Saturday, March 15, 2008

Welcome to my blog!

If you are seeking a job or internship, are thinking of switching careers, or don't know what direction to do in, you've come to the right place.

I've been a job and internship search coach and career advisor for the last nine years. I've worked with over 10,000 college students and experienced candidates, as well as thousands of employers from all industries during that time. For the last six years, I've been the Internship Coordinator for all 12,500 undergraduates at Baruch College, one of the best public business schools in the nation.

I've received hundreds of questions during that time from students and alumni seeking new jobs or internships. I am hoping that job and internship seekers from around the world will reach out to me for advice and ideas through this blog.

I'll start with a common question I've gotten from many job search candidates:

Q: When writing a resume, should I include previous work experience that isn't relevant to my future career?

A: It depends on what else you want to include, and what you're looking for. If you are just starting your career and don't have any relevant experience, it's important not to underestimate what work experience you do have. Just holding a job shows your responsibility and ability to get along with others. Your work experience might be more related than you think. For instance, your bartending job may illustrate your ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment, your ability to remember details and your level of responsibility in handling cash. Your administrative assistant position might illustrate your attention to detail, your work ethic and your communication skills. Your job as a camp counselor may demonstrate your level of responsibility, your ability to handle multiple activities at one time and your creativity. Of course, it is very important to build up experience that relates more directly to your future career goals (we'll get into where to look for opportunities in future posts).

If you are trying to choose what to keep in a resume and what to toss, always think from the perspective of your ideal future employer. What skills are they looking for? Just read some job descriptions in your chosen field and check out what they seek. Prioritize accordingly; and think in the big picture about how your experience might be relevant. But don't underestimate what you have already accomplished - it may impress employers more than you think.