Staff Spotlight

Arielle Parker, Marketing Intern 

Name: Kayla Johnson

Degree(s): B.A. English, French, and Secondary Education (Marshall University, 2012); currently 2^nd-semester Master’s student in Higher Education at UK

Occupation: Study Smarter Seminar Coordinator, Academic Enhancement

Hometown: Gallipolis, OH

Hobbies: Road trips, watching Dance Moms and Walking Dead, undefeated Trivial Pursuit champion

Favorite Food: Anything Mexican

Music: I have a 90s Boy Band obsession. NSYNC all the way.

Favorite Movie: Aladdin, Pocahontas, and all the other Disney movies from my childhood

Pet: Miley, my talking cat

Favorite Restaurant: Hillbilly Hotdogs in Huntington, WV

Color: Green

Holiday: Thanksgiving

Best Place Traveled To: I lived in Amiens, France in 2011, but my favorite places I visited while in Europe were definitely Paris and Amsterdam.

Most Daring Moment: I once ran full speed for a departing train in Paris (luggage and all), and leapt on as it was leaving the platform. It was straight out of an action movie!

Why UK: I had actually never been to UK until I came for my interview with AE. I fell in love with how different it was from Marshall and decided that I wanted to try something new. Turns out, new is good.

Favorite Class at UK: EPE 555- Comparative Education

Favorite Teacher:  Dr. John Thelin

Advice to Others at UK:  Don’t close yourself off to new friendships. Instead of walking to class with your iPod on and your head buried in your phone, smile and say hi to everyone you pass. You never know who that person could be!

Favorite Part of Your Job: I love everyone I work with. From my colleagues to my students, I have made so many new friends and connections that will certainly come in handy one day.

Describe Working at Academic Enhancement in Three Words: unpredictable, stimulating, enriching

Favorite Quotes:  “Unless someone like me cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not.” –Dr. Suess’ The Lorax

"It is our choices... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." 

- Albus Dumbledore,  Harry Potter 

Where To Find A Job That Is Right For You

Arielle Parker, Marketing Intern

With May approaching, our seniors are beefing up their resumes, exploring the Internet for job applications, and above all trying to find what their future holds for them. If you’re like myself, and graduating in May, all you have on your mind is where can I find a job that is suitable for me?

There are many places to find jobs these days, including the Internet, a newspaper, or a company’s social media page. Trying to find a job fresh out of college can seem exhausting, but there are many resources, including our very own campus Career Center, that can help find the right job for you.

Career Center on Campus
The James W. Stuckert Career Center, located on campus, serves to undergraduate students and recent alumni. They offer walk-in appointments during normal business hours for students who need assistance on any career-related issues. The Career Center also hosts large career and graduate school fairs for students to meet with professionals. Lenroy Jones, Associate Director for Employee/Corporate Relations has emphasized how the Career Center can give students the opportunity they need. “We help students gain focus, clarification, and give them the opportunity to sit with a professional staff member and talk about career goals. We try to get students to where they want to go”. Students can visit the Career Center’s website for a calendar of events taken place at the Career Center at: http://www.uky.edu/careercenter/

Another helpful resource made available by the Career Center is creating a Wildcat CareerLink. By creating a Wildcat CareerLink, students can view jobs and internship postings from local, national and international employers. Students can also publish their resumes for employers to view and schedule interviews with employers visiting campus. Start a Wildcat CareerLink at: https://uky-csm.symplicity.com/students/index.php/pid882960?

Campus Career Fair
A campus Career Fair is a chance for students to explore opportunities in their major. Students can learn about internship/job opportunities as well as network with professionals for future reference. At UK, Career Fairs are split into two days for technical and non-technical majors at the Career Center. Find out which one you qualify for: http://www.uky.edu/careercenter/students/career-fairs

Newspapers
Aside from reading the sports section of Kentucky Kernel, most of us haven’t read an article in a newspaper in a long time. However, a newspaper is a great source to find job postings, especially jobs that are local to the area. Kentucky Kernel and other newspapers list job openings that provide a quick job description and contact information of a company.

Networking
In today’s society, networking seems to be key for students who are seeking an internship or a job. For specific majors, it’s really all about whom you know and how they can help you get the job you are looking for. By talking with someone who has experience, it will provide you with great insight on your career choice. Also, try to job shadow a professional. Not only will you gain hands-on experience, but you can network with the professionals you have shadowed with. 

LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking website that has the ability to link many employers to potential employees. If you’re looking for a job, create a profile and add in your resume for employers to see. In your profile include a position you are looking for. Employers can view your resume and gain some helpful information on some of your good qualities. You can also network with companies you are interested in by connecting with them. For more information about LinkedIn and how to use it, read one of our older blog stories:http://ukthestudy.blogspot.com/2012/01/linkedin.html

Twitter Followers
Follow a company or business you would like to work for on Twitter. Some companies are now posting job-opening positions on their Twitter page.

Company’s page
A company’s page is a great source for those students who already know what company they would like to work for. On a company’s page, students can view a summary of what job openings are available and submit their resume.

Internet Job Search Engines
To broaden your job search, students can also use several Internet job search engines to look for positions they are interested in. Here are some popular sites to look at:

• Indeed
• SimplyHired
• CareerBuilder
• Monster
• Glassdoor 

With my ongoing job search, I have taken into account many of the resources listed above. I recently just started following companies on Twitter that I would like to work for and I created a LinkedIn account. I also have taken time out of my busy schedule to log into my Wildcat CareerLink to search for any job openings listed. Although searching for jobs can be tedious and overwhelming at times, I would advise you to not give up.  As Lenroy Jones rightfully puts it, “What you put into your career management is what you will get out of it”.

Your Social Media Profile

Alex Newby, Marketing Intern
We all know the basics. Don’t take pictures with red solo cups, don’t look like a maniac in your profile picture, and set your page to private.  But with more and more employers using social media to research and screen job candidates, knowing how to use your Facebook and other social media accounts to your advantage is something every student should know. After researching the do’s and don’ts of social media profiles, we came up with the best advice for students who are ready to start the job hunt!

Go solo in your profile picture:
Even though most of us would choose a picture that includes friends, significant others, or our dogs and cats, many sources suggest using a profile picture that is of just you. This helps cut down on confusion when someone is searching for you and also gives you a better chance of having a professional looking picture.

Use LinkedIn:
LinkedIn is a social media site dedicated to professionals that want to network and showcase their resumes.  Once on the site, you can add former co-workers, current bosses, or even follow potential employers. It’s a great resource to use when looking for jobs and connecting with people in your field. To put your best food forward, consider getting a professional picture done to use for your profile. For more information on LinkedIn, read: http://ukthestudy.blogspot.com/2012/01/linkedin.html

Watch what you say:
Ranting online about how you hate your current boss won’t look great if a potential employer looks you up. As much as you enjoy telling the world how you feel through your status updates or tweets, it’s best to avoid sharing about political opinions, angry rants, or other controversial material might offend someone.

Customize your privacy settings
Privacy settings on Facebook and Twitter can be a little confusing, but knowing how to customize them can save you a lot of heartache. For example, on Facebook, you are in control of who sees what. If your Facebook profile is private, but you’d like anyone searching for you to see your interests or work experience, you can set those to show up on your wall. On the other hand, pictures from your awkward teen years, wall posts about wild weekends, and things like political views can be set to be shown only to your closest friends. Even with the added security settings, however, many sources suggest keeping a close eye on what you post and are tagged in anyway.  Some employers have been known to ask candidates to pull up Facebook pages during an interview or to have interviewees “friend” a human resources employee for the company.

Get your own “Personal Brand” page:
This might be a little too extreme for some students, but creating a new Facebook page for your professional self could help you make sure that only the best side of you is shown. Choose professional looking photos, add your resume, and post things that are related to your future career or current job. This can be a great way to show that you’re up to speed with all of the current trends and information in your field and can be a more casual way to show your professional accomplishments and qualifications. Students can also find free templates online to create their own website. Sites like wordpress.org and www.wix.com make it easy to customize the look and settings of your personal website!

Pick your Interests/Hobbies carefully:
 Since most privacy settings allow for employers to see the hobbies and interthe About Me section, make sure that all of these spots are filled with relevant information. If LinkedIn
is the platform to show your professional side, Facebook is the platform to show the more “human” side of yourself. These areas give the employer a chance to see your personality, creative interests, and hobbies. In today’s world, employers are looking for well-rounded, happy candidates that can contribute many things. By showing them your personality, you can give employers a better picture of who you both in and out of a work environment.

For more information on making our social media account employer-friendly, check out these websites

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443759504577631410093879278.html

http://durangoherald.com/article/20121204/NEWS04/121209822/-1/s