Adventure is out there, IU! Go find it!
Motivational Monday: And Then One Day…
Working Wednesday: Naveen Sreenivasan
A Human Computer Interaction graduate student, Naveen Sreenivasan works as an associate instructor on the IU Bloomington campus. The best part of being an AI is that he gets to “observe the students while they try to understand the topic and work in labs.” This is his favorite part because it helps him better understand people, seeing as he’s an aspiring researcher. Being an AI has really helped Naveen refine his multi-tasking, judgment, and decision making skills. These transferable skills are important because they’ll help him get to his dream job of becoming a user experience researcher. He hopes to be able to use proper methods and have a lasting impact on the world.
Tip Tuesday: Goodwill / Vintage Vogue
Both Goodwill & Vintage Vogue share a mission statement, what with Goodwill being the parent company of Vintage Vogue. Their mission is to works to enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families by strengthening communities, eliminating barriers to opportunity, and helping people in need reach their full potential through learning and the power of work.
Goodwill & Vintage Vogue gave us some tips, here they are!
- Be conversational, make eye contact
- Dress for the position you are applying for
- Show up five minutes early so you aren’t late
- Sit still, engage the interviewer
- Attach a resume to your application
Interviews play one of the most crucial roles in the job finding process. Goodwill and Vintage Vogue supplied you with some very important things to remember when preparing for an interview. Be sure to take these tips into account before your next interview; it could be the difference between an average interview and an exceptional one!
Find out more here.
Employer Profiles: Dr. Todd Whitlock
Preparing for a Career in Healthcare: Dr. Todd Whitlock shares why he became a dentist and provides advice to IU students
Dr. Todd Whitlock is a genuine Hoosier. Born in Marion, Indiana, he graduated from Marion High School in 1981. Following high school, he got a BA in Biology from Indiana University and continued on to train at the IU School of Dentistry. That same year, he opened his doors to serve patients throughout the Bloomington area. Dr. Whitlock is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and is currently pursuing his accreditation with this highly regarded organization. Earning accreditation with the AACD demands a rigorous examination process along with precise clinical skills.
The IU Career Development Center sat down with Dr. Whitlock and spoke with him the day he was a panelist for our event, Preparing For a Career In Healthcare.
At what point in your life did you realize you wanted to become a dentist? Did you have a teacher, mentor, or family member who influenced your decision?
I thought I knew that dentistry was what I wanted to do my junior year as an undergraduate student. I did not investigate or research like I should have and had very little knowledge of what dentistry was actually like. My only experience with dentistry was as a patient. I really liked my dentist and wanted a career like his.
Knowing what you know now, if you were stallion college as an undergraduate, what would you do the same or differently to prepare for being a dentist?
I would have investigated more about what dentistry is actually about and like before starting the DDS program.
Did you take any classes unrelated to your field of study that impact your career today?
I did not take any unrelated classes that directly impacted by career but took a series of ancient history classes that allowed me to be interested in other disciplines that are completely different than the sciences that carry over today and allow me to “escape” from work and be more well-rounded.
What are the challenging aspects of being a dentist? What are the rewarding parts of your job?
The biggest challenge for me as a dentist is also a business owner. I had little or zero practice management skills and realized I needed help in this area. Fortunately, I found a business consultant early in my carer and still use his company long with other advisors. Also, dentistry is labor intensive and care provider receives by helping someone is the greatest reward.
If students want to learn about being a dentist, what websites, magazines, or professional associates do you recommend?
Students can learn about dentistry by looking that the American Dental Association’s website (http://www.ada.org/en/education-careers/).
Motivational Monday: Either YOU Run the Day…
Too true. Take control of the day and see how much of a difference it can make! Have a good week, IU!
Working Wednesday: Marcaira O’Connell
Marcaira O’Connell is a senior College of Arts and Sciences student majroing in Apparel Merchandising. She’s learning the tricks of the trade while working as a team member for David’s Bridal. She loves being able to interact with new customers everyday while also promoting products and services for customer’s big day. Her job, she says, is “all about being able to balance the emotional aspect of the sale with the need to hit [her] personal sales goals.” The skills she’s gaining from her job at David’s Bridal, active listening and communication, are vital to ensuring that sales continue to rise and customer service remains the number one priority. Marcaira is hoping to apply this knowledge to her dream job as a Chief Officer for Corporate Social Responsibility with a retailer, in the future. After graduation, she’s hoping to work her way up to that position by first starting as an analyst to better understand the bottom line of business.
Tip Tuesday: Family Christian
At Family Christian, shopping is giving. They love carrying products that help you grow your faith and share it with others. And that’s not all they love doing! They love giving back—and this giving isn’t possible without YOU. You see, when you shop with them, your purchases support their efforts to unite with ministries that are helping children and families in need around the U.S. and the world.
Here’s Family Christian’s piece of advice
- A proper handshake, eye contact, and nice penmanship go a long way.
- When filling out an application, use your best handwriting, we do not want to say so, but we definitely take it into consideration.
In most cases, an application is the first thing employers will see. Good presentation on the face of the page really does make a difference in what they will think of you before they even meet you. After you leave a good first impression with your penmanship, it is important that you keep up the good work with a meaningful handshake and proper eye contact at an interview. These tips could help you seal the deal with a new job.
Find out more here.
Motivational Monday: All people are capable…
It is true. We all are capable of greatness!
Working Wednesday: Luciana Lira
Meet Luciana Lira, a senior studying community health. Luciana works as a box office clerk at the IU Auditorium, where she has gained strong time management and communication skills. As Luciana puts it, these skills are vital to her future job because “[she] will be dealing with multiple projects at one time . . . and will [have to] be able to give proper instructions to [her] clients.” Her dream job is to work for National Geographic, traveling all over the world and documenting her every adventure. (Sounds fun, doesn’t it?!) But before she embarks on that journey, Luciana will be working as a consulting analyst for a health IT solutions company, putting her knowledge of community health to use!
Tip Tuesday: Biolife
The mission Biolife holds is to provide the highest-quality plasma to meet the expectations of our customers, ensuring the availability of life-saving therapies for patients.
We’ve got some major keys comin’ at ya from Biolife!
- Make sure to have good eye contact.
- Dress professionally if you want to be treated as one.
When you present yourself at an interview, it is usually the first time an employer sees you and gets to analyze you on a deeper level than what you put on your resume. It is important that you give them a good first impression of who you are with sincere eye contact and a suitable outfit for the interview.
Find out more here.