’t really have the money to drop, especially since I’m still technically unemployed. But if I knew that taking these classes would land me a job, I’d take out a loan in a heartbeat. Would it hurt? No, probably not. But what I’ve been hearing from the various people actually in publishing, is that it’s always a plus to have something that specific on your resume, but it wont necessarily get you a job. Most people say an internship at a publishing house is just as valuable as one of those courses. Some would argue even more so, as you actually get hands-on experience rather than just practicing theory.

But what about networking opportunities? These classes are usually taught by some seriously impressive people. People you don’t have to make an appointment with or spend ages on the phone harassing their assistant to get five minutes of their time. No, these people are specifically there to help you. Ah… what I wouldn’t give.

Alas, I currently do not have the funds to take such a course. The thing I’m learning about networking though, is that there are plenty of opportunities outside of the classroom. You just need to have the balls to take advantage of them. For example, I just recently joined NYC Women in Publishing, who have monthly Networking Happy Hours at the Stone Creek Bar. I also joined the Women’s National Book Association (it’s the feminist in me, what can I say), who put out a great newsletter and are having a big “welcome new members” event in September. Membership is $50, which I’ve managed to scrounge up, but there are other meet ups, such as the Digital Publishing Group, which are free.

So while I really (really, really) want to take the NYU courses, I think professionally I can get the same benefits by setting up informational interviews, joining publishing organizations, and just generally sucking it up by putting my $10 business cards in my pocket and actually meeting people the old fashioned way.

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