When I realized My Major Wasn't for me

By: Melina Chavez BBA International Management Student

It is said that about 50% of college students who declare a major end up changing it. Some change it multiple times throughout their college years. I definitely fell victim to that statistic during the fall of my sophomore year here at UNM. For years I had set my mind to being a nurse. I used to watch all the ER shows such as, House and Mystery Diagnosis on TLC, I even volunteered at MD Urgent care for a few months. My doubts about being a nurse didn’t quite become clear to me until I actually started working at Urgent Care and began to shadow the nurses. This is when I started to realize that I didn’t think I would make a good nurse because I couldn’t stand some of the situations I had the opportunity to be able to observe. I remember one time a little boy about 4 years old had to get a vaccine and after about thirty minutes of kicking and screaming the doctor was finally able to inject the vaccine. This scenario not only broke my heart seeing the kid in tears, but it also opened my eyes to the patience that medical professionals need to have to endure situations such as this one and often times, even worse.

 That semester I was signed up for Chemistry 101 and I dropped the class after the first day because of the assessment test. I took one look at the test and remembered my experience at MD Urgent Care and all of the sudden I realized nursing was not for me. I then went to the Sub dropped out of my Chem 101 class and signed up for macroeconomics. I figured even though medicine was interesting to me, I would do much better on the business side of healthcare than I would actually caring for patients at a hospital. Changing your major requires a lot of planning especially if you want to stick to getting your degree in four years. After signing up for macroeconomics, I went to the advisement center and took one of the Anderson prerequisite sheets so I knew what to plan for next. From that semester on, I took a summer and intersession class every year so I could meet my graduation deadline for 2013.

When deciding whether to change your major networking can be very helpful. By networking you can find a job in the area that you are interested in to make sure that that is the field you will want to pursue. This allows you to have hands on experience in that field. Also, it is important that you take advantage of the advisement centers here at UNM because they advise you on certain classes you need to take and what opportunities are available to you based on the career path you decide to take. Another tip that will help with switching majors is recognizing when certain classes are given ie. fall, spring or summer. This will allow you to plan out your semesters in advice so that you don’t fall back a semester having to wait to take a particular course. It is crucial that you stay on top of the graduation requirements for both your college and your program to ensure thorough completion of all the courses necessary to graduate. Changing majors is common and can often happen multiple times to an individual but it is important that organization and preparation are included in that transition to guarantee success moving forward. Luckily, UNM is full of resources to guide you with your endeavors. For more information or questions feel free to contact me at mc91@unm.edu.

The Importance of Networking

By: Alyssa Hendry BBA Accounting and Operations Student

 

            Networking is not simply attending one of the great networking events put on by Anderson Career Services. Although those are a great start and place to meet people, there is more to networking than this. Why would someone want to network? What is the point of networking and how can it help you build a lifelong career? I see networking as the skill of being able to establish and maintain professional relationships throughout your life. These professional relationships can be with speakers you meet at seminars, professionals you may interview for class, or even with those you meet at Anderson Career Services. These relationships can benefit you when you are building your career, making a career change or obtaining advice from someone that has more or different experiences than you. Networking is all about expanding and reaching out to people that you could possibly help or receive help from, now or in the future.  

            Living here in Albuquerque my whole life has made me realize, even more so, the importance of networking. For example, there is always someone who knows someone that could possibly get you a foot in the door for job opportunities. I have seen from personal experience that companies are more likely to do business with others that were recommended to them from someone within their network; as well as, hire someone that has been recommended by someone they know and trust. So, when you expand your network you are essentially expanding the number of opportunities available to you that are supported by a trusted mutual professional. These connections cannot only benefit you while living here in New Mexico, but also wherever you career may take you. Networking is a web of connections that grows with every relationship you make, because one network connection exposes you to their network of professionals, which can only help you as young professionals starting to build careers.

            During my time here at Anderson there have been three impacting networking experiences that have allowed me to grow my network and polish my networking skills. The first was during my second semester at Anderson. I knew that I had to start somewhere in order to secure an internship or job and build my resume before graduation. So I decided to sign up for a networking workshop with Anderson Career Services. I was terrified when I saw the Jackson Student Center full of suits. I was greeted by a bubbly personality and told, “Just grab a drink and start introducing yourself!” When I looked at her probably in shock she reassured me with a “you can do it!” So, slowly but surely with each person I approached, I learned what to say in my introduction, how to keep the conversation going and end with something along the lines of “I would love to say in touch and get to know more about what you do, can we exchange business cards?” After that afternoon I knew that learning how to successfully network would be the key to my success. The second networking event I attended was industry specific and just as nerve-racking as the first. This experience taught me some of the “lingo” of the industry and what they were looking for in college graduates. Lastly, it was the meet the firms event put on by Beta Alpha Psi that brought both of my past two experiences together. Talking with each firm representative was like an artful dance in that you had to politely “cut-in” with other students speaking with them; gracefully guide them to seeing you know what you are talking about, and finally making them intrigued with your experience as you bow and exchange business cards. It might sound silly, but no one wants to get his or her toes stepped on and leave the conversation, or dance, feeling awkward. All it takes is a little practice and some support.

            These experiences have taught me how to meet and network with professionals at charity events, graduate open houses and recruitment days, and even graduate and job interviews. Specifically, I was able to confidently walk into a room full of strangers – students, professors, industry professionals and program directors – at the University of Washington, and convince them that I was a student that they needed to have in their Masters of Hospital Administration program out of 250 other applicants. Five months later I was honored with an acceptance letter to the program. I could not have done it though without gaining the experiences and confidence to walk up to peers or professionals, establish that connection and sell my qualifications. Networking is not industry specific, it is a skill that one can use to establish relationships to grow their career and achieve personal goals. As an ambassador to Anderson Career Services I am always here to help, so feel free to email me at adhendry@unm.edu.

 

Confessions of a Hiring Manager

By: Elisha Allen, EMBA Student

The cover letter ends like many others: “I am confident that my background, skills and abilities make me the perfect match for this position and your organization.” It is not that this statement is necessarily wrong, or that projecting confidence in an application and interview is not important. The problem, in so many cases, is that the applicant has either not fully understood the nature of the job they are applying for when making this statement, or has not documented in his or her resume and application materials how, specifically, he or she is uniquely suited for the position. An assertion without evidence falls flat.

In the course of my job, I have served on many hiring committees, and have learned more about applying for jobs through the lens of a hiring officer, than I ever did through application processes. Today, I will share some of the most common issues I see to help you in your own job search. Most of the issues are easily corrected with some effort and attention to detail, and will help you to find a position that is the right match.

The first step to a successful application is to step into the shoes of a hiring official. Competitive organizations must find employees who have unique talents that complement the skills of the existing workforce, believe in the mission of the organization and, and are committed to its success. Failure to match candidates on these three levels wastes time and money for both the organization and the employee. As you prepare your application, think about how the position creates a positive synergy between your goals and those of the organization, and then take the time to make this explicit. The first place to do this is in the cover letter.

Hiring officials are taking time out of very busy days to review the materials you submit, and you have a very short amount of time to convince the official that your application deserves more thorough consideration. There is no easier place to do this than in the cover letter. The cover letter should be professionally formatted, with attention to spelling and grammar. As basic as this seems, many cover letters lack this attention to detail, and hiring officials do notice this as a symptom of the level of professionalism they can expect when you are hired into the position.

In terms of content, make the letter is relevant to the position, showcase your strengths, and project your enthusiasm for the position and the company. Be sincere! Officials can tell if your enthusiasm is more about having a job than having the job that is posted, and will favor individuals that seem like they will be committed to the organization. This takes more time and effort than submission of a generic cover letter, but the effort is worth it if the position is important to you. In today’s job climate, hiring officials have multiple qualified candidates to choose from. Anything that gives you an edge is worth doing.

Over the years, I have seen letters that focus on experience that is irrelevant to the posted position, are addressed to the wrong hiring official or department, or state ambitions that will not be satisfied with the posted position. For example, a cover letter or resume that has a stated objective of obtaining a position in marketing is not attractive to the official looking for a candidate to fill a technical support job. Hiring officials are giving you their time when they review your application. Make them want to learn more about you by showing that you understand that, appreciate it, and have taken the time to research and respond to their needs.

In the process, do not forget the job search process is one of mutual evaluation. While companies are evaluating you for how your involvement may benefit them, you should also be making the same evaluation. How would this job, or involvement with this organization, fit into your long-term strategic plan? Does the position leverage your competitive advantages? Provide for the kind of lifestyle flexibility you are looking for? Offer you an opportunity for aspirational growth? Taking the time to define these for yourself will help you define which opportunities are important to you and clarify to prospective employers how you are a fit for the position and the organization.

BREAKING NEWS: The Job Market Isn’t As Bleak As You Think

By: Nathaniel Tarantino, BBA Finance Student

Myself and My Fellow Intel Interns

If you’re anything like me, you can’t even count how many times you have read an article or watched the news where “experts” claim that the job market for recent college graduates is bleak. Well I have news for you, I don’t believe them one bit and you shouldn’t either. While there is not a surplus of jobs as seen in the late 1990’s or mid 2000’s, I have observed that there are many students at Anderson who have had tremendous internships and/or have jobs waiting for them after they graduate.

Now, allow me to let you in on a few little secrets: the students who excel in the classroom AND take full advantage of the Career Service office and the many networking opportunities they offer are the ones who are having such great success. What the “experts” are failing to tell you is that it is no longer enough to just get good grades and have a degree in order to get a job. There needs to be a conscious shift of understanding that the new standard for landing that big job is not just a competitive GPA but also a refined set of professional skills (e.g. resume, interview and networking strategies) that will complement the GPA. Individually, these skills are important, but they are more powerful together and are exactly what you need to get any job you want.

Here’s another secret: the greatest of talent will be lost if it never becomes visible. From industry networking series, etiquette dinners and informational sessions, there are so many opportunities at Anderson to make oneself visible to a variety of employers across many different industries. If you want the harsh reality, students who are not attending these events and are not positioning themselves to be visible to these employers are doing themselves and their degree a huge disservice. Just like any sport, musical or artistic talent, if you never show it off, no one will ever know you have it.

The last secret: once you have completed the last two steps and are ready for some experience outside of the classroom, get yourself an internship. Internships are the new interviews for employers. In fact, 86% of surveyed companies claim they use internships to recruit college students for full-time employment. In addition, employers state they extended full-time job offers to 70% of their interns. I can personally attest to this statistic as I was not only given a full-time offer after my internship with Intel Corporation during the summer of my Junior year, but was also offered a full-year part time internship during my Senior year as I finish my degree. While my financial acumen and competitive GPA helped me land the internship, it was my professionalism and interpersonal skills that convinced Intel to add me as a part of their company.

We all still have so much more to learn and can always be more refined professionally, myself included. But from one Anderson student to another, we truly are blessed to be a part of such a highly regarded business school which truly strives to set us up for success. All you have to do is: ignore the depressing “experts”, get good grades, make yourself visible and show employers why you deserve a job after you graduate. Go Lobos!!

If you have any questions, please email me at ntaran01@unm.edu

 

Why it’s important to get involved in groups, clubs, campus activities

By: Stacy Caldwell MBA Student, Marketing and Operations

Community Service Event with HBSA

This is a very important topic, one every business student should read.  Most students will go through college and get their degree, but only few students will be involved around campus.  Without a doubt, it is these students who will succeed.

I have had experience as an undergrad and grad student at the Anderson School of Management.  Right from the start coming into Anderson, I knew an internship or some sort of experience would be necessary to get a job in the future.  Based on that understanding, I wanted to get involved with the Career Service’s workshops to ultimately help me gain experience.  I attended an internship workshop on how to obtain internships and jobs which led me to find out about Lobo Career Connection.  Here, I found my first internship which lasted 2 ½  years.  Basically, if I was not involved by attending this workshop, I wouldn’t have gotten the internship. 

Now some students may think that being involved in groups and clubs around campus will not benefit them, or maybe they’re too shy to be involved.  I must say that joining groups and clubs has been one of the best experiences in my college education.  Why?  Because I have networked, gained relevant experience, met some great friends, and obtained an internship based on my involvement with these groups.  After becoming secretary of HBSA, Vice President for ALPFA, Student Ambassador for Career Services, and a Graduate Assistant, I now can say I’ve gained the real world skills needed for success in my future career.

Info Table for HBSA

When I interviewed with General Mills, one of the top things they looked for was involvement in groups, clubs, activities, and events.  All businesses want to see that you’re involved.  When you are, it shows you care about a group or a club and want to be involved.  By just going to school and education, you do not stand apart from the rest.  Being involved will help you stand apart and ultimately get that job you want.  I was chosen for the General Mills internship based on the internship I gained early in my education and for being a part of many organizations on campus.  I wanted to be involved and they could see that too. 

One of the best advices I can give to start being involved, is to tell yourself, “You know what; I’m going to give this a try.”  Because once you do, you will enjoy it, and nothing but good things can come from it.  If you want to be prepared in the future for that interview, job, or wherever you want to go, you should be involved.  Other than education and work experience, being involved with groups, clubs, and events will make you the most prepared when you graduate.  Basically, tackle those opportunities and attend networking events and free workshops on campus, because they will get you prepared!  Joining a group, club, or going to events, will only make getting that job you desire, easier.

Group Outing for ALPHA

All this seems serious, but in reality, being involved is a ton of fun!  You will never have the college experience again once you graduate, so make the most of it while you can!  If you have any questions you can contact me at stacyc@unm.edu.