2011 Career Guide

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Team Environment...

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On Campus Recruiting* October 6, 2011 *Please drop your resume on the Career Center Website by September 22, 2011

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Sign up for the Career News weekly email on our website and find us on Facebook – Search Duke University Career Center

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We understand how important it is to make the right decision when selecting your first employer. In fact, we take that responsibility as seriously as you do. BlackRock has a variety of opportunities in Aladdin & Technology, BlackRock Solutions, Global Client Group, Portfolio Management Group and Risk and Quantitative Analysis. We will be on your campus this Fall and look forward to meeting you. Look to BlackRock.

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2

©2011 BlackRock, Inc. All Rights Reserved. BlackRock is a registered trademark of BlackRock, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

CAREER CENTER

20072-Microsoft.indd 1

7/7/11 9:50:20 AM

Learn About: • Upcoming workshops, career fairs and events • Guest speakers from a variety of industries • Employer information sessions • Career Center resources www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career

What you will find here . . .

It is Your Career How to Use This Guide About the Career Center Your Career Development Process

9

Your Board of Advisors

10-13

SELF-INQUIRY

10 12 12 12

Assess your Values, Skills, Interests, and Personality Review your Experience Next Steps and Selected Resources Advice for Graduate Students

13

Making Career Decisions

14-17

EXPLORATION

14 14 15 15 16 16

Read Talk Do The Graduate School Option Next Steps and Selected Resources Advice for Graduate Students

17

Making the Most of the Experience Buffet

18-21

EXPERIENCE ACQUISITION

18 19 19 20 20

Think Differently About Experience Internships Consider Professional Fellowships Next Steps and Selected Resources Advice for Graduate Students

21

Nine Domains to Find Your Fit

22-41

SEARCH SKILLS AND STRATEGIES

22 24 25 26 28 30 32 34 37 41 41

Are You Search Savvy Professional Networking Managing Your Online Reputation Top Search Strategies Connect with Employers Resume Resume Samples Cover Letter Interviewing Next Steps and Selected Resources Advice for Graduate Students

43

Where to go from here

NDEX

5 5 6 8

Career Guide 2011-2012

The Career Guide is

published annually by the Duke University Career Center within the

Division of Student Affairs.

Copyright Š2011 Duke University

All rights reserved

Daiichi Sankyo? ( di-ee-chi sank-ee-o)

Maybe you’ve heard of us...

Our medicines have been protecting hearts for more than 100 years.

4

Bringing Innovation to Life

To learn more, visit us at www.dsi.com

IT IS YOUR CAREER Your curiosity and abilities have been great assets. We know that your many interests coupled with a record of achievement in many arenas can render the career decision-making process somewhat challenging.

Sometimes you might feel as if it is difficult to create goals when the options are seemingly limitless. At other times, you may feel there are not enough opportunities to satisfy all of your interests. Or perhaps you feel confident about your next step and want support in getting there. While at Duke, you will encounter each of these scenarios, sometimes all in the same day!

We invite you to use all of the Career Center resources in your work to identify and make sense of all choices that interest you. Use them to take control of defining and developing a variety of options now and into the future.

We at the Career Center recognize that “career” is more than the collection of your degrees, occupations, and proudest achievements. We believe that it is holistic and dynamic. It is the unique integration of a growing range of experiences, shifting influences, accumulation of decisions, and deepening and discarded commitments. You are growing into your career with every experience and all that you learn—about work and about yourself.

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE We recognize that you are coming to this guide with a point of view and set of experiences that are uniquely yours.

Whether you’re looking for a path or already on one, use this guide as a jumping-off point from wherever you are to wherever you’d like to be.

Whether it’s a campus job, research role, internship, fellowship, full-time or volunteer position, or any of the multitudes of opportunities available to you, the advice in this guide applies.

Be sure, however, to look beyond the guide. We’ve written this to motivate, inspire, and get you STARTED. Turn the page to learn more about the wealth of additional resources that we encourage you to utilize.

5 5

ABOUT THE Welcome from the Director Welcome to the next stage in your career development process. The fact that you are reading this introductory letter implies that you are serious about getting on with your professional development and that you are ready to take a series of intentional steps to get there. I hope the Career Guide serves as a valuable resource, and that you will use it as a portal to access other campus resources available to you.

One of the most harmful career myths you will encounter during your time at Duke is that there are three or four “best ways to launch a career.” Not only is this not true, it has never been true.

Our primary assumption is that all Duke students, undergraduate and graduate, are among the most diversely interested and diversely able in the world. We don’t assume you need assistance figuring out what you are interested in but rather, which of your interests, abilities, academic strengths, and values you will combine and pursue after Duke. Today’s global marketplace can make those choices difficult and exciting.

I say all of this at the beginning of the Career Guide to get you to read further, and to encourage you to use the Guide as a transition point to a more active engagement with the resources of the Career Center.

At the Career Center, we work at the intersection of dreams and reality and you can find us in Smith Warehouse—see you there soon.

Bill Wright-Swadel Fannie Mitchell Executive Director Duke University Career Center

6

We’re Here to Help!

Smith Warehouse Career Counseling

Call us or stop by to schedule an appointment with a counselor. Use your first appointment to introduce yourself and come up with a plan to meet your needs.

Call 919-660-1050

Drop-In Advising

No appointment necessary. Use this convenient resource for all of your timesensitive needs. Expect to spend 10-15 minutes with an advisor for your specific questions.

Monday - Thursday 2pm-5pm Fridays 2pm-4pm

Workshops

We will host virtual guests and events in addition to traditional presentations in person. Throughout the year, workshops will include a wide variety of topics, featuring an interesting range of guests.

Career Center Library

Browse our collection of reference materials and books for inspiration or help in preparation. Most items can be checked out.

Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm

On-Campus Interviews

Meet with employers who come to campus to hire interns or full-time staff.

Use your eRecruiting account to apply for opportunities and schedule interviews as they become available.

CAREER CENTER You are invited to take advantage of the full range of resources available to you from the moment you arrive at Duke until after you leave. In fact, we encourage it! Having no sense of what to do next is the perfect reason to introduce yourself. Let us be partner in your exploration and decision-making process.

Around Campus

Online

Workshops and Drop-In Advising Come to You

The Career Center Website

We don’t spend all of our time at the Career Center.

We schedule presentations and meetings all over campus.

Information Sessions

Attend presentations hosted by many types of organizations to learn more about them and opportunities available to you.

Events

We bring many guests to Duke, often with the help of fantastic campus partners. Some of our annual events include: Expert in Residence Program - knowledgeable professionals share their expertise and advice with you Career Fairs – Employers who are looking to hire for internships and full-time opportunities attend to meet face to face with students.

The Fannie Mitchell event in late January or early February – More than 70 Duke alums return to campus to discuss their careers and decisions made along the way. We sponsor this event in partnership with the Duke Alumni Association.

Duke Arts Festival – Meet and learn from alums in arts, media, and entertainment and have an opportunity to showcase your own talents. We plan this event in partnership with the Duke Alumni Association and Office of the Vice Provost for the Arts.

Diversity Networking Dinner - Employers committed to hiring a diverse staff attend this annual event to meet Duke students in a conversational setting.

Etiquette Dinners – Dine in style while being instructed on proper business etiquette.

Presentations By Request

Visit our website to request a workshop. We bring a variety of presentations and discussions to your organization, residence hall, or group of friends. If you can gather a crowd, we’ll join you!

In depth tips, strategies, and resources are available on the website, and we’re always creating more. We also highlight some of the best articles and news from across print and web media that might be of interest to you.

Subscriptions and Databases

We sponsor and host a wide variety of tools and databases available to Duke students. See the Resources portion of each section of this guide for specific recommendations. For a comprehensive overview, visit Resources on our website.

ITunesU

We maintain a library of programs at Duke’s ITunesU site. Download a lecture or presentation to listen or view on the go.

Duke University Career Center

Open All Year Monday-Friday 9am-5pm

Smith Warehouse Bay 5 Second Floor 114 S. Buchanan Blvd.

Box 90950 Durham, NC 27708

919.660.1050 career-student@ studentaffairs.duke.edu Subscribe to our Career News newsletter for weekly updates.

Manage your email subscriptions within “Administration” in eRecruiting.

Our Event calendar is always available on our website under “Events” and in Duke’s Buzz calendar.

Search “Duke University Career Center” on Facebook to Like our page and get updates.

Q:What do you think the Career Center’s role is?

I think the Career Center’s role is twofold. First, for those students who have yet to decide on what they want their future to be, the Career Center is there to educate them about the numerous choices they have, and finally, for those who already know what they want to do, the Career Center is there to guide them.

Either way, the Career Center will help students go beyond their boundaries.

7

NANDISH SHAH ‘10

Your Career Development Process Believe it or not, you already know a lot

discovery is what is fun! You will continually

about yourself and your career. Your career

use your past experiences to identify new

is something you build every day with the

insights, new options, and new steps.

habits you establish and break, ideas you explore, people you meet, and decisions

You already bring a set of your own

you make. All of your life experiences

preferences and life experiences to this

provide you with insight into your unique preferences.

The key to making satisfying life choices

process of continual learning and decision-making. Uncover what drives you, discover opportunities, test your

is being aware of

strengths and interests in

the things you

the world, and learn to

already know about

communicate persuasively.

yourself and the

Being fully engaged in ALL

world, and using this acquired insight when faced with an opportunity

aspects of the cycle gives you ownership and control over that which comes next for you.

or crossroads.

Is this hard work? Yes. Is it worth it?

8

You can expect to cycle through a process

Absolutely. The Career Center works with

of learning about yourself again and again

you to make sense of the unknown or to take

during your time at Duke, and also the

steps toward your goals with success. We are

entirety of your career and life. The endless

your partners in all steps of this process.

Your Board of Advisors As you learn and build your career path, meeting new people and “enlisting” them to your personal Board of Advisors is a key strategy for success. Think about the many people who have had (or could have!) a positive influence in your life.

Look into the future and consider whom you might strategically seek out to add to your board, in addition to staying in touch with those you already know. Every person you encounter over time gets to see a different piece of you at your best (and possibly worst) and can be called upon for insights into significant aspects of who you have been and who you are becoming.

Build and use your Board of Advisors to learn about yourself and to imagine and discover YOUR possibilities. The benefits include:

• Feedback on habits, patterns, and strengths that you haven’t noticed about yourself

• Advice on steps to take, people to meet, and resources or strategies to consider

• Insight into how your advisors have made decisions in the past and what other options they considered

• Inside information about what a typical day is like

• Suggestions for opportunities that might excite you

• And more

Enlist a supervisor

Your supervisors are great advisors, even when you no longer work at the organization. Many will suggest you stay in touch, or you could ask if they are open to the possibility.

Staying in touch doesn’t mean having to request something every time you talk. If you come across information or do something that might be interesting to the person, share it! The sentiment, “thinking of you”, goes a long way and can be a great reason to send an email or pick up the phone.

Here are some great updates to share.

I thought of you when:

I learned something in class.

I saw something in the news.

I used something I learned when working with you.

I followed your advice.

I mentioned you (or your organization) to someone.

Enlist a professor

Find something you’re genuinely curious about as a reason to talk. People, even professors (!), tend to be flattered when others express interest in something that is important to them.

You can use the words, “I’m trying to understand…” as a way to start these conversations.

Some other examples might include: You mentioned… in your lecture. I’m trying to better understand how this connects to…

We worked on… in the problem set. I’m trying to understand why this technique is preferred over…

Being a professor seems interesting to me. I’m trying to better understand what it is like. Can you tell me about what you do? How you decided to do this? What else you have considered? Who you work with?

This topic is very interesting to me. I’m trying to better understand the ways that it connects to opportunities outside of academic work. Do you know about this or anyone who might?

I learned a bit about your research and am intrigued by… Can you tell me more about…

Here are some suggestions for insight you could gain: Family—know you deeply and over time

Friends—see where you thrive and struggle

Professors—have insight into your academic mind Coaches—challenge you to overcome obstacles

Advisors—contribute to your decision-making process

Community Leaders—see your passions engaged

Peers—have worked alongside you

Supervisors—have had to give you constructive feedback

Duke Alums—have a common experience

99

SELF-INQUIRY 10

Values

Interests WellInformed Decisions

Personality

Skills

Uncover What Drives You Through a process of self-inquiry, you will gain insight into your values, interests, skills, personality, and what you have learned from unique experiences. These are the critical data that will drive your career planning and development.

Self-Inquiry is not a one-time event. It is the best way to start thinking about your career and a place to return when contemplating transitions and significant decisions about your career. As you grow and change with new experiences and exposure to new ideas, you will return to this process many times. The more aligned your career decisions are with who you know yourself to be, the more likely you will feel fulfilled and successful.

Benefits of Self-Inquiry You will make well-informed decisions to set yourself up for the outcomes that matter to you throughout your career.

You will better articulate your strengths and interests to others who can offer valuable guidance, connections, and opportunities.

Assess your Values, Skills, Interests, and Personality Values, skills, interests, and personality are lenses through which you can look at your life experience. Each is a different view into you. Use these viewpoints to identify patterns that naturally emerge through the choices you make. The exercises on the following page can help you get started! A career counselor can help you interpret and learn from your responses.

Remember! This is only a starting point. Look beyond the guide to other Career Center resources for more.

Explore Your Values Values are the principles that we find important and influence the way we live our daily lives.

Our identification with specific values tends not to grow or diminish instantly or dramatically but evolve over time.

Exercise: Rank the list of values below in order of importance for you. Use the blanks to incorporate values beyond what is included here. ____Variety ____Loyalty ____Fun ____Structure ____Influence ____Recognition ____Creativity ____Financial Compensation ____Job Security

Inventory Your Skills Your skills are the abilities that you possess. Skills are developed and improved with practice and over time, though they can be influenced by a natural knack or unique talent. Communicating your skills in a way that builds confidence requires that you give evidence of your past exposure and success.

Exercise: Using the list below for inspiration, come up with ten skills that describe your current strengths. Next, come up with ten that describe those you expect will be important in your fields of interest. How do they compare? Note overlaps as well as gaps.

Communicating Clearly

__________________________

__________________________

Managing a Project

__________________________

__________________________

Collaborating towards

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

a Goal Writing Persuasively Learning Quickly Researching Thoroughly Innovating Compiling a Budget

____Having Visible Impact ____Intellectual Stimulation ____Colleague Relationships ____Independence ____Being an Expert ____Respect ____Taking Risks ____Relationships ____Learning ____ ___________________________ ____ ___________________________ ____ ___________________________

Balancing Priorities

Identify Your Interests Interests run the range from a passing curiosity to something with consistent and lifelong appeal. Your interests can include your passions, hobbies, and curiosities. Your career can evolve to include the interests that you have not yet pursued as much as those to which you are already committed.

Assess Your Personality Your personality is unique to you and includes inherent traits as well as habits that you’ve acquired over time in realms like gathering information, making decisions, and relating to others. Better understanding characteristics of your personality can help you to articulate the circumstances under which you thrive, or natural strengths that you can utilize, regardless of your environment.

Exercise: Describe yourself at your best and most natural in response to these prompts.

What energizes you? _ _____________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

Exercise: Psychologist John Holland identified these six areas of occupational interest. Rank this list from the most to least descriptive of the patterns in your interests. ______ Realistic

Practical: Enjoy practical and physical; engage with tools, machines, and gadgets

How do you gather information? ____________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

______ Investigative

Analytical: Enjoy gathering information and analysis; appreciates intellectual activities

______ Artistic

Creative: Enjoy aesthetics and selfexpression; favor unstructured environments

_________________________________________________________________

______ Social

Connected: Enjoy helping, training, and counseling; thrive side-by-side with others

What approaches do you use to conduct your life?_____________________

______ Enterprising

Influential: Enjoy persuasion and managing; prefer to lead

_________________________________________________________________

______ Conventional

Systematic: Enjoy details and accuracy; comfortable within a chain of command

What guides your decisions?________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

1111

Review your Experience With a little distance (or a lot!) from the collection of your past activities, you can continue to discern the patterns and designs that make up the mosaic of your life’s experiences. And while distance certainly comes with time, you can put some space between yourself and an ongoing experience through active, ongoing reflection, e.g., journaling.

To get started, make a list of memorable experiences. Include experiences you consider rewarding as well as those you consider disappointing. Make room for those that may seem irrelevant, unimportant, or too far in the past.

__________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ Feel free to use the following list of kinds of experiences to help you brainstorm: • On-campus jobs • Academic projects • Research • Internships • Study abroad • Political activities

• Sports • Volunteer engagements • Campus leadership • Student clubs • ROTC • Job shadowing

• Faith community commitments • Hobbies/recreational activities • Entrepreneurial ventures • Vacations

For each experience you list, consider the following questions: What led you to choose that experience?

Why did you choose that experience over others?

What, if anything, did you sacrifice when choosing that experience? How did you feel about making that sacrifice?

Who and/or what influenced your choosing that experience?

What did you especially like/dislike about that experience (consider activities, people, environment, etc)?

What skills and personal characteristics did you demonstrate or develop during that experience?

How was that experience connected or disconnected from other past and subsequent experiences?

What was most memorable about that experience?

Next Steps and Selected Resources: Self-Inquiry • Use a career counseling appointment to begin exposing patterns in your values, skills, interests, and personality.

• Visit the Career Center website for an expanded set of self-inquiry exercises.

• Consider the questions identified in the Nine Domains to Find Your Fit article on page 19.

• Seek input from members of your Board of Advisors (Page 7).

Advice for Graduate Students: Self-Inquiry

12 12

In choosing to enroll in a graduate program at Duke, you have come a long way toward understanding yourself—the unique abilities, interests, and preferences that influence your academic and personal decisions.

Nevertheless, you are not a finished product. If your experience of graduate school at Duke doesn’t transform you in significant ways by broadening and deepening your knowledge and self understanding, it will fail to accomplish its purpose. Earning an advanced degree is not a career answer, but a foundation for further intellectual and personal growth and the discovery of multiple career options.

As you progress in your studies, make use of the professional development resources of: • Your department and division • The Office of Graduate School Student Affairs (GSSA) • The Career Center Find members of the Duke community who will encourage you to revisit your goals and priorities and who will support the decisions you make about how to best use your graduate education.

REVIEW

Making Career Decisions Take a moment to reflect on why you chose to apply and come to Duke. This decision was likely influenced by a number of factors such as advice from family, interest in a specific academic program, scholarships or financial aid, campus life and sports, geographic location, a campus visit, and others. You may wish to use the diagram below to recall the various factors that influenced YOUR decision. Feel free to create more bubbles if necessary!

Photo: andy_cp16

Looking at the factors that were involved, mark those that were the strongest influence on this important decision and consider the following questions: What does this specific decision teach you about your decision-making style?

Have the influences and factors in your decision-making process changed since deciding on Duke? How and why?

Are these the factors that drive most of your important decisions? What differs? How and why?

With hindsight, do you notice anything significant you may have overlooked at the time?

Would you bring different information to the table?

Remember! You can always choose to approach future decisions differently. This exercise reveals some of your past patterns and you can use this information to determine how to move forward.

Taking Career Risks In addition to all of these factors, go back and think, too, about yourself as a risk taker. What kind of risk taker have you been? Were there elements of deciding to be here that involved a leap of faith? What about other options that you set aside in order to be here? Were they more risky?

Less?

Taking measured risks by putting yourself out into the world to discover how you fit is a critical part of career discovery. We encourage you to build upon a series of comfortable risks over time, and to learn to identify your boundaries as you go. The series of decisions you make over time can be exhilarating—do not let risk be paralyzing!

13

13

EXPLORATION 14

Discover Opportunities Be a savvy information consumer and research careers while approaching information critically. Embrace a variety of sources and exploration methods to gain deeper insight into new possibilities. Like your academic coursework, you must continuously assess the reliability, validity, and bias of your sources. As your perspective widens, so do your choices.

Be sure to take stock of your impressions as you make new career discoveries.

• What are you motivated to explore further and why?

• Are you learning things that are different than you expected, and how do you feel about this new picture?

• Did you discover something that interested you in some ways but not in others?

• What aspects of the experience were you drawn to, and what aspects were unappealing, and why?

• What else do you want and need to know?

• Are there obvious things to learn next that will help you understand other components?

Here are some suggested strategies with increasing levels of risk and reward. Be sure to employ all three categories to be comprehensive.

READ

Look through a professional lens.

You can learn a lot about your areas of interest from your computer screen or a print publication.

Some key patterns you’ll want to narrow in on include: • Where do people in this field go for professional news and updates? For jobs and internships?

• What memberships, affiliations, or certifications are common or relevant?

• What qualities or experiences are (in)consistent in the histories or profiles of the people who impress you?

TALK

Learn through others’ experiences.

Explore fields of interest through conversations with people whose work intrigues you. Put yourself in their shoes and see how well they fit!

Consider any encounter a chance to have such a conversation. No need to wait for the perfect situation or a formal career-related event. A waiting room, grocery store line, or a family gathering are all great places to gain insight from others about their careers.

Take It to the Next Level: Informational Interviewing Informational interviewing is a great conversational tool for gaining a personal and practical perspective on your career interests and building relationships with individuals in fields you may choose to pursue.

With informational interviewing, the ball is in your court. Here are the basics: Identify individuals whose personal career path, organization, or broader field of work interests you. Feel free to start with people in your inner circle. After all, do you really know what your uncle does at his cool sounding job everyday or why your favorite professor chose her field of research?

Introduce yourself or ask a mutual acquaintance to make an introduction to someone you do not know.

Email is one appropriate way to do this. Consider friends’ parents, Duke alums, or professionals in your community.

Briefly explain your curiosity about their work.

Some ideas for information sources: • Websites • Blogs • Discussion Boards • Trade Journals • Reference Books • Memoirs and Biographies Words of warning! Do not get stuck here. A good exploration strategy will get you talking and doing, too.

Ask for 30 minutes to speak with them about it at a time and location convenient for them (a phone call is also an option, but an online conversation is not).

Be punctual, prepared, and professional in your dress and demeanor for the meeting. See below for suggested questions.

Take notes while being sure to focus on building rapport and making eye contact.

Request referrals to others who would be willing to share information.

Keep the conversation on schedule to acknowledge that their time is valuable!

Express your gratitude at the conclusion of the conversation and through a thoughtful thank-you note afterwards.

Great Questions for Any Career Conversation: • How did you get started in this field? Are there other entry points as well?

• Will I need more formal training to apply for positions in this field? What organizations provide training on the job?

• What do you like most/least about your work?

• What qualities and skills are needed?

• What are the possibilities for advancement?

• What new developments are expected in the field in the next three to five years?

• What do you read to keep informed of events, issues, and openings in your field?

• What does a typical day look like for you?

The Graduate School Option

DO!

You define experience.

Your opportunity to reality-test some of the thing you have learned from others is now!

Think broadly and creatively about what defines experience and you will discover ways that you can dabble in new realms or continue to build your expertise. For example, many writers build and maintain a topical blog to develop their craft, as well as display passion and knowledge on a defined topic.

Here are some other ideas: • Ask to shadow and observe someone during a normal workday.

• Offer to volunteer for an organization, an event, or a person to develop specific abilities.

• Develop your experience in a club to showcase your strengths.

• Invent a project and offer to do it for someone, or do it for you.

• Create ways you can contribute to research or work that intrigues you.

• Secure an internship during the school year.

“I don’t need to explore… I already know what I want!”

Are you sure? We bet you’re not done yet—exploration builds upon itself, so this might be your opportunity to become more refined in your professional and personal knowledge.

You may use these questions to guide your learning in order become the most competitive candidate possible:

Who • Create a detailed profile of the person who would thrive in the role(s) to which you aspire? Can you do this yet?

• Are there areas for your own improvement?

What • What sources of information and relationships do the professionals in this field use to keep up with news, trends, and colleagues? Are you paying attention to these, regularly?

• What are the strategies used in this field to identify and bring on new talent?

What are there motivators, timelines, resources, strategies, or techniques that you need to be aware of?

When • When are important events that I should make myself aware of, e.g., a conference?

• When is the typical hiring cycle? Are there things that I should prepare for?

Where • Where are the areas of change and excitement? Where do experts predict the field will be in the next five years, 10 years, 20 years?

• How do I position myself to be part of this?

Why • Why do people go into this field, initially? Does it remain the same or change over time?

• Why do people leave or come back?

Are there patterns to notice here?

How • How did you decide that this was your best option?

• How have you challenged or tested this choice?

You may be considering graduate school because you are passionate about a particular intellectual endeavor or because you know you need a certain set of credentials to move forward in your career development.

Depending on your goals and interests, an advanced degree may be an option to consider. Before taking this step for granted, take time to think about the reasons you would pursue graduate school, what you would expect to gain, whether it is the best way to achieve your goals, and when you would be ready to make the commitment of time and financial resources.

The following are some important factors to account for when considering this weighty decision: • The clarity of your short- and long-term career goals • Your expectations around how a graduate education would help you advance some of your goals • Whether graduate education is the best way to achieve your desired outcomes and whether there are strong alternatives, e.g., licensures • Your ability and willingness to take on associated financial burdens • Your comfort with putting other interests and goals on hold to meet the demands of your program • Kinds of programs that would best meet your goals Whether you seek to practice a profession that requires a specific advanced degree or are interested in a path where there is a less definitive need for such, the issues above are critical. While the majority of Duke undergraduates eventually go on to pursue advanced degrees, such a decision should be based on individual circumstances, interests, and goals.

If you have decided that an advanced degree is right for you, the next step is to contact the appropriate resource at Duke to assist you: • http://trinity.duke.edu/ advising/preprofessional • Office of Health Professions Advising • Prelaw Advising Office • PreBusiness Advising Office • Pregraduate Advising

Next Steps and Selected Resources: Exploration Use a career counseling appointment to devise a research game plan. Work with a counselor to identify the best resources to use first.

Participate in the Expert-in-Residence Program (year-round) and The Fannie Mitchell event (early spring semester) to learn from Duke alums visiting campus.

Use the Occupational Network (online.onetcenter.org), especially the “skills search” to match job titles to your interests.

Identify and reach out to a variety of professionals using DukeConnect (www.DukeConnect.com) and by joining the “Duke University Alumni Network” group after making a profile on LinkedIn (www.LinkedIn.com).

Familiarize yourself with the variety of information resources available to you as a Duke student. A few to get you started: Career Insider by Vault (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/vault-career-insider)

Access profiles of professions, companies, and industries. Content ranges from a few paragraphs to book length and also includes videos.

Job & Career Research Library Guide (http://guides.library.duke.edu/careerresearch) A thorough overview of the best research tools available across Duke.

GoingGlobal (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/goingglobal) Essential insights and resources for exploring by location; domestically or abroad

eRecruiting (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/erecruiting) Register for Career News and email lists that match your interests

Advice for Graduate Students: Exploration Having enrolled in a specific program of study, you become an explorer discovering new knowledge through research. But you shouldn’t neglect to use your research skills to discover and explore career options that were initially off your map.

If historical research is your forte, investigate the career of a business historian. If teaching about the environment commands your energy and creativity, explore the advantages of teaching for special programs that offer undergrads hands-on fieldwork experience. If you’ve discovered that you’re good at coordinating large-scale events/conferences, scout out career opportunities with academic associations or job announcements in trade magazines for event planners. Explore the requirements for positions in more than one kind of organization and be open to new avenues to exercise your particular abilities.

Every sector of the economy has a place for someone with your developing interests—whether they will be fulfilled through the traditional academic research, teaching, and administrative roles or through others common to the business, governmental, and nonprofit sectors. Our distinguished faculty and staff working in the Graduate School, the offices of Student Affairs (including the Career Center), the Duke libraries, the research centers, and our alumni are ready to point you in the right direction when you are ready to ask.

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Making the Most of the Experience Buffet Picture a delicious buffet with your favorite dishes as well as delicacies that you have heard of but never had the opportunity to try. Food and drink from around the globe, each prepared to perfection. How do you approach this buffet?

Would you start at the beginning piling on everything that looks delicious as it passes before you? But then you would be too full to enjoy your favorite dessert at the end. You could take only a tiny taste of a few things to keep your options open, only to find yourself still hungry in the end. Perhaps you are already imagining another, more strategic approach as you read.

When it comes to the vast and tantalizing smorgasbord of experiences accessible to Duke students, it is not difficult to understand why Dukies tend to behave like hungry diners piling their plates as high as possible. We also know that one of the reasons you were admitted to Duke was because of your diverse experiences, which demonstrated that you were an intellectually curious and interesting person.

Photo: fazen

You may deftly balance your overloaded plate, but are you getting the most enjoyment and benefit from your meal? Or is your palette overrun by all of the flavors and textures, unable to distinguish savory from sweet, crisp from creamy? Do you conclude your meal feeling satiated or stuffed? Well nourished or just full?

Let’s go back to the buffet. What’s your best strategy?

Scan your options. Based on what you know about your tastes and preferences, what must you have? Do you see anything that hadn’t previously piqued your curiosity but does now? What dishes are available that you have not seen or heard of before now?

Make your selections and enjoy. Choose a balance of nutritious and indulgent options, old favorites and something new. Not too many selections on one plate—you can always go back for more! Taste each item on its own, then see how the flavors blend or complement each other. Enjoy slowly and savor.

Assess your satisfaction. Are you still hungry? Was your anticipated favorite less tasty than you had hoped? Leave it on the plate to save room to eat something else.

Go back for more. You are even more prepared this time around. You know what you like and what you have yet to try. You have gotten feedback about the things that others have enjoyed. Your preferences are more specific and you are scanning for particular items that will satisfy you.

Talk about the meal. After leaving the meal you are still talking about it. What did you like and why?

Did you skip anything appealing because you were no longer hungry? Would something else have helped round out the meal for you? Would you go back for more? If so, what would you have? What would you pass over?

Your career development process is like a buffet. It entails tasting and trying, learning what you like and what you find unappealing, and even experiencing moments of hunger and excess. You are also learning how to satiate an appetite that changes with time, and how to get more out of your experience by discussing and reflecting with others.

Bon appétit!

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EXPERIENCE ACQUISITION 18 18

Test Your Strengths and Interests in the World Duke students are renowned for being super-involved on and off of campus; filling their schedules with research, volunteer work, student organizations, creative endeavors, entrepreneurial ventures, studying abroad, internships.

You name it, Duke students are doing it!

With each experience you select, you are choosing to develop and utilize particular skills, work with or for certain people, function within a specific structure and environment, acquire particular kinds of knowledge, and grapple with particular problems.

The Career Center recommends you examine each of your opportunities to better understand: What you want to learn or gain?

How you want to challenge yourself?

What you want to do more (or less) of?

What curiosities do you want to satisfy?

By looking at your array of choices with a critical eye, you will be well equipped to determine your next steps, whether your goal is to enhance current knowledge and skills or set forth in a newly-discovered direction.

Think Differently About Experience Once you have determined what you want to learn next by reflecting on your past experiences and future aspirations, there are many ways to pursue your immediate goals. Opportunities abound on campus and in the local community to develop specific knowledge and skills, to build relationships, and to generate further insight about who you are becoming. The key is to be discerning in your choices: the value of any given experience can only be measured in relation to YOUR unique goals and interests.

The list below suggests some of the avenues for gaining experience. Keep in mind that no single club, project, or activity has a monopoly on the knowledge and skill development you seek!

• Student organizations (active participation and/or leadership) • Community engagement and volunteering • Research with a professor • Independent research • Job shadowing • Entrepreneurial venture

• Significant projects, in class or out • Athletics • Hobbies • Honors thesis • Campus and national competitions • Tutoring • Military

Career Center advisors are eager to talk with you about how these and other experiences may be the right fit for your personal priorities and interests.

Internships

Think of internships as a broad set of additional experiences that may complement your on- and off-campus activities and coursework or help you bridge gaps in your exploration, learning, and development. Internships are most often explicitly preprofessional in nature and are one more tool for gaining self-insight, knowledge, and skills.

85% of Duke seniors responding to a 2010 survey reported having had at least one internship before graduation.

As with your other activities and courses, it is essential that you take a critical approach when pursuing and selecting from the range of internship choices. There is no objective measure for a good internship. The best internships are those that align with your unique values, skills, interests, and personality and that make sense given what else you have learned and experienced thus far.

As you learn more and clarify your interests with each experience, your priorities and goals will likely change. Over time, you may choose to mix and match a variety of internship experiences along with your coursework and other experiences to best meet your needs and interests.

Start Investigating Internships • Meet with a career counselor to clarify what you hope to learn from an internship and develop a personalized strategy—the earlier you begin the conversation, the better! Continue periodic check-in meetings throughout your exploration and search.

• Request time to talk with members of your Board of Advisors for advice and perspective. Keep your advisors up to date throughout your exploration and search.

• Talk to other students about their internship experiences.

Consider Professional Fellowships

Don’t rule out an unpaid summer opportunity! There are many options if you act early: Apply for competitive funding to cover your costs, stay close to home, take on a part-time, paid job alongside an internship, or build up your savings before the summer begins.

Though many students only associate “fellowships” with academic pursuits, professional fellowships are a great option for those seeking short-term work experience, training, and mentorship after graduation. These competitive opportunities—found throughout the world—are typically geared toward cultivating young leaders in various professional fields. As such, they can serve as a fantastic springboard for your career.

For more information about post-graduate professional fellowships, make an appointment with a career counselor and explore from our website: http://www. studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/short-term.

For academic fellowships, e.g., Rhodes Scholars Program, the Office of Undergraduate Scholars and Fellows at Duke and its website are excellent resources.

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Next Steps and Selected Resources: Experience Acquisition Schedule a career counseling appointment to identify steps toward experiences that strategically align with your curiosities.

Create an account and set up personalized searches in each of these Duke databases to become more aware of the options. eRecruiting (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/erecruiting) iNet (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/inet) Internship Exchange (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/internship-exchange) Use DukeList (dukelist.duke.edu) to identify volunteer, research, and work opportunities at Duke.

Attend a career fair.

Look for leads and ideas using these consolidated lists: Internship Series Online (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/internship-series) Internship Feedback Database (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/internshipfeedback-database) e-leads (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/e-leads)

Advice for Graduate Students: Experience Acquisition As a graduate student, it is crucial that you use opportunities provided by the university and your own ingenuity to get experience in organizations outside the university. Fulfilling the curricular requirements of your study program and earning an advanced credential will not be enough to convince many employers that you are qualified to assume positions with more responsibility than those offered to BA/BS graduates.

Curricular requirements do not always satisfy employers for these reasons: Faculty search committees may want tenure-track candidates with more than one area of research expertise.

Biotechnology firms may prefer candidates who can perform research and also demonstrate experience leading research teams.

Liberal arts colleges will select faculty candidates who have designed their own courses and received excellent student evaluations.

Government contractors may not only require security clearances, but will also favor applicants who have had relevant internship experience.

Engineers who apply for jobs with smaller investment firms must demonstrate not only quantitative modeling skills, but also exposure to operations in one or more of the sub-fields of finance, such as risk management, derivatives pricing, or econometrics.

Your challenge will be to find ways to apply your knowledge to actual problems encountered in the workplace at the same time you are pursuing your graduate degree. Gain experience outside the department, the laboratory, and the library through formal internship programs or by taking on projects you create for yourself. Your applied learning experiences will convince your first employer after graduate school that you have not used your graduate years to hide out, but to reach out.

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Nine Domains to Find Your Fit It is both challenging and exciting to imagine your career options. For one thing, your career is and will continue to be multi-faceted, just like you! Whether you are working on your next move, or figuring out your longer-term aspirations, you will gain traction by fleshing out the nine intersecting domains, or elements, that comprise your career.

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Spend time with the questions below; each refers to a specific domain related to your personal career fulfillment. You do not need to work all of this out in one sitting, but we do encourage you to put your thoughts on paper. Free yourself to be in the present moment with an understanding that your answers to these questions will change over time. This can be a great starting point for an intentional conversation with a career counselor or member of your Board of Advisors (Page 7).

Domains:

Knowledge:

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? ? ???? ?

In what areas of knowledge, intellectual, personal, experiential, can you claim a particularly strong grasp and find great enjoyment?

What do you want to learn next?

What do you ultimately want to know?

Skills:

What can you do well?

Among your capabilities, which do you enjoy using? Which do you prefer NOT to use?

What skills do you wish to acquire (short and long term)?

Goals:

What do you want to accomplish in the short- and long-term?

Values:

What are your personal and work values and how do you want them to intersect with your work?

Which of your values do you want to hold in common with the people with whom you work?

Environment:

In what physical environments do you thrive?

In what physical environments do you struggle?

Relationships:

What types of relationships do you want in your work (with colleagues, managers, constituents, customers, etc.)?

Who do you envision your colleagues to be?

Compensation:

What kind of financial compensation do you need or want?

What sorts of benefits or perks are important to you?

What do you want to learn in your work?

What are the sources of your joy?

Location:

Where do you want to be?

What geographic factors are important to you?

Challenges and Barriers:

What real difficulties do you see ahead for you?

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SEARCH SKILLS 22 22

Are You Search Characteristics of a Savvy Internship and Job Seeker Ready to move forward with your search? Here are a few characteristics that successful and savvy experience seekers possess and implement throughout the search process. These characteristics apply whether you are pursuing an internship, job, volunteer role, fellowship, or membership in a student organization.

Successful seekers REFLECT! Time to search for an opportunity. But wait! What type of experience are you seeking? Why? Take time to think carefully about your skills, strengths, likes/dislikes, and what you want to learn next. Being able to articulate the above will allow you to conduct a search with purpose and direction, ultimately saving you time and minimizing frustration. Reflection is a key component that should be used throughout the process.

Successful seekers conduct a TARGETED SEARCH! Pursuing any and every opportunity you find will produce results that may not align with the direction you would like to head with your career. Target organizations and industries that are of genuine interest to you and tailor your approach (resume, cover letter, proposal, and pitch) to reflect the experiences and skills most relevant and salient for those opportunities.

Successful seekers RESEARCH! You may know the top five employers in your industry

Don’t limit your knowledge of the world to what you already know. Take time to expand upon of interest, but who are the top 10? Top 20?

this base of knowledge and learn about opportunities and experiences that are interesting to you. Researching organizations and employers allows you to learn about their culture, values, and specific opportunities for career development.

Your research will help you determine whether or not there is a potential fit between you and the opportunity or organization, helping you make an informed decision about your next step!

Successful seekers are ORGANIZED! Some searches are especially time consuming.

You should anticipate spending several hours a week on your internship, job, or fellowship search. The same may be true of other opportunities. Develop a system that allows you to keep all of your contacts and notes in one place and keep a calendar of relevant events and deadlines. Consider having an email address, folder, or use tags dedicated to your search-related communications.

Store your search-related documents electronically in a centralized folder so they are easy to access if needed immediately.

Successful seekers have ENDURANCE and PATIENCE! Since some searches can last several months, be prepared to participate in a process that may not always agree with your preferred timeframe. We are used to immediate gratification in our society, but each organization, employer, or funder works at their own pace for legitimate (if obscure) reasons. As a candidate for the opportunity, you will benefit from being aware of and sensitive to this fact.

Savvy?

Successful seekers FOLLOW UP! Following up on your applications and conversations can be the difference between securing an opportunity and remaining in an undifferentiated pile of resumes. By following up, you can confirm that your application is in the right hands, restate your serious interest in the position, and demonstrate follow-through skills so important in professional roles. As with all communications with employers, it is critical to act in a timely, professional, and courteous manner.

While you may be eager to know the status of your application, be aware that they may not be able to provide much information at any given time. Your follow-up will nonetheless make a positive impression.

Successful seekers MANAGE SETBACKS WITH POSITIVITY! Being told “no” in your search is never fun, but it’s bound to happen at some point. Rejection can hinge on a number of factors, many of which are out of the your control. While rejection can be frustrating, it is very important to remain positive and not let a setback with one opportunity effect how you present yourself for another prospective experience. Transform rejection into motivation, staying confident that you have many strong characteristics to contribute.

Successful seekers project PROFESSIONALISM AND MATURITY! You are more than the sum of your skills and previous experiences. Professionalism and maturity can take you a long way. As you connect with people throughout your search, there are many opportunities to demonstrate this, including how you communicate and present yourself.

23 23

Professional Networking Intentional, sustained, and effective networking is a powerful tool when searching for interesting internships, jobs, and other experiences. It can significantly augment other methods for learning about and pursuing career options, such as on-campus recruiting, social networking, and online searches.

Believe it or not, networking is something you already do well! Think about your first weeks on campus, meeting fellow students and exchanging information related to your discoveries about Duke life, (bus routes, campus dining facilities, interesting activities, great professors, etc). By sharing information, you were assisting or receiving help yourself (getting from East to West Campus on time, finding something fun to do on Thursday night, etc.). Beyond information, perhaps you introduced your math-whiz roommate with your calculus-confused friend for some informal tutoring.

Exchanging useful information and seeking and creating helpful introductions are the essence of networking.

The Value of Networking Strategically connecting with people enables you to: • Gain insider knowledge and insight into the career field, industry, or organization and the day-to-day experiences, career paths, terminology, organizational culture, sources of industry information, and more.

• Build confidence over time in speaking about yourself, career interests, and future goals.

• Expand the number of people you know who are doing things you are curious about.

• Learn about opportunities, sometimes before they become publicized (Note: Networking is NOT the same as asking for a job).

• Refine your goals, make well-informed decisions in your search, and make a positive impression on employers and those who are evaluating your candidacy.

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Networking Basics Managing Your Online Reputation You know that employers use the Internet to research potential job candidates. Thus, a necessary part of any job or internship search is to create and maintain a positive online reputation. Use the following steps to move from damage control towards proactive ownership of your online first impression.

Increase Your Awareness. Be sure you know what information

is or could be available about yourself online, where it is, and what impression it may create.

• Search your name (and different versions of it) on the major search engines, on different social networks, and sites where you comment. A few not-so-obvious sites to check: Tumblr, Netflix, Flickr, Match, Delicious, Amazon, Yelp.

• Know the privacy agreement and settings for the various online communities of which you are a member.

• Request feedback from peers and professionals on impressions based your online presence alone. Would they hire you? Why or why not?

• Familiarize yourself with sites where your potential colleagues or supervisors gather and participate online.

Protect Your Image. Ensure potential employers only see

information that conveys a positive image. You do not want them to question your professionalism, judgment, or ability to represent their organization.

• Adjust the privacy settings for all online accounts.

• Remove content and tags that could negatively influence a potential employer’s first impression.

• Hide or delete old accounts that do not best represent you.

• Request that information about you posted by others be removed if you are opposed to it.

Build a Professional Presence. Present your name,

accomplishments, and aspirations in ways that can be accessible to others.

• Use social networks to create and maintain a public profile that represents your accomplishments and a sense of the professional you are becoming and you are comfortable with the public seeing.

• Display a copy of your resume and a portfolio of your accomplishments online.

• Promote your profiles and/or website, e.g., add a link to your email signature.

• Contribute to conversations relevant to your fields of interest through media like blogs, LinkedIn groups, and/or Twitter.

Own Your Presence. Assert greater control of your online identity

by owning it yourself.

• Create a personal website that serves as a professional resume and portfolio. Update this regularly with new content.

• Continue your activities online and watch your name and professional identity become more prominent in search engines. Set a goal to take over the whole first page of Google when someone searches your name.

With practice comes improvement. Ever hear the phrase, “fake it ‘till you make it?” No one needs to know that you’re nervous or that you’ve never done this before. On the other hand, if it makes you more comfortable, feel free to tell people this is new for you. It’s okay. Even after years of practice, introducing yourself to someone new can feel risky. But it is worth it. Students we talk to most commonly say that their level of nervousness far exceeded the actual task, and that the conversation was fun! Just remember that almost any interpersonal encounter can be an opportunity for intentional networking.

• Know yourself: skills, interests, values, personality, and accomplishments.

• Make a list of your current relationships— personal, professional, academic, and beyond. Add Duke alums to your list! Your first-degree contacts will be instrumental in connecting you with other people you do not yet know, your second-degree contacts.

• Do not discount individuals because you think they do not know the right people. They do not need to be in the area you are pursuing to have valuable relationships to share.

• Create a plan for reaching out to your first-degree contacts and for keeping track of your communications. You might want to start with people who seem to have the closest connections to your interest area OR with those whom you feel most comfortable with. Either way will work. The point is to create a plan you can act on!

• Do your homework. Learn a little bit about each person you contact (profession, current projects, company, relevant personal information, etc.). Use the power of the Internet to your advantage.

• Draft and practice your opening communication (verbal introduction, email, etc). Discuss this with a friend, career advisor, or someone from your Board of Advisors (Page ##).

• Make your move! Send an email or letter first; follow with a phone call. Or simply CALL! Assign yourself a daily quota. Be persistent but not pushy.

• Follow up! Call again within a week if you receive no response. Arrange a meeting in person or by phone.

Ask for 30 to 45 minutes only. You could get even luckier!

• Set the tone. Know and explain why you are calling and what you hope to learn (industry information, career exploration, job search advice, graduate or professional school guidance, etc.) You are NOT asking for a job!

• Ask for referrals. One of your most important questions is, “Whom do you recommend I contact for additional information?”

• Send a thank-you note within 48 hours! Email is OK! A personal letter can be very effective, too!

• Maintain connections. Nurture the relationships by staying in touch and letting them know where you land!

• Be patient. Networking yields results that often accumulate over time. Never stop networking!

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Top Search Strategies

Ethical Conduct in Your Search

Before you jump into your search, consider a few recommendations that will help you to search smart, manage your time, and implement an effective plan.

A search is a long-term process. Longer than many people anticipate. Plan to spend four or more months gearing up and implementing a search for a full-time or highly competitive internship opportunity.

Many students have compared this commitment to taking an additional class.

Set aside time on a regular basis. Unlike a paper or project that can be postponed or worked on in surges, the best searches are spread over time. Put time on your calendar each week—an hour or so for downtime and a few hours during peak periods.

Prioritize your interests. Spend time exploring to effectively target your search to your interests. Three fantastic applications to great-fit opportunities tend to reap more rewards than 100 scattershot applications.

While you are keeping track of all the elements of your search, be sure your ethical conduct remains a constant the whole way through. Should you have questions about the ethical thing to do in a given situation, please contact the Career Center. We are here to help clarify and explain whatever may seem muddy. If you are in a pinch for time, always err on the side of caution.

The following are expectations for how to conduct yourself in a way that is ethical so as to prevent situations that could result in a permanent scar on your professional reputation within an industry as well as damage to the reputation of Duke students as a whole:

Learn what an optimal candidate profile includes. The better picture you have of

the person who would be selected for your desired role, the more effective you will be at presenting your own experiences. Utilize the three exploration methods discussed earlier in this guide to get a well-rounded view.

Practice presenting yourself in writing and in conversation. Your ability to

articulate what you want and why comes only through reflection and practice. Create opportunities to rehearse before you find yourself in an interview for that coveted position.

Get feedback. Have others read your resume and guess what kind of position you are seeking. Practice introducing yourself and expressing your professional interests to family or friends. Ask your roommate to role-play an interview with you.

Track your progress. Keep records so that you know what applications and documents have gone where and when. Track whom you have talked to, when, how you have followed up, and whether more follow up is expected. This helps you when preparing for an interview or actively managing your conversations and professional relationships. It also gives you a record of your progress for days that feel stalled.

26

Be 100 percent truthful and accurate on your resume.

Embellishments and exaggerations are considered lying. Employers often look beyond candidates’ resumes to verify information that candidates have provided. Don’t falsify, stretch, or bend information such as your GPA, SAT scores, involvement in activities, leadership roles you have held, or results in competitions in which you have participated.

On-Campus Recruiting Policy: Falsifying your resume may result in being reported to Duke’s Office of Student Conduct and subject to sanctions, being banned from the Career Center’s on-campus recruiting program permanently, and forfeiting employment opportunities.

Attend interviews to which you have committed. By

agreeing to an interview (whether through eRecruiting, email, or phone), you are making a commitment. Should you need or desire to withdraw from an interview, timely notification is a must.

On-Campus Recruiting Policy: You may remove yourself from an interview schedule no less than two business days prior to your interview. Students who withdraw any later or do not show up will be barred from the On-Campus Recruiting program. Reinstatement will require a letter of apology to the recruiter and a meeting with a Career Center staff member.

Communicate in a timely manner with employers. Don’t

ignore phone calls and emails from employers as you go through the process of accepting or declining interviews or job offers. If you need more time when determining details such as start dates, relocation information, etc., it is best to be in touch, be straightforward about the reason for delay or uncertainty, and request more time.

Consider your verbal or written acceptance of an offer a binding contract. Reneging on an offer is when you accept an

offer then turn it down. This behavior typically ends any chances of employment with that organization in the future.

On-Campus Recruiting Policy: Students that renege on a job offer will have their eRecruiting account inactivated and will have to meet with Career Center staff to discuss the particular situation as well as take steps to repair the relationship with the employer.

End your search upon accepting a position. Once you have accepted a job or internship, whether verbally or in writing, you must terminate any other recruiting-related activity with other employers.

This includes contacting employers with whom you are scheduled to interview and removing yourself from candidate pools.

On-Campus Recruiting Policy: Continuing to pursue other opportunities once you have accepted a position is a violation of the Career Center’s on-campus recruiting policies. Your account in eRecruiting will be deactivated and you will be expected to meet with a Career Center staff member to discuss the situation and to work on repairing the relationship with the organization.

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The Analysts we hire into our programs today will be shaping and influencing the decisions we make going forward.

We have extraordinary opportunities across our global business for people who thrive in a challenging and constantly evolving environment.

The place is here. The time is now. www.makeitrbs.com

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Connect with Employers It is important to understand the value in using multiple strategies as you think about connecting with employers. In the beginning of a search, much of the contact with employers begins with you, the job seeker, being proactive in making the first contact. As you begin hearing back from employers, it is just as important to respond to them in a timely manner. Your communication with employers should embody professionalism and maturity, right down to your email address and the message on your voicemail. And keep in mind, even during the process of connecting with employers, your candidacy is being evaluated.

Use the following as an introduction to some of the resources and programs available to you and find more detail on the Career Center website.

eRecruiting

Search and Apply for Internships and Jobs

Duke eRecruiting is a job and internship database exclusive to Duke students. You can search this dynamic system for local opportunities during the school year, national and international summer internships, and postgraduation positions.

iNet and The Internship Exchange Selective Access to More Internship Listings

iNet and The Internship Exchange are dynamic databases containing listings for thousands of unique internships throughout the United States and abroad. Developed in partnership with two groups of selective colleges and universities, these databases enable the Career Center to expand experiential opportunities for Duke students.

Career Fairs

The Career Center hosts or sponsors a variety throughout the year. Whether you are actively seeking a position or casually exploring options, a career fair is an excellent opportunity for you to: Learn about specific organizations and the kinds of candidates they are seeking.

Explore career fields that may be of interest to you.

Gain confidence networking with employers, some of whom are Duke alums.

(Use this bar like you have it and cut the screen shot of eRecruting) 2010-2011 Career Fairs: TechConnect September 14 Fall Career Fair September 15 Fall Career Fair.................................................. September 14 Nonprofit & Government Career Fair October 15 Master’s and Ph.D. Fair November Nonprofit N.C. & Government Career Fair .............. October 1319 Career & Summer Opportunities Fair January N.C. Master’s and Ph.D. Fair.............................

Just-in-Time Career Fair April November 17

2011-2012 Career Fairs:

Career & Summer Opportunities Fair............... January 26 Just-in-Time Career Fair.................................... April 11

Employer Information Sessions

Some employers choose to hold information sessions to build awareness about their organizations and positions (internships and jobs) they are seeking to fill. These sessions are meant to be educational for any student who is considering positions at these organizations. Information sessions are also useful for students who are simply exploring career paths and want to learn more about specific industries.

Make a great impression on employers at their information sessions!

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Dress to impress! A business suit or business casual attire is appropriate. For certain organizations, demonstrating an understanding of their brand and image is also

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Blue Devils for Green Internships Become a Stanback Intern

Stanback Internships offer YOU the opportunity to:

The Stanback Internship Program is open to ALL continuing Duke students. Graduate, undergraduate, and international students wanted. No environmental experience required for many positions.

• Gain skills and knowledge that can not be learned in the classroom

Apply in late Januar y via Duke University Career Center eRecruiting at: duke.experience.com • search for STANBACK nicholas.duke.edu/career/stanback stanback@nicholas.duke.edu

Stanback INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Gaining skills. Training talent. Growing green.

• Earn practical employment experience employers want to see on your resume

• Develop key competencies and work characteristics that employers seek • Establish a network of professional contacts, mentors, and references for after graduation • Become a better communicator, critical thinker, team player, and self-managed learner • Gain more confidence in your abilities, and learn how to get things done • Do real work – no grunt work involved • Be treated well in a friendly office • Work with wonder ful super visors • Earn $4,500

Writing a Resume It is tempting to jump to the resume as the first step when kicking off your search process.

However, the resume is a culminating effort, not a first step. It serves as a professional introduction that links your background and qualities to a specific opportunity. A successful resume will pique enough confidence and curiosity about you to secure an interview.

The key questions your resume answers for its readers are: What are you capable of and what do you know?

How well suited are you for the role that is being filled?

A carefully constructed, well edited, and focused resume will create a compelling depiction of your patterns of qualities, skills, and accomplishments in response to these underlying questions.

Five Tips for a Successful Resume

1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

THINK CREATIVELY about experience. Your meaningful accomplishments will come from across

a variety of endeavors in your life. Consider businesses you’ve run, projects that you complete, longstanding hobbies and pursuits, and contributions you have made, or other defining experiences in your life. All of these can be aspects of your resume.

Format your resume with FIRST THINGS FIRST. The top and left-hand side of your resume are

the most valuable spaces when someone is visually scanning your document and forming a first impression. Use the first section heading strategically to ensure that your most compelling experiences are at the top of the page. Thoughtfully choose verbs that are descriptive of your actions and contributions to start each bullet. Order your bullets so the most compelling comes first.

Illustrate your PATTERNS of success. Showcase the skills you have developed through experience,

what you have learned or know through classroom or practical exposure, positive qualities you will bring to the work, and a mastery of the language and culture of the realms to which you apply.

Articulate the IMPACT of your contributions. Include measures of your success wherever possible.

Use individual resume bullets to highlight your outcomes in ways that will resonate with the readers’ point of view. For example, using measurable, quantified results for a bottom-line-driven industry.

Write MULTIPLE RESUMES if you have multiple interests. Your varied interests may require equally

varied presentations of you at your best. Change the categories, order, and descriptions of different experiences to ensure that unique readers of your resume recognize right away that you excel in areas that are meaningful to them.

The Curriculum Vitae: What do I need to know?

Internationally, the terms curriculum vitae, CV, and resume may be used interchangeably. However, in the context of academic or research-based work, a CV refers to a document with very specific content detailing the research, teaching, and administrative expertise required of post-secondary faculty job applicants or of applicants for research positions outside of academia.

30 30

The best resources for designing a CV are the Career Center graduate student counselors, the samples on the Career Center website, or those found in The Academic Job Search Handbook by Julia Vick and Jennifer Furlong, available in the Career Center Resource Room collection and at Perkins Library.

Anatomy of a Resume Someone may have to mail you documents or have your address for official correspondence. Keep your address simple. Only include multiple addresses if necessary.

This can include major, minor, certificates, specializations, or other degree components.

You can use this section to feature your study abroad experiences.

A high school section is most used by first and second year undergrads or those who attended schools with a large or passionate network of alumni.

Think creatively about how you design your categories.

This is an opportunity to bring attention to patterns in your interests or skills. Look at example resumes more for ideas, but two general categories could be common type of organization, e.g., Media Experience or function, e.g. Research Experience.

Use a skills section to bring added attention to RELEVANT skills. Be sure these skills are evident throughout your resume as well.

No need to add a line about references being available.

This has been seen on resumes, historically, but is no longer expected. Save that space for interesting content.

FULLNAME BIG&BOLD Address

Best Phone Number

Best Email Address

Education Duke University

Durham, NC Your Degree

Graduation Month and Year • What have been your meaningful educational accomplishments while at Duke?

• Include highlights-­‐ you don’t have to be comprehensive.

• Consider GPA, honors, study abroad, thesis, projects, research, relevant courses, or other components

Other Universities

Location Degree or Program

Dates of Study • What were the main benefits to you inside and out of the classroom?

High School Location Degree, GPA, or other characteristics Dates of Study • What were your primary accomplishments, educationally?

Specific Experience Category #1 Interesting Job Location Role Dates • Bullets include an active and specific verb that describes this contribution, learning, skills or outcome, and details and data that make it tangible.

• Prioritize, with the most important and relevant bullets first.

• Use concise and clear language and industry-­‐specific language only if applying to that industry.

Student Organization Location Current Role Dates • Write about being elected (what for!) or ways you contribute more over time.

Earlier Role Dates • Include a variety of experiences and contributions; no need to replicate information in similar roles. However, repeating something and presenting it in a new way can serve as an enhancement.

Specific Experience Category #2 e.g. researcher, founder, Internship Location volunteer, consultant Role Dates • The number of bullets under each experience does not need to be consistent. However, the space that something takes on the resume does give a sense of its level of importance.

Specific Experience Category #3 Independent Project Location Role Dates • Describe your initiative, managing a huge endeavor, overcoming obstacles, getting support from others, and other challenges you overcame when managing something new!

Skills Language: Computer: Lab:

Interests Highlight unique aspects of your background, personality, or attention to professional topics.

31 31

300 Wilson, 9999 Campus Drive Box 92222, Durham, NC, 27708

Haley Smith haley.smith@duke.edu (333) 129-3456

1 Wellstone Drive Saint Louis, MO 63124

EDUCATION

Duke University, Durham, NC B.A. in English and Philosophy Minor: Spanish expected May 2014 • GPA: 4.0/4.0 Relevant Coursework: Computer Programming with Artificial Life, The Philosophy of Feminist Classics, Spanish Writing, 20th Century American Literature Watkins High School, Saint Louis, MO • GPA: 4.0/4.0

May 2010

HONORS/AWARDS

Duke University Dean’s List with Distinction, Durham, NC Mu Alpha Theta Club, Watkins High School, Saint Louis, MO • Awarded for excellence in Mathematics Princeton Book Award, Watkins High School, St. Louis, MO • Awarded for outstanding scholarship, character and community service Ram Pride Award, Watkins High School, St. Louis, MO • Awarded by faculty member for honesty, responsibility and self-discipline JET Engineering Competition, St. Louis, MO • Awarded for advanced skills in the sciences

Fall 2010 Fall 2009 – Spring 2010

expec

Resume Samples

Spring 2009 Spring 2009 Fall 2009

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

Executive Board Member, Duke University Percussion Ensemble, Durham, NC Winter 2010 – Present • Rehearse and perform with a 15-person percussion ensemble • Serve as secretary, copying and distributing music to other members • Collaborate with other board members to make executive decisions President of Homework Club, Ladue Middle School, St. Louis, MO Fall 2009- Spring 2010 • Conducted tutorial sessions 3 times week • Delegated student tutor assignments • Successfully Recruited additional tutors throughout the year Educative Program for Gifted Youth at Stanford University, Stanford, CA Summer 2009 Board Member, Nishmah Banot Board, St. Louis. MO Fall 2007 – Spring 2010 • Planned and oversaw events for young women in the Jewish community “It’s a Girl Thing: The Leadership Years” Program, St. Louis, MO Fall 2007 – Spring 2009 Fall 2003 – Spring 2010George Duke 3rd Chair Member, Ladue Percussion Ensemble Symphonic Orchestra george.duke@duke.edu • Rehearsed challenging pieces within a 10-person selective ensemble (999-­‐400-­‐7770) School Address:

• Spent nine months perfecting and performing a final senior piece with two other colleagues Duke University East Campus

PO Box 99999

Company Ensemble Member, Arts in Motion Dance Studio, St. Louis, MO Fall 2002 – Spring 2010 Durham, NC 27708

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Duke PAWS (Promoting Animal Welfare Through Service), Durham, NC Tutor at Forrest Park Elementary School, Durham, NC Habitat for Humanity, Durham, NC Washington University Dance Marathon, St. Louis, MO Jewish Food Pantry, Saint Louis, MO Salvation Army, St. Louis, MO

WORK EXPERIENCE

Busser and Server, IL Vicino Restaurant, Saint Louis, MO Tutor, Conway Elementary School, St.Louis, MO Server and Cashier, Saint Louis Frozen Custard Factory, St. Louis, MO

Home Address: 6 Smith Ave Orange, NY 10708

EDUCATION Duke University, Durham, NC Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Studies

expected May 2013 SpringCertificate: 2011 –Markets Present Minor: Economics and Management GPA: 3.35 Fall 2010 – Present

Fall 2010 – Spring Orange High School, Bronxville, NY 2011

June 2009 Cumulative G PA: 3.8/4.0, Verbal: Math: 770, Writing: 760 Fall 2008,SAT 2009 &710, 2010

2008 Columbia UFall niversity – Spring

2009

Summer 2008 Summer course Fall on US 2006 Economy Globalization –and Fall 2007 after sophomore year in HS, Grade: 96/100

WORK AND LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE Duke Investment Club, Analyst

January 2011 -­‐ present • Completed 8-­‐week course on markets, fundamental analysis, excel modeling, and research methods • Monitor club p2010 ortfolio – Fall 2011 Spring • Research and pitch ideas for new investment opportunities

Fall 2008 – Spring 2009

Duke Business Network, Co-­Founder, Director Business Development, Executive Editor December 2010 -­‐ present Spring 2007 – Fall 2008 • Created weekly TV program that covers financial news, interviews business leaders, and has recruiters give advice to students on what firms look for in applicants • Develop plan for each week’s show and recruit leading business professionals to be interviewed

Joseph Dioguardi Senate Campaign, Campaign Assistant

Summer 2010 • Strategized with Senior campaign staff to determine best locations for campaign events • Contacted potential donors to raise money for campaign • Collected signatures from hundreds of registered voters to get candidate on the ballot

Orange High School, Student Government Treasurer

2007 – 2009 • Created excel spread sheets to jeep track of Student Government’s expenses • Developed fund raising and cost cutting strategies turned $4,000 deficit into $3500 surplus

Rookie Baseball Camp, Camp Counselor

• Coached team of 14 players ages 7-­‐13 • Responsible for planning entire schedule for team each day

Summers 2006 – 2008

Breakfast Club, President

2006 – 2009 • Organized meetings, purchased materials and delivered sleeping bags to local homeless shelters

JV Basketball Orange High School, Captain

• Ran off-­‐season workouts without coaches

ACTIVITIES, SKILLS, & INTERESTS Duke Young Entrepreneurs

• Participate in lectures that offer advice on starting new businesses

Language: Intermediate Spanish

32

Travel: Kenya, Turkey, Italy, France, England, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador

2007

2012 – Present

Hobbies: Intramural Sports (Volleyball, Basketball, Baseball) Fantasy Baseball and Football, Tennis, Poker (Won several small Texas Hold ‘em tournaments in North Carolina and New York)

Melissa Elizabeth Tator 4283 Peachtree Avenue, Durham, NC 34587 • melissa.tator@duke.edu • cell: (713) 536-8923 EDUCATION Master of Science: Biomedical Engineering December 2010 Duke University, Durham, NC GPA: 3.8/4.0 Relevant Coursework Includes: Electrophysiology, Tissue Biomechanics, Bionanotechnology, Physiology, Tissue Engineering, Molecular Biology, Physiology of Extreme Environments, Systemic Histology, Design of Medical Devices Bachelor of Science: Mathematics and Spanish May 2008 Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX

Semester abroad at La Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain January-May 2006

GPA: 3.9/4.0 INTERNSHIPS National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) May 2010-Present Wyle Laboratories: Human Research Program (HRP) Intern; Houston, TX • Compiled research deliverables and assessed technical readiness levels for the Human Research Program, which • investigates the impact of spaceflight on the human body; presented information to management to aid direction of research objectives • Collaborated with an interdisciplinary team of five to assist in the development of the Human Research Roadmap, a webbased system which captures the HRP’s biomedical risks, Program Requirements Document, and Integrated Research Plan • Shadowed the Biomedical Engineer Flight Controller in International Space Station Mission Control and supported Russian Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Wyle Laboratories: Human Research Program (HRP) Intern; Houston, TX June-August 2009 • Performed statistical analysis of NASA HRP Education & Outreach program data • Researched impact of space on biological systems and drafted web text for “Hydration” activity RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Cartilage Mechanics and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Duke University Department of Biomedical Engineering Student Researcher; Durham, NC • Developed PEG-DA microwell system to enable three dimensional culture of small cell populations • Cultured type IX collagen knockout mouse chondrocytes in presence of cytokines to form cartilage tissue pellets • Performed analyses on tissue specimens using ELISA, histology, and MATLAB programming techniques Continuum Biomechanics Laboratory, Texas A&M University Department of Biomedical Engineering Research Assistant; College Station, TX August-December 2008 • Worked on biomechanical mathematical model of abdominal aortic aneurysm under Dr. Jay Humphrey VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE Engineering World Health Lucia T. Rodriguez 206 North Duke Street, Apt. 000  Durham, NC 24700 Volunteer; Durham, NC August 2009-December 2010 (999) 333-­‐4444  lucia.rodriguez@duke.edu

• Served with a team of students to design an improved sphygmomanometer for use in the developing world

• Served as liaison to 15 hospitals in Honduras and Nicaragua to assess hospitals’ medical needs and arranged delivery of EDUCATION Duke University, Durham, NC May 2011 devices and biomedical engineers where necessary. Demonstrated effective Spanish communication skills Political Science Major, Economics Minor, Ethics Certificate GPA: 3.367 Deans’ List (Spring 2009)

Engineers Without Borders

Volunteer and Delegate; Fort Worth, TX and Cabezas, Bolivia March 2007-December 2008& RESEARCH EXPERIENCE WRITING Duke Women’s Mentoring Network, Co-­Founder, June 2007 – Present while working with a Durham, NC • Designed and implemented engineering solutions to a school of 6th-12th graders in Cabezas, Bolivia, • Researched mentoring models, developed program design, wrote detailed memo and presented proposal to senior University administrators team of four professional engineers • Negotiated $12,000 annual funding from Division of Student Affairs; secured Women’s Center partnership • Engineering solutions included drip bucket irrigation system, flow pressure measurements, water qualityChronicle, assessments, Duke University Editorial Board Member, Durham, NC Aug 2008 – Present • Contribute opinions to & regularly write the daily editorial in Duke’s independent student newspaper electrical load survey, preliminary wiring and testing of diesel generator International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution, Intern, New York, NY June – Aug 2009 • •

Published articles on CPR website Interviewed party counsel for evaluations of concluded meditation and arbitration proceedings researched and

complied exhaustive content for new webpage profiling ADR in Africa SKILLS & ACHIEVEMENTS Hague Institute for the Internationalization of Law, Intern, The Hague, Netherlands May – Aug 2008 Languages: Proficient in Spanish, enhanced by study in Seville, Spain in spring 2006 • Designed and completed independent research project to identify and list all references to court decisions from foreign jurisdictions in U.S. Supreme Court decisions in past 20 years. Results included in conference materials in Computer: Microsoft Office Suite, SPSS statistical software, and Mathematica and MATLAB programming techniques annual conference on “The Changing Role of Highest Courts in an Internationalizing World” • Contributed to collective effort to improve and finalize substantive texts which framed conference discourse Honors: Phi Beta Kappa Society, TCU Chancellor’s Scholarship (Full Tuition) • Regularly edited and proofread papers and speeches produced by HiiL affiliates Other Activities & Involvements: CoboBrothers Dance Company and Sabrosura latin dance troupe, Fort Worth Sister Cities • Drafted conference correspondence and promotional materials • Rapporteur and participated at HiiL’s 2008 annual conference, HAC’s 2008 annual conference, HiiL seminars International, Alpha Chi Omega, Mathematics and biology tutor WISER (Women’s Institute For Secondary Education Research) Microfinance / Economics Research Team,

Muhuru Bay, Kenya; Durham, NC •

•

May – Dec 2007

Designed 56-­‐question survey on household economic habits, a poverty and needs-­‐assessment tool as baseline economic data for Muhuru Bay Community (IRB approved) Administered survey independently to 200 households, biking across Muhuru Bay region with translator

Fowler, Measle and Bell, LLP, Intern, Lexington, KY •

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Duke University Board of Trustee, Undergraduate Affairs Committee, Ex-­Officio Member • •

• •

Aug 2007 – Present

Contribute as full voting committee member in quarterly meetings Research and interview students on pertinent issues beforehand to present a nuanced, informed perspective

Duke Student Government, Vice President of Student Affairs, Durham, NC •

Sept – Oct 2005

Shadowed bankruptcy attorneys, district court judge, mediator

May 2007 – 2008

Negotiated multiple university fund allocations for campus projects; $100,000 ZipCars program design and proposal, and presented proposal to senior University administrators Managed eleven-­‐member DSG Standing Committee on Student Affairs to ensure each had a substantive project and was making progress towards completing it Presented updates and power-­‐point reports regularly to DSG General Assembly detailing lobbying efforts

President’s Council on Woman, Undergraduate Member, Durham, NC •

SCHOLASTIC HONORS Baldwin Scholars Program, Baldwin Scholar, Durham, NC •

Aug – Dec 2008

Completing quantitative (using STATA) and qualitative analysis of original dataset on judicial recourse to foreign law in 73 U.S. Supreme Court decisions over the past 20 years

Eruditio – Duke University’s undergraduate Humanities Journal, Durham, NC •

Oct 2006 – Present

Selected as on of the 18 women from Class of 2010 for Duke University’s only women’s leadership program

Advanced Research Independent Study, Durham, NC •

Aug 2007 – 2008

Selected as undergraduate representative to advisory council to University President regarding gender issues

Spring 2007

Published research paper entitled: “Globalizing Jurisprudence: The Use of Foreign Authority in Domestic Constitutional Interpretation”

33

A Compelling Cover Letter The cover letter is your opportunity to bring additional specificity and focus to your resume with a specific reader in mind. You will write a unique and well-researched letter for every opportunity to which you apply. This is your chance to present a compelling case, with evidence, that you have unique skills and perspectives that give you the ability to thrive in a specific role.

Before you put words to the page, paint a mental picture. Go with us on this; this step is critical. Get into the mindset of the person making the hiring decision. Who is the candidate that gets the interview? What are the most important qualities needed to be incredibly successful in this role? Use these images to identify the most important messages that you need to convey about yourself in this document.

The secret about cover letters is that they are essays and we know you have written an essay or two while at Duke! What are the components? Present a clear thesis, provide evidence to support your claims, and wrap things up with a succinct and compelling conclusion. This is also exactly how you write a cover letter.

Not sure a cover letter is necessary? Think of the cover letter as part of the resume. If someone asks for a resume, send a resume plus a cover letter, unless there is an explicit request otherwise. This is standard practice.

Five Tips for a Successful Cover Letter

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 34

34

Make a STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION in the first sentence and the first paragraph. A persuasive

first sentence tells the reader that you are serious and keeps them reading. Interesting and compelling information about your candidacy should be introduced in your first paragraph.

The final paragraph is too late.

GO BEYOND general statements that could be true for the majority of candidates. Common

qualities or characteristics will not help you to uniquely stand out. Trust the resume to cover the basics and use the cover letter to highlight bigger patterns of success or share an anecdote about your achievements.

Tell the reader about YOU. Communicate your interest and motivation to apply by connecting

your background and interests to your knowledge of the organization. Avoid reporting facts.

The reader already know their organization but want to know about you and why you are applying.

Write a SPECIFIC THESIS sentence. Put it at the end of your first paragraph. It will probably

read something like this: I am confident that my (ability to, background in, experience with, etc.) and (knowledge of, skills in, etc.) give me the ability to succeed with your organization.

USE EVIDENCE to build credibility around every claim in your letter. The reader wants to believe

you and needs plausible and detailed illustrations of your past success to do so. If you have included more than a couple of claims (literally, two would be good!) about your ability to thrive in the job, you are sacrificing depth for breath and duplicating the work that the resume should do. Move extra information from the cover letter to the resume to improve it and then trust the resume.

Anatomy of a Cover Letter Resumes and cover letters are very personal documents. The examples here are meant to illustrate possibilities—some of which may not pertain to you.

Use your judgment to best suit your experiences and goals.

Consider using your resume heading as an alternate.

Do your research to find an appropriate name. In a situation where you haven’t been able to find this, a replacement like “hiring committee” can be used. “ Do not use To Whom it May Concern” or “Dear Sirs!”

Discuss what appeals to you about the work or program by going beyond the website to clients, projects, news, etc.

BRIEFLY mention any action that you’ve taken to be a better applicant, e.g., people you have met or talked to.

Set up the next two paragraphs of your letter with a thesis sentence.

Example: “I am seeking an opportunity to work in this positive, collaborative environment, as well as to take on the varied responsibilities that this position has to offer. My experience working with children, managing large-scale projects, and designing curriculum may make me a good fit.”

Avoid: “I am seeking an opportunity like this and my experience and your requirements may be a good fit.”

Maintain a separate document with all of your topical paragraphs. Copy from and paste into it to keep a useful record of your cover letter paragraphs.

What you say, for example, about how you have managed a number of significant projects and deadlines as a leader in DUU can be applied to any opportunity where projects and deadlines are critical to being effective at the work.

Your Mailing Address

Today’s Date

Full Name of Recipient Title Company Mailing Address

Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

Write a first paragraph to introduce two main points: • I am a serious candidate and care about this opportunity • I have the knowledge and skills to thrive in this role with your organization

Write second and third paragraphs to provide illustrations from your experience that back up the claims in the first paragraph. Use a separate paragraph for each of two claims.

Detail a point from your resume.

Make connections across points listed on your resume Repeating information from your resume without added context or insight is not a good strategy.

Use the final paragraph to conclude the letter and discuss next steps. Reiterate any themes from the letter that you would like to emphasize, thank the reader for their time, include any contact information that is not already on the page, and present actions that you will take after sending this letter, if any.

Sincerely,

Examples If you scan your

Signature

signature and save the .jpg file, you can insert it into digital files!

Typed Name

enclosure: resume (any other application items)

might include when you will be in town for a visit or a follow up call.

35

One day you’ll wonder, “Did I make a difference?”

TF the

cÃrtainty ÆÄÅÇ Èou diÂ

Full salary and health insurance. Federal student loans deferred.* All majors and professional experiences.

www.teachforamerica.org *Learn more: www.teachforamerica.org/compensation

My work will change lives... ...will yours?

Brilliant? We’re hiring.

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Interviewing From Interview to Offer

While a sharp resume and persuasive cover letter will get you an interview, you’ll need excellent interviewing skills to close the deal and land your desired position. All too often, job and internship seekers invest large amounts of time to write their application documents but give short shrift to interview preparation.

An interview can be conversational (that is what you hope for!) but it is NOT just a conversation. Even the most confident and personable people person will benefit dramatically from thoughtful interview preparation. You have come this far; be sure you keep up the momentum and build upon your preliminary success.

Read over this advice and find more detail on the Career Center website.

Research industry, employer, and role. Follow the relevant news, learn the organization’s website backwards and forwards and scope out your interviewers on LinkedIn and Google. Reach out to employees—maybe even Duke alums— in the company.

Rehearse your introduction. What will you say to create a positive and compelling first impression when you are asked the question, “Tell me about yourself”? No matter how it is phrased, expect that you will open the interview with a platform to talk about your interest in the opportunity and how it fits with your strengths and experiences.

Connect your experiences. Practice telling short stories that give evidence to your success. Mentally connect these stories to the qualities they best represent.

Prepare your own questions. You will be given the opportunity to ask questions during your interviews. This is a valuable part of the interview, not just a polite gesture.

Consider questions about the role, company specifics (but never salary or benefits—not yet), the personal experiences of people that you meet, or questions that relate to current events or news.

Send thank-you notes. Send them the very next day to each person or group that you meet. Refer to something interesting or unique from the conversation to create an opportunity for the reader to think of you again. Paper makes a stronger impression, but email is the way to go if a hiring decision will be made before snail mail can reach its destination.

37

Behavioral Interviews The vast majority of interviews are behavioral in nature. Frequently, behavioral questions will include some form of, “Tell me about a time when…” and will relate to tasks, scenarios, and qualities that will be significant to the position you are now seeking.

Through this method, the interviewer hopes to gauge your potential for success. The premise of behavioral-based interviews is that your past actions are the best predictor of your future performance. The appropriate response is to share a concise, but detailed story about a relevant experience.

Behavioral Interview Success • Provide well thought-out examples with successful endings. Even a story about your biggest failure can conclude with what you learned from the experience!

• Refer to specific examples rather than broad characterizations.

• Be sure that your story has a beginning, middle, and end. See the STAR method for responding on the next page.

• Prepare your stories in advance by anticipating the expected strengths needed for the role and matching them with your own accomplishments.

• Address and contextualize your own contributions when discussing a group project.

• Pull examples from across your range of experiences. Using just one or a few can create a sense that others have not been valuable.

• Speak positively about yourself, colleagues, supervisors, and peers.

38

• Use the most recent examples when possible.

The STAR Method STAR is formula for creating your best response to behavioral-based questions. Interviewers expect you to present your thoughts and experience in this manner.

Don’t worry, however. You’ll see that the STAR method is no different than the basics of any good story composition.

Question: Tell me about a time when you had to provide difficult feedback to a team member?

S T A R

Situation Set the scenario for your example.

Task Describe the specific challenge or task that relates to the question.

Action Talk about the actions that you took to accomplish the task.

Result Present the results that followed because of the chosen action.

“Last semester I took a psychology course that required a group project to examine motivation. The professor assigned each student to a 4-person group. My group decided to look at what motivates college students to participate in community service activities.”

“As a group, we developed a plan to distribute the work between us. However, after the first few weeks, it became apparent that one of our team members was not completing her part of the project and she missed one of our group meetings. The rest of the team decided that we needed to reengage her.”

“I took the initiative to set up a meeting with her where we discussed her interest in the project as well as the other academic responsibilities. After talking with her, it was clear that if we changed her contributions to tasks that better fit her skills and interests, she would most likely contribute at a higher level.”

“It turned out that the team could redistribute tasks without compromising so every member got to work on the pieces of the project that were of most interest to them. In the end, we completed the project and received positive feedback from our professor.”

A few important tips: • A strong STAR response will last one to two minutes.

• Be brief in your set-up. Give just enough background or contextual information for your story to make sense.

• The result is critical. Everything in your example builds towards this component.

• Use the structure of the acronym for direction if you forget what you were saying. If all else fails, skip to the R, result.

39 39

Case Interviews Case interviews are a specialized type of interview common in the consulting industry. In a case interview, the interviewer presents a dilemma, and the candidate must analyze and discuss the problem and propose a solution.

Employers use case interviews as a way to evaluate a candidate’s qualitative, problem-solving, and analytical skills and often their business acumen. In addition they will evaluate the communication skills, listening skills, enthusiasm and non-verbal cues, e.g., eye contact, of the candidate. The way in which a candidate arrives at a solution to the question, which demonstrates to an employer how the candidate thinks through a dilemma, is as important as the actual solution the candidate provides, if not more.

Case Question Types Typical case questions fall into four categories: Calculations/Computational Scenario – Devise a solution given a problem statement, data elements, and possibly a formula

Business Operation Scenario – Devise a solution given a problem related to operational effectiveness.

Example: How can you increase efficiency of Starbuck’s ordering process by decreasing wait time during peak hours?

Business Strategy Scenario – Devise a solution given a problem related to strategy and new markets.

Example: How will airlines remain competitive with rising fuel costs and increased regulations?

Brainteaser – Two primary types including the estimation case, How many golf courses exist in Wisconsin? and the random fact analysis, Why are manhole covers round?

Resources for students preparing for a case interview are the following: • • •

40 40

Case In Point: Complete Case Interview Preparation by Marc Casentino Mock interviews through the Career Center Practice cases and interactive online cases on employers’ websites

Next Steps and Selected Resources: Search Skills and Strategy Schedule a career counseling appointments to be sure you are presenting yourself effectively in writing and speech as well as finding opportunities that match your interests.

Utilize drop-in advising at Smith Warehouse, Monday through Thursday 2pm–5pm and Fridays 2pm–4pm, to get advice the same day you need it, no appointment necessary!

Create an account and routinely check each of these Duke databases to become aware of internships, jobs, and employers. eRecruiting (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/erecruiting) iNet (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/inet) Internship Exchange (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/internshipexchange) Use these lists and databases to increase your awareness of opportunities at Duke and beyond.

Leadership Development Programs (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/ leadership-development-programs) Short-Term Opportunities (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/short-term) e-leads (http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career/resources/e-leads)

Advice for Graduate Students: Search Skills and Strategy Graduate students who concentrate on building the life they want, not on finding the perfect job, tend to have special qualities that enable them to endure the inevitable frustrations of the post-graduation job search and to persuade employers that they can exceed expectations.

These graduate students are: • Resourceful, persistent, and resilient. These skills, developed in the trial-and-error process of research, are essential to succeed in the job search, in interviews, and in the offer-negotiation process.

• Good communicators. They can write organized, focused, concise, and persuasive CV’s, resumes, and cover letters. They can engage their interviewers as colleagues, not as interrogators.

• Analytical. They are able to prioritize job search tasks, answer complex interview questions readily, and estimate the risks and benefits of their job offers.

• Independent and self-motivated. Such abilities enable them to weigh and act on good career advice from multiple sources: family members, peers, faculty and staff, career counselors, recruiting professionals, alumni, colleagues, and professional advisors. Yet they insist on finding ways to do what excites them most.

41

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If you’re interested in making an impact and looking for world-class training, early responsibility and great benefits, find out where you could fit in at BNP Paribas at www.graduates.bnpparibas.com Our programs include: Capital Markets, Structured Finance, Corporate Finance and Operations.

Apply online at www.graduates.bnpparibas.com

Where to go from here Self-Inquiry: Uncover What Drives You

pgs.

10-13

• Start a notebook or file where you keep all of your thoughts in one place. Use it as you think of things.

• Attempt the values, interests, skills, personality, and experience exercises. Fifteen minutes apiece is a great start.

• Draw a timeline of your life. Mark all of the memorable experiences. Look for patterns in the things that have been compelling and exciting for you.

• Create a list of people you would ask to be on a personal Board of Advisors. Ask someone on your list to have a conversation and provide advice based on his or her life experiences.

• Use a career counseling appointment to begin exposing patterns in your values, skills, interests, and personality.

Exploration: Discover Opportunities

14-17

• Create accounts on eRecruiting, iNet, and The Internship Exchange.

• Sign up for Career News and other newsletters that match your interests.

• Attend career center events. The Fannie Mitchell Career event happens annually and brings over 70 alums back to campus to talk about their careers.

• Map out the influences on your decision to come to Duke. Know that your decision-making style impacts how you should plan to explore careers.

• Use a career counseling appointment to devise a research game plan.

Work with a counselor to identify the best resources to use first.

Search Skills & Strategy: Learn to Communicate pgs.

Persuasively 22-41 • Draft and redraft resumes, cover letters, and other application materials.

Accelerate your learning curve and comfort level with this new type of presentation by getting feedback from multiple people.

• Tell everyone you know that you are searching, and what for. Be as specific as you are certain.

• Create a LinkedIn.com account, learn the features, and join the Duke University Alumni Network group. Your network has just expanded to over 10,000 professionals.

• Practice your “elevator speech”, a thirty-second introduction that concisely shares your background, interests, and goals. Use the Nine Domains to expand your thinking.

• Use career counseling appointments throughout to be sure you are improving continuously 43 throughout your search.

pgs.

Experience Acquisition: Test Your Strengths and Interests pgs. in the World 18-21 • Develop a list of things you want to learn about or to be able to do.

• Use the DukeGroups directory to identify student organizations that match your interests. Try out something that builds a skill that you would like to develop.

• Research opportunities to pursue your interests in Durham and the broader community.

• Assess whether your time is being filled by the most meaningful commitments. Use the Buffet of Experience as food for thought.

• Use a career counseling appointment to identify steps toward experiences that strategically align with your curiosities.

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