ID Magazine Spring 2021 by ID Magazine Simpson Student Media

academic to Spring 2021

professional Business Casual LOOK BOOK

the Next Step JOBS, GRAD SCHOOL, AND College student to company starter

POST-GRADUATION PLANS

Letter from the Editor Nothing has been normal over the last year, but there is much to still celebrate in gradating. Making the most of what we have been given is the thought of the year—this semester allowed for steps back to normal. While I was able to have all my classes in person, there was still so much that felt like it was ripped away. From events to athletic seasons and just being able to sit in Kent and do homework until 2 a.m. with whoever I wanted to hang out with. Though I have so much, I am grateful for it since I could become close with so many friends that I never expected. Have fun within smaller groups, which can feel just as much of a party as in past years with the right group of friends. Being able to go to be at the sporting events that happened this year, walking across the stage for graduation, is not something I will take for granted as the class before was not able to do so as a full group the year they graduated.

Layout & Design Editors Kate Furr

In this edition of ID Magazine, you can see different ways students are growing in their career aspects even through these nonnormal times, by learning from others and professionals themselves. We talk to seniors about what they are doing after they graduate on page 19. What students look for in their business casual outfits starting on page 10. Students have started businesses, and what they sell while they are full-time students on page 6. We also talked to seniors about what they wish they would have known about earlier in their college careers in the Senior Spotlights on page 17. If you are applying for jobs or internships, you can check out What Employers look for in their applications on page 15. Thank you for picking up this spring edition of ID Magazine. Enjoy! Have a great Summer,

Madison DePover Madison DePover Editor-in-Chief Katie Burns

Copyright © 2019 ID Magazine is created and produced by students at Simpson College. Opinions stated or implied by the magazine are those of the students involved and are not approved or endorsed by Simpson College. No material may be reproduced without written permission. Send all comments, questions and concerns to idmagazine@simpson.edu. Editorial Philosophy: ID Magazine is a publication created for Simpson Students. Our main goal is to share the many personalities of our student body and voice some of our perspec‐ tives in regard to the world around us. We want to maintain an aesthetic that appeals to our young people. Of course, we want to be taken seriously but this is not your mother’s maga‐ zine.

EDITORIAL STAFF Abby Ludwig

Bailey Earls

Corinne Thomas

Liv Allen

Matthew Marquez

Natalie Tryon

Noah Sacco

Paul Hyatt

Peyton Busch

TABLE OF 6 College Student to Company Starter

Business Ca‐ sual Look Book

CONTENTS 15

Where’s George?

The Next Step

19 Simpson College Senior Spotlights

27 4

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR

PROFILE

Story: Abby Ludwig

Tips and steps to take to have an improved LinkedIn profile. Follow these points to stand out to employers and look professional for any career or job you want.

A PROFILE SUMMARY Give a brief 2-3 sentence profile summary about who you are, what you do, and what your bring to the table.

SKILLS Scroll through the list of skills that LinkedIn gives you and click on those that are relevant to you. If you feel confident enough, you can even take a test to get a "Verified Skills Badge" so employers know you're telling the truth.

A GOOD PROFILE PHOTO Make sure to have a profile photo with a clear, professional shot of your face. Employers will be unlikely to click on your profile if you have an unclear photo or no photo at all.

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION Include any education that you've gotten high school and higher. If you're still a student, put that in your profile. If you have any other certifications such as CPR, include those too.

SERVICE & VOLUNTEER WORK

GROW YOUR NETWORK

Including volunteer work shows employers other

Following others on LinkedIn is one of the easiest

experience you have besides jobs that you've been

ways to improve your profile. Follow anyone you

paid for. LinkedIn has a section specifically for

know and alums from your school(s) help connect

community service.

to others for future opportunities.

College Student to Company Starter Story: Bailey Earls Layout: Katie Burns

Attending college is a new chapter for young adults, but attending college and running your own business is a big step. Simpson College has many student-run businesses for being a private college. Students can get first-hand experience, mentoring, and inspiration from Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization (CEO) on campus. This is run by Assistant Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship, John Walker. Taylor Hereid, Ahmed Musa, and Dylan Smith are a few members of this organization. While it takes a lot of time and is a lot of work to have your own business in college, it is also a great opportunity. College provides an entrepreneur with a supportive community and direct access to an audience.

Gear Athletics https://gearathletics.shop/ Instagram: @gearathletics Tik Tok: @gearathletics Facebook: Gear Athletics Gear Athletics is a fitness lifestyle brand. The purpose of it is to motivate and inspire others to take on the fitness lifestyle. Taylor Hereid wants to provide affordable activewear and fitness lifestyle clothing that can be worn inside and outside of the gym. Hereid wants people to know that it is possible to change your body, build confidence, and feel better about yourself.

Founder: Taylor Hereid The reason I started it was because “freshman year I lost about 50lbs. I decided to post a body transformation video on YouTube. Comments of inspiration fired up a goal to inspire others a more. Fitness became a passion of mine so why not try to monetize it.

“

LacedUp Family Instagram: @lacedupfamily Website: in process Ahmed Musa created Lacedup Family by posting a flyer around campus to donate shoes. He did this with a goal to decrease levels of poverty. He plans on creating socks, sandals, and other merchandise to expand the brand. Every time someone buys some merchandise, they will donate something as well. For example, for each pair of socks sold, a pair will be donated. They started in the Des Moines area but have also expanded overseas to Sudan, Liberia, and Nigeria. Musa plans on expanding slowly but would like to grow throughout the US as well.

Founder: Ahmed Musa I think that LacedUp Family is “unique, it brings a togetherness

“

feeling.

Lookin’ Sharp Website: https://www.shoplookinsharp.com/ Instagram: @shoplookinsharp Chloe Schoepke started making things for her friends and then later decided that it was something she wanted to do for real. She had a lot of people telling her that she should make it into a business. Schoepke was not for sure about the idea until she realized her new passion. She discovered a lot of personal interest through running a business, such as social media, marketing, branding and design.

Founder: Chloe Schoepke purpose that I have behind my business “ isTheto create things for people to inspire happiness. Right now, I am in the middle of a brand shift of what I am wanting to put out and the message behind my items.

“

Taking Initiative Instagram: TakingInitiative Website: in process Podcast links: https://anchor.fm/takinginitiative, https://open.spotify.com/show/7c25ampbTya0fE‐ vuHkGU9Y?si=Nmj2YDL5RM-UiRYkw0FD2g Dylan Smith started off doing a podcast called Taking Initiative. Quite recently, he started working on a clothing brand to go along with this. It started out religion-based and experiential. It is now about the fitness lifestyle, religion, god, his background, guests and their transformations. Not all of these body transformations but also personal. Smith originally struggled to talk to people, was quite shy and not very outgoing. Now he is outgoing and puts effort into talking to people. He also talks about how he found his faith, is trying new things, and fitness.

Founder: Dylan Smith Then I started a clothing brand/ “ business. My friend Taylor who does Gear Athletics has been helping me out. He encouraged me to create a logo and start a clothing brand. I am still doing the podcast to encourage people to take initiative in what they do.

“

I want to help people out; I know “ that a lot of people struggle with

“

things just like myself.

Business Casual

Look Book Women’s Attire

Story: Liv Allen Photos: Corinne Thomas Layout: Kate Furr

Congratulations! You’ve made it past the hiring process and have secured an internship or job. You had a stellar resume, wrote a brilliant cover letter, and had a flawless interview. You now have one last thing to worry about: your wardrobe. Depending on your specific work environment, your dress code will primarily follow one of two options--business casual or business professional. There are a few ways to navigate your workplace’s dress code; first, consider your job description. What type of work will you be doing on a daily basis? Are you sitting at a desk, or will you be mobile?

Tops/Shirts:

Pants:

You should also simply keep tabs on what your interviewer was

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

◊ black/navy slacks ◊ pencil skirt ◊ khakis

wearing and other employees if you get the opportunity to see them

knit sweaters simple blouse cardigan blazer

Shoes:

Accessories:

◊ flats ◊ low heels ◊ pumps

◊ small earrings ◊ delicate jewelry ◊ neutral nail polish

before you begin working. If you’re still hesitant on what to wear, business casual is usually the standard...but it doesn’t hurt to ask! A business casual dress code may seem a lot less restrictive than a business professional dress code, but it’s a bit trickier than that. It’s important to note that the word “casual” should be taken lightly;

Men’s Attire

you’re in a professional work environment, so you should still

Tops/Shirts:

Pants:

◊ sleeved button down; collared ◊ layered sweater ◊ layered blazer

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

dress pants light chinos khakis cotton pants

Shoes:

Accessories:

◊ polished leather shoes ◊ loafers ◊ add dark socks

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

wristwatch belt pocket square tie

maintain some level of professionalism with your style. Though there’s not a single clear-cut blueprint for how to dress in the workplace, Director of Career Development at Simpson College Laurie Dufoe has a few tips on dress code staples and items of clothing to avoid.

Enrique Idehen Senior Major in clinical health science minor in finance

Dress shirt: Van Heusen Suit: Mantoni

Watch: MVMT

Tie: T.M. Lewin

Belt: Perry Ellis

“

Follow the master, copy the model! I recommend asking a close friend or family member who has expertise in business style for tips and recommendations. You don’t need to buy the most expensive item you see-just make sure the items match in the most stylish way. When in doubt, search the internet or YouTube for inspiration!

“

Shoes: Goodfellow and Co.

Abby Bowers Sophomore Pre-Physical Therapy

Top: GAP

“

When I’m shopping, I try to buy tops and bottoms that I can piece together or that will go with what I already have! I have lots of grays, blacks, and whites because they’re neutrals and staples for me! My inspiration comes straight out of Pinterest!

“

Shoes: Steve Madden Pants: American Eagle

Harry Dudley Senior Major in biology

Jacket: West Louis

Mock Neck: Kohls

I look for clothing that is just as easy to dress down than it is to dress up!

“

“ Jeans: American Eagle

Shoes: Converse

Taylor Stamm Sophomore Major in biology Minor in health and exercise

Top: Nordstrom

Pants: Pacsun

“

I like a more casual yet dressy outfit for the workplace. I think adding boots to any outfit can make it more presentable and dress it up a bit. Jewelry and accessories can add a little something to the outfit as well to make a casual outfit pop.

Boots: Amazon

Where is Design by: Ma dison DePo ver

George?

George the campus cat is wan dering a ro un d Kent . Can yo u fin d him ?

BUDGETING AFTER COLLEGE Learn how to budget your money once your foot steps off of campus after graduation By: Peyton Busch Life after graduation is nothing like you have ever encountered before. You went from living under your parents’ roof to living in Simpson’s housing. Either way, you have had some sort of rules to follow and guidance until now. You have to make a living for yourself by getting a job, finding a living situation, and learning how to keep track of your money. Hopefully, these tips and tricks in this article can help you figure out how to get on the right way after graduation. The first and best tip on keeping track of your money after college is to learn to budget your money wisely. You can do it weekly, monthly and even yearly. The first idea you can think about is the 50/30/20 rule. This rule allows you to spend 50% on needs, 30% on wants and 20% on savings and debt. Needs are expenses that are essential to be kept in the budget no matter what and those could be anything from housing, utilities and transportation expenses. Wants are expenses that you could live without but make life better and examples of those are, dining out, the internet, vacations, memberships and subscriptions. Savings and debt categories are money you set aside for future expenses or pay off debt faster than required. This money could also be used to start an emergency fund, invest for retirement or pay off your student loan debt. After a few weeks, if you realize you need to change your numbers around to allocate more to a particular area, feel free to do what works best for you because everybody is different. This next tip might come as a surprise to some readers but a great idea to save money is to spend less money. If you do this for an extended amount of time, it could allow you to save/ earn enough money for you to start spending extra money again in the future slowly. Examples of spending less money are reducing credit card expenses, cooking at home, thinking about big purchases, canceling memberships/ subscriptions, and buying secondhand clothes. You can spend less on credit card expenses by

Layout: Katie Burns

switching to cash only. This can force you to see how much cash you are spending rather than just using a piece of plastic to make your purchase. Thinking about big purchases is a great idea instead of impulsively buying something. Sure, that giant OLED smart TV might be a great addition to your apartment, but your 40 inch TV at home still gets the job done, doesn’t it? Monthly memberships and subscriptions add up over time. A gym membership can be a great idea if you are committed to losing extra weight unless you aren’t going. Earlier in this article, I mentioned emergency funds. According to Investopedia, an emergency fund allows you to live comfortably for a few months if you lose your job or if something unexpected comes up that costs a fair chunk of money to cover. Many banks and financial experts suggest that you should save at least three months’ worth of salary in your emergency fund. This is an excellent fund so you don’t have to pull money from other savings accounts that you need for other things. If you are interested in other ways to start saving money, you can start saving yourself. The one that is most interesting and beneficial is adding some to an envelope each week. It can be any amount you have to spare, even if it is a five-dollar bill. You can also go about this process with a strict amount set like adding ten dollars to the envelope or piggy bank every week. Over time you will end up with extra spending money. Retirement plans are a great way to invest now for financial security when you retire, and in return, you earn significant tax advantages. Social Security won’t be enough to finance your retirement. According to Investopedia, a 401(k) plan is a tax-advantaged, defined-contribution retirement account offered by many employers to their employees. Workers can make contributions to their 401(k) accounts through automatic payroll withholding, and their employers can match some or all of those contributions.

Start saving in a tax-deferred retirement fund as soon as you can because it can never be too late. Even if you can’t afford to put much into your account at first, it is ok to start with just adding one percent. If you ever need money for whatever reason, try not to take money out of your 401(k) retirement fund. You should make it your very last option. The next retirement fund is Traditional Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs). According to Investopedia, a traditional individual retirement account allows individuals to direct pre-tax income toward investments that can grow tax-deferred. The IRS evaluates no capital gains or dividend income taxes until the beneficiary makes a withdrawal. Individual taxpayers can contribute all of any earned revenue up to a specific dollar amount. Unlike a traditional IRA, Investopedia says that Roth IRA contributions are not tax-deductible, and qualified distributions are tax-free. You can add to a Roth IRA using after-tax dollars, but you do not have any additional taxes on investment gains as the account grows. You can’t take any earnings out until age 59 ½ without an early withdrawal penalty.

The last budget-saving tip is to get health insurance. According to Healthcare, health insurance provides financial protection in case you have a serious accident or illness. For example, a broken leg can cost up to $7,500. Health coverage can help protect you from outrageous, hidden fees. Sometimes, with some health insurance plans, you get free preventive care like vaccines, screenings, and some check-ups, even if you haven’t met your deductible. According to Healthcare, a deductible amount you pay for covered health care services before your insurance plan starts to pay. For example, with a $2,000 deductible, you pay the first $2,000 of covered services yourself. Each year you will have a maximum price you will have to pay no matter how much covered care you get on your plan. You can mix and match these tips to accommodate your needs. Each month you can try different combinations, and you are always free to add or remove strategies. If after all of this you still need assistance, you can always make a financial advisor. It will take some time to get into the routine of saving money, but it will all be worth it in the end.

$$$$$$$ Budgeting Breakdown $$$$$$$

Keep track of your money

Spend less money

Invest in financcial security

Switch to only use

Start an emergency fund

The Next Step: Jobs, Grad School, and Post-Graduation Plans Story: Noah Sacco & Matt Marquez

Layout: Kate Furr

May 1, 2021. The day where hard-earned degrees are received, memories are shared, and goodbyes are made to the place seniors have called a second home for the last four years. It marks the end of their time as a college student. But it’s just the beginning of their journey into the real world. Amid the tears and family pictures in front of College Hall, one daunting question remains on all graduating students’ minds: Where do I go from here? Every student wants to have some kind of plan lined up after they graduate. It feels like the necessary next step and provides direction as to where they’re going and what their role will be in the workforce. The good news is they have a leg up from four years prior. Compared to high school, college graduates possess more professional experience and tend to have a better understanding of what they want to do. Simpson students have had little trouble in doing so. According to the Simpson College website, 98.6% of graduates reported employment, enrollment/ preparation for graduate school, military, or service within six months. There’s really no “right” post-graduation path for graduates to pursue. Each one is different. Some start hunting for jobs in the summer while others start the search during the school year. Depending

on your degree, you may apply for graduate or post-secondary schools to attain certain qualifications. Those who want to further their training without going to graduate school might even choose the option of internships or apprenticeships. Regardless of which is best for you, there are a number of routes graduates can take after they’re handed their diplomas. Seniors like Mara Jauron, Jonathan Sailstad, Kelsie Cooper, and Jonathan Cox have already solidified them. These testimonies detail where they’ll be going, how they got there, their struggles in the process, and advice to those who are still looking for their next destination. To all the seniors who have secured post-graduation plans, congratulations! If you have yet to decide, that’s okay. We all have plenty of time to be adults. But find time to talk with professors and begin thinking about your plans for the years to come, because you’ll soon realize your time in college will go by quicker than you think.

Mara Jauron Simpson College ‘21 Neuroscience Major, Philosophy Minor Start Date: Aug 2021

“Next August, I’ll be attending Drake University. I’ll be attending their occupational therapy doctorate program for the next three years and plan to graduate with my doctorate in occupational sciences. I sent in my application in Oct. of 2020, got approved for an interview in November, and then heard back on Dec. 4 that I was accepted.”

I actually was supposed to have a job shadow with the Life Center in Clive but that was unfortunately cancelled due to COVID. We couldn’t do in-person interview days either. Having all those other things taken away was pretty discouraging at the beginning, but I couldn’t have asked for a better path in the end.”

“

There’s no wrong path. It may not be what you expected right away, but that’s okay because good things don’t come easy and they take time. Work hard and make the best out of every situa‐ tion. I’m making the absolute best out of my time here and now I can push off adulthood a little bit more, but I also look forward to growing up a little bit in a new setting.

I kind of came into Simpson thinking I wanted to do clinical psychology but I soon realized that psychiatry and psychology wasn’t exactly where I wanted to go… I went to one of the Kaos occupational therapy presentations by Diane DeWall at MercyOne and I was fascinated by how amazing it sounded… You need to have so many different things to be an occupational therapist and this past semester I actually got to job shadow Diane. I can 100% thank her and Cal Busby for all of their support and their help getting me into Drake.”

Jonathan Sailstad Simpson College ‘21 Accounting Major, Business Management Major Start Date: Aug/Sept 2021

“I signed back in Aug. 2020 for an associate accountant position at Principal Financial Group.” I had two mutual fund tax internships through Principal the last two summers. I wouldn’t say my job offer came strictly through my internships, but obviously having an eight month internship, and then a three-month repeat internship helped. It also helped that I did both of them with the same team, and had the same supervisor. I don’t know specifically which department I’ll be working in yet, since it’s kind of on a needs basis. Really, just having a job offer was a blessing, especially in the pandemic era.” I think I thought about it [my future job] probably at least once a day. I had heard there was probably a pretty good chance that they [Principal] weren’t going to be hiring a lot of interns [due to COVID]. So even with the two internships, I was certainly not taking anything for granted. I was ready to start applying for any jobs that might be out there as soon as I graduated.”

“

I think it’s really important to not stress more than you need to about it, especially with something as uncon‐ trollable as the job market and COVID. Continue to get experience, enhance your personable skills, and apply, apply, apply.

Kelsie Cooper Simpson College ‘21 Exercise Science Major, Psychology Minor Applying to Graduation Schools Start Date: Aug 2021

“I’ve been accepted to one school, Husson University, but I’ve applied to four others so far. I’m planning on going to one of those graduate schools for occupational therapy, but don’t know which one yet.”

The thought of me not getting into graduate school crossed my mind all the time. A couple of my friends had gotten into Drake so it felt like ‘am I really behind on this?’ I was super worried because applying to grad school, you have to pay everywhere that you apply, so I spent over $400 applying to five schools. To spend that much money and then not get in anywhere would just feel like a waste of money and time. I don’t think that Maine is the best spot for me and I’m still questioning if I’m going to get into a school that would be a better fit.”

“

Get out there and apply to multi‐ ple jobs. I tried to give myself op‐ tions to provide myself the best chance of getting in somewhere. Even if you don’t get the job you want, keep marketing yourself and see what happens.

“

I didn’t have one specific college or one specific state in mind so I literally went through every single school on the OTCAS website and read through every one to look at the requirements. I started slowly putting in my information and getting transcripts and doing some of the essays. I heard back from Husson the first day and I didn’t even have to interview there, which I thought was a little odd but they accepted me right away. Then I got two interviews from OT schools in Arizona, which is where I’m wanting to end up.”

Jonathan cox Simpson College ‘21 Religion Major, Public Relations Minor Start Date: Aug/Sept 2021

“I’m so excited to say that after graduation I will be attending Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary to pursue my master of divinity and pursue my dream of ordained ministry.” For me, ministry has been the one place where I feel like I’ve been able to be myself the most. I’ve had a variety of questions involving religion and my faith for my entire life and for one reason or another, I’ve always felt called to serve in the church.”

The application process was kind of long and involved answering many different questions. I had to write a two to the four-page essay which was not a whole lot, but I also put as much work into it as possible… I had to have three different references from Simpson and from different workplaces that I have had in the past. The Seminary also has a requirement of two years of field education in some way so those field education experiences will be able to help me get my foot in the door.”

“

Start making connections now. If you know what area you want to study or what ca‐ reer you want, start meeting people and professors in that area. That way, not only will you have a mentor in your area of interest, but you will also be someone that comes to mind when they hear about available positions.

“

The program as a whole is a three year program and after those three years, the plan is to return back to Iowa and get involved in a church. After I finish seminary, I’ll be able to become a provisional elder, which means I’ll be a pastor in a church and will be one step closer to fully ordained.”

Employers

What Are Looking For If you are a senior reading this, chances are you are worried about what you will be doing with your life in just a few short months. If you are lucky, you already have a job lined up. You can walk right off the graduating stage into the open doors of your new place of employment. However, if you are like most seniors, you have spent way too much time looking through job opportunities, applying for jobs and worrying tirelessly about the daunting job market before you.

“As a Simpson Student, you are investing four years of hard work. That hard work is going got pay off by building those power skills that employers seek,” Dufoe said. Take a second to think about how you use those skills in your everyday life. How about in classes? Is there a way you can specifically showcase those skills when you are communicating with a potential employer? If you ask yourself those questions before an interview, chances are you will showcase those skills that the employer will be watching for.

The good news is, you are not alone. The even better news, Simpson College has at least 95% of their seniors find a job, continue their education, or are completing a year of service in the military within their first six months after graduation. Now, you might still be concerned about the current job climate, especially with COVID-19 flipping the world onto its back. You might be wondering what exactly employers are looking for in employees right now. Luckily, Career Development has provided me with plenty of interviews from employers and tips for applying to jobs. So, relax and read on to arm yourself with employerfocused tips on acing your next job interview.

Now, let’s go beyond the basics and talk about everyone’s favorite subject right now, COVID-19. Without question, COVID-19 has had a detrimental impact on the working world and also has made it even more difficult for graduating seniors to find jobs, though it is looking much better. COVID-19 has also made an impact on what employers are looking for.

Let’s start with the basics. Laurie Dufoe, Assistant Director of Career Development, says there are five primary “power skills” that every employer looks for automatically. These are the skills that you should be building all of your other career-focused skills on, and luckily, these skills tie right in with Simpson’s education. Those skills are communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and leadership.

Story: Paul Hyatt Layout: Kate Furr

“If I look from year to year... we don’t see a ton of changes in the actual skills that employers look for. But this year, some of the research that I have found has had words that I have not noticed in top ten lists of skills before,” Defoe said. Some of these new skills include growth mindset, continuous learning, survival skills (yes, that one made me do a doubletake too), adaptability and grit. Looking at these new skills concerning the year that we have been through, they make sense. The world is different now, and with that comes an adapted way for employers to look at their employees. A growth mindset and continuous learning go hand in hand. There has been a lot of change and

adaptation throughout this year, and the employees that have shown that they are willing to roll with the punches and learn new ways to accomplish tasks have helped employers the most. Nobody knows everything going into a job, and nobody can predict the future; that is why being open-minded and willing to learn as you go are vital skills to show to an employer. Survival skills might come as a surprise, but employers want employees who will not give up when the work gets hard. This goes along with adaptability and grit. If things go wrong with the job you are doing, say your car breaks down or a crucial file gets deleted, they want to know that you will be able to work past the roadblocks that will inevitably get thrown at you. Think about telling your next interviewee a story of how you were able to make a deadline, despite all of the annoyances the universe decided to dump on you.

Employee Power Skills

communication

problem-solving

3 4 5

critical thinking collaboration leadership

While all of these skills are important to work on, employers sometimes want different skills depending on their work. A good idea before any interview is to research the company you are applying to. What specific skills are they looking for? What are ways that you excel in these skills? To give a better indication of this, I sought out examples from actual employers. Ron from Amazon says that he looks for people who are willing to take on responsibility right away. “We feel that you guys out of college have the ability and capacity to do a lot more, so we will give that to you. We will challenge you and want to make you feel like you’re something bigger than just that entry-level role,” Ron said. Another big piece of advice from Ron is to go over every detail of material that the company provides you with. That is essentially the “playbook” of the company, and it shows you exactly what the employer is looking for from its candidates. Jessie Cruise from Principle Financial Group went over ways for applicants to stand out during the hiring process. “One of the ways that applicants can stand out is by tying their resume to the position that they are applying for. For example, if you are applying to IT and it asks for experience with a coding language, make sure that that is on your resume,” Cruise said. Cruise also mentions just be yourself. Sharing experiences and acting genuinely with employers goes a long way. Show employers that you can be a healthy part of the working community that the company has. While these are just a handful of examples of how to separate yourself from every other candidate seeking a position, they will all make you stand out. You took the time to read this article and familiarize yourself with many skills that employers are looking for. Congratulations, you are already a step or two ahead of a lot of the competition. Now, don’t stop here. Keep doing research and keep improving your skills to set yourself apart even further.

By: Natalie Tryon

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