Just in time for next summer . . .

Though there are many downsides to unpaid internships, it looks like one upside is that they may prove to be solid movie fodder as two intern-focused comedies are going into production in the next year.  I will definitely be seeing these.

Practicing What I Preach

Last night A week and half ago I attended a networking event for the graduate program I completed in 2010. Alumni, faculty members, current and prospective students came together to hear Larry Bacow, former President of Tufts, speak about how some of the Boston area universities have weathered the financial crisis and then, following his talk, to network and mingle. The event reminded me, once again, how lucky I am to be a part of the fantastic community that is the Higher Education program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. From Larry’s insightful remarks, to the questions of the audience, to the stories of my peers now working in various departments and organizations across higher education, I was blown away by this community. In an attempt to capture some of my own thoughts and reflections about last week’s event, I’m bulleting out some of my take-aways:

• I hate to put this as a take-away, given that I just mentioned this, but I was amazed at how talented, passionate, and engaged the Higher Education students at HGSE truly are.
• Students, take note: alumni networking events are not about food, but rather networking.
• Practice what you preach. I wanted to catch up with old friends and head straight to the buffet table, but instead I dedicated much of my time to speaking to those attendees in my field. In fact, I had a really great discussion with a fellow career services professional who I really admire. I’m looking forward to taking her up on her offer to grab a cup of coffee sometime this summer.
• Everyone should/is always thinking about moving their career forward. Case in point, I chose networking over food (I know, crazy!) Additionally, several of my colleagues were debating, speaking about next steps, and even more education. Two years ago I remember being at this event praying hoping that I’d have a job soon enough and be able to attend these types of event without consideration for my future. This year, the pressure may have been off, but I’m placing an ever increased value on the networking opportunities these types of events allow for.
• Someone reads my blog! Hi Samantha!

The Career Counselor's True Test

The career counselor's true test is her ability to assist a loved one (especially one they live with) navigate the job search.  Now I'm speaking from personal experience here when I say that it is not easy for a career counselor, often times known for their interest and expertise in all things "job search," to live with a job-seeker that might lack some of the same enthusiasm for the topic.  Okay, by now you probably realize I'm not speaking in the hypothetical.  My boyfriend finished graduate school without a job offer in hand.  Since we live together and spend a lot of time together, I naturally wanted to share all my resources with him.  My desire to impart to him every teeny bit of knowledge was not deterred by his evil looks, overt sighs, and avoidance of me.

Fast forward 6 months and boyfriend, now fiance, has finally secured his first, full-time permanent, job within his desired industry.  No, he did not spend 6 months sitting on his you know what.  From a maternity-leave coverage, to weekly per diem jobs, to a permanent position in a physical therapy clinic, the fiance was doing pretty well for himself.  So, needless to say, we were happily surprised, not to mention unsure of how to proceed, when a long-forgotten interviewer called him out-of-the-blue to ask him to come back in.  Turns out their former first-choice candidate "hadn't worked out."

Needless to say, his job search is an excellent example in perseverance, hard work, and luck - all of which proved to be essential in this job search story.  And, as far as this career counselor's concerned, I am more than glad that I won't be taking my work home with me anymore.  I'm pretty sure the fiance's glad about that, too.

Cover Letter Woes

So I've been totally ignoring this blog - and I'm not saying that this post is any indication of my return to weekly posts - but I had to post a link to this absolutely embarrassing cover letter sent to JP Morgan.  Given my line of work, I generally try to refrain from laughter at the expense of college-students/internship-seekers, but I'm hoping this letter will encourage future cover letter writers to avoid appearing like a pretentious, clueless, and lazy (note the typos and mention of Morgan Stanley) applicant.

The Outlook Chronicles: Including Salary Requirements In Your Cover Letter

So here's the set-up: without fail, I meet with students who, upon leaving my office, have a million more questions. Some of these questions they figure out on their own, some they e-mail to me for my two cents. Not surprisingly, I tend to see a lot of the same questions. So for those of you are asking yourselves those ground-breaking questions, like "should I text the hiring manager?," here are my answers to some frequently asked questions.

A student writes:

Hi Shimrit,

I'm working on finding jobs and networking, as per your recommendations, and I've come across a job that I would really love. It's as a program associate at a non-profit. They ask that applicants send in a resume and cover letter, which is no problem, but they also ask that applicants include past salary history and desired salary in the cover letter. Given that I've never had a salaried position, nor have I ever considered what my "desired salary" could be, I'm at a loss for what to do on this. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Ann

And I answer:

Hi Ann,

This is a common request by employers.  Often, it is made in order to ensure that the applicant understands the industry standards regarding salaries. You have a couple of options here. You could simply state a range based on research and industry standards.  Glassdoor.com is a great resource for ascertaining salary ranges. You could also refrain from giving any actual numbers, but still indicate that you are aware of these norms, and that you didn’t get into this kind of work to become rich.  This second option is probably what I would do, though you run the risk of angering the employer by not answering the questions. Still, here's what I might say:

“My salary requirements are negotiable and dependent on benefits. I am aware of the salary ranges in the non-profit industry and believe that the value of the work I am doing is as important a consideration as the amount of money I will be earning.”

Of course, this type of statement has to speak to your own beliefs, so don't say this unless you mean it.

If you have any other questions, or want to run what you think a reasonable salary range for this position might be by me, feel free to reach back out.

Best,

Shimrit

How do you handle job descriptions that ask you to include salary requirements in your cover letter?