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Spring Career Guide 2022
2221 University Ave. SE, Suite 450, Minneapolis, MN 55414 Phone: (612) 627-4080 Website: www.mndaily.com Copyright © 2020
MN Daily MEDIA
The Minnesota Daily. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.
2022 SPRING CAREER GUIDE | Monday, February 14 OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER Hana Ikramuddin Editor-in-Chief eic@mndaily.com (612)-435-1575 Avni Tripathi Business Operations Officer boo@mndaily.com (612)-435-5772 Charlie Weaver General Manager gm@mndaily.com (612)-435-5657
BUSINESS STAFF Caroline Sandkamp Communications Associate csandkamp@mndaily.com Hannah Poor Communications Associate hpoor@mndaily.com Graham Peterson Strategy Associate gpeterson@mndaily.com Makda Araya Engagement Associate maraya@mndaily.com Giselle Munoz-Semple Creative Designer gmunozsemple@mndaily.com Katherine Regas Creative Designer kregas@mndaily.com Sonya Maier Director of Digital Media smaier@mndaily.com Digital Media Interns Brianna Laursen Sandra Leal Munoz Account Executives Tejas Vaid
EDITORIAL STAFF Holly Gilvary Copy Desk Chief hgilvary@mndaily.com
Camilla Breen Assistant Copy Chief cbreen@mndaily.com Copy Editors Ivan Lopez-Kne Ava Thompson Alex Steil Noah Mitchell Minnesota Daily Media strives for complete accuracy and corrects its errors immediately. Corrections and clarifications will always be printed in this space. If you believe the Daily has printed a factual error, please call the readers’ representative at (612) 627–4070, extension 3057, or email errors@mndaily.com immediately.
The Minnesota Daily is a legally independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is a student-written and student-managed newspaper for the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus. The Daily’s mission is: 1) to provide coverage of news and events affecting the University community; 2) to provide a forum for the communication and exchange of ideas for the University community; 3) to provide educational training and experience to University students in all areas of newspaper operations; and 4) to operate a fiscally responsible organization to ensure its ability to serve the University in the future.
TABLE OF CONTENTS How to Stay Productive During Virtual Meetings
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Organizational tips for remote work
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The Daily is a member of the Minnesota News Council, the Minnesota Associated Press, the Associated Collegiate Press, The Minnesota Newspaper Association and other organizations.
Virtual networking during a pandemic
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The Daily is published Monday and Thursday during the regular school year and weekly during the summer, and it is printed by ECM Publishers in Princeton, Minn. Midwest News Service distributes the 10,000 issues biweekly.
Navigating a Virtual Career Fair
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7 Ways to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile
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2022 Spring Career Guide
D AIL Y DISCOURSE with zach & matt
Is an opinion podcast hosted by two MN Daily columnists, Zach Courtney and Matt Doty. The pair will discuss and debate their thoughts every week on local and national political and social issues from a student perspective.
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How to Stay Productive During Virtual Meetings by Graham Peterson
We’ve all been there. You create a Zoom meeting with your team hoping to make good progress on a big project. Everyone joins, only to sit stagnant in an awkward silence making absolutely no progress. There’s no doubt that team dynamics have changed as a result of the pandemic, and being there is no end in sight for meetings in a virtual environment, it might be a little worrisome to think about having to continue operating in this fashion. Luckily, by following a few tips, it is possible to regain control of your meetings and actually get stuff done. First tip, put your phone away, or at least try looking at it less. With Zoom calls, it can be very tempting to give in to distractions around you, one of those being your phone. Whether by hiding your phone or by using productivity apps such as Opal, you can mitigate distractions to enhance productivity. Second tip, grab a pad of paper and pen and start taking notes. Research shows that handwritten notes are more engaging and allow for a higher degree of information transferring than digital notes. By taking notes or writing ideas down during meetings, you can bridge the gap between the physical and virtual world and allow yourself to become more immersed in whatever task you have presented before you. Final tip, avoid unnecessary Zoom meetings. We’ve all had the thought “This could have been an email” at least once before, and to an extent, there is truth in that. Zoom fatigue is a real thing and by burdening yourself with pointless Zoom calls, the process may become monotonous and detract from meetings that actually matter. So, if you can effectively communicate with your team through a medium other than Zoom, do yourself and your team a favor and just send that email.
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2022 Spring Career Guide
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Organizational tips for remote work by Graham Peterson Workplace culture has experienced drastic changes over the past decade, one of the most prevalent being: where work actually takes place. Remote work is becoming more feasible as the world becomes more digitally connected; meanwhile, the pandemic has only accentuated the need for it. Though this style of work can have many benefits, it takes some getting used to. Converting a space in your home to a makeshift office is no easy task. In order to maintain productivity and deliver quality results from your remote work, it’s important
to have an action plan. Here are some organizational tips that will help you achieve just that.
parent, spouse, dog, child or sibling, setting rules and boundaries will prevent unwanted distractions.
from house chores, etc. If you find it difficult to limit these distractions, perhaps you could try to…
1. Create a regular schedule
As much as this person/animal may mean to you, asking them not to bother you during your dedicated work time will allow you to separate work from life — as mentioned in the first tip.
4. Make a work-friendly environment
Structure and routine are vital to productivity, so this step is very important. Determining a time during your day where you will focus on work will allow you to differentiate between your work and home life. You should try not to blend the two as it will harm your productivity. For example, it may be hard to accomplish tasks if Netflix is playing in the background. 2. Set rules around the house Whether they’re for your roommate,
3. Limit external distractions Even though you aren’t going to have your boss peering over your shoulder anymore, it’s still not a good idea to engage in distracting activities. Limiting distractions will allow you to maintain focus. This includes turning off notifications on your phone, turning off the TV, abstaining
There’s a reason most jobs provide you with a desk, and not a bed, to work at. Designating a place in your home where you’re able to work sitting upright with your feet flat on the floor is more beneficial than attempting to work lying down in your bed. Not only does this once again separate your personal life from your work life, but it will allow you to be more alert. It’s also a good idea to place your work environment away from any distracting devices (or people).
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Virtual networking during a pandemic by Makda Araya
MN Daily MEDIA
2022 Spring Career Guide As we enter the second year of this pandemic, many of us have had to adjust our work and school life to completely virtual or hybrid situations. This spring semester, many of us will be on the lookout for spring or summer internships. Learning how to network virtually will not only help you find these internships, but also create relationships with potential employers and mentors. Here are some steps to help you begin to prepare. 1. Create an overview: Networking is all about mapping out who you know, nourishing the relationships you have and expanding your circle by getting to know new people. Before attending a networking event – review who will attend. 2. Have a goal: Coming into these meetings and virtual events, you might be overwhelmed. The method you set may be to meet a particular person, or perhaps to meet with an organization — whatever the objectives are, it’s necessary to set them. If you do not have a particular plan, you may find yourself floating through the event and wasting your time, or worse – the time of the group you meet. 3. Take advantage of social media: Using social networking platforms like Linkedin can be the best way to create and maintain relationships after the event. A goal for you should be to try to collect Linkedin profiles from the people you come in contact with. Even if you don’t necessarily want to end up at an organization with someone you talked to, this person could end up in your path later on. Another tip is to send a follow up message when you connect with anyone you know. If you guys had a connection over going to the same school, pets etc. – add that to the message! Networking is something that many see as hard to do, but coming prepared will always help you in the long run. With time to review your own skill sets, rehearse your 30-second speech and create a goal, you will be able to go far! Networking opens a world of possibilities that you may never have known before.
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2022 Spring Career Guide
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Navigating a Virtual Career Fair Virtual career fairs have become the norm since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and do not seem to be going anywhere with the increased accessibility they provide.
on the companies you plan to meet with. Look into each company’s background along with available positions and the skills required for those positions.
Learn how to successfully navigate a virtual career fair by using these tips for before, during, and after the event.
If your experience and skills align, make sure to mention it during your meeting with the company!
BEFORE THE EVENT Research the participating companies: Look through the list of attending employers and do some research
Prepare an elevator pitch to give recruiters an overview of your background, skills, and what you can bring to their company. Giving recruiters specific examples of your experiences
will make you a stronger, more memorable candidate. Update your resume: Make sure your resume is current and highlights all your relevant experience and skills. Virtual career fairs will often give you the option to upload your resume, so make sure to do so. Prepare your environment: Before the fair, test out different areas in your space to make sure you have good lighting and a clean, professional-looking background.
Also, test your internet connection and camera/microphone quality to ensure that recruiters will be able to hear and see you. DURING THE EVENT Dress for the part: Although you will be connecting with recruiters online instead of in-person, it is important to set a good impression by dressing in business casual attire. Take notes: You’ll want to keep a notebook next to your computer to write
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MN Daily MEDIA down the recruiter’s contact information and any notes that you think could be helpful while filling out the application after your meeting. Present yourself in a professional manner: Body language is still important in a virtual setting. Remember to smile and make eye contact with recruiters to show that you’re interested and engaged. Also, make sure to sit up straight and limit any distracting fidgeting. AFTER THE EVENT Follow up with recruiters: Send a thank-you email if they gave you their email or connect with them on LinkedIn. If you haven’t yet, send them your resume as well. Apply for any positions that you may have discussed with recruiters and mention the recruiter that you met with in your cover letter Mentioning specific details from your conversation can be helpful in further showing your interest in the position.
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7 Ways to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile by Caroline Sandkamp LinkedIn is a great platform for networking and job hunting. Recruiters will often search for your profile before reaching out to schedule an interview. Make the best possible first impression by following these tips to improve your LinkedIn profile. 1. Customize your URL LinkedIn provides each user with a default random generated URL. Make your profile easier to find for recruiters by customizing your URL to your name (https://www. linkedin.com/in/FirstLast/). 2. Update your profile picture Make a good first impression by adding a headshot to your profile. Using an updated, professional photo of yourself is a great way to make yourself more memorable to recruiters by putting a face to your name.
shown to recruiters by increasing the number of connections you have. Connect with your peers, professors, guest speakers that come to your classes, or anyone you have met in a professional capacity. 500 connections or more is a good goal to attain, as LinkedIn displays any amount under 500 as the exact number (ex. 237), whereas over 500 is simply stated as 500+ connections. 5. Stay active Engage with your connections on LinkedIn through writing posts, liking and commenting on your connections’ posts, and joining groups associated with your interests. Doing so will allow you to further expand your network and possibly bring about a new job opportunity. 6. Highlight relevant experience
Besides your name, the headline is the first thing that recruiters and people visiting your profile will read. Many students will put “Student at X University” as their headline; doing this does not give recruiters much information about you or your experience. If you have relevant experience to the job you want, mention that in your headline, if you do not have any relevant experience, you can use “Aspiring (Job Title)”.
Another way to stand out to recruiters is through your experience section. Instead of copying and pasting your resume into your profile, include experience from your past employment that you believe are relevant to where you’d like your future career to go. Aim to include three to five bullet points for each job that convey your accomplishments. Show the impact you made at each employer by including numbers and action words where relevant. For example: “Increased sales by 15% in the first year of employment”
4. Make more connections
7. Go public
LinkedIn prioritizes accounts based on number of connections and relevant experience when recruiters are searching for candidates. Improve your chances of being
Change your account settings to make your profile public. Doing so allows your profile to show up in searches, therefore allowing recruiters to find you.
3. Update your headline
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MN Daily MEDIA
D AIL Y DISCOURSE with zach & matt
Is an opinion podcast hosted by two MN Daily columnists, Zach Courtney and Matt Doty. The pair will discuss and debate their thoughts every week on local and national political and social issues from a student perspective.
Download or Subscribe Today!
