Photo taken by Jonathan C Wong. Edited by Kris Iringan

Still want to follow Kris and read what she has to say? Follow her at hiiikris.wordpress.com! It’s blurbs for recent grads by a recent grad and other career-related advice… as she discovers it herself. haha it’ll be an exciting journey, I promise! Plus, she doesn’t want to lose her faithful “fans” (hiii mom and dad!)  and wants to know what you think of her musings!

Warm regards,
Kris

PS – Yes, that was taken of me at graduation. I was uberly excited, okay!?

Image source: Flickr

Dear Students,

For those of you who are finished with finals: Welcome to summer!

For those of you who still have finals (like me) – good luck!

For those of you who are graduating this weekend (like me) – congratulations! You’ve spent the past four, five, or even six years studying hard (or hardly studying?) to attain your Bachelor’s degree, and that day is finally here!

Lastly, thank you. Since I’m graduating, this should/will be my last post [insert sad face]. I’ve loved blogging for you since November 2008, and my only regret is that I did not have enough time to put in all the awesome ideas I had for this blog. Again, thank you so very much to Deanna Chavis and Ken Barnes at the ICC who really encouraged me to put my creativity and skills to work.

My last tidbit of advice/shameless plug is to constantly check out what the ICC has to offer! We may be going through budget cuts, and the staff member you just saw may be transferring to another department, but we’re trying our hardest to serve your needs (just like all the other departments on campus, given the budgetary restraints). Search through Aggie Job Link, get your resume checked out, and build up those transferable skills! The real world can be scary, but I fully believe that you will do well : )

Warmest regards,
Kris Iringan <3

ps – If you’re at the 2pm CAES ceremony on Sunday, I’ll be walking with my Textiles & Clothing loves. We’re NOT the last class to graduate – there are more to come!

Who: Current seniors, recent graduates and alum who would love some job search help
When: June 16-17
Where: 114 South Hall

Know Yourself/Promote Yourself:Gain insight on what skills you have to better sell yourself on paper and in an interview.
Wednesday, June 16th, 11 am

Resumes & Cover Letters: Create the best resume and cover letter to help you land the interview!
Wednesday, June 16th, 12 pm

#1 Job Search Secret: Learn the #1 way employers say they find new hires.
Wednesday, June 16th, 1 pm

Resume Review: Meet with a Coordinator for feedback on your resume
Wednesday, June 16th, 2pm-3:30pm

Interviewing & Negotiating: Polish your interviewing skills and learn how to successfully negotiate.
Thursday, June 17th, 11 am

Conquer Job Search Stress: Job searching in this economy is stressful; but you can learn strategies to avoid common stresses and how to cope.
Thursday, June 17th, 12 pm

Online Job Search: Get your resume ready to go online! Use our tips and tricks to be an online job search success.
Thursday, June 17th, 1 pm

Where the Jobs Are!: Learn about the 270,00 jobs that need to be filled in federal government!
Thursday, June 16th, 2 pm

For more information & a detailed schedule, go to: http://iccweb.ucdavis.edu/students/hireme.htm

Join Professor Andrew Hargadon, Director of UCD Center for Entrepreneurship, for a lecture on how to think like an entrepreneur as you prepare for your career. See attached flier for more information.
RSVP>> (not required)

Brought to you by: the UC Davis International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experiences (IAESTE), American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, UC Davis Biomedical Engineering Society, and Food Tech Club.

Dear Students,

Can you believe it’s already Week 6?! Eep, that means only four full weeks left of my undergraduate. Some of you may be freaking out about finding that internships or job,  or where to even start. Don’t fret, for the ICC has your back as always. Check out our Interview Basics tomorrow at 3:30pm in 114 South Hall. It’ll be way more informative than just reading those interview questions on page 45 of the Career Resource Manual, or talking to yourself in front of a mirror.

Warm regards,
Kris

ps – Happy Cinco de Mayo!

The Spring Internship & Career Fair is finally here! Be ready to meet hundreds of employers who are there to meet you. Companies such as Apple, the Drug Enforcement Agency, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, MassMutual Financial Group, San Francisco Police Department, and VMWare, Inc. will be there. As always, see the complete list of companies here and do your research before hand! If you’re a little nervous and not sure what to do, you can always come to our “Prepare for the Fair” event on Tuesday, April 20 from 3-4pm in 114 South Hall.

Warm regards,
Kris

PS – Hope everyone had a fun (and safe) Picnic Day!

My time as a Liberal Arts & Business (LA&B) Student Advisor went by too fast, but even if I’m not technically employed by the ICC, I am blessed with this opportunity to explore everything they have to offer (this from an undergraduate who is continually looking for more work experience, of course). I may not be advising students on a one-to-one basis anymore, but nonetheless, I’d like to share some insight from my time last year:

Student Advisors need their resumes and cover letters checked over, too.
Before you question my credibility, let me speak: preparing a resume and cover letter takes a lot of work. And as with any written document you’ve been working on (such as another resume, research paper, or essay), whose eyes have seen it for the past few hours? You. The writer may understand it, but another reader and the rest of the world may not.

So after working on your resume & cover letter for the past hour or two (yes, it does take that long or even more to produce a quality document), you’ll need a fresh set of eyes – that’s what a Student Advisor or Program Coordinator is for Sometimes when we’re the ones in search of constructive criticism, we go to professors, coordinators, and even each other! However, when I am unable to seek another’s advice, I rely on my ICC training and look at my own through the eyes of an employer; after thoroughly reading the job description, I know what the hiring manager is looking for, and that has helped me immensely.

Scared of going to career fairs? ME TOO!
If you’ve ever sought my advice on what to do at a career fair, I’ve told you what to expect, how to prepare and suggestions for attire. When I’m there and try to take my own advice, I freeze up. I have attended the career fairs on campus since my freshmen year, and you’d think that by my fourth year, I would have gotten used to them. I’m dressed professionally, have multiple copies of my resume, and know what I’m about to say, but there’s just something about 100+ employers and 500+ students swarming around the Pavilion that makes me nervous.

The Career Resource Manual is amazing, to say the least.
Every year, the ICC prints hundreds of these manuals, and I wish more students knew about this invaluable resource! If you didn’t read my corny blog post, let me summarize it for you here: the Career Resource Manual has almost everything you need to know for trying to find an internship or job. Don’t know how to start a resume and need a visual? Page 19. Need an example for a cover letter? Page 34. Have a job interview and want to know what questions they might ask? Page 45.

And if my love of this manual/dorkiness still isn’t that apparent, I just don’t know what else to tell you.

Be conscious of disclosing information that might hurt you in the job process.
Applying for jobs and talking to managers and supervisors can be a bit intimidating. However, the minute you meet someone on “your level (such as position or age)”, don’t get so “chummy” to the point that you’re disclosing information that could weigh against you. For example, some advisors assist with the hiring process of the following year’s student advisors. For my team, we reviewed resumes and applications, and even assisted with interviewing. One student emailed me and disclosed that “I have an old recommendation letter [that was obviously meant for another program]; can I use that for the application?”

Sorry, you can’t “reuse” recommendation letters, and it makes it a little worse that you told me so bluntly. Unfortunately, that student did not realize that my input mattered on the selection process.

That’s why it is incredibly important to monitor what you disclose. Same with what you put up online (hint: Facebook. If you’re not getting hired, it could be because when an employer googles your name, they see your Facebook profile picture of your “epic” kegstand)!
It’s basic social psychology – in order to forget something, your mind has to keep reminding itself of what it is, so in essence, you’re not forgetting it at all (I guess I did learn something in PSC151! Thank you, Professor Sherman).

Employers try to be as objective as possible, but disclosing certain information just sticks out in their minds and may ultimately hurt you.

Forget your major (for a second)
Vanessa Webster, Ariela Iringan, Suzanne Grey. These UC Davis alum are successful individuals who are actually working in fields completely different from their major! Webster, a Comparative Literature major, values the analytical skills she developed during her undergraduate and uses that toward her role as CEO of a high-end clothing line. Iringan is one of the many Psychology majors who works in business; she is currently an HR capitol consulting manager with Deloitte & Touche who handles mergers and acquisitions. Grey, an International Relations major, loved what she learned during college, but has a newfound passion of the medical industry; she is President of a successful medical manufacturer, MedDev Corporation.

You’ve heard this information before (as stated by Nohemy Chavez) and you’ll hear it again: Don’t stress, and forget about your major (for just a second).

If you’re trying to figure out what to do after college or looking for an entry-level position, don’t freak out. During the very first few days of training, I learned that approximately 80% of college grads work in a field unrelated to their major. Your first job out of college may not be what you ultimately want to do (also called an “interim” or “temporary” job), but that’s okay! You’re just building up those transferrable skills and figuring out what you do and don’t want to do. There is no certain mapped-out road to success, and your major shouldn’t dictate or restrict what you’ll do in the real world.

It is okay if you are doing something (seemingly) unrelated to your major; everyone else is doing it! And anyone who thinks otherwise should come into the ICC and talk with us. Now, if you’re in engineering or pre-med, that’s a bit different…

Working for the ICC? Best decision ever.
When I applied for this job, I was just looking for a part-time on-campus position that would help me earn some money. I was intimidated by the job requirements and the interviewing process, but I took a chance anyway. I would’ve never thought I would learn so much more than just interpersonal skills; I met an amazing team of people and have extensively built up my network and work experience. I have never worked at a place that has encouraged me so much to grow and excel, and even if this economy is in a slump, I feel prepared to find a job in part to everything I learned at the ICC.

This is one of those jobs that makes me want to come in early, work late, or even dedicate my weekend to it.

I hope these tidbits of my experience last year have given you insight into your future and a peace of mind.

Warm regards,
Kris

Welcome to the first day of Spring Quarter : D New beginnings, warm weather, and the rec pool will be open – what could be better!? Don’t forget to check out what the ICC has in store for you in the upcoming months (don’t worry, I updated the link to the right with Spring 2010′s Program of Events)

- Tuesday, 4/6 @ 1pm in 234 South Hall: Resumakeover
- Thursday, 4/22 @ 10am-2pm at the Pavilion: Spring Internship & Career Fair
- Tuesday, 5/18 @ 12pm in 114 South Hall: Interviewing Skills

…and so much more!

South Hall may not be the Rec Pool, but we will advise you in an air-conditioned building.

Warm regards,
Kris

Today was the last day of instruction before finals, yet I still had a presentation, fat paper, and midterm. And now finals!? Sometimes, I feel like this:

Image source: http://www.the-lawn.net/wordpress/comics/2008-12-05-095_2008-12-05_Final-Exam.jpg

Hopefully you don’t feel the same! Good luck!!

Warm regards,
Kris

PS – What are you doing for Spring Break? For the first time ever, I’m going to NYC with the Textiles & Clothing department!! We’ll be hitting up 13-14 different companies for networking purposes and potential internship & job opportunities in the future. We’ve been planning this since August 2009, and it’s finally here! On our itinerary are companies like Pantone (the color company!) and Banana Republic (and of course dining, shopping, and a broadway show or two), but we’re still trying to confirm if we can hit up Victoria’s Secret. Don’t you wish you were a Textiles & Clothing major??

The sun is finally coming out, and what else could put you in a good mood (However, I am NOT liking the fact that everyone around is me sick. Consequently, I am chilling at home right now trying to get better)? Well, I’d like to send some good news and optimism your way…

Image source: http://www.umich.edu/~umnrotc/linkedin.jpg

I was procrastinating from studying one day (Don’t act you don’t do it either.), and decided to give my LinkedIn account some much-needed attention. For those of you who don’t know, LinkedIn is the professional version of FaceBook. It may not seem as “fun” as Facebook (if your idea of fun is “liking” people’s statuses and commenting on relationship changes), but it’s a great way to keep in touch with friends and colleagues on a professional level. Plus, I’m a big fan of giving and receiving recommendations on the quality of someone’s work.

Anyway! Back to my story… I was searching around and suddenly remembered Trisha Pedley, my very first Student Spotlight. As someone who came into the ICC a lot, I chose her for the project because I was impressed with her work experience and involvement within the Greek community. She came into the ICC last Spring, and seemed disheartened by the lack of job openings as well as the state of the economy; she was contemplating grad school at that point.

When I found her on LinkedIn, I discovered that she has been employed with HP… since July 2009! I messaged her and congratulated her on finding a job so soon after graduation. She replied and said will be at the upcoming Career Fair “but on the other side this time… Funny how things change in a year : )”

Congrats again to Trisha!! If she can do it, YOU CAN TOO : D

Warm regards,
Kris