How you can prepare now so you have a job come April

January 15 2010. Globe Campus.

Many students don't realize that getting a job for the summer (or in the case of upcoming grads, their first "real job") means preparing months in advance.

Ideally, you should have already started your job hunt by now, but if you haven't, here are some tips to help you kick-start the process.

Start looking

You can't get a job if you don't start looking because most of us aren't lucky enough to have jobs fall into our laps. There are all kinds of ways you can search for a job, including through your school's career services centre andrecruitment events, and websites that focus on entry-level positions, likeTalentEgg.

Prep your résumé

No matter where you're applying, you will need to create a unique résumé and cover letter for each job.

The hiring manager will know what a generic résumé (or application email) looks like; they have undoubtedly received them in the past and other not-so-savvy applicants will use them in the future. This is one of the many pet peeves for recruiters.

In order to make your application stand out, ensure your résumé is catered specifically to the company you are applying to by using language found in the job description and on the company website to assist you.

It may also be worthwhile to try different résumé types, such as a Career Launching Résumé, or an achievement-based résumé. Once you've got a draft written, make sure it goes through a couple of edits by yourself, friends, family, and professionals, if you have the resources to do so.

Write a cover letter

All applications need a cover letter, whether they state it or not. If you do not submit a cover letter with your application, your résumé will likely end up in the trash. Just like your résumé, make sure you edit, edit, edit!

Check your digital footprint

Almost everyone leaves some kind of digital footprint due to all of the social networking sites available, and this can be detrimental to your job hunt if you aren't careful.

If you search my name on Google, it shows up 3.3 million times. Of course, I am not the only Danielle Lorenz in existence. Facebook tells me there are 22 people with the same name as me; however I am the only one who has attended McMaster (at least so far).

Nevertheless, I've taken strides to make sure my Facebook account won't impact my professional life and have done the same with other social networking sites that I use.

Consider utilizing social networking

Although some social networking sites can be detrimental to your job hunt, there are some that may be beneficial. Experts suggest that Twitter can be used to reach target groups.

Other people say that LinkedIn is a site that can help you find a job. LinkedIn functions like a mixture between an online résumé and Facebook, where your contact list contains people who know you and your work ethic.

Keep your family out of your search

In the end, your ability to find a job rests on how much effort YOU put into it. Parents of Gen Y kids have been deemed "helicopter parents" because of their tendency to be over-involved in our lives. Make sure that your parents aren't trying to help you get a job, because in the end it will only be detrimental to your search.

The real history behind Valentine’s Day

February 8 2010. Launch Magazine.

Valentine’s Day has not always been full of mushy stuff.

There was a time, long ago, when certain days of the year had meanings to them that had nothing to do with consumerism, buying happiness and greeting cards.

The Hallmark holiday is a recent invention, with Hallmark cards and the creative expression business not yet a century old. Personally, I think Valentine’s Day is the worst of the Hallmark holidays. If someone really cares for you, I hope they would choose to show their affection more than one day each year.

Like many Judeo-Christian holidays, Valentine’s Day started out a pagan tradition.

In Rome, the Feast of Lupercalia occurred on February 15^th , and was a celebration honouring Juno, the goddess of women and marriage. This date was considered to be the beginning of spring and when birds would find their mates for the year.

During this festival, unmarried women would have their names written down and all unmarried men in the village would draw a name, thereby become the women’s partners during the festival (some other sources claim it lasted for the rest of the year). To assert their masculinity, the men ran around nearly naked through the streets.

In addition to this, blood from sacrificed animals would be spilled in the streets in order to prevent wolves from coming into the fields, but also as a fertility aid for women who wished to conceive. This festival was outlawed in the fifth century. Interestingly, it has a modern incantation in the City of Edmonton.

During the third century, the Emperor Claudius II believed if his soldiers were married they would not want to leave their wives, which is why he prohibited his men from being married. A priest named Valentine would go about secretly marrying the soldiers, fulfilling their desires to be wed.

Valentine could not understand the pagan belief system and remained a devout Christian for all of his life. At one point, Valentine was caught and then killed for his crimes. It is thought that we are celebrating his death on the 14th of February.

In order to gain more supporters for the slowly-growing Christian faith at that time, politicians and figureheads then amalgamated the two days into one. As Christianity started to dominate and Paganism declined, a more romantic view of the holy day began to take place. The first connection between romantic love and Valentine’s Day was not until the 14th century, when Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a poem about Richard II and Anne’s engagement. The idea of the holiday being based on romantic love began to increase, with mentions of it in Hamlet and other literary works.

It was not until the mid-19th century that the Valentine’s Day as we know it (with cards) started to occur. Since then, there have been the additions of the exchanging flowers, gifts and, more recently, jewellery.

Personally, I think the third century celebration is way cooler than the present-day one. But I’m not always the most traditional person…

Gen Y thinks tattoos, piercings and corporate culture mesh, do you?

"Gen Y thinks tattoos, piercings and corporate culture mesh, do you?", July 10 2009

Tattoos and piercings are typically a strike against most applicants when they look for work because it goes against the traditional corporate culture. However, many members of Gen Y have tattoos and some have piercings other than in their earlobes. With the work force changing to include more members of this generation, each workplace must have clearly defined rules and guidelines regarding tattoos and piercings. And some of these policies may need to change.

I have a tattoo and would like to get more eventually. I also have a few non-traditional piercings in my ears. I do not want to be a tattoo artist, musician, actor or artist (some of the few areas of work where tattoos and piercings are considered acceptable, or even desired). Like many of my peers, I wonder if a visible tattoo or piercing will affect my ability to obtain a job, and if opinions of tattoos and piercings vary in different industries.

I understand that a tattoo may be inappropriate in some places of work. For example, you may not want to see a kindergarten teacher with tattoos of pinup girls or guns on their arms. You would also not want to be served by a bank teller who had skull and crossbones on his hand and a teardrop tattoo under his eye. Here, the corporate culture dictates that visible tattoos such as these are inappropriate, and if an individual was to get one after being hired there is grounds for dismissal.

Most individuals who are heavily tattooed know their choice of body adornment may close the door to certain possibilities of employment. However, there is a large difference between one or two small tattoos that are hidden or can be covered by clothing and/or jewelery to an entire tattoo sleeve paired with tattoos on the neck.

Many employers have a rule against visible tattoos and this is due in part to stereotypes against tattoos from past decades. If a policy is exists or is developed about tattoos, it should not be judgmental towards tattoos or those who get them. The number of individuals who have tattoo and have them covered during working hours would surprise many employers and would also disprove any negative assumptions about tattoos that exist.

Tattoos and piercings are becoming a more common part of Western culture and, as a result, they’re becoming part of the workplace as well. Corporate culture needs to adapt and change with more members of Gen Y becoming employed and moving up the ranks in every organization.

E-mail etiquette for students and recent grads

"E-mail etiquette for students and recent grads", July 2 2009

An employer's first impression of you often comes through e-mail when you apply for a job at their company and it's not uncommon for students and recent grads to alienate current and future employers with their spelling, grammar and other e-mail behaviour.

While the suggestions below may be obvious to some, when I was working as a co-ordinator in a university department and as a manager of a student service on campus at McMaster University, I received countless e-mails from students and recent graduates that made me cringe. Students and recent grads are used to writing to family and friends, and many don't easily make the switch from personal to professional e-mail etiquette.

Check out my tips for avoiding the most common mistakes:

What's in a name?

Using an e-mail address without some variation of your name in it can come across as unprofessional. If you're adamant about keeping the e-mail address you've had since you were a teen, set up a secondary account to e-mail employers from, such as firstnamelastname@email.com.

Regardless of the content in the e-mail you send, a message from lil_cutie_baby_69@email.com won't be taken seriously by employers.

Spelling and grammar

Good spelling and grammar are imperative to any e-mail. Many e-mail servers and some web browsers, such as Firefox, have a spell check function built in. However, the computer will not be able to discern between alternative spellings (but different meanings) of the same word. For example: there, their and they're; or to, two and too.

It's important to proofread an e-mail before you send it, and if you're not confident about your spelling and grammar skills, get someone else to read over your e-mails before you send them.

What's your point?

For the most part, e-mails should be brief. Give the reader your point as soon as you can, but at the same time remember to include the necessary details. If your e-mail is going to be long, consider apologizing for your wordiness in the first line of your message.

Also, each separate idea in an e-mail should be a separate paragraph. It makes the e-mail easier to read than one large chunk of text and also allows the reader to find important points at a later time.

Don't abbrvt plz

Never use text messaging abbreviations in e-mails. Getting your messages across with a limited number of words can be challenging, but e-mails do not have the same restrictions as texts. Unless you are sending a personal e-mail, you should be avoiding abbreviations, with the exception of words such as FYI, Mr. and Mrs., etc.

Are you tone deaf?

Come across as friendly, respectful and approachable in your e-mails: you don't want to appear demanding or curt. Sometimes this can be remedied by re-arranging your sentences or paragraphs. For instance, instead of "I need a copy of those forms. I hope your week is going well," try "I hope your week is going well. When you have a moment, may I have a copy of those forms?"

You also don't want to seem too casual in professional e-mails, especially to a potential employer. Unless you have already communicated with the person and have a more personal relationship with them, always avoid using emoticons and slang.

The type case of your messages is also important. Don't use all capital letters and, although many of us have gotten into the bad habit of not capitalizing anything thanks to instant messaging, capitalize letters where appropriate, just as you would in a formal letter or essay.

Mind your manners

There are three simple words you should never forget when sending e-mails: "please" and "thank you." Forgetting to use those words makes you look ungrateful and rude.

Kind regards, dear

If you don't know the person you're writing to, you should include their title or, at the very least, use Mr. or Ms. (try to avoid using Miss or Mrs. - never assume a woman is married). Once they respond, follow their direction by addressing them by what they sign their e-mail with.

When concluding the e-mail, use a transitional word or phrase such as Sincerely, With kind regards, or Cheers if you are able to be less formal.

Take your time sending, but be prompt when replying

Take your time when e-mailing a prospective employer; re-read the e-mail at least once before you send it. In terms of response time, reply to e-mails as quickly as you can because making the other party wait several hours or days is quite rude - especially if the e-mail is an urgent one.

Remember, if you make a mistake and do not realize it until after you hit "Send," there's no option to undo or take it back. A poorly-written e-mail reflects on your potential as an employee and it will often result in your e-mail being deleted.

Gen Y Perspective: Why you should offer a wardrobe bonus upon hiring

"Gen-Y Perspective: Why you should offer a wardrobe bonus upon hiring"

Many companies have enough stability to offer new employees a substantial signing bonus. Gen Yers are not the only ones who wish they could get an extra financial incentive for starting at a new company, especially with the state of the current economy. Some people might blow this money on something frivolous, but what they should really be thinking about is their wardrobe.

I know this sounds a bit strange, but hear me out. Most new graduates do not spend the money they make working during the school year or the summer months building up a wardrobe for an office environment – most of them are just trying to scrape by.

Offering a wardrobe bonus is a good incentive when trying to entice recent grads to work for your company, and is something that you should talk about in the discussion period that occurs after the interview. If no one else is going to take care of them in the same way your company will, the new grad is more likely to come work for you. Think of it as an investment not only in your human resources, but also in your company’s brand.

Many so-called “blue collar” industries provide a clothing allowance to their staff when they are first hired, as well as periodically throughout their careers. This is something that the corporate world should try to implement as well, not only when employees are first hired but later on down the road.

I’m not saying new grads shouldn’t buy clothes which can transition into the office, but most do not think about doing so until they actually have a job. So, once the end of the academic year rolls around and these former students are starting work, many of them do not have anything appropriate to wear.

Especially in the summer, new grads often leave the house in jeans, skirts that are a little bit too short, shoes that are meant for the beach, and “nice t-shirts.” After all, it’s what they’ve been wearing for the past four years or so.

Herein lies the problem: students do not buy the items they need for a professional environment during school because it’s not practical to wear to school on a daily basis, and once they start a job they don’t have enough money to pay for appropriate clothing until they receive their first pay cheque. Or, if they buy appropriate attire, it may come at the expense of not paying off their credit card balance or not having food to eat.

This is where a company can help alleviate some of the stress newly-graduated employees have when they first enter the work force. Once the individual has finished their first day on the job, I suggest giving the employee a gift card from a clothing retailer that sells clothing the company feels is appropriate to that workplace.

There is also no way for the employee to use the amount on the gift card for something unrelated to the workplace, as they are bound to that specific store, and stores do not give refunds in cash for purchases put on a gift card. Thus, the company is not giving the employee “free money” to use elsewhere, which can be a concern.

Even if the amount is small (around $100) it can still buy a few key items the employee may not be able to afford at that time. And, not having to spend a great deal of money to start an appropriate work wardrobe is something a new employee will be very grateful for.

Entry-Level Living: How to Exercise for Less

"Entry-Level Living: How to Exercise for Less", June 17 2009.

Everyone knows about the Freshman 15 before they start university, but no one seems to consider the more damaging Fourth-Year Fat Suit.

The first-year weight-gain is caused mostly by the high-calorie, low-nutrition foods in residence. Fourth-year students, however, are so busy they end up eating whatever convenience food is available because time does not allow for boiling water, let alone preparing balanced snacks and meals.

As a result, grads leave school a little bit more portly than when they entered four years before.

Common sense dictates they should buy a gym membership and their weight problems will be solved in a few months with considerable effort and discipline. However, due to student loans, consumer debt and being either unemployed or underemployed, many new grads cannot afford to purchase a gym membership.

Luckily, there are plenty of creative ways to get some exercise that will help you get rid of that excess weight and won’t cost you much (or anything)!

Walk or bike where you want to go instead of driving

Even if you don’t live in a major city where everything you need is right outside your door, chances are the nearest grocery store, drug store, coffee shop, etc. is only a few kilometres from your house. If you’re just running out to grab a few items and you have the time, grab your cloth bags and take a walk or jump on your bike instead of taking your car for such a short distance.

Running/Jogging

All you need is a supportive pair of shoes and somewhere safe to run. To cut down on the impact on your joints, run on soft surfaces such as grass. Better yet, do some cross-country running in parks and conservation areas to add hills to the mix and make the workout more difficult and effective.

Lift it, eat it, then lift it again

Cans (vegetables, soup, etc.) can be used as small hand weights and gallon-sized jugs (like those you use for milk), once emptied and refilled with either sand or water, can be used as heavier weights.

Take the stairs

I played three years of varsity soccer in high school and part of our pre-season training included running up and down stairs for 20-40 minutes. It was a great cardio workout, especially when sprints were added to the mix. Cardiovascular workouts help with heart health and burn large amounts of calories.

Go on a Hike

Many conservation areas and provincial and federal parks have trails that vary in elevation and terrain. Even if you are slowly walking (and maybe snapping a few pics along the way to post on Facebook) you can still get a decent workout. Wear a backpack and carry heavy things (like your homemade weights, or bottles of water and picnic lunch) to make your body burn extra calories.

Jump rope

Skipping is another great (cheap) cardio workout. You can purchase a synthetic jump rope from a store for a couple of dollars, or you could always use some stiff rope from your garage.

Have sex on a regular basis

Yup, you read that correctly. I think it’s pretty straight-forward, so I’m not going to get into the mechanics of it all. But make sure you use protection, otherwise you’ll end up with another kind of weight-gain…one that hangs around for the next 18 years or so (or longer if our generation is any indication).

Three Ways to Attract Gen-Y at a Career Fair

"Three Ways to Attract Gen-Y at a Career Fair", June 17 2009.

There is a major discord between current students and most employers in trying to gain prospective employees. Quite simply, many companies do not know how to effectively market themselves for entry-level employees. The tactics that were successful 10 years ago no longer apply because Gen Y has been raised differently than previous generations.

We want to experience you, not just read about you

We are a multimedia generation. I have been using the Internet for approximately 40% of my life and, for younger members of Gen Y, this number is 50% or higher. Television and advertising have also been huge components in our lives. We have been raised to respond to different stimuli than earlier generations: simple pamphlets or signs will no longer pique our attention.

Videos or a short slideshow on an LCD screen will make most of us stop and pay attention because they’re creative and dynamic. These media also more effective when the characters look like us, talk like us, act like us and are presumably very close to us in age. We do not want to be hired into a workplace where no one can relate to us, and if the first view of the company we get is someone the same age as our parents, we may not be as inclined to reply.

We have no idea why you’re the best, so tell us … in detail!

We were raised to accept nothing but the best for ourselves and we want to know why you are the best. No, not how well your sales did last quarter, things we actually care about as job hunters.

For example, what kind of health benefits does your company offer? What does the company do for staff gatherings: potluck lunches in a meeting room (boring, old fashioned … need I go on?), or after-hours trips completely unrelated to work (sporting or charity events, etc)? How much vacation time do entry-level employees receive? What steps has the company made to be more eco-friendly and socially responsible?

For Gen Y, the brand that goes with the position you’re hiring for will entice us to apply for the job. If we think your company really values your employees or the same things we care about, we’ll be more interested in working for you.

Your current “free gift” is probably boring

Many of us have received promotional materials during university/college fairs, frosh weeks, festivals and career fairs. These items, called SWAG (Stuff We All Get), are a way to make your company more memorable after coming in contact with so many.

For the most part, these items are limited to pens, highlighters, lanyards and magnets. Although they serve a purpose (who can’t use a pen?), they’re never examined in great detail once we get home because we probably received multiples of the same dull item.

This gives us the impression that your company is boring, uncreative and resolved to remain unchanged. Gen Yers want to work somewhere more progressive. There are literally thousands of other options you could consider for promotional materials instead.

We want something that we can use, but also something different from the norm. More interesting suggestions include Frisbees, reusable shopping bags, fortune cookies, miniature flashlights, recycled products, USB keys and stainless steel water bottles. When we check out these items again when we get home, we are going to remember who gave them to us and what they said about their company.

Bonus points if the item cleverly refers to your company name, product/service or an initiative you’re undertaking!