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Volume 126 Issue 75
kansan.com
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
the student voice since 1904
WINTER OLYMPICS
SENTIMENTS ON SOOOH
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2014
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 31
JOBS
Internships allow for real-world advantage
MAC LEANDER entertain@kansan.com
ternships had landed job better. It is clear that internships that offer hands-on experience, whether paid or unpaid, can set you apart from the rest. A paid internship may be ideal but if these are hard to find in your industry, an unpaid internship may still be able to offer valuable networking opportunities.
According to BusinessWeek.com, "top companies often rely on their internship programs for as much as 90 percent of their new college hires, so an applicant without an internship is at a big disadvantage." And according a study conducted last spring by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, "63 percent [of students] with paid internships had landed jobs before graduation."
Allison Kite, a sophomore from Overland Park found the most efficient way to search for intern-
Internships help students not only get an interview with future employers, but land the job because of their relevant work experience. Employers feel confident in hiring those who have already experienced and understand the real-world workforce.
Edited by Julie Etzier
University professors are only one of many resources for students. Resource centers across campus house books with contacts of alumni for students to network with. If you're unsure where to begin internship hunting, there are career advisors ready to help students succeed.
ready to help students succeed The resources and opportunities are there. It's up to students to make the effort to go to the career center, network with faculty and take advantage of online tools. The University values helping its students succeed.
ships is through University faculty. It was Wayne Larson, former recruitment and retention coordinator for the journalism school, who recommended Kite to her to her current internship as the communications intern for the University of Kansas School of Business.
Kansas School of Business.
"Wayne Larson recommended me to my current boss Austin Falley because he thought I had the skills necessary for the job," Kite said. "He thought that it would really benefit me in terms of getting involved and getting that first foot in the door on an internship."
A handwritten effort
HALLIEE HOLTON entertain@kansan.com
Thank-you notes are not just for holidays and birthdays. Thank-you cards and follow-up notes are a commonly missed part of the job application process. While applicants in search of a job frequently skip this simple step, a quick note to your interviewer or boss could make the difference between getting the job and still being on the hunt.
really make.
Kelsey Ploeger, assistant director at the University Career Center, said that sending a thank-you note after an interview demonstrates that you're the type of person that's willing to go the extra mile. It will show you're a candidate who is conscientious and professional and will ultimately allow you to be set apart from the rest.
In the world we live in, full of tweeting, texting and Facebooking, a handwritten note seems almost unheard of. Most would think that an email would be sufficient in order to express your gratitude. But how much of a difference does the handwritten effort really make?
If you're going to sit down and write a thank-you note you should simply express your gratitude. Thank the interviewer for his or her time and the opportunity at hand. Make it clear that you're excited about this specific job, not just getting a job in general.
"I am always an advocate of the handwritten thank you," Ploeger said.
specific job, not just getting a job Then try referencing something that went well with the interview. Draw upon a specific conversation and try to tie that back to what you can bring to the organization if you were to receive the position you applied for.
While the handwritten gesture seems like a stretch, you won't need more than three to five sentences. Keep it short and sweet.
"It doesn't need to be too long that it would be wordy, but not too short that it would be impersonal." Ploeger said.
Ploeger said that the only time an email is acceptable is if your interview takes place in a room full of people or is for an international job.
total job.
Hopefully you're grabbing a pen as you leave your next job interview. It can mean a handwritten difference.
Edited by Amber Kasselman
Polished resumes help job applicants stand out
ANDREW HOSKINS entertain@kansan.com
While spring is a time of long-anticipated warmth and relaxation for most, many college students find themselves trapped in the throes of summer internship and job-application deadline stress.
Scary questions lurk in the back of many minds:
"Will I ever find a job? Will any company take me as an intern?" While the future is never certain, there are a few things you can do to make your resume a shine a bit brighter than everyone else's.
avoid sounding arrogant
1. SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE - As a college student, employers realize you can't have much job experience. Even if you do have a couple of internships under your belt, you aren't at any level of professional expertise, so don't claim to be. Instead, subtly relay past accomplishments that match the work you'd be doing for your potential employer. You then build relevant credibility and
2. YOU ARE AN ADVERTISER — Your product is you. Advertising professionals seek to creatively answer this question: "Why would someone buy this product?" Ask yourself, "Why would someone hire me?" Privately list your strengths, then use your resume as a tool to detail how you've embodied them in your past work experience.
Michael Garrett, a junior from Lenexa, agrees that you have to detail your successes.
"If I were to put executive director of the Big Event, I'd explain what it was and why it's an important accomplishment, rather than just the title," Garrett said
3. EMBODY SOPHISTICATION ON PAPER — Human resources officers across the world see hundreds of bland, black-and-white resumes a year. Their hearts lift just a little when they see that rare resume with life. Don't be afraid to use color, unique formatting or even graphics to express
your goals and work, especially if entering a creative field. Don't go overboard; keep it sleek and chic. Printrunner.com is a user-friendly, free resource for resume-formatting options impossible on a Word document.
4. READ A DICTIONARY — Most employers realize writing isn't everyone's forte, but if you use strong, colorful, active verbs to describe your work history and goals, they'll notice "Launched" "delegated" or "superseded" get second glances. "Started," "worked" or "took over" get forgotten. Bremner Editing Center Coordinator Lisa McLendon said the most common mistake she sees when editing students' resumes is typos. She recommends third-party editing.
"My advice is to have another person look over it," McLendon said. "You've read your resume a hundred times, and you're so familiar with it at that point that you just won't see mistakes anymore. A fresh set of eyes will be a big help."
5. KNOW WHERE YOU'RE HEADED — Spend time soul-searching. Are you eager to enter your field, or just anticipating a big paycheck? Genuine passion for your future career makes job searching exciting and natural rather than daunting and tedious. If you're uneasy about the direction your life is headed, step back and discover what makes you happy.
FINAL PIECE OF ADVICE: McLendon said students should aim to "show" rather than "tell" when writing a resume.
writing a resume.
"Every resume is going to say the person is 'dedicated, hardworking and energetic,'" McLendon said. "Don't tell me you are these things — show me an example of something you did that will make me think, 'This person is really dedicated' or 'This person has so much energy.'"
Edited by Julie Etzler
arettes and tobacco products from our store shelves, positioning us for a growing role in the health care delivery system," said Larry Merlo, president and CEO, in video statement released on cvs.com.
CVS estimated that it would lose about $2 billion dollars in sales from customers that enter the store to buy cigarettes and tobacco products.
Ashley Hrabe, a junior from Salina, is the founder of Breathe Easy At KU (BEAK), an organization that "promotes a healthy environment for all through a tobacco-free KU." The organization has administration and faculty support and is currently trying to gain student support for its initiative through student petitions. Its goal is to make the University a tobacco-free campus by July 1, 2015.
of tobacco products on campus so that would include anything from cigarettes to chewing tobacco," Hrabe said.
"I feel like they are definitely going to be a strong influence on [tobacco use] not only at KU but also in the Lawrence community," Hrabe said. Carlos Calderon, a freshman from Leavenworth, has been smoking for the past year and a half. Calderon on average he smokes about every three
Hrabe said that the program began with a slow start but is now picking up speed and recently received a grant from the Kansas Health Foundation to help pursue the organization's efforts. Hrabe hopes that CVS no longer selling any tobacco products will start a trend in the tobacco industry. She also feels that CVS's program will help her own efforts on campus.
"It's really good that CVS is getting rid of cigarettes because it's saving lives," Calderon said. "I smoke but I don't advocate for it. It's horrible and if I could take it back and not have started smoking I totally would and I recommend nobody start."
taking against selling cigarettes and tobacco products.
BROOK BARNES/KANSAN
Although Calderon thinks that CVS no longer selling cigarettes and tobacco products is a step in the right direction, he thinks that it will be difficult to wipe out all cigarettes and tobacco product sales. "The FDA can try all
Edited by Austin Fisher
"The FDA can try all they want, but smokers will still have their way."
CVS pharmacy will stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products nationwide, beginning Oct. 1, 2014.The company stands to lose an estimated $2 billion dollars in sales.
Facts from American Lung Association
1. Cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals.
2. About 8.6 million people in the U.S.have at least one serious illness caused by smoking
3. Among current smokers, chronic lung disease accounts for 73 percent of smoking-related conditions.
4. Men who smoke die 13.2 years earlier than men who do not smoke.
CLASSIFIEDS 11
CROSSWORD 5
5. Women who smoke die 14.5 years earlier than women who do not smoke.
CRYPTOQUIPS 5
OPINION 4
SPORTS 12
SUDOKU 5
6. Smoking causes about 90 percent of lung cancer related deaths
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2014 The University Daily Kanea
Today's Weather
Kansas has won 48 of the last 52 basketball games against Kansas State
Mostly sunny. Wind SE at 6 mph.
HI: 23
LO: 12
Here comes the sun.
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