Tag: Graduation

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Advice from a Graduating Senior

By Erica Freeze

I am graduating in less than two weeks. As I continue to process this, I thought that I should end my UO PRSSA blog contributions with some advice for those who get to enjoy college for a bit longer.

The last few weeks of my senior year have felt like the series finale of a sitcom; you say tearful goodbyes to the dear friends you have made and start to reminisce on all of the good times throughout your college career. Your character development over time suddenly becomes apparent and you realize that this development in this environment is ending.

For those of you lucky enough to still be in college, or who are about to start, I remind you to keep your college friends close before they start their new lives elsewhere. Enjoy the fact that you are only a few blocks away from some of the greatest people you will ever meet. Take a class you enjoy and soak up as much knowledge as possible. Make a bucket list and go on adventures with your friends all over the state. Don’t be afraid to overuse the excuse, “I’m in college” while you can. And when you do have some free time, don’t be afraid to utilize the connections you have made to pursue a future career that interests and excites you.

The job search is a long and strenuous one. I am still on my search and rejection is not easy. But something that I am constantly reminded of is that everyone has a different path and you cannot compare yours to your peers. Being in the SOJC, this is extremely difficult as I compare myself to those who have had jobs lined up since the beginning of the year. I feel behind and as if I will never find a job. But at the end of the day, there is, believe it or not, some positivity to the job search. This search has helped me learn more about my passions and exactly what I want to do. Don’t be afraid to be a little selfish as you embark on the post-grad job search and journey. I have not had an easy spring term and have dealt with a lot of anxiety and stress about my future. But the thing is that it is MY future, no one else’s. Remember that it is your life, and if you want to move to New York and work long hours to survive, then go for it! Yes, I know that some parents may have reservations about where their children go, but a conversation about your future with them can be beneficial when you present them with all of the wonderful opportunities that there are for young college graduates. Don’t move to a big city just because all of your friends are. Don’t go to grad school because it’s what your parents want. Do what makes YOU happy and strive for that!

With all of that being said, in the craziness of senior year, make sure you take at least one moment to realize how beautiful and special life is at this moment in time. Sit back and smile when you have little responsibilities and time to grab brunch with your friends on a Friday morning or gather around a TV with a pizza on a Tuesday night. Take this moment to appreciate the life you are living. Although next year will be different, keep these memories close to get you through your post-grad years. Life is filled with ups and downs, but there are many great years ahead to look forward to.

To those of you graduating, congratulations to the Class of 2017. We did it! Good luck to you all, and to those still embarking on the wonderful journey that is college.

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How to Write an Interview-Worthy Cover Letter

By Erica Freeze

As I am about to graduate from the University of Oregon, my job search is on full-throttle. Every time I see the words “please attach a cover letter,” I start to question the purpose of one. What is the point of a cover letter? It turns out that they actually have a purpose and when you utilize them to their full potential they can get you past the application process and into the interview process.

The purpose of a cover letter is to help you stand out past your resume. Cover letters are the outlet to introduce yourself and demonstrate your interest in a company. In these letters, you draw attention to your resume and motivate the reader to interview you. Often this letter and your resume are the first contact you have with a prospective employer, and if written correctly can have a large impact whether they ask you to interview.

After writing many cover letters for my job applications and conducting some research, I have learned a great formula on how to land an interview. So how do you write an interesting cover letter? Read on:

Headers

Headers can vary for every cover letter. Here is a pro tip: usually larger companies look for a header for your cover letter while smaller companies or startups usually don’t. If you are applying to a large in-house company or agency, then a header will most likely be preferred. If you apply to an agency with a few employees, then a header will most likely not be needed.

A header should normally consist of the date you’re writing the letter, your name, address, phone number and email address. Then, skip a line on the page and address your letter to the person who posted the job and their title at the company. For example, if Jane Smith, an HR representative for Edelman posted the job, then you would say, “Dear Jane Smith, HR representative.”

Sometimes you cannot always find the name of the person who posted the job. If you have no idea who this person is, or who makes selections for interviews, I simply put, “Dear Edelman.”

Introduction Paragraph

A successful introduction paragraph will include a brief introduction as to who you are and why you are interested, and qualified in the position. I normally start with my name and my education. Following this, I provide a brand statement. One great thing about the SOJC is that it encourages you to have a brand statement made before portfolio reviews. This is great to include in a cover letter because it provides a brief background as to what you are interested in. An example of a brand statement may be, (and this is the one I created for myself) “I am an aspiring public relations professional with a passion for writing, strategic communication and creative thinking.”

Following this, I like to explain why I am qualified for the position and what I can do for the company. It is important to make your reasons relate back to the job posting in some way. Think of it this way, if you can use the same cover letter and simply swap out the name of the company, you aren’t being specific enough.

Body Paragraphs

Read over the job posting again, and the mission of the company as a whole. How can you help this company accomplish its goals? What experience do you have to succeed in the posted role? The next few paragraphs are for you to talk about your experiences that make you qualified. These can be internships, volunteer roles or even classwork if you do not have a lot of job experience.

I like to divide each paragraph up with the same structure. The first sentence or two should introduce your previous role and the skills you gained from the role. The following sentences should include scenarios where you utilized these skills, and how you best fulfilled the role. Lastly, provide results if you generated any. This is one of the most important things that companies look for. If you generate positive results, it proves that you worked hard in your role. An example of a result may be, “increased Facebook page likes by 50%.” It is as simple as that!

Conclusion Paragraph

Your conclusion should be about one to two sentences, and reiterate the following:

Your enthusiasm about the role.

A “thank you” to the company for taking the time to read.

Where the company can contact you with any further questions.

A mention of relevant documents or links attached (resume, website, etc.)

With this formula, you can hopefully attract the attention of employers and show them your potential! Good luck with the job search.

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What does your Major Mean after Graduation?

By Arunima Bhattacharjee

While you’re a a pre-journalism student at the School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC), you might have asked yourself a few questions before deciding the perfect major for yourself. Some people believe that creativity is for advertising, writing skills for journalism and dealing with people is public relations. So, which skills do you identify with the most? Well, all three majors require extensive communication, creativity and writing skills. However, the second question that might cross your mind is which major will most likely land me with a job after graduation? Well then it’s time we explore this question because the career you choose will impact how much money you will make in the future.
According to “The Guardian,” the competition in the journalism field is “immense.” It takes some time to land with a good paying job as a journalist and you need to know your technology before heading into the job market. The journalism school here at the University of Oregon (UO) will teach you the necessary technological knowledge, but the rest is on you. You need to be up-to-date with all the available software for editing and creating multimedia. It’s also important to create a portfolio; this will show them what you’ve learned while in school. In addition, the average salary for a journalist is in between $24,000 to $71,000 annually.
If you are thinking that you will sit at a leather chair with a window view in Manhattan at an advertisement agency, like “Mad Men”, then think again. Peggy didn’t get her own office on her first day of work. She had an entry-level position and then got promoted to different levels because she was able to demonstrate unique skills and creative thinking. That’s what advertisement agencies want in new graduating undergrads. If you intern in an advertising firm while in college, it is more likely that same firm will be willing to hire you full-time after you graduate. According to the “Payscale Human Capital”, the salary at an advertising firm will be between $32,000 and $71,000 annually, this can also vary on which part of advertisement you are interested in going into.
Public relations, on the other hand are outpacing journalism. According to the “Pew Research Center” the salary gap between PR specialist and a news reporter is almost $20,000 annually. A new survey from the University of Georgia found that new graduates earn on average $35,000 a year when they get into the public relations career. The number of employed PR specialists is expected to jump from 258,100 in 2010 to 316,200 by 2020. This projection equates to a 23% rise in employment.