RedSprouts

Saving Money on Textbooks

2010-08-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year again where college freshmen are getting ready to start what hopes to be a great journey. As most of you know, college isn't cheap so saving money where you can is very important. A major area area where money can be saved is in the cost of textbooks. Based on my experience, buying a new set of textbooks every year is just a complete waste. The content of a new book isn't any better than a used book. "But I don't like reading pages that have been highlighted and written over!". I don't either and not all used books are in that bad of a shape where you can't read the text. I always tried to buy used books when I can and only buying new when I couldn't find a used book at the book store. I regret not taking advantage of online textbook retailers as there are a lot of options out there now.

If you're looking to save some money, I've provided a useful link below I found via Lifehacker.

The Complete Guide to Saving Money on Textbooks [Lifehacker]

Extended Hiatus

2010-02-09T11:55:00.000-08:00

I can not believe how long it has been since my last post here and I apologize to those looking for new content and updates. I have been facing my own career crisis of sorts and have began dabbling in other hobbies to keep me sane. After a long hiatus from this site, I will try to throw some TLC this way and get some new content up.

In order for me to get focused I'd like to see what the readers want me to write about here. Please leave some ideas in the comments and I'll gladly take a stab at them.

In the mean time I wanted to provide a link to another great career site a friend started that I feel has some great content and input:

Awesome and Unemployed

What the Class of 2009 Can Expect

2009-04-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

As the Class of 2009 approaches graduation, they are probably entering one of the toughest job market in years as unemployment reaches towards 8% and companies reduce their recruiting to levels not seen in 6 years. Though companies are still hiring college graduates, they are being extra particular by screening out resumes that have less than a 3.0 GPA and no work experience.

There are still some industries that are doing well in a slow market such as Healthcare, Information Technology, and Education. Though most companies are cutting back on their R&D and Engineering departments, engineering degrees are still considered a stable career choice in the long haul.

The key to surviving a tough job market is too stay flexible and network as much as you can. The odds of finding a job through traditional means such as career fairs and online postings will be difficult. The best way is networking and this is more important than ever this year. Don't feel ashamed to ask your parents, family members, professors and anyone else when looking for a job.

For more information, I have provided a link below:

What College Graduates Can Expect Out Of The Job Market

Volunteering Abroad

2009-03-02T20:38:00.000-08:00

As the U.S. job market worsens, brand new graduates may find themselves without a job and start looking for things to take up their time. Many will attempt to find a part time position which is a great alternative. But a new trend for young graduates is to volunteer abroad for programs such as Peace Corps and Teach for America. There is a high demand in many developing countries for volunteers, providing life long experiences that will benefit you throughout your life. This is a great opportunity to be productive, help others, and learn more about yourself while the job market is down. Volunteering abroad also makes you stand out from other job candidates and is a great interview conversation starter. Additionally, volunteering helps cover any gaps in your resume.

Following along President Obama's message of service, "I say this to you as someone who couldn't be standing here today if not for the service of others, and who wouldn't be standing here if not for the purpose that service gave my own life."

www.peacecorps.gov

www.teachforamerica.org

www.unitedplanet.org

Red Sprouts Update

2009-02-23T21:42:00.000-08:00

It's been quite some time since we have last posted here and part of that is due in part to a busy work schedule. Though I have not yet been personally affected by the recession, I have had friends and coworkers who have lost their jobs this year. It is difficult to stay positive in such dire economic times but we will do our best here to provide career advice that will best prepare students who will be facing a difficult job market.

The Job Market Is Slowing, What Do I Do?

2008-12-10T18:14:00.000-08:00

As a follow up to a posting of a news article that addresses the impact of a high unemployment rate on students, is a a guide on how to best approach this situation.

Still in School?

If you're not planning to graduate for a couple years you're probably in the best position and don't have much to worry about at this point. The market will turn around eventually, so just sit tight and get your learn on! If you want to be proactive, stay on top of the news and see what industries are making a come back so that you can position yourself accordingly when you graduate. I don't believe companies will cut back on their recruiting efforts for internship positions as companies still need to train the future even if the economy is slowing.

Plan on Graduating?

For those of you who are planning on graduating soon or have already graduated, don't panic! Yes times are tough but they will get better. Job hunting in a bad market is difficult as the competition for even entry level positions will be very high so you will need to put in the extra effort to stand out. If you are truly determined in finding the right job for your future career, you will need to be very flexible and willing to relocate. Many companies provide relocation packages and help get you on your feet. Focusing your job searching in one particular location is very limiting and will lead to a job search dead end very quickly. Set the right expectation when you're looking for your first job. Jobs pertaining to your career may be hard to come by so don't set the bar so high or you will be easily frustrated with your first job. Remember, you're still young and will have opportunities to rise as the job market gets healthier. If possible, I would suggest going back to graduate school to continue your education so that you can enter a work force with an advanced degree and give some time for the job market to gain strength again.

Whatever you do, don't panic! The job market will turn around; it will just take some time.

Job Marketing Looking Grimmer

2008-12-09T19:05:00.000-08:00

I am not a big fan of continuously posting negative news but I feel that not posting the realty of the times is a disservice to my readers. CNN recently posted on article with some job hiring statistical data worth noting:

Employers said they planned to hire just 1.3% more graduates in 2009, a large drop from the 6% projection
National unemployment is expected to be as high as 7% in Spring 2009, a rate not since met since 1993
A sociology major applied to 60 positions only hearing back from 4 and settled for a part time position at a law firm
Consider jobs outside the traditional role; Business majors should apply for finance-related positions in health care

Yes it looks bleak but this gives many a reason to try different career paths before settling while the job market stabilize. I have provided a link the to the article below.

Grim Prospect For New Grads [via CNN Money]

Living Frugally - Having Trouble Making Rent?

2008-12-08T10:56:00.000-08:00

Yes the economy is bad and for those not having to deal with an over priced mortgage, they may find themselves finding it harder to pay the rent every month. I found an article at one of my favorite blogs that offered up an interesting way to drum up some extra funds. Throw a Rent Party! That's right, get some good music, drinks, food, and sell tickets at the door and you got yourself a rent party. This was a novel idea back in the 1920's and 1930's but hey that's when we were in our last Great Depression right?

How to Raise Rent One Glass at a Time [via Lifehacker]

More Than Just the Salary

2008-11-10T20:43:00.000-08:00

For those new grads, or soon to be new grads, there is more to the job offer than just the salary. Here are the other things worth considering:

Vacation/Sick Time

At a minimum, companies will ofer 2 weeks of paid vacation that needs to accured. There has been a recent trend in certain industries such as biotech who are providing a starting 3 weeks of vacation. The amount of sick time a company gives is also variable ranging anywhere from 4 to 10 days and can be either be combined with vacation time or treated seperately.

Medical Insurance

It is important for any young new graduate to get medical insurance and if a company is offering you a job without one, which is now a rare occurence, I would walk away. The details of medical insurance can get confusing so we won't get into the details but make sure you are covered for medical, dental, and optical.

Retirement/401 K

Many companies provide retirement benefits for their employees and some even provide matching where for every dollar the employee invests, the company will put in a certain amount. This matching can range anywhere from 1% to 100% up to a certain amout of your salary.

Holidays

We all like time off during the year and like sick time, the amount of holidays is variable for every company. It can be as few at 7 and can be as many as 14 depending on the company operations. Companies also offer floater holidays where you can take certain days off during the year up to your choosing.

Telecommuting/Flex Schedule

In order to keep employess happy, companies are allowing employees to work at home and have more flexible schedules. An example of a flexible schedule is the 9-80 where you work 9 hours a day Monday through Thursday and you get every other Friday off.

Weekly Internship Posting

2008-11-07T17:03:00.000-08:00

Summer Internship

ABC - Hollywood, CA

Paid TV Research Internship

Sony Picture - Westwood, CA

Environmental Regulatory Internship

Bayer - Baytown, TX

Technical Support Internship

IBM - Austin, TX

Audit Internship

RSM McGladery - Dallas, TX

Student Blogger Roundup

2008-11-06T19:37:00.000-08:00

Another week of great posts from Student Bloggers:

I always felt that anyone can improve their essay writing during the course of their life.

How to Write Better Essays [via Student Charade]

Hoping to figure out what you spend your money on? Here are some good tips!

College Money Tip #1: Where it All Begins [via Poorer Than You]

Sometimes the dorm just doesn't cut it.

Our Deluxe Apartment in the Sky [via Stringless Kite]

Racking up too many minutes on your cell phone? Here are some great tips on making calls and while saving money.

Cut the Cost of Calling Home [via The Student Finance Blog]

Have you always wondered what you would do after graduation?

Things I might do... Later [via I Write With Pictures]

Beyond the GPA

2008-11-05T18:56:00.001-08:00

Applying for a job, internship, or graduate school is very similar too applying for college where your GPA is very important but it won't get you all the way either. As job pools get more competitive, it will be more important than ever to diversify yourself as much as possible.

Volunteering

Someone that is willing to put in their own free time to better the lives of another is a valued characteristic by any recruiter. This is a great oppurtunity to give something back to the community while padding your resume.

Clubs

Being active in any club on campus allows you too socialize, destress, and network with others. The best part of clubs though is the leadership potential that it offers if you get involved at that level. Being a leader of club shows management potential and some well rounded characteristics compared to a GPA score.

Tutoring

If you can teach it, then you've really learned it. The best way to gauge someone's understanding of academic material is the ability to teach others. Many campuses provided tutoring oppurtunties to students who have exeled in certain classes and sometime even pay on an hourly basis.

VOTE!

2008-11-04T06:30:00.001-08:00

Red Sprouts is taking a day off today for the most important day of the year. I encourage each and every one of my readers who are registered to get out and VOTE!

Cooking at Home

2008-11-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

Many college students waste money on a weekly basis eating out and not getting the nutrition they need to maintain their physical and mental well being. Let's face it, there is no healthier or economical way to eat other than at home assuming that you're not eating Ramen on a daily basis. This is a good article on how to get started eating at home more often. It may seem that eating at home is time consuming which it can be but with proper planning it does not have to be.

Learning To Eat More Meals at Home [via Get Rich Slowly]

Weekly Internship Posting

2008-10-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

Finance Internship
Burger King Brands, Inc. - Miami, FL

Wildlife Management Internship and Naturalist Internship
Kellogg Biological Station - Augusta, MI

Fitness Internship
CHD Meridian Healthcare, LLC - USA

Finance Internship
Scottrade - Blaine, MN

Management Internship - Culinary
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts - Lake Buena Vista, FL

Student Blogger Roundup

2008-10-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

Another great week of posts from Student Bloggers:

Need a guide for student cooking on a budget?
Student Cooking - The Guide [via The Student Finance Blog]

Don't ever cheat!
Cheater's Make me Sad [via Undead Journal]

You think your tuition is high? Check out this list.
Top 100 Colleges By Highest Total Cost [via Campus Grotto]

Why you should probably do more than just smoke pot!
Potheads Go Boom In the Night [via Tales From Your Favorite Resident Assistant]

Everyone should try something new.
I'm Tired of Going to Basement Parties [via Coffee_girl]

Networking 101

2008-10-29T18:19:00.000-07:00

Everyone has heard this buzz phrase, "It's not what you know, its who you know" and it is a very true statement indeed. Your grades and major can only get you so far but networking with people can get you a step closer to the job and career you desire.

Why Network?

When you're finally in the work place you'll soon realize that you don't go walking around with your major and GPA tattooed on your forehead. Interacting with people at your company is an often over looked aspect of your job and it can either make or break your career. Same goes in college. The more people you get to know and get along with in the job industry the easier it will be to find a job. A recommendation from someone working in the company will go a long way.

Where do you Network?

As a college student, there are many opportunities to speak with professionals. Heck, most professionals come to you and actually are looking for the opportunity to talk to college students to get a sense of the next generation of their work force. Many academic student groups organize either career nights or an informational session where a professional comes in and talk about their careers. Look to your university's career services to put these events together as well. Career fairs are also a great place to speak with recruiters and if you start early, you'll get to know them real well by the time you're actually looking for an internship or a job.

How do you Network?

So you've finally gotten the chance to walk up to someone and start networking but you're thinking, what do I say without looking stupid? First and foremost, don't forget to introduce yourself. It's a simple way of getting the conversation going. Find out more about their job and talk about some the class projects you've worked on or what would interest you in a career. What you're going for is finding the right chemistry and hoping that they sense it too. If they offer you a business card and opens up the opportunity to email him or her in the future for career advice then you're in the prefect position to develop a relationship.

Granted not all networking situations work out and don't expect to get business cards from everyone you meet but stay determined and network as much as possible. You'll gain good experience learning to interact with people out of college and hopefully a leg up on everyone else.

Interviewing with a Low GPA

2008-10-28T19:47:00.000-07:00

Getting an interview spot with a low GPA is no easy task but getting through the interviews requires a bit more preparation. Not only do you have to prepare for the typical interview questions, you have to prepare yourself for this:

We've noticed you have a low GPA, would you like to explain it?

No Excuses

There is no real good excuse to have a low GPA, so don't think that pitching an excuse will do you any good. Death in the family? Should have talked to an academic advisor to hold your grades and drop out of school if needed as not to damage your GPA. What can work is honesty. If its due to bad study skills or unexpected standards of a college curriculum then you should be open and up front about it.

Weakness into Strength

Now that you and your recruiter have realized you have some not so great qualities on your resume, its time to turn a weakness into a strength. Think of this as an opportunity to explain how you've improved since hitting your low point in college and how it will help you become a professional in the future. If you've improved your study skills and have accelerated in certain key classes important in your major, make sure to point that out. You want the recruiter to feel comfortable that you've learned your lesson and are working to get your GPA back up. What a recruiter doesn't want to see is someone who is failing and hasn't made the choice to change and continue to fail.

Prove It

A recruiter can not deny your improvement if you bring them some solid proof such as a college transcript. Some recruiters will ask for this up front but only concentrate on the overall GPA. Be sure to bring a copy and really point out that you are improving in core classes and that your low GPA does not handicap you in any way. If you really want to wow the recruiter, you can always request a letter of recommendation from a professor in your major to vouch your academic improvement and your success as a professional.

Getting to Sleep Faster

2008-10-27T18:31:00.001-07:00

Getting rest is an important part of being productive the next day but sometimes when you're up late and know you have to get to sleep soon for an early morning exam you realize that trying to get to sleep early is easily said than done. Here are some tips to getting to sleep quickly.

Tips For Getting to Sleep Faster & Sleep Better [via To-Done]

Weekly Internship Posting

2008-10-24T16:41:00.000-07:00

Internship
HEICO Aerospace Corporation - Hollywood, FL

Internship
United Health Group - Duluth, GA

Financial Services Internship
UBS - Newport Beach, CA

Internship
CBS Corporation - New York, NY

Internet Advertising Internship
LogicalSolutions.net - Rochester, NY

Student Bloggers Roundup

2008-10-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

Another great week of posts from Student Bloggers:

Not sure what you're going to do for a living with your major? Sometimes your career can be just a conversation away.
Awesome! [via We Don't Eat Lint Here]

Thinking of starting a business venture and needs some tips on online marketing?
Online Marketing for Dummies [via Teresa Wu]

Having a great community near your college is a plus but do you think yours is great?
Community: Love it or Hate it? [via F1lm School]

This for you hard core computer science people out there!
Coder's Block [via The ByteBaker]

And I have to agree, never stop blogging.
Shutting Down My Blog [via Paul Stamatiou]

The Reality of Career Fairs

2008-10-22T17:04:00.000-07:00

Many schools typically put on multiple career fairs a year providing the opportunity to students to apply for internships and jobs. However, the success rate most students have with finding a position through a career fair is quite low. For example a university will have on average 50 companies show up to their career fair each trying to fill on average one or two positions. Now if we assume that they are planning to hire someone out of that particular university that’s 50 to 100 positions available to any students attending the career fair. Typically 2,000 students will attend a career fair and submit their resume to recruiters. Assuming 100 positions are available to students, only 5% of those students will end up with a position. Though this is a rough estimate, the reality is that many students will not be able to solely use career fairs to find a job or internship.

What then is the point of attending a career fair? Networking. Career fairs will give you an opportunity to meet face to face with recruiters and learn more about the company. Even though you may not be able to get a position with a certain company, that doesn’t mean other positions won’t open at the same company. By using the career fair success strategies, you will be able to turn the recruiter into a contact for the future. Being able to provide contact information during an interview process will further enhance your prospects.

Though there is no guarantee towards getting a job or internship, you can still make the career fair experience a productive one.

High Unemployment Rate Impacts Students

2008-10-21T18:24:00.000-07:00

As the national economy is slowing, it is only natural for the job market to slow down as well. For those of you who are planning on graduating soon, prepare for a competitive job market and be flexible. Here are a few good points from a recent university article:

Graduating students will be competing with those who have been recently laid off increasing the stakes
Students will need to look outside their comfort zone and need to be willing to relocate
Be as proactive as possible during your job search
Undergrads may be in a better position as companies are always looking too keeping their pipeline young
Your first job may not be your ultimate job

High Unemployment Rate Impacts Students [via The California Aggie]

Finance Tips for College Students

2008-10-20T16:22:00.000-07:00

With how volatile the economy has been lately, everyone should be looking at their finances to make sure to stay out of debt and managing their cash efficiently. Get Rich Slowly has some great tips for college students in regards to managing their money for college and personal life.

27 Money Tips for College Students [via Lifehacker]

Weekly Internship Posting

2008-10-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

Disney Interactive Media Group Summer Internship
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts - North Hollywood, CA

Marketing Internship
Pageflakes - San Francisco, CA

Film Research Internship
Sony Pictures - New York, NY

College Financial Representative Internship
Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Englewood, CO

Graduate Student Internship
Monsanto - Woodland, CA

Student Blogger Roundup

2008-10-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

Another great week of posts at Student Bloggers:

Attending office hours is always a productive way to get ahead in class but these are 4 ways to make them unproductive.
Four Ways to Annoy a Professor When Asking for Help (And Four Things You Should Do Instead) [via Study Hacks]

For anyone that is studying abroad this year, this is a good post on getting over home sickness.
What a Feeling... [via Living the Life... of a College Student]

I know that actually looking for internships can be hard but it looks like there's a site being developed that could solve our problems.
World, meet my startup-to-be [via Jessica Mah Meets World]

There is nothing worse than bad student leaders!
How to Deal with (Incompetent) Student Leader [via Hack College]

You're going to have plenty of decisions to make between now and graduation. Learn how to decide.
Deciding How to Decide [via The Student Leader Think Tank]

Why the Interview and What to Expect

2008-10-15T17:20:00.000-07:00

So you made the resume cut and you've been offered the interview, but really why have one at all? Let's put it this way, a resume can only tell them so much about you and a hiring manager already know you made the technical cut based on your resume. What they don't know is what your personality is like and how it would fit in their company culture. So walk into the interview with self confidence knowing you made the cut. Now what can you expect at an interview?

Your Resume in Depth

Even though a recruiter can read your resume, there's just something about hearing it from the horse's mouth. This is not too test you to see if you lied on your resume, which RedSprouts never supports, but to provide the chance to ask more questions about what is listed on your resume. I would advise reading your resume over before the interview to make sure you remember what is listed so you don't get caught off guard with any questions.

Behavioral/Technical Questions

I would consider this the real meat of the interview where the interviewer wants to know more about how you tick. Expect questions on teamwork, strenghts/weaknesses, leadership, and confrontation. For those of us with a low GPA, expect a question about why your GPA is low. For certain job positions, especially in the technical field, expect technical questions such as solving certain problems or explaining your position on current events. Even if the questions seem impossible, make the best attempt you can because sometimes the questions aren't designed too be solved but rather to see how you solve the problem.

Company Information

This is your chance to get more information about the company and the position you're applying for. Additionally it provides the oppurtunity to ask the interviewer questions. Don't forget to have a list of questions before entering the interview!

Interview Series - A Recent Graduate's Job Searching Experience

2008-10-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

A new addition to RedSprouts this week is an interview with a recent graduate who is hoping to start a new career. RedSprouts will be posting interviews on other topics in the coming future.

Max is a recent graduate with a dual degree in chemical engineering and material sciences. He recently shared his job searching experiences with RedSprouts.

Red Sprouts (RS): Did you start job searching before graduating ?

Max: Yes i did. In fact, I started pretty much at the start of senior year because all of the [chemical engineering] companies were recruiting then. I used school resources for my job search and landed some on-campus interviews and even a couple of second on-site interviews. But I ended up either not having much luck on them or I messed up during my interviews.

RS: Did you adjust your job searching strategy once you graduated?

Max: As the school year wore on, one of my coworkers mentioned another site I should also look at in addition to [school resources], and that was for government jobs. It was usajobs.com and they have a lot of listings, even more so than [the school resources]. I probably should have realized it before, but I should not have been very dependent on [school resources] and instead add my search on other job sites like Craigslist, Monster, and CareerBuilder.

RS: Did you find the job listings on these sites to be genuine?

Max: Most of them, yes, even though over half of the positions listed required 5+ years of experience.

RS: Were there any entry level job postings?

Max: A few. You have to search for it in the search criteria, or else they won't show up and all you get is "process engineer, needs 15+ years experience, [Professional Engineers License] preferred" or other things like that.

RS: Out of the job positions you applied for how many did you get responses for?

Max: Not very many. Probably around 1%. I think I actually did apply to at least 100 jobs and I got maybe 2 responses for further action, like an interview.

RS: What have you found to the be the most frustrating process of job searching?

Max: I think the number one thing is my lack of training. For example, I've seen so many companies ask for [chemical engineers] that know autoCAD and even computer programming but that's in rare cases.

RS: What have you done differently as part of your job search?

Max: I've expanded my horizons a little and looking into possible backup plans.

RS: Please elaborate.

Max: I'm pretty much looking for almost anything. A couple weeks ago, I applied to [the San Francisco Municipal Railway] and the [San Francisco] unified school district. One of my backup plans was to be a teacher, so I was looking into that and the programs available in my area for a credential. I also wanted to end my lack of employment, so one of my friends suggested working at a part-time job. Since my job search has slowed down, I might as well keep myself sharp by working.

RS: Where are you currently employed?

Max: I actually start next Tuesday at Starbucks!

RS: What advice would you give to any potential new job seekers?

Max: Make sure you know what you want to do, and go do it. Say you want to work in a particular field; look up all the companies that have to do with that field and apply to all the positions you think you would like to do. All companies have a lot of opportunities available, but it's also important to show them why you are the best candidate, and that's where career counselors and career literature come in.

RS: Who have you used as a career counselor?

Max: That's a tough one, because I didn't actually use one, but I did go to an interview workshop and that helped tremendously. Just working on body language, appearance, enthusiasm, and all the other important things in an interview helped a lot. Bookstores like Borders or Barnes & Noble usually sell books on career and interview improvement.

RedSprouts would like to thank Max for his time and wishes him good luck in his job search.

Surviving a Pop Quiz

2008-10-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

The dreaded words of any classroom, Pop Quiz! Everyone's been caught off guard before but how can you get through one without failing? StudentHacks has a great guide on surviving a pop quiz even if you have no idea what's going on.

How to Survive a Pop Quiz (When you Don't Have a Clue) [via StudentHacks]

Weekly Internship Posting

2008-10-10T16:29:00.000-07:00

Marketing Internship
Philadelphia Insurance Companies - Tigard, OR

Internship
PLUS Entertainment - New York, NY

Student Internship
Amerisure - US

Spring Internship 2009 - Finance
Liz Claiborne - New York, NY

Research Internship
Climate Lab - Washington, DC

Student Blogger Roundup

2008-10-09T16:26:00.000-07:00

Another great week of posts from Student Blogger.

It's always nice to learn more about another major and what it takes to get a degree.
Tales of a Student Producer [via IWriteWithPictures]

One method of completing to do's called Getting Things Done or GTD is a very effective way to organize your tasks. I have used this method before and it really does help organize your life. This is a highly recommended method.
Getting Things Done for College Students...Made Easy [via StudyHacks]

Racism is played out in this country on an every day basis and it is interesting to understand ones ethnicity take on working in the professional world.
Black at VT [via BlackTieLounge]

I admit that I am procrastinator at times and well if you're going to do it, you might as well get some entertainment.
8 Sites To Help Every College Student Procrastinate [via Broke Grad Student]

Who hasn't sent out an email in anger before? This is a great way to avoid that.
Stop Sending Mail You Later Regret [via Gmail Blog]

Job Search Engine Review - The Job Source

2008-10-08T16:08:00.000-07:00

I ran into a job searching website that concentrates primarily on entry level positions and internships. The site differentiates itself from Monster and Career Builder by gearing towards recent graduates who are just starting their career. This is a great idea but the the site is still filled with many non entry level positions and old job postings that should be filtered out. This site is still worth using though use with caution.

The Job Source

The Resume - Format

2008-10-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

Understanding the basics of a resume is important, but putting it all together on a piece of paper is a whole other story. Below is a guide towards the formatting basics:

Font Type and Size

If you want a recruiter to take you seriously, use proper font on your resume. Using cute font will make you look immature and not ready to enter the professional world. Stick with Times New Roman, Arial, or Tahoma and you'll be just fine. Font sizes will always be dependent on how much content you have in your resume. The more content you start putting on the smaller the font should be but keep in mind that it still needs to be readable. If you find that your resume is lacking and looking sparse; playing with the font sizes can create some more volume. Stick with a font size between 10 and 14. Anything smaller than 10 can be very hard to read and anything over 14 can create more void than you want.

Using Bolds

Bolding should be used as a way to separate sections in your resume. Every new section such as Objective, Education, Experience, and so forth should be bold as to help organize the flow of information. What you don't want to do is over bold items which will take away from the organization. The section worth bolding sub sections is the Experience section. Bolding each item in your Experience section will draw attention to those items of importance.

Bullets

I recommend starting your first resume by using bullets as a way for organizing information under the Experience section. Each item you list, either an internship or club activity should have at least 3 bullet items underneath. The more information you can list under each section the more information the recruiter will have to make a decision.

Spell Check!

Last by not least, avoid simple mistakes by spell checking and proof reading your resume over and over again.

As your resume changes over time so will your format, so make sure to update your resume and stay flexible with formatting. You can also use a resume template to start out as well and adjust it based on your needs.

Online Medical Advice

2008-10-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, when you're busy with school sometimes you don't even have time to go to the doctor's office. I had a very good phone relationship with my doctor for the better part of my college life. Visiting sites like Web MD for medical advice helped but browsing through the site and trying to understand all the medical terms didn't help the headache you were already having. If you're looking for a medical advice site that won't confuse you, then take a visit at Go Ask Alice! This is a great site to ask Alice, aka Columbia staff, questions anonymously and get a great answer that won't have you running to Wikipedia.

Go Ask Alice! [via LifeHacker]

Weekly Internship Posting

2008-10-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

Finance Internship
Assurant - Milwaukee, WI

Internship
Saint Mary's Health Care - Grand Rapids, MI

Engineering Internship
Terracon - Kansas

Marketing Communications Specialist Internship
IBM - Somers, IA

Marketing Internship
Kaplan - Chicago, IL

Student Blogger Roundup

2008-10-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

Another great week of posts from Student Bloggers:

I've always felt that the internet takes away from a student's productivity with so many distractions on the web.
Whatever it Takes [via Erik Smetana]

I'm all about saving money on textbooks but this is just too funny!
Textbook Underworld and stalking girl [via Philosophiae Agonistes]

I know school just started not too long ago but if you're already behind on your work, these are some good tips:
Oh No! I'm Behind - 5 Steps to Getting Back on Track [via Univeristy Scholar]

I'm an engineer, and I'm glad we know how to have fun.
Engineers have more Fun [via Coffee_Girl]

Finally, with the debates tonight, I felt it was appropriate to learn some lessons from the politicians.
Things Politicians Do In Debates That You Should Avoid When Writing [via School is Hard]

We Compare Books Review

2008-10-01T19:06:00.000-07:00

Following an earlier post on textbook search engines, is a review of a site called We Compare Books. The home page is very simple with a search bar that gets straight to the point. A simple search under "Chemistry" brings me to a list of books though of course using the advanced search function would probably help narrow things down. Once you found the book you want, the site kicks into gear and gives you the best price available. Now if you're curious about the other vendor's prices, that information is also available. The priced link takes you directly to the seller making the purchasing experience fast. What is also neat about this site is that it provides a blog that posts articles such as how to not buy books but still have access to them or what an ISBN really is. This makes We Compare Books a unique site by combining a textbook search engine and an informative blog.

Low GPA Job Searching Alternatives

2008-09-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

With the job market where it is, job searching is going to become more difficult and if you have a low GPA (<2.5) you might want to try these alternatives:

Alternative GPA

Your overall GPA may be low but you could report other statistical information that might be higher such as your Upper Division GPA or your Major Core Class GPA. Though this does not reflect your total GPA it may be worth a talking point with a recruiter if you find these alternative GPA's to be higher than your total. Just remember to state what kind of GPA you're reporting on your resume.

Going Back to School

If your alternative GPAs don't fair much better than your total GPA you might think about picking up some classes at a local Junior College to help bolster your GPA. Though this takes more of your time and effort you can use this as an opportunity to take classes you wish you had in college or even get a certification that could make you stand out more as a candidate.

Temp Agency

Companies who are cutting back still need certain positions to be filled on a temporary basis but do not want to invest in a full-time employee. These positions could be available to you through a temp agency and could possibly turn into a full-time position with that company assuming the timing is right and you meet their needs. Treat this is as a paid internship as you get to work at different companies while still getting on the job training though not all the company perks or beneifts.

Take a Step Down

Not being able to find a job in your major is very frustrating but when times get tough you may want to think about being flexible and taking a position one step below. However before you make a decision like this, verify with the employer that there is an opportunity for you to be able to move around and finally get to the position you want. I have heard many times of engineers taking lab technician positions being stuck and having too leave the company. They learned valuable information about the industry but felt they needed to apply what they learned in school.

A Great College Credit Card

2008-09-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

As a followup to finding the right plastic, I ran into a great website that reviews every conceivable credit card out there. I have been searching for a website that does in-depth reviews for quite some time and have found this site to be very informative. So informative in fact that it even had reviewed a great credit card for college students. The Citi mtvU Platinum Select Visa card is a great card as it awards for paying on time and even GPA scores. I would recommend this card to any college student looking to apply for a credit card for the first time. You can find the review for this card via the link below;

Citi mtvU Platinum Select Visa Card Review [via AskMrCredi t]

College Loans Drive Careers

2008-09-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

Since the state of our national economy has been of great importance lately, I felt it was appropriate to post an interesting article in regards to how college loans are affecting the way students are choosing their career paths.

High student loan balances are a factor in post-college decisions. Recent grads report that:

40% took a job offer that offered higher pay, but less career satisfaction, in order to help pay off their student loans;
47% say that their student loans impacted their decision to pursue a particular career
88% said they had to make sacrifices in their budget because of their student loan payments; 23% sacrificed continuing education or graduate school

I find it unfortunate that students are being forced into choices about their careers based on financial reasons alone and not what their passion is. I would recommend anyone in this situation to read Kiplinger's guide on How To Pay Off Student Loans as not to force you to make certain career choices.

Recent College Grads Say Loans Driving Careers [via Austin Business Journal]

Student Blogger Roundup

2008-09-25T10:38:00.000-07:00

Another week of great posts from Student Bloggers:

Sometimes when we study for an essay exam we forget the physical fitness required to write in those wonderful blue books.

Writing?!?! Like With Pen and Paper? [via Relatively Journalizing]

Got some free time in college and strapped for cash? This is a great list of ways to make some extra spending dough.

Business Ideas for College Students [via Surviving Joblessness]

Attending office hours are a great way to keep your grades up and rebound from recent test failures.

5 Reasons Why office Hours are Your new Best Friend [via Surviving College Life]

Completing a PhD dissertation is a huge accomplishment and always worth mentioning.

Dear Dissertation Diary [via Out of the Basement]

Last but not least is the Student Bloggers HP giveaway. There's nothing better than winning a package of great electronics.

HP Freshmen 15 Giveaway [via Student Bloggers]

Getting Good Sleep

2008-09-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

Getting good rest is a vital part of being energized and focused every day to tackle studying, club activities, and any other errand you have to run. I ran into a great list of ways to get better sleep and I'm glad it pointed out the Power Nap method. The Power Nap is a great way to get a boost of energy without wasting too much time sleeping or money on energy drinks. I use this method whenever I feel sluggish but still have a lot of work ahead of me.

Top 10 Ways to Sleep Smarter and Better [via LifeHacker]

Staying Focused in Class

2008-09-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, lectures are boring but paying attention is important towards doing well in any class. I have been guilty of nodding off, spacing out, and even skipping classes and I did horrible. When I finally realized that I needed to deal with my academic probation I knew that staying focused in class was vital part of being being successful in classes.

Taking Notes

If you find yourself just nodding away when the professor is lecturing, I would recommend taking notes regardless if the notes are posted online. Writing notes forces you to pay attention to your professor and keeps you awake in class. Additionally, you may pick up on material that aren't on the posted lecture notes and could find itself into a midterm or final.

The Front is for Achievers

People say that the front of the class are for nerds but I say the front are for those that want to excel and pay attention in class. If you really want to catch some sleep in a class you'll find a group of companions in the back, trust me I've been there. Sitting in the front of the class puts the pressure on to stay awake. You don't want the professor spotting you sleeping so it'll be harder for you to not pay attention. This is an even more effective method with small class sizes.

Leave the Laptop at Home

With so many distractions on the internet how can you possibly stay attention in class. Just by browsing the endless lecture halls on campus you'll notice that most people that have their laptops with them during lecture are either surfing the web, IMing their friends, or playing solitaire. The pen and paper is your friend when it comes to note taking so leave the heavy laptop at home and save your back some trouble.

How do you focus in class?

Weekly Internship Posting

2008-09-22T18:49:00.000-07:00

Paid Business Internship
Mountbatten Internship Programme - London, UK

Summer Internship Job
Department of State - Washington D.C.

Internship
American Diabetes Association - Austin, TX

Quality Internship
Abbot Labratories - Lake County, IL

Internship
A-Line Pictures - New York, New York

Student Blogger Roundup

2008-09-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

Another week of great posts from Student Bloggers:

I have made the mistake of sleeping through a college midterm before and I must admit it was a traumatizing experience. My advice? Set a clock radio and your cell phone. It also nice to coordinate with other dorm mates to wake each other up if you have the same exam. I Slept Through a College Test - Now What Should I do?!? [via Surviving College Life]

There's not much time to stay healthy in a busy college student's schedule and so avoiding the Freshmen 15 can be difficult. Exercise on a Time-Crunched Schedule [via Student Body]

While we're on the health track. Stay Healthy This School Year (Really) [via Surviving College Life]

Everyone hates math at one level or another. But if youre aiming to seek a career in science or engineering you're going to have to face dealing with math no matter what. Math Test Strategies [via Student Hacks]

If you're moving in with roommates for the first time this year, please heed this advice, try with your best effort not to be a jerk. Uncomfortable living situations with your roommate can create a very bad college experience. Living With Others: Be the genuine article [via The University Blog]

Finding the Right Plastic

2008-09-18T07:49:00.000-07:00

As a follow up to an article about some great credit cards, I was directed to a site that does a great job of selecting the right credit card for you based on information you provide such as how much you spend a month, your credit rating, and what you spend on. It provides a list of credit cards that work well with your situation. If you're looking to either get a credit card for the first time or add another to help your credit score this is a good place to start.

BillShrink [via Lifehacker]

Salary Research Tools

2008-09-17T17:19:00.000-07:00

It is important to know what your salary will be when you're job hunting but sometimes knowing what a future salary can be is an important decision factor for some when it comes to choosing the right career path. Below is a guide to online search sites for salary information.

www.salary.com

Salary.com provides a good range of data for many types of job titles and positions based on a geographic region. Base salary information is free while a more personalized job profile requires a nominal fee. It is a good way to get a general average of what a starting salary could be.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm Occupational Outlook Handbook

The U.S. Depart of Labor provides detailed job information such as Nature of the Work, Employment, Job Outlook, and Earnings information. I would recommend this site to anyone doing career research and wanted more information on the different types of jobs they could have post college.

www.Payscale.com

Payscale is similar to Salary.com but provides a lot more data that can be used to compare such as education level, years of experience, and location. You do have to create an account before accessing information on the website.

New College Grads Face Frustrating Job Market

2008-09-16T17:06:00.000-07:00

I agree this is an ominous title but that is the reality of the world currently. A recent article from the Seattle Times made some interesting points:

Unemployment among 20 to 24 years old is sharply higher than for the national population
Graduates looking to get into the financial-services industry are the most affected due to the sub prime-mortgage crisis
The most desirable job candidates are those with engineering, information-technology, math and science degrees
Health Care, accounting, and biotechnology markets are still strong
Fewer than half of young college graduates receive any form of pension coverage as companies cut back
Have a Plan B and C
Tap into every resource you have, including your parents, to get as much experience as you can in college

During the last job market slow down in the early 2000's, I had a colleague that had graduated with an engineering degree but couldn't find a job in his field He ended up bouncing around jobs for 2 years such as being a bank teller and a substitute teacher until the job market got better. Learning to adapt and cope during a slow job market is now a necessary survival skill. I have provided a link to the article below.

New College Grads Face Frustrating Job Market [via Seattle Times]

Banking Basics

2008-09-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

On top of all the things going on at college such as studying, clubs, and overall partying, you still need to manage your finances. I am sure that most students at this point don't stash their cash under the mattress at home but have an account open at some major banking instituation. What matters though is avoiding bank fees and getting the most bank for your buck. Below is a link to a great guide towards picking the right bank for you. I personally have a Washington Mutual Free Checking Account as well as a HSBC online savings account.

Best Student Checking and Savings Accounts [via Broke Grad Student]

Recycle Into Cash

2008-09-12T09:46:00.000-07:00

An overlooked commodity by most college students is the cash value of recycling. Over a year of living on your own, parties, and social gatherings, a college student can accumulate hundreds of aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and glass bottles. At a conservative estimation of 5 cents per container you could end up with some extra cash at the end of the year to spend on anything you want. Let's do some simple math.

Assuming that the average college student consumes one caffeine drink every day you've already got 365 aluminum cans. Tack on containers accumulated from parties and get together you could end up with at least 500 containers which equates to about 26 dollars at the end of the year.

Obviously you won't make money back on the purchases of your beverage but 26 dollars can go a long way for a college student. I have provided a link to a recycling calculator below:

http://www.bottlesandcans.com/what_calculator.php

The Resume - Basics

2008-09-11T07:46:00.000-07:00

Your resume, though just a piece of paper, is a representation of your current life experiences and an advertisement of your skills. Take the time and care to really concentrate on making your resume the best you absolutely can. Below is a guide towards the different areas of a resume.

Objective

This is typically a one sentence statement describing the job position you are seeking. It's role is to help a recruiter remember what you area seeking since they will be receiving hundreds of resumes. Here is an example of an objective statement:

"Seeking an internship position with a top advertisement firm to provide me exposure in printed advertisements"

Education

This is probably the easiest section of the resume. School, Major, and Expected date of graduation is the main information you need in this area. The tricky one is the GPA. If you have a GPA over a 3.0, I would definitely put it on there. For those of you, including myself, who do not have a stellar GPA, I would recommend keeping it off. Some companies require a minimum GPA for their internship positions and some don't. If the GPA is very important to the recruiter they will ask and you must be ready to have an explanation. From my personal experience, I have been able to get many interview spots without having to place my GPA on the resume and it never came up during the interview to be an issue with most companies.

Skills

This area can include just about anything that you feel is pertinent to your field of study. Computer programers should list all coding languages they have experience with while biochemistry majors should list all lab equipment and techniques they have experience with. Being fluent in a second or even third language is a major plus to have and should be listed on the resume as well. Generic skills that should be listed are things like Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.

Classes

It may be warranted to list classes you have taken so the recruiter knows your level of knowledge in certain fields. I for one have always thought of this section as a filler to help create more volume in a resume. Most companies will assume your level of knowledge based on your class level and major. If you can avoid putting this section in your resume I would, but if you need a filler section, this is the best one to add.

Experience

This is the major meat of your resume as it contains your previous job positions and a description of your duties for each one. Make sure to list your job title, company, and duration of that job position. At this point of your career, it is ok to add any experiences from High School such as a summer job, club activities, or volunteering you had done. Under each job position, list three bullet points on what your responsibilities were.

Customize

Your resume should be customized for you. If you are in a leadership position through clubs on campus, create a leadership section and list out what you've done. Were you awarded a scholarship or honor? Create a section for that. If you feel that there is information about you that will catch the eye of a recruiter you should definitely include it. Here are some sections worth putting in your resume:

Leadership

Extracurricular Activities

Publications

Presentations

Awards/Honors

A Few More Pointers

Keep your resume to a page. You don't want to list out every detail of your experiences, just the main points. You want the recruiter to interested enough that they want to ask you the details at an interview. Most importantly, do NOT lie on your resume. This is grounds for immediate termination from your position. I have seen new senior hires terminated within days of their hiring because they have a false statement on their resume. There is no reason for you to list skills you do not have and create a level of expectation you can not meet. Remember, your resume is always a work in progress. As you continue to learn new skills, update your resume from time to time so that when a career fair is around the corner you'll be ready.

Redsprouts will continue working on more resume articles that deal with the best way to format and how to add some punch to any resume. Stay Tuned.

Weekly Internship Posting

2008-09-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

As a follow up to a posting made last week about applying for summer internships earlier, Red Sprouts will be posting summer internships on a weekly basis.

Fox Sports/IGN Mobile Intern (Unpaid)

Intern Program - Los Angeles, CA

Photobucket Marketing Intern (UNPAID)

Intern Program - San Francisco, CA

Software Intern

HP - Roseville, CA

Intern

Allstate - Northbrook, IL

Events/Trade Marketing Intern (PAID)

Intern Program - New York, NY

Time Management

2008-09-08T09:21:00.001-07:00

Let's face it, studying with all the distractions that are on going at college can quickly become a waste of time. This is where time management can help you organize your day better and forecast your schedule better for the rest of the month.

Time to Succeed

Typically, to be successful in a class, you will need to study 3 hours for every unit of a course ever week. At an average of 18 units of classes, that is 54 hours of studying every week. With 168 hours between Monday and Sunday, studying will end up taking 30% of your time during the week. This is of course an extreme case but this should make you realize how much time you need to commit too studying on a weekly basis to be successful.

Planning Your Day

With so many hours in a day, it is important to take the time and figure out your schedule every week. If you studied everyday, its about 8 hours a day of studying and if you take out time to sleep, eat, and go to classes, you'll end up with anywhere between 5 and 10 hours depending on how much you sleep of course. This still leaves plenty of time to do extra curricular activities and goof off. Using programs such as Google Calendar, you can map out your day and view it in a week or even month format. Here is a sample:

You Can't Do it All

In the best case scenario you can do it all in college but realistically, you'll have to remember to say no. The best way to know when to say no is by prioritizing your day. Got a midterm quickly approaching but have some club activities coming up? It is probably realistic to skip out on club activities if you need additional time to study.

How do you manage your time to study?

Who Will You Be This Summer?

2008-09-05T08:02:00.000-07:00

It may seem early to be asking what you'll be doing this upcoming summer but based on an article written by the NY Times, it doesn't seem early enough. This article was written earlier this year in January and had a very bold statement: "If you haven't applied for your [internship] yet, you are late" . I am hoping that posting this article in advance will remind prospective interview candidates that application season is fast approaching. Some interesting points made in the article:

Recruitment for the top 10% of internships start 10 months in advance
Competition for summer internships is getting higher every year, Google received 5,000 applications for fewer than 1,000 positions
Having completed a summer internship before graduation is now a necessity
Using your network (ie. parents, family friends, relatives) is an acceptable way of trying to get any job experience

This article is worth a read to understand how competitive it has become to get an internship. Moral of the story, keep your grades, get experience in school, and start applying early.

Who Will You Be This Summer? [via NY Times]

Student Bloggers Roundup - Back to School

2008-09-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

As a new tradition, Red Sprouts will be providing a list of weekly posts from Student Bloggers. Student Bloggers is a great site that lists interesting articles from a variety of bloggers that are currently in school. Back to School is a fitting theme for starting this weekly roundup. Enjoy!

If you're living off campus in an apartment, one of the most important steps towards getting as much of your security deposit back is the Apartment Walkthrough. I have found that land lords will ding you wherever they can so take the walkthrough seriously and mark down everything you see even if it looks like a minor scratch on the wall. School is Hard has a great listing of different items to look at during your walkthrough. What to Look for During an Apartment Walkthrough [via School is Hard]

Starting a new school year is just the same as starting a complete new year and making resolutions is an important part of setting goals. Not Just Surviving has a great list of academic resolutions for the year. School Year Resolutions [via Not Just Surviving]

I have to admit that I don't have the best library etiquette but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have them. Library Etiquette [via Sua Sponte]

Everyone doesn't like brown nosers but having a healthy relationship with a professor is vital, especially if you're looking for letters of recommendation. Building thatImportant Relationship [via University Scholar]

For those student veterans who are looking at a tough senior and know that caffeine will be a major part of their diet, here is a great guide to optomize its effect. Optimize Caffeine Consumption [via Pharmacy Kid]

Dealing With a Low GPA

2008-09-03T20:30:00.000-07:00

Having a low GPA in college is a harsh reality some students have to face and creates a frustrating experience, especially when you're looking to get hired. As a junior, I had a 2.5 GPA and decided to attend my first career fair. I had created a very bare boned resume that included only high school experience along with a part time job. Suffice to say, it was a very disappointing experience. All of the top hiring companies at the career fair had a minimum GPA requirement and if you were brave enough to talk to a recruiter anyways it was always the first topic of discussion. It was very defeating to know that your resume would end up on the "trash" pile and realizing your future was looking bleak.

So how did I overcome a low GPA?

Study Habits

If you're serious about your career, then getting that GPA up should be a number one priority. Reevaluate your current study habits since they're most likely not working for you. I have to admit that I did not take studying so seriously during the first half of my college career and I paid for it with my GPA. I began changing my study habits until I found a method that was effective for me. By graduation I was able to raise my GPA to a 2.8 and even though it's still below the highly regarded 3.0 standard, it was a much better position to be in. If an interviewer is very interested in your GPA an improvement can only be positive.

Gaining Experience

I came away from the career fair knowing that I didn't have enough experience on my resume and felt that I had an opportunity to improve in this area. One of options to gain experience while in school, was to help a professor with academic research. It was a good way to expose me more to my major and work closely with a professor. Adding this research experience provided a very positive boost for my resume and created a spring board for conversations with recruiters at following career fairs. This opens more doors and shows that you're being active in pursuing relevant experience in your major.

Networking

Joining professional societies and school organizations provides a lot of unique opportunities to interact with industry. Building a relationship with someone from industry allows you too learn more about the business as well as gaining inside information on hiring needs of the company. A recommendation from someone currently working at the company will give you the leg up and provide an opportunity you may not be able to get through applying alone.

Determination

Giving into defeat is never an option in the real world and shouldn't be an option for you either. Though there will be plenty of blood, sweat, and tears; the rewards are well worth it.

Back to School Tools

2008-09-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

If you are a tech savvy student, there is a plethora of tools out there that can make things such as note taking and study planning much easier. As much as I feel technology can aid in your study habits, it can be quite a distraction as well so make sure to evaluate each tool to see if it's right for you.

Back to School Power Tools for the Savvy Student [via LifeHacker]

Are You a Leader?

2008-09-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

I attended a career workshop on campus where someone was invited to talk about leadership and management in the working world. It has been some time since I have read through my notes but every statement he made during that workshop made absolute sense. Below is a listing of what he called "Signs of Management":

Interest in Building an Organization

This sounds like I'm talking about building a business but this statement applies to any aspect of your career. This can refer to you building a club on campus and staking out a leadership role to be able to make an impact. For me, in the working world, this means to building a specialized group of team members that are geared towards solving unique project problems. Any good manager should show interest in building either a team, organization, or practice into something more and feel a sense of accomplishment.

Organization

Any good manager needs to know how to organize and I for one can attest to that. When you're managing multiple project, a million things can go on at once and you need to be very organized to be able to stay on top of everything. Currently, I am continuously updating time lines and budgets to ensure that my projects are meeting their targets. These skills came from being in a demanding curriculum while in college. Multiple homework assignments, midterms, and extracurricular requirements forced me to be organized and obtain good time management skills.

Strategic Thinker

In the end, its all about the big picture. A good manager can step back away from the details and look at the whole to ensure that what they're building is meeting existing goals. This is a skill that is hard to obtain while still in college but everyone can always step back and look at the big picture. Maybe you're working on a class project with other students and have been working out the details for a long time. Take a step back and evaluate how the project as a whole is performing. You may be working on one part of the project and your classmate is working on another but when you come together to write the final report and you finally realize that nothing agrees and you've wasted time and effort. You don't want to be in a situation where the details look great but the pieces don't come together.

Like to See Each Others Succeed

This was something that was not obvious to me when I was in college but experience has shown me that if the people you manage succeed you'll succeed. How does this apply in college? If you're running a club on campus and have spent the time and effort to build it, you'll need someone else to run the show when you've graduated. This passage of knowledge and mentorship is an important part of maintaining the life of any organization or business. I always make sure that I teach what I know to my team members so that they can learn to take on projects of their own. This allows me continued advancement as there are others trained to replace me.

Leadership is an important skill to develop because let's face it, the only way to advance your career is to be in a management position.

Career Fair Success Strategies

2008-08-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

Thousands of people haggling over prices for the best quality fish is a typical day at a wholesale fish market. Yet in reality this is quite similar to a typical career fair where hundreds of students wait in line to speak with a recruiter and submit their resume in hope of catching the big one. If you’re not prepared, a career fair can swallow you up and spit you back out. I have attended many career fairs and have come away with certain tips and advice towards making a career fair a productive and positive experience.

Many undergraduates who attend a career fair for the first time do not realize that their interview with a prospective company begins with the first conversation with a recruiter. Having helped a company recruit in the past, I can finally understand why making a strong first impression is very important. Impressing a recruiter can involve a number of things such as appearance, self confidence, and extensive knowledge of the company. When hundreds of students are vying for the same position, you need to make yourself stand out.

Typically the career centers of most college campuses prepare for career fairs in advance and will provide information on what the company does and what kind of positions they are hiring for. Trust me you’ll want to be as prepared as possible before attending a career fair. Do your research on the companies so that when you do talk to the recruiter you can tell them about yourself and why you feel you would fit in with the position they have posted. There’s nothing worse for a recruiter than having to explain the position to people over and over again. Trust me they already know who they want and don’t want once you open your mouth.

While you’re talking to the recruiter about yourself, you should also take the opportunity to ask questions about them. The more involved you are talking with a recruiter the better chance you may have getting an interview spot. Try to always get their business card so that you can follow up with them and possibly create a contact.

Most importantly, bring extra copies of your resume. Passing out your resume at a career fair is a long standing tradition, so make sure you have enough copies with you. I have unfortunately had had the experience of not bringing enough resumes requiring me run off to a nearby computer lab to print some more out taking away precious time talking to recruiters. My rule of thumb is to bring an extra 15 - 20 resumes on top of the one's you've already printed. You never know what company will show up at the last minute that is a great fit for you.

Text Book Price Comparison

2008-08-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

As a follow up to the recent guide towards saving money on text books, is a review of three text book price comparison sites. All three act as search engines that help find the best price for specific text book titles. For my review, I have used "Principle of Economics" with a list price of $193.95 and will only be searching for new books.

BigWords

www.bigwords.com

This site showed me the best price compared to the other two websites. It provides a description of the text book and what edition it is. The cheapest book they listed was a new international version at $37.91. When you select the book to purchase it automatically redirects you to the site offering the book making shopping for books online easier.

Cheap College Textbooks

www.cheapesttextbooks.com

This site provides much more detail information compared to that of both BigWords and BooksPrice such as shipping price, any available coupon codes, and any restrictions. What the site couldn't do was produce the best price compared to BigWords. The lowest price for "Principles of Economics" was $120.00. Like BigWords, the site redirects you directly the seller.

BooksPrice

www.booksprice.com

Like Cheap College Textbooks, this site provides plenty of information such as shipping costs in addition to a larger list of book vendors. What makes this site different is that it allows you to filter your searches for only new books or different price ranges. Like BigWords, it found the same book listed at $37.91 and directed you to seller of the book. I liked the layout of this site much better than the other two and would pick this site to at least compare prices of textbooks.

Career Builder Survey

2008-08-22T14:06:00.000-07:00

Career builder recently published survey results of 31,000 hiring managers. Of interesting note,

49% of hiring managers reported applicants lying on their resume with 57% of hiring managers pulling the application from the candidate pool. Never lie on your resume, if you are not a right match for the job based on what you put on your resume, your company will eventually find out.

43% of hiring managers spend less than one minute on resumes. This is not a big surprise of course. Hiring managers will receive hundreds of resumes for one position and do not have the time to thoroughly look over your resume. The important message here is make your resume stand out.

What the Career Builder survey did have was a list of key words hiring managers use when looking through resumes:

problem-solving and decision-making skills (50 percent)
oral and written communications (44 percent)
customer service or retention (34 percent)
performance and productivity improvement (32 percent)
leadership (30 percent)
technology (27 percent)
team-building (26 percent)
project management (20 percent)
bilingual (14 percent)

Of course this does not mean you should blanket your resume with these key words unless you truly have the experience to do so.

Career Builder Survey [CareerBuilder]

Text Books

2008-08-15T21:35:00.000-07:00

Text books are a necessary part of college life and it can become quite expensive very quickly but it doesn't have to be. Saving money on books is an easy process as there is no reason to have to pay full prices for what publisher's think they are worth. Below are some ideas on how to save some money.

Campus Bookstore

Most bookstores always carry used books sold back by students at the end of the year. This is the easiest way to get books at a discounted price without too much effort. The drawbacks of course are that they are a limited quantity and at times the quality of a used book can be questionable at best. What's great about purchasing used books from your college book store is that the book store is responsible for putting out the correct text books you need before the class starts. This allows you to purchase your books well in advance before school starts and save some money as well. Get to the bookstore before school starts as these books will end up flying off the shelves first.

Off Campus Bookstores

Another great source of discounted text books are the local off campus bookstores. Typically these bookstores sell their books at or less than the used book prices of your campus book store. Similar to your campus bookstore, supplies are limited with sometimes questionable quality but allows you an alternative place to find the book you need. The major drawback of going to an off campus bookstore is that they supply many versions of the text book you need so buy beware! Make sure to come prepared with your class's syllabus to ensure you get the right book. Also, certain off campus bookstores may not have a return policy.

Amazon / Online

Online vendors such as Amazon will allow you to save a significant amount of money on text books even when the book is brand new. Major discounts can be found when purchasing used books though you are running the risk of getting a text book that has been completely highlighted. Another option online is to purchase the international version of your text book which is exactly the same but heavily discounted. What makes the international version so cheap is quality of the paper and it being a paper back. If you don't mind a lower quality version of a new book then, by means purchase the international version. Amazon also provides free shipping for certain books as well which makes purchasing a book online a major plus. The only drawback of purchasing a text book online is the time it takes to ship to you. If you are well aware of the textbooks your class requires, you can easily order it well in advance before school starts. To me this is a very preferable way of purchasing books behind student book exchanges.

Student Book Exchanges

Certain schools create a market exchange for students where they are allowed to sell their books at whatever prices they want. Typically students will sell their books well below the used bookstore price to ensure that they are quickly bought up. If you are looking for big discounts without waiting for shipment then look no further. However you must be willing to wait in a long line well before the exchange opens as books tend to go by very quickly.

Library

What's better than discounted books? How about free books? Libraries will typically have your textbook on reference and you can check it out for several hours during the day. Unfortunately that only allows you only a couple hours a day while being stuck at the library. But at least think of all the money you'll save!

If you have another ways you save money through text books please comment below.

Brain Hacking

2008-08-15T08:16:00.001-07:00

I've posted articles about studying, but I ran across an interesting article about enhancing your brain power. This could come in handy if you need an extra boost while you're studying for this upcoming school year.

22 Ways to Overclock Your Brain [RirianProject]

Resume Building Internship Experience

2008-08-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

One of the great things that a summer internship can do is beef up your resume in many different areas. My first internship was a position in the environmental department of an oil refinery. I was involved in projects that allowed me to learn new skills and understand how my degree would help me in the real world. When I sat down to fill out my resume, I realized how much more I could include other than adding a new section under job descriptions. In addition to improving my skills with Microsoft Excel, I also learned how to use specific environmental and plant operation software which I added to the list of the computer software I was familiar with. One of my projects required me to use a sampling analyzer which I became proficient in using and could now add to my resume under laboratory equipment device I was capable in using.

Your internship can not only benefit you with great job experience but it can also help you build familiarity with specific software and equipment that other companies are looking to hire people with skills for. Many companies that offer internships are very proactive about training their interns with every aspect of their job. I always made it a point at my other internships to try to get training on relevant tools and skills to add to my resume as I knew that other companies would be looking for these skill sets. The more software and equipment skills you can learn at your internship the more appealing you will be to the next company looking to hire you.

How NOT to Study for an Exam

2008-08-08T23:11:00.000-07:00

There are probably a lot of different good ways you can study for an exam but I figure it would be much easier to list all the ways NOT to study. I have tried every one of these methods and can be the first to say that these methods don't work out so great.

Cram All Night!

Studies have shown that the human brain can retain more information if saturated over a long extended period of time. Needless to say, craming won't get you an A on your next midterm. I have tried cramming before a miderm and I barely able got a C-, though I'm sure some of you are thinking, that's still better than failing. True a C- is better than failing, but a C- minus is not going to help you get a job. My rule of thumb is always to start preparing at least one week in advance to give yourself time to cover more material with more detail. Pulling an all nighter to get a C is not the most rewarding experience you can have.

Study Only the Practice Exams

A professor's favorite tactic to ensure a good grade distribution is the old "bait and switch". Give the students a couple practice exams and then pull a fast one on the real exam with material covered only in lecture. Granted, all professors aren't so evil but this kind of of switch are not that uncommon. Practice exams are a good way of gauging how well you understand the material but you should never assume that this is the only material the professor is going to cover. If you can, ask older classmates for their practice exams so that you can have a better spread of questions and materials to prepare from.

They're Only Homework Questions

Why bother looking at old homework questions? Three to five weeks of homework questions is an ample supply of material to study from. Professors pick out the homework questions for a reason as they feel that they represent the material of that week. Review old homework assignments and look for similar ones to flex your brain before an exam. You never know, but professors have been known to use homework questions as exam questions before.

You Get a Cheat Sheet, Why Study?

Cheat sheets are great for classes that require a lot of reference material. But what's the point of using them if you don't know how to use any of the material you put on the cheat sheet? Cheat sheets can become a false sense of security for many students when the true intentions of the cheat sheet is to study your material ahead of time and understand everything you put down on the cheat sheet. Making a cheat sheet is actually a great study method as long as you can use everything on it.

If you have any do NOT study techniques to add to this list, please leave a comment below.

Staying in Shape on the Cheap

2008-08-08T09:58:00.000-07:00

In order to avoid the Freshmen 15 and yet still live frugally, I ran into a great post about working out without all that expensive gym equipment. It's a great way to unwind and get rid of all that stress built up from assignments and midterm studying. Even though I'm not in school full time anymore, I still take the time out a couple days a week to exercise to get rid of work stress. Trust me, it's well worth it!

Minimalist Fitness: How to Get In Lean Shape With Little or No Equipment [ZenHabits]

Soul Searching

2008-08-08T09:49:00.000-07:00

At about this time of the year, when I was a sophomore, I was dreading the fact that school was starting again because it forced me to face the reality that I was under Academic Probation. I was under Academic Probation for the second time during the Spring Quarter of my freshmen year, and the summer break had allowed me to forget about my worries. I was conflicted on what I had to do for my future career. Was engineering just not the right fit? How do I deal with changing majors? Would switching schools be the worst thing? These were some of the many questions racing through my head. The reality was that I should have just switched majors but I was too ashamed to think that I would fail my parent's expectations to consider it a real option. I decided to bite the bullet and stick with my major and hope for the best.

In retrospect, I should have given more thought towards changing my major to something that was more enjoyable and better suited for me. Though I was able to survive through a rigorous engineering curriculum, it was a difficult journey that made me doubt myself on more than one occasion. Being on Academic Probation should have been a sign that I needed to either change my study habits or that this major was not for me. I am currently working as an engineer now but find myself leaning away from it more and more. My regrets of course was that I was not able to pursue something I would have enjoyed. But these are the choices in life we make.

If you are currently on academic probation or finding that your major wasn't what you were expecting, make sure to think long and hard about your future. Don't worry about what others think and find what's right for you.

Interview Quick Guide

2008-08-06T17:41:00.000-07:00

Being successful at an interview to get an internship or a full time job can really become a full time job itself. There are many ways to prepare for an interivew, but for those who need a quick guide to getting past an interview, I have listed some pointers below:

Do your Homework

The sure fire way to bomb an interview is walking in blind. Not doing research about the company or organization tells the interviewer you don't care enough about the position to learn more about them. I would advise doing as much research as possible about the company through their company website, annual reports, or third party research.

Always Asks Questions

At the end of any interview the recruiter will always ask, "Do you have any questions for me?". If you answer no, you might as well give up your interview spot and stayed home. This is another sign for the recruiter that you didn't care enough about the position to inquire more about it. This is the best time for you to turn the tables on the interviewer and ask some well pointed questions. Can't think of any you really want to ask? Generic questions such as benefits, work-life balance, and social environment are good ways to start a conversation with a recruiter.

Dress to Impress

There's nothing that says, "I am wasting your time" more than coming in slopily dressed. This of course should be a no brainer but just in case, guys: dress slacks, dress shirt, and tie at a minimum, and girls: dress slacks and a blouse.

This is just a basic list of interview tips just to get by. Redsprouts is working on a series of articles designed around acing the interview. Until then, good luck!

Job Searching in a Recession

2008-07-29T22:33:00.000-07:00

I have recently been talking with a friend of mine who just recently graduated and mentioned how difficult it has been looking for a job in a currently tough job market. Many of my clients have told me that they are currently under a hiring freeze and the state of the economy of course does not help. Though typical job search engines like Monster and Career Builder do a decent job looking for job postings, I stumbled upon a new search engine called InDeed, www.indeed.com, which aggregates job searching data much better allowing for better matches.

If job search engines don't cut it, I would try trade associations or private organizations. Many professional societies allow students to join for free or at a very low rate and allows access to their job posting which are industry specific.

Temporary agencies are also a good way to get in the door with many major industry leaders and allows you to learn more about your job so that you can make a better decision. Temp jobs also provide alot of flexibility for those who don't necessarily want to commit to any one company and want to have some spare time to travel and relax.

Credit Cards Galore

2007-09-26T22:13:00.000-07:00

Credit cards can be a college student's best friend or their worst enemy. On one hand credits cards, used with responsibility, provide you the opportunity to begin building your credit score up that will qualify you for simple things such as cell phone accounts under your name and access to apartment leases. Unfortunately, credit cards can also lead many students down a dark path towards debt mentioned in an earlier article. I do believe that building your credit score up early is an essential way of transitioning into the working world. Even if you use it sparingly it will get you ahead of the credit score game and get you on the right path towards different financial options.

There are so many different credits cards from different banks, credit unions, and creditors that it can be headache just finding the right one. The credit cards I would recommend to anyone and not just college students are those that have no annual fee and a rewards program such as mileage or cash back. Certain credit cards provide 2% to 5% cash back on gas and groceries or miles rewarded for every dollar you spend and can be redeemed for round trip plane tickets. Below are a list of credit cards I would recommend to anyone looking to increase their credit score:

Chase Freedom Visa Card

Rewards:

2% on Supermarkets, Gas Stations, and Fast-Food Restaurants
1% off everything else
No Annual Fee
Link

Citi Driver's Edge Platinum Select Master Card

Rewards:

6% on Supermarkets, Gas Stations, and Drugstores for the first year
3% on Supermarkets, Gas Stations, and Drugstores following the first year
No Annual Fee
Link

Capital One No Hassle Miles Rewards

Rewards:

Earn 1.25 miles for every dollar you spend
Book Travel on any airline, any time, and no blackouts or restrictions
No Annual Fee
Link

Packing For College

2007-09-12T12:38:00.000-07:00

Another day of web browsing lead me to this site with some overlooked items that students should bring to college. The two items I wish I had brought with me to freshmen year were ear plugs and duct tape. If any of you have more ideas to add to this list feel free to leave a comment.

18 Overlooked Things Everyone Should Bring to College [College and Finance]

Living Frugally - Good Eats

2007-09-10T19:49:00.000-07:00

Here at RedSprouts, we're all about studying hard and making ground on your future career. But while you're doing all that you got to make sure that you're eating healthy. More importantly though, you're a college student on a budget so you got get good eats on the cheap. As you might have guessed, the best way to get good eats on the cheap is cooking a meal yourself. Now this may seem like a foreign idea to many of you, but cooking at home is actually quite simple and you will save loads of money. Not enough time you say? Some meals only take 30 minutes to make and you can have enough leftovers for a couple days that you can easily heat back up in minutes.

One of my favorite dishes to make due to its ease is the Simple Pasta Dish. Boil water with some salt and throw in your preference of pasta. While that is going on slice up carrots, celery, and onions to brown in a skillet. Add browned ground beef and tomato sauce and you got yourself a great simple sauce. Put it all together and you have yourself a cheap meal and depending on your portions a day or two of leftovers. In terms of cost, your meal will only cost you 2 to 3 dollars a day compared to eating a 10 dollar pasta dish at a decent restaurant. Now I've only been cooking for a couple years and so far I've felt satisfied with what I've come up with. But if you readers have any suggestion I would love to see it in the comments.

School Started - Now What?

2007-09-09T14:43:00.000-07:00

As students return back to the college lecture halls and freshmen begin a life long journey getting acquainted in their new dorm rooms, a common question always comes up, “Now what?” For the upper classmen, they’re halfway through their college career and the idea of getting a job is finally sinking in. For the lower classmen, they’re wondering how they get started and where college might take them. Below is a great way getting started for every level.

Freshmen

In retrospect, freshmen year is really the time for student to explore their options and have some fun. Now just don’t let it get out of hand or you’ll end up where I was trying to play catch up for the rest of the year. Transitioning from high school to college can be quite difficult since for many of you it’s your first time on your own and like I had mentioned in a previous article, high school study skills are sub-par. This is also the time to back track and make sure the major you have chosen is the right one for you. Take classes in other fields that interest you as a way to explore other majors. If you want to switch majors this is the best time to do it as you haven’t taken many classes and transitioning from one to another will be quite simple. The most important thing that a freshman can accomplish is to establish steady study skills and get your GPA up. If you’re really ambitious, go visit a career fair and just orient yourself with companies that show up. There’s no pressure to talk to recruiters and it’s a great way to get some free stationary items.

Sophomore

Now that you’re back from your first year of college and finally ready to take the world on, you’re wondering what to do next. My suggestion? Start networking! Join a professional club related to your field on campus and start socializing with other students. It never hurts to get started and you can even get a leg up on the competition. Another great way to begin networking is meeting recruiters. Now many companies don’t tend to hire interns who have only completed their sophomore year, but sometimes they’ll find the need for someone to complete less glamorous jobs. But hey, job experience is job experience and any recruiter can see the effort you’re putting into your own career. Even if you can’t find an internship with a particular company it never hurts to ask more about their company and what kind of steps you should take between now and when you’re looking for an internship to better secure one.

Junior

To me junior year is where your career really begins to take off. Now that you’re going to complete some upper division course work, you’ve finally qualified to play in the big game of internship hunting. This is the year to get serious about your resume and hitting the career fairs hard. As the job market gets flooded with more and more graduating students, the harder the competition for securing a full time job. Job experience is a big indicator of your skill set and your potential, so obtaining one is very important. Just as important as internships are research positions as many companies see research as the future and if a candidate shows interest, it’s a very big positive. Networking opportunities from this point on will become very important so attending more professional events is a must.

Senior

It’s the last year of a long and wonderful journey and regardless if a full time job or a slot in graduate school is at the end, you should all congratulate yourself for getting this far. Hopefully you have some job experience tucked away and you’re ready to take on the world. Access your network that you’ve built up for opportunities you’re interested in and try to have some fun your last year. If you’ve been successful thus far, you’ll know exactly who to ask and where to look for any opportunity. Most importantly though, go on vacation! You’ve earned it and it’ll be a great way to unwind before moving on to the next part of you life.

Resources - Online Tools

2007-08-14T21:46:00.000-07:00

I ran into a great post that had a number of online tools I would recommend to any college student to use as a resource. Some of the tools such as MynoteIT and Tadalist are a great way to keep track of your everyday tasks and keep your college life organized. Google docs and spreadsheets are a wonderful tool to use, especially when doing group work. When it comes to saving a bit of money, Book Finder helps by comparing book prices from different websites and stores. Lastly Meebo.com is a great way to connect online without having to install AIM or Yahoo Messenger on any computers on campus.

Top Web Tools For College Students [Next Path]

Finance 101 - Saving Some Extra Dough

2007-07-30T07:54:00.000-07:00

College students always have a need for extra money. Its not easy to save money when your friends call you up Thursday night for a party or invite you to a birthday bash. Food, alcohol, gas, cover fees, etc. – they all add up in cost. Nevertheless there’s always a way to get the best bang for your buck. While you might not think about it, little things can add up quite quickly to huge savings.

Getting a good rewards credit card can help you out. Most credit card rewards programs don’t charge a dime to join like Chase Freedom, it offers 1% cash back on all purchases and 3% on gasoline, groceries, and fast foods. While 1% might not seem like a lot, big ticket items and cumulative purchases can bring in a nifty chunk of change. If you travel considerably, you might consider a rewards card for frequent flier miles, since flying with a certain airline can add up to free tickets or cash back. If you are having trouble looking for a good type of rewards card, checkout the forums on Fatwallet.com for in-depth deal discussions.

Another way to save some extra cash is to setup a savings or checking account online. While most local banks offer a few percent yearly interest on your money, online banking such as with Charles Schwab, HSBC, and INGDIRECT can offer higher rates of interest since they don’t have all the capital fees that a walk-in bank might have. At HSBCdirect.com you can have a savings account for 5% yearly interest (one of the highest around) just by having your money sit in the account. Other banks might require you to put your money into a CD account to get that kind of interest, but with HSBC you can have your money liquid and available at the nearest ATM without any penalties that a CD account might entail. Also, online checking with CharlesSchwab.com or FirstRepublic.com can offer no surcharge withdrawls from any ATM around the world. Particularly in tourist destinations like Las Vegas, ATM fees can head up to $5 or $6 just to use their machine. With those accounts, you can use any ATM in sight for free.

Finally, shopping at warehouses selling items at bulk prices such as Costco can add up to some significant savings. Places like Costco may require membership to purchase, but if your parents or friends have cards, you can easily tag along as long as one person has a card. Ground beef, frozen foods, snacks, and party supplies can easily be purchased in bulk – particularly if you’re looking to split between roommates. Savings can range from 10%– 30% off local supermarket prices, so shopping in bulk can add up quickly. Additionally, party supplies such as plastic cups, disposable plates and utensils, beer, wine, and hard alcohol can be purchased for a discount.

Living Frugally – Your Home Away from Home

2007-07-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

Though some students are lucky enough to stay in their dorm during their entire stay in college, some of them, including me, must venture out and go and find a new dwelling off campus. Living off campus can get quite expensive, but with some money saving tips it can be manageable.

Apartment searching itself can be a major task and incorporates a number of different variables such as distance from campus, local neighborhood, and the age of the apartment. Once you figure out your budget you can go and find the right apartment for you. One way to keep your costs down is sharing an apartment with a number of roommates. The more roommates you have may lower the price you pay per month, but it increases the likelihood of creating an unstable living situation as people feel the need to have more space.

Now that you found the perfect apartment it’s time to fill it up with furniture. Many stores such as Target and Walmart come out with back to school ads with the perfectly furnished room. I personally have never seen any college apartment room look the way they do in catalogs and unless you are independently wealthy, it’s not worth it to spend that much money on your room. One good cost saving way to furnish your apartment is just taking hand me downs from family and friends. What can be better than free furniture! While we’re still on the topic of free furniture, one of the best ways to add to your apartment is staking out the dumpster areas around the summer time. Many students who move out and don’t want to take furniture with them will leave them out at the dumpsters and are basically up for grabs. Not all of the furniture is old and dingy and you can sometimes score some pretty nice furniture at no cost to you.

Depending on your distance from school, biking or walking to school is the most economical form of transportation. Though I did live within biking distance of campus I chose to drive instead, which added to my costs and didn’t provide me a good form of exercise. If biking isn’t your cup of tea, public transportation might just be the key. Many universities provide “free” public buses to and from campus. I say “free” since the costs of maintaining a bus fleet and paying drivers is incorporated in the cost of your tuition. Don’t let your tuition money go to waste and help reduce your carbon footprint.

Another great way to save money is controlling the way you use your utilities in your apartment. My college was located in an area that is similar to many parts of the US; hot summers and cold winters. By restricting the amount of heat or A/C you use during different seasons will greatly lower your bills at the end of the month. I personally can not stand the summer heat, especially when I’m trying to sleep, so I always need to use the A/C during the summer. In order to offset the cost, I decided not to use the heater at all during the winter months. Though it never got cold enough to snow, it was still cold enough to require extra layers, but it did the trick. If you’re the opposite from me and can handle the heat then flip my strategy and you’ll be saving money too.

Career - Avoid Simple Mistakes

2007-07-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

I have had the opportunity of helping my company recruit for entry level and internship positions at different colleges. Several months ago, I was invited to attend a career fair and talked to many interested undergraduates. Upon returning to the office and looking through my emails, I came upon one that made me understand why recruiters don’t always respond back. This prospective student had emailed me about his interest in getting an internship with my company, but had gotten the company totally wrong. Even more frustrating was that I had remembered giving my business card to this student and it is quite obvious from my email address that I did not work for the company that was mistaken for. Additionally, the student had made the worst mistake by misspelling the word "resume" on their file attachment.

Now I may seem harsh to this particular student, but in an ever increasingly competitive world, simple mistakes like that can end your dreams short. Always spell check your resume, cover letter, and email message before sending it out to a recruiter. It only takes a couple of minutes to do and can save you from ending up in the "do not hire" list.

The source of this student’s mistake was using a template email. Template emails are by far, the worse way to contact a recruiter about your interest and can easily be identified. Instead, write separate emails designed around the needs of the positions you are interested- it'll add a personal touch.

By avoiding simple mistakes, this prospective student would have had their resume forwarded to human resources and most likely would have gotten an interview slot. Let this be a lesson towards taking a small amount of time to avoid a long term problem.

Career - Job Searching Resources

2007-07-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

A day of web browsing lead me to a nifty social networking site that has compiled a list of online job searching and career development sites. If you are currently looking for a job or are anticipating doing so I would suggest having a look. It has all the traditional site such as careerbuilder and monster but it also has job search engines that are specific to certain industries and regions such as technical jobs in Europe.

70+ Tools For Job Hunting 2.0 [Mashable]

Choices - 4 Years or 5 Years

2007-07-19T18:25:00.000-07:00

I already knew before I started college that I was going to take the 5 year route. My main reason was due to my engineering major and also being financially sound enough to not worry about paying for college. I could have probably finished in less time, but knowing that I could graduate in 5 years allowed me to fit in internships, balance out my work load, and re-take classes I had failed. If you’re wondering whether it is worth graduating sooner and getting into the work force, there are a couple things to consider.

As the price of tuition increases every quarter/semester it is harder and harder to justify staying in school any longer than needed. Unless you are forced to stay longer because you have to re-take classes, I would suggest trying to get into the work force as soon as you can. The more work experience you can gain, the faster it will help towards a promotion, salary increase, and extra vacation time. The only situation that bears some thought is getting an offer for an internship that will extend your stay at college an extra quarter/semester. Even though your internship may not pay enough to cover a quarter/semester of school, it will pay dividends forward as a resume building experience. Having that internship under your belt will help with your job search and give you leverage during offer negotiations.

For those you who have the time and money and are looking to graduate in 4.5 years, I would suggest staying for that last part of the year and enjoying the college life. Take a fun class you couldn’t fit in during the school year or work on getting a research paper published. Whatever it might be, it will be a nice break before you enter the real world and realize how wonderful it was being in college.

Finance 101 - Debt

2007-07-17T18:39:00.000-07:00

What I find shocking is the high percentage of students that are in debt before even graduating from college. Granted that everyone’s financial situation is different, but being in debt can have immense consequences. Being habitually late paying credit card bills or paying just the bare minimum will have a detrimental effect on your credit score. Thinking about buying a car and getting a car loan with a low interest rate? Think again. Your credit score is an important aspect for any financial institution reviewing a loan application. Having a low credit score will either force you into a high interest loan, which could price you out of the car you had in mind, or even worse, getting your loan denied.

Not only will debt damage your credit score, but it also increases the amount you have to spend on a purchase. As an example, you decide to buy a nice flat screen TV for $2,000. When that credit card bill comes you figure that you can get away with just paying the minimum , sometimes as low as 20 dollars. You just made your credit card company very happy. The next time your credit card bill comes you’ll notice that they’ve put on an interest charge of 6% to even as high as 14%. That TV you bought is now costing you a possible 300 dollars more than you had initially paid for.

What’s the best way to start paying off your debt and making some ground on your credit score? Cut up your credit cards. Paying with a check card is a much safer way to control your spending and will help ease the amount that appears on your statements each month. Look at your paychecks each month and partition an amount to decrease your credit card bill. If you don’t even have a paycheck to help you out then you probably shouldn’t have been spending money in the first place. The credit line that your credit card company gives you is basically a loan so you don't have to carry a wad of cash around with you and assumes that you'll pay back every penny every month. If you can't pay them back, don't spend the money. If the temptation is just to large then going cold turkey by cutting up your credit cards is the only way to stave off your addiction and protecting your credit score. As a young budding professional in college who doesn't have a stable income, it is better to not have a credit card than having a credit card with debt.

The Black Spiral

2007-07-11T17:01:00.000-07:00

My freshman year could be compared to that of an academic train wreck spiraling out of control. The biggest mistake I made when I received my first letter notifying me of my Academic Probation status was being apathetic. At the time, I felt it was just a bump in the road and something that I could dig myself out. Oh how I was wrong. I never changed my habits and figured that being kicked out of school was nothing more than a far off nightmare. Little did I know that as the year progressed so did the difficulty in the classes. I spent most of my time hanging out with friends, spending countless hours playing Counter Strike, and studying at the last minute for midterms and finals. Soon enough I received my second letter notifying me I was again placed on Academic Probation.

A summer passed and I felt that starting a new school year would provide the motivation necessary to climb out of a large hole I had dug for myself. By the end of the fall quarter I received my third letter and this time I was placed on Academic Dismissal and was warned that if I did not keep my grades up I would be getting the boot. I was required to speak with an academic adviser from the Dean’s office and was given two options. I could either tough it out and risk being dismissed from the school or transfer out of the College of Engineering to another major providing me a contract so that I would not be dismissed for another 2 quarters to get my grades up. My academic adviser suggested the latter as my grades at the time suggested failure. My nightmare had finally arrived.

Getting out of Academic Dismissal status required me to finally realize that being kicked out of college would provide me a horrible future and humiliation for the rest of my life. Not being able to live with myself if I were dismissed, I changed my study habits and concentrated harder than ever to get the grades to get myself out. At the end of winter quarter I did not receive any letter and was found to be in good standing.

Don’t ever think that being on academic probation is just a small bump on the road of life. If you begin to be apathetic like I was by not changing your study habits and re prioritizing your life, you could end up spiraling out of control into a large black hole you won’t be able to get out of.

Career - Getting Your First Job

2007-07-10T20:29:00.000-07:00

Many people that I have known found it difficult to pick up a job when they graduated from college. In retrospect, I don’t find that hard to believe. Without work experience, internships, and undergraduate research, it is difficult to present yourself purposefully in a resume when looking for the perfect job. So my advice to you – start early and don’t lose confidence.

When I was a Junior in college, I found it difficult to secure an internship for myself. I tried applying all over the place – mostly whatever I found on my college’s internship and career center webpage, however, much to no avail. I was fortunate to be invited to several interviews that seemed promising, but they never amounted to anything. I wanted to give up, but my aunt suggested that I apply for an internship position at her company. With her recommendation, I was able to secure a position as a food science intern. Although it was far from my engineering curriculum, I thought I might as well give it a shot. As it turns out, I enjoyed my experience away from engineering, being able to work from a non-technical perspective. I learned how to conduct myself within a corporate environment as well as becoming familiar with a 9 to 5 job.

As it turns out, my internship experience helped me get my current job at an environmental firm. Although seemingly irrelevant, I presented my perspective of learning to be highly detail oriented as well as being accountable to my work as an intern. Additionally, my internship experience gave me valuable prior work references that I was able to present at my interview.

When you are searching for an internship or on-campus job, find something that you enjoy and aim for that as your goal. If you aren’t able to obtain that yet, keep trying. Don’t expect to get everything the way you want easily. I had to send my resume to dozens of recruiters before I even heard back from one. If you’ve given a good attempt to get something you desire and still fail, don’t be afraid of taking a job out of your major field. Experience is a crucial tool that you can use to leverage yourself into a job that you really want. After all, its not like you have to stick with it forever. I was content enough with the extra pocket money and the right to claim I was paid to eat.

Career - Getting Experience at School

2007-07-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

Regardless of where everyone wants to end up after college, whether it is an advanced degree from graduate school or joining the rank and file of the working world, you’ll need to get some relevant experience. What comes to mind when people hear, “Go get some job experience first”, are the prized summer internships. Those are great for someone who already have some prior experience, but what about for someone just starting out? You need no t look further than your own college campus.

To the untrained eye, colleges are just a place for students to attend lectures and professors to harass them with midterms and finals. In reality, colleges are bustling places of activity where teaching classes is just a small part of what they do. Most professors are also there to advance themselves through research and publishing papers. Granted that most of the help comes from their graduate students, but even they don’t like doing the small time grunt work required in research. This is where you come in.

Undergraduate research positions provide great opportunities to not only work one on one with graduate students and professors but to get some great job experience as well during the school year. Research positions can encompass anything from working at the lab bench making solutions to rolling out a survey to collect statistical information. Either way it will look good on your resume and will provide that difference that can set you apart.

So how can you get these great experience building positions? It can be as easy as asking your professor and showing interest in their research. Additionally most schools have a career center that helps fill research positions where needed throughout the campus. These however can be on a first come first serve basis and require a basic or advanced understanding of the research topic, so sign up early and study up before meeting the professor.

Dealing With Failure

2007-07-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

Preparing for failure is not an expected requirement in college and tends to take many undergraduates by surprise. For many of you, high school was a breeze, where last minute studying for exams was more than enough to do well. Unfortunately, most high schools have failed students in regards to preparing them for college. For the average college student there will come a point, regardless of major, where failure is a reality.

I received my first failing grade on my first midterm of Chemistry and the panic started to set in. Not being accustomed to the reality of failure, I continued with my bad study habits and had to retake the class. I now realize that there were steps I could have taken to have prevented me from going down a troubled path.

Fist and foremost setting an appointment with your professor is an important step to take when doing poorly on a midterm. This gives you the chance to meet face to face with your professor and discuss the results of your exam. Always remember to review the exam answers in advance so that you have a several topics about the material you can concentrate on discussing. If your professor can see your concern and improvement in their class, there is a good chance that they will take that into account when giving a final grade.

One of the most important steps you can take to begin improving in your class is to attend your class’s office hours. Most TAs will take the time to explain the subject material and it will get you motivated to work harder on the material. Even though you may know the material on a certain subject, it is still beneficial to attend office hours as other students may bring up questions that you might not have thought about.

Now I know homework can be a drag and copying from a fellow classmate is the easy way to go. I can’t stress enough the importance of doing your own homework. More than likely you will run into questions where you may not have the slightest clue to answering and group work at that point is warranted. By attempting to do the homework on your own will help you build the foundation in terms of learning the material. If worse comes to worse you will always have the option of attending office hours.

Bouncing back from a failing grade in a class will not be an easy task, but I believe with determination and taking the steps I have mentioned will give you a much better chance of improving.

Health - Freshman 15

2007-07-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

In college, weight gain is almost inevitable for most. I for one can testify that I became a victim of the dreaded Freshman 15. Here is a sample of a day’s worth of eating for me as a freshman:

Breakfast: Skipped due to sleeping in since I probably stayed up way too late the night before

Lunch: Dining commons, which usually consist of a meat course, chowder, salad drowning in ranch dressing, and a nice plate of french fries

Afternoon Snack: Ramen

Dinner: More starchy dining commons food consisting of soups, pastas, and more salad with ranch dressing

Midnight Snack: 5 tacos from the local drive in

I didn’t eat like this everyday, but consistently enough. That and not exercising, lead to a lot of weight gain. It didn’t get any better afterwards either and I eventually ended up gaining 40 pounds before I graduated. Now you’re probably wondering what this has to do with transitioning into the real world. Well more than likely most people will end up at a job where you are either sitting or standing for 8 hours a day. I do the latter. So how do you keep the weight off? Start early.

Forget what you’ve seen on TV ads about pills, portion control and exercise is truly the best way to stay in shape and keep the weight off. Now I know that getting into the habit of exercising can be a chore, but trust me, it works. I’ve recently began eating healthy again and working out and I’ve already seen the results. I’ve lost 5 pounds over a couple months. Nothing spectacular, but hey it’s a start.

What’s another easy way to keep the weight off? Stay away from soda. I have to admit that I am a huge fan of Coke, but making the decision to cut it out of my diet was a great one. It’s really nothing more than sugar, sugar, and more sugar. It adds no nutritional value and provides nothing but empty calories. What’s an alternative if you feel the thirst? Water. It has no calories, keeps you hydrated, and it’s free, which is always good in my book.

It's hard for most college students to wake up early to go to class let alone make time to eat breakfast. Breakfast though is probably the most important meal of the day as it will setup the rest of you day’s diet. No one said it has to be a sit down meal with eggs, sausage, and hash browns. It can be as simple as a muffin and tea or a bowl of cereal. It’ll help you start your metabolism for the day and make you less hungry for lunch. Plus you’ll have all sorts of energy to start the day off for your morning classes.

Start early and start now. You don’t want to end up like me trying to lose all that weight I could have kept off in the first place.

How High School Failed You

2007-07-03T22:18:00.000-07:00

For those of you out there who are about to start your new college career, I have this to say: you don’t know how to study for college classes. Period. High school has never prepared students well enough for the rigors of college courses. Lectures are boring and the material is simple enough to start your studying the night before a test. Unfortunately, that’s not going to cut it in college. Here are five study tips that I feel will get you better prepared for a successful college career.

Studying with distractions isn’t really studying at all and the biggest distraction that all students have is their computer. Though some professors post studying material on the web, most of the time old fashioned reading and taking notes is all that is required. Even if your computer is turned off and it’s still a big temptation then I would suggest going to the library.

Now I know that professors are all different and some are just horrible lecturers. Regardless of this, reviewing your lecture notes every week is a great way to absorb material at a steady pace. Reading the text book along side your lecture notes can help round out the material and give you insight into what the professor may test on.

When it comes to studying for test always give yourself at least a week in advance to prepare for midterms. Seven days should be enough time to review lecture notes, textbook notes, old homework, and sample midterms. Keep in mind that sample midterms are never representative of the midterm you will be taking.

Though I didn’t learn this study tip until much later in my college career, doing your homework is actually the best way to understand any course material. Since homework is typically assigned once a week, it allows you to slowly absorb material. Copying your buddy’s homework is the easy route but when it comes to midterm time, your buddy is going to blow you away with their score.

The appeal of group studying is that two brains are always better than one. I do believe that group studying can help when everyone in the group doesn’t understand a certain problem. Unfortunately most study groups consist of people at varying levels of understanding and those at the lower end always seem to be left behind. Group studying can also be a distraction in itself and can hinder you since breaks become more frequent and socializing is inevitable. Study individually before venturing into a study group, this will give you a chance to catch up to speed and contribute productively.

College Creates Success

2007-06-30T12:21:00.000-07:00

Your parents have been saying it for years "Go to school; study hard; get into a good college; and get a job." Most people go to college just because their parents demand it or follow their closest friends like lemmings. Other people realize that college equates to money and prestige of a degree of a big named school. Few people take the time to understand why they need to go.

In order to realize the full importance of higher learning you have to take a step backward and look at the full picture. In your early career as a grade school and high school student your work and social life is essentially the same. Remember your friends at recess that you shot hoops with or jumped rope with - those were your classmates that you worked on group projects with and suffered through history class together with. College is essentially an attempt to create a barrier between your work and social life. Its purpose is to create two identities for you- one being a working professional in training while also making a separate person that can survive in the social world. Ideally you will learn that there are times when you need to have to sit down and hammer away at work, but there are also times to let everything loose and drink like there's no tomorrow.

Think about how life would be if you didn't go to college and just left high school and went directly into the real world. Imagine not knowing how to live without your parents and having to work those 40+ hour days. Add further complexity with the fact that you need to learn to manage finances, a social life and work all at once. But imagine now a world where you can combine all three without having to worry about having to worry about having your life come crashing down on you. After all you have the support of your family and friends to fall back on financially and supportively as well as the academic help of professional teachers and faculty.

Although there are many exceptions to the rules such as Bill Gates, this rule hold true for a significant number of people. Its not the fact that one cannot handle work with a high school degree - its that you need to learn to balance your life. After all it won't do any good to hire someone who can't manage his or her life and balance that with life at work.

Who Am I ?

2007-06-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

I’ve always enjoyed divulging advice on just about any topic to anyone willing to listen; anything from picking the color of a car, the right major, or even a restaurant to eat at. Like most people that enjoy giving advice, they probably could use some themselves. Reflecting on my college career, there is definitely advice I could have used. Back then I was an engineering student straddling the line between failure and confusion. My sub par performance placed me on academic probation twice and academic dismissal once. I faced academic advisors that wanted me to leave the college and parents I couldn’t even get myself to face. At the lowest point of my college career I was seeking advice that was no where to be found.

With some determination I was able to bounce back and achieve some significant goals I never imagined possible: three internships, two publications, and a job secured before graduating as an engineer. For those of you who are reading this and are in the same position I was - in academic trouble and worried about your future, trust me I can relate. Though I am nearing the completion of my first year of work, I wouldn’t want anyone else to make this journey without some guidance and advice.

I believe it is possible for anyone to be successful in college and transition well into the real world. That is what redsprouts is, a place for everyone regardless of where you are in your college career to get the advice and guidance to be successful.