full-time job Archives | Page 2 of 9 | Career Advice & Interview Tips

How to Get a Mentor at Work

Whether you’re working at a summer internship or embarking on your first full-time job, getting a mentor at work is one of the best things you can do for your career. A long-established practice, mentorship helps you develop your professional skills while also giving you a better sense of how to navigate challenges (and successes) in the workplace.

Here are the steps you should take when seeking out a mentor at work.

1. Outline your professional goals

Before you can establish a relationship with a mentor, you need to know what you want to get out of it. Are you interested in developing your managerial skills or more focused on identifying a career path you can follow for the next three to five years? Your answer will determine what type of mentorship you need and help you get a sense of the kind of person who can help you achieve those goals.

Pro Tip: If you’re not sure of your exact goals, make a list of the things that you’re most interested in achieving professionally. This can include projects you want to work on, positions you want to hold and the type of environment you want to work in. Once you have your list, structure your goals according to priority and create an actionable plan based on your highest priority goals.

2. Identify the type of mentor who can help you achieve them

Now that you have a good grasp on your goals, identify one or two people at your company who can help you achieve them. For example, if you’re working as an account executive on a sales team and your goal is to become a relationship manager, a current relationship manager or account director could be a great mentor.

Pro Tip: Your mentor doesn’t necessarily have to be someone in a more senior role. Depending on your goals, you might decide to pick a peer instead. This can be especially helpful if you’re trying to learn skills that will help you succeed in your current role and another team member has already successfully developed those skills.

3. Establish a connection with your potential mentor

If your company has a mentorship program, this is a great place to start since mentors in these programs are already willing and able to take on mentees. If not, the best way to develop a relationship with a potential mentor is by asking them to grab coffee and chat about work. If you’re on the same team, you can use your current projects as a starting point. If you’re on different teams, you can explain why you think their expertise is valuable and what you’d like to learn from them.

Pro Tip: Although asking someone to be your mentor might seem a little awkward, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, most people are flattered by the prospect of being asked to mentor others. By establishing a good rapport beforehand, you’re more likely to get a positive answer and to start things off on the right foot.

4. Develop a mutually beneficial relationship

Once you’ve gotten a sense of whether or not the person is interested in becoming your mentor, the next step is to outline your goals and explain how they can help you achieve them. Since your mentor is likely to be a busy professional with a lot on their plate, coming to the mentorship with a clear sense of what you’re hoping to get out of it will ensure that you maximize the time you have with them while also being mindful of their busy schedule.

Pro Tip: A good mentor-mentee relationship goes both ways and it’s important to keep this in mind when you’re establishing a relationship with your mentor. The best way to ensure that you’re adding value to the relationship is by asking your mentor if there is any way that you can help them in return. For example, if your mentor is working on a project that you’d like to learn more about, offer to pitch in and help even if it’s not part of your current responsibilities.

Having a mentor at work can be a wonderful way to advance your career while learning new skills and refining your professional goals. If you’re interested in finding a mentor, having a strong sense of what you want to get out of the relationship (and what you can give back) will go a long way toward helping you establish a great mentor-mentee relationship.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Common First Job Mistakes and How to Avoid Them and find answers to common interview questions such as What Motivates You?

How to Become a Psychologist

Becoming a psychologist is a wonderful opportunity to help patients work through mental health issues and address challenges in their personal lives. If you’re a psychology major, or just considering a career in the mental health field, then you might be wondering what you need to do to become a psychologist. Do you have to pick a specialty before you go to grad school? Do you need to get both a master’s and a Ph.D.?

Here are the steps you need to follow when getting started on a psychology career.

1. Earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related subject

Since being a psychologist requires a graduate-level degree (such as a Ph.D. or Psy.D.), you’ll need to earn a bachelor’s degree before you can focus on more advanced training. Although a psychology degree is recommended since it will give you great insights into the subject and prepare you for advanced study in the field, it’s not necessary to have one. In fact, any major that helps you build critical thinking and research skills will give you the tools you need to succeed in graduate school.

Pro Tip: While you don’t need to major in psychology in order to become a psychologist, most Ph.D and Psy.D. programs do require certain prerequisites so be sure to check in with your advisor and find out which ones you need to take. Once you have this information, a minor or double major can be a great way to fulfill your grad school requirements while also studying another subject you’re passionate about.

2. Select a specialty and complete a doctoral program

Once you’ve completed your bachelor’s degree, it’s time to decide on a specialty and to pick a graduate program that matches your interests. This can be anything from clinical psychology to developmental psychology and often includes both a research and a clinical component. Although some universities combine a master’s and a doctoral program into a single degree program, most schools offer individual master’s and Ph.D./Psy.D programs.

Pro Tip: Since most master’s programs last between two to three years and most Ph.D and Psy.D. programs take anywhere from five to seven years, you should be prepared for a long course of study on your way to a doctorate. The key to making the most of these years is to take a broad range of classes while also continuously refining your research interests.

3. Do a psychology internship

Before you can become licensed to practice in your state, you’ll need to complete a two-year post-doctoral internship. Focused on expanding your clinical experience and ensuring that you’re qualified to treat patients in a clinical setting, this type of internship will give you the hands-on experience you need to be effective in a patient-focused role. And because these internships are almost always approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) they are geared toward helping you develop the exact skills you’ll need to be a successful psychologist.

4. Get licensed to practice

Once you’ve completed your doctorate and your post-doctoral internship, you’ll be eligible to become licensed as a psychologist. In order to do so, you’ll need to pass a national licensure exam called the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) as well as meeting any additional requirements specific to your state.

Psychology is an intriguing field with plenty of career opportunities for anyone interested in mental health. By following these steps and knowing how to set yourself up for success, you’ll be able to establish a career that will have a lasting impact in your life and the lives of your patients.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Psychology Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 5 Tips for Getting an Entry-Level Job Unrelated to Your Major.

What Does a Day in the Life of a Journalist Look Like?

From covering breaking news to researching features, journalists have a lot of variety in their day-to-day work. If you’re thinking of becoming a journalist, you might be wondering what a day in the life of a journalist looks like. Are you likely to spend most of your time writing or will you be conducting a lot of interviews. The answer will depend on your specific role but most journalists do a combination of the following things:

Staying on top of news trends

Since journalism is all about what’s happening in the moment, one of the key parts of any journalist’s day is to stay on top of news trends by checking newswires such as the Associated Press or Reuters and social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Doing this throughout the day allows journalists to come up with and editorial plan and assign reporters to stories that need to be covered.

Researching stories

Once a journalist has their assignment, they’re responsible for conducting in-depth research into the story. This includes identifying potential sources, fact checking numbers, dates and other important pieces of information and doing contextual research to find out related news items that should be referenced in the final piece.

Interviewing people

Another important part of a journalist’s day is to go out and interview people. This can include talking to voters outside of a polling station when covering an election, interviewing medical experts about a new advancement in medicine or chatting with a celebrity about their latest film. Whatever the context of the story, journalists are responsible for getting the information straight from the source and then synthesizing this information into a story that they can share with the public.

Writing and editing

After researching the story and conducting interviews, journalists spend time identifying the key points of the story and creating a structure for it. They then use the information they’ve gathered to add detail and color to the story and to make it as informative as possible before sending it to an editor for review and publication.

An exciting and challenging career path, journalism offers recent grads the opportunity to be at the frontline of breaking news while also helping them develop engaging storytelling skills. To find out if being a journalist is right for you, consider doing an internship with a news or media outlet.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Getting an Entry-Level Job With No Experience and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

What is a Paralegal?

A popular career path for those interested in law, being a paralegal offers recent grads the opportunity to learn about all aspects of the legal profession including legal precedents and case management. If you’re considering becoming a paralegal, you might be wondering what this career path entails and whether it could be the right choice for you.

Here are some of the key things you need to know about being a paralegal.

What is a paralegal?

A paralegal is a professional employed by a law firm, corporation or government agency to work with lawyers on various legal issues. Trained to understand legal principles and to take on some of the same tasks as lawyers, paralegals are an integral part of most legal teams and are often directly responsible for helping attorneys research and manage cases.

What does a paralegal do?

Paralegals are able to coordinate most aspects of a legal department’s operations including drafting correspondence, performing legal research, analyzing documents, fact checking case information and keeping track of the firm’s legal calendar. They also provide general support for attorneys and help out with administrative tasks.

What are the challenges of being a paralegal?

Since paralegals are responsible for much of the work that goes on behind the scenes, one of the main challenges of their job is to be able to multitask effectively and to prioritize which tasks need to be done first. Another challenge of this role is that in big firms, paralegals often report to several attorneys at once so being able to keep track of their workflow (and the workflow of their managers) is extremely important.

What are the benefits of being a paralegal?

While being a paralegal certainly has some challenges, it also has a lot of benefits. These include learning about various types of case law, participating in potentially exciting cases and getting to meet interesting people within the legal field and beyond. Another great perk is that paralegals are often eligible for law school scholarships so if they decide to become lawyers themselves, they can receive some help in getting there.

What is a typical salary for a paralegal?

Although paralegal salaries can vary based on location and experience, a typical entry-level paralegal salary is around $42,500 with more established paralegals earning upwards of $68,000.

A stable career path with a lot of opportunity for growth and learning, being a paralegal is a great option for those who are passionate about the legal field. The best way to find out if being a paralegal is right for you is by doing an internship and getting a hands-on feel for the role.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as The Importance of Location in Your Entry-Level Job Search and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

How to Become a Paralegal

If you’re considering a career as a paralegal, then you might be wondering about the best way to get started. For example, what kind of degree do you need and how can you ensure that you have the right skills? To take the guesswork out of it, we’ve outlined the exact steps you need to follow if you want to become a paralegal.

Here’s what you need to do to land a paralegal job.

1. Earn an associate or bachelor’s degree.

Before you can become a paralegal, you need to earn an undergraduate degree. This can be either a two-year associate’s degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree. Although there’s no specific requirement in terms of major, many students choose to major in either paralegal studies or a similar subject such as psychology, criminology or business administration.

Pro Tip: If you’re interested in multiple subjects and can’t decide on a major, consider taking on a double major or minor. This will help you develop a broad range of skills while learning as much as possible about several different subjects.

2. Intern with a law firm, government agency or corporation.

Once you’ve started working toward your degree , it’s time to look for an internship that will give you some hands-on training. This includes internships with a law firm, a government agency or within the legal department of a corporation. These types of internships will give you exposure to how legal issues affect various types of organizations and teach you about the various day-to-day tasks you’ll be expected to take on as part of a paralegal role.

3. Take the certification exam.

With your degree and internship out of the way, it’ time to focus on the certification exam. Although this is not a national requirement, many large law firms and corporations do insist that their paralegals get certified. This is for two reasons: 1) Passing the test ensures that potential employees receive adequate training and 2) It sets a standard for the type of candidate the company is looking for.

Pro Tip: There are several exams you can take to get certified. The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) offers both Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) and Certified Paralegal (CP) certifications that are nationally recognized and accepted by all employers.

Being a paralegal is a great way to get exposure to the legal field and learn about the ins and outs of various legal proceedings. The best way to find out if being a paralegal is right for you, is by doing an internship and getting a first-hand feel for what it’s all about.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 3 Ways to Be More Productive at Work and find answers to common interview questions such as What Motivates You?

What Does a Day in the Life of a Paralegal Look Like?

From drafting correspondence to performing legal research, the life of a paralegal can be quite different from one day to the next. Despite these differences, most paralegals do a combination of the following things.

Conducting legal research

One of the most important tasks in any legal department is to conduct research on specific cases and legal precedents. This includes looking at court decisions that are relevant to an ongoing case and gathering information about those decisions such as what parties were involved and why the court decided to rule a certain way. Because of its importance, research is usually one of the biggest components of a paralegal’s work and tends to account for a large part of their day.

Interviewing clients

Another important component of legal research is to interview clients about their cases. This includes gathering general information about clients and their cases and also discussing more detailed elements of those cases such as the events that took place on a particular day. By conducting these interviews, paralegals are able to identify key facts that they can then pass on to the more senior legal team who can determine the best way to use them during legal proceedings.

Writing reports

In addition to conducting research and interviews, paralegals are responsible for gathering that information together into concise reports which are used by attorneys when preparing cases and developing strategies for arguing those cases. These reports are typically structured to include the facts of a specific case as well as relevant legal precedents and court decisions pertaining to that case.

Drafting correspondence and carrying out administrative tasks

Paralegals are also responsible for drafting letters to clients, judges and other attorneys and carrying out administrative tasks such as scheduling and filing. These tasks combined are part of the general support paralegals offer to the legal team and can be vary greatly from one one day to the next.

An exciting and diverse career, being a paralegal is a great career path for recent grads who are interested in working on a legal team. The best way to find out if being a paralegal is right for you is by interning with a legal department and getting a hands-on feel for the role.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 3 Ways to Be More Productive at Work and find answers to common interview questions such as Are You Willing to Travel?

How to Land a Job in Technology Sales

With its high rate of growth and reputation for innovation, the technology field has a lot to offer recent grads who are passionate about working with emerging technologies. One of these opportunities is technology sales, an area of the industry focused on connecting customers with great tech solutions. To learn more about technology sales and get some tips on how recent grads can get their foot in the door, we asked the team at Dell to tell us what they look for in an employee and what you can do to stand out from the crowd.

Here are the steps you need to take if you want to get a job in technology sales.

1. Learn as much as you can about the technology industry

The first step to landing a job in any industry is to be knowledgeable about that industry. If you want to work in the tech field, this means knowing what technologies are most relevant and what companies are key players in the space you want to work in. The best way to develop this knowledge is by reading as much as possible about the tech industry and getting a sense of current trends. Sites like TechCrunch and Forbes Tech offer a lot of great insights into all aspects of the field and can help you get informed about new and emerging technologies and market trends. Taking relevant classes during your time in college, particularly business and marketing classes, is another way to gain this knowledge since it will give you an understanding of how products are marketed and sold.

2. Develop your sales and communication skills

In addition to learning about the tech industry, another key step to getting hired is to develop your sales and communication skills. You can do this by becoming a campus rep or brand ambassador during your time in college. This will give you a chance to connect with other students on your campus, helping you grow your professional network, and it will also give you a sense of the best way to market products directly to consumers. An integral part of a technology sales job, these skills will come in handy as you’re establishing connections with new clients and helping them find the solutions that are right for them.

3. Intern with a technology company

Once you’ve learned all you can about the tech field and developed your core skills, it’s time to gain hands-on experience by interning with a tech company. Companies like Dell are a great place to work because they have a range of different internship and co-op opportunities that are designed to help you get on-the-job training while also preparing you for the next step in your career. The Dell University Relations program focuses on connecting undergrads with those opportunities and giving them the training they need to succeed. “There’s a big focus on development,” explains Marie Moynihan, Dell’s Vice President of Talent. “We place a lot of emphasis on feedback, coaching and individual development plans which create an environment of continuous learning.” With these initiatives in place, interns are able to make the most of the experience and often transition to full-time roles after graduation.

4. Know what recruiters look for

The final piece of the puzzle is knowing what recruiters look for. This is usually a mix of skills and industry knowledge along with a passion for the field. Being able to demonstrate that passion and being enthusiastic about the opportunity to learn more about the industry will go a long way toward impressing recruiters. Beyond that, it’s about demonstrating what you can bring to the table and how your unique skills and personality will make you an asset to the team.

By following these tips and developing your skills and experience, you’ll have no problem finding a technology sales opportunity that’s right for you.

Top 5 Tools for Digital Marketing

When it comes to digital marketing, few things are as important as the tools digital marketers rely on to get their jobs done. These include everything from social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to analytics tools like Google Analytics. Allowing marketers to create, test and measure the performance of their campaigns, digital marketing tools ensure that marketers can launch and test campaigns quickly and effectively.

Here are the five common digital marketing tools.

1. Social media platforms

A common part of any integrated marketing strategy, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are a great way for marketers to engage with their audiences and generate buzz around their brand. In addition to the standard features these platforms offer, there are also some features that are designed specifically for marketing. These include Facebook Ads Manager, which allows marketers to run ads and track ad performance. As an added bonus, social media management tools like Buffer and Hootsuite also integrate well with these platforms, making it easy to schedule social posts and measure engagement.

2. Design tools

Another key part of digital marketing is design and this is especially common when it comes to creating ads and content like social media posts and blog posts. Because digital marketing is such a design heavy field, doing it effectively wouldn’t be possible without design tools like Canva and Photoshop, programs that allow those without extensive graphic design skills to add dynamic images to their content.

3. Analytics tools

Another set of helpful tools for digital marketers are analytics tools. These include everything from Google Analytics (designed to track stats for web traffic to a particular site) to social media analytics tools like Facebook Insights and Twitter Analytics which provide metrics related to engagement and help marketers optimize their campaigns. For measuring stats on the backend of a site (particularly related to conversions, sales and user demographics), there are also tools like Periscope that track user data, site searches and conversion metrics.

4. Content marketing tools

For marketers who are more focused on content marketing, tools like CoSchedule and Hubspot are a big help when it comes to content creation and curation. They can help marketers identify content opportunities and craft engaging blog and social media posts that will resonate with their audience. And since Buffer also offers the ability to see what fans are talking about on social media, that content is almost guaranteed to be impactful and to generate attention for a specific event or news story.

5. Email marketing tools

The final set of tools in a digital marketer’s toolbox are email marketing marketing tools. These help marketers create email campaigns that amplify their content and encourage their users to become more engaged with their brand — taking additional steps like signing up for events and buying products. Common email marketing tools include email marketing platforms like MailChimp and Iterable which allow marketers to build email lists and automate their email campaigns. These platforms also provide analytics for every email campaign, making testing and optimization quick and easy.

Working in digital marketing involves a unique blend of passion, strategy and media savvy. In order to maximize the impact of your various campaigns, it helps to have the best tools at your disposal.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Career Opportunities for Marketing Majors and find answers to common interview questions such as What Other Companies Are You Interviewing With?

How to Land a Job in Tech

One of the most exciting industries around, the tech industry has built its reputation on growth and innovation. This is great news for recent grads who are passionate about technology and interested in contributing to its development.

Here are the steps you need to take if you want to land a job in tech.

1. Develop your knowledge of the tech industry

When it comes to starting your career, few things are as important as knowing the industry inside and out. Although this may sound a bit overwhelming at first, it’s actually good news because your knowledge doesn’t have to be academic. While computer science and business classes can be a good way to learn about the tech industry, there’s also a lot you can do to develop that knowledge on your own. Tech-focused websites like Forbes Tech offer a lot of insight into industry trends and emerging technologies. Beyond that, it’s about learning about specific companies and the kind of work they do.

2. Determine what aspects of tech you’re interested in

Once you have a strong grasp of what’s happening in the industry, it’s time to narrow your focus and pick a career path the matches your skills and interests. For example, if you’ve been coding since high school and want to take a hands-on approach to creating new technologies, you might want to focus your attention on engineering. On the other hand, if you’re more interested in sales or marketing, focusing on those aspects of the industry might make more sense for you.

3. Intern with a tech-focused company

With industry knowledge under your belt and a strong focus in mind, it’s time to get some hands-on experience by interning with a tech company. This is a great way to deepen your knowledge of the tech field while also figuring out what type of role is best for you. Depending on the type of company you work for (and the internship you choose) you may be involved in different aspects of a company’s operations from engineering to marketing or even human resources. While smaller companies can provide a more cross-functional internship experience, larger companies can give you a chance to truly specialize in your field and gain the kind of experience that might take you a year or two to develop at another company. This is an important thing to keep in mind as you apply for internships since you’ll want the internship you choose to reflect your career goals moving forward. If you’re a recent grad without a tech internship under your belt, don’t worry. You can still stand out from the crowd by developing your industry knowledge and studying the companies you want to work with.

4. Know what tech companies look for

While tech companies definitely have their share of differences, they also have a lot of similarities. One of these is the desire to hire bright, motivated people to join their teams and give them the chance to create solutions that are truly game changing. Since tech companies place so much emphasis on talent and passion, being able to demonstrate these qualities is extremely important to landing a job.

By following these tips and developing your skills and knowledge, you’ll have no problem finding a tech job that’s right for you.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as the Top 10 Skills Employers Want in an Intern and find answers to common interview questions such as Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?

How to Become a Software Developer

If you’re considering a career as a software developer, then you might be wondering about the best way to get started. What are some things you can do to set yourself up for success and land the job of your dreams? Should you take attend networking events or build a portfolio of your work?

Here are the relevant steps to take if you’re thinking of becoming a software developer.

1. Figure out what types of projects you want to work on

One of the key parts of becoming a software developer is deciding what kinds of projects you want to work on. Are you interested in solving complex technical challenges or building products that will be used by a lot of people? This is the time to assess that. Once you have an idea of your interests, take some time to research relevant companies in order to determine the type of role that best fits your skills and interests. For example, if you’re interested in getting hands-on experience with a broad range of applications, then you might want to consider working for a small company that will give you maximum exposure to those technologies. On the other hand, if you’re interested in doing a deep dive into a specific type of project, then working for a larger company that will let you specialize in one area might be the right option for you.

Pro Tip: Knowing what type of brand you want to work for is just as important as knowing what kinds of projects you want to work on. This is because being passionate about your work extends beyond the technology itself. By finding a brand that aligns with your broader interests and goals, you’ll be more likely to understand the problems the company is trying to solve and to enjoy coming up with the solutions.

2. Develop your skill set by taking relevant classes

Becoming a software developer requires having an understanding of certain front-end and back-end technologies and knowing programming languages such as Java, C++ and Python. In order to develop your skill set, it’s important to take relevant computer science classes in college and to use the skills you learn to develop projects of your own. This will show potential employers that you’re proactive about building your skill set and that you’re able to use those skills to build features.

Pro Tip: If you’re not a computer science major, that’s okay too. You can still develop your skills by taking a few computer science classes as electives or by teaching yourself to code through online programs like those developed by Khan Academy or CodeCademy. Since more and more developers are self-taught these days, not having a formal education won’t count against you as long as you can demonstrate your ability to build products.

3. Take on an internship

One of the best ways to develop your skills and figure out what types of projects you want to work on is by taking on an internship. This will give you a chance to get hands-on experience in a tech role while also helping you to identify your personal work style and determine the type of work environment that best fits that style.

Added bonus: Since software developers are in high demand at the moment, you’ll not only gain valuable experience during your internship but you’re likely to be well compensated too.

4. Build your portfolio and professional network

In addition to developing your skill set and taking on an internship, one of the other key steps to becoming a software developer is to build your portfolio and professional network. The best way to achieve both of these things is by creating a profile on a platform like GitHub or Stack Overflow where you can showcase projects you’ve developed and contribute to open source projects that other developers are working on. This is a great way to establish your personal brand and to connect with other developers.

Becoming a software developer is an exciting and challenging career path that will give you the opportunity to work on interesting projects and come up with innovative technological solutions. The best way to find out if being a software developer is right for you is by interning at a tech company and getting a feel for what the industry is all about.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Top 10 Things You Should Look For in a Company and find answers to common interview questions such as Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?