Tag: underclassman

How to Get a Mentor at Work

Whether you’re working at a summer internship or embarking on your first full-time job, getting a mentor at work is one of the best things you can do for your career. A long-established practice, mentorship helps you develop your professional skills while also giving you a better sense of how to navigate challenges (and successes) in the workplace.

Here are the steps you should take when seeking out a mentor at work.

1. Outline your professional goals

Before you can establish a relationship with a mentor, you need to know what you want to get out of it. Are you interested in developing your managerial skills or more focused on identifying a career path you can follow for the next three to five years? Your answer will determine what type of mentorship you need and help you get a sense of the kind of person who can help you achieve those goals.

Pro Tip: If you’re not sure of your exact goals, make a list of the things that you’re most interested in achieving professionally. This can include projects you want to work on, positions you want to hold and the type of environment you want to work in. Once you have your list, structure your goals according to priority and create an actionable plan based on your highest priority goals.

2. Identify the type of mentor who can help you achieve them

Now that you have a good grasp on your goals, identify one or two people at your company who can help you achieve them. For example, if you’re working as an account executive on a sales team and your goal is to become a relationship manager, a current relationship manager or account director could be a great mentor.

Pro Tip: Your mentor doesn’t necessarily have to be someone in a more senior role. Depending on your goals, you might decide to pick a peer instead. This can be especially helpful if you’re trying to learn skills that will help you succeed in your current role and another team member has already successfully developed those skills.

3. Establish a connection with your potential mentor

If your company has a mentorship program, this is a great place to start since mentors in these programs are already willing and able to take on mentees. If not, the best way to develop a relationship with a potential mentor is by asking them to grab coffee and chat about work. If you’re on the same team, you can use your current projects as a starting point. If you’re on different teams, you can explain why you think their expertise is valuable and what you’d like to learn from them.

Pro Tip: Although asking someone to be your mentor might seem a little awkward, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, most people are flattered by the prospect of being asked to mentor others. By establishing a good rapport beforehand, you’re more likely to get a positive answer and to start things off on the right foot.

4. Develop a mutually beneficial relationship

Once you’ve gotten a sense of whether or not the person is interested in becoming your mentor, the next step is to outline your goals and explain how they can help you achieve them. Since your mentor is likely to be a busy professional with a lot on their plate, coming to the mentorship with a clear sense of what you’re hoping to get out of it will ensure that you maximize the time you have with them while also being mindful of their busy schedule.

Pro Tip: A good mentor-mentee relationship goes both ways and it’s important to keep this in mind when you’re establishing a relationship with your mentor. The best way to ensure that you’re adding value to the relationship is by asking your mentor if there is any way that you can help them in return. For example, if your mentor is working on a project that you’d like to learn more about, offer to pitch in and help even if it’s not part of your current responsibilities.

Having a mentor at work can be a wonderful way to advance your career while learning new skills and refining your professional goals. If you’re interested in finding a mentor, having a strong sense of what you want to get out of the relationship (and what you can give back) will go a long way toward helping you establish a great mentor-mentee relationship.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Common First Job Mistakes and How to Avoid Them and find answers to common interview questions such as What Motivates You?

How to Become a Psychologist

Becoming a psychologist is a wonderful opportunity to help patients work through mental health issues and address challenges in their personal lives. If you’re a psychology major, or just considering a career in the mental health field, then you might be wondering what you need to do to become a psychologist. Do you have to pick a specialty before you go to grad school? Do you need to get both a master’s and a Ph.D.?

Here are the steps you need to follow when getting started on a psychology career.

1. Earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related subject

Since being a psychologist requires a graduate-level degree (such as a Ph.D. or Psy.D.), you’ll need to earn a bachelor’s degree before you can focus on more advanced training. Although a psychology degree is recommended since it will give you great insights into the subject and prepare you for advanced study in the field, it’s not necessary to have one. In fact, any major that helps you build critical thinking and research skills will give you the tools you need to succeed in graduate school.

Pro Tip: While you don’t need to major in psychology in order to become a psychologist, most Ph.D and Psy.D. programs do require certain prerequisites so be sure to check in with your advisor and find out which ones you need to take. Once you have this information, a minor or double major can be a great way to fulfill your grad school requirements while also studying another subject you’re passionate about.

2. Select a specialty and complete a doctoral program

Once you’ve completed your bachelor’s degree, it’s time to decide on a specialty and to pick a graduate program that matches your interests. This can be anything from clinical psychology to developmental psychology and often includes both a research and a clinical component. Although some universities combine a master’s and a doctoral program into a single degree program, most schools offer individual master’s and Ph.D./Psy.D programs.

Pro Tip: Since most master’s programs last between two to three years and most Ph.D and Psy.D. programs take anywhere from five to seven years, you should be prepared for a long course of study on your way to a doctorate. The key to making the most of these years is to take a broad range of classes while also continuously refining your research interests.

3. Do a psychology internship

Before you can become licensed to practice in your state, you’ll need to complete a two-year post-doctoral internship. Focused on expanding your clinical experience and ensuring that you’re qualified to treat patients in a clinical setting, this type of internship will give you the hands-on experience you need to be effective in a patient-focused role. And because these internships are almost always approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) they are geared toward helping you develop the exact skills you’ll need to be a successful psychologist.

4. Get licensed to practice

Once you’ve completed your doctorate and your post-doctoral internship, you’ll be eligible to become licensed as a psychologist. In order to do so, you’ll need to pass a national licensure exam called the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) as well as meeting any additional requirements specific to your state.

Psychology is an intriguing field with plenty of career opportunities for anyone interested in mental health. By following these steps and knowing how to set yourself up for success, you’ll be able to establish a career that will have a lasting impact in your life and the lives of your patients.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Psychology Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 5 Tips for Getting an Entry-Level Job Unrelated to Your Major.

What Types of Skills Are Best for a Psychology Major?

With its deep insights into human behavior, psychology is a fascinating major that helps to develop students’ understanding of mental health. If you’re considering becoming a psychology major, you might be wondering about the types of skills you’ll need in order to be successful.

Here are some of the most common skills for psychology majors.

Open-mindedness

Human behavior is a complex subject and learning about it in detail requires an open mind. In your classes, you’ll be learning about various types of behaviors and mental health disorders, as well as about the different ways that people interact with one another. In order to get the most out of these classes, and to ensure that you’re developing an in-depth understanding of the field, it’s important to be objective and flexible in your thinking and to be willing to change your mind when presented with new information.

Critical thinking skills

Another important skill for psychology majors is the ability to think critically. Since you’ll be learning about various psychological theories and analyzing an array of case studies in your classes, the ability to form connections between different areas of psychology (and to determine which theories resonate most closely with your own ideas) is an extremely important part of succeeding in this major.

Research skills

Psychology majors also need to have well-developed research skills including the ability to conduct experiments and to quantify and interpret data. As a psychology major, you’ll be putting these skills to use by carrying out different experiments and presenting your research to your professors and your peers. You’ll also spend a lot of time reading about various behavioral theories and therapeutic modalities so being able to find relevant texts and pull information from them is extremely important.

Problem-solving skills

Problem-solving skills are important for almost every major and psychology is no exception. In fact, being able to solve problems in an effective and creative way is a necessary part of studying psychology since so much of the subject is focused on assessing and treating mental and behavioral problems. If you’re more interested in research than on the clinical aspects of psychology, having great problem-solving skills will help you design and implement experiments to further your research.

Communication skills

Since psychology trains you to work closely with others, being able to communicate effectively is key. Strong communication skills are also important when it comes to presenting research papers at conferences, so ensuring that your style of communication is clear and effective is a great way to set yourself up for success.

Although psychology majors come from a variety of interest areas and backgrounds, those who really succeed in this major are able to develop these skills and to put them to good use.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Is a Psychology Major and Is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 3 Ways to Be More Productive at Work.

What Is a Psychology Major and Is it Right for Me?

Are you fascinated by human behavior and interested in figuring out what makes people tick? Are you passionate about helping others and helping them work through difficult situations? If you answered yes to these questions, a psychology major might just be for you.

What is a psychology major?

Psychology is the study of human behavior at both the individual and group level. As a psychology major, you’ll learn about the various factors that affect mental health (such as cultural and environmental factors), and about the different dynamics that can impact the psychology of a particular group. You’ll also dive deep into the world of psychological disorders and learn about common mental health issues including anxiety and depression.

In psychology classes, you’ll learn the basics of cognitive function and then go on to study advanced theories about what drives particular types of behaviors. Covering physiology, statistics and experimental psychology, this major will give some solid insights into the inner workings of the human brain.

Is it right for me?

Psychology is an exciting field with plenty of career opportunities for those interested in helping people and learning more about the nuances of human interaction.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when deciding whether a psychology major is right for you:

  • Am I excited to do in-depth research on mental health and human relationships?
  • Am I open-minded? Am I able to be objective about the things I’m learning and able to adjust my views accordingly?
  • Do I handle feedback well? Will I be able to deal with constructive feedback from my professors and classmates?
  • Am I willing to devote a lot of time to reading and understanding clinical research in the field?

What can I do with a psychology degree?

A psychology major can be applied to a broad range of fields including social work and teaching. Popular career paths for psychology majors include:

  • Psychologist
  • Social worker
  • Professor
  • Career counselor
  • Non-profit aid worker
  • Guidance counselor
  • Teacher

What do people who major in psychology earn?

The earning potential for psychology majors depends a lot on the types of career paths they choose. For example, entry-level social workers earn approximately $40,000 per year while clinical psychologists with advanced degrees can earn as much as $110,000. No matter what career path you choose, a psychology major will help you develop a broad range of skills that can help you be successful in any role.

What Are the Different Types of Graduate Degrees?

With 2.4 million jobs predicted to require graduate degrees by 2024, application rates for grad schools have increased significantly in recent years. If you’re thinking of going to grad school, you might be wondering about the different types of degrees available and how each one lines up with your specific interests. For example, what can you expect from an MBA program and how can you decide whether it’s right for you.

Here are the most common types of graduate degrees.

Master’s Degree (M.A., M.S., M.F.A, MBA)

The most common type of graduate degree is a master’s degree. Typically consisting of one to two years of study, master’s programs cover a wide variety of specialties including arts and humanities (M.A. or MFA), science and technology (M.S.) and business (MBA). These programs generally combine structured coursework with independent study and often require you to submit a thesis in order to complete the program’s requirements.

Good to Know: In recent years, MBA programs have increased in popularity due to their reputation for helping candidates develop skills that will help them advance in their careers and earn higher salaries. In fact, MBA graduates typically earn 45 percent more than candidates with a bachelor’s degree.

Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.)

Another common graduate degree is a doctoral degree (Ph.D.). Spanning a wide variety of subjects such as psychology, history, computer science and engineering, doctoral degrees are designed to expand your understanding of a specific subject by building on the knowledge gained during a master’s program. These degrees are also a requirement for anyone wishing to become a professor or to have a research career in academia.

Good to Know: Although many of those who complete a Ph.D. go on to work in higher education, this is not the only available career path. Industries like management consulting, investment banking and tech are constantly looking for candidates with a specialized academic background.

Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.)

For those who are interested in a career in law, going to law school and getting a juris doctor degree (J.D.) is a great first step toward a legal career. A three-year program with a focus on both general legal principles and specific types of case law, a juris doctor degree prepares you to work in all aspects of the legal field and advocate on behalf of others.

Good to Know: Not all lawyers become practicing attorneys. Other career paths include finance and business, with many non-practicing lawyers focusing on entrepreneurship.

Doctor of Medicine Degree (M.D.)

One of the most prestigious types of graduate degrees is a doctor of medicine degree (M.D.). A four-year program combining coursework with clinical practice, medical school expands on the knowledge gained during an undergraduate education and develops the skills needed for a career as a physician.

Good to Know: In addition to earning an M.D. degree, physicians are required to complete a residency program lasting three to four years to gain hands-on experience in a clinical setting.

Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree (D.D.S.)

Similar to an M.D. program, a D.D.S. program is a requirement for those who wish to become dentists. Structured as a four-year program combining clinical practice and academic study, dental school teaches dental anatomy and patient care and prepares aspiring dentists for a career as clinicians.

Good to Know: Like medicine, dentistry has a high earning potential, particularly for more specialized areas like oral surgery. These areas often require additional postgraduate study but they also open up additional career opportunities.

Choosing a grad school program can be one of the most important decisions of your career. By knowing what each program entails, you’ll be able to pick a program that’s right for you.

Next, learn more about grad school such as How to Pick an MBA Program and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Get the Job You Really Want.

Cover Letter Guides

Before writing a cover letter, it’s important to understand how it can help or hurt you. In the internship application process a cover letter is your first impression. It’s an opportunity to tell a perspective employer why you’re the perfect fit for their internship and their office and just as importantly, a cover letter is an opportunity to tell an employer you don’t care about their position, by writing a sloppy or template cover letter. Some valuable cover letter topics include, explaining why a position interests you, what you bring to the table, how you would be a great fit, or something unique about you that makes you different from the hundreds of other candidates. The ultimate goal of your cover letter is to get the reader excited to meet you for an interview to learn more.

To summarize the points above, ingredients needed to make a successful cover letter are:

Header with contact information:

Including a header with your contact information on the cover letter makes you look professional and ensures your information will be easy to find. You should also consider including this header on all documents you’re submitting when applying, it demonstrates your professionalism and acts as an opportunity to brand yourself to the perspective employer.

Who is your audience?

Try to find the person who is in charge of intern hiring and address your cover letter and resume to them. Statistics show you have a better chance of being hired if you know who’s doing the hiring and if you recognize them, so take some time to research who will be reviewing your submitted materials and write to them specifically.

The hook:

The person reviewing applicant cover letters and resumes will most likely be going through more than you can imagine, so it’s extremely important to hook ‘em with the first line of your cover letter. Start your cover letter with a statement that will catch the reader’s eye, you can try an interesting or entertaining fact that relates you to the company. Always try your hardest to avoid the typical salutations used in writing, because chances are, your reader has already come across many and is sick of seeing them.

What I do and what I can do for you:

Employers want to know what you can bring to the table, so why beat around the bush, give them what they want! It’s rare for a hiring manager to read an entire cover letter from start to finish, so try using bullet points and bolded text to help identify the important information they’ll be searching for.

Finish strong, let your confidence shine:

Let the company know why you want to work for them and that you really believe you would be a good fit with their team, their company culture, and company community. Also, adding a signature will personalize your cover letter and help you stand out with a sense of professionalism.

What Is Grad School?

Whether you’re just starting college or about to graduate, you might be wondering whether you should go to grad school. This could be especially true if you’re considering a career in law or medicine, fields that require significant postgraduate education.

Before you decide, here are some of the key things you need to know about grad school.

What is grad school?

Grad school (or graduate school) is any form of postgraduate education that focuses on one particular area of study. Depending on the subject you choose, this can be anything from business to law or even the humanities. Designed to deepen your understanding of your chosen subject and turn you into a specialist in your field, grad school can vary in length from two years for a master’s degree to seven years for a Ph.D. and usually includes a combination of coursework and independent study.

How is grad school different from college?

While college gives you a broad overview of several subjects and helps you identify which subject you’re truly passionate about, grad school allows you to become an expert in that subject and to explore it in detail. Depending on the program you choose, grad school also has a different structure than college, generally consisting of classes, independent study and a final project such as a thesis or dissertation.

What types of grad school programs are there?

Grad school programs vary depending on the academic subject and the type of degree. Popular programs include Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) programs for medical students, Juris Doctor (J.D.) programs for law students, Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) programs for business students and a broad range of master’s and Ph.D. programs in subjects including psychology, biochemistry and history.

What should I consider when deciding whether to go to grad school?

Deciding whether to go to grad school comes down to two things: 1) Your desire to continue your course of study and 2) Your career goals. For example, if you’re passionate about law, going to law school to pursue a Juris Doctor degree is a must if you want to become a lawyer. The same goes for those wishing to me doctors who must attend medical school and get a Doctor of Medicine degree in order to practice. For others, such as creative writers or computer programmers, a graduate degree is not required in order to advance in the field though some may choose to do it in order to develop their skills and knowledge.

Pro Tip: Beyond your career goals, two other important factors to consider are time and cost. Since grad school typically requires a minimum two-year commitment in addition to tuition costs, it’s important to have a clear understanding of how this degree can help you before entering into a graduate program.

A great way to boost your knowledge and expand your career options, grad school can be a powerful way to develop new skills. By knowing what to expect and what factors to consider, you’ll be able to decide if grad school is right for you.

Are Online Ph.D. Programs Worth It?

With more than 28 percent of students currently taking an online course, online education is becoming increasingly more popular every year. This includes everything from undergraduate programs to graduate master’s and Ph.D. programs. If you’re thinking of doing an online doctoral program, you may be wondering whether it’s worth the time and money.

Here are some things you need to know about online Ph.D. programs.

Many top universities offer online Ph.D. programs

When online education first began in the mid-1990s, online programs were not as popular as they are now. In fact, although the level of education was comparable to campus-based programs, online degrees were often talked about as something that anyone could get if they were willing to pay for them. Twenty years later, many top-tier schools offer both undergraduate and graduate online programs in a variety of subjects, making it easy to find a program that fits your interests without having to relocate.

Online programs offers students more freedom and flexibility

Another reason many students choose to pursue an online Ph.D. program is the flexibility. Since online programs are structured to fit around your schedule, you’ll be able to decide when you want to complete your coursework and schedule one-on-one time with your professors. This is a great way to adapt the program to fit your needs while still maximizing your time with faculty.

Online programs are more affordable than campus-based programs

In addition to the freedom to design your own schedule, online programs also tend to be more affordable than campus-based programs which can cost between $40,000 and $120,000 depending on the degree. In comparison, online Ph.D. programs can cost anywhere from $18,000 to $70,000, with the average being around $35,000.

Employers recognize online Ph.D. degrees

As online education has continued to expand and top-tier schools have created their own programs, online degrees (especially doctoral degrees) have become increasingly more valued by employers across all industries. This includes science-focused industries like biochemistry and arts-focused fields like design. This means that employers are considering all Ph.D.-holding candidates as being equally competitive when it comes to making hiring decision, which is great news for graduates of online programs.

With registration for online programs increasing at the rate of 4 percent per year, online learning is becoming increasingly popular and respected by employers. If you’re considering getting your doctorate and want to have a flexible schedule, an online Ph.D. program could be the right choice for you.

Next, learn more about grad school such as How to Get a Mentor at Work and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Tell Me About a Time You Failed.

What Does a Day in the Life of a Journalist Look Like?

From covering breaking news to researching features, journalists have a lot of variety in their day-to-day work. If you’re thinking of becoming a journalist, you might be wondering what a day in the life of a journalist looks like. Are you likely to spend most of your time writing or will you be conducting a lot of interviews. The answer will depend on your specific role but most journalists do a combination of the following things:

Staying on top of news trends

Since journalism is all about what’s happening in the moment, one of the key parts of any journalist’s day is to stay on top of news trends by checking newswires such as the Associated Press or Reuters and social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Doing this throughout the day allows journalists to come up with and editorial plan and assign reporters to stories that need to be covered.

Researching stories

Once a journalist has their assignment, they’re responsible for conducting in-depth research into the story. This includes identifying potential sources, fact checking numbers, dates and other important pieces of information and doing contextual research to find out related news items that should be referenced in the final piece.

Interviewing people

Another important part of a journalist’s day is to go out and interview people. This can include talking to voters outside of a polling station when covering an election, interviewing medical experts about a new advancement in medicine or chatting with a celebrity about their latest film. Whatever the context of the story, journalists are responsible for getting the information straight from the source and then synthesizing this information into a story that they can share with the public.

Writing and editing

After researching the story and conducting interviews, journalists spend time identifying the key points of the story and creating a structure for it. They then use the information they’ve gathered to add detail and color to the story and to make it as informative as possible before sending it to an editor for review and publication.

An exciting and challenging career path, journalism offers recent grads the opportunity to be at the frontline of breaking news while also helping them develop engaging storytelling skills. To find out if being a journalist is right for you, consider doing an internship with a news or media outlet.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Getting an Entry-Level Job With No Experience and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

What is a Journalism Major and is it Right for Me?

Have you always been a natural writer? Do you love being persistent when talking to people? If you enjoy getting to the truth of a matter as well as putting in the work to research, write and edit stories about issues around the globe, the world of journalism may be for you.

What is a journalism major?

Majoring in journalism is a fast-paced endeavor, where you’ll be quickly learning the ins and outs of how to write a variety of different types of stories on many different topics. You’ll often be sent out into the field to work on your own, and you’ll have to come back with polished articles on quick, hard deadlines.

Is it right for me?

If the idea of getting to research, write and edit stories sounds great to you, here are several key questions to consider before you commit to majoring in journalism.

  • Do I feel confident in my basic writing, research and editing skills?
  • Am I someone who likes to spend lots of time fact-checking my work and making sure every detail is correct?
  • Do I like reaching out to people (often through cold calls or emails) to interview them for a story? Am I persistent in following up with people to get what I want?
  • Am I okay with not everyone liking a story I publish? How do I react to backlash?
  • Am I able to handle and incorporate criticism and feedback from my professors and peers? Do I have a thick skin when it comes to my writing?
  • Am I okay doing lots of my research, writing and editing by myself?
  • Am I good at multitasking and working on multiple stories on a variety of topics at once?
  • Will I dedicate myself to getting internships and jobs through college that will further my level of experience?

What can I do with a journalism degree?

Often people say that journalism is a dying field, but that can’t be further from the truth. While traditional print journalism might not be in the same place it was several decades ago, it is still relevant. Additionally, digital journalism has become more and more prevalent, and there are many different jobs out there for people with a journalism degree.

There are also many people with journalism degrees who work on the opposite side of the industry in public relations roles, pitching ideas and stories to journalists on behalf of clients.

Some potential career options include becoming a journalist, blogger, social media manager, broadcast journalist, communications manager, publicist, marketing manager, advertising copywriter, multimedia reporter, photographer and editor.

What do journalists earn?

Journalism is a field where salaries vary greatly based on where you’re located, what your official title is and the type of company you work for (for instance, a bootstrapped media startup versus and established magazine brand). Starting salaries typically run between $25,000 to $40,000 depending on those factors.

Many journalists also choose to go the freelance route, which affects your income from month to month. This doesn’t mean you can’t make a comfortable living; it just means that your salary won’t be consistent every single month, and some months may be tighter financially than others.

If you do choose to pursue a career in journalism rather than something like public relations or marketing, you’ll most likely be on the lower end of the salary spectrum, around $35,000 to $40,000 per year.

 

Next, learn more about this college major such as Accounting and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 10 Tips for the Perfect Cover Letter.