Author: geyganjm

Advice from a Graduating Senior

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By: Grace Hoffmann

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With less than 12 days left until graduation, (if you didn’t read the poem by Dr. Shriver, it’s a MUST, especially if you’re a senior) I’m getting a little sentimental about my time here at Miami University and being a student in the Farmer School of Business. Although four years seemed daunting freshman year, it has flown by so so quickly.

To all the freshman and underclassman out there, here’s a bit of advice from a senior who has loved her time here and couldn’t have had a better experience:

1.Get Involved and Seek Out An Opportunity If You’re Interested In It

Go to Miami MAP events, join organizations, and take on leadership roles. Try new things and get involved; there are so many organizations here on campus! I joined a business fraternity my freshman year and it has MADE my Miami experience what it is today. I found my best friends and really grew as a person. Meet the B-orgs was my ticket to finding my place here on campus becoming more involved. I encourage everyone to find a club you love and get involved!

2.Make Meaningful Connections and Follow Through

Whether it be friends, professors, or faculty, reach out and take the time to meet and  get to know these wonderful people. I gained amazing mentors through asking questions and staying in touch. Professors here want to get to know their students and you’ll quickly find out, it’s pretty cool to get to know them too. I still say hello to my favorite freshman year marketing professor in the halls and another favorite professor from the Adweek trip I went on, we catch up regularly. I also have always felt at home in Farmer due to two amazing bosses in FSB Careers. Not only have they helped guide me and encouraged me to find what I am passionate about and the perfect job to fit it, but they have also been great mentors and people to talk life with. Talking and meeting with people in FSB has allowed me to network with even more people and to always have a friendly face to say hi to on campus.

3.Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, A Rejection Opens the Door to a New Opportunity

It’s challenging to get a rejection from a club, internship, or full-time offer. But, it happens! Do not wallow. Take it as a sign and keep moving forward. Everything happens for a reason and the next opportunity is right around the corner. Had I not had my fair share of no’s – I surely wouldn’t be leaving Miami with a job that I was truly passionate about and that fit better with my skills and passions.

4.Find Your Passion and Own It

Love what you do and do what you love. If this means adding a minor that you’re interested in but don’t know what you want to do with it – ADD IT. I added an Interactive Media Studies minor and my love for graphic design has skyrocketed. It became my creative outlet and my passion project.

5.Don’t Take These 4 Years for Granted – It Goes By Way Too Fast

When you’re a freshman the seniors will say to you something along the lines of, “Have fun, don’t blink. I was a freshman just yesterday.” I feel these sentiments completely. I came to Miami without any idea of how much an impact that the people and this little town would have on me.

My experience at Farmer and at Miami has been amazing. I have learned so much and gained friends and mentors that will last a lifetime. Oxford became my home and the people I met became my family. I can not wait to be a proud alum of the best school out there. Love and Honor.

Making the Most of Your Summer Without an Internship

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A lot of Farmer students complete an internship over the summer, and sometimes it can be hard to think of other opportunities to take advantage of. However, there are a lot of other things you can do to still make the most of these months if you don’t have an internship! Below is a list of some summer ideas.

 

  • Study Abroad: The summer is a great time to complete a study abroad experience! Over 60% of FSB students study abroad during their time at Miami, and the summer is a good time to do this if you don’t think you have time to during the school year, or you don’t want to leave campus during the semester. Farmer offers study abroad opportunities through their Global Studies office, and Miami offers study abroad experiences through the Global Initiatives office. Schedule an appointment with an advisor to discuss if this is a good option for you!

 

 

 

  • Job in Hometown: Did you ever have a job during high school? Call one of your old employers and see if they need help this summer! Or apply for a new job at a company you are interested in. You will make money to spend during the school year, and any type of work experience looks good on a resume. You can also use this experience in future interviews.

 

 

 

  • Take Summer Classes: Summer can also be a good time to get ahead on classes. You can take classes through Miami, or through another college as long as the credits are transferable. If you are behind on credits, or simply know of some other classes you want to take, check bannerweb and see if they are available! If you are considering double majoring, this can be a good time to get core requirements out of the way.

 

 

 

  • Informational Interview or Job Shadow: take this time to complete informational interviews and job shadows! An informational interview can help you learn what type of industries and job opportunities you are interested in. Job Shadows allow you to see a job in action. It can also set you up with opportunities for future summer opportunities, and expand your network!

 

  • Leadership Programs: A lot of different firms will host summer leadership programs for students at their headquarters! These are generally 2-3 day long programs, that focus on developing leadership skills and teaching students about the company. Some of these programs even include an interview process at the end where you can secure a summer internship for the next summer! A great way to find out about these is to talk to employers in the commons, attend information sessions, and search them on Handshake!

Staying Connected on Handshake and LinkedIn

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By: Grace Hoffmann

 

Handshake and LinkedIn are amazing career networks for all professionals. Handshake allows students to get connected with employers on an easy-to-use platform. It also lets students learn more about Career Fair and what companies will be attending. LinkedIn helps create a professional network and to stay connected with companies and current trends within industries.

Even if you have an internship or a full-time job, it is extremely important to keep these two platforms up-to-date and active.

 

Update Jobs, Activities, Extracurriculars  

On both Handshake and LinkedIn, it is vital to continue to update your work experience and other experiences as you begin new jobs or join new organizations. This will allow recruiters and co workers to see your updated info and who you are currently working for. While you update these platforms, always remember to keep an up-to-date edition of your resume on hand. You never know when someone may ask for your resume!

 

Follow Hashtags, Read Latest Posts, and Trends

On LinkedIn, stay updated with the latest news in every industry! Be informed on what is going on within certain industries, among different groups of people and locations, and overall key words. LinkedIn is also a great way to stay connected and updated on what is happening at the company you are working for! Reading and sharing company articles will show your support and investment!

 

Be an Active Alumni

Connect! If students from your University reach out to you, take the time to talk with them and answer their questions about industry, company, or position. There is great camaraderie among alumni and current students! Be an active part of someone’s job and career exploration – you’ll teach them a lot and they may even teach you something too.

Networking With Professors

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How to Network with Faculty

One of the greatest resources available to students in the Farmer School of Business is the faculty. They can help you with your classwork, but they can also help you with life after college. The faculty of FSB have a huge amount of connections and knowledge in different industries, and they always love to help students out and give advice. Below is a list of tips to help you develop connections with your professors!

 

  • Start with an informational interview about their career, or ask for help outside of class. Go to office hours and talk to them in class or make appointments to see them if they aren’t your professor. This is a great time to tell them what you are interested in and see what advice they have for you.

 

  • Treat them as a professional. It is important to remember that they have years of experience and connections, and not to approach them as you would a friend you’re passing by on the street. Use professional formats when emailing and communicating with them, and talk to them with respect.

 

  • Ask your professors how best to utilize what you learned in class in an interview. For example, if you are taking a sales class, you could ask to do a mock interview with them in sales.

 

  • Keep in touch with past professors. You can do this by dropping by their offices, or scheduling a time to meet. Past professors can be a great resource, and they already know what your strengths and weaknesses are.

 

  • Do not assume they will help you. Be gracious for any advice they give you. The faculty is not there to find you a job, but is there to guide you towards success.

 

  • If a faculty member reaches out to someone for you, ALWAYS respond. Follow their lead with where the conversation is going, whether they are giving you advice on how to enter the industry or offering you an opportunity to do so where they work.

FSB Career Development Benchmarks by Year

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The Farmer School of Business is a very busy place, which can make it hard for a student to keep track of what they should have done by when. This can be pretty difficult, and can bring a student an overwhelming feeling that they are falling behind other students. Below is a general checklist of what you should have done by the end of each year to stay up to date with your career plan!

 

Freshman Year

At the end of your Freshman year in farmer, most of what you need to have done is accomplished either in the First Year Integrated Core (FYIC), or in BUS 106. You will…

  • Attend a Basic Interviewing Skills Workshop, either online or in-person
  • Attend Fall or Spring Career Fair. This is a great time to get experience talking to employers in a low pressure environment.
  • Create a LinkedIn account and a Handshake account
  • Develop your resume – get these reviewed by the FSB Careers Office in FSB1022!

 

These are the most basic steps Freshman will take to start their professional careers, but there is more to be done outside of class, such as…

  • Conducting an informational interview about a position or industry you’re interested in
  • Enroll in BUS 206 or another Career Exploration for next year
  • Join at least two student organizations – preferably one business org and one external club.

 

Sophomore Year

During your sophomore year, you may want to…

  • attend Fall and Spring Career Fair!
  • Completing a mock interview
  • Job shadow at least one position you’re interested in
  • Decide if you are planning on studying abroad or away during your time at Miami
  • Increase your involvement in student organizations
  • Meet with an FSB Career advisor to start considering career paths
  • Meet with your academic advisor to solidify a plan to complete your majors and minors

 

Junior Year

During junior year, you should

  • Build your network and personal brand, by paying specific attention to what you unique and what you love to do
  • Run for a leadership position or committee chair in a student organization
  • Solidify your references for future opportunities – consider past and present employers
  • Create a cover letter
  • Connect with others on LinkedIn
  • Most importantly, secure an internship for the summer. You can do this during Fall or Spring Career Fair, through a personal network, or via Handshake.

 

Senior Year

Senior year can be very stressful, but also a good time to try and enjoy farmer and spread what you have learned and loved!

  • Give back to FSB by becoming an FSB ambassador or mentoring younger students
  • Stay involved in your student organizations
  • Secure a full-time position!

 

These are all important steps to take in your career journey, but don’t worry if you haven’t done some of the things it says you should have done! These are just guidelines, not requirements. If you are a bit behind, it most likely is not too late to catch up. However, if you want to talk about anything listed above or feel you need any help, please contact Victoria Morell or Monique Frost in the FSB Career Services Office!

How Do I Know if My Job Offer is Good?

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With post career fair in full swing, it is now the season of offers. If you have received an offer for an internship or full-time position – congratulations! Accepting a position is an exciting time, and there are a couple of points to keep in mind when evaluating a job offer.

 

  1. Salary : It’s always a good idea to do some extra research to see what the average salary is for candidates in a similar situation as yourself. Websites such as Glassdoor can give some estimates of salary. Do some research on the median salaries for your major, experience, geographic location, and industry.
  2. Position : Although you might have a good idea of what the job entails, it’s great to schedule some phone calls with current employees in the position to ask questions about their day to day activities. Perhaps they give you insight on something you didn’t during the interview process.
  3. Manager : Much like setting up phone calls with the employees of your position, speaking to the manager you would report to is an important task, as well. You can ask honest questions about how they lead and figure out if you would respond well to that management. New graduates should have managers excited to fuel the new hires’ career path.
  4. Location : Once you find out what office you’d be located in, be sure to do research on average rent, utilities, and expenditure costs. If you have a specific hobby, lookup if the city offers activities toward your interest.
  5. Benefits :  Based on your own values and preferences, it’s extremely important to be well-versed with the companies benefits. What is the leave? Are stock options available? What insurance is offered? Is there tuition reimbursement? By learning about the specific benefits, you can begin to analyze the pros and cons of your offers and understand which culture might best suit your style.
  6. Mobility : If you are interested in potentially exploring other positions or moving upward in the company, make sure to do research on the ability to explore other careers or promotions within the company. If longevity is highly regarded, it might be best to consider another company if you wanted great experience in your first few years.

By taking the time to research some large factors about the company, you can begin to narrow in on the pros and cons of the company. You will have a greater sense of the culture and your fit, and you can feel if your values align with their goal.

How to Make Meaningful Connections with Alumni

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As an FSB student, professors and visiting employers have probably stressed to you the importance of using LinkedIn. This site can be a great way to make and keep connections with colleagues and mentors you’ve met in the past. One great way LinkedIn can help you is by giving you a way to talk with and learn from Miami Alumni who can give you insights into careers similar to ones you are pursuing. Connecting with fellow students on linkedin is great, but connecting with alumni and those with real industry experience could help you get the most out of your linkedin account.

 

Connecting with Miami Alumni can be great for many different reasons. Alumni have been through the recruiting process, and probably know about their own companies hiring practice. This is a great way to learn about companies you might want to work for someday, and also to get your name out there. You can also ask about things like the work-life balance, company culture, or what it’s like working in a particular city. The alumni tool can help you track peoples career trajectories and figure out how they got there.

 

Finding Alumni on LinkedIn might seem like a difficult task, but using the Alumni Tool can make it extremely easy to do. The alumni took will connect you to any Miami University graduates who have an account on linkedin. You can filter results through location, job title, keywords, and company names. It will also give you current news regarding notable alumni and how they are impacting the business world and community as a whole.

 

Once connected with an alumni you are interested in learning from, send them a message! Include your name and why you are connecting with them, and ask if they would have a couple minutes for a phone call or a video chat. Miami alumni are typically extremely willing to help current students, and if you take the time to message one of them they are likely to be excited to respond and help you!

 

For more tips on how to use the alumni tool, visit https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-linkedin-alumni-tool-2017-1

 

Everything You Need to Know About Having a Career Guide

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By: Grace Hoffmann

 

As we go through college, and continue on into the professional work world, we are faced with many obstacles and challenges! Have you ever had questions that you know could be easily answered, but you’re just not quite sure who to ask? Are you interested in a certain sector of business but not positive you would be good working in it? In high school it was easy; a counselor answered questions or an older brother or sister. But now, who is your mentor? Who is helping guide you through life as you navigate your way into a career or full-time position? It’s time to find yourself a career guide!

 

What is a Career Guide?

Also known as a career mentor, a career guide is someone who helps you navigate your interests and your career. According to the BalanceCareers, “Mentoring consists of a long-term relationship focused on supporting the growth and development of the mentee. The mentor becomes a source of wisdom, teaching, and support, but not someone who observes and advises on specific actions or behavioral changes in daily work.” (The BalanceCareers).

 

A mentor or career guide is a great listener and advice giver! They want to know more about you and help you succeed in and out of the business world. Career guides will suggest activities you should get involved with or additional certifications you may want to get. Through the knowledge in their own field and knowing many peers in others, career guides will be able to help answer your questions or discuss with you opportunities and options.

 

Where can you find one?

When you’re still in college, a career guide can be a professor you really connected with or a faculty member who has had experiences you’re interested in. Career guides could also be friends of your parents or adults who have worked jobs or had experiences that you are interested in! Career guides do not have to be formal. They just need to be people that are open to discussing their experiences with you and giving you good advice. Once you enter the workplace, it will be advantageous for you to find a career guide or mentor in your workplace too. They’ll help you learn more about the workplace, culture, ways to succeed, and many other important aspects of the job!

 

Additional Resources:

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/a-guide-to-understanding-the-role-of-a-mentor-2275318

https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-3-career-mentors-everyone-should-have

https://www.impactfactory.com/library/use-mentor-your-career-success

Don’t Accept that Offer Just Yet – Know Your Rights!

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Being an FSB Student can be extremely overwhelming when it comes to juggling academic success, student organizations, and career development. Thankfully, there are many resources students can take advantage of to help them navigate any struggles or confusion they may be having in any area.

 

  1. Academic Advising: Every Farmer student has an assigned advisor who is available in FSB 1022. These advisors can help students with things like planning a semester schedule, discussing graduation requirements, or answering questions about how study abroad can fit into a student’s academic plan. Advising appointments can be made at https://miamioh.campus.eab.com/. Drop-in advising is also available Monday-Friday from 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm where students with quick questions can meet with advisors on a first come first serve basis.

 

  1. Career Services: Career advising is available to help students plan for their future careers, and help them accomplish these goals. Students can utilize the career services, located in FSB 1022, to navigate job and internship searches and learn more about different industries and career paths. Career advising can also be used by students to develop their resumes, linked profiles, and handshake accounts. Students can make appointments on Handshake and view drop in hours here

 

  1. Business Organizations: Joining business orgs can help students develop professionally and learn important leadership and communication skills. Many employers also work directly with these organizations, giving involved students chances to develop business connections. The Farmer School of Business hosts 25 business organizations and 5 honor societies which can be viewed here. If you have any questions about what each organization does or how to join one, contact Michelle Thomas!

 

Post – career fair is here, and many students will begin receiving job and internship offers. With these busy times ahead, don’t forget about your recruitment rights and responsibilities!

 

For Full-Time and Internship offers during spring recruiting, the offer is to remain open until Feb 28 or three weeks after the student receives the offer, whichever is longer. Students are also prohibited from reneging offers, meaning that once they accept an offer they must withdrawal from the recruiting process for any other job position they are currently pursuing.You can view the specifics here.

If you have any questions about these policies, contact Monique Frost or Victoria Morell in the FSB Careers office in the 1022 suite!

A New Career Resource: Jamie McCall!

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FSB Careers would like to wish a warm welcome to Jamie McCall! Jamie is the new Assistant Director for Pathways to Business and Liaison to the Farmer School of Business in the Center for Career Exploration and Success. To learn more about her, we asked her a few questions about her current role and working in career exploration!

 

 

  • Tell us a little bit about yourself?

 

JAMIE: Prior to coming to Miami University, I spent a year at Ball State University on the employer relations team. The majority of my career has been in recruiting and human resources where I spent 16 years hiring in a variety of different industries and organizations to include banking, telecommunications, information technology, healthcare and corporate retail. While I’m originally from the Dayton area, my career journey has allowed me to live in 6 different states and to utilize my strengths to collaborate with all levels of an organization.

 

 

  • What does it mean to be a liason to FSB?

 

JAMIE: I support career advising functions in FSB as well as CAS specific to majors in Math, Stats, Econ and Strat Comm. Additionally, my role is aligned to “Pathways to Business”. Therefore, I can assist students who may not have a “business” related major, but have an interest in exploring a business related career field.  I generally hold office hours in FSB on Mondays and Thursdays from 2-5pm, as well as additional hours in the Center for Career Exploration and Success in Armstrong.

 

 

  • What is your best piece of career advice?

 

JAMIE: I can’t stress enough the importance of networking and follow-up. It is the relationship building piece of making intentional connections that can take your career to new heights. Follow your passion and maintain consistency with networking and follow-up throughout your career journey.

 

 

  • What is your favorite thing about Miami?

 

JAMIE: While I’m still getting to know the many facets about Miami, my favorite things are the beauty of the campus, and the students and staff that I get to interact with on a daily basis.

 

 

  • Anything else students should know about you?

 

JAMIE:  Fun fact- I spent 6 years in the Army National Guard as a Water Purification Specialist.

 

We are so excited to welcome her to the team! Once again, her office hours in FSB are as follows:

  • Mondays: 2:00-5:00pm
  • Thursdays: 2:00-5:00pm

Be sure to stop by FSB and say hello!