It has officially been a month since this school year has started. The rush to change your schedule and get settled in your new place is over. Now is the time to think about money. While many students choose to work in the summer, if you can balance school with a part-time job or an internship, go for it. Just make sure you don’t commit these career sins.
1. Forget your social media presence
Remember when Facebook became huge and your parents warned you about what you put there because “it will never leave the internet”? Well, they were right. Even more so today, in the age of personal branding and social media marketing where Facebook and Instagram can be used to sell yourself to employers. Keeping those old rants about that McDonald’s worker or the old Harambe tweets won’t do you any good. Delete it or make your profile private.
2. Don’t research your employer
Remember the scene from The Devil Wears Prada where the main character goes to her interview and admits that she knows nothing about the magazine she’s applying to work for? If the movie was realistic, she would have been asked to leave without a second thought. It doesn’t make sense for you to boast about how you would love to work at XYZ in your cover letter then show up clueless about them. Google is there for a reason. Research their recent work, follow their tweets, do anything to show your dedication to them.
3. Send a fill-in-the-blanks cover letter
A cover letter can make or break you. It’s where you finally show your personality and prove why you’re the best candidate for the job. While Hiring Managers have witnessed many mistakes such as starting with “To Whom It May Concern”, one of the laziest is having one cover letter for every position you apply for and just changing the company name. It doesn’t make sense to talk about your amazing writing skills when you’re applying to H&M. Include relevant skills and mention at least one major project of the company that you have been admiring.
4. Demonstrate any inappropriate or offensive behaviour
This shouldn’t be said but it seems like people actually believe that they are free to do whatever they want without any consequence. You are free to tweet about your hate for immigrants but employers are free to fire or not hire you because of those tweets or if they feel like you wouldn’t fit with their values. In the end, a negative reputation can follow you around and impact your job search for the next couple of years. Remember to be at your best behaviour on and off duty.
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