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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!

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.

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.

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

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!

What is Spring Career Fair?

Spring Career Fair, formerly known as Spring ICE, will be on Thursday, February 21^st. Employers from a variety of companies and industries will be coming to Miami offering full-time jobs and internships. Career fair is an amazing event that can open a lot of doors for your future, but it can also be very stressful. Some students may even wonder why they should go. In order to make the most of your time at career fair, you should know exactly why you are there and have a plan to accomplish these goals!

Why You Should Go

1. Practice

Freshman and sophomores often do know why they should go to career fairs because they’ve been told that many companies target their opportunities at juniors and seniors. But this is not a reason to avoid Spring Career Fair! Attending this event is a great chance to practice your elevator pitch and get firsthand experience talking with employers.

2. Networking

Spring Career Fair is also a great chance to get your name out to employers! You can give them your resume, take a business card, and create a connection. This will help whether you are currently looking for a position, or if you may want one in the future.

3. Job and Internship Opportunities

The most obvious reason to attend career fair is to secure a job or an internship. Some companies may also be looking for younger students to take part in leadership conferences or summer programs. Over 200 employers will all be in the same room, so take advantage of it!

What to Do When You Get There

No matter what you hope to accomplish by going to career fair, it is important to have a plan. With so many companies in the same room, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. A great strategy is to make a list of all the companies you want to speak to so that you don’t get distracted (all companies attending career fair can be found online). Try and go to the companies that interest you the most first, in case you run out of time. This will help you use your time wisely. You should also get a resume review before attending Career Fair, so you put your best foot forward when introducing yourself.

During our time in FSB, we hear about other students graduating and going into consulting. But what exactly is consulting? Consulting is defined as the practice of providing a third party with expertise on a matter in exchange for a fee. The service can involve either advisory or implementation services. There are many types of consulting, but in order to be successful in any of these fields you must have a few key traits.

Enjoy The Lifestyle

Depending on the type of life you want to live, consulting may or may not be right for you. Most consultants travel to different clients Monday through Thursday. This means spending a lot of time in airports and away from family and friends. While most of the time this sounds fun to a lot of people, it can become very tiresome and be hard on a family or relationships. To make sure consulting is right for you, you have to consider if this is a lifestyle you would want to have.

Communication

One of the most important skills a consultant utilizes daily is there communication skills. A vital part of the job is being able to make connections internally in the company and externally with clients. These relationships will propel your career in the right direction. It is also extremely important to be able to communicate and sell your thoughts and ideas.

Flexibility

With a career in consulting, each day is different. When you go into work, you may end up working one something completely different than you thought you would that day. It is important to have a flexible mindset and to be able to adapt and adjust to any situation as it is thrown at you.

Confidence

Having confidence in yourself and your findings is key in consulting. Because you are going to clients with solutions to their problems, sometimes they may feel as if you’re insulting their current systems of operation. That is why it is important to create a strong argument that you can back up, and be confident in your answer. This will help them understand that you are only there to help.

One of the many cool parts of consulting is that there are so many different kinds of consulting. Many common types of consulting for business majors are management consulting, marketing consulting, financial consulting, strategy consulting, risk and compliance consulting, sales consulting and more. This means that no matter what your major, there is probably a consulting career out there for you.

If you are interesting in a career in consulting, talk to a careers advisor! You can also apply online to Hankshake to top consulting firms like Deloitte, PwC, Accenture, and many more. Researching the profession and reaching out to the FSB Careers Office will help you decide if this is a career you want, and how to get started if it is.

By: Grace Hoffmann

So, your GPA is not as high as you would like it. If it’s below a 3.0 — you don’t even have it showing on your resume. With some companies having GPA cut offs, how is it possible for you to find a job you might be thinking? Well, there are many ways to make the process more doable!

Networking

It is extremely important to focus on networking when you have a low GPA. The more people you meet and stay in contact with, the better chance you have finding a job. It is important to show interest in who you network with and look beyond using them to find a job. The relationship you should have should be mutual— ask for career advice and show how capable you are.

• Continuous Networking – reach out on through LinkedIn or email, send updates throughout the year or greetings around the holidays! Our main point here is to show initiative and make them remember you and want to refer you to a position or company .

Campus Involvement & Leadership Roles

• Join organizations – Get involved! It is vital to join extracurricular organizations and do what you are passionate about. Be open to learning about new clubs and participating in events.  
• Get elected – Run for a leadership role within your organization; this shows that you strive to take initiative and can handle responsibility.
• Become a Teacher’s Assistant (TA) – Reach out to a professor of a class you did well in and discuss the opportunity of possibly being a Teacher’s assistant and aiding in the day-to-day tasks of the class.

Be Proactive

Before Career Fair or Spring Ice happens, there are many employer touch points going on throughout FSB the entire year.

• Lunch and Learns – Sign up for employee Lunch and Learns! Learn more about the company and position available while networking with employers.

• Employer Tables in the Commons – Don’t just walk past employers. Say hello to them and discuss what your major is, who you are, and what type of position you are looking for!

• Pre-Nights – Attend Career Fair Pre-Nights and and use them as a way to get to know even more people at the company you are looking into.

Work with Faculty

• Career Advisor – Schedule an appointment with an FSB Career advisor; discuss your options and get more advice on your path to finding a job or who would be a great fit for you to look into when going through the job search
• Professors – who better to ask for help than a teacher? Reach out to your professors and discuss the job search with them, they are very well connected throughout many fields and if they don’t have what you’re looking for, are more than happy to connect you to a fellow professor or faculty member who can help you.

By: Grace Hoffmann

As Spring Ice approaches at Miami University, students of all ages and grades are searching sites such as Handshake, LinkedIn, and Indeed in hopes of finding the perfect job or internship to kickstart their career. These job search platforms provide a great amount of information on the companies visiting the university and about job openings, but are they really the most efficient and effective ways to start the hiring process at a company?

The quick answer: NO. Although the platforms listed above are a great way to start your search, there are many more areas that candidates should be focusing on in order to streamline the hiring process.

1. Start networking early, and never stop

Aesop’s Fable of The Lion and the Mouse is a perfect example to show when discussing the importance of networking. Jim Fergle’s article discusses the fable and the moral of the story, “even the small and the weak may help those who are mightier than themselves” (Fergle). With the story, Fergle points out that there are many other points relevant to the business community and networking. One being, you need to “be ready to network anytime, anyplace and with anyone” (Fergle). It is very important to always be considerate of others and treat others with respect no matter their occupation or position in a company. You never know when you might need someone’s help or their network reach.

To learn more about networking and the extent of your network, take a look at the “Job Search Networking Evaluation”.

2. Get an employee referral

What is a referral? A referral is a recommendation from an employee or past employee at the company you are applying to. According to an article on U.S. News online, “when an employee refers someone, that candidate is hired about two-thirds of the time” (U.S. News). Referrals are an amazing way to connect with a company! Referrals speed up the hiring process and increase your chances of getting hired.  Over 75% of job seekers and those looking to hire candidates even ranked employee referrals in the category of “high to extremely high importance” (U.S. News). So that being said, research the company and use your contacts within the company to get hired!

With such a strong alumni pool, being a student at Miami University is the perfect reason to start your networking early and to get connected! Check out the LinkedIn Alumni Tool to see where past students are working and living.  Message or email them to learn more about their position or the company and get networking!  

References:

https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2015/10/07/7-things-you-should-know-about-employee-referrals

http://dreamjobcoaching.com/job-networking

http://www.worknetdupage.org/blog/2016/01/20/networking-important-job-search/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/networking-aesops-fable-lion-mouse-jim-fergle-cwdp/?trk=pulse_spock-articles

By: Marissa Humayun

What is EQ?

According to an article published by the Entrepreneur entitled “Why You Need Emotional Intelligence to Succeed in Business,” a study found that 70% of the time, people with average IQ scores outperformed those with the highest IQ scores.

What could possibly explain this phenomenon?

The answer: Emotional Intelligence.

Emotional Intelligence (or EQ) is the intangible part of us which affects the way that we behave, navigate social situations and make decisions. No two people are the same when it comes to emotional intelligence. To break down this concept, EQ is split into two competencies: personal competence (the way in which we control our own behavior) and social competence (understanding why others act the way that they do).

So how does this relate to business?

Given the opening statistic, the idea of basing a person’s success on IQ scores alone has been disrupted with this discovery of EQ. A quote from the Entrepreneur sums this up nicely.

“According to emotional intelligence, or EQ, success is strongly influenced by personal qualities such as perseverance, self-control and skill in getting along with others.”

A businessperson with high emotional intelligence is someone who is…

1. Self-aware – meaning you understand your own strengths and weaknesses (Check out the “Know Yourself” section on our website for more details on self-awareness!)
2. Constantly regulating themselves – controlling your emotions and tailoring your responses to your audience
3. Motivated– doing things for your own satisfaction, rather than the satisfaction of others or a title
4. Empathetic– practicing compassion/understanding for others
5. Personable – being a relatable person

Finally, how does this relate to college students preparing to enter the workforce?

Recruiters place a high value on EQ, but are you aware of how important EQ really is?

When it comes to relating soft skills to your college career, your EQ can come in handy, especially within collaboration efforts (i.e. group projects, case competitions etc.) and interviews. These are the perfect environments to begin growing your skills of self-awareness, self-regulating, and self-motivation. It is so important to be aware of yourself and your responses when collaborating with others, but also maintaining motivation to complete delegated tasks. As well, when collaborating with others and encountering an obstacle of diversity in thought, it is important to channel your empathy, and put yourself in another group member’s shoes to understand their point of view. Finally, when beginning to interview for internships/full-time opportunities, having an elevated EQ can prove useful in reading your interviewer’s personality/conversation style. Here, you can self-regulate/tailor your responses and maintain a personable attitude, in hopes of further proving your skills to the recruiter.

As you can see, emotional intelligence can be extremely useful in a variety of business situations. Make sure that as you go about your time in college, you do not forget to develop these important professional skills to have a great EQ now, and an even better EQ in your future workplace.