 1. Know the Chain-of-Command
The best way to impress your boss is to make her life easier. To do so, you need to be aware of the chain of command in the office. Who does your boss report to? What are her performance targets? Most people are only focused on me-me-me. However, the big picture is always at play. Help your boss hit her targets, and you are guaranteed to be the fastest promoted employee in her team.
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 “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Building a successful career requires a long-term and strategic mindset. Here are 4 habits that might be holding you back.
1. Doing only what you are asked If you want to rise in the company, you need to take initiative. Doing only what you are asked may prevent you from getting fired (for now), but it will never get you anywhere. Wherever possible, stretch yourself, initiate ideas and help others’ out. Every experience is a valuable one, will help you grow and signal to your boss that you are someone to watch.  In the job-hunting process, it is inevitable that you will face rejection. Whether it is “ghosting” (no reply whatsoever), a cursory rejection letter or a painful “we’ve gone with another candidate” after an interview, rejection can hurt. At the same time, rejection should not be taken personally and here are some ways to re-train your mind to use rejection as fuel for future success.
1. When one door closes, another opens It sounds cliché but this is very true. Being the “right fit” strikes both ways. Your employer has many undisclosed reasons for not hiring you. For instance, you may be over-qualified and they cannot match your pay, or they know that you would not be a good fit for the culture of the firm. In many instances, not being offered a position is probably a blessing in disguise. When one door closes, another opens and the next opportunity may just be the perfect fit for you.  As an undergraduate, you can't wait to secure your dream internship to set you up for success. You want to stand-out from the crowd and impress your future employer. Here are 4 guiding questions to help you perfect your internship application.
1. What is my story? First and foremost, figure out your story. Imagine that had an opportunity to speak to the CEO of the company directly and you have 30 seconds to convince him that he should hire you! Write this down and use this as a frame of reference as you craft your application. Many candidates make the mistake of focusing on what you want and why this is such a great opportunity for you, this mindset will not help you stand-out. What you want to focus on is why the company should hire you. What do you bring to the table? What are your unique strengths and experiences?  Cover Letter
1. Leaving out important information Many candidates assume that employers will read their CV in conjunction with their cover letter, and leave out important information like education background in their cover letter. This is a fatal mistake because employers may actually choose to stop reading at first glance of your cover letter. Secondly, it is always beneficial to repeat your key achievements. The reader is first introduced to your key achievements and skill-sets in your cover letter, and this is fleshed out in your resume later. This creates a multiplicity effect to boost your chances of your key strengths being remembered by your potential employer.  For university and graduate school applicants, a glowing reference letter from a work mentor or professor from school is necessary to separate you from the crowd. For internship and job applications, employers often contact referees before making the final decision on whether to hire you.
References are key to your dream school and dream job. Here are some ways to help you achieve a lasting and positive impression on your referees-to-be. 1. Get Noticed At school, be sure to speak up and get noticed by your professor. Volunteer yourself for teaching assistant positions. Teachers or mentors for your extra-curricular activities or volunteering activities can also be potential referees. It goes without saying that you should try your best at every internship or even part-time job, your bosses will be invaluable contacts in the future.  It is easy to write a stellar CV if you have an excellent GPA and internship experience to show for it. However, a common conundrum that many students face is when they are applying for their first internship or job and they just don’t have enough points to fill their CV. Here are 3 suggested ways to remedy this problem.
1. Quick Fixes If you find yourself stuck with nothing to put in your CV, and you only have a couple of weeks before applications close, we can suggest a few quick fixes as follows: Attend a course / seminar o Most universities conduct seminars that are free to students o There are also hundreds of online courses available, the internet is your best friend o Bonus points if completion of the course results in some kind of certification Volunteer o There are many places can accept volunteers at a short notice (for instance here), you can also ask your local CC or library if they need extra help. o Another option is tutoring. You can offer to tutor needy students or even your neighbour’s children. Expand on existing points o Be sure that you have fully fleshed out the current points that you do have, be specific wherever possible o Another quick-fix is to list out modules where you obtained good grades It is important to note that even if you are desperate to add filler points, you should still be careful to only showcase your best points. Including poor grades or completely irrelevant experience (e.g. winning a 100m race in primary school) subtracts rather than adds to your profile.  You’ve passed the first hurdle and secured the internship that you want! You are pumped and eager to impress your boss. Many students secure jobs from being converted after an internship and it is vital to make a good impression for future references. Here are 5 ways to impress your boss and secure a conversion offer!
1. First Impressions First impressions are vital. Arriving on time and dressing the part is important and there are no excuses. This extends to not being the first to leave the office, not taking an excessively long lunch hour and keeping up with your professional look even if other colleagues dress very casually. At the same time, strike and balance and don’t overdo it. Everyone is aware of how much work interns are actually assigned, staying excessively late in the office just makes you look foolish. Likewise, there is no need to turn up in a full suit every day. Be sure to be polite and introduce yourself to your colleagues even if they don’t make the first move. Talk to people you bump into at the pantry, say Hi to the receptionist and offer to help if someone looks like they need it. All of these small actions will help build an informal network and as people are more aware of your presence, you will have more opportunities to shine.  If you have exhausted traditional ways of looking of a job or you have had no replies from companies, here are 3 additional ways to boost your job search:
1. Re-examine your Cover Letter and CV If you have had no call-backs from companies, it is time to re-examine your cover letter and CV. Are you giving off the wrong impression? Are you highlighting all your key strengths and accomplishments? (Additional tips on how to improve your resume here). It leaves a negative impression if you keep re-sending your application. So try and get it right the first time! If you don’t get a call-back, you can follow-up once (at most twice) to enquire about your application status. If you continually don’t get a response, just take the hint and leave it. Otherwise, you may end up on a HR blacklist. |
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