Author: wayupstudent

3 Cover Letter Mistakes You Never Knew You Were Making

One of the keys to landing an awesome job is starting off on the right foot with the recruiter. Writing a strong resume and filling out your WayUp profile are the best ways to get started, but if you want to really stand out, a cover letter can be a great way to demonstrate the value you can bring to an organization. That said, few things are as annoying to recruiters as a poorly written cover letter. So, what can you do to ensure that yours make a good impression? Here are the top three cover letter mistakes and tips on what you can do to fix them.

1. Focusing too much on yourself and your resume.

Although it’s great to list one or two key accomplishments that are relevant to the role you’re applying for, your cover letter shouldn’t rehash your resume. In fact, it should focus on the things that you can bring to the table and only mention the skills and experience that are most relevant to the position. Instead of summarizing your achievements, go beyond your resume and make your experiences personal to the job.

Pro Tip: Quantifying achievements with metrics is a wonderful way to demonstrate the impact you’ve had at previous jobs and to help hiring managers envision you as a member of their team.

2. Making it longer than a page.

Another common cover letter mistake a lot of college students and recent grads make is to write a letter that’s far too long. Although this might be tempting (after all, you want to show the hiring manager that you’ve done a lot of cool things and could do a wonderful job for them), it’s important to remember that employers are often quite busy and often don’t have time to read a two-page letter. Instead of telling them your whole life story, focus on conveying your enthusiasm for the role and highlighting 2-3 key things that define your work and your personality.

Pro Tip: Knowing how to structure your cover letter will go a long way toward ensuring that you get it right. We recommend keeping it to three paragraphs with the first paragraph mentioning why you’re applying for the position, the second paragraph explaining your interest in the role and the industry and the third paragraph discussing your qualifications. This is a great way to ensure that you’re hitting on all the right points without going overboard on the length.

3. Not checking for typos and grammar mistakes.

Of all the mistakes you can make on your cover letter, not proofreading for typos is probably the worst. This signifies a lack of attention and also a lack of care, two things that are unlikely to impress recruiters. The best way to avoid this is by making sure to read through your letter at least three times and asking a friend or family member to take a look at it too.

Pro Tip: Here’s a proofreading tip you may not have heard before: Reading backwards is an excellent way to catch spelling mistakes that you might otherwise gloss over. The best way to do it is by going through the letter word by word (starting with your signature) and working your way to the top.

While a strong cover letter can help you get noticed by employers, a weak one might hurt your chances of getting hired. By knowing what mistakes to look out for — and what to do if they pop up — you’ll be able to write the kind of cover letter that will help you stand out from the crowd.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Become a Financial Analyst and find answers to common interview questions such as Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?

3 Things You Didn’t Know About the Aerospace and Defense Industry

The aerospace and defense industry is full of incredible achievements, and a career in this area will put you at the forefront of future advances in engineering and technology for aircraft, spacecraft, watercraft and more. If you’re considering working in aerospace and defense, below are three things you might not have known about industry leader Lockheed Martin and the industry as a whole. These facts might prove helpful when you’re interviewing for a job in this field and want to prove you’ve done your research.

1. Lockheed Martin’s U-2 Dragon Lady aircraft can ascend to 70,000 feet.

This aircraft nearly doubles a commercial airplane’s cruising altitude, and it reaches most of that height in roughly the same amount of time it takes a passenger plane to get to 35,000 feet. The U-2 Dragon Lady is a spy plane that took its first flight all the way back in 1955, and has an average mission success rate of 97 percent. When it’s not completing spy missions and flying beyond the reach of radar, it’s used to help with disaster relief efforts during and after earthquakes, floods or forest fires. At its highest altitude, it connects to satellites, making worldwide communication possible. And Lockheed Martin had the first U-2 up in the air just nine months after they started the program to build it.

2. Landing on Mars might not be so far away.

Lockheed Martin is the contractor behind the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, a NASA spacecraft engineered to bring humans into deep space for long-term missions. Currently, Lockheed Martin is studying what it will take for humans to travel farther into space than ever before, and be able to return home safely. Their goal is to bring humans to Mars by the year 2028. It’s all part of a NASA initiative called “Journey to Mars”.

3. The space industry has been using solar power since the 1950s.

The popularity of solar power may seem relatively new to most of us, but for the aerospace industry, it’s been used for over six decades to keep the power running on spacecraft. A satellite called Vanguard 1 was launched in 1958, with power from solar cells keeping it in orbit. It claims the title of “oldest man-made satellite in orbit”.

Working in the space and defense industry means you’ll be contributing to a legacy of record-breaking achievements and impressive feats of science, math and technology. Want to learn how to get a job in space and defense? Check out our guide to the industry.

What Does an Intelligence Analyst’s Job Look Like?

Being an intelligence analyst is an exciting career path that requires critical thinking and an analytical mindset. You’ll play a key role in decreasing both physical and digital threats at home and abroad. If you’re thinking of becoming an intelligence analyst, you might be wondering what a day on the job looks like. Depending on your specific role and the company where you work, a day on the job might include one or more of these assignments.

Gathering Critical Information

Intelligence analysts are some of the most thorough researchers out there. In this role, you will be tasked with finding out as much as possible about the subject assigned to you. Collecting this information can take many forms: fieldwork and interviewing, location searches and computer research to compliment your work in the field. Once you have completed your research you will then compile it into a report to share with your company so they can take the necessary next steps.

Data Analysis and Threat Assessment

An intelligence analyst’s job relies heavily on data collection and analysis to pinpoint potential threats in their home country and in countries across the world. You’ll be looking at details related to geography, historical events and statistics, and putting all the puzzle pieces together. With this information, you’ll build a more complete understanding of risks to determine what details are beneficial, and what information is misleading or not considered a threat. Your data analysis and threat assessment work could be used to improve intelligence, reconnaissance or surveillance efforts, monitor for foreign computer network operations or deploy technologies for countering cyber attacks.

Crisis Management

When it comes to intelligence analysis, ensuring everyone at your company knows how to respond properly to threats is a critical part of the job. In this function of your role, you might build, maintain and update crisis management plans and protocol. You might also organize exercises to train others at your organization on the importance of crisis management to make sure the threats you can’t anticipate are handled before they get out of control. You will also gather data about the state of your company’s crisis management solutions and present your findings to your team.

Being an intelligence analyst comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility, but it is also an incredibly rewarding career path with the potential to make a positive impact not just on your own country but around the world. By having a clear idea of what to expect from the role, you’ll be able to set yourself up for success and land the job you want.

How To Become A Confident Public Speaker

Confidence is a key part of being successful in almost any situation, and it’s especially important when it comes to your professional life. One of the areas where confidence really matters is public speaking. Unfortunately, a lot of people are afraid of public speaking (including seasoned professionals). If you’re among them, don’t worry. With a little bit of practice and preparation, you can conquer your fears and learn how to deliver a powerful and engaging speech.

Here are five tips for becoming a confident public speaker.

1. Have a positive attitude.

Being able to get your message across effectively starts with having a positive attitude. Although this may seem difficult if you’re feeling nervous, it’s actually not as hard as it sounds. The key is to know your goal and to tell yourself that you can do it. For example, if your goal is to present a new strategy to the entire company, reminding yourself that you have the knowledge and the skills to deliver a great speech is crucial to your success. This will help boost your confidence and ensure that you stay positive as you get closer to giving your presentation.

2. Picture a successful outcome.

If you’ve ever heard of athletes who prepare for big games by visualizing success, there’s a good reason for that: it works! The best way to apply this tactic to public speaking is by picturing yourself giving a speech. Picture yourself feeling confident and delivering a speech that you feel good about. Then focus on what part of your visualization makes you feel the most successful. Is it being prepared and knowledgeable about the material? Or maybe it’s the way the audience engages with your speech, smiling and nodding in all the right places. Whatever it is, focus on this feeling of success and keep repeating the visualization until you’re able to convince yourself that the real speech will go just as well.

Pro Tip: Although this exercise should be a positive one, don’t be afraid to do a similar visualization where you picture the worst case scenario. Why? Because this will help prepare you for any curve balls. Although you’re unlikely to encounter any real embarrassment or problems during the speech, seeing it play out in your imagination (and knowing that you can get past it) is a great way to remind yourself that you can handle whatever comes your way.

3. Know what you want to communicate.

Along with building confidence, knowing what you want to communicate is a key component of successful public speaking. The best way to do this is by coming up with a list of 2-3 bullet points that you consider to be the key takeaways of your speech. Then craft your speech with these in mind and practice it several times to ensure that you’re emphasizing these points as effectively as possible.

4. Clear your mind

Once you have you have your speech prepared and you’ve visualized a successful outcome, the next step is being able to clear your mind right before your speech. There are several ways to do this but the most effective is to practice some deep breathing. This works best if done right before the speech. Spend a few minutes breathing in and out slowly and focusing on your breath. This will help clear your mind of any remaining anxiety and will ensure that your mind and body are relaxed as you prepare to start your speech.

5. Connect with the audience.

Along with being calm and prepared, one of the keys to giving a successful speech is being able to connect with your audience. The best way to do this is by making regular eye contact during your speech and by asking questions designed to engage your listeners.

Pro Tip: A great way to practice connecting with your audience is by rehearsing your speech in front of friends. This will ensure that you’re comfortable with the delivery and able to focus on engaging with your audience.

Public speaking is a great skill to have in any professional context and it’s especially impressive for recent grads who are just establishing themselves in their careers. By following these tips and growing your self-confidence, you’ll be able to become a confident public speaker and to impress current and future employers along the way.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Write a Thank You Note After An Interview and find answers to common interview questions such as What Gets You Up in the Morning?

How to Answer: What Can You Offer Us That Someone Else Can’t?

This is a common interview question and one that gives you a chance to elaborate on the answer you gave to “What are your strengths?” It’s a question designed to gauge your confidence level and knowledge of the company, so even if the interviewer doesn’t ask it directly, be prepared to show that you’re a qualified candidate who can bring something unique to the table. Read through the job description to identify the main things the hiring manager is looking for and show how you meet those needs.

Here are the things you need to keep in mind when preparing your answer.

Show off your experience and unique abilities.

Your interviewer is essentially asking “Why should I hire you?” and your answer should show that you’re different from other candidates they’ve interviewed. Think of the top 2-3 things they’re looking for and explain how you meet those criteria. For example, if you’ve had an internship in the industry, talk about you experience. If you’re not sure what to focus on, look at the job description and identify key traits in the first 3 bullet points.

Say something like: “I’m a creative problem-solver who wants to be part of a team that develops great branding campaigns. I’ve worked on several marketing campaigns during class projects and at a previous internship, so I’m familiar with the challenges I’ll face in this role and I know how to address them.”

Explain what you bring to the table.

Next, show how your experience and unique qualities make you stand out. If you’ve already made it clear that you’re a hard worker, you can emphasize the fact that you always keep a positive attitude and will bring a new level of leadership to the team. Be humble but confident. Giving a direct answer will show that you’ve thought about the question and know exactly what you can bring to the position.

Say something like: “I bring three things to the table that most candidates can’t offer: My problem-solving ability that I’ve used to improve campaign performance, in-depth knowledge of social media strategy and previous experience with email marketing.”

Connect your experience to the position you’re applying for.

Being an awesome employee has a lot to do not only with your unique abilities but also with how those abilities meet the employer’s needs. Whether the company you’re interviewing with is a tech startup or a consulting firm, demonstrating that you understand the organization’s needs and can address them will go a long way toward impressing the interviewer and helping them to see you as a part of the team.

Here’s how to bring it all together:

“I’m a creative problem-solver who wants to be part of a team that develops great branding campaigns. I’ve worked on several marketing campaigns during class projects and at a previous internship, so I’m familiar with the challenges I’ll face in this role and I know how to address them. I bring three things to the table that most candidates can’t offer: My problem-solving ability that I’ve used to improve campaign performance, in-depth knowledge of social media strategy and previous experience with email marketing. With my combined knowledge and enthusiasm for this industry, I know that I would be a good fit for this role.”

Pro Tip: Make sure your answer takes less than 60 seconds and practice it over and over until you have it down pat.

Answering “What can you offer us that some else can’t?” is a great way to show how you stand out from other candidates. By highlighting your unique skills and demonstrating how your personality and future goals align with the company, you’ll impress your interviewer and increase your chances of getting the job!

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 5 Technology Trends You Need to Know and find answers to common interview questions such as How Have You Displayed Leadership?

Here’s How To Make A Great First Impression At An Entry-Level Job

You’ve worked hard to earn your degree and even hard to lock down that first job after college. You should recognize and celebrate the successes you’ve had, but don’t underestimate the importance of starting your first entry-level job off on the right foot.

Here are 5 actionable tips to help you succeed beyond your wildest dreams in your first entry-level job:

Prepare for your first day. 

When given a start date for your new job, it can be extremely tempting to relax and passively wait for that date to come before you start getting familiar with your new job. That’s not a good idea. You should spend an hour or so each day getting more familiar with the company, the role, and the people you’re likely to work with. Here are some tips for getting on top of the job before it begins:

  1. Ask your hiring manager for any guides or information to ponder before you start.
  2. Get familiar with the industry you’re working in and your company’s place in it. What are their strengths and weaknesses?
  3. Do some additional research into the professional history (best to avoid personal history) of the other team members you’ll be working with. Where have they worked? What have they done?
  4. Ask the company to help you get in touch with previous entry-level hires in your role. They will have fantastic advice for you on succeeding at the company.
  5. Get coffee with your coworkers before you start.

Show up early and prepared.

There are going to be a lot of moving pieces on your first day. There will be new people to meet, new processes to learn, routines to establish, and the list goes on. Arrive early and create structure for yourself to make it less overwhelming. Here are some suggestions for creating helpful structure on your first day:

  1. Write everything down. It doesn’t matter where. What’s important is that writing things down helps you retain them.
  2. Start a to-do list and be diligent about checking items off as they happen. This will help you when your boss asks what you’ve done lately.
  3. Take breaks to reflect. Take 15 minutes at the end of the day to make any additional notes.
  4. Create a routine. Get lunch at the same time every day. Create structure in your daily agenda.

Be a humble sponge.

Recognize that there’s going to be a lot for you to learn and that your coworkers have a lot to teach. Be patient, respectful, humble, and curious. If you don’t know or understand something, ask for some guidance and help, listen intently, write it down, and take it to heart.

You might find yourself not agreeing with the way certain parts of the company or processes are run. That’s fine. However, it’s always a good idea to attempt to understand why the current processes exist before attempting to change them. You want to work in a place where your voice is heard and respected. Your fellow employees will listen and respect you only if you’re willing to listen and respect them first.

Set goals.

If you remember one thing from this list, let this be it. Nothing is more important than setting good goals for yourself. Ideally, you’re creating these goals with your manager so that you’re both on the same page with respect to the expectations for you in your role. Only once you know what you’re working towards and how you’ll be evaluating your success can you truly start making progress in your job. Good goals will help you push yourself to learn new things, meet new people, tackle new challenges, and get the absolute most from any job.

Learn How to Set Great Professional Goals

Be introspective.

Truly knowing yourself and attempting to understand what you find challenging and rewarding about your job will pay dividends. The better you know yourself, the easier it is for you to set great goals for yourself and achieve them. You’ll get more meaningful results faster in almost every aspect of your work.

So being introspective is important. Great. Now how do you do it?

  1. Consider what you’re hoping to get out of your first job. Are you assessing whether or not you want to continue a career in marketing? Or are you trying to figure out whether or not the industry is interesting to you? Why are you here?
  2. Ask yourself, how do you feel at work? Are you upbeat and happy? Or are you distracted and bitter?
  3. Dig into what you’ve actually learned each day. Is what you’re learning what you want to be learning?

Start using these actionable tips.

Sometimes success in a new job comes naturally and sometimes it requires a great deal of effort. Regardless of what situation you find yourself in, these tips should help you start taking control of the situation and ensure you make the most of your first job after college.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Entry-Level Job? and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

Here’s What To Do After An Interview If You Want To Get Hired

Not doing interview follow-up is a bit like cramming for a final and then falling asleep an hour beforehand and missing the whole thing. You did all the heavy lifting, but will probably still get a zero.

As absurd as this may sound, even the most organized and hard-working students fall victim to a similar problem every year. They send internship applications, but don’t follow-up with the employers, leaving a high percentage chance that their application will get lost in the mix.

Interview follow-ups are among the most important and overlooked aspects of getting an internship, so take note.

What IS a follow-up?

A follow-up is a simple email or note, thanking someone for taking the time to meet or speak with you. A follow-up helps you build rapport with an interviewer or contact and lets them know you are a professional and comfortable communicating in a professional setting.

Most importantly though, a good follow-up makes sure you stay top of mind when a hiring manager makes the difficult decision of selecting who gets an internship and who doesn’t. More often then not, when there are multiple qualified candidates for a role, the hiring manager will pick the person who “feels” right.

“So wait, you’re telling me that a simple email, that I can write in 2 minutes, might be the tipping point that lands me my dream internship???”

Exactly!

Scenarios and examples.

Follow-ups are more of an art than a science. When done politely and thoughtfully, they will leave a lasting positive impression. When done awkwardly or aggressively, they can get you branded as a pain in the behind. Ultimately, they are so important and so commonplace in the professional world that it is absolutely essential that you learn the follow-up process and commit to using them.

Pro tip: Remember that most hiring managers are busy, so be considerate, direct and keep it brief.

Below are different scenarios where you should follow-up and some best practices on how to ensure that your message shines!

1.) After an interview

You should follow-up after every interview you have, no exceptions! This email should be sent either the day of the interview or the day after. It should be brief and thankful. And, if you would like, you can reference a part of the interview in which you feel like you connected with the interviewer, but you want to avoid coming off like a suck up.

Ex. 1

“John,

Thanks for taking the time to interview with me today. It was really interesting to learn how Widget Corp’s social media efforts are focused on creating two-way conversations, rather than pushing content. I have always found that listening first leads to stronger relationships and better results, and really appreciated this point.

Please let me know if you would like any additional references and thanks again for your consideration.

Cheers,

Sally

Pro Tip: Oftentimes, a short and to the point email is best after an interview.

Ex. 2

“John,

Thanks for taking the time to interview me. I think Widget Corp has an exciting product and culture, and believe that my experience as social media director for my university would make me a great fit.

Thanks for your consideration and have a great rest of your week.

Regards,

Sally

All-Star Pro Tip:
Bring a blank thank-you card and stamped envelope to an in-person interview. After you leave the interview, fill-in the thank-you card and place it in the nearest mailbox to be delivered to your interviewer’s desk the next morning.

2.) After submitting an application and not hearing back

The second most common time to use a follow-up is if you have submitted an application and you have not heard back. While many students assume this is because they have been rejected, in many cases a lack of response occurs when the hiring manager is overwhelmed and they have simply been lost in the mix. As long as you are polite and considerate you have nothing to lose, in following-up and seeing where you stand in the review process.

Ex.

John,

I know you are really busy so I wanted to quickly hop back on to your inbox. Did you happen receive my application for your marketing management role?

Thanks for your time.

Cheers,

Sally

3.) After a networking lunch or informational interview

It is common that as you conduct your internship search, you will take time to meet with different professionals in your field; either references from family, professors, or other contacts you have developed. When these busy professionals take time to speak with you about the industry, it warrants a follow-up, with the best follow-ups thanking them for their time and showing them that you paid attention and learned something new from the conversation.

“John,

Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today, it was really interesting to learn more about how you have seen social media change from one-to-many type conversations, to more one-on-one conversations. I agree that building relationships, rather than just spraying content is a much more powerful way to grow users in new online communities.

In fact I just read an article in Search Engine Land about this that I thought you might enjoy.

Thanks again for your time, would you mind if I had one or two quick follow-up questions if I reached out?

All the best,

Sally

4.) Immediately after sending an application

A follow-up directly after sending an application can be a way to stand out, but should only be used if the selection process is rolling, not if there is a set deadline.

Ex.

“John,

My name is Sally and I just submitted an application to your Widget Marketing Position. I spent last year marketing widgets and learned a lot about the process and am excited to bring my past experience, and team-centric focus to your marketing campaigns this summer. If you have any follow-up questions feel free to let me know and thanks for your time and consideration.

Cheers,

Sally

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Internship? and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

What is Consulting?

Being a consultant is an exciting opportunity to learn the ins and outs of running a business in an effective and profitable way. Regardless of your major, if you’re a creative problem-solver who is interested in different types of business models, then being a consultant might just be for you.

Here are some of the key things you need to know about working in consulting.

What is consulting?

Consulting is a fairly broad term that can have a variety of meanings depending on the industry it refers to. For example, you can work as a marketing consultant helping companies create and optimize their marketing campaigns or as a software consultant, designing software systems for an organization. However, although the term has many applications, it’s generally used to refer to management or strategy consulting, the practice of helping companies increase their efficiency and profits by addressing the major operational or strategic challenges they’re facing.

What do consultants do?

Consulting roles can vary greatly depending on the type of consulting firm you work for and the companies you work with. For example, if you work for one of the large management consulting companies (such as McKinsey, Bain or Boston Consulting Group) you’ll be following a fairly structured career path, starting off as a junior consultant and moving up to a senior consultant role within two to three years. Working at one of the larger consulting firms also means that you’re more likely to be a generalist in your early years since you typically only become specialized in a particular vertical, industry or type of work after working in consulting for several years. At smaller consultancies or boutique firms, you’ll generally focus on a particular industry from the beginning (such as healthcare or technology) and work exclusively within that industry.

What are the challenges of working in consulting?

Being a consultant is an exciting career path but it does have its share of challenges. One of the main ones is traveling. Although many other careers require travel (e.g. sales), few are as travel-intensive as consulting. In fact, it’s not uncommon to hear of consultants who travel four out of five days of each work week, meaning that your non-travel time will usually be limited to weekends. Additional challenges include long hours (12-hour days are standard) and working closely with a new team every few months. Although these factors might take a little getting used to, most consultants adapt to them fairly quickly and are able to thrive in their roles.

What are some of the benefits of working in consulting?

One of the main benefits of being a consultant is having the opportunity to learn about multiple industries and business models. In fact, this knowledge will serve you well throughout your consulting career (and beyond), allowing you to quickly spot operational and managerial problems and come up with creative solutions to solve them. And although travel can be a challenging part of the job, it can also be an exciting one, giving you the opportunity to see new parts of the country (and helping you build up some frequent flyer miles in the process!). Consulting will also improve your presentation skills, teaching you how to build impressive presentation decks and communicate your point effectively to any type of audience.

What is a typical consultant salary?

One of the other benefits of being a consultant is the high earning potential. In fact, consulting is one of the most lucrative professions around and it offers great salaries for recent graduates. Entry-level salaries for management consultants typically start at $63,000 (including bonuses), though this can vary depending on the size of the firm you work for. Consulting salaries increase significantly with each year of additional experience and can go up to $250,000 for a project leader or even $500,000 and above for a partner.

Although consulting is certainly a challenging field, it’s also an exciting one that presents many opportunities for recent grads. The best way to find out if being a consultant is a good fit for you is to intern at a consulting firm and get a hands-on feel for the role and the culture of the industry.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Handle Back-to-Back Interviews and find answers to common interview questions such as Tell Me About Yourself.

How to Become a Consultant

If you’re interested in consulting, then you probably already know that it’s an exciting and challenging field with a lot of opportunities to learn about different industries and business processes. But you might be wondering about the best way to get started. Should you submit applications to all the major consulting firms and hope for the best? Or is there something else you can do to increase your chances of landing a job in this industry?

Here are some of the key things you need to know about becoming a consultant.

1. Understand the different types of consulting jobs and identify your area of interest

Consulting is a broad term that can have many different applications. In order to get started in the field, it’s important to first identify what type of consultant you want to be by learning about the different types of consulting and the roles associated with them. For example, if you’re interested in a specific industry such as marketing, technology or healthcare, you might want to work for a boutique firm that specializes in that particular industry. On the other hand, if you’re interested in business operations and management at a more general level, you might want to go into management consulting, working for a larger firm such as McKinsey, Bain or Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Pro Tip: If you’re not sure what type of consulting would be a good fit for you, spend some time doing research on the various types and getting a sense of which one most closely aligns with your interests.

2. Know what recruiters look for

Regardless of what type of consulting you choose to pursue, it’s important to know what recruiters look for when assessing candidates. For example, since consulting requires the ability to address problems effectively (and often creatively), recruiters look for candidates with strong problem-solving abilities and also those with a basic level of business knowledge. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to be a business or finance major to succeed in the recruitment process. It just means that you need to be able to demonstrate an understanding of how businesses operate and an interest in the technical and operational problems that you’ll encounter in the position.

Pro Tip: Building up your business knowledge and technical skills can be done in a number of ways. While taking a business management or accounting class is a great idea, you can also supplement this knowledge with reading materials specific to the industry itself. For example, magazines like The Economist can give you a general sense of business and finance trends impacting relevant industries.

3. Understand what a case interview is and how to prepare for one

Case interviews are designed to test your ability to understand and solve problems effectively and they are a big part of the recruitment process for management consulting jobs. During a case interview, you’ll be presented with a series of business or logic problems and asked to come up with solutions. Common questions you’ll encounter can include things such as “How many wheelchair users are there in the U.S. this year?” or “How do we increase the revenue for Company X by 15% in this calendar year?” In order to succeed in a case interview, it’s important to ask relevant questions and to show the thought process behind your proposed solution. This is because hiring managers are primarily interested in how you approach problems and being able to demonstrate a cohesive problem-solving process will go a long way towards impressing them.

Pro Tip: Acing your case interview is all about practice so make sure to spend some time learning about common case interview questions and thinking through your answers. A number of resources can come in handy here including books such as Case in Point: Complete Case Interview Preparation and sites like Case Interview.

4. Take an internship at a consulting firm

Few things are as effective at building relevant skills as internships. In fact, having internship experience will not only give you hands-on experience of what it’s like to work in consulting, but it will also help you decide whether a consulting role is right for you. The best way to find a consulting internship that fits your interests is by researching opportunities at several firms and then either applying on WayUp or reaching out to their recruitment team to find out more about the roles and the requirements.

5. Build your network

Having a strong professional network is important in every industry but it’s especially important in a field like consulting, which relies heavily on teamwork and collaboration. Luckily, networking is essentially built into the consulting industry with firms sponsoring social events to help consultants get to know one another and build relationships both within and outside of their firms.

Pro Tip: One of the most effective ways to build your network is by reaching out to alumni from your school. You can do this by attending career fairs that your school offers or even by looking through your school’s alumni network on LinkedIn to identify those who are working in the industry. Added bonus: Many alumni are actively involved in recruitment efforts at their alma maters so connecting with them before the recruitment process starts will put your on their radar at the right time.

Working as a consultant can be both challenging and exciting, giving you the opportunity to learn a lot about how businesses function and how you can help them succeed. The best way to find out if being a consultant is right for you is by interning at a consulting firm and getting a feel for what the industry is all about.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Write a Thank You Note After an Interview and find answers to common interview questions such as What Are Your Strengths?

How to Negotiate a Job Offer

Congratulations, you got an offer! That’s great news and here’s more: negotiating the details of an offer is part of the process of getting hired. One important thing to remember is that entry-level jobs are not always open for salary negotiation but that doesn’t mean that you can’t work with an employer to make sure you get a combination of salary and benefits that will work for you.

In order to make the process as easy and effective as possible, here are some things to remember as you negotiate.

Do your research.

Do you know the going salary for an entry-level job in customer service? What about for a computer science major with several internships under her belt? If you’re not sure of the answers, it’s time to do some research. Luckily, there are several sites that can help make the process both quick and easy. To get a better idea of the average salary for a specific job or industry, head over to Glassdoor. In addition to providing detailed salary information for entry-level roles, Glassdoor also has a breakdown of how salaries vary by city. This is great news for graduates who are looking to relocate or those who are comparing several different jobs at once.

After you’ve gotten a good grasp of the salary range for your dream job, dig a little deeper by finding out more about the company you’re negotiating with. Our company pages are a great resource for this type of information, and they can offer you fantastic insight into your potential employer.

Know your value.

Whether you’re coming to the negotiation straight from a well-paid internship or starting from scratch without much professional experience, you don’t need to tell potential employers what you earned at previous part-time jobs. Not even if they ask directly. Instead, use your research to come up with a salary that’s within the range for an entry-level job in your chosen field, and tell the hiring manager that you’re looking for a salary within that range.

The conversation will usually go something like this:

Hiring Manager: “Let’s talk a little bit about the salary for this position.”

You: “Great! Based on my experience and skillset, I’m looking for a salary in the $35,000-$40,000 range. I think that I would be a great fit for the role and would love to discuss compensation if that salary is in line with what you had in mind.”

Be confident but not cagey. Employers appreciate you coming to the table informed and enthusiastic, but they’re likely to be put off if you’re too aggressive or hesitant during the negotiation process.

Don’t get discouraged if the offer is lower than you expect.

If you do receive an offer that’s lower than you expected, your first impulse might be to panic. Don’t. While salary negotiation isn’t possible with some entry-level roles (like investment banking or consulting), a lower often doesn’t always mean that your potential employer. This is where your research will come in handy. In addition to giving you the confidence to negotiate effectively, it will also give you the opportunity to see what other perks the job might offer. For example, if you’re looking for a role that allows for great work-life balance or you really like the company culture, those benefits are likely to also play a role in your decision. Think about the offer as a whole and see how you can work with the employer to make it fit your needs.

Be grateful, not entitled.

One of the most important aspects of negotiating a job offer is saying thank you as soon as you receive it. Receiving an offer is a great sign that an employer sees your potential and believes that you would be a good fit for the role. Here’s how to show your excitement and keep the conversation going:

“Thank you for the offer, I’m really excited about the prospect of joining the team! I appreciate the current offer of $35,000 but based on my skills and experience, I was expecting an offer in the $40,000 range. Can we look at a salary of $40,000 for this position?”

Negotiating a job offer can feel a little intimidating, especially if it’s your first one. The best way to maximize results is to go into the process flexible and informed. And if you need a little extra boost of confidence, remember that the person on the other side of the table wants to work with you and they’re invested in helping you succeed.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How Do I Get a Job in Another City or State? and find answers to common interview questions such as Would You Work Holidays And/Or Weekends?