job & interview

When Bad Referrals Happen to Good People

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When Bad Referrals Happen to Good People</h1>
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Employees: Don't vouch for nincompoops. Job seekers: Don't ask nincompoops to refer you.</h2>
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Don't let this face happen to you: Avoid asking the office black sheep to refer you for a job at his or company.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">Ah, the good old employee referral. It should be a win-win situation, yes? After all,</span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/the-25-best-jobs-of-2014" style="color: #005ea6; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/the-25-best-jobs-of-2014">as a job seeker</a><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">you’re looking to get a foot in the door. Companies are looking to hire the best possible talent, which is typically connected to their best employees. Studies have found referrals are a top source for hiring volume and hiring quality.</span></div>
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What better way to become a positive statistic when submitting job materials to a company than to receive a nudge from someone who already has clout and currently works there? If there’s an employee referral system in place, who wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of this robust recruiting mechanism, particularly since some companies have compensation incentives?</div>
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Well, word to the wise. There are a few pointers to keep in mind if you're a job seeker scouting out people who work at your prospective employer, plus tips for the referrer who needs to ask a few questions first before <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/the-abcs-of-resumes" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">submitting that résumé</a> to the internal system.</div>
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<b>For the job seeker …</b></div>
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As the job seeker the key is connecting with someone reputable. For instance, if someone’s name in LinkedIn appears through a connection, you're e-introduced and he or she is more than willing to forward your résumé, then great! Sort of.</div>
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How do you know this person isn’t a slacker and on a performance improvement plan of his or her own? If you use an applicant tracking system to apply to a company with an employee referral program, then your résumé will be noticeably attached with a little icon (typically in the shape of an ear). But what if the recruiter opening your résumé sees so-and-so’s name attached and thinks: "Great, just what we need – another troublemaker?" </div>
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Your reputation follows you and in turn, so does the referrer’s. While you won’t necessarily know what your referrer’s performance track record is, you could ask for a quick phone call instead of relying on emails for an introduction. In only a matter of minutes, you should be able to determine if this is a person you can trust with submitting your résumé. Does she or he sound coherent? Positive about the company? On the phone you can leverage the conversation to learn more about the role and corporate culture. Considering you may not get this one position you’re pursuing, view this call as an introduction to a potential long-term networking contact; highlight your skills, experience and enthusiasm during the call as well.</div>
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If the person is invested in your candidacy, then <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/10/04/10-common-and-corrosive-job-reference-mistakes" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/10/04/10-common-and-corrosive-job-reference-mistakes">you may also ask</a> if he or she can also reach out to the hiring manager or recruiter on your behalf. When recruiters have hundreds of résumés to review in the system an email or phone call will definitely grab their attention to seriously consider you.</div>
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<b>For the employee …</b></div>
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For starters, you're essentially your reputation. Before blindly submitting your neighbor’s son-in-law’s niece’s (got that lineage?) résumé, do your homework as if you’re the potential employer screening the candidate for the first round of interviews.</div>
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Do you feel comfortable associating your name with this potential candidate? Do you know anything about him or her? Begin by looking him or her up on LinkedIn. Ask the connector to schedule a phone call even if it’s only for a few minutes. The goal? Ensure this person can cohesively construct a sentence. Ask about his or her career goals, ambitions, strengths and weaknesses as if you’re conducting a mini-interview yourself. Again, it doesn’t have to be a lengthy call, but just long enough for you to assess whether you want to associate yourself with this candidate.</div>
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Here’s why: What if a candidate whom you suggest the company interview and strongly consider is weak, unprepared and unprofessional? This will reflect badly on you. It may be tempting to blindly submit a candidate on your behalf if there’s a compensation payout involved, but bad hires do occur, and some new hires many not even last as long as the 90 days required for some of these payouts.</div>
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Net-net: Do your homework. As long as you feel comfortable with your name on this candidate’s application, submit away and <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2013/05/31/mastering-the-art-of-giving-a-job-reference" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2013/05/31/mastering-the-art-of-giving-a-job-reference">spread the word</a> for the group to take a look at this candidate. Potential rock star performers need to get noticed. But if your gut is telling you not to proceed, listen. Tell the candidate you may not be the ideal person to submit his or her CV and wish him or her well. If the candidate is weak, chances are recruiting will end up ruling him or her out anyway, but do you really want your name associated with vouching for this candidate?</div>
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There are situations that make this more tricky when the referral gets political. For instance, your boss may be ineligible for a referral payout, but may ask you to submit the résumé of his or her cousin so you may be rewarded if a hire is made. In this case, you probably need to just submit it and <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/01/09/5-reasons-you-dont-trust-your-boss" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/01/09/5-reasons-you-dont-trust-your-boss">trust your boss’s connection</a>.</div>
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Above all, the key to referral success on both sides involves tactfulness depending on the situation, using your judgment and of course, the quality relationship of both the referrer and candidate. </div>
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<a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/05/when-bad-referrals-happen-to-good-people" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></div>

When Bad Referrals Happen to Good People

When Bad Referrals Happen to Good People Employees: Don't vouch for nincompoops. Job seekers: Don't ask nincompoops to refer you. Don't let this face happen to you: Avoid asking the office black shee…

21 Oct 2014

6 Essential Tips for Really Acing Interview Prep

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6 Essential Tips for Really Acing Interview Prep</h1>
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Start your preparation the minute you receive an invitation for an interview.</h2>
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<span class="item drawer_paddingTop" style="display: block; float: left; padding-top: 8px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">After weeks and months of searching and waiting, your call comes:</span></span></div>
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“Hello. I’m calling from Your Dream Company to thank you for your application to be a [<a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-best-jobs" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-best-jobs">fill in a job title</a>] here. Are you still interested?</div>
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You might think to yourself at this point, “Are you crazy? Of course I’m thrilled to get this call! All I have to do is get in to see the hiring manager and I’ve got this job locked up!” But you actually say: “Yes, this seems like a great opportunity. I’m very interested.”</div>
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<a href="http://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/ea47270/2147483647/crop/367x330%2B124%2B1/resize/300x270/quality/85/?url=%2Fcmsmedia%2F50%2F88%2F7bfc78f648a393b05273b41e1f3f%2Fresizes%2F500%2F140506-shiftinggears-stock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Tips for Surviving a Career Transition" border="0" src="http://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/ea47270/2147483647/crop/367x330%2B124%2B1/resize/300x270/quality/85/?url=%2Fcmsmedia%2F50%2F88%2F7bfc78f648a393b05273b41e1f3f%2Fresizes%2F500%2F140506-shiftinggears-stock.jpg" style="line-height: 1.5;" /></a>“I’m so glad. Your résumé is very impressive, and <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/the-10-things-you-do-that-turn-an-interviewer-off" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/the-10-things-you-do-that-turn-an-interviewer-off">the hiring manager</a> would like to speak with you two days from now. Are you available at 2 p.m.?”</div>
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This is the moment when your assumption of ultimate success can trip you up. It can lull you into simply setting the time for your interview and then letting the call end. Instead, you must at this very moment begin your preparation for interview success.</div>
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Turn that call from an appointment-setting task for a human resources staffer into an information-gathering call for yourself. Engage the appointment-setter in conversation. He or she may not have all the information you seek, but it is certainly fair to ask:</div>
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<li style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.9em; text-indent: -0.9em;">Can you tell me with whom I’ll speak/meet?</li>
<li style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.9em; text-indent: -0.9em;">If you'll meet with multiple people, follow up and ask: Will it be <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/02/27/pointers-for-surviving-the-dreaded-panel-interview" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/02/27/pointers-for-surviving-the-dreaded-panel-interview">a panel interview</a>, a series of one-to-ones or small group discussions?</li>
<li style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.9em; text-indent: -0.9em;">How much time are they allocating in their calendar for the interview?</li>
<li style="list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.9em; text-indent: -0.9em;">Can you tell me anything I should prepare, or information that I should bring to make the interview most productive?</li>
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With this basic data in hand, you can then go about turning it into useful information with diligent investigation.</div>
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<b>1. </b><b>Research the company extensively. </b>It's never too early to figure out what a company does, how it does it, what makes its products or services attractive in the marketplace, what competitive challenges it faces from its peers or from the economy as a whole.</div>
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Carefully review its website and profile on LinkedIn. Use a news search engine within Google, Yahoo or Bing to learn about product launches, how it's faring in the financial markets, mergers or acquisitions with which it involved, key changes in personnel/leadership and more.</div>
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If you expect to learn these things at an interview, you'll lose your own competitive advantage over other job hunters who will make certain to know all this and come into the interview prepared to capitalize on their research.</div>
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<b>2. </b><b>Learn about the </b><b>people with whom you'll speak. </b>There are times when the makeup of interview panels can’t be firmed up by the company until the last minute. Still, it's totally fair for you to ask this question when the meeting is being set up.</div>
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Check out each interviewer’s LinkedIn profile, paying special attention to areas of commonality that he or she has with his or her other colleagues and/or you. It might be a common former employer, college or work utilizing particular tools or skills.</div>
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You should come to <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/the-abcs-of-interviewing" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/the-abcs-of-interviewing">the interview</a> prepared to build personal connection by making a casual remark like, “It's always good to meet another alum from ABC college” at the right moment.</div>
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<b>3. Shine your shoes, take your suit to the dry cleaner</b>, <b>iron your shirt and comb your hair.</b>Even if the company has a casual dress code, appearances count.</div>
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<b>4.</b> <b>Anticipate questions you might be asked. </b>You can never game the system all the way, but you can imagine yourself in the role of the interviewer. What information would he or she most need to have to make a sound hiring decision? What background, temperament and values would a great candidate possess? With this in mind, practice telling stories that show you to be this kind of person.</div>
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<b>5. As</b><b>semble the materials you should take to the interview</b>. While the company already has your résumé, it is only courteous for you to bring letter-perfect copies of it for everyone with whom you will interact. Also <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/03/21/the-cardinal-rules-of-properly-using-business-cards" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/03/21/the-cardinal-rules-of-properly-using-business-cards">bring business cards</a>, even if they only have your name, address and contact information on them. Think about work samples, portfolios or PowerPoint slides that you can show if the opportunity presents itself.</div>
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<b>6. </b><b>Make sure you know where you're going. </b>Unfortunate stories of people who show up late, report to the wrong building or simply get lost on the way to the interview abound. Practice driving the route to the interview in the days ahead at roughly the same time that you'll travel the route on interview day, to get a sense of how long it will take and what delays you might encounter.</div>
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When you know where you're going – both physically, and on your career path – and you’ve done your research, it will be easy to convince your interviewer of your strong fit for your dream company.</div>
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Happy hunting!</div>
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<a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/07/29/6-essential-tips-for-really-acing-interview-prep" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></div>

6 Essential Tips for Really Acing Interview Prep

6 Essential Tips for Really Acing Interview Prep Start your preparation the minute you receive an invitation for an interview. After weeks and months of searching and waiting, your call comes: “Hello…

21 Oct 2014

7 Ways to Gain Executive Experience in College

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7 Ways to Gain Executive Experience in College</h1>
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How to graduate with loads of career insight and connections.</h2>
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Get out there! College is a great time for networking, finding experiential opportunities and even starting your own business.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">“Describe your background and how it qualifies you for this job.”</span></div>
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While you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that request in an interview, it may put terror in the heart of any<a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/how-new-grads-can-beat-the-odds-in-job-market-roulette" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/how-new-grads-can-beat-the-odds-in-job-market-roulette">new college graduates</a> without much practical experience. In many cases, even those who earn a college degree come up short when it comes to job search success. How can you avoid looking back at your college days with regret and instead become marketable for a job?</div>
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Maria Stein, associate vice president of cooperative education and career development at Northeastern University in Boston, offers the following seven tips to help ensure you gain the experience you need in the C suite while you’re still in school.</div>
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<b>1. Find experiential opportunities.</b> There’s no question internships are key for college students. However, you may not realize how useful other experiential opportunities may be. If co-op isn't an option at your school, Stein suggests you participate in experiential learning to help gain first-hand knowledge and experience. She quotes a Northeastern survey on enhancing higher education outcomes: “Eighty-nine percent of the general public and business leaders say experiential learning is important for students’ success.”</div>
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It’s a good idea to explore potential opportunities even before you commit to a school or program of study. Find out if there are local opportunities to get practical experience in fields that interest you. Also ask what contacts your school, career center personnel or alumni department can help you make while you are a student.</div>
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Stein suggests you make an effort to participate in <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/the-top-10-intern-mistakes" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: null">internship opportunities</a> as early as freshman year to set yourself apart from your peers.</div>
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<b>2. Get entrepreneurial</b>. The workforce as we know it is changing. Accenture’s 2013 Rise of the Extended Workforce report states that: "Twenty to 33 percent of today’s U.S. workforce now comprises independent workers (freelancers, contractors and temps), up from 6 percent in 1989." Plus, MBO Partners’ 2013 State of Independence in America report suggests the independent workforce will grow to 24 million strong by 2018.</div>
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Are you ready to join this economy? Stein says: "Shake things up, solve a problem – start a business." According to Northeastern’s innovation survey, 73 percent of business leaders want well-rounded grads with a range of abilities. Stein also suggests that people who want to start their own companies investigate school resources or team up with like-minded entrepreneurs. “Bring that <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/02/20/how-to-think-like-an-entrepreneur" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">entrepreneurial spirit</a> to your experiential opportunities.”</div>
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<b>3. Step out of your comfort zone</b>. For most college students, getting useful, hands-on experience requires going outside their traditional comfort zones. Stein advocates for students to, “go abroad, discover new cultures and traditions at home, and do something that challenges them." She adds: "In a 2012 [Northeastern University] survey that looked at the five things people want from higher education, 76 percent of Americans said a worldwide perspective is an important takeaway.”</div>
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<b>4. Network, network, network. </b>It’s important to know people – and for them to know what you have to offer. Don’t hesitate to showcase your expertise and work to extend your personal and professional network throughout your college years. Stein reminds students: "Networking can open up many doors and opportunities you may not have even known existed. Building relationships and <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/09/11/5-networking-tips-for-new-grads" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: null">making connections</a>across industry will help to make you well-rounded and able to relate to a variety of sectors and positions. You never know where your next opportunity might come from.”</div>
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<b>5. Use social media. </b>While you may have heard that social media will contribute to your professional demise, employers pay attention to these networks. You can benefit from this attention as much as you can be hurt by it. Stein's suggestion for students: “Use tools like LinkedIn to develop your professional brand, interact with others in groups and make connections across industries.”</div>
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Jobvite’s 2013 Social Recruiting Survey revealed that 94 percent of companies use social networking tools to recruit. It noted that more recruiters react negatively to posts with profanity (65 percent) and grammar and punctuation errors (61 percent) than to references of alcohol use (47 percent). Use social networks to expand your network, and demonstrate your expertise to connect with hiring managers.</div>
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<b>6. Find a mentor</b>. “Personal drive and ambition are key," Stein says, citing a Northeastern poll that shows that 71 percent of C-suite executives credit these factors for their success.<br />She adds: "But connections and relationships are too." Thirty-two percent of those executives credit mentors and advisors. While networking can get you in the door, a <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/03/28/how-to-find-a-just-right-professional-mentor" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">mentor</a> can help you throughout your career, as he or she guides you on your path and helps you make the most of your experiences.</div>
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<b>7. Tap into career services. </b>It’s never too early to visit your career center. In fact, you should ask to meet with someone from career services when you are visiting colleges, before you choose a school. If you’re applying for internships and other experiential opportunities, you’ll need strong marketing materials, including a résumé, cover letters and online profiles. Stein notes: “Career services staff can help you to develop your job search strategies, facilitate important face time with employers and provide a wealth of resources along every stage of your career journey.”</div>
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<a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/09/17/7-ways-to-gain-executive-experience-in-college" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></div>

7 Ways to Gain Executive Experience in College

7 Ways to Gain Executive Experience in College How to graduate with loads of career insight and connections. Get out there! College is a great time for networking, finding experiential opportunities …

21 Oct 2014

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