Making the Transitionfrom Student to Professional

Jamie JensenOffice of Admissions

WELCOME STUDENTS!

Introductions

I’ll start…. Jamie Jensen Born & raised here in Iowa City Graduated from the University of Iowa in May 2010 with a

Bachelors Degree in Psychology Worked in the Admissions office as a student from June 2008-

July 2010. Started full time as an Event Coordinator of Recruitment Programs in August 2010.

More about me…

Your Turn!

Does everyone have a starburst?? First – introduce yourself. The usual “student affairs”

introduction – Name, hometown, year in school, major. Then….

Red – If you could have an endless supply of food, what would it be?

Yellow – What is a pet peeve of yours? Pink – If you were an animal, what would you be &

why? Orange – If you could have any super power, what

would it be & why?

Preparing to be a ‘Pro’…starts now!

Break into groups of 5-6. In your small groups: What are some things you are doing now that are

preparing you to become a professional after graduation?

Preparing to be a ‘Pro’…starts now!

Group work Classes Assignments Take classes & school work seriously Get Involved! Student Organizations Leadership Opportunities – conferences, guides on campus,

student government, Res Hall Government Volunteer Employment Utilize Resources Network

Cover Letter & Resume

Your cover letter & resume are the first things your potential employer will see, so let’s make them stand out!

Continue to update your resume throughout your college career.

Get your resume critiqued! The more eyes that see it, the more ideas & suggestions you’ll get and the stronger your resume will be.

I GOT AN INTERVIEW!………NOW WHAT?!

Making the Transition…

Interview Time!

Interviews are stressful. There is no denying that. But, if you prepare well and go into it feeling confident you will hopefully walk out feeling the same way!

What are some easy things you can do to

prepare for an interview?

Group Discussion

Practice! Practice! Practice!

The more you practice your interview the more comfortable and confident you will be going into it.

INTERVIEW TIME!

• Dress for success

• Deep breaths!

• Answer questions confidently• Don’t state an answer

as a question. Avoid “I think I’m…”

• Prepare questions to ask your interviewers

• “I really want this job”; “I really believe I’d be great at this job”

• Send a Thank You note

ACED MY INTERVIEW (OF COURSE)….WAS OFFERED A JOB….

NOW WHAT?!

Do I accept? Do I want this job? Am I going to

do this forever? Just for now? Is student

affairs for me?

CAN I REALLY DO THIS JOB?!?

Mom, Dad – I GOT A JOB

Your first instinct when you get your job offer will likely be to yell YES! into your future employers ear over the phone, which is natural.

BUT, remember - it is ok to take time to think before giving them a direct answer.

Adjusting to the real world

Schedule $$$$ Fear of Failure Making friends with co-workers Get Involved

Change in my schedule

Your new schedule will depend on the position you take, but regardless it will be different from your current class schedule.

Bed time? Alarms? Waking up before the sun? Say what?! The sooner you get into a routine the easier this adjustment

will be!

Money money money!

Going from being a “broke college student” to getting a paycheck every 2-4 weeks is a serious change.

When you find out what your salary/take home pay is going to be, start planning out a budget. It’s ok to leave a chunk for “shopping, entertainment, & fun” in that budget, but make a spot for “rent, utilities, loans” in there too!

Fear of failure…what am I doing?

Don’t be afraid. The beginning of a new job can be scary. Ask questions! It will show you care, are paying attention, and

want to learn. You were hired for a reason. Your employers believe in you.

Now – believe in yourself. Remember those four years you spent preparing for this in

college? YOU ARE READY.

Will I make friends here?

Being the “newbie” at a workplace is not always easy. Put yourself out there – let people know your interests,

things you do on the weekends, etc. It will help spark conversations and note similarities between you and your colleagues!

Be professional – but be yourself.

The transition is never-ending!

Even after you get acclimated to your new workplace, new friends & colleagues, and your new responsibilities there will still be ways to further yourself professionally! Take advantage of training courses offered Jump at opportunities that present themselves Introduce yourself to other professionals in different offices and

in the community Tell your supervisor you’re interested in Professional

Development and have them let you know of any opportunities that come up

Professional conferences

THANK YOU FOR COMING!

Please feel free to contact me with questions or comments!

jamie-jensen@uiowa.edu319-335-0257