You're Hired 2017

JOB LISTINGS INSIDE YOU’RE

HIRED!

Engineering Financial Services

8 Things No One T e You Aboulls Graduatin t from Coll g ege Write the PERFECT Thank You Note

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Manufacturing Laborer

Food Service Production

Professional Opportunities Education Health Care Construction

Agriculture Law Enforcement

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Hired

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PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Professional Opportunities //

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So you’ve survived the long internship application process and procured a position.

Rock the Internship Be on Time

THINGS TO KNOW

Aim For Excellence

This may seem obvious but cannot be stressed enough. Be on time for everything — not just the start of the day. This includes any meetings.

Internships are normally positions held by people who are hoping to gain their first professional experience, and they may not be used to managing their time effectively. Being on time or even early is a great way to set yourself apart on day one.

You will be bored at times. This is inevitable in most internships, because while you are there to learn, you are also there to do the grunt work.

Don’t let this stop you from putting all your effort into the task at hand. Good work does get noticed, especially in the business world, where strong team members are hard to find.

Build Social Capital

Forgive Your Mistakes

While it shouldn’t matter, a lot of times life is easier when you’re well liked. This does not mean you should suck up to your superiors or be insincere.

Get to know the people you work with. Ask them questions. Invest time in learning about their families, hobbies and life challenges. Kindness has a way of finding its way back to you.

Just because you give your best doesn’t guarantee that you will be the best. There will be quite a few times when you will make a mistake. Be OK with this and learn from them.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Internships are about learning. It is important that you understand your role and responsibilities, which can eliminate confusion.

You're Hired! is a publication of The Brookings Register, with issues in September and February. It is distributed to 12 college and technical school campuses in eastern South Dakota and southwest Minnesota, as well as online. If you are interested in placing an advertisement or receiving copies for distribution, please contact Beverly Jensen at 800.568.5032 or bjensen@brookingsregister.com or registeradvertising@brookingsregister.com

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Now that the worry of getting an internship is over, you might start to worry about making a good impression.

Don’t fret. Here are a few tips to get you off on the right foot.

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Prepping for an Interview RESUME

It takes more than showing up on time looking nice.

You need to make a great first impression, show off your intellectual assets and leave a lasting impression on your interviewers. Here are just a few ways to demonstrate that you are perfect for the job.

Know the Company Research the organization or company you are hoping to join. This will help you gain a better understanding of what the company does and how they’ve done it thus far.

Knowing that a company started in the garage of the now-CEO’s house, or that it has strong relationships with certain philanthropic causes could help you better connect in the interview.

Anticipate Questions Great preparation for any interview involves thinking about the types of questions you might be asked and preparing answers to them.

This does not mean you need to practice your answers. Doing so can actually lead to your replies sounding scripted. Also, you can be thrown off if an anticipated question is never asked.

Have a Few of Your Own

THINGS TO KNOW

You can be almost certain that, at some point in the interview, normally near the end, you will be asked if you have any questions for your interviewers.

A smart candidate always has at least one. You can discuss information that wasn’t covered in the interview or ask for clarification on a particular point.

Don’t ask for information that can be found on a company’s website. If no immediate questions come to mind throughout the interview process, don’t be afraid to ask a more general question, such as, “What makes this organization a great place to work, in your opinion?” or “What do you feel is the most crucial quality for success in this job?”

Know How to Tell Your Story Well Make sure you go over your own work history. You should be able to talk about yourself without stumbling over your words or having to think about dates.

While your experience in the fast-food industry might have just seemed like a part-time job with the singular goal of paying rent during college, consider what valuable skills you developed or honed during that time and be proud of the work you’ve done.

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PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

ENGINEERING // FINANCIAL SERVICES

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EDUCATION 12

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HEALTH CARE 14

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THINGS

No One Tells You

About Graduating from College It will take time to get used to a life without semesters and spring and winter breaks. Your time will no longer be earmarked by breaks.

If you want to go home for Christmas, odds are you will be vying for vacation time with other employees who have been there longer.

Your first job won’t be your dream job.

(Neither will your second or third.)

You might even reach your dream job only to find that it isn’t your dream job after all. You also might find your dream job somewhere you thought was temporary. Dreams don’t come easily. They take a lot of hard work. Give yourself some grace.

THINGS TO KNOW

Living requires an indecent amount of paperwork. W2s. W4s. 1099s. 401(k)s. Roth IRAs. Taxes. Healthcare forms. Health insurance.

Car insurance. Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. And heaven help you when you decide to purchase a home, because the paperwork explodes from there. There is no escaping it, but you must manage it.

You need to learn to be good at being alone, even if you’re not alone. Your heart will be broken — by friends, by lovers, by a spouse, by your parents. Know how to love and take care of you first. Taking care of you only makes you better in all these relationships.

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One of your friends will be successful immediately after graduation. He will have the Instagrammable apartment in a cool city and spend his weeks at his dream job.

He will make it look easy, and you will be jealous. Don’t compare yourself. You are doing better than you think.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of monotony. Don’t. No matter where you go, there will be people who complain about their jobs constantly, live for the weekends and generally wish their lives away. These people regularly say things like, “I can’t wait until today is over.” Stay away. Live in the moment and enjoy life.

Making and keeping friends is a lot harder. Most of the time the result of this is that your friends become a more important to you and friendships become more meaningful.

Being an adult doesn’t mean you instantly know what you want to be or what you want to do.

In fact, if you continue to grow and learn and have new experiences, what you want will continually change.

HEALTH CARE

Health Care

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FOOD SERVICE // PRODUCTION

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AGRICULTURE 20

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AGRICULTURE // LAW ENFORCEMENT

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“It’s not what you know, but who you know.”

MANUFACTURING

Have you ever noticed that those who are highly connected also seem to be the “luckiest” when it comes to landing new opportunities or being promoted in their current organization?

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Become a Networker Building relationships with others — both in and out of your industry — is a surefire way to stay apprised of breaking news and opportunities that could impact you and your future.

Networking for College Students

Networking for Job-Seekers

The isolation of some college campuses fosters learning, but when it comes to networking, students can get ahead by networking off campus.

The most obvious option is to get an internship. The value of an internship is tremendous, both in terms of skills and contacts. Employers often hire full-time workers from their internship pool, which means having an internship puts you ahead of other job seekers. In addition to giving you real-life experience to put on your resume, an internship puts you in eyesight of people who work in your field of choice, which means they're more likely to think of you when job opportunities arise.

Pick the brain of an Alumni that works in the field your are interested. They are more likely to want to help you while you’re still a student and just asking for advice and not yet looking for a job.

In today’s ultra-competitive job market, simply sending out a resume every couple of days is not going to cut it. Think of your most proactive fellow job-seekers. They are likely applying for numerous jobs per day and receiving regular interview requests.

Consider how you measure up and work hard to be on their level.

Attending job fairs is a great way to meet new people and learn of new openings.

Even if you don’t leave the fair with a job prospect, it’s great to interact with hiring managers.

Why not reach out to past co-workers and managers? You never know which company they are currently with or who they may know who can recommend you for a new opportunity. Keep your communication lines as open, and remember to build as many relationships as possible during your search.

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The Perfect Thank You Note Experts recommend sending a custom letter of thanks to your interviewers within 24 hours. This is not only a gesture of courtesy but a great way to remain top of mind during the hiring process.

How should your note read? How much information is too much? When exactly should you send it?

one of your interviewers engaged you in a conversation about a specific project that is on the company’s horizon, don’t be afraid to mention it and reiterate your interest in taking it on.

Short and Sweet

When it comes to landing a job, the details matter.

Try to avoid firing off your thank you note at 2 a.m.

Hiring professionals start their work day with a full load of emails to filter through, so it’s best to send yours in the middle of the work day.

Stick to the basics. Three total sentences should be all you need to get your point across. Start by thanking the person for meeting with you. (Mention the specific date for bonus points. You’ll look focused and detail oriented). Then mention a custom sentence focused on something that happened during the interview, followed by a line repeating your interest in the job.

Be Specific

Avoid Making Another Pitch

Sending in a bland, generic thank you note can be just as damaging as not sending one at all. Be specific to your audience and mention any personal moments that happened during your interview. For example, if

The thank you note is not about pitching yourself for the job. You’ve already done that. Your letter should focus on showing appreciation for the opportunity to interview and for any future consideration.

MANUFACTURING

Business Hours Are Best

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Once you successfully navigate an interview, you may be so relieved it’s over that you forget one of the most critical pieces of the process: the thank you note.

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MANUFACTURING // LABORER

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PLASMA 30

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CONSTRUCTION

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