Preparing for the "Real World"

As a soon-to-be graduating senior, I just wanted to share what I’m doing to help prepare myself for life after college and hope that you will gain something from reading. My main focus currently is to graduate from San Diego State University and get hired on board with an innovative digital marketing company as a Social Media Strategiest. I want to finally step out of the college era and step into the “real world” era. As much as I love learning; studying and taking multiple choice exams can get old, real quick. If school was just all about taking on internships and working, I would graduate summa cum lade - no doubt. But unfortunately this isn’t how it works. Here is what I'm doing to prepare myself for the "real world":

I didn’t wait for opportunities to come my way, I went searching for them. Two of the best decisions I’ve made was joining SDSU’s Advertising Club and Ad 2 San Diego. I was so nervous about joining a club and meeting new people by myself, but I am happy I stepped outside my comfort zone. From these two clubs, I’ve made new friends, networked with great people and that made finding an internship much easier. I’ve come to realize that stepping out of your comfort zone is the best way to make your dream come true. Go out there and get as involved as you can, step outside your comfort box and have fun!

I took on multiple internships that were not paid, and I did it with pride. Experience is priceless, remember that. You need to have the right attitude to play in this game. If you are truly passionate about what you plan on doing after college, you will be willing to for the experience in a heartbeat. Haven’t you ever had anyone tell you? “Do what you love, and the money will follow.”

I created  my own website and business cards to market myself. This demonstrates that I am digitally savvy and know how to use technology to market myself. If I can’t market myself, how would I expect to market clients for my future employers?

I started this blog to demonstrate my passion for marketing. At first my blog was just going to be about my life, just for fun. But then as I began reading more articles about social media, I wanted to start taking notes of things I thought were interesting and helpful. Instead of taking notes on paper, I decided use my blog as a place to share those notes. Things I learn about social media that intrigue me, I include in my blog to share wealth with my peers.

I created a vision board. In order to stay focused on my dreams and goals, I bought a small cork-board where I put up things that would motivate me. I placed this cork-board on a wall that I would see every day as I got up to get ready and so far it’s been doing its job.

(From top left to bottom right: Business card with 'Senior Social Media Strategiest' as my title, '$100,000 bill', SDSU Cap/gown, photo of Eiffel Tower, very happy photo of me, photo of the Magic Fountain of Montjuic.)

The business card represents the position I will, one day, hold. The $100,000 bill represents the income I inspire to make. The photo of the cap and gown is my motivation for working hard towards graduation. The photos of the Eiffel Tower and Magic Fountain are the two places I would love to visit again in the near future, and the happy photo of myself reminds me to smile and appreciate life.

I believe that everything you have in your life, you have attracted. If it’s your dream job you want, then you’ve got to attract it by working hard and staying focused. I trust I’ve inspired you to go out there and knock down opportunity doors. Just do it! I dare you. ;) and I leave you with a quote that inspires me.

 “Opportunity does not knock, it presents itself when you beat down the door.” ~Kyle Chandler

You can also find this post on www.marketingmelodie.com

Interview tips I've learned along the way

As I’m getting ready to graduate in August, I’ve come to realize that there is one thing I should be working on, and that’s how to make a great first impression.  I’ll be interviewing for jobs soon and during an interview, the first impression is everything. You’ve got to make that first impression last. As I'm preparing to graduate I've already been to a few interviews and have learned so much. Here are a few tips for the recent grad or anyone in the job market!

Go to the interview dressed professionally- That means business attire! I always wear a pencil skirt or slacks with a collared shirt and a blazer. If I was a guy, I would wear slacks with a long sleeve collared shirt and a tie. It's always better to be over dressed, than under dressed in the case of an interview.

During the interview- Take a deep breath and speak at the pace that the interviewer is speaking at. You want to be on the same page with them, so don’t speak too fast, but don’t speak too slow either. Speaking too fast is easy to do when you're nervous. The best thing you can do is to be aware of this which will help you slow down. If you think you're talking too fast, you probably are!

Sell yourself- A Job interview is the time and place to sell! Answer your question in a way that always tie back into how you can benefit the company. Remember: “features tell and benefits sell.” Also, make sure to do a ton of research on the company before the interview process. You don’t want to be stuck when they ask you, “So tell me what you know about our company.”

Don’t be nervous!- I know it is easier said than done. You may believe that the company is interviewing you and that you need an unforgettable answer to every question, but take a look around and realize that you’re also interviewing the company. You want to make sure that this is truly a company you will be happy working for.

Any questions?- Always ask questions at the end of the interview. When you don’t have any questions, it gets interpreted as, “she doesn’t have much interest in the company.” This may not be the best time to start asking about benefits and salary. However, do ask about what they are looking for from the position they are seeking to hire and if opportunities of moving up within the company is feasible. It's a good idea to go in to the interview with 2 or 3 questions to ask so you're prepared with they ask "Do you have any questions?". If questions come up during the interview, don't be afraid to ask, especially if it's a clarifying question.

Last but not least, keep in mind:

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door"

You can also find this post on www.marketingmelodie.com