If I posted a link to a great scholarship opportunity (in the Facebook Group or Page, or Twitter) with a deadline of ‘next week’ – would you be able to apply? Here’s what you need to have organized and available in order to be ready to apply for scholarships, grants, internships, or job opportunities:
Resume. Some scholarship applications will ask for your resume or CV. If you worked previously, list your experiences, but if you don’t have work experience – don’t worry. Use your resume/CV to point out any awards and honors you’ve received, community service you’ve been involved with, and activities you’ve participated in. List all relevant activities and honors, but be selective. If you have more activities than can fit in the space provided do not include the ones that are not significant.
Read the criteria for selection carefully to understand what the reviewers of the scholarship are looking for. For example, if the scholarship looks for applicants who can show leadership experience, or an outstanding extracurricular record, include your volunteer and community service activities, emphasizing those in which you took a leadership role. Most importantly, your activities should represent your varied talents and passions outside the class room. The reviewers are trying to get a sense of who you are and what you believe in. Make sure your activities reflect that.
Make your resume and application stand out from the crowd! If you need help developing a professional resume, find examples on the Web, or better – contact your advisor, or the career services department of your school or university. If you don’t have extracurricular activities or volunteer work to list – now is the time to get involved. (Who knows – the life you change doing volunteer work may be your own!)
Letters of recommendation, or professional references. Good references are essential to creating a winning scholarship application. Prepare a document that lists at least three professional references. These references should include one or two professors who know you, preferably both in and outside of the classroom. Choose professors that have had you in upper level courses, and that know your academic goals. You might also ask a coach or academic advisor, the employer that you worked for, or the manager you worked under. Choose people who are relevant to the sponsor's goals. For example, ask a science teacher to write a letter of recommendation for a science scholarship, not your Art teacher. (Never ask a family member to provide a recommendation or letter of reference.) In each case, you want these people to speak highly of you – to speak to others about your abilities and worthiness for the scholarship.
Make sure you speak to your recommenders, making sure they want to speak on your behalf. Give your recommender a written description of the scholarship and a copy of your personal statement or essay that you write for the scholarship application. It’s a good idea to keep them informed about what you are doing academically, personally, and professionally – sending them an updated resume and transcript will help them with the process of writing the letter, or speaking for you during an interview. You should also give them appropriately addressed envelopes with postage, if necessary.
Please, be sure to also give your recommenders plenty of time to write the letter! Ask him or her at least four weeks in advance to write the letter. Gently remind them ten days before the deadline, asking them whether they have sent in the recommendation or need more information from you. Do not ask to see a copy of the letter, even if they offer to give you a copy. If the recommender provides you with a copy of the letter, the selection committee may suspect that the letter isn't as candid as it might have been otherwise. Send the writer a thank you note after the letter has been mailed. Let them know how much you appreciate what they are doing for you; you will likely ask them to write additional letters for you. Once they've written one letter on your behalf, the second letter is much easier. If you send them a thank you, it will give them a good impression and make them more willing to spend time writing you additional letters in the future.
Transcripts. You should have copies of your transcripts available in case you need to send an unofficial copy along with the application. This is also good to have when filling out the application in case you need detailed information about courses and grades, and to send to the people writing letters of recommendation for you. If the application requires official transcripts from all the schools you have attended, request this information as soon as possible. You can do this by e-mail, fax, or call in your requests, but mail a letter as a backup. Some schools charge a nominal fee for official transcripts. After a few weeks have passed, call the schools to make sure that the transcripts have been sent to the proper address.
Scores of internationally valid exams (GRE for aptitude and TOEFL/IELTS for English). This may not be necessary, but just in case, you should have the proper documentation, or copies of appropriate exam scores.
Picture. Have multiple copies of a picture of yourself. A school picture or passport picture is perfect. Anything smaller than a wallet size head shot, will do.
Watch for the next post, covering the all-important essay, and possible interview!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Getting Ready for Fall Semester - Saving money on textbooks!
Textbooks. Just the word can conjure up pictures of dollar signs added to an already expensive tuition each semester. Now you have alternatives to purchasing new textbooks that can run in the triple digits, and cost over a thousand dollars a year! To check out the increased options and what works best for you, open a tabbed web browser like Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari. This will make it easier to keep track of and compare options. You might also use a spreadsheet or a table in a word document to keep track of the list of books you need for each course, along other needed information, such as the link to the store or website, price, tax, shipping & handling, and the time it takes for shipping the books. (Be aware of shipping & handling costs, as well as shipping time!).
Before you start, make sure you know the name, edition, author, and ISBN number of the books you are searching for. To find this information, check with the campus bookstore (online if they have that option); ask the professor personally or send an email; check syllabi or course websites.
Used Books. Certainly nothing new, but you might find new places to purchase them.
E-Books. Again, this is not exactly new, but there are new players and better options. Many of the book publishers have online versions of the textbooks they sell – at a reduced price; so check out the book publisher’s website for details. There are a number of sites that offer the classic texts, novels, and books free:
Google Books: http://www.google.com/ig;
Many Books: http://www.ManyBooks.net;
Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org;
do a search for “free eBooks” and you will find others as well.
Amazon has two great new devices called the Kindle and Kindle DX. They are small, slim 3G wireless reading devices that let you download ebooks in 60 seconds! No monthly fees, no service plans, no hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots. (I have a Kindle, and that means reading my web email, posting to Twitter, catching up on Facebook, and surfing the Web in the car!! And, of course, reading books!) Check them out at Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com), click on Kindle for more information. It’s rumored that Amanzon and several major textbook companies are working together for better pricing on the Kindle and textbooks. I know there are a number of universities looking into this option for students.
Barnes and Noble also has eBooks available, some free, and a free downloadable eReader – software that lets you read ebooks on your iPhone, Blackberry, or your desktop (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ebooks) click on the link ‘download eReader’).
If you’ve never read an eBook – download a free one today and check out the tools available. You can highlight, take clippings, bookmark, and (what I like best) SEARCH! When you study, wouldn’t it be great to search your textbook like you search websites for specific terms?
Renting/Lending Textbooks. Now this is an old idea with a new twist! There are a number of universities and book companies that have a number of textbook rental options. The prices are usually much cheaper than the new retail price of the book. Check with your university bookstore to see if they are planning a rental option for students; some are working directly with book publishers and vendors. If not, there are websites that have online textbook rental options for students, although shipping & handling, along with shipping times, make this a less desirable option than renting through a university program. There is a company, called Cengage Learning that plans to make the first couple of chapters of the rented text available online to students, so last-minute ordering isn’t such a problem. They also announced that they would start renting books to students this year, at 40 percent to 70 percent of the sale price.
There are a couple of new Internet textbook-rental companies, BookRenter (http://www.bookrenter.com), and Chegg (http://www.chegg.com) that billed itself as “the Netflix for college textbooks.” Both advertise books at 65 – 85% off the regular price of textbooks. This is another option definitely worth looking into!
But don’t delay – order your textbooks as soon as possible so you have them in time for classes! (Ok – that’s the professor in me speaking!) Good luck with your textbook search, and good luck in your courses this fall!
Before you start, make sure you know the name, edition, author, and ISBN number of the books you are searching for. To find this information, check with the campus bookstore (online if they have that option); ask the professor personally or send an email; check syllabi or course websites.
Used Books. Certainly nothing new, but you might find new places to purchase them.
- Students. Ask students who took the course last semester – quite often they ask the professor if the same book will be used again the following semester, and have one for sale. Also check to see if your campus has a student-run textbook selling system in place, such as a website or bulletin board.
- Websites. Amazon.com is a good place to purchase used books. You can also use Google or Bing to search for books by typing in the name of the book and edition, and see what other options come up.
- Book companies and vendors. There are companies that buy and sell used textbooks, and sometimes you’ll find good deals there. A few to try: Better World Books; TextbookRecycling.com; CampusBooks,com; Textbooks.com; Half.com; CheapestTextbooks.com; … do a search and you’ll find many more. Keep in mind that book companies also buy back used textbooks, often paying for shipping, at prices better than the local campus bookstore can offer.
- If your books just aren’t worth selling back, consider donating them to organizations such as Books for Africa. Better yet, hold a book drive on your campus to send used books and funds to people who need them (Books for Africa, Room to Read, Worldfund, Invisible Children, and more) – check out Better World Books; TextbookRecycling.com; and other book companies for more information. Not only will the textbooks go to a good cause, they will not end up in a landfill. AND – you can earn money for your campus organization! (Win-Win!!)
E-Books. Again, this is not exactly new, but there are new players and better options. Many of the book publishers have online versions of the textbooks they sell – at a reduced price; so check out the book publisher’s website for details. There are a number of sites that offer the classic texts, novels, and books free:
Google Books: http://www.google.com/ig;
Many Books: http://www.ManyBooks.net;
Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org;
do a search for “free eBooks” and you will find others as well.
Amazon has two great new devices called the Kindle and Kindle DX. They are small, slim 3G wireless reading devices that let you download ebooks in 60 seconds! No monthly fees, no service plans, no hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots. (I have a Kindle, and that means reading my web email, posting to Twitter, catching up on Facebook, and surfing the Web in the car!! And, of course, reading books!) Check them out at Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com), click on Kindle for more information. It’s rumored that Amanzon and several major textbook companies are working together for better pricing on the Kindle and textbooks. I know there are a number of universities looking into this option for students.
Barnes and Noble also has eBooks available, some free, and a free downloadable eReader – software that lets you read ebooks on your iPhone, Blackberry, or your desktop (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ebooks) click on the link ‘download eReader’).
If you’ve never read an eBook – download a free one today and check out the tools available. You can highlight, take clippings, bookmark, and (what I like best) SEARCH! When you study, wouldn’t it be great to search your textbook like you search websites for specific terms?
Renting/Lending Textbooks. Now this is an old idea with a new twist! There are a number of universities and book companies that have a number of textbook rental options. The prices are usually much cheaper than the new retail price of the book. Check with your university bookstore to see if they are planning a rental option for students; some are working directly with book publishers and vendors. If not, there are websites that have online textbook rental options for students, although shipping & handling, along with shipping times, make this a less desirable option than renting through a university program. There is a company, called Cengage Learning that plans to make the first couple of chapters of the rented text available online to students, so last-minute ordering isn’t such a problem. They also announced that they would start renting books to students this year, at 40 percent to 70 percent of the sale price.
There are a couple of new Internet textbook-rental companies, BookRenter (http://www.bookrenter.com), and Chegg (http://www.chegg.com) that billed itself as “the Netflix for college textbooks.” Both advertise books at 65 – 85% off the regular price of textbooks. This is another option definitely worth looking into!
But don’t delay – order your textbooks as soon as possible so you have them in time for classes! (Ok – that’s the professor in me speaking!) Good luck with your textbook search, and good luck in your courses this fall!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Getting Ready for Scholarship Season - Organization matters!
The first post in the “Getting Ready for Scholarship Season” series was generic in nature; intended to get you motivated and ready for the detailed information to come. This post is about being organized!
Get organized. If you start off organized, you are less likely to miss important application deadlines or forget to ask for a letter of recommendation. Put each application's materials in a separate file folder – whether it’s a physical folder or a computer folder, or both. Create a checklist listing all the required materials, as well as the following:
Keep a copy of your entire application materials, so you can resend it in case it is lost in the mail. Keep a master checklist of all the scholarships to which you are applying, so you can check off the completion of each application. You will also find it helpful to refer to old applications when applying for other scholarships!
Do not miss deadlines. If you miss a deadline, your application is disqualified, regardless of your excuse. Scholarship sponsors never provide extensions. So when you receive the application materials, take note of the deadline and whether it is a postmark or receipt deadline. If the deadline is based on the date your application is received by the sponsor, be sure to mail the application at least one week before the deadline date. If possible, set your own personal deadline at least two weeks prior to that date, so that your application materials are ready well in advance of the official deadline. You might consider including a self-addressed stamped postcard with your application so the sponsor can drop it in the mail to let you know that your application has been received and whether you are missing any supporting materials. You could also send the application by certified mail, return receipt requested.
Organize the application materials. If an application consists of several loose pages, label each page with your name, and possibly also a purpose and page number. This will help prevent parts of your application from getting lost or out of order. If not specified, send your application materials in a large manila envelope, to prevent unnecessary folding of your papers. Make sure you have sufficient postage.
Remember - believe in yourself and in your chances to win scholarships. Hard work and time spent on the scholarship process will pay off eventually. Keep your chin up and think about how great the reward will be if you can win even one of the scholarships you're trying for!
Next post: Resumes, References, and Transcripts!
Get organized. If you start off organized, you are less likely to miss important application deadlines or forget to ask for a letter of recommendation. Put each application's materials in a separate file folder – whether it’s a physical folder or a computer folder, or both. Create a checklist listing all the required materials, as well as the following:
- Scholarship name and description; phone number if available
- Date application must be received by scholarship committee
- Date you requested the application
- Date you received the application
- Date application and supporting materials were mailed
- Date you called the Scholarship Agency to verify they received your application package
Keep a copy of your entire application materials, so you can resend it in case it is lost in the mail. Keep a master checklist of all the scholarships to which you are applying, so you can check off the completion of each application. You will also find it helpful to refer to old applications when applying for other scholarships!
Do not miss deadlines. If you miss a deadline, your application is disqualified, regardless of your excuse. Scholarship sponsors never provide extensions. So when you receive the application materials, take note of the deadline and whether it is a postmark or receipt deadline. If the deadline is based on the date your application is received by the sponsor, be sure to mail the application at least one week before the deadline date. If possible, set your own personal deadline at least two weeks prior to that date, so that your application materials are ready well in advance of the official deadline. You might consider including a self-addressed stamped postcard with your application so the sponsor can drop it in the mail to let you know that your application has been received and whether you are missing any supporting materials. You could also send the application by certified mail, return receipt requested.
Organize the application materials. If an application consists of several loose pages, label each page with your name, and possibly also a purpose and page number. This will help prevent parts of your application from getting lost or out of order. If not specified, send your application materials in a large manila envelope, to prevent unnecessary folding of your papers. Make sure you have sufficient postage.
Remember - believe in yourself and in your chances to win scholarships. Hard work and time spent on the scholarship process will pay off eventually. Keep your chin up and think about how great the reward will be if you can win even one of the scholarships you're trying for!
Next post: Resumes, References, and Transcripts!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Get Ready - It's Scholarship Season!
Now is the time to get ready for finding, applying for, and winning scholarships! This process can be time consuming and takes dedication and motivation. But being organized and prepared will help you. In the next set of posts, you will find tips and advice that will also help you. The following information was taken from Scholarship Experts, and is generic in nature; it is intended to get you motivated and ready for the detailed information to come!
Be proactive
No one is going to track you down to give you a scholarship; you must do the legwork yourself. So when you find awards with eligibility criteria that you can meet, contact the provider and request a scholarship application packet. Whether you have to request the application via email, phone or by sending in a self-addressed stamped envelope, DO IT. There's just no other way to get the ball rolling than to take the initiative and be assertive in requesting information.
Be timely
Most scholarship providers set deadlines, and you must adhere to them. Make sure you submit all required all materials well before the deadline. If the scholarship deadline is approaching and you have not yet received the application packet that you requested earlier, follow up with the provider and request the application packet again. You do not want to miss a deadline, as few scholarship providers will consider late applications.
Be organized
Good organizational skills can pay off: literally!
Be persistent
The scholarship search process doesn't happen overnight. You must be diligent about looking for new scholarships to apply for. Plan to spend several hours each month reviewing the programs with deadlines approaching, preparing application packets, and getting your applications in the mail on time. Then the cycle should begin again:
Be positive
Finally, believe in yourself and in your chances to win scholarships. Hard work and time spent on the scholarship process will pay off eventually. Keep your chin up and think about how great the reward will be if you can win even one of the scholarships you're trying for! After all, your education depends on it!
Be proactive
No one is going to track you down to give you a scholarship; you must do the legwork yourself. So when you find awards with eligibility criteria that you can meet, contact the provider and request a scholarship application packet. Whether you have to request the application via email, phone or by sending in a self-addressed stamped envelope, DO IT. There's just no other way to get the ball rolling than to take the initiative and be assertive in requesting information.
Be timely
Most scholarship providers set deadlines, and you must adhere to them. Make sure you submit all required all materials well before the deadline. If the scholarship deadline is approaching and you have not yet received the application packet that you requested earlier, follow up with the provider and request the application packet again. You do not want to miss a deadline, as few scholarship providers will consider late applications.
Be organized
Good organizational skills can pay off: literally!
- Keep your scholarship applications ordered by deadline date.
- Give yourself plenty of time to complete and send them in well before the due date.
- Keep letters of recommendation and transcripts on hand so you don't have to obtain new ones every time they are required for an application.
- Make copies of your completed scholarship applications before sending them in, and file them in folders labeled with the deadline date and the mailing address and phone number of the scholarship provider.
- Call before the deadline to see if your application was received in good order. If it got lost in the mail (glitches happen), you still have an extra copy you can send in.
Be persistent
The scholarship search process doesn't happen overnight. You must be diligent about looking for new scholarships to apply for. Plan to spend several hours each month reviewing the programs with deadlines approaching, preparing application packets, and getting your applications in the mail on time. Then the cycle should begin again:
- Find scholarships that you're eligible for
- Obtain application information
- Apply in an organized, timely manner.
Be positive
Finally, believe in yourself and in your chances to win scholarships. Hard work and time spent on the scholarship process will pay off eventually. Keep your chin up and think about how great the reward will be if you can win even one of the scholarships you're trying for! After all, your education depends on it!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Personal Branding: Bringing it all together – tools to aggregate information
If you’ve been following my other posts regarding creating a professional online presence and your own personal brand through social networking, you probably have a number of accounts and profiles. You don’t want to spend all of your time checking and posting information to all of your different social networking sites separately, so I’ll share with you several interesting and fun (and did I mention free?) web or desktop tools that will make your online life easier!
In a previous post I gave you information on how to find scholarships using Twitter (http://bit.ly/1XmOb ). You should also search the Web, using different search engines, including the new Bing (http://www.bing.com/ ); you will come across sites that have frequently updated information. Instead of bookmarking the site and checking it regularly, it’s a good idea to set up RSS feeds. They can keep you up to date with the latest news, sports results, weather, music, or what your friends are doing (Twitter or blogs, for example), by bringing the information to you. If you need more information about what RSS feeds are, and how to set them up using a feed reader or news aggregator, here’s a helpful YouTube video to get you started:
RSS in Plain English: http://bit.ly/oAtri
Twitter can be an important part of your social media life. You might have more than one profile or account, with many people and organizations that you follow and watch, a frequent need to do searches of topics (scholarships!), and of course, your own microblogging activities. Twitter itself is pretty limited, but there are free desktop applications you can download and use. There are two worth checking out:
TweetDeck lets you manage all of your Twitter accounts, stay in contact with Facebook and more. I have Facebook in one column, my personal Twitter account in another, my IntStudentCon Twitter account in yet another. There is a refresh button, but the updates come in automatically. You also have the option of having alerts pop up (much like messenger). You can check on the local trends – what your friends are talking about – and see your favorites (much like bookmarks or favorites). It’s easy to Tweet to multiple accounts, and it will sync with your iPhone if you have one. (http://tweetdeck.com/beta/ )
Seesmic is very similar to TweetDeck, and is undergoing new updates regularly, so by the time you read this blog and try it out, it will have even more capabilities. Seesmic makes it easy to reply to Facebook and Twitter, sharing text, links, photos and videos all in one screen. (http://seesmic.com/ )
Here’s a current favorite Web site that I’m using to keep track of information of all kinds – PageFlakes (http://www.pageflakes.com/ ). As soon as you set up your account, there is a default tab (page) that brings in default information such as the local weather, national news, video options, music options, and so on. You can create more tabs/pages for different content. On my second tab I have my RSS feeds to the blogs I follow, along with Facebook and my Twitter accounts. On the third tab I have specific Google searches as RSS feeds (you can search for “Scholarships for International Students” and use it as an RSS feed). I always keep my browser open, with the PageFlakes site available 24/hours a day for instant access to all the information I need.
There are so many other Web and desktop tools and applications available – find something that works for you! And if you find or use something that you really like – please share the information by leaving a comment below. (Thanks!)
Very shortly the prime time for applying for scholarships for next spring and next year will be here! My next series of posts will get you ready, and hopefully very competitive – so “RSS” this blog site! ; )
In a previous post I gave you information on how to find scholarships using Twitter (http://bit.ly/1XmOb ). You should also search the Web, using different search engines, including the new Bing (http://www.bing.com/ ); you will come across sites that have frequently updated information. Instead of bookmarking the site and checking it regularly, it’s a good idea to set up RSS feeds. They can keep you up to date with the latest news, sports results, weather, music, or what your friends are doing (Twitter or blogs, for example), by bringing the information to you. If you need more information about what RSS feeds are, and how to set them up using a feed reader or news aggregator, here’s a helpful YouTube video to get you started:
RSS in Plain English: http://bit.ly/oAtri
Twitter can be an important part of your social media life. You might have more than one profile or account, with many people and organizations that you follow and watch, a frequent need to do searches of topics (scholarships!), and of course, your own microblogging activities. Twitter itself is pretty limited, but there are free desktop applications you can download and use. There are two worth checking out:
TweetDeck lets you manage all of your Twitter accounts, stay in contact with Facebook and more. I have Facebook in one column, my personal Twitter account in another, my IntStudentCon Twitter account in yet another. There is a refresh button, but the updates come in automatically. You also have the option of having alerts pop up (much like messenger). You can check on the local trends – what your friends are talking about – and see your favorites (much like bookmarks or favorites). It’s easy to Tweet to multiple accounts, and it will sync with your iPhone if you have one. (http://tweetdeck.com/beta/ )
Seesmic is very similar to TweetDeck, and is undergoing new updates regularly, so by the time you read this blog and try it out, it will have even more capabilities. Seesmic makes it easy to reply to Facebook and Twitter, sharing text, links, photos and videos all in one screen. (http://seesmic.com/ )
Here’s a current favorite Web site that I’m using to keep track of information of all kinds – PageFlakes (http://www.pageflakes.com/ ). As soon as you set up your account, there is a default tab (page) that brings in default information such as the local weather, national news, video options, music options, and so on. You can create more tabs/pages for different content. On my second tab I have my RSS feeds to the blogs I follow, along with Facebook and my Twitter accounts. On the third tab I have specific Google searches as RSS feeds (you can search for “Scholarships for International Students” and use it as an RSS feed). I always keep my browser open, with the PageFlakes site available 24/hours a day for instant access to all the information I need.
There are so many other Web and desktop tools and applications available – find something that works for you! And if you find or use something that you really like – please share the information by leaving a comment below. (Thanks!)
Very shortly the prime time for applying for scholarships for next spring and next year will be here! My next series of posts will get you ready, and hopefully very competitive – so “RSS” this blog site! ; )
Monday, June 15, 2009
Personal Branding: LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a more professional social networking site that is career-focused and enables users to exchange knowledge, ideas, and opportunities with trusted contacts. LinkedIn users invite people they know and trust to become "linked in" to them. (Similar to being friends on Facebook.) They are then called “Connections”. Choose connections wisely. You'll also want to choose your network carefully; only add people you actually know – and who know you well enough to give you glowing recommendations. A recruiter may choose to contact one of your connections to ask about you; make sure that person is someone you know and trust, such as family, friends, former teachers, colleagues, and employers. Here’s a short video description of LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/aEzVz
A major feature of LinkedIn is its groups, allowing anyone to start a group based on an association or industry topic. For example, there are tens of thousands of academic and corporate groups that enable alumni and employees to stay in touch. LinkedIn members request an invitation to the group and can receive postings by other members via e-mail. It is through these groups that you can find jobs and internships, and make new connections. Watch for future blog posts about how to use LinkedIn to find internships and jobs.
Here’s how to get started:
Go to http://linkedin.com/ and create a free account.
- Create your profile. Your profile is very important, and can increase your visibility online and help build your personal/professional brand. Make sure your profile is complete and detailed – almost like an online resume that includes information such as education, skills, qualifications, employment information and experience, and recommendations.
- Add a picture. It’s always important to connect a face with your name. A headshot is recommended; but no larger than 80x80 pixels.
Education. When adding information about your education, don’t forget to add your activities, associations, and any special honors or awards you’ve earned. - Professional Summary. When filling out this section, be sure to select an industry (recruiters often use that field to search). If you change your major, or are looking for a job in a different industry later on, make sure you update this information. There is a ‘headline’ feature that will appear at the top of the page when your profile is viewed by others – so be sure to fill in this information.
- Keywords and skills. Be sure to include keywords and skills that will make it easier for your profile to be found in search results.
- Contact settings. Contact settings let your connections (and recruiters) know what you are available for. Even if you are not ready for a job yet, it’s beneficial to be flexible here – you never know what opportunities might come along.
- Links. If you have a web site, blog, or Twitter profile, add the links – it’s a good way to provide more information about you, and your interests. Beyond just linking to my blog sites, I have used the RSS feed to bring my blogs into my profile (this is a good idea of your blog is professional in nature, rather than personal – more information about blogging in a future blog!).
- Public Profile URL. Make your profile public. Customize your URL so it is easily recognizable as yours … such as http://www.linkedin.com/in/YourName.
- Make connections. Connect with other members and build your network – invite family, friends, former teachers and current professors, and employers (past and present). The more connections you have, the more opportunities you have. Just make sure you only connect with people you know – quality is more important than quantity here!
- Get Recommendations. Ask former and current employers, teachers, and professors for recommendations – as you would for a resume.
- Groups. Join groups that you are affiliated with (such as the school you are attending, or have graduated from); or groups that interest you – by topic, industry, or interest.
There is plenty of excellent information about LinkedIn on the Web – use a search engine or two and look up information that can help you create a professional LinkedIn profile, or how to use LinkedIn to find information, internships, or jobs.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Personal Branding: Twitter!
Twitter is a must for college students! – For personal branding, networking, opportunities, and limitless access to information. Recent headlines say that Twitter is transforming business and impacting life in general! So, what is Twitter? Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that lets you post short text messages on your profile – up to 140 characters. You can follow people or organizations in order to read their updates (or ‘Tweets’), and others can follow you to read your Tweets as well.
To begin, create your free profile at http://twitter.com/ using your name (try to be consistent with the same form of your name that you used to create other social profiles). Fill out your user profile completely, including adding a picture of yourself. Make sure your bio reflects and represents who you are. Before you start posting, think about how you want to brand (or represent) yourself.
Basic information to get you started:
First, you can only post 140 characters, but only use abbreviations when necessary. If you want to post a link to a web site, you might want to shorten the link by using a URL shrinking service such as tinyurl.com or bit.ly. You will see posts with “RT” – this is used when someone is re-tweeting something someone has already posted. The “@” sign is used to direct a message to a particular user. For more information on how to effectively use Twitter, check out the following videos on Youtube: Twitter in Plain English: http://bit.ly/13gm0r , Twitter Tutorial - Getting Started: http://bit.ly/nZqUjU
Beyond keeping connected with family and friends, and creating a personal brand with Twitter, there are definitely other benefits and opportunities.
The current economic situation and poor job market are making it very important to get ahead of the competition through online networking, and using invaluable online tools such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and others. According to some professionals, social media tools will separate you from the pack. It is estimated that 78 per cent of companies now use social media or networking sites to both find and attract people to fill graduate jobs. Four out of five hiring managers Google search a candidate’s name before they decide to bring them in for an interview. Some feel the traditional job boards like Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com are outdated and may cease to exist in the future. Employers want graduates to research jobs and prepare for interviews more thoroughly than ever – and this is possible through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other online social tools.
As an international student, it will be useful for you to follow schools, organizations, and companies that post information regarding studying abroad, scholarships, internships, jobs, travel and volunteer information and opportunities. You can also ask the people you follow for help or advice. Check out this video at Youtube “How to Find and Follow People on Twitter: http://bit.ly/LulNp ; here’s a link to help you find people or organizations to follow: http://twitter.com/#!/who_to_follow/;
And maybe the best thing about Twitter is that it’s fun! You’ll find different ways to use Twitter - connecting with people who share the same interests and ideas can create a special community for you; connecting with people who have different interests and ideas can open your world!
The next post: How to build your personal brand using LinkedIn. (Very professional, huge benefits!)
To begin, create your free profile at http://twitter.com/ using your name (try to be consistent with the same form of your name that you used to create other social profiles). Fill out your user profile completely, including adding a picture of yourself. Make sure your bio reflects and represents who you are. Before you start posting, think about how you want to brand (or represent) yourself.
Basic information to get you started:
First, you can only post 140 characters, but only use abbreviations when necessary. If you want to post a link to a web site, you might want to shorten the link by using a URL shrinking service such as tinyurl.com or bit.ly. You will see posts with “RT” – this is used when someone is re-tweeting something someone has already posted. The “@” sign is used to direct a message to a particular user. For more information on how to effectively use Twitter, check out the following videos on Youtube: Twitter in Plain English: http://bit.ly/13gm0r , Twitter Tutorial - Getting Started: http://bit.ly/nZqUjU
Beyond keeping connected with family and friends, and creating a personal brand with Twitter, there are definitely other benefits and opportunities.
The current economic situation and poor job market are making it very important to get ahead of the competition through online networking, and using invaluable online tools such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and others. According to some professionals, social media tools will separate you from the pack. It is estimated that 78 per cent of companies now use social media or networking sites to both find and attract people to fill graduate jobs. Four out of five hiring managers Google search a candidate’s name before they decide to bring them in for an interview. Some feel the traditional job boards like Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com are outdated and may cease to exist in the future. Employers want graduates to research jobs and prepare for interviews more thoroughly than ever – and this is possible through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other online social tools.
As an international student, it will be useful for you to follow schools, organizations, and companies that post information regarding studying abroad, scholarships, internships, jobs, travel and volunteer information and opportunities. You can also ask the people you follow for help or advice. Check out this video at Youtube “How to Find and Follow People on Twitter: http://bit.ly/LulNp ; here’s a link to help you find people or organizations to follow: http://twitter.com/#!/who_to_follow/;
And maybe the best thing about Twitter is that it’s fun! You’ll find different ways to use Twitter - connecting with people who share the same interests and ideas can create a special community for you; connecting with people who have different interests and ideas can open your world!
The next post: How to build your personal brand using LinkedIn. (Very professional, huge benefits!)
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