100+ Things: Have you made any phone calls this week?

100 + Things. Learn how to make a phone call. Make them often. Make some more.

“Wait, what? You’re not just going to offer me a job?” Unfotunately, the hiring process can take weeks even up to a month depending on the department and the company. Before you even step foot in the door, chances are you will have to talk to someone on the phone to get an interview. How comfortable are you with that?

The more you talk to people, the more you will feel comfortable talking about your own design/development process to potential co-workers and employers. Why do you even want this job? Answer that question before you get on the phone. Have you made any progress making phone calls this week? If not, take an hour today, and make 5 phone calls. Don’t have a number? Send ten emails, ask for a phone conference, and lots of people will give you a few minutes of their time to chat.  Be polite, and ask what their preferred method of contact is and when a good time to call would be. Mention that you are a student, in case you didn’t already. Prepare a few questions for them and explain where your interest stems from. This is of course before you apply for a job, and an internship should be treated as such. Professionalism goes a long way.

The more you practice, the less likely you are to curse or use inappropriate language in an interview-yes, that happens.

100+ things You never know who you will meet on a plane

100+thingsKeep your ears open

Are you the passenger with your headphones glued in your ears for your entire flight? I love to relax and listen to my music and movies as much as the next person, but on your next jet set, take note to the person sitting next to you. If they seem friendly and chit chat before take off, they could very well inspire pome delightful conversation. Perhaps they do something in your field. On my flight home this weekend to some interviews, I met an extremely nice gentleman who happened to hire RIT grads at his firm. He not only gave me advice on my career path, but also happened to be from an Italian family and was learning Italian. He even asked me if he could request my help. Imagine that, someone asking me for advice. Remember what you have to offer. From our little exchange, I made a great connection that I will be sure to follow up on and learned something new. So, spot opportunities when you can and don’t assume they will be for naught. You never know who you could be sitting next to.

100+ Things Clean your desk

12. Clean your desk–no one likes the weird kid that keeps old food around-it’s gross.

13. Ask to be LinkedIn friends with people you meet at work or are on a team with.

14. Avoid wearing Hawaiian shirts every day to work…unless of course that’s the look you’re going for. Expect a good nick-name out of it.

15. Unique facial hair is only appropriate if someone dares you (and your workplace is more laid-back) and not on the day of a meeting. Shave it off within a day.

16. Clean the structure table-or a common work area of your studio.

17. Ask for more work if you have nothing to do, other engineers/designers will certainly be happy for any help you can give them. Even small jobs are appreciated. Do not act like you are above making copies.

100+ Things: Wear pants to work

Continuing with our list, now that you know how to get an internship, here are some things you might not think about. They can be applied across most disciplines.

6.  Smile-self-explanatory.

7. Be friendly.

8. Check your emails twice, spelling is hard I know.

9. Update your resume. Now.

10. Re-brand yourself- you can always do better.

11. Wear pants to work: everyone will talk about you for years to come if you get sent home.

100+ Things: Look good on paper

I know I’ve already talked about these a little bit, but just to reiterate, this is the key time to be making connections and applying to companies for your summer or spring internships. The packaging career fair is in February at RIT, which is very helpful. They will place people for spring, summer and fall blocks, even winter ones next year. Does your school have any major specific fairs coming up? Get prepared. Do your research, and be able to talk about the values and products of the company you’re going after. Wow them. Then follow-up if they tell you a good time to call in a few months. Reliability, persistence and results are what employers are looking for. Can you make it happen?

4. Make a list of companies you would want to work for: not just intern.

-Start making a contact list and use friends and Linkedin to email people and ask to speak about what they do.

-In your home town area

-Away from home (many will pay you enough so you can pay for your own rent)

5. Update your resume-trust me, a re-brand will do you wonders.

-Make it clean, it doesn’t need lots of graphics, just one consistent style carrying over to your business cards and cover letter will make you look professional.

100+ things-Surround Yourself with Motivated People!

There are many ways to get a job, an internship, even admission into college. There is one huge lesson I’ve learned on my journey through college. It’s that finding your passion, and drive to achieve your biggest goals, comes from having a great support group. It comes from seeing your friends and family, persevere through our less-than perfect economy and succeed. Keep these people around, and if you find yourself with some friends that are straying from a path you’d like to be on, join a new club. Most schools have dozens if not hundreds of clubs for everyone. Find those people, and then talk to them! Networking is the most important skill to hone in our generation. Last summer, my group of friends joined forces and completed our first (and second, and third) triathlons together. It was such a rewarding experience, and we were all inspired by each other. This works in and outside of work, believe it or not, most networking happens outside of the office.

Here are the first things on our list of 100+ things.

1. Talk to new people every chance you get. Ask them for a conference call and prepare questions for them. Better yet, ask to have coffee or lunch when they are free.

RIT has a great list of how to get started on networking, informational interviews and more.

2. Ask questions-the worst answer you will get from someone will be more helpful than your preconceived notions about that particular career.

3. Be aggressive. Don’t stop trying, keep calling people and sending your résumé out there.