Last Week of Class!

Get Ready for Finals

Nine Tricks if You're Bad With Names

Filed under: Make an Impression Print Article

Posted Oct 16th 2009 3:14PM

CareerBuilder.com

Two strangers meet at a networking function. One person speaks up first. "Hi, I'm Laura Mulford," she says, offering her hand to her partner.

"Raj Babu," he responds with a handshake. "Nice to meet you." The whole exchange takes less than four seconds. Ten minutes later, neither person can remember the other's name.

Ah, names. Some people have gift for remembering them. But for far too many of us, they go in one ear and right out the other. Unfortunately, referring to everyone as "hey" or "you" can be suicide when it comes to networking.

"In networking, names are the good stuff," say Anne Barber and Lynne Waymon, co-authors of 'Make Your Contacts Count' (Amacom). "It will be mighty difficult for you to initiate a relationship with someone if you don't know that person's name."

If remembering others' names is downright impossible for you, try out these tips from Barber and Waymon:

1. Repeat the first name or confirm the last name.

Simply saying, "It's nice to meet you, Chuck" or "and your last name was...?" will help you register the name and give it a better chance to implant itself into your memory.

2. Ask a question or make a comment about the person's name.

"Nice to meet you, Julia. My college roommate's name was Julia, so I'll have no problem remembering you."

3. Ask the person to spell his or her name.

"Abby, do you spell your name with a 'y' or with an 'ie'?"

4. Associate the name with a picture in your mind.

If you meet a CEO named Arthur, visualize him as King Arthur with the knights of the Round Table. "Some people like this technique; others say it confuses them," warn Barber and Waymon. "Only use it if it's helpful."

5. Ask how the person got his name.

"Savannah, were you named after the city?"

6. Tell the person what you have heard about him.

"I heard you organized this whole event, Peter."

7. Keep your energy level high.

Let your body language and tone of voice signal that you are honestly trying to learn the other person's name and teach her yours. According to Barber and Waymon, people say this is flattering.

8. Always say the person's name again as you leave her.

"It was good to meet you, Jen."

9. Handle forgotten names with grace.

No, whining about how bad you are with names is not graceful. Instead, ask a friend to remind you, or if you can recall where you met that person, say "I remember meeting you at the conference in Seattle. I'm Sarah Ansari. Will you tell me your name again?" The person may have forgotten your name too, and will be grateful for your reintroduction.

Always remember: making small talk about a person's name may take time, but it could save you embarrassment later on!

Something New Called Focus 2!

Focus 2 is a new program here with Career Services! We are very excited about it.

It helps you decide what your major should be!

OR if you have a job you want it tells you what major would be best!

FOCUS-2 is a self-guided, online career and education planning tool for use by college students.  It will enable you to assess your interests, values, skills, personality, and aspirations as they relate to careers and college majors.  FOCUS-2 is designed to help you choose the best major for you and explore occupations that match your profile.  Students who use FOCUS-2 make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to manage their careers.

Be sure to check it out today!

Etiquette Tip of the Week:

When invited to someone's home for dinner or for a party, bring a hostess (or host) gift, such as a small box of quality chocolates, attractive note cards or anything you know your host or hostess has an interest in, such as a book, DVD, kitchen gadget or gourmet coffee. Send flowers ahead of time, such as earlier that afternoon.  Bringing flowers with you may impose on an already busy hostess, who must find a vase and get the flowers into water.  And she may already have flowers or a centerpiece on the table. 

A hostess gift of food or alcohol is to be enjoyed by the hostess and host at a later time or served at the hostess's discretion.  Do not bring a food gift with the intent of sampling it yourself.

As you know, it’s polite to give credit where credit is due. Thus these tips are from www.cultureandmanners.com

Quote from the Office:

“Cause he plays the tuba ………..and I play the tuba.” -Eli

Are You Ready!

It’s the Homestretch!

Tips for Building a

Development Network

In years past, it was much easier for employees

to find a mentor – it was an older, tenured

person at their organization who

seemed to ooze experience and wisdom.

These days, it’s tough to retain an employee

for more than 3-5 years, so finding a mentor

takes more work! A recent Wall Street Journal

article suggested that those seeking guidance

in their careers should build a team of

mentors in their field, otherwise known as a

development network. The concept of development

networks is easy to grasp; many

find the actual relationship building part to

be difficult.

Tips for building a team of mentors

1. Develop a list. Although some of your

mentors will naturally want to help you, it is

your job to come up with a list of individuals

who would be a good addition to your mentoring

team. Select a variety of people to add

to your network—both in and outside your

department/organization— so you have

different viewpoints to learn from.

2. Be the one to reach out, and do so

often. Top-notch protégés are not shy to

ask for guidance. You must be able to do the

initial ask and keep in regular contact with

your development network.

When a mentor offers a suggestion, keep

him/her posted on how the advice worked.

3. Come to meetings prepared. Now that

you’ve gotten a mentor’s attention, it’s time

to do some homework. Know some basics

about his/her background and have applicable

questions to ask when you get together.

4. Make it mutual. No one likes a person

who only talks about his/herself. The same

goes for mentoring relationships! Don’t

make every interaction with your mentors

about you. Be sure to offer help on a special

project or share some knowledge that you

might be able to impart to him/her.

5. Be personable and have a positive attitude.

We have yet to hear someone say,

“Gosh, I would love to mentor someone

who’s incredibly negative and not fun to be

around.” Not everyone is the most charismatic

person at their office, but it helps to

be a positive, upbeat version of yourself

when working with your development network.

Mentors are supposed to talk you

down from a workplace ledge every now and

then, but don’t make it a regular pastime.

                        From: Staffing Solutions Inc.

                                www.staffingsolutionsinc.com

Something New Called Focus 2!

Focus 2 is a new program here with Career Services! We are very excited about it.

It helps you decide what your major should be!

OR if you have a job you want it tells you what major would be best!

FOCUS-2 is a self-guided, online career and education planning tool for use by college students.  It will enable you to assess your interests, values, skills, personality, and aspirations as they relate to careers and college majors.  FOCUS-2 is designed to help you choose the best major for you and explore occupations that match your profile.  Students who use FOCUS-2 make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to manage their careers.

Be sure to check it out today!

Events for the Week:

12/7-8	Vector Marketing (Sales)
	10-2 Mon 11-2 Tues Union
12/10	Marines Pull Up Challenge
	10-2 Union

Etiquette Tip of the Week:

The best conversationalists are good listeners.  When you meet new people, ask them questions about themselves to keep the conversation going.  Are you a native of this place?  Where are you from originally?  What do you do for a living?  How did you get into that line of work?  What do you like best about your job?  Listen to their answers and ask them questions based on their answers. 

It is easier to get into trouble by talking too much.  Very few get into trouble from listening too much.

As you know, it’s polite to give credit where credit is due. Thus these tips are from www.cultureandmanners.com

Quote from the Office:

“What are you doing?” – The Whole Office

Are You Ready?

Thanksgiving is Almost Here!

Interview, resume important tests

BY HEATHER WARLICK-MOORE   

 

Without an excellent resume and cover letter, you may never be invited for an interview, said Frankie Walters, professional development coach and author of "Country Values ... City Wise: Lessons in Personal Development and Workplace Savvy.”

"I do believe that a professional, polished presence is very important for your in-person presentation, but getting seen with a resume is the same thing. It needs to be polished and professional,” Walters said.
In today’s job market, many people are vying for each job opening, so making a great impression from the moment your resume hits a prospective employer’s in-box is vital.
When Walters coaches people, she touches on the job search strategy, resume preparation, interview process and interview questions.
"Prepare, prepare, prepare,” she said. From researching the hiring company to writing a good resume and cover letter and practicing your answers to various interview questions, a job applicant can’t be overprepared, Walters said.
A job seeker has five to seven minutes to make a positive first impression, Walters writes in the workbook she uses in her workshops. The first impression consists 7 percent of verbal cues (content), 38 percent vocal cues (sound) and 55 percent visual (things such as eye contact, facial expressions, body language, manners and grooming).
About 25 percent of jobs are filled by people the employer knows before the opening is formally announced, Walters said. Another 50 percent are filled by insiders who talk about the opportunity. So, networking opportunities such as social media sites are vital ways to keep potential jobs on your radar.
Walters suggests creating a list of all the people you know, telling them exactly what type of job you are seeking and asking each for two names of people you could contact. Follow up with these new contacts by e-mailing or mailing a resume.


Personal Finance Forum & Speed Networking
The Personal Finance & Speed Networking Event took place on 11/19/09 and was a great success!
Here are some quotes from individuals that went:
“Very informative, I learned a lot. As a freshman it’s really opened my eyes to what I need to do in my career.” Shae Grisham
“Being a freshman, it’s a very enriching experience for the college to do.” – Heather Walton
“This has been very beneficial.” –Rachel Blaich
"Lots of interesting people. Lots of information." - Ayna Plavanova

Some people also won different prizes:

Bluetooth – Ayna Palvanova

MP3 – Shae Grisham

USB – Eli Smith

Something New Called Focus 2!

Focus 2 is a new program here with Career Services! We are very excited about it.

It helps you decide what your major should be!

OR if you have a job you want it tells you what major would be best!

FOCUS-2 is a self-guided, online career and education planning tool for use by college students.  It will enable you to assess your interests, values, skills, personality, and aspirations as they relate to careers and college majors.  FOCUS-2 is designed to help you choose the best major for you and explore occupations that match your profile.  Students who use FOCUS-2 make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to manage their careers.

Be sure to check it out today!

Events for the Week:

11/19	Speed Networking Personal Finance Forum
	212 Union
11/23	Vector Marketing
	10-2 Union
12/1	Career Mentor Closing Session
	5:30-7 Yates Dining Room
12/4	Avila University
	10-2 Union
12/7-8	Vector Marketing
	10-2 Mon 11-2 Tues Union

Etiquette Tip of the Week:

“When on a business trip, avoid alcohol on an airplane – drinking at high altitudes makes you more inebriated.  It is said that one drink on an airplane, counts for two drinks on the ground.  If they put one of those mobile staircases up to the airplane exit and you fall down it, taking out a senior citizen or a vacationing family with small children in the process, that will not be good imaging for your company. 

When traveling for business, you are representing your company and should, dress, speak and behave in a way that inspires confidence in your business and products.

   As you know, giving credit to the Culture and Manners Institute at http://www.cultureandmanners.com/ is the polite thing to do.

Quote from the Office:

“Britaaaash!” - Maggie

Winter!

It’s Getting Closer!

U.S. Job Openings Increase in Latest Hopeful Indicator

By MARK WHITEHOUSE and SARA MURRAY

U.S. companies are gradually ratcheting up their search for workers, a new Labor Department survey showed, which some economists see as a signal that the steep decline in the job market could be nearing an end.

The Labor Department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey found that the number of job openings in the U.S. increased slightly in both August and September, the first two-month rise since early 2007. Hotels, restaurants, education and health care made the largest contributions; even such hard-hit sectors as manufacturing saw a rise.

A job fair in Los Angeles on Tuesday attracted hundreds of veterans.

"This is a hopeful sign," said Richard Berner, chief U.S. economist at Morgan Stanley in New York. "It suggests improvement in the broader labor market is possible within a few months."

The uptick in openings -- which include newly created or just vacated positions -- comes as other indicators have offered conflicting signals on the direction of what has been the worst job market in decades. On Friday, the government reported that the unemployment rate hit 10.2% in October, and economists believe the rate will remain above prerecession levels through 2019. At the same time, nonfarm payrolls shrank less than in previous months, suggesting the situation is worsening at a slower rate.

Separate reports on small business and extended layoffs Tuesday provided more clues that stabilization could be on the way. The National Federation of Independent Business reported that small-business sentiment improved slightly in October. Over the next three months, 16% said they plan to reduce employment, unchanged from the previous month's survey, and 9% said they plan to add workers, up two percentage points from last month.

Meanwhile, the Labor Department reported that the share of companies planning to recall workers laid off for at least 31 days rose to about 33% in the third quarter, from 29% a year earlier. Still, the number of such extended mass layoffs was at its highest point for any third-quarter period since at least 1995.

Economists found reason for optimism in the details of Tuesday's report on job openings. The rate of new hires as a percentage of all employment stayed steady at 3.1% for the second month in a row, suggesting openings are turning into actual employment. Perhaps more important, companies in sectors that tend to move in sync with the broader economy -- such as manufacturing and professional services -- added to their job openings for two straight months.

"This rise in manufacturing bodes well for at least a mild recovery in other areas," said Steven Wieting, U.S. economist at Citi Global Markets.

Maurice Toueg, a partner at executive-search firm CapstonePartnership, which specializes in hiring finance professionals, said he is feeling a bottom in the market. Recently, he said, one candidate turned down a strategy job at an investment bank paying more than $200,000 -- the first time he had seen that happen in a year.

"Once you start to see candidates turn down jobs, clearly the market has started to turn," said Mr. Toueg, who expects his business to be steady this year after falling about 40% last year.

Still, competition for most available jobs is fierce. The number of job seekers for each opening declined slightly in September, but still stood at about six -- more than double the 10-year average.

The competition is evident at Country Crossing, a new 375-acre entertainment venue in Dothan, Ala., that is hiring 600 people to staff its three restaurants, RV park and other facilities. A recent three-day job fair to hire 100 restaurant workers drew about 3,000 applicants.

"You'd even be surprised at the ages: all the way from 16 to, gosh, 75 years old," said Doug Rainer, director of communications for Country Crossing.

Something New Called Focus 2!

Focus 2 is a new program here with Career Services! We are very excited about it.

It helps you decide what your major should be!

OR if you have a job you want it tells you what major would be best!

FOCUS-2 is a self-guided, online career and education planning tool for use by college students.  It will enable you to assess your interests, values, skills, personality, and aspirations as they relate to careers and college majors.  FOCUS-2 is designed to help you choose the best major for you and explore occupations that match your profile.  Students who use FOCUS-2 make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to manage their careers.

Be sure to check it out today!

Events for the Week:

11/12	Navy Lunch & Learn
	11:30-1 White Dining Room
11/16	City of Kansas City, MO Info
	212 Union
11/19	Speed Networking Personal Finance Forum
	212 Union
12/1	Career Mentor Closing Session
	5:30-7 Yates Dining Room

Etiquette Tip of the Week:

 If someone sends you an incendiary or insulting email, do not respond immediately.  Do not dwell on it.  Do not read it over and over, which will just make you angrier.  If you can, let it sit for a few hours or even overnight.  If the one who sent it is sitting on top of his/her computer waiting for a response, this will drain some of the steam out of that person like a bag of microwave vegetables. 

When you do respond, respond in a calm and professional manner.  Avoid arguments over email and especially "Reply to all" arguments.

Quote from the Office:

“A bunch of Zetas came and said ‘Oh Manny , we love you! Come and eat chili with us!’” - Manny

Here We Go!

November is here!

A Recruiters Guide to the Universe

Three Truths For Your Job-Search

There are as many experts on job-search as there are people (currently around 6.7 billion) and weeding through the clutter can be very difficult. However there are three truths that no one can deny are most important in the search for a new opportunity.

1)      The most qualified person does not always get the job.

I have seen it time and time again – a person whose qualifications are spot on to the job description gets passed over and doesn’t understand why. There are countless reasons why that happens – personality, interview style, what shoes they wore to the interview, they came across too confident, they were not excited enough about the opportunity, or probably one of the next two truths.

2)      The person who is able to articulate why they should be hired usually is.

Whether you are sending in a résumé or sitting in front of a hiring manager you have to be able to effectively communicate why you should be hired. Having one general reason is not enough – you should have a minimum of five specific reasons, with examples, of why you are the best out there.

3)      It is not always about what you know rather who you know.

Without a doubt the most powerful weapon you have in your job-search arsenal is your network.  Personal relationships are important because most companies would rather hire a known entity rather than someone off the street. The bigger your personal network (not your online network) the more likely you are to uncover new opportunities and receive personal introductions to decision makers. To understand some of the basics on how to build your personal network check out our previous post Sourcing Opportunities (Positive and Productive Networking).

Until next time – good hunting and good luck!

Something New Called Focus 2!

Focus 2 is a new program here with Career Services! We are very excited about it.

It helps you decide what your major should be!

OR if you have a job you want it tells you what major would be best!

FOCUS-2 is a self-guided, online career and education planning tool for use by college students.  It will enable you to assess your interests, values, skills, personality, and aspirations as they relate to careers and college majors.  FOCUS-2 is designed to help you choose the best major for you and explore occupations that match your profile.  Students who use FOCUS-2 make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to manage their careers.

Be sure to check it out today!

Events for the Week:

11/9	Grad School Seminar
11/9	Rockhurst University MBA
	10-2 Union
11/9	Kaplan Test Prep
	10-2 Union
11/9-10	Vector Marketing
	10-2 Mon 11-2 Tues Union
11/12	Navy Lunch & Learn
	11:30-1 White Dining Room

Quote from the Office:

“I don’t want to creep on dumpsters!” -Maggie