My busy ass is finally kicking off The Senior Series.
College seniors and recent graduates: listen up. This series is for you.
Why does a 25 year old like me care about you rocking your first job? I’m doing this because I wish someone would’ve done it for me. I’m also doing it because it’s a damn tough job market right now, which means you need to be on your A-game. In the same respect, its an easier game out there. Why? Because you have social media and a completely different job search game than I had even 4 years ago. You gotta play to win, right?
Although I have no regrets, I think having a mentor who was a few years ahead of me would’ve been fricken amazing. Therefore, if there is anything I can do to help you network with someone from my network, or you’d like me to review your stuff, you want to move to Chicago, etc. please email me (nicole@mscareergirl.com). I’m no Goddess or magician but 2 brains are better than one.
The Senior Series will require you to do a little bit of “homework” (not the icky kind) in order for you to apply the lessons you read about here and ultimately land a job you like.
Homework
First, read my guest post called “How to Use Social Media to Help You Land Your 1st Job” on Samantha Ogborn’s blog.
- Please note the first sentence of the post: “Let’s bust the myth right now: social media is not going to get you a job.”
- Also observe and absorb #4, which is delicately titled “Grow Some Balls.”
This blog post is the basis for my beliefs of how you should get started. Disagree? Have better ideas? Please share them in the comment section- the readers will thank you.
Second, read this amazing New York Times interview with Bobbi Brown, founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. No, this is not an article about makeup and lipstick. Yes, you need to read this if you are a guy. This article has some of the BEST career advice I’ve ever read- all coming from a CEO herself. This should put you at ease about interviewing, encourage you to be yourself, and also wipe your ego away about starting out.
Here are a few fabulous highlights from the interview:
Q. How do you hire?
A. When I interview someone, I know in the first two minutes if I like them or not. I find that if it’s easy to talk to someone and I see an openness and honesty and integrity, then I usually hire them.
Q. Tell me more about what you’re looking for.
A. I don’t think about interviewing them for work. I first try to understand who they are as people. I usually have someone’s résumé, but I never look at it until they sit down. Then I say, “O.K., take me through the résumé.”
The most important thing is people need to be themselves. And someone could be totally, on paper, perfect for the job. But they might not have the openness, the vision. I like when people bring energy, creativity, newness to me.
Q. What’s your best career advice?
A. When you’re talking to someone, look them in the eye. Always tell the truth. And you have to start at the bottom. I don’t care who you are and what you do, you have to start at the bottom. If there’s a job as a receptionist at a company you would love to work at and there’s nothing else, get that job. And don’t just sit there.
A lot of people have moved up in this company. Be open and be a sponge. I’ve always been a sponge. You’re around really cool, creative people, you see what they’re doing, how they’re dressing, what they’re reading, what their tastes are. I mean that’s what makes someone better at what they do — they’re just open to what’s going on.
Do you think Bobbi’s hiring methods are typical? Tell me what you think, then I’ll tell you what I think from my interview experience. You might be surprised.
What do you think about Bobbi Brown’s career advice?
Any special requests of things you’d like to see me cover in this series? I’m planning on running a post every Thursday and will have some other events away from the blog such as conference calls, outreach with other top career bloggers and more. Stay tuned.
Special thanks to my FAB 5 who will be volunteering to be guinea pigs in order to teach the rest of the readers some good lessons and share their job hunt experiences.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Though I’m no longer a recent graduate, I would also recommend Seth Godin’s new book and GaryVee’s Crush It.
I like to post.
I’m obsessed with CRUSH IT! Is Seth’s new book “Linchpin”? What is that about?
Great idea Nicole! Look forward to learning more about this wonderful series.
Thanks! Feel free to jump in at anytime or do a guest post again if you’d like. Your expertise would be super valuable here!
Looking forward to working with you and the fab 5!
Great series. I’m really pumped on it!
I am one of those lucky ones that already HAS a job lined up (yay, me) but the thing is. I’ve been working as a part-time intern for the last year and I think I should get a raise when I go to full-time. I’m just not sure how to ask for one and thinking about asking for one makes me really nervous and gives me anxiety. At the same time, I feel I deserve one and I know I can’t live off my current wage! Any tips?
Congrats on the gig! I’m going to address your question in its own post because that’s a tough situation and one a ton of people probably deal with too.
As far as anxiety goes, this is TOTALLY normal and once you start asking for what you want it gets easier and easier! Plus remember: 5 minutes of akwardness vs. a few years of racking up debt and not being able to make ends meet because you didn’t speak up.
I will say, the PR industry is unique in that they always seem to hire their interns and keep them at low pay. I will have some PR people weigh in on this too since it’s not the industry I work in every day.
Great post. I’m really excited for this series. I graduate in May and plan on moving to Chicago to get a job in PR/digital communication and I am FREAKING OUT! Moving is scary. Graduation is scary. Getting your first big girl job is scary. So I look forward to your incites on some of the issues plaguing me =)
Hey Madison! (I love your name btw)
Where are you from and where do you go to school? What exactly is making you freak out about graduation? i.e. The job search, bills, not having your friends around? (umm because all of the above scared the shit out of me.)
I will say, good choice on Chicago. I absolutely LOVE it here. It has never gotten old and it’s def a hot spot for your industry. Shoot me an email nicole@mscareergirl.com and I’ll put you in touch w/ a few PR Divas.
Nicole
Thanks Nicole!
I live in Oklahoma City, and I attend the University of Central Oklahoma. My boyfriend is actually going to school at Northwestern so I get to visit him often and that is how I fell in love with Chicago!
You hit the nail on the head. I’m scared about the job search (especially because I’m an out-of-towner who hasn’t gotten face time networking with people). Bills are definitely scary, I haven’t really ever had to worry about those before. Also, at this point it looks like I’m going to be living alone. I’ve never done that before either.
Hopefully some of these fears will be covered on your blog, or we can just talk more. =)
This is wonderful! I too, really wish that I had more of a network to help me with findng my first job. I would be more than happy to review resumes or give a few pointers for anyone going into sales, specifically pharma/ med device / biotech sales. Let me know!!
Awesome Ash! This is a really tough industry to get into and having an insiders opinion is HUGE. Thanks so much!
I like this interview with Bobbi Brown, founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, because she is honest re her hiring practices, her involvement in her business and how to be a better employee by just being honest and true to yourself. But I know this how it should be but many employeers see experience whether years in the fie…ld or education and not a persons real worth. I am sure many employers struggle with this or trying to strike a balance but this is truly an eye opener. I can honestly say that when I first started looking for job I was more interested in saying what people wanted to hear. When I saw that was getting me nowhere I decided to be myself and I got the job and have been there 3 years.