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How To REALLY Dress For An Interview... it's not what you think.

9/19/2012

This blog attempts to teach you how to apply the new rules of PR and marketing to your job search to successfully land the job you really want. Sometimes, it’s the subtleties about PR that make the difference – and they’re so subtle you barely recognize them as PR when reading these posts. Well, let me shout this one from the rooftops: This post is as PR as it gets!

Recently, I’ve seen tons of discussions about how to dress for an interview and how to make the best first impression with what you’re wearing. And unfortunately, I am seeing many really bad posts out there that give blanket advice to an entire country and all industries combined; often written by people who call themselves specialists. I should start by saying that you should never follow blanket advice, particularly not when it comes to dressing for interviews.

Let’s review the norm of how to dress for interviews that hopefully everyone has learned: Black, navy or charcoal suit, button-down white shirt, black, close-toed shoes, natural make-up, no perfume, hair styled conservatively, possibly tied back. And generally, if all else fails, these ARE the rules you want to follow. But because we are applying smart PR to our career search, we are smarter than just following blanket advice. We are learning how to customize!

So let’s take a closer look at dress code.

Fit In... not just your clothes.
The way you dress for an interview depends entirely on the industry you work in. If you are applying for a job in banking or pharma – yes, please follow the standards above. These industries are the most formal. If you are applying for a job in a conservative area and you can assume the people working at the company are rather conservative – yes, please follow the rules above more or less.

As a general rule, though, you should follow the industry-standard of how to dress ON the job. If the industry as a whole, or the company you’re applying for, dresses casual or very business-casual (as in “jeans”), step it up a notch. I would avoid going to an interview in jeans at pretty much all costs. But follow the rules of the industry, because….

PR RULE NUMBER ONE: ASSIMILATE!

Study your audience and do what it takes to appeal to that audience. The basis of every PR campaign is lots of research. You learn what your audience members are like, what they like, and what moves them – particularly what moves them to a change in attitude. The attitude change YOU are trying to accomplish is for the interviewer to go to loving you from simply being cognizant of you. So what do you do? YOU FIT IN! We’ve talked about this before: The interview is mainly there to establish if you fit in. You’re already qualified. So show them in every possible way that you know your industry (THEIR industry) and that you know how to fit in, down to dressing right for it. This rule pretty much rules out a black suit and a button-down shirt for A LOT of fields!

PR RULE NUMBER TWO: GO WITH THE BEST AVAILABLE!

As you are using your PR skills to get the job, they are using their PR skills to get the best hire. They probably don’t know that that’s a PR tactic, but they are doing it nonetheless. So how do you know you are getting the best candidate possible? How do you get the best possible guarantee of a candidate to truly be the best out of the whole pot? Simple: You are hiring someone who is currently employed. There’s a very simple mantra explaining that: If you are currently not employed, you can’t be THAT good, right? Someone would have already snatched you up. Well, we know that’s not necessarily true, but our psyche tells us otherwise. And you can like it or not, you will not change this way of thinking.

The Employed Get Hired.
As a matter of fact, I was talking to a hiring manager and she said she won’t even interview anyone who is not currently employed. Why? Because the unemployed are desperate to take ANY job and they will tell you anything to get it. She doesn’t trust them. I didn’t agree with her, but that doesn’t matter. So if you are currently unemployed, the trick is, once again: To cater to your audience.

If you are currently unemployed, do your best to look like you ARE employed. Don’t lie, but use your PR tactics to make yourself look like you are currently working. There are many facets to this concept; for this purpose we will focus on dress code, since that is the subject of this post. So let’s think for a second of how an employed person goes to an interview.

HOW AN EMPLOYED PERSON GOES TO AN INTERVIEW
When you are employed and you are starting to look for a different job, you will most likely not rub it into your current employers face. So your interviews are either after hours right after your work is over (and the other company is hopefully still open) or you take an extended lunch. (Or you lie and make up a reason for why you can’t come in.) The point is: You don’t have all day to go from looking like you do for work to looking like the perfect interviewee in black suit and perfect hair and makeup. You don’t have two hours in the AM to spend in front of the mirror; you have to get to work. So you will look the way you look to go to work. Well – guess what: That’s what people at that other company also look like! Of course that day, you put on slacks instead of jeans and a nicer shirt instead of your good old cotton. But the point is: You look like you are someone who is employed in the industry. Because you actually ARE! You fit in because you are ALREADY IN! Do these people get hired? YES! All the time! Because employers know they fit in.

What do we learn from this novel observation? If you want to make yourself look like you’re currently employed, you literally make yourself LOOK LIKE you’re employed! It’s THAT easy. Dress like you’re going to work. Nicely. You’re not going to be able to SAY that you’re currently employed, but you will LOOK like you are. And that brings you one step closer to fitting in – because you are subconsciously telling them you’re fitting in… without even using one word or your resume. Now, just doing that won’t get you the job… but at least you’re one step closer.

And now you always know how to dress without having a meltdown over your wardrobe. Don’t you love PR!?

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Beware of SCAMS! Here is how to spot them

2/7/2012

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Unemployment is right around 10%, which means that not only are unskilled workers unemployed, but skilled and educated individuals are facing hard times, too. It means that around 4 million residents of California are without work. The average number of resumes received for any one job averages 300 and is often much higher. Some of these resumes are submitted by friends and with referrals. Chances that your resume is even looked at at all diminish quickly. Taken it all together, it means that if you get a 10% return (that means an interview, not an offer) on your resume submissions, you are doing good.

It is not just difficult to find a job these days, it is scary! New grads essentially have little to no experience and most entry level jobs ask for 2-3 years of related experience. New grads do need enough money to cover their costs, but entry level professional jobs pay an average of say $14-15 an hour, which is below a living wage for a single adult when considering cost of living in California. So ads that promise up to $1000 a week are quite tempting. New grads send out tens and hundreds of resumes and hear nothing back. So when you actually get a reply right away with an invitation to an interview, that's exciting!

Especially for new graduates with all the challenges they're facing and who have little experience with finding a professional job, it is easy to fall for scams. Job seekers will go on craigslist, indeed.com, monster.com, simplyhired.com, and all the other job posting boards, and think they're safe there. Well, maybe not so much on craigslist, but at least on the others. So the first thing to realize is that EVERYONE can post ANYTHING on these job sites. The first thing to keep in mind is that all of them are full of scams. Obviously, there are also many legitimate job postings. Here are a few hints on how you spot the scams, and some resources to read up on to learn more about what a scam looks like.

                                               TOP 12 SIGNS THE JOB POSTING IS A SCAM

1. If it sounds too good to be true, it really is!
Period. "Well, maybe there IS a company that actually cares to pay me enough..." Bullshit! They don't have to give their money to entry-level employees... they're the least important. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you find a REAL job.

2. A legitimate job has a precise job description.
If is is vague, it's most likely a scam. If they tell you what they DON'T do, but don't tell you what they DO do, it's most likely a scam. Why wouldn't they just tell you? Well... because you'll really be doing something else than what you think you're applying for.

                                                            "NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY" =
                                "EVERYONE DUMB AND DESPERATE COME TO US"

3. "No Experience Necessary"
EVERY legitimate professional entry-level job wants you to have some sort of experience. That's why internships and campus involvement are so important! They don't tell you that for nothing! If the add says "No experience necessary," that's code for "Everyone dumb and desperate come to us."

4. You have to have a degree! It's not optional!
If you are looking for a professional job, a degree is a core requirement. If you want to get into marketing, finance, accounting, education, counseling... you name it, you need a degree. Even legitimate sales positions want you to have a degree these days. There is no such things as a professional job without a degree anymore! That's what happened 30 years ago. Not anymore! You got a degree for a reason. You take a job that pays you for it!

5. Promise of High Pay
Entry level jobs are hard to get and usually not well paid. Companies simply don't have to pay you well... enough other candidates will gladly take the job for less. Also, legitimate entry-level jobs have a salary or at least an hourly wage. Legitimate companies usually don't advertise what they will pay you (because you don't discuss that until after you're offered the job, and you are supposed to know that it is somewhere around $15). If a job listing focuses on the money you'll earn, discard it. The more closely it spells out how and what you are paid, the more likely it is to be a scam. You don't have an entry level job to make money. You have it to get experience.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO SALES, STICK WITH WELL KNOWN BRAND NAMES

6. Commission-Based Jobs
With or without promise of base pay - Red flag! Any commission-based job is more than likely a scam! Any commissions-only job is most definitely a scam AND a pyramid scheme. That being said, some sales jobs are commissions only, such as real estate. That's because you will essentially run your own business. Now THAT is legitimate. If you're working for someone else though, report to someone else and take someone else's work instructions, but you will only be paid on commission: Run! If you are going to do a sales job, you stick with large, well known name brands that are very clear on what your base pay is and what expectations are.

7. Growing or Expanding Company
It's code for "There is no one to train you and we need you to do everything for probably free." On top of it, you will have a name on your resume no one knows.

8. Immediate Openings for "a large number of people" or "only 2 spots left"
There is no such thing as an immediate opening. Even companies that need someone right now take a good two months for the hiring process until you're offered the job. It's something I personally don't understand, but it's just the way it is. Immediate opening probably don't even exist at McDonalds... the only place they do exist is in commission-based sales. Why is that? You're not really employed. No paper work, no extra hassles for their HR people to go through... you just start selling.

9. Apples are Apples, NOT Oranges - even if you paint them orange and spray them with orange scent.
Direct marketing is a fancy word for sales. Direct marketing is NOT marketing. It's sales. The term should really be outlawed. Those are the commissions-only jobs. Those are cold call and door-to-door sales jobs. Those are the jobs where you sell stuff no one needs while not making any money. Those jobs force you to use pressure-sales tactics that will make you go home every day hating your job. Those are the jobs that will look horrible on your resume because the industry you REALLY want to be in knows which those companies are.
Now, if that's what you actually WANT to do, I suggest you look for sales jobs or call center jobs. Look for those that plainly state that this is what it is. THAT's legitimate.

                                        IF THEY HAVE TO SELL YOU THE JOB, YOU RUN!

10. Offering You Personal Growth
That's really code for: "We can't pay you." Now I know we all care about growing personally and your employer does want you to be happy with your job... but they could really care less about that when finding a candidate. You do not work there to grow personally, you work there to grow the company because you know what you're doing. If you're a good professional match, you'll like your job and you will automatically experience personal growth. It is not the employer's main concern for you to grow personally, nor should it be. There are laws about that. There are laws about personal interview questions they're not allowed to ask. If they're trying to sell you the job because it'll fulfill you personally, you start running! If they have to sell you any job at all, you run! How many unemployed people are there again (4 million in case you forgot)? YOU need to sell THEM that you're the right candidate (remember, it's hard to find a job these days) - If it's the other way around, there is something very very wrong!

                                                            GOOGLE "NAME OF COMPANY, SCAM"

11. Nowhere to be Found Online
Now before I start: I did do my internship at a legitimate PR agency with no presence online. They were not to be found online. BUT their clients could be found and linked to them. They were integrated into a large production company that COULD be found.
My point is: Every business wants as much exposure as possible. It's the point of having a business. If they can't be found online, it's fishy. It they're supposed to have a portfolio or a client-base, it better be there for the world to see. That's something companies are proud of. It endorses them, it gives them a reputation. If you can't find nothing but a website with vague or general statements about what they do (or even worse: Inspirational quotes and fun pictures of employees), it's most likely a scam.
Instead of just googling the name of the company, google "name of the company, scam." See what that brings up. You'll probably be surprised. Cancel your "interview" immediately.

12. BBB Rating
Now you would THINK that a Better Business Bureau rating would tell you if the company is legitimate. Sadly not true. That's because customers rate the business. If the customers are happy, the rating is good. If employees aren't happy, different story. Also, the BBB gives better ratings to paying members, which is why the head of the LA area BBB resigned in 2010 over a scandal about this sort of thing.

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/dec/27/business/la-fi-bbb-ceo-resigns-20101228

So do check out the BBB to see if they have a bad rating from the get go. And then your decision should be easy. But even if they have an A rating, still do your research.

                                                PRIME EXAMPLE: THE "SO CAL GROUP"
                                                                                http://www.socalgroupinc.com/
A company that's recruiting relentlessly is the So Cal Group. I found their ad on craigslist. A friend of mine found them on monster.com. It sounded good. I googled them and found their website. Full of happy employees, inspirational statements and vague statements of what they actually do. Pay structure and training schedule is spelled out precisely to the dot on the i and the cross of the t. Personal growth is emphasized. No portfolio or client base listed. They say they do marketing, but don't specify what exactly it is that they do within marketing. You can't find anything expressly wrong with it, but you also can't find any precise information about what they actually do and what YOU would actually do. BBB rating is an A-, but it doesn't specify where the minus comes from. It really doesn't specify anything there either.

So I applied and figured it can't hurt to check it out. The very next day, they sent me an email telling me to call them. When I didn't call immediately, THEY called ME just a couple of hours later. NOW I was suspicious...I mean, I think I'm pretty darn good at what I do, but I don't think I am THAT essential for a company to not be able to wait a few hours to hear from me... my unestablished reputation in the business world must just be stellar... Fortunately, I was in a spot with no reception when they called and I told the girl I'd call right back. I didn't do that before doing some more research. I now googled "So Cal Group, scam" and guess what...

http://www.yelp.com/topic/orange-the-so-cal-group-inc

Check it out. I spent an hour reading all the devastating comments before I had seen enough (I could have read another hour) and came out enlightened. I also found names of other companies, as well as the mother company, that operate in the same way. I called them back and told them I was no longer interested. This goes back to my first point: If it sounds too good to be true, it really is! DO NOT BE FOOLED!
*Disclaimer: I am in no way explicitly or implicitly stating that the So Cal Group is a scam. I am merely stating my findings and I am giving proper resources to back them up. The readers may draw personal conclusions from my factual statements.


                                                                                    ABOVE ALL: BE WISE!
It's easy to ignore warning signs when you're desperate for a job. Do not make the mistake of falling for scams. Not only will you have a horrible experience if you actually were to take the job, but you would start out your career on the wrong foot... this is supposed to be your professional start into a wonderful and reputable career, where you learn the basics and the industry. Don't soil your reputation before it could even be established! Do not get into a line of work you do not want to be in with no expectations of transferring into the department you actually do want to be in, just because it promises to pay well. IT IS NOT WORTH IT! This first job is your most important one! CHOOSE WISELY!

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ESSENTIAL Interview Skills You HAVE To Know If You Want The Job

1/28/2012

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All the years of smart networking are finally paying off - I've applied to a myriad of jobs, and almost every single application went through someone I knew in the company. Out of that myriad of applications, even though most of them came with recommendations from within the company, I got 4 interviews. FOUR. Quite a few never even replied at all - despite the referral. That's how hard it is to get a REAL job! So what do you do to get it? -Oh, this one will be long. But you SOOO want to read this!!

#1: UTILIZE YOUR NETWORK! AGAIN: UTILIZE YOUR NETWORK! AGAIN: UTILIZE YOUR NETWORK!
Not just to get a job, but to find out everything you can about their industry and their company. It's some really easy and effective research AND it gives you face-time. So... if you are reading this and you're still a student: Get networking NOW! And HARD! It is work, it really is. But if you don't do it, you won't have a job later on. Entry level positions are usually hired from within... BE IN! Unless you're happy to be a burger flipper with a degree. Right now, you think it's nerve-recking to get the internship you want, or to just get an internship at all - wait until you have to do this for real! Start preparing now, build that network! And if you've graduated and are in my shoes: It's not to late to build a network. It's harder now because you're later in the game, but it's doable. Start now. The sooner you build it, the sooner you'll get a job.

#2: WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE
http://www.amazon.com/What-Color-Your-Parachute-2012/dp/1607740109
There it is. This is the Amazon link. Twelve bucks will give you the most valuable advice. Read it before you graduate. Have a plan to hit your job search running. Your job search should be a real job. Have a plan and a strategy and tactics. And know your objective, which is the job you really want. And don't stray from it. Don't settle for less. Know what you're worth. Because this is where you work to land the job you REALLY want... not just the next best thing.

#3: KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT THE COMPANY - FOR REAL!
Now that you're smart and you know how to look for the job you want, you have to make sure you get it. So when you go on that interview, be really prepared. I mean, prepare the hell out of it! Going on their website and reading every single word of it is only the first step in your preparations. It is your full-time job to know everything possible about that company, the open position, and the person interviewing you. You go into that interview and you know more about them than they do. You know their employees and what they do, and how that relates to the job you're applying for, you know their clients, their partners, their alliances, their goals, their aspirations, their work ethic, you've read every single press release, everything in the media, you know what search results come up on google, you know their skeletons in the closet... I mean EVERYTHING! If you're not willing to do that, you probably don't have a passion to work there in the first place.

I went to a PR and marketing panel last semester, and one of the professionals on the panel, a PR professional working at Rogers and Cowan (a huge entertainment PR firm in LA for those who are not well versed in entertainment), said that she went to interview for her job and she knew she wanted to be at Rogers and Cowan (who doesn't?!). So she went into that interview and she knew all their clients, and what exactly they did for those clients, and she knew every conceivable detail. And they told her she got the job because she knew all those things and that showed them that she really cared and knew what to know. She could start the job running.

Along those lines, take two minutes to watch this video. It answers the question: "Why do you want to work here?" You better ace this one - IT'S A TRICK QUESTION!

"WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK HERE?" - WATCH YOUR ANSWER BELOW:

#4: BE YOURSELF!
What does that mean? I've read a job column in the OC Register the other day that my trusted ex-PR professor-turned-mentor gave me. It was written by interview coach Brad Remillard, and he answered the following question:

"I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS FOR WHICH I KNOW I'M QUALIFIED, YET I STILL HAVE NOT BEEN OFFERED A JOB. JUST WHAT DO COMPANIES MEAN WHEN THEY ASK FOR QUALIFIED PEOPLE?"

The answer was so simple, but we easily forget: You're qualified if you fit in!
When you go in an interview, it's not because you need to proof your qualifications to them. If they didn't think you were qualified, you wouldn't be there in the first place. You've already shown them that. You sent your resume, they saw your skills and work experience, they already know you're qualified.
So while we, as the interviewees, focus on making sure to give them every detail of every job we ever had and how we can apply that to their company, all THEY do is focus on YOU. Not your qualification - on YOU. So what you do in the interview is SELL YOURSELF. You don't sell your resume, you've already accomplished that. And you know that because you're THERE. The interview is your soft sell. The part where you sell YOURSELF. As a person. As someone who is likable, articulate, able to interact with people, and most importantly: Who will fit in with the company and their team (so do your research and know what they're looking for in a team player and if that's you!). Someone who is self-confident, not nervous when presented with an unfamiliar situation (such as an interview), someone who works well with others (who doesn't interrupt the interviewer), someone who can give answers that actually answer the question and not just blurt out bullshit just to say something. Someone who knows what he/she is talking about because you know the field. This is to prove YOU, not your skills.

#5: DON'T PREPARE. IMPRESS!
So knowing that now, just how do you do that? It's really simple: By being yourself. Don't pretend anything in an interview. Don't pretend to be someone you're not, don't pretend to know something you don't. They've interviewed hundreds and thousands of people, they WILL see right through it. And even if you manage to deceive them in the interview, it'll just get you right fired after you start working and there is no more pretending.

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW THAT WITHOUT PREPARATION.
Now, I'm not saying don't prepare. Do know your strengths and you weaknesses. Do be able to describe yourself, applicable to the job, in 3 words. Do have your "Tell me about yourself" prepared like it's a movie script. But prepare minimally, don't have a script to every question - because it will take your personality out. And it'll make you nervous if you "forget your next line." And if you feel compelled to inject something, something you just thought of, something that makes sense, say it. Don't worry about the 30-second-per-answer rule. I have never ever kept that rule. I most certainly speak longer than 30 seconds per answer. But if you actually have something intelligent to say, that's ok! They want to hear that. They want to hear that you know what you're talking about and how THAT contributes to the company. And it has NEVER worked to my disadvantage. Now, don't make the mistake to ramble. Do stop yourself at a certain point. Don't go on unnecessary tangents. Do be precise - that's really the "30 second rule" - that's really just saying: Be precise. They want to see that you can do that. But as long as your answer stays intelligent and on the topic, give it personality.

HERE'S A WINNING EXAMPLE
Here's a good, hard example question: "You have so much background in another industry. How come you're applying for a job in THIS industry?" This is the kind of question where you'll be tempted to lie... because you think your real answer will look bad. Resist the urge - be honest. They can tell if you're trying to lie to just get through an answer, they really can. If you're honest, and you know exactly why you want to change industries, and you can make it personal and actually show your reasoning that applies to their industry - perfect. If you just applied for the job because it's a job, even though you really don't care at all about the industry - you lost them right at this point. You WILL NOT get the job. But we're going to assume you applied for the job because you had a reason (and ideally, that reason should never be money unless there's a compelling reason that ties in with the job). And then that's your reason.

Here's a good, easy answer: "You know, that's a good question. I have so much background in that particular other industry because I always thought I wanted to be in it, so I worked diligently on learning about that industry (This, by the way, shows them your commitment and efforts that are perfectly transferable). But after working there, after doing my internships, I just came to see that I didn't seem to fit it. Everything is so cut-throat and people in the industry just have a personality so different from mine (customize here and name qualities). And it's not that I couldn't do my job, because the job is the same in either industry. It's the industry itself I decided was not the right fit for me (This is where you show them that you know what you want based on primary research and initiative). But I also did a project in YOUR particular industry and I talked to people working it it (name companies if you can) and I found that people there are so different, and have a completely different drive for why they do their work. It was so much more enjoyable to work with them because they actually cared not just about their job, but about their company. They worked at that company because that's where they really wanted to be (And again, you are showing that your decision is based on intelligent research and long contemplation). And it was so much more enjoyable to work with them because of that. And I want to be able to be passionate about my job. I want to believe not just in my work, but in my company and in what they do. And I know that I can do that in THIS industry, not so much in the other. The job I do is the same (and these are the points that I am particularly qualified in), but I can do it in an industry (or company) that I really came to believe in much more than the other (And now you're telling them that you can do your job regardless. Make that point. But you told them why you want to do it for them)."

That's the honest truth. And that's a good answer. You were honest, you told them you love your job, and you love THEIR industry and here is why, and it took longer than 30 seconds. And it's perfect. That's your personality showing. Don't worry about being honest - that's exactly what they want to see.

#6: YOU'RE INTERVIEWING TO GET A FRIEND, NOT A JOB
Don't worry about throwing in all the big words. If you know what you're talking about, they'll automatically be in there.
Don't worry about forgetting something - just say: "You know what, I'm drawing a blank right now." They know you're not perfect, they know you're nervous. An interview is a test on how you handle being nervous. It shows how you'll handle that in real life. Don't panic. Don't try to pretend you're not nervous. In other words: Don't be a hero. That, too, adds a likable quality - that you can admit a weakness and that you know you're not perfect. Because guess what: No one is.

I bet that all of us forget these basic things because we know what's at stake... and we forget what's really important when trying to "make friends" just because it's called an interview.

See it exactly like this: You are trying to make friends with the interviewer.

You will work with them - they SHOULD be your friends. Why would they hire you and see you every day if they don't like you?! You're there, you're qualified. They'll train you anyway! This is where you become their friend. When YOU choose your friends, you want them to be nice, personable, supportive, you want them to believe in you and pull you up, you want them to be good people who care, you want them to share your passions and interests. Right? Well, this is a relationship you're building just the same. This is where you're telling them with all you're saying: "I want to be your friend. Like me!" This is also where you find out if YOU like THEM. Think about this carefully: Do YOU want to go to work there every day just to have a job, but have a miserable life because you hate the people you work with? Well... that's exactly what they do when they look at YOU.

So go out and be so successful now! And let me know what you can add to this. Maybe you have a good example to share? Use the comment box below, I'd love to use your input!

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The Most Hated Jobs And What To Do To Avoid Them

9/17/2011

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Would you have ever guessed that the most hated jobs are those you need a college degree for? If you have not yet quite decided what you want to do when you hit the real world, you might want to look at this article. And if you have, you might want to anyway!

Marketing and computer people beware!

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/113308/10-most-hated-jobs-cnbc

Of course along the way, as you are deciding what line of work and what industry you want to be in, you have to start or keep building your resume. Just going to school and graduating doesn't cut it anymore. Hiring managers want to see that you actually have an interest in their industry. You must have related work experience, whether it be a real job, an internship, or campus involvement. The more, the better, obviously. If you can fill a page, that's awesome! Not only does it show employers that you are interested in the field, it shows YOU if it really is what you thought it was. I knew people who changed their major after experiencing work life while doing their internship - at least they noticed that it wasn't all they thought it was before it was too late to make a change.

There are resources on every campus that will point you in the right direction. At Cal State Fullerton, for example, there's a website for student clubs. You'll be surprised how many clubs there are - there is something for every interest, no doubt!

http://www.fullerton.edu/deanofstudents/studentlife/clubsOrg.html

If you're looking for an internship or a job, visit your career center. Every university should have one. Every career center has staff specializing in certain industries - make an appointment and talk to them! It's free and gives you valuable insights. Cal State Fullerton's career center looks like this:

http://campusapps2.fullerton.edu/career/

My personal favorite tip: Conduct informational interviews. They don't get you jobs, and do not ask for one, but they really give you the chance to ask questions and they do give you face time and a chance to build your network.

Along these lines, you also want to make sure you take classes that directly relate to what you aspire to do for a job. Don't take classes just because they're open or fit into your schedule. Take classes that will actually help you. And then attend them with a positive attitude, knowing they will actually help you in real life. Think beyond graduating - that's why you're in school! Here's a tip: I really wanted to take a theory class, but I didn't need it to graduate. So instead of putting extra work on me, I am simply sitting in to listen and learn. No exams, no book reading, but I do get the knowledge I want. That was easy!

Now go and be successful - in the right kind of job you'll love!

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How To REALLY Dress For An Interview... it's not what you think.

Beware of SCAMS! Here is how to spot them

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