blogs.vault.com/ Tue, 12 March 2019 10:23:00 Tue, 12 March 2019 10:23:00 /blog/networking/small-talk-why-it-matters-and-how-to-do-it/#detailed_comment While networking is, at its heart, about forming genuine bonds with interesting people, meeting those people usually comes with having to make small talk. And though sometimes dismissed as frivolous, chit-chat is actually an extremely important social tool. It's how we feel one another out as potential friends and coworkers—so making it through these simple conversations is essential in growing our network and making meaningful connections. Which is exactly what can make it nerve-wracking. Check out this infographic from Onward —it details how to make small talk easy, even for the nervous (and a little sweaty) among us.     This infographic was created by Onward . /blog/networking/small-talk-why-it-matters-and-how-to-do-it/ /blog/networking/small-talk-why-it-matters-and-how-to-do-it/ Tue, 12 March 2019 10:23:00 Marcelo Barros /blog/networking/3-simple-networking-tips-for-international-students-that-generate-results/#detailed_comment On-campus recruiting at U.S. universities is typically slower this time of the year versus the fall. For international students in particular, opportunities to interview with firms that sponsor might be scarce between now and graduation. So what’s a student to do? The answer is smart outreach. And to do that, all you have to do is follow the below three steps, which will quickly increase your networking results and could uncover job leads your competition might not know about. 1. Look around you. Why email strangers and cold contacts on LinkedIn to ask for job search help when there might already be great help around? Schedule a meeting with a professor you know, regroup with someone from career services, or be brave and ask for a meeting with the dean of your school. Get in front of people who may already know you, like you, and have a connection with you. These individuals will be much more likely to help you secure a job offer. Remember, it's your responsibility as a job seeker to take initiative and ask for help. Be appropriately assertive (even though that’s a little hard to do at times for some international students) and try to secure meetings, preferably face-to-face. In general, most people will appreciate your drive and willingness to seek help. 2. Think impact. Folks you'll be meeting with will ask you to explain the types of projects or job opportunities that would best fit you. Focus your answers on the unique value you bring to firms. Often, international students will unconsciously focus on the gaps between their skills and experiences, particularly barriers in communication when English is not their first language. While it’s good to be aware of our weaknesses, it’s even more crucial to focus on what you do best. What makes you a top candidate for a specific internship or job? Give your audience a clear sense of what you want and the kind of impact you can have so they can best assist you. Generic answers won’t cut it. Be specific, but don’t sell yourself. Simply provide a picture of where you fit best so people can immediately say, “I think I know someone who could use someone like you on their team.” 3. Be results driven. Between now and the end of the school year, it’s realistic for driven international students to secure a minimum of two conversations a week with contacts who might be able to help them get hired. Create a habit: treat this exercise as a game, and don’t stop until you meet your goal. Don’t let finals or term papers stop you! With a little bit of practice, you’ll learn how much outreach effort is required for you to meet your weekly networking targets. Marcelo Barros is the founder of The International Advantage , a firm specialized in providing job search training for international students who seek U.S jobs. He is also the author of The International Advantage Get Noticed. Get Hired! Barros partners with universities to help their international students get noticed and hired and secure an H-1B visa. /blog/networking/3-simple-networking-tips-for-international-students-that-generate-results/ /blog/networking/3-simple-networking-tips-for-international-students-that-generate-results/ Fri, 22 February 2019 11:57:00 /blog/networking/networking-in-close-knit-industries/#detailed_comment Let me tell you a little story about small working communities: Two summers ago, I went to a panel where an editor named Katie was speaking. She brought some books that she’d worked on to hand out and I snagged a book that had been on my list for a few months, then read it a few weeks later. Come fall, I was in a class with a different editor named John who asked us to find authors who fit a specific theme for an upcoming project. I suggested the author of the book I’d gotten from Katie. Only to find out that John’s wife is the author’s agent, and that Katie would actually be coming to speak to the class the next week. This experience fed into my fear that publishing is run by, like, fifteen people. It’s not, of course, but there are a lot of industries with scenes like this—they have a handful of key players who all seem to run in the same circles. This social setup can make networking extra challenging—not unlike vying for a seat at the “popular” table in a movie high school’s cafeteria. So here are some tips on how to get in with a crowd that feels “invite only." Go to events… Show up to stuff—seriously, it does actually matter that you go to real events, with real people, and speak to them face-to-face. I once missed out on meeting the Meryl Streep because I was too lazy to go to a reading. If I’d gone out instead of staying home to play video games, maybe I’d be in the upcoming Little Women movie instead of Saoirse Ronan. Okay, probably not. But it just goes to show you the kind of stuff that you can miss out on if you don’t make an appearance at events you know you should be going to. You might miss a chance to head out to drinks with some important contacts or you may not hear the latest buzz around the biz. I’m not advocating FOMO paranoia, but missing industry events and social outings can be tantamount to missing career advancement opportunities. …or work at them Y’all, I have been to so many cool literary parties (they were lit—get it?). And I was at approximately 70 percent of them as volunteer labor. Whether I was checking people in, selling raffle tickets, pouring drinks, or, in one particularly fun stint, being a “dare judge” for a night of grown-up truth-or-dare, you know what I was also doing? Talking to people. Constantly. It wasn’t always a smooth process (writers and editors are, by and large, introverted—some of us spook easy around strangers), but it gave me something to reference whenever I’ve reached out to someone afterwards. One thing to remember, however, is to respect the boundaries that come with working at a party. You may end up having access to someone’s personal information. Do not—repeat, do not —take someone’s email, phone number, etc. off the sign-in sheet or other materials. Either get the person’s info straight from them or from a mutual acquaintance. Taking personal information without permission is weird and creepy, and no one will ask you to work their next shindig if they know you’re essentially stalking their guests in an attempt to network. Find a buddy It can be tough to connect with someone on a professional level—but not as tough as it is to connect with an entire group. Luckily, the group’s camaraderie can work to your advantage if you can find one person to bring you into the fold. Surely there’s one person in this group whom you click with—this is your go-to guy or gal, and they can introduce you around when you’re just starting to meet people. Hang around them at events (in a normal, non-clingy way—the first trick of networking is not to be weird, see above about stalking), and I guarantee that you’ll end up in conversation groups with people you might not have felt comfortable approaching otherwise. So buddy up, and use group mentality to your advantage. Follow up! It’s all well and good to meet a bunch of people at parties and panels. But there’s a huge divide between being able to name-drop someone (I’ve seen Mohsin Hamid and Ta-Nehisi Coates at discrete occasions, and I’m pretty sure I had none-too-discreet heart attacks) and actually forging a connection (I have never spoken to either Mr. Hamid or Mr. Coates—I got nervous, don’t judge me.). So make sure that when you talk to someone you’re interested in getting to know better, you ask for their contact info and follow up with them a few days later. If you were talking about your respective projects, shoot them an email and ask if they’d like to get together for coffee or drinks and chat more. Ask if they’re going to the next event—maybe you two can meet up for dinner beforehand. Whatever you think would be the best way to continue forging your relationship with this person, the first thing you have to do is reach out . Don’t be nervous—the worst thing they can say is that they’re too busy right now. Which means you’ll just have to reach out again after the next time you see them. The key to infiltrating close-knit groups within your industry is really the same as establishing yourself in any industry. You show up, you make a good impression, and you keep reaching out and making those connections. Sooner or later, people will take notice. Even the “popular table.” /blog/networking/networking-in-close-knit-industries/ /blog/networking/networking-in-close-knit-industries/ Mon, 07 January 2019 15:33:00 /blog/networking/10-tips-for-updating-your-online-portfolio/#detailed_comment There are plenty of reasons why an online portfolio might be exactly what you need to make a splash in the New Year. Perhaps you’re an architecture student showcasing a project to bolster your internship applications. You might be a writer looking to build your readership through blogs and writing samples, or maybe you’re a graphic designer highlighting successful freelance work to snag a promising new full-time position. Any creative professional or student entering a creative industry should have a website or online portfolio—a digital space where people can access samples of your work that speak to your talents and expertise. Here are 10 tips for updating your online portfolio. 1.)    Curate the best and most relevant examples of your work. Your portfolio is an opportunity to show off the breadth and sophistication of your skills. Choose the work you’re proud of: the pieces that have performed well, garnered positive reviews, or even won accolades. Most importantly, choose the work that speaks most to who you are. 2.)    Consider the purpose of your portfolio. What do you hope to accomplish through your online portfolio? Are you applying for a job or to a graduate program? Building your brand? Do you want to generate clients for your freelance endeavors? A portfolio may have more than one goal, but knowing the “why” will help you narrow your focus. 3.)    Know your audience. Once you identify the purpose of your portfolio, you can identify your target audience. Knowing who you want to see your portfolio allows you to tailor the design and content—whether it should be conservative and clean, or expressive and edgy. You may also consider multiple portfolios for different audiences—one for potential employers, and one for the people who follow your work on Instagram, for instance. 4.)    When updating your portfolio with a job in mind, tailor it to the job you’re applying to. This is where having multiple portfolios really comes in handy, but even if you only have one, you shouldn’t shy away from updating it frequently when you’re in the job market. If you know your portfolio can prove why you’re the right person for a specific job, then add the best examples of work that is directly relevant to the position. 5.)    Don’t be afraid to declutter your portfolio. It’s almost painful to choose between your favorite pieces of work, and when you’re proud of everything in your portfolio, it’s not easy to remove anything. But even the strongest portfolios can become overwhelming and unwieldy if they’re too cluttered. Not every piece of work is relevant to your portfolio’s purpose, and older work doesn’t reflect where you currently are as a professional. As you add to your portfolio, be judicious when considering what you can remove. 6.)    Let your projects speak for themselves… One of the most important lessons I learned as a writer is that it’s far better to “show” than to “tell”, and the same holds true for online portfolios. The quickest and most effective way to reach your audience is to engage them with compelling work that tells a story. Don’t try to over explain or bog your work down with details that detract from the power of your talent. Like a strong cover letter, your portfolio should be concise and straight to the point. 7.)    …but don’t be afraid to introduce them. With that said, it’s always helpful to provide some context when showcasing a previous project—just enough so your audience knows what they’re looking at. Clearly labeling your work with a title, and perhaps even the date and the project for which it was created can still be useful. If you designed an app for a client, say who the client was and what the app was intended for, but don’t go into the minutia of your entire client experience. 8.)    Spruce up your layout. If the layout of your portfolio is working for you, then there’s probably no reason to change things up. But if your portfolio feels a little stale, you might want to give its appearance an update. Keeping your purpose and audience in mind, choose a layout that does your work justice while also elevating your portfolio in new ways. Play with the format of gallery pages, the color scheme, and any other element you think could use a touch-up. Many online portfolio tools have entire libraries of templates that let you customize your users’ experience. 9.)    Explore different tools. There are so many tools out there that allow you to create custom online portfolios. Some may be better suited for certain professionals than others, but they each have their own strengths. If you’ve found your portfolio lacking in some features you want, look around to find which tool offers what you need. Click here for some examples of popular portfolio tools. 10.)  Research & Review. If you’re unsure of how you want your portfolio to look, there’s nothing wrong with researching the portfolios of other professionals in your field to see what’s working for them. You don’t want to model your portfolio exactly like another person’s, but it can be helpful to seek inspiration from the influencers you admire and the brands you follow. And of course, once you’ve created your portfolio, it’s important to review it for errors and ensure you’re presenting yourself in the best possible way. Consider asking a friend or trusted colleague to take a look as well. /blog/networking/10-tips-for-updating-your-online-portfolio/ /blog/networking/10-tips-for-updating-your-online-portfolio/ Tue, 18 December 2018 12:15:00 /blog/networking/do-i-need-a-website/#detailed_comment Websites are an incredible way to build a personal brand and take control of your online presence. It doesn’t bear repeating that the job market is becoming increasingly digitized. These days, one of the first things an employer does is search for you online. What they find can tell them a lot about you and potentially set you apart from the rest of the applicant pool. What do you want people to find when they search for you? A Vault contributor defined personal brand as “not so much what you say about yourself when you are in the room, rather, it is what others say about you when you are out of the room.” A website might be exactly what you need to give employers something to say about you. Who Needs a Website? There isn’t a definitive answer to that question. Generally speaking, everyone can benefit from a website, though some industries and interests lend themselves more easily to a website than others. Even if you don’t think having one is particularly necessary for your career, employers are still likely to Google you, and managing your online presence helps you own the information they find. Maintaining an updated LinkedIn profile that reflects your most current experience should be the bare minimum. Websites are especially useful for current students and recent graduates whose employment history is a little light, but who have had vibrant college experiences. A website is an excellent way to showcase the highlights of your academic career, from major projects to life-changing semesters spent abroad. If you’ll soon be applying for internships or entering the job market, the time to consider a website is now. Working professionals in certain industries use websites to establish their voice and share that voice with audiences—be they employers, customers, or fans. Some examples include: Artists, who may use their site as a portfolio to showcase and sell their work. Authors who hope to build a readership by sharing samples of their writing, blogging, and linking to the places where their work is available to purchase. Freelancers, who often use their sites to attract and retain customers. A freelancer might use a website to introduce themselves: who they are and what their experience and qualifications are. They can also provide examples of their work, the clients they’ve worked with, and detail their pricing and services. Copywriters, graphic designers, web developers, and marketing specialists are among some of the freelancers whose careers thrive from leveraging their sites. Entrepreneurs, architects, musicians, small business owners—your own site can apply to virtually any career you’re in or are considering. What Do I Include on My Site? The content on your site really depends on what you want to get out of it. What is the purpose of your website?  To establish that purpose, there are a few important things you need to ask yourself: Who is your audience? Why do you need a website? What is your brand? How do you want people to see you? Are you selling something? How can you sell it in the most effective way? What key points do you want people to take away from your site? If you specifically want to appeal to employers, your site should probably read more like a digital resume, listing your experience while elevating your resume beyond what the hiring manager’s already read. Perhaps this includes a portfolio, or maybe—particularly for students—it includes a sample of your thesis or academic research. If your focus is more on building a brand and widening your social network, the sky is essentially the limit. You might blog frequently or link to a feed of your social media posts. Maybe you want people to see you as an expert on a topic of your passion, or maybe you simply want to let your readers in on your day-to-day adventures. Remember: your site will likely show up when an employer searches for you. Your brand should be authentic and true to yourself, but use discretion with what you share. Hold your website to the same standards you might hold your social media presence when you’re searching for a job. Consider how inappropriate or extreme content reflects on you. If you find it necessary to post content that doesn’t adhere to professional decorum, you might consider creating a site that is not associated with your name or online identity. Here are some examples of things that are common to include on a website: A short bio to introduce yourself to your audience. A page that lists your professional experience or skills as a high-level overview. Alternatively, you can include a digital form of your resume that does not include sensitive information. A blog, where you write about the things that interest you. Students can use their blog to chronicle their academic or internship experiences, and working professionals can speak to the areas in which they want to be considered experts. A way for people to contact you. How Do I Make a Website? Let’s face it: unless we’re in the field, not all of us are particularly adept at web development. Many people are intimidated by the prospect of building a website—their mind wandering to vague thoughts of advanced code and complicated server hosting. Fortunately, there are numerous resources available to those of us who don’t know what any of those words mean. Services like Squarespace and WordPress offer simple website building solutions. The platform hosts your domain and your website, so you don’t have to worry about the backend technical issues. Simply choose the template for your site and customize the color scheme, font, and layout. You can add pages tailored to your specific needs, including blog posts, portfolio pages, image galleries, forms, e-commerce pages, and more. More advanced users have the ability, if they choose, to edit code and create a truly unique user experience. They also provide integration with social media, and analytics for page performance. When you sign up for these services, you typically choose a plan based on how you will use your site and the level of control you want over the technical aspects. Plans are priced at different levels depending on the features they offer, and it’s a good idea to evaluate both your needs and the features associated with each plan before choosing one. Blogger , Weebly , and Wix are just a few of the many services out there besides Squarespace and WordPress. If you don’t feel like you want to invest the time and effort into creating a website, about.me provides a simple solution. This platform lets you create a basic page where you can post a bio, images, and links to your social media accounts. The Pro version (priced at $8.00 per month) comes with additional features, like a customized domain and a portfolio section. /blog/networking/do-i-need-a-website/ /blog/networking/do-i-need-a-website/ Tue, 11 December 2018 16:15:00 /blog/networking/5-things-to-do-before-leaving-your-internship/#detailed_comment Winter semester’s almost over—I hope all you interns out there got some good experience, made connections, and had fun! Internships are wonderful experiences, and I’m sure you got to make the most of yours. But before you hop on your planes, trains, and automobiles to head for home (and home cooking), there are a few things you should make sure to do before your last day on the job. Make a list of all your projects Whether you were working on one big thing or you had irons in lots of fires, take a few minutes to write out all the projects you had a hand in while at your internship. You’ll need it for when you update your resume and, trust me, it’s so much easier to remember what you’re doing when you’re actually doing it rather than weeks (or months) later. Offer to send the list to your supervisors, particularly if you plan on using them as references in your future job hunt—it will help them to speak specifically to your duties and skills. I’m sure they’re well prepared to tell your future employers how great you are—but you can help them explain why. It can also explain where you left off on certain projects, which will be a big help for the intern who will pick it up after you. Add everyone on LinkedIn Just in case you didn’t do this at the start of your semester, snag as many connections online as you can. You’ll be able to keep up with how they and the company are doing, and you’ll stay on the individual person’s radar—this way, you can start eliminating the “out of sight, out of mind” component of networking from the get-go. Make plans Speaking of networking and keeping in touch, make plans with someone from your internship outside of the office. Good starts would be the people that you like the best, and people who are well-connected—the first because it’s nice to have friends and the second because networking is a key part of interning. Invite them out to coffee or for a drink (21+ interns only!)—on a specific day after you leave your internship, not just some time in general. Too often “let’s get coffee sometime” turns into never seeing that person again. It’s not anybody’s fault, it just happens—people get busy, life’s a highway, all that. So put something on the calendar with your favorite supervisor or one of your fellow interns and keep that connection alive. Check in with an exit interview Whether formal or informal, it’s a good idea to sit down with your supervisors to chat about the work you’ve done and the progress you’ve made. Find out what you excelled at, but also make sure to talk about your weaknesses. Part of interning is finding out what parts of your desired field you may need more knowledge about or practice in. Don’t forget to take notes so you can refer to any advice they give as you as you continue your job search (Not to mention—fingers crossed—if you get a job offer, you’ll be able to write down all the critical info.). Say thank you This one’s simple—tell your coworkers and supervisors how much this experience meant to you. Definitely reach out to everyone on your last day, but, to go the extra mile, drop a few handwritten thank-you notes on the desks of the people who really made your internship a semester to remember. It’s a classy move and one that the receiver will remember fondly—hopefully, come hiring time! /blog/networking/5-things-to-do-before-leaving-your-internship/ /blog/networking/5-things-to-do-before-leaving-your-internship/ Thu, 06 December 2018 11:18:00 /blog/networking/thanksgiving-survival-guide-how-to-talk-about-your-career-during-the-holidays/#detailed_comment Let’s all be real with ourselves: Thanksgiving is a tough holiday to get through, for reasons that are unique to every family. My family gathering, for example, is no Norman Rockwell painting. We’re a group of about 60 Irish/Italians from Jersey. In other words, it’s loud and kind of insane. There’s an annual Billy Joel sing-a-long, which is at least two hours long. There’s a Bloody Mary bar and “shotskis” off a Jersey Devils stick. The kids play Super Smash Bros. and things eventually take a Lord of the Flies -esque turn. I know, it sounds fun. But it’s also a lot . And even with all that going on, there’s no escaping my judgmental family members and their inevitable questions about my future: So, what are you doing these days? Are you still in school? Where are you working now? I field these questions approximately 60 times each holiday season (sometimes more, depending on how much the hockey stick’s gone up), so I’ve got a few tips to pass along to all you dreading the imminent prospect of holiday chit-chat. Below are some various employment phases and how to discuss them with your more critical family members. School Around the holidays, I’m always grateful when I’m a student. Why? Because when someone asks what you’re doing with your life, school is a “Get Out of Jail Free” card. Even if your work situation is a little tenuous, a simple, “I’m in school” will often allay the subject. Anything else you’re up to is gravy (Thanksgiving rimshot). That said, students don’t always get off scot-free. I know it’s not just my family where everyone’s got an opinion on what you’re studying. Even post-grad education isn’t foolproof in this regard. When I told an uncle I was pursuing my Master’s in writing, he asked, “Why would you waste money on something like that?” When this sort of thing happens, stick to your guns! It’s your job to take your studies seriously, despite anyone else’s (often unsolicited) opinion. Self-deprecation is a good disarming strategy, but you shouldn’t feel like you’re selling yourself short. Oscar Wilde was right when he said, “You can never be overdressed or overeducated”—that goes double for Thanksgiving. Work That You Love Why are you looking for advice on this? Go to Thanksgiving, gush about the amazing things you do, then go home and keep living your awesome life, bud. Work That You Don’t Love Working in a position that you can’t stand is tough, and we’ve all been there. It doesn’t meet our expectations, we feel unchallenged or put-upon, the pay is abysmal, etc. Sometimes it’s so bad we start Googling “How to Fake My Death and Live Off-Grid in the Adirondacks.” Or is that just me? Your best play here is camaraderie. Everybody has things they don’t like about work, even people with their dream job (or your dream job). Pick something you can kvetch about with your cousins—your awful commute, or something crazy a customer said. Misery loves company, and so long as you keep it light instead of maudlin, you might end up bonding with that relative you dreaded talking to. Part-Time Work/Freelancing Most of my working life has been spent in part-time jobs and side-hustling—while I sympathize with the life, other people might not. Part-time work can give the impression that you’re doing it because you couldn’t find anything else. But part-time work is often a choice—you need the cash, but you’re choosing to focus on something else (family, education, an art, etc.). There’s no shame in picking a lower-pressure job to focus on something important to you. If this is the case, shift the conversation to what you’ve chosen to focus on. Try, “I took a part-time administrative position so I can be home when the kids get off school,” or “I’m doing some freelance social media to stay limber, but I’m taking the year to finish my novel.” Make sure your conversation partner knows that your work schedule was something you picked, not born out of necessity or defect. Out of Work/Stop-Gap I don’t think anyone dreads family gatherings like someone who’s out of work. Whether you’ve been laid off, let go, or you haven’t gotten your career off the ground yet, telling someone “I’m between positions,” can be embarrassing. Having a stop-gap is a good step ( for a lot of reasons ), but it doesn’t make broaching the subject of work much easier. You might try the same tactic I offered part-timers—talk about something else you’re focusing on. You’re not working at the moment, but maybe you’ve gotten involved with the PTA or you’re volunteering at a shelter. Pick something that sounds productive, and talk about that instead. Your other option, if you feel comfortable doing so, is to network. That’s right—I’m bringing it home with networking . Thanksgiving can be a connect-a-palooza: all these people gathered in one place, where you can talk to them in-person instead of trying to get their attention on Facebook. Go ahead, tell them you’re in the market for a position. They’re family; they’re biologically programmed to want to help you—so don’t be shy! The holidays are tough, and family can be a handful at times, but they’re also pretty good at rallying when they need to. So even if you’re dreading talking about your job situation, just remember that, above all else, these people care about you. That’s something to be thankful for. /blog/networking/thanksgiving-survival-guide-how-to-talk-about-your-career-during-the-holidays/ /blog/networking/thanksgiving-survival-guide-how-to-talk-about-your-career-during-the-holidays/ Fri, 16 November 2018 14:48:00 Heidy Abdel Karim /blog/networking/which-social-media-channels-do-hiring-managers-check/#detailed_comment The rumors are true: HR managers do look over your social media pages before making a final decision on your hiring. So to find out what exactly hiring managers are looking for on social media, we spoke with Jenna Richardson, an HR Manager at Infobase Holdings (Vault’s parent company). Jenna, who has several years of HR experience, shared her expertise to give us a deeper look into how hiring managers use social media during the hiring process. Here are four takeaways from our conversation. 1. Be prepared for HR to check LinkedIn, and maybe Facebook and Instagram, too According to Jenna, “If we decide to move forward with a candidate, we usually check LinkedIn and, on occasion, Facebook and Instagram—although many people choose to keep a private profile nowadays.” She adds, “I mostly check to see if they’re a good fit for the company by getting a glimpse into their interests. I think social media is a tool that can be used to HIRE people and not to necessarily find reasons NOT to hire someone.” 2. Highlight your volunteering activities on social media Some great things Jenna has found on social media include “people’s involvement in their communities and certain organizations, and people promoting their current employers by attending events or being involved in activities.” Jenna explains, “Volunteering is a huge plus for me. I love seeing candidates give back to their communities. Social media can expose you to people’s creativity and/or personal interests that may be of benefit when joining your organization.” 3. Don’t vent on social media Jenna also mentioned the red flags all job seekers should be aware of—speaking or posting ill of your former employer and/or coworkers on any social media platform. After a long work, it can be enticing to grab onto your phone and tweet out your frustrations into the world. However, regardless of your privacy settings, you do not want to risk anyone hearing of or coming across any of your negative postings, especially with all the technology installed today to unravel any mentions of companies, specific names, etc.  And of course, you should absolutely eliminate any provocative, discriminatory postings or commentary. 4. It’s okay to be “private” When we asked Jenna about private social media pages and if it may suggest something negative about the candidate—in other words, if they are “hiding” something—her response was: “Being absolutely private on social media is not a bad thing. In fact, some things should be private. It does also depend on the industry or role that you’re in. Some industries require their candidates to have a strong social media presence, and in other industries, it may not be relevant.” So, ultimately, it depends on the industry you’re trying to break into. First, assess the stance of your industry on social media. Then, evaluate your social media pages as thoughtfully as you would examine your resume and cover letter. If your online persona is a huge determinant in your industry, then being public and engaged on social media may be the way to go. But if social media is not going to add value to your job search, then putting it on private could be best. Heidy Abdel Kerim is Vault's Marketing Associate. You can find her sharing Vault's latest career articles, job and internship search tips, and motivational content on Vault's  Twitter ,  Instagram , and other social media accounts. /blog/networking/which-social-media-channels-do-hiring-managers-check/ /blog/networking/which-social-media-channels-do-hiring-managers-check/ Fri, 16 November 2018 12:44:00 Heidy Abdel Kerim /blog/networking/4-tips-for-using-instagram-to-network/#detailed_comment Instagram is a hidden networking gem. Although you might use it for its photo-sharing features, staying up-to-date with trends, and following your favorite celebrities, Instagram can also be used as an effective networking tool—a way to make authentic connections with people you might not normally come across in your daily life. While most conventional networking sites now have tens of millions of users all on the hunt for the same group of people, sending out the same messages, Instagram is yet to be thought of as a popular networking tool, which means using it to network is an easy way to differentiate yourself from other professionals. Plus, networking via Instagram can come off as more organic and less awkward versus other mainstream networking sites, where people are flooding each other’s inboxes with the same generic networking requests. And so, to help you start using Instagram to grow your network, here are four things to keep in mind. 1. Clean up your act Before you reach out to connect with people, make sure your account is an appropriate reflection of who you are as a person and as a professional. Remember that when you reach out to people, their first instinct is going to be to look at your profile, so make sure it's worth looking at. Here are a few points to consider before you start: a) It’s a public account (if you’re not comfortable with making your account public, create a separate Instagram account); b) Your bio gives off some background information as to who you are, so briefly include your background, interests, and any other details you’re open to sharing; c) Your posts should include a glimpse into your personal life to show personality and that you’re REAL; and d) Your posts should also show your professional persona: what you do, your industry of interest, your thoughts and opinions on relevant topics within your industry, etc. 2. Follow relevant accounts Make sure you follow people who interest you, companies that interest you, and influential figures in your industry. If you’re going to grow your network on Instagram, you must stay knowledgeable and up-to-date with conversations, trends, and news. This will help you to not only discover people who you may be interested in connecting with but also come up with talking points to take these connections to the next level. 3. Be proactive No one likes a ghost follower—one that watches but never engages. To make connections, you must step outside your comfort zone and engage. Liking, commenting, and messaging are all ways you can connect with companies, leaders, and influencers within your industry. Chime in on a conversation happening in the comments section, send a private message in response to a recent post that was shared, swipe up and respond to an Instagram story with a positive message. All of these actions will start a conversation and go a long way toward making a real connection. 4. Be genuine Last, but most important, be genuine. Don’t reach out to someone whom you have absolutely no interest in or care for just because you think it would be cool to have them on your "who I know" list. The world is filled with plenty of fake networkers, but there are not enough people who genuinely care about others’ and who want authentic relationships. With that being said, keep it REAL. Make genuine commentary, ask questions about others’ passions not just what they do for a living, listen with the intent of learning, and think long-term relationships versus just short-term. Heidy Abdel Kerim is Vault's Marketing Associate. You can find her sharing Vault's latest career articles, motivational content, and  job and internship search tips on Vault's  Twitter ,  Instagram , and other social media accounts. /blog/networking/4-tips-for-using-instagram-to-network/ /blog/networking/4-tips-for-using-instagram-to-network/ Mon, 29 October 2018 15:11:00 /blog/networking/networking-when-you-have-no-network/#detailed_comment Today’s job search is nothing if not convenient. We can all sit in our beds wearing jammies, resumé at the ready, sending off applications as quickly as we can whip up the cover letters (and you should definitely spend some time on those cover letters —they matter). The process itself couldn’t be easier, but that doesn’t mean the hunt is less stressful. Let me tell you something that definitely won’t shock you: the easier something is to do, the more people will do it. There are more people playing Candy Crush on the train than reading Ulysses . So, if it’s as convenient as possible to apply for a certain position, it’s likely the applicant pool will swell. That’s probably why many big companies have a proprietary database for accepting applications (that sad, drab webpage where you attach your resumé and then insert all the stuff that’s on your resumé into the appropriately labelled windows). It’s also probably why oftentimes there is no contact information—no one for the hundreds of applicants to follow up with when they don’t hear back in a week. You—and all the other applicants—are forced to sit around and wait for a response that sometimes never comes. In my most recent job hunt, I spent a lot of time applying to positions at large publishing corporations. I was told (anecdotally) by an employee at one of these companies that upward of 300 hundred people would apply for entry-level positions and, for the most part, we were all equally qualified. If they brought in six people out of three hundred for interviews, I had approximately a 2 percent chance of speaking to someone face-to-face. Every Ivy League school had a higher acceptance rate than that this year. The HR database is often where good resumés and thoughtful cover letters go to die. But you don’t have to let technology strip you of what makes you a unique and employable candidate. You can flip it, and use it to your advantage. And by that I mean network. You’ve heard it a thousand times, and here it is again. Talk to people–real human beings. Obviously, it is ideal if you have a friend (or even a friend of a friend) to make introductions for you. But what should you do if your network is dried up and none of your contacts know anyone at your target employer? Find new contacts. Search LinkedIn or the company website for any employees with whom you may have a connection. Look for current employees who went to your alma mater, were part of the same sorority/fraternity, or were members of the same club or organization as you. If you can’t find someone with a shared background, dig to see if anyone from your target employer has written articles of interest to you, has a social media presence that you admire, or is meaningfully involved in any organizations that resonate with you.  In other words, find a common denominator that allows you to reach out to the person. Once you find a potential connection, contact them. Tell them who you are and that you’d like to find out more about the work they do. Request an informational interview, a quick coffee meeting, or a phone chat. Be professional and sincere but not desperate or bitter. “I’ve applied to X, Inc. six times and no one’s ever even talked to me” is the absolute WRONG tone to take, especially since the person you’re contacting likely has nothing to do with your past troubles. Most people would love to take half an hour from their daily grind, get a latte, and chitchat about themselves. Remember the employee who told me the 300-applicant figure? She shared that stat with me during a coffee date—one for which I had cold-emailed her. And then she asked me to send her my resumé and promised to pass it along to someone in the relevant department. What was my secret? I was polite, inquisitive, and sociable, and most importantly, I took a chance and connected with her. I used technology to help myself stand out as an individual in a mass of applicants. And while obtaining a recommendation is an ideal outcome, it won’t always happen. But gaining a valuable connection is a great consolation prize. Technology may be making it harder to showcase your individuality among an enormous applicant pool. But it also gives us the opportunity to find interesting people, make connections, and demonstrate that you have the drive to work for what you really want. Don’t get stuck in the black box with everyone else. /blog/networking/networking-when-you-have-no-network/ /blog/networking/networking-when-you-have-no-network/ Wed, 24 October 2018 00:18:00