1

TEST your strengths and interests

Career Center | Student Affairs | Duke University

CAREER GUIDE

UNCOVER what drives you

DISCOVERopportunities

DEVELOP search skills and strategy

Tell your unique story

ATT008903B

MSMART

baf

ATTCAM006

DUKE UNIVERSITY

1

8.0000 x 5.2500

Selected as one of the 2013 Best Places to Work for Recent Grads by Experience.com, at AT&T we have a whole line-up of nationallyrecognized internships and development programs for top talent just like you. 

You’ll gain invaluable experience through real-world projects and challenges.  Plus you'll have access to premier learning and trainingprograms, which are continually ranked at the top by Chief Learning Officer Magazine.

It’s all designed to take you to the next level. You’ll put your talents to work with an industry leader and have the ability to launch anamazing career.

Connect with us today.  Text ATT DUKE to 33733 or visit att.jobs/duke Diversity is the AT&T way of standing apart. Equal OpportunityEmployer. © 2013 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&Tand the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.

Get to thefuture first.

Our next big thing could be you!

For 25 years, Putnam Associates has been providing strategic business and analytical services to the top pharma-ceutical and medical device companies around the world.

Putnam’s exclusive focus on life sciences organizations offers a unique opportunity to develop extensive knowledge at all stages of franchise development and marketing.

Visit us on campus to learn about joining our team:

Career FairSeptember 11

Information SessionSeptember 19 from 6:30-7:45pm at Von Canon A

Application DeadlineSeptember 20 putassoc.com

3

WHAT YOU WILL FIND HERE . . .

IN

DE

XCareer Guide

2013-2014

The Career Guide is

published annually by the

Duke University

Career Center

within the

Division of Student Affairs.

Copyright ©2013

Duke University

All rights reserved

5 It is Your Career5 How to Use This Guide6 About the Career Center8 The Career Development Process

9 Your Board of Advisors

10-13 SELF-INQUIRY

10 Assess your Values, Skills, Interests, and Personality12 Review your Experience12 Next Steps and Selected Resources

13 Making Career Decisions

14-17 EXPLORATION14 Read14 Talk15 Do15 The Graduate School Option16 Next Steps and Selected Resources

17 Making the Most of the Experience Buffet

18-21 EXPERIENCE ACQUISITION18 Think Differently About Experience19 Internships19 Consider Professional Fellowships20 Next Steps and Selected Resources

21 Nine Domains to Find Your Fit

22-41 SEARCH SKILLS AND STRATEGIES

22 Are You Search Savvy24 Professional Networking25 Managing Your Online Reputation26 Top Search Strategies28 Connect with Employers30 Resume32 Resume Samples34 Cover Letter37 Interviewing41 Next Steps and Selected Resources

43 WHERE TO GO FROM HERE

4

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, is the U.S. subsidiary of Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., a global leader in pharmaceutical innovation since 1899. Building on our experience in hypertension, antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapies, we are excited to be expanding into other important areas such as oncology, where signifi cant unmet medical needs remain. We have created an exceptional working environment that values and rewards individual contributions, but also believe in the power of collaboration. With the fundamental belief that each employee helps shape our success, we are dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative medicines that improve the lives of patients throughout the world.

Find out more about opportunities with Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. atWWW.DSICAREERS.COM

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

5

IT IS YOUR CAREER

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

Sometimes you might feel as if it is difficult to create goals when the options are seemingly limitless. At other times, you may feel there are not enough opportunities to satisfy all of your interests. Or perhaps you feel confident about your next step and want support in getting there. While at Duke, you will encounter each of these scenarios, sometimes all in the same day!

We invite you to use all of the Career Center resources in your work to identify and make sense of all choices that interest you. Use them to take control of defining and developing a variety of options now and into the future. We at the Career Center recognize that “career” is more than the collection of your degrees, occupations, and proudest achievements. We believe that it is holistic and dynamic. It is the unique integration of a growing range of experiences, shifting influences, accumulation of decisions, and deepening and discarded commitments. You are growing into your career with every experience and all that you learn—about work and about yourself.

We recognize that you are coming to this guide with a point

of view and set of experiences that are uniquely yours.

Whether you’re looking for a path or already on one, use this guide as a jumping-off point from wherever you are to wherever you’d like to be. Whether it’s a campus job, research role, internship, fellowship, full-time or volunteer position, or any of a multitude of opportunities available to you, the advice in this guide applies.

Be sure, however, to look beyond the guide. We’ve written this to motivate, inspire, and get you STARTED. Turn the page to learn more about the wealth of additional resources that we encourage you to utilize.

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, is the U.S. subsidiary of Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., a global leader in pharmaceutical innovation since 1899. Building on our experience in hypertension, antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapies, we are excited to be expanding into other important areas such as oncology, where signifi cant unmet medical needs remain. We have created an exceptional working environment that values and rewards individual contributions, but also believe in the power of collaboration. With the fundamental belief that each employee helps shape our success, we are dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative medicines that improve the lives of patients throughout the world.

Find out more about opportunities with Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. atWWW.DSICAREERS.COM

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Your curiosity and abilities have been great assets.

We know that your many interests coupled with a

record of achievement in many arenas can render the

career decision-making process somewhat challenging.

CAREER GUIDE // 55

Welcome to the

next stage in your career development process. The

fact that you are reading this introductory letter implies that you are serious about getting on with your professional development and that you are ready to take a series of intentional steps to get there. I hope the Career Guide serves as a valuable resource and that you will use it as a portal to access other campus resources available to you.

One of the most harmful career myths you will encounter during your time at Duke is that there are three or four “best ways to launch a career.” Not only is this not true, it has never been true.

Our primary assumption is that all Duke students, undergraduate and graduate, are among the most diversely interested and diversely able in the world. We don’t assume you need assistance figuring out what you are interested in but rather, which of your interests, abilities, academic strengths, and values you will combine and pursue after Duke. Today’s global marketplace can make those choices difficult and exciting.

I say all of this at the beginning of the Career Guide to get you to read further, and to encourage you to use the Guide as a transition point to a more active engagement with the resources of the Career Center.

At the Career Center, we work at the intersection of dreams and reality and you can find us in Smith Warehouse—see you there soon.

Bill Wright-SwadelFannie Mitchell Executive DirectorDuke University Career Center

Welcome from the Director

Smith Warehouse

Career CounselingCall us or stop by to schedule an appointment with a counselor. Use your first appointment to introduce yourself and come up with a plan to meet your needs.

Drop-In AdvisingNo appointment necessary. Use this convenient resource for all of your time-sensitive needs. Expect to spend 10-15 minutes weekday afternoons with an advisor for your specific questions. (http://goo.gl/yOVWS)

WorkshopsWe will host virtual guests and events in addition to traditional presentations in person. Throughout the year, workshops will include a wide variety of topics, featuring an interesting range of guests.

Career Center LibraryBrowse our collection of reference materials and books for inspiration or help in preparation. Most items can be checked out.Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm

On-Campus InterviewsMeet with employers who come to campus to hire interns or full-time staff. Use your eRecruiting account to apply for opportunities and schedule interviews as they become available.

ABOUT THE CAREER CENTER

We’re Hereto Help! [[

6

DukeUniversity

147

15-5

01

Erwin Rd

SmithWarehouse

Cameron Blvd

Duke University Rd

And

erso

n St

Swift

Ave

Broa

d St

W Main St

W Main St Hillsborough Rd Nin

th S

t

West Club Blvd

Buch

anan

Blv

d

7CAREER GUIDE // 7

ABOUT THE CAREER CENTER

Duke University Career CenterOpen All Year Monday-Friday

9am-5pm

Smith WarehouseBay 5 Second Floor

114 S. Buchanan Blvd.

Box 90950

Durham, NC 27708

(919) 660-1050

career-student@studentaffairs.duke.edu

Subscribe to our Career News newsletter for weekly updates. Manage your email subscriptions within “Administration” in eRecruiting.

Our Event calendar is always available on our website under “Events.”

You are invited to take advantage of the wide variety of resources available to you from the

moment you arrive at Duke until after you leave. In fact, we encourage it! Having no sense

of what to do next is the perfect reason to introduce yourself. Let us be a partner in your

exploration and decision-making process.

Around Campus

Workshops and Drop-In Advising Come to YouWe don’t spend all of our time at the Career Center. We schedule presentations and meetings all over campus.

Information SessionsAttend presentations hosted by many types of organizations to learn more about them and opportunities available to you.

EventsWe bring many guests to Duke, often with the help of fantastic campus partners. Some of our annual events include:Fannie Mitchell Expert in Residence Program- knowledgeable professionals share their expertise and advice with youCareer Fairs – Employers who are looking to hire for internships and full-time opportunities attend to meet face to face with students.The Fannie Mitchell Conference on Career Choices – Many Duke alums return to campus to discuss their careers and decisions made along the way. We sponsor this event in partnership with the Duke Alumni Association.Duke Arts Festival – Meet and learn from alums in arts, media, and entertainment and have an opportunity to showcase your own talents. We plan this event in partnership with the Duke Alumni Association and Office of the Vice Provost for the Arts.Diversity Networking Dinner and Diversity Forum - Employers committed to hiring a diverse staff attend these annual events to meet Duke students in a conversational setting.

Presentations By RequestVisit our website to request a workshop. We bring a variety of presentations and discussions to your organization, residence hall, or group of friends. If you can gather a crowd, we’ll join you!

Online

The Career Center WebsiteIn-depth tips, strategies, and resources are available on the website, and we’re always creating more. (http://studentaffairs.duke.edu/career)

Subscriptions and DatabasesWe sponsor and host a wide variety of tools and databases available to Duke students. See the Next Steps portion of each section of this guide for specific recommendations. For a comprehensive overview, visit Online Tools & Resources on our website.

Social MediaLike the Career Center Facebook Page to learn about events at Duke, see our favorite career-related articles, see the week’s featured opportunity, and more.

Follow our Twitter account where we share all of our events, career-related articles, and an occasional live-tweet of a panel or presentation.

We filter the web so that you don’t have to. View links that we’ve saved and sorted by topic in our Delicious account.

Subscribe to our YouTube account to be notified when we post videos of guests we’ve invited to campus or advice from your peers. Our library is always growing.

We maintain a library of programs at Duke’s ITunesU site. Download a lecture or presentation to listen or viewon the go.

8

Believe it or not, you already know a lot

about yourself and your career. Your

career is something you build every day

with the habits you establish and break,

ideas you explore, people you meet,

and decisions you make. All of your life

experiences provide you with

insight into your unique

preferences. The key

to making satisfying

life choices is being

aware of the things

you already know

about yourself and the

world, and using this

acquired insight when

faced with an opportunity or

crossroads.

You can expect to cycle through a process

of learning about yourself again and again

during your time at Duke, and also the

entirety of your career and life. The endless

discovery is what is fun! You will continually

use your past experiences to identify new

insights, new options, and new steps.

You already bring a set of your own

preferences and life experiences to this

process of continual learning and

decision-making. Uncover

what drives you, discover

opportunities, test your

strengths and interests in

the world, and develop your

search skills and strategy.

Being fully engaged in ALL

aspects of the cycle gives you

ownership and control over that

which comes next for you.

Is this hard work? Yes. Is it worth it?

Absolutely. The Career Center works with

you to make sense of the unknown or to take

steps toward your goals with success. We are

your partners in all steps of this process.

The CareerDevelopment Process[ [

9

As you learn and build your career path, meeting new people and “enlisting” them to your personal Board of Advisors is a key strategy for success. Think about the many people who have had (or could have!) a positive influence in your life.

Look into the future and consider whom you might strategically seek out to add to your board, in addition to staying in touch with those you already know. Every person you encounter over time gets to see a different piece of you at your best (and possibly worst) and can be called upon for insights into significant aspects of who you have been and who you are becoming.

Build and use your Board of Advisors to learn about yourself and to imagine and discover YOUR possibilities. The benefits could include: •Feedbackonhabits,patterns,andstrengthsthatyouhaven’tnoticedaboutyourself •Adviceonstepstotake,peopletomeet,andresourcesorstrategiestoconsider •Insightintohowyouradvisorshavemadedecisionsinthepastandwhatotheroptions they considered •Insideinformationaboutwhatatypicaldayislike •Suggestionsforopportunitiesthatmightexciteyou

Enlist a supervisorYour supervisors are great advisors, even when you no longer work at the organization. Many will

suggest you stay in touch, or you could ask if they are open to the possibility.

Staying in touch doesn’t mean having to request something every time you talk. If you come across information or do something that might be interesting to the person, share it! The sentiment, “thinking of you”, goes a long way and can be a great reason to send an email or pick up the phone.

Here are some great updates to share. I thought of you when: •Ilearnedsomethinginclass. •Isawsomethinginthenews. •IusedsomethingIlearnedwhenworkingwithyou. •Ifollowedyouradvice. •Imentionedyou(oryourorganization)tosomeone.

Enlist a professorFind something you’re genuinely curious about as a reason to talk. People, even professors (!), tend to be flattered when others express interest in something that is important to them. You can use the words, “I’m trying to understand…” as a way to start these conversations.

Some other examples might include: •Youmentioned…inyourlecture.I’mtryingtobetterunderstandhowthisconnectsto… •Weworkedon…intheproblemset.I’mtryingtounderstandwhythistechniqueis

preferred over… •Beingaprofessorseemsinterestingtome.I’mtryingtobetterunderstandwhatitislike. •Canyoutellmeaboutwhatyoudo?Howyoudecidedtodothis?Whatelseyouhave

considered? Who you work with? •Thistopicisveryinterestingtome.I’mtryingtobetterunderstandthewaysthatit

connects to opportunities outside of academic work. Do you know about this or anyone who might?

•Ilearnedabitaboutyourresearchandamintriguedby…Canyoutellmemoreabout…

Your Board of Advisors

Here are some suggestions for insight youcould gain:

Family—know you deeply and over time

Friends—see where you thrive and struggle

Professors—have insight into your academic mind

Coaches—challenge you to overcome obstacles

Advisors—contribute to your decision-making process

Community Leaders—see your passions engaged

Peers—have worked alongside you

Supervisors—have had to give you constructive feedback

Duke Alums—have a common experience

The CareerDevelopment Process

SELF

INQUIRY SE

LF-IN

QU

IRY

Uncover What Drives You Through a process of self-inquiry, you will gain insight into your values, interests, skills, personality, and what you have learned from unique experiences. These are the critical data that will drive your career planning and development.

Self-Inquiry is not a one-time event. It is the best way to start thinking about your career and a place to return when contemplating transitions and significant decisions about your career. As you grow and change with new experiences and exposure to new ideas, you will return to this process many times. The more aligned your career decisions are with who you know yourself to be, the more likely you will feel fulfilled and successful.

Benefits of Self-InquiryYou will make well-informed decisions to set yourself up for the outcomes that matter to you throughout your career.You will better articulate your strengths and interests to others who can offer valuable guidance, connections, and opportunities.

Assess your Values, Skills, Interests, and PersonalityValues, skills, interests, and personality are lenses through which you can look at your life experience. Each is a different view into you. Use these viewpoints to identify patterns that naturally emerge through the choices you make. The exercises on the following page can help you get started. A career counselor can help you interpret and learn from your responses.

Remember! This is only a starting point. Look beyond the guide to other Career Center resources for more.

Personality

Values

Skills

Interests

10

11

Communicating Clearly

Managing a Project

Collaborating towards a Goal

Writing Persuasively

Learning Quickly

Researching Thoroughly

Innovating

Compiling a Budget

Balancing Priorities

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

Your skills are the abilities that you possess. Skills are developed and improved with practice and over

time, though they can be influenced by a natural knack or unique talent. Communicating your skills in

a way that builds confidence requires that you give evidence of your past exposure and success.

Exercise: Using the list below for inspiration, come up with ten skills that describe your current

strengths. Next, come up with ten that describe those you expect will be important in your fields of

interest. How do they compare? Note overlaps as well as gaps.

Inventory Your SkillsValues are the principles that we find important

and influence the way we live our daily lives.

Our identification with specific values tends not

to grow or diminish instantly or dramatically but

evolve over time.

Exercise: Rank the list of values below in

order of importance for you. Use the blanks to

incorporate values beyond what is included here.

____Variety

____Loyalty

____Fun

____Structure

____Influence

____Recognition

____Creativity

____Financial Compensation

____Job Security

____Having Visible Impact

____Intellectual Stimulation

____Colleague Relationships

____Independence

____Being an Expert

____Respect

____Taking Risks

____Relationships

____Learning

____ ___________________________

____ ___________________________

____ ___________________________

Explore Your Values

Interests run the range from a passing curiosity to something with consistent

and lifelong appeal. Your interests can include your passions, hobbies, and

curiosities. Your career can evolve to include the interests that you have not

yet pursued as much as those to which you are already committed.

Exercise: Psychologist John Holland identified these six areas of

occupational interest. Rank this list from the most to least descriptive of the

patterns in your interests.

______ Realistic Practical: Enjoy practical and physical;

engage with tools, machines, and gadgets

______ Investigative Analytical: Enjoy gathering information and

analysis; appreciates intellectual activities

______ Artistic Creative: Enjoy aesthetics and self-

expression; favor unstructured environments

______ Social Connected: Enjoy helping, training, and

counseling; thrive side-by-side with others

______ Enterprising Influential: Enjoy persuasion and managing;

prefer to lead

______ Conventional Systematic: Enjoy details and accuracy;

comfortable within a chain of command

Identify Your Interests

Assess Your PersonalityYour personality is unique to you and includes inherent traits as well as

habits that you’ve acquired over time in realms like gathering information,

making decisions, and relating to others. Better understanding

characteristics of your personality can help you to articulate the

circumstances under which you thrive, or natural strengths that you can

utilize, regardless of your environment.

Exercise: Describe yourself at your best and most natural in response to

these prompts.

What energizes you? _______________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

How do you gather information? _____________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

What guides your decisions? _________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

What approaches do you use to conduct your life? _______________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

11

12

Review your Experience

REVI

EW

With a little distance (or a lot!) from the collection of your past activities, you can continue to discern the patterns and designs that make up the mosaic of your life’s experiences. And

while distance certainly comes with time, you can put some space between yourself and an ongoing experience through active, ongoing reflection, e.g., journaling.

To get started, make a list of memorable experiences. Include experiences you consider rewarding as well as those you consider disappointing. Make room for those that may seem irrelevant, unimportant, or too far in the past.

Feel free to use the following list of kinds of experiences to help you brainstorm:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

•On-campusjobs•Academicprojects•Research•Internships•Studyabroad•Politicalactivities

•Sports•Volunteerengagements•Campusleadership•Studentclubs•ROTC•Jobshadowing

•Faithcommunity commitments•Hobbies/recreational activities•Entrepreneurialventures•Vacations

For each experience you list, consider the following questions:

What led you to choose that experience?

Why did you choose that experience over others?

What, if anything, did you sacrifice when choosing that experience? How did you feel about making that sacrifice?

Who and/or what influenced your choosing that experience?

What did you especially like/dislike about that experience (consider activities, people, environment, etc)?

What skills and personal characteristics did you demonstrate or develop during that experience?

How was that experience connected or disconnected from other past and subsequent experiences?

What was most memorable about that experience?

Next Steps and Selected Resources: Self-Inquiry

•Useacareercounselingappointmenttobeginexposingpatternsinyourvalues,skills, interests, and personality. (http://goo.gl/q72KX)

•VisittheCareerCenterwebsiteforanexpandedsetofself-inquiryexercises.Self-Inquiry Guide (http://goo.gl/4b2MD)

•ConsiderthequestionsidentifiedintheNineDomainstoFindYourFit(Page 21).

•SeekinputfrommembersofyourBoardofAdvisors(Page9).

13

REVI

EWTake a moment to reflect on why you chose to apply and come to Duke.

This decision was likely influenced by a number of factors such as advice from family, interest in a specific academic program, scholarships or financial aid, campus life and sports, geographic location, a campus visit, and others. You may wish to use the diagram below to recall the various factors that influenced YOUR decision. Feel free to create more bubbles if necessary!

Making Career Decisions

Looking at the factors that were involved, mark those that were the strongest influence on this important decision and consider the following questions:

What does this specific decision teach you about your decision-making style?Have the influences and factors in your decision-making process changed since deciding on Duke? How and why?Are these the factors that drive most of your important decisions? What differs? How and why?With hindsight, do you notice anything significant you may have overlooked at the time? Would you bring different information to the table?

Remember! You can always choose to approach future decisions differently. This exercise reveals some of your past patterns and you can use this information to determine how to move forward.

Taking Career RisksIn addition to all of these factors, go back and think about yourself as a risk taker. What kind of risk taker have you been? Were there elements of deciding to be here that involved a leap of faith? What about other options that you set aside in order to be here? Were they more risky? Less?

Taking measured risks by putting yourself out into the world to discover how you fit is a critical part of career discovery. We encourage you to build upon a series of comfortable risks over time, and to learn to identify your boundaries as you go. The series of decisions you make over time can be exhilarating—do not let risk be paralyzing!

Photo: andy_cp16

Next Steps and Selected Resources: Self-Inquiry

EXPL

ORA

TIO

NDiscover Opportunities

READ

TALK

Be a savvy information consumer and research careers while approaching information critically. Embrace a variety of sources and exploration methods to gain deeper insight into new possibilities. Like your academic coursework, you must continuously assess the reliability, validity, and bias of your sources. As your perspective widens, so do your choices.

Look through a professional lens.You can learn a lot about your areas of interest from your computer screen or a print publication. Some key patterns you’ll want to narrow in on include:•Where do people in this field go for professional news and

updates? For jobs and internships?•Whatmemberships,affiliations,orcertificationsare

common or relevant?•What qualities or experiences are (in)consistent in the

histories or profiles of the people who impress you?

Some ideas for information sources:•Websites•Blogs•DiscussionBoards•TradeJournals•ReferenceBooks•MemoirsandBiographies

Words of warning! Do not get stuck here. A good exploration strategy will get you talking and doing, too.

Learn through others’ experiences.Explore fields of interest through conversations with people whose work intrigues you. Put yourself in their shoes and see how well they fit!

Consider any encounter a chance to have such a conversation. No need to wait for the perfect situation or a formal career-related event. A waiting room, grocery store line, or a family gathering are all great places to gain insight from others about their careers.

Take It to the Next Level: Informational Interviewing Informational interviewing is a great conversational tool for gaining a personal and practical perspective on your career interests and building relationships with individuals in fields you may choose to pursue.

With informational interviewing, the ball is in your court. Here are the basics:Identify individuals whose personal career path, organization, or broader field of work interests you. Feel free to start with people in your inner circle. After all, do you really know what your uncle does at his cool sounding job everyday or why your favorite professor chose her field of research? Introduce yourself or ask a mutual acquaintance to make an introduction to someone you do not know. Email is one appropriate way to do this. Consider friends’ parents, Duke alums, or professionals in your community. Briefly explain your curiosity about their work.

Ask for 30 minutes to speak with them about it at a time and location convenient for them (a phone call is also an option, but an online conversation is not). Be punctual, prepared, and professional in your dress and demeanor for the meeting. See below for suggested questions.Take notes while being sure to focus on building rapport and making eye contact.Request referrals to others who would be willing to share information.Keep the conversation on schedule to acknowledge that their time is valuable!Express your gratitude at the conclusion of the conversation and through a thoughtful thank-you note afterwards.

Great Questions for Any Career Conversation:•Howdidyougetstartedinthisfield?Arethere

other entry points as well?•WillIneedmoreformaltrainingtoapplyfor

positions in this field? What organizations provide training on the job?

•Whatdoyoulikemost/leastaboutyourwork?•Whatqualitiesandskillsareneeded?•Whatarethepossibilitiesforadvancement?•Whatnewdevelopmentsareexpectedinthefieldin

the next three to five years?•Whatdoyoureadtokeepinformedofevents,

issues, and openings in your field?•Whatdoesatypicaldaylooklikeforyou?

Be sure to take stock of your impressions as you make new career discoveries.•Whatareyoumotivatedtoexplorefurtherandwhy?•Areyoulearningthingsthataredifferentthanyouexpected,andhowdoyoufeelaboutthisnewpicture?•Didyoudiscoversomethingthatinterestedyouinsomewaysbutnotinothers?•What aspects of the experience were you drawn to, and what aspects were unappealing, and why?•Whatelsedoyouwantandneedtoknow?•Arethereobviousthingstolearnnextthatwillhelpyouunderstandothercomponents?

Here are some suggested strategies with increasing levels of risk and reward. Be sure to employ all three categories to be comprehensive.

14

15

DO!You define experience.Your opportunity to reality-test some of the thing you have learned from others is now! Think broadly and creatively about what defines experience and you will discover ways that you can dabble in new realms or continue to build your expertise. For example, many writers build and maintain a topical blog to develop their craft, as well as display passion and knowledge on a defined topic.

Here are some other ideas:•Asktoshadowandobservesomeoneduringanormalworkday.•Offertovolunteerforanorganization,anevent,orapersontodevelopspecificabilities.•Developyourexperienceinaclubtoshowcaseyourstrengths.•Inventaprojectandoffertodoitforsomeone,ordoitforyou.•Createwaysyoucancontributetoresearchorworkthatintriguesyou.•Secureaninternshipduringtheschoolyear.

“I don’t need to explore… I already know what I want!” Are you sure? We bet you’re not finished yet—exploration builds upon itself, so this might be your opportunity to become more refined in your professional and personal knowledge.

You may use these questions to guide your learning in order to become the most competitive candidate possible:

You may be considering graduate school because you are passionate about a particular intellectual endeavor or because you know you need a certain set of credentials to move forward in your career development. Depending on your goals and interests, an advanced degree may be an option to consider. Before taking this step for granted, take time to think about the reasons you would pursue graduate school, what you would expect to gain, whether it is the best way to achieve your goals, and when you would be ready to make the commitment of time and financial resources.The following are some important factors to account for when considering this weighty decision:

•Theclarityofyourshort-andlong-termcareer goals

•Yourexpectationsaroundhowagraduate education would help you advance some of your goals

•Whethergraduateeducationisthebest way to achieve your desired outcomes and whether there are strong alternatives, e.g., licensures

•Yourabilityandwillingnesstotakeonassociated financial burdens

•Yourcomfortwithputtingotherinterestsand goals on hold to meet the demands of your program

•Kindsofprogramsthatwouldbestmeetyour goals

Whether you seek to practice a profession that requires a specific advanced degree or are interested in a path where there is a less definitive need for such, the issues above are critical. While the majority of Duke undergraduates eventually go on to pursue advanced degrees, such a decision should be based on individual circumstances, interests, and goals.If you have decided that an advanced degree is right for you, the next step is to contact the appropriate resource at Duke to assist you:http://trinity.duke.edu/advising/ preprofessional

•OfficeofHealthProfessionsAdvising•PrelawAdvisingOffice•PreBusinessAdvisingOffice•PregraduateAdvising

The Graduate School Option

Who•Create a detailed profile of the person

who would thrive in the role(s) to which you aspire? Can you do this yet?

•Arethereareasforyourownimprovement?

What•Whatsourcesofinformationand

relationships do the professionals in this field use to keep up with news, trends, and colleagues? Are you paying attention to these, regularly?

•Whatarethestrategiesusedinthisfieldto identify and bring on new talent? What are there motivators, timelines, resources, strategies, or techniques that you need to be aware of?

When•WhenareimportanteventsthatI

should make myself aware of, e.g., a conference?

•Whenisthetypicalhiringcycle?Arethere things that I should prepare for?

Where•Wherearetheareasofchangeand

excitement? Where do experts predict the field will be in the next five years, 10 years, 20 years?

•HowdoIpositionmyselftobepartofthis?

Why•Whydopeoplegointothisfield,

initially? Does it remain the same or change over time?

•Whydopeopleleaveorcomeback?Are there patterns to notice here?

How•Howdidyoudecidethatthiswasyour

best option? •Howhaveyouchallengedortested

this choice?

16

Next Steps and Selected Resources: Exploration

•Useacareercounselingappointmenttodevisearesearchgameplan.Work with a counselor to identify the best resources to use first. (http://goo.gl/q72KX)

•ParticipateinTheFannieMitchellExpert-in-ResidenceProgram, year-round, (http://goo.gl/310Sc) and

The Fannie Mitchell event, early spring semester, (http://DukeExchange.com) to learn from Duke alums

visiting campus.

•UsetheOccupationalNetwork(online.onetcenter.org), especially the “skills search” to match job titles to your interests.

•Identifyandreachouttoavariety of professionals using DukeConnect (www.DukeConnect.com) and by joining the “Duke University Alumni Network” group after making a profile on LinkedIn (www.LinkedIn.com).

•FamiliarizeyourselfwiththevarietyofinformationresourcesavailabletoyouasaDukestudent.A few to get you started:

Informational Interviewing Guide (http://goo.gl/Di0rS)Learn about the job or sector while building your network.

Job & Career Research Library Guide (http://guides.library.duke.edu/careerresearch)A thorough overview of the best research tools available across Duke.

GoinGlobal (http://goo.gl/oO08L)Essential insights and resources for exploring by location, domestically or abroad.

eRecruiting (http://goo.gl/4L2kF) Register for Career News and email lists that match your interests.

1717

Picture a delicious buffet with your favorite dishes as well as delicacies that you have

heard of but never had the opportunity to try. Food and drink from around the globe,

each prepared to perfection. How do you approach this buffet?

Would you start at the beginning piling on everything that looks delicious as it passes

before you? But then you would be too full to enjoy your favorite dessert at the end.

You could take only a tiny taste of a few things to keep your options open, only to

find yourself still hungry in the end. Perhaps you are already imagining another, more

strategic approach as you read.

When it comes to the vast and tantalizing smorgasbord of experiences accessible to

Duke students, it is not difficult to understand why Dukies tend to behave like hungry

diners piling their plates as high as possible. We know that one of the reasons you were

admitted to Duke was because of your diverse experiences, which demonstrated that you

were an intellectually curious and interesting person.

You may deftly balance your overloaded plate, but are you getting the most enjoyment and benefit from your meal? Or is

your palete overrun by all of the flavors and textures, unable to distinguish savory from sweet, crisp from creamy? Do you

conclude your meal feeling satiated or stuffed? Well nourished or just full?

Let’s go back to the buffet. What’s your best strategy?

Scan your options. Based on what you know about your tastes and preferences, what must you have? Do you see

anything that hadn’t previously piqued your curiosity but does now? What dishes are available that you have not seen or

heard of before now?

Make your selections and enjoy. Choose a balance of nutritious and indulgent options, old favorites and something new.

Not too many selections on one plate—you can always go back for more! Taste each item on its own, then see how the

flavors blend or complement each other. Enjoy slowly and savor.

Assess your satisfaction. Are you still hungry? Was your anticipated favorite less tasty than you had hoped? Leave it on

the plate to save room to eat something else.

Go back for more. You are even more prepared this time around. You know what you like and what you have yet to try.

You have gotten feedback about the things that others have enjoyed. Your preferences are more specific and you are

scanning for particular items that will satisfy you.

Talk about the meal. After leaving the meal you are still talking about it. What did you like and why? Did you skip anything

appealing because you were no longer hungry? Would something else have helped round out the meal for you? Would

you go back for more? If so, what would you have? What would you pass over?

Your career development process is like a buffet. It entails tasting and trying, learning what you like and what you find

unappealing, and even experiencing moments of hunger and excess. You are also learning how to satiate an appetite that

changes with time, and how to get more out of your experience by discussing and reflecting with others.

Bon appétit!

Photo: fazen

Making the Most ofthe Experience Buffet

Test Your Strengths and Interests in the World

Think Differently About Experience

Duke students are renowned for being super-involved on and off of campus; filling their schedules with research, volunteer work, student organizations, creative endeavors, entrepreneurial ventures, studying abroad, internships. You name it, Duke students are doing it!

With each experience you select, you are choosing to develop and utilize particular skills, work with or for certain people, function within a specific structure and environment, acquire particular kinds of knowledge, and grapple with particular problems. The Career Center recommends you examine each of your opportunities to better understand:

What you want to learn or gain?How you want to challenge yourself? What you want to do more (or less) of? What curiosities do you want to satisfy?

By looking at your array of choices with a critical eye, you will be well equipped to determine your next steps, whether your goal is to enhance current knowledge and skills or set forth in a newly-discovered direction.

Once you have determined what you want to learn next by reflecting on your past experiences and future aspirations, there are many ways to pursue your immediate goals. Opportunities abound on campus and in the local community to develop specific knowledge and skills, to build relationships, and to generate further insight about who you are becoming. The key is to be discerning in your choices: the value of any given experience can only be measured in relation to YOUR unique goals and interests.

The list below suggests some of the avenues for gaining experience. Keep in mind that no single club, project, or activity has a monopoly on the knowledge and skill development you seek!

EXP

ERIE

NC

EA

CQ

UIS

ITIO

N

•Studentorganizations(activeparticipation

and/or leadership)

•Communityengagementandvolunteering

•Researchwithaprofessor

•Independentresearch

•Jobshadowing

•Entrepreneurialventures

•Significantprojects,inclassorout

•Athletics

•Hobbies

•Honorsthesis

•Campusandnationalcompetitions

•Tutoring

•Military

18

19CAREER GUIDE // 19

Career Center advisors are eager to talk with you about how these and other experiences may bethe right fit for your personal priorities and interests.

InternshipsThink of internships as a broad set of additional experiences that may complement your on- and off-campus activities and coursework or help you bridge gaps in your exploration, learning, and development. Internships are most often explicitly pre-professional in nature and are one more tool for gaining self-insight, knowledge and skills.

As with your other activities and courses, it is essential that you take a critical approach when pursuing and selecting from the range of internship choices. There is no objective measure for a good internship. The best internships are those that align with your unique values, skills, interests, and personality and that make sense given what else you have learned and experienced thus far. As you learn more and clarify your interests with each experience, your priorities and goals will likely change. Over time, you may choose to mix and match a variety of internship experiences along with your coursework and other experiences to best meet your needs and interests.

Consider Professional FellowshipsThough many students only associate “fellowships” with academic pursuits, professional fellowships are a great option for those seeking short-term work experience, training, and mentorship after graduation. These competitive opportunities—found throughout the world—are typically geared toward cultivating young leaders in various professional fields. As such, they can serve as a fantastic springboard for your career.

For more information about post-graduate professional fellowships, make an appointment with a

career counselor and explore from our website: http://goo.gl/A0f28

For academic fellowships, e.g., Rhodes Scholars Program, the Office of Undergraduate Scholars and Fellows at Duke and its website are excellent resources.

Start Investigating Internships•Meetwithacareercounselortoclarifywhatyouhope

to learn from an internship and develop a personalized strategy—the earlier you begin the conversation, the better! Continue periodic check-in meetings throughout your exploration and search.

•RequesttimetotalkwithmembersofyourBoardofAdvisorsfor advice and perspective. Keep your advisors up to date throughout your exploration and search.

•Talktootherstudentsabouttheirinternshipexperiences.

88% of Duke seniors responding to a 2011

survey reported having had at least one internship

before graduation.

Stretch your summer dollar! There are many

options if you act early: Apply for competitive funding to cover your

costs, stay close to home, take on a part-

time, paid job alongside an internship, or build up your savings before

the summer begins.

19

20

Next Steps and Selected Resources:

Experience Acquisition

?20

•Scheduleacareercounselingappointmenttoidentifystepstowardexperiencesthat strategically align with your curiosities. (http://goo.gl/q72KX)

•CreateanaccountandsetuppersonalizedsearchesineachoftheseDukedatabases to become more aware of the options.

eRecruiting(http://goo.gl/4L2kF)

iNet(http://goo.gl/FSG0A)

UCAN(http://goo.gl/4IutS)

•UseDukeList (dukelist.duke.edu) to identify volunteer, research, and work opportunities at Duke.

•Attendacareerfair. (http://goo.gl/6ERiS)

•Lookforleadsandideasusing these consolidated lists:

Internship Series Online(http://goo.gl/0BKMl)

Internship Feedback Database(http://goo.gl/hgAFk)

e-leads(http://goo.gl/3IUQh)

21

Next Steps and Selected Resources:

Experience Acquisition

?It is both challenging and exciting to imagine your career options. For one thing, your career is and will continue to be multi-faceted, just like you! Whether you are working on your next move, or figuring out your longer-term aspirations, you will gain traction by fleshing out nine intersecting domains, or elements, that comprise your career.

Spend time with the questions below; each refers to a specific domain related to your personal career fulfillment. You do not need to work all of this out in one sitting, but we do encourage you to put your thoughts on paper. Free yourself to be in the present moment with an understanding that your answers to these questions will change over time. This can be a great starting point for an intentional conversation with a career counselor or member of your Board of Advisors (Page 9).

Domains:

Knowledge: In what areas of knowledge, intellectual, personal, experiential, can you claim a particularly strong grasp and find great enjoyment?What do you want to learn next? What do you ultimately want to know?

Skills: What can you do well? Among your capabilities, which do you enjoy using? Which do you prefer NOT to use? What skills do you wish to acquire in the short- and long-term?

Goals: What do you want to accomplish in the short- and long-term?

Values:What are your personal and work values and how do you want them to intersect with your work?Which of your values do you want to hold in common with the people with whom you work?

Environment:In what physical environments do you thrive?In what physical environments do you struggle?

Relationships:What types of relationships do you want in your work (with colleagues, managers, constituents, customers, etc.)?Who do you envision your colleagues to be?

Compensation:What kind of financial compensation do you need or want?What sorts of benefits or perks are important to you?What do you want to learn in your work?What are the sources of your joy?

Location:Where do you want to be?What geographic factors are important to you?

Challenges and Barriers:What real difficulties do you see ahead for you?

Nine Domains to Find Your Fit

? ? ???????

?

?

?

??

SEA

RCH

SKI

LLS

Ready to move forward with your search? Here are a few characteristics that successful and savvy experience seekers possess and implement throughout the search process. These characteristics apply whether you are pursuing an internship, job, volunteer role, fellowship, or membership in a student organization.

Successful seekers REFLECT! Time to search for an opportunity. But wait! What type of experience are you seeking? Why? Take time to think carefully about your skills, strengths, likes/dislikes, and what you want to learn next. Being able to articulate the above will allow you to conduct a search with purpose and direction, ultimately saving you time and minimizing frustration. Reflection is a key component that should be used throughout the process.

Successful seekers conduct a TARGETED SEARCH! Pursuing any and every opportunity you find will produce results that may not align with the direction you would like to head with your career. Target organizations and industries that are of genuine interest to you and tailor your approach (resume, cover letter, proposal, and pitch) to reflect the experiences and skills most relevant and salient for those opportunities.

Successful seekers RESEARCH! You may know the top five employers in your industry of interest, but who are the top 10? Top 20? Don’t limit your knowledge of the world to what you already know. Take time to expand upon this base of knowledge and learn about opportunities and experiences that are interesting to you. Researching organizations and employers allows you to learn about their culture, values, and specific opportunities for career development. Your research will help you determine whether or not there is a potential fit between you and the opportunity or organization, helping you make an informed decision about your next step!

Successful seekers are ORGANIZED! Some searches are especially time consuming. You should anticipate spending several hours a week on your internship, job, or fellowship search. The same may be true of other opportunities. Develop a system that allows you to keep all of your contacts and notes in one place and keep a calendar of relevant events and deadlines. Consider having an email address, folder, or use tags dedicated to your search-related communications. Store your search-related documents electronically in a centralized folder so they are easy to access if needed immediately.

Successful seekers have ENDURANCE and PATIENCE! Since some searches can last several months, be prepared to participate in a process that may not always agree with your preferred timeframe. We are used to immediate gratification in our society, but each organization, employer, or funder works at their own pace for legitimate (if obscure) reasons. As a candidate for the opportunity, you will benefit from being aware of and sensitive to this fact.

Characteristics of a Savvy Internship and Job Seeker

22

Are You Search Savvy?

2323

Successful seekers FOLLOW UP! Following up on your applications and conversations can be the difference between securing an opportunity and remaining in an undifferentiated pile of resumes. By following up, you can confirm that your application is in the right hands, restate your serious interest in the position, and demonstrate follow-through skills so important in professional roles. As with all communications with employers, it is critical to act in a timely, professional, and courteous manner. While you may be eager to know the status of your application, be aware that they may not be able to provide much information at any given time. Your follow-up will nonetheless make a positive impression.

Successful seekers MANAGE SETBACKS WITH POSITIVITY! Being told “no” in your search is never fun, but it’s bound to happen at some point. Rejection can hinge on a number of factors, many of which are out of the your control. While rejection can be frustrating, it is very important to remain positive and not let a setback with one opportunity effect how you present yourself for another prospective experience. Transform rejection into motivation, staying confident that you have many strong characteristics to contribute.

Successful seekers project PROFESSIONALISM AND MATURITY! You are more than the sum of your skills

and previous experiences. Professionalism and maturity can take you a long way. As you connect with people throughout your search, there are many opportunities to demonstrate this, including how you communicate and present yourself.

23

Are You Search Savvy?

Intentional, sustained, and effective networking is a

powerful tool when searching for interesting internships,

jobs, and other experiences. It can significantly augment

other methods for learning about and pursuing career

options, such as on-campus recruiting, social networking,

and online searches.

Believe it or not, networking is something you already

do well! Think about your first weeks on campus,

meeting fellow students and exchanging information

related to your discoveries about Duke life, (bus routes,

campus dining facilities, interesting activities, great

professors, etc.). By sharing information, you were

assisting or receiving help yourself (getting from East

to West Campus on time, finding something fun to do

on Thursday night, etc.). Beyond information, perhaps

you introduced your math-whiz roommate with your

calculus-confused friend for some informal tutoring. Exchanging useful information and seeking and creating helpful introductions are the essence of networking.

The Value of NetworkingStrategically connecting with people enables you to:

•Gaininsiderknowledgeandinsightintothecareer

field, industry, or organization and the day-to-day

experiences, career paths, terminology, organizational

culture, sources of industry information, and more.

•Buildconfidenceovertimeinspeakingaboutyourself,

career interests, and future goals.

•Expandthenumberofpeopleyouknowwhoare

doing things you are curious about.

•Learnaboutopportunities,sometimesbeforethey

become publicized (Note: Networking is NOT the

same as asking for a job).

•Refineyourgoals,makewell-informeddecisions

in your search, and make a positive impression

on employers and those who are evaluating your

candidacy.

Professional Networking

24

25

Managing Your Online ReputationYou know that employers use the Internet to research potential job candidates. Thus, a necessary part of any job or internship search is to create and maintain a positive online reputation. Use the following steps to move from damage control towards proactive ownership of your online first impression.

Increase Your Awareness. Be sure you know what information is or could be available about yourself online, where it is, and what impression it may create.

•Search your name (and different versions of it) on the major search engines, on different social networks, and sites where you comment. A few not-so-obvious sites to check: Tumblr, Netflix, Flickr, Match, Pinterest, Amazon, Yelp.

•Know the privacy agreement and settings for the various online communities of which you are a member.

•Request feedback from peers and professionals on impressions based your online presence alone. Would they hire you? Why or why not?

•Familiarize yourself with sites where your potential colleagues or supervisors gather and participate online.

Protect Your Image. Ensure potential employers only see information that conveys a positive image. You do not want them to question your professionalism, judgment, or ability to represent their organization.

•Adjust the privacy settings for all online accounts. •Remove content and tags that could negatively

influence a potential employer’s first impression. •Hide or delete old accounts that do not best represent

you. •Request that information about you posted by others

be removed if you are opposed to it.

Build a Professional Presence. Present your name, accomplishments, and aspirations in ways that can be accessible to others.

•Use social networks to create and maintain a public profile that represents your accomplishments and a sense of the professional you are becoming and you are comfortable with the public seeing.

•Display a copy of your resume and a portfolio of your accomplishments online.

•Promote your profiles and/or website, e.g., add a link to your email signature.

•Contribute to conversations relevant to your fields of interest through media like blogs, LinkedIn groups, and/or Twitter.

Own Your Presence. Assert greater control of your online identity by owning it yourself.

•Create a personal website that serves as a professional resume and portfolio. Update this regularly with new content.

•Continue your activities online and watch your name and professional identity become more prominent in search engines. Set a goal to take over the whole first page of Google when someone searches your name.

Networking BasicsWith practice comes improvement. Ever hear the phrase, “fake it ‘till you make it?” No one needs to know that you’re nervous or that you’ve never done this before. On the other hand, if it makes you more comfortable, feel free to tell people this is new for you. It’s okay. Even after years of practice, introducing yourself to someone new can feel risky. But it is worth it. Students we talk to most commonly say that their level of nervousness far exceeded the actual task, and that the conversation was fun! Just remember that almost any interpersonal encounter can be an opportunity for intentional networking.•Know yourself: skills, interests, values, personality, and

accomplishments.•Make a list of your current relationships—personal,

professional, academic, and beyond. Add Duke alums to your list! Your first-degree contacts will be instrumental in connecting you with other people you do not yet know, your second-degree contacts.

•Do not discount individuals because you think they do not know the right people. They do not need to be in the area you are pursuing to have valuable relationships to share.

•Create a plan for reaching out to your first-degree contacts and for keeping track of your communications. You might want to start with people who seem to have the closest connections to your interest area OR with those whom you feel most comfortable with. Either way will work. The point is to create a plan you can act on!

•Do your homework. Learn a little bit about each person you contact (profession, current projects, company, relevant personal information, etc.). Use the power of the Internet to your advantage.

•Draft and practice your opening communication (verbal introduction, email, etc.). Discuss this with a friend, career advisor, or someone from your Board of Advisors (Page 9).

•Make your move! Send an email first; follow with a phone call. Or simply CALL! Assign yourself a daily quota. Be persistent but not pushy.

•Follow up! Call again within a week if you receive no response. Arrange a meeting in person or by phone. Ask for 30 to 45 minutes only. You could get even luckier!

•Set the tone. Know and explain why you are calling and what you hope to learn (industry information, career exploration, job search advice, graduate or professional school guidance, etc.) You are NOT asking for a job.

•Ask for referrals. One of your most important questions is, “Whom do you recommend I contact for additional information?”

•Send a thank-you note within 48 hours! Email is OK! A personal letter can be very effective, too.

•Maintain connections. Nurture the relationships by staying in touch and letting them know where you land.

•Be patient. Networking yields results that often accumulate over time. Never stop networking!

26

Top Search Strategies Before you jump into your search, consider a few

recommendations that will help you to search

smart, manage your time, and implement an

effective plan.

•Asearchisalong-termprocess.Longer than

many people anticipate. Plan to spend four or

more months gearing up and implementing

a search for a full-time or highly competitive

internship opportunity. Many students have

compared this commitment to taking an

additional class.

•Setasidetimeonaregularbasis.Unlike

a paper or project that can be postponed or

worked on in surges, the best searches are

spread over time. Put time on your calendar each

week—an hour or so for downtime and several

hours during peak periods.

•Prioritizeyourinterests. Spend time exploring

to effectively target your search to your

interests. Three fantastic applications to great-fit

opportunities tend to reap more rewards than

100 scattershot applications.

•Learnwhatanoptimalcandidateprofileincludes. The better picture you have of the

person who would be selected for your desired

role, the more effective you will be at presenting

your own experiences. Utilize the three

exploration methods discussed earlier in this

guide to get a well-rounded view (Page 14).

•Practicepresentingyourselfinwritingandin conversation. Your ability to articulate what

you want and why comes only through reflection

and practice. Create opportunities to rehearse

before you find yourself in an interview for that

coveted position.

•Getfeedback.Have others read your resume

and guess what kind of position you are seeking.

Practice introducing yourself and expressing your

professional interests to family or friends. Ask

your roommate to role-play an interview with you.

•Trackyourprogress. Keep records so that you

know what applications and documents have

gone where and when. Track whom you have

talked to, when, how you have followed up, and

whether more follow up is expected. This helps

you when preparing for an interview or actively

managing your conversations and professional

relationships. It also gives you a record of your

progress for days that feel stalled.

Ethical Conduct in Your SearchWhile you are keeping track of all the elements of your search, be sure your ethical conduct remains a constant the whole way through. Should you have questions about the ethical thing to do in a given situation, please contact the Career Center. We are here to help clarify and explain whatever may seem muddy. If you are in a pinch for time, always err on the side of caution.

The following are expectations for how to conduct yourself in a way that is ethical so as to prevent situations that could result in a permanent scar on your professional reputation within an industry as well as damage to the reputation of Duke students as a whole:

Be 100 percent truthful and accurate on your resume. Embellishments and exaggerations are considered lying. Employers often look beyond candidates’ resumes to verify information that candidates have provided. Don’t falsify, stretch, or bend information such as your GPA, SAT scores, involvement in activities, leadership roles you have held, or results in competitions in which you have participated. On-Campus Recruiting Policy: Falsifying your resume may result in being reported to Duke’s Office of Student Conduct and subject to sanctions, being banned from the Career Center’s on-campus recruiting program permanently, and forfeiting employment opportunities.

Attend interviews to which you have committed. By agreeing to an interview (whether through eRecruiting, email, or phone), you are making a commitment. Should you need or desire to withdraw from an interview, timely notification is a must. On-Campus Recruiting Policy: You may remove yourself from an interview schedule no less than two business days prior to your interview. Students who withdraw any later or do not show up will be barred from the On-Campus Recruiting program. Reinstatement will require a letter of apology to the recruiter and a meeting with a Career Center staff member.

Communicate in a timely manner with employers. Don’t ignore phone calls and emails from employers as you go through the process of accepting or declining interviews or job offers. If you need more time when determining details such as start dates, relocation information, etc., it is best to be in touch, be straightforward about the reason for delay or uncertainty, and request more time.

Consider your verbal or written acceptance of an offer a binding contract. Reneging on an offer is when you accept an offer then turn it down. This behavior typically ends any chances of employment with that organization in the future. On-Campus Recruiting Policy: Students that renege on a job offer will have their eRecruiting account inactivated and will have to meet with Career Center staff to discuss the particular situation as well as take steps to repair the relationship with the employer.

End your search upon accepting a position. Once you have accepted a job or internship, whether verbally or in writing, you must terminate any other hiring-related activity with other employers. This includes contacting employers with whom you are scheduled to interview and removing yourself from candidate pools. On-Campus Recruiting Policy: Continuing to pursue other opportunities once you have accepted a position is a violation of the Career Center’s On-Campus Recruiting policies. Your account in eRecruiting will be deactivated and you will be expected to meet with a Career Center staff member to discuss the situation and to work on repairing the relationship with the organization.

28

It is important to understand the value in using multiple strategies as you think about connecting with employers. At the beginning of a search, much of the contact with employers begins with you, the job seeker,

being proactive in making the first contact. As you begin hearing back from employers, it is just as important to respond to them in a timely manner. Your communication with employers should embody professionalism and maturity, right down to your email address and the message on your voicemail. And keep in mind, even during the process of connecting with employers, your candidacy is being evaluated.

Use the following as an introduction to some of the resources and programs available to you and find more detail on the Career Center website.

eRecruiting Search and Apply for Internships and JobsDuke eRecruiting is a job and internship database exclusive to Duke students. You can search this dynamic system for local opportunities during the school year, national and international summer internships, and post-graduation positions.

iNet and UCAN Selective Access to More Internship ListingsiNet and UCAN are dynamic databases containing listings for thousands of unique internships throughout the United States and abroad. Developed in partnership with two groups of selective colleges and universities, these databases enable the Career Center to expand experiential opportunities for Duke students.

Career Fairs The Career Center hosts or sponsors a variety throughout the year. Whether you are actively seeking a position or casually exploring options, a career fair is an excellent opportunity for you to:

•Learnaboutspecificorganizationsandthekindsofcandidatestheyareseeking.•Explorecareerfieldsthatmaybeofinteresttoyou.•Gainconfidencenetworkingwithemployers,someofwhomareDukealums.

2013-2014 Career Fairs:Fall Career Fair ...........................................................................September 11

Nonprofit & Government Career Fair ...............................October 17

Career & Summer Opportunities Fair ................................January 23

Just-in-Time Career Fair ..........................................................April 9

Keep an eye on our website for information about additional fairs. (http://goo.gl/6ERiS)

Connect with Employers

28

Employer Information Sessions Some employers choose to hold information sessions to build awareness about their organizations and positions (internships and jobs) they are seeking to fill. These sessions are meant to be educational for any student who is considering positions at these organizations. Information sessions are also useful for students who are simply exploring career paths and want to learn more about specific industries.

Make a great impression on employers at their information sessions!•Dresstoimpress!Abusinesssuitorbusinesscasualattireisappropriate.Forcertainorganizations,

demonstrating an understanding of their brand and image is also important.•Prepareandaskthoughtfulquestionsthatindicateyouhavedoneresearchontheemployer.•Arriveontime!•Comeearlyorstaylatetointroduceyourselftoarecruiteronaone-on-onebasis.

StanbackI N T E R N S H I P P R O G R A M

G a i n i n g s k i l l s . T r a i n i n g t a l e n t . G r o w i n g g r e e n .

The Stanback Internship Program is open

to ALL continuing Duke students. Graduate,

undergraduate, and international students

wanted. No environmental experience required

for many positions.

Apply in late January via Duke University

duke.experience.com • search for STANBACK

Blue Devils for Green InternshipsBecome a Stanback Intern

nicholas.duke.edu/career/stanbackstanback@nicholas.duke.edu

Stanback Internships offer YOU the opportunity to:

• Earn practical employment experience employers want to see on your resume

• Gain skills and knowledge that can not be learned in the classroom

• Develop key competencies and work characteristics that employers seek

• Establish a network of professional contacts, mentors, and references for after graduation

• Become a better communicator, critical thinker, team player, and self-managed learner

• Gain more confidence in your abilities, and learn how to get things done

• Do real work – no grunt work involved

• Be treated well in a friendly office

• Work with wonderful supervisors

• Earn $5,000

Career Center eRecruiting at:

understanding • adapt to new environments • listening • observing • establish rapport • function with a high level of ambiguity • take initiative and risks • utilize time management skills • identify problems • utilize available resources • solve the problems • accept responsibility • communicate despite barriers • handle difficult situations • handle stress • lead others • conduct research • self-reliance • high energy level/enthusiasm • overcome barriers • appreciation of diversity • perseverance • flexibility • open-mindedness • assertiveness • inquisitiveness • self-confidence • self-knowledge • independence • cross cultural teamwork • language and cultural knowledge • community based field work • global perspective • new academic context • service-learning • internships • experiential learning • new perspectives • global citizen • in depth knowledge of other customs, people and language • marketability • self-awareness • interdependence • expand circle of friends • understanding • adapt to new environments • listening • observing • establish rapport • function with a high level of ambiguity • take initiative and risks • utilize time management skills • identify problems • utilize available resources • solve the problems • accept responsibility • communicate despite barriers • handle difficult situations • handle stress • lead others • conduct research • self-reliance • high energy level/enthusiasm • overcome barriers • appreciation of diversity • perseverance • flexibility • open-mindedness • assertiveness • inquisitiveness • self-confidence • self-knowledge • independence • cross cultural teamwork • language and cultural knowledge • community based field work • global perspective • new academic context • service-learning • internships • experiential learning • new perspectives • global citizen • in depth knowledge of other customs, people and language • marketability • self-awareness • interdependence • expand circle of friends • understanding • adapt to new environments • listening • observing • establish rapport • function with a high level of ambiguity • take initiative and risks • utilize time management skills • identify problems • utilize available resources • solve the problems • accept responsibility • communicate despite barriers • handle difficult situations • handle stress • lead others • conduct research • self-reliance • high energy level/enthusiasm • overcome barriers • appreciation of diversity • perseverance • flexibility • open-mindedness • assertiveness • inquisitiveness • self-confidence • self-knowledge • independence • cross cultural teamwork • language and cultural knowledge • community based field work • global perspective • new academic context • service-learning • internships • experiential learning • new perspectives • global citizen • in depth knowledge of other customs, people and language • marketability • self-awareness • interdependence • expand circle of friends • understanding • adapt to new environments • listening • observing • establish rapport • function with a high level of ambiguity • take initiative

Global education takeaways gofar beyond your resumé.

global.duke.edu/geo

3030

It is tempting to jump to the resume as the first step when kicking off your search process. However, the resume is a culminating effort, not a first step. It serves as a professional introduction that links your background and qualities to a specific opportunity. A successful resume will pique enough confidence and curiosity about you to secure an interview.

The key questions your resume answers for its readers are:

What are you capable of and what do you know?How well suited are you for the role that is being filled?

A carefully constructed, well edited, and focused resume will create a compelling depiction of your patterns of qualities, skills, and accomplishments in response to these underlying questions.

Five Tips for a Successful Resume

THINK CREATIVELY about experience. Your meaningful accomplishments will come from across a variety of endeavors in your life. Consider businesses you’ve run, projects that you complete, longstanding hobbies and pursuits, contributions you have made, or other defining experiences in your life. All of these can be aspects of your resume.

Format your resume with FIRST THINGS FIRST. The top and left-hand side of your resume are the most valuable spaces when someone is visually scanning your document and forming a first impression. Use the first section heading strategically to ensure that your most compelling experiences are at the top of the page. Thoughtfully choose verbs that are descriptive of your actions and contributions to start each bullet. Order your bullets so the most compelling comes first.

Illustrate your PATTERNS of success. Showcase the skills you have developed through experience, what you have learned or know through classroom or practical exposure, positive qualities you will bring to the work, and a mastery of the language and culture of the realms to which you apply.

Articulate the IMPACT of your contributions. Include measures of your success wherever possible. Use individual resume bullets to highlight your outcomes in ways that will resonate with the readers’ point of view. For example, use measurable, quantified results for a bottom-line-driven industry.

Write MULTIPLE RESUMES if you have multiple interests. Your varied interests may require equally varied presentations of you at your best. Change the categories, order, and descriptions of different experiences to ensure that unique readers of your resume recognize right away that you excel in areas that are meaningful to them.

The Curriculum Vitae: What do I need to know?Internationally, the terms curriculum vitae, CV, and resume may be used interchangeably. However, in the context

of academic or research-based work, a CV refers to a document with very specific content detailing the research,

teaching, and administrative expertise required of post-secondary faculty job applicants or of applicants for research

positions outside of academia.

The best resources for designing a CV are the Career Center counselors, the samples on the Career Center website,

or those found in The Academic Job Search Handbook by Julia Vick and Jennifer Furlong, available in the Career

Center Resource Room collection and at Perkins Library.

Writing a Resume

1)

2)

3)4)5)

30

31

FULLNAME  BIG&BOLD  Address     Best  Phone  Number       Best  Email  Address    Education  Duke  University     Durham,  NC  Your  Degree     Graduation  Month  and  Year  • What  have  been  your  meaningful  educational  accomplishments  while  at  Duke?  • Include  highlights-­‐  you  don’t  have  to  be  comprehensive.  • Consider  GPA,  honors,  study  abroad,  thesis,  projects,  research,  relevant  courses,  or  other  components    Other  Universities     Location  Degree  or  Program     Dates  of  Study  • What  were  the  main  benefits  to  you  inside  and  out  of  the  classroom?    High  School   Location  Degree,  GPA,  or  other  characteristics   Dates  of  Study  • What  were  your  primary  accomplishments,  educationally?    Specific  Experience  Category  #1  Interesting  Job   Location  Role   Dates  • Bullets  include  an  active  and  specific  verb  that  describes  this  contribution,  learning,  skills  or  outcome,  and  details  and  data  

that  make  it  tangible.  • Prioritize,  with  the  most  important  and  relevant  bullets  first.  • Use  concise  and  clear  language  and  industry-­‐specific  language  only  if  applying  to  that  industry.    Student  Organization   Location  Current  Role   Dates  • Write  about  being  elected  (what  for!)  or  ways  you  contribute  more  over  time.  Earlier  Role   Dates  • Include  a  variety  of  experiences  and  contributions;  no  need  to  replicate  information  in  similar  roles.    However,  repeating  

something  and  presenting  it  in  a  new  way  can  serve  as  an  enhancement.    Specific  Experience  Category  #2  Internship   Location  Role   Dates  • The  number  of  bullets  under  each  experience  does  not  need  to  be  consistent.    However,  the  space  that  something  takes  on  

the  resume  does  give  a  sense  of  its  level  of  importance.    Specific  Experience  Category  #3  Independent  Project   Location  Role     Dates  • Describe  your  initiative,  managing  a  huge  endeavor,  overcoming  obstacles,  getting  support  from  others,  and  other  

challenges  you  overcame  when  managing  something  new!    Skills  Language:  Computer:  Lab:    Interests  Highlight  unique  aspects  of  your  background,  personality,  or  attention  to  professional  topics.  

   

Anatomy of a Resume

No need to add a line about references being available. This has been seen on resumes, historically, but is no longer expected. Save that space for interesting content.

Someone may have to mail you documents or have your address for official correspondence. Keep your address simple. Only include multiple addresses if necessary.

This can include major, minor, certificates, specializations, or other degree components.

You can use this section to feature your study abroad experiences.

A high school section is most used by first and second year undergrads or those who attended schools with a large or passionate network of alumni.

Think creatively about how you design your categories. This is an opportunity to bring attention to patterns in your interests or skills. Look at example resumes more for ideas, but two general categories could be common type of organization, e.g., Media Experience or function, e.g. Research Experience.

Use a skills section to bring added attention to RELEVANT skills. Be sure these skills are evident throughout your resume as well.

e.g. researcher, founder, volunteer, consultant

31

32

Resume Samples

Haley Smith 300 Wilson, 9999 Campus Drive haley.smith@duke.edu 1 Wellstone Drive Box 92222, Durham, NC, 27708 (333) 129-3456 Saint Louis, MO 63124 EDUCATION Duke University, Durham, NC B.A. in English and Philosophy Minor: Spanish expected May 2014 expec

• GPA: 4.0/4.0 Relevant Coursework: Computer Programming with Artificial Life, The Philosophy of Feminist Classics, Spanish Writing, 20th Century American Literature

Watkins High School, Saint Louis, MO May 2010 • GPA: 4.0/4.0

HONORS/AWARDS Duke University Dean’s List with Distinction, Durham, NC Fall 2010 Mu Alpha Theta Club, Watkins High School, Saint Louis, MO Fall 2009 – Spring 2010

• Awarded for excellence in Mathematics Princeton Book Award, Watkins High School, St. Louis, MO Spring 2009

• Awarded for outstanding scholarship, character and community service Ram Pride Award, Watkins High School, St. Louis, MO Spring 2009

• Awarded by faculty member for honesty, responsibility and self-discipline JET Engineering Competition, St. Louis, MO Fall 2009

• Awarded for advanced skills in the sciences LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE Executive Board Member, Duke University Percussion Ensemble, Durham, NC Winter 2010 – Present

• Rehearse and perform with a 15-person percussion ensemble • Serve as secretary, copying and distributing music to other members • Collaborate with other board members to make executive decisions

President of Homework Club, Ladue Middle School, St. Louis, MO Fall 2009- Spring 2010 • Conducted tutorial sessions 3 times week • Delegated student tutor assignments • Successfully Recruited additional tutors throughout the year

Educative Program for Gifted Youth at Stanford University, Stanford, CA Summer 2009 Board Member, Nishmah Banot Board, St. Louis. MO Fall 2007 – Spring 2010

• Planned and oversaw events for young women in the Jewish community “It’s a Girl Thing: The Leadership Years” Program, St. Louis, MO Fall 2007 – Spring 2009 3rd Chair Member, Ladue Percussion Ensemble Symphonic Orchestra Fall 2003 – Spring 2010

• Rehearsed challenging pieces within a 10-person selective ensemble • Spent nine months perfecting and performing a final senior piece with two other colleagues

Company Ensemble Member, Arts in Motion Dance Studio, St. Louis, MO Fall 2002 – Spring 2010 VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE Duke PAWS (Promoting Animal Welfare Through Service), Durham, NC Spring 2011 – Present Tutor at Forrest Park Elementary School, Durham, NC Fall 2010 – Present Habitat for Humanity, Durham, NC Fall 2010 – Spring 2011 Washington University Dance Marathon, St. Louis, MO Fall 2008, 2009 & 2010 Jewish Food Pantry, Saint Louis, MO Fall 2008 – Spring 2009 Salvation Army, St. Louis, MO Fall 2006 – Fall 2007 WORK EXPERIENCE Busser and Server, IL Vicino Restaurant, Saint Louis, MO Spring 2010 – Fall 2011 Tutor, Conway Elementary School, St.Louis, MO Fall 2008 – Spring 2009 Server and Cashier, Saint Louis Frozen Custard Factory, St. Louis, MO Spring 2007 – Fall 2008

George  Duke    george.duke@duke.edu    

(999-­‐400-­‐7770)  School  Address:                                                              Home  Address:  Duke  University  East  Campus                                            6    Smith  Ave  PO  Box  99999                          Orange,  NY  10708  Durham,  NC  27708    EDUCATION  Duke  University,  Durham,  NC  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  Public  Policy  Studies                          expected  May  2013  Minor:  Economics   Certificate:  Markets  and  Management        GPA:  3.35    Orange  High  School,  Bronxville,  NY                                                          June  2009  Cumulative  GPA:  3.8/4.0,  SAT  Verbal:  710,  Math:  770,  Writing:  760    Columbia  University                            Summer  2008  Summer  course  on  US  Economy  and  Globalization  after  sophomore  year  in  HS,  Grade:  96/100    WORK  AND  LEADERSHIP  EXPERIENCE  Duke  Investment  Club,  Analyst                                          January  2011  -­‐  present  

• Completed  8-­‐week  course  on  markets,  fundamental  analysis,  excel  modeling,  and  research  methods  • Monitor  club  portfolio  • Research  and  pitch  ideas  for  new  investment  opportunities    

Duke  Business  Network,  Co-­Founder,  Director  Business  Development,  Executive  Editor            December  2010  -­‐  present    • Created  weekly  TV  program  that  covers  financial  news,  interviews  business  leaders,  and  has  recruiters  give  

advice  to  students  on  what  firms  look  for  in  applicants  • Develop  plan  for  each  week’s  show  and  recruit  leading  business  professionals  to  be  interviewed  

Joseph  Dioguardi  Senate  Campaign,  Campaign  Assistant                                                                      Summer  2010  • Strategized  with  Senior  campaign  staff  to  determine  best  locations  for  campaign  events  • Contacted  potential  donors  to  raise  money  for  campaign  • Collected  signatures  from  hundreds  of  registered  voters  to  get  candidate  on  the  ballot  

Orange  High  School,  Student  Government  Treasurer                                  2007  –  2009  • Created  excel  spread  sheets  to  jeep  track  of  Student  Government’s  expenses  • Developed  fund  raising  and  cost  cutting  strategies  turned  $4,000  deficit  into  $3500  surplus  

Rookie  Baseball  Camp,  Camp  Counselor                                          Summers  2006  –  2008  • Coached  team  of  14  players  ages  7-­‐13  • Responsible  for  planning  entire  schedule  for  team  each  day  

Breakfast  Club,  President                              2006  –  2009  • Organized  meetings,  purchased  materials  and  delivered  sleeping  bags  to  local  homeless  shelters  

JV  Basketball  Orange  High  School,  Captain                                                      2007  • Ran  off-­‐season  workouts  without  coaches  

 ACTIVITIES,  SKILLS,  &  INTERESTS  Duke  Young  Entrepreneurs                                                                            2012  –  Present  

• Participate  in  lectures  that  offer  advice  on  starting  new  businesses  

Language:  Intermediate  Spanish    

Travel:  Kenya,  Turkey,  Italy,  France,  England,  Hawaii,  Costa  Rica,  Peru,  Ecuador      

Hobbies:  Intramural  Sports  (Volleyball,  Basketball,  Baseball)  Fantasy  Baseball  and  Football,    Tennis,  Poker  (Won  several  small  Texas  Hold  ‘em  tournaments  in  North  Carolina  and  New  York)  

32

33

Lucia  T.  Rodriguez  206  North  Duke  Street,  Apt.  000    Durham,  NC  24700  

(999)  333-­‐4444    lucia.rodriguez@duke.edu    

 EDUCATION  

Duke  University,  Durham,  NC     May  2014Political  Science  Major,  Economics  Minor,  Ethics  Certificate                        GPA:  3.367   Deans’  List  (Spring  2012)  

   

WRITING  &  RESEARCH  EXPERIENCE    Duke  Women’s  Mentoring  Network,  Co-­Founder,  Durham,  NC     June  2010 – Present  

• Researched  mentoring  models,  developed  program  design,  wrote  detailed  memo  and  presented  proposal  to  senior  University  administrators  

• Negotiated  $12,000  annual  funding  from  Division  of  Student  Affairs;  secured  Women’s  Center  partnership    Duke  University  Chronicle,  Editorial  Board  Member,  Durham,  NC     Aug  2011  – Present  

• Contribute  opinions  to  &  regularly  write  the  daily  editorial  in  Duke’s  independent  student  newspaper  International  Institute  for  Conflict  Prevention  and  Resolution,  Intern,  New  York,  NY     June  –  Aug  2012    

• Published  articles  on  CPR  website  • Interviewed  party  counsel  for  evaluations  of  concluded  meditation  and  arbitration  proceedings  researched  and  

complied  exhaustive  content  for  new  webpage  profiling  ADR  in  Africa  Hague  Institute  for  the  Internationalization  of  Law,  Intern,  The  Hague,  Netherlands     May  –  Aug  2011  

• Designed  and  completed  independent  research  project  to  identify  and  list  all  references  to  court  decisions  from  foreign  jurisdictions  in  U.S.  Supreme  Court  decisions  in  past  20  years.    Results  included  in  conference  materials  in  annual  conference  on  “The  Changing  Role  of  Highest  Courts  in  an  Internationalizing  World”  

• Contributed  to  collective  effort  to  improve  and  finalize  substantive  texts  which  framed  conference  discourse  • Regularly  edited  and  proofread  papers  and  speeches  produced  by  HiiL  affiliates  • Drafted  conference  correspondence  and  promotional  materials  • Rapporteur  and  participated  at  HiiL’s  2008  annual  conference,  HAC’s  2008  annual  conference,  HiiL  seminars  

WISER  (Women’s  Institute  For  Secondary  Education  Research)  Microfinance  /  Economics  Research  Team,    Muhuru  Bay,  Kenya;  Durham,  NC     May  –  Dec  2010  

• Designed  56-­‐question  survey  on  household  economic  habits,  a  poverty  and  needs-­‐assessment  tool  as  baseline  economic    data  for  Muhuru  Bay  Community  (IRB  approved)  

• Administered  survey  independently  to  200  households,  biking  across  Muhuru  Bay  region  with  translator    Fowler,  Measle  and  Bell,  LLP,  Intern,  Lexington,  KY     Sept  –  Oct  2008  

• Shadowed  bankruptcy  attorneys,  district  court  judge,  mediator    

EXTRACURRICULAR  ACTIVITIES  Duke  University  Board  of  Trustee,  Undergraduate  Affairs  Committee,  Ex-­Officio  Member     Aug  2007  –  Present  

• Contribute  as  full  voting  committee  member  in  quarterly  meetings  • Research  and  interview  students  on  pertinent  issues  beforehand  to  present  a  nuanced,  informed  perspective    

Duke  Student  Government,  Vice  President  of  Student  Affairs,  Durham,  NC     May  2007  –  2008  • Negotiated  multiple  university  fund  allocations  for  campus  projects;  $100,000  ZipCars  program  design  and  proposal,  

and  presented  proposal  to  senior  University  administrators  • Managed  eleven-­‐member  DSG  Standing  Committee  on  Student  Affairs  to  ensure  each  had  a  substantive  project  and  was  

making  progress  towards  completing  it  • Presented  updates  and  power-­‐point  reports  regularly  to  DSG  General  Assembly  detailing  lobbying  efforts  

President’s  Council  on  Woman,  Undergraduate  Member,  Durham,  NC   Aug  2007  –  2008  • Selected  as  undergraduate  representative  to  advisory  council  to  University  President  regarding  gender  issues  

 SCHOLASTIC  HONORS  

Baldwin  Scholars  Program,  Baldwin  Scholar,  Durham,  NC     Oct  2006  –  Present  • Selected  as  on  of  the  18  women  from  Class  of  2010  for  Duke  University’s  only  women’s  leadership  program  

Advanced  Research  Independent  Study,  Durham,  NC     Aug  –  Dec  2008  • Completing  quantitative  (using  STATA)  and  qualitative  analysis  of  original  dataset  on  judicial  recourse  to  foreign  

law  in  73  U.S.  Supreme  Court  decisions  over  the  past  20  years  Eruditio  –  Duke  University’s  undergraduate  Humanities  Journal,  Durham,  NC     Spring  2007  

• Published  research  paper  entitled:  “Globalizing  Jurisprudence:  The  Use  of  Foreign  Authority  in  Domestic  Constitutional          Interpretation”    

33

Melissa Elizabeth Tator

4283 Peachtree Avenue, Durham, NC 34587 • melissa.tator@duke.edu • cell: (713) 536-8923 EDUCATION Master of Science: Biomedical Engineering December 2013 Duke University, Durham, NC GPA: 3.8/4.0 Relevant Coursework Includes: Electrophysiology, Tissue Biomechanics, Bionanotechnology, Physiology, Tissue Engineering,

Molecular Biology, Physiology of Extreme Environments, Systemic Histology, Design of Medical Devices Bachelor of Science: Mathematics and Spanish May 2011 Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX       Semester  abroad  at  La Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain January-May 2009   GPA:  3.9/4.0   INTERNSHIPS National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) May 2013-Present Wyle Laboratories: Human Research Program (HRP) Intern; Houston, TX

• Compiled research deliverables and assessed technical readiness levels for the Human Research Program, which • investigates the impact of spaceflight on the human body; presented information to management to aid direction of

research objectives • Collaborated with an interdisciplinary team of five to assist in the development of the Human Research Roadmap, a web-

based system which captures the HRP’s biomedical risks, Program Requirements Document, and Integrated Research Plan • Shadowed the Biomedical Engineer Flight Controller in International Space Station Mission Control and supported Russian

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Wyle Laboratories: Human Research Program (HRP) Intern; Houston, TX June-August 2012

• Performed statistical analysis of NASA HRP Education & Outreach program data • Researched impact of space on biological systems and drafted web text for “Hydration” activity

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Cartilage Mechanics and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Duke University Department of Biomedical Engineering Student Researcher; Durham, NC

• Developed PEG-DA microwell system to enable three dimensional culture of small cell populations • Cultured type IX collagen knockout mouse chondrocytes in presence of cytokines to form cartilage tissue pellets • Performed analyses on tissue specimens using ELISA, histology, and MATLAB programming techniques

Continuum Biomechanics Laboratory, Texas A&M University Department of Biomedical Engineering Research Assistant; College Station, TX August-December 2008

• Worked on biomechanical mathematical model of abdominal aortic aneurysm under Dr. Jay Humphrey VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE Engineering World Health Volunteer; Durham, NC August 2012-December 2013

• Served with a team of students to design an improved sphygmomanometer for use in the developing world • Served as liaison to 15 hospitals in Honduras and Nicaragua to assess hospitals’ medical needs and arranged delivery of devices and biomedical engineers where necessary. Demonstrated effective Spanish communication skills

Engineers Without Borders Volunteer and Delegate; Fort Worth, TX and Cabezas, Bolivia March 2010-December 2011

• Designed and implemented engineering solutions to a school of 6th-12th graders in Cabezas, Bolivia, while working with a team of four professional engineers

• Engineering solutions included drip bucket irrigation system, flow pressure measurements, water quality assessments, electrical load survey, preliminary wiring and testing of diesel generator

SKILLS & ACHIEVEMENTS Languages: Proficient in Spanish, enhanced by study in Seville, Spain in spring 2006 Computer: Microsoft Office Suite, SPSS statistical software, and Mathematica and MATLAB programming techniques Honors: Phi Beta Kappa Society, TCU Chancellor’s Scholarship (Full Tuition) Other Activities & Involvements: CoboBrothers Dance Company and Sabrosura latin dance troupe, Fort Worth Sister Cities International, Alpha Chi Omega, Mathematics and biology tutor  

3434

A Compelling Cover Letter

The cover letter is your opportunity to bring additional focus to your resume with a specific reader in mind. You will write a unique and well-researched letter for every opportunity to which you apply. This is your chance to present a compelling case, with evidence, that you have unique skills and perspectives that give you the ability to thrive in a specific role.

Before you put words to the page, paint a mental picture. Go with us on this; this step is critical. Get into the mindset of the person making the hiring decision. Who is the candidate that gets the interview? What are the most important qualities needed to be incredibly successful in this role? Use these images to identify the most important messages that you need to convey about yourself in this document.

The secret about cover letters is that they are essays and we know you have written an essay or two while at Duke! What are the components? Present a clear thesis, provide evidence to support your claims, and wrap things up with a succinct and compelling conclusion. This is also exactly how you write a cover letter.

Not sure a cover letter is necessary?Think of the cover letter as part of the resume. If someone asks for a resume, send a resume plus a cover letter, unless there is an explicit request otherwise. This is standard practice.

Five Tips for a Successful Cover Letter

Make a STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION in the first sentence and the first paragraph. A persuasive first sentence tells the reader that you are serious and keeps them reading. Interesting and compelling information about your candidacy should be introduced in your first paragraph. The final paragraph is too late.

GO BEYOND general statements that could be true for the majority of candidates. Common qualities or characteristics will not help you to uniquely stand out. Trust the resume to cover the basics and use the cover letter to highlight bigger patterns of success or share an anecdote about your achievements.

Tell the reader about YOU. Communicate your interest and motivation to apply by connecting your background and interests to your knowledge of the organization. Avoid reporting facts. The reader already knows his or her organization but want to know about you and why you are applying.

Write a SPECIFIC THESIS sentence. Put it at the end of your first paragraph. It will probably read something like this: I am confident that my (ability to, background in, experience with, etc.) and (knowledge of, skills in, etc.) give me the ability to succeed with your organization.

USE EVIDENCE to build credibility around every claim in your letter. The reader wants to believe you and needs plausible and detailed illustrations of your past success to do so. If you have included more than a couple of claims (literally, two would be good!) about your ability to thrive in the job, you are sacrificing depth for breath and duplicating the work that the resume should do. Move extra information from the cover letter to the resume to improve it and then trust the resume.

1)2)3)4)5)

34

35

Resumes and cover letters are very personal documents. The examples here are meant to illustrate possibilities—some of which may not pertain to you. Use your judgment to best suit your experiences and goals.

Anatomy of a Cover Letter

Your  Mailing  Address    Today’s  Date    Full  Name  of  Recipient  Title  Company  Mailing  Address    Dear  Mr./Ms.  Last  Name:    Write  a  first  paragraph  to  introduce  two  main  points:  • I  am  a  serious  candidate  and  care  about  this  opportunity  • I  have  the  knowledge  and  skills  to  thrive  in  this  role  with  your  organization    Write  second  and  third  paragraphs  to  provide  illustrations  from  your  experience  that  back  up  the  claims  in  the  first  paragraph.    Use  a  separate  paragraph  for  each  of  two  claims.  Detail  a  point  from  your  resume.  Make  connections  across  points  listed  on  your  resume  Repeating  information  from  your  resume  without  added  context  or  insight  is  not  a  good  strategy.    Use  the  final  paragraph  to  conclude  the  letter  and  discuss  next  steps.    Reiterate  any  themes  from  the  letter  that  you  would  like  to  emphasize,  thank  the  reader  for  their  time,  include  any  contact  information  that  is  not  already  on  the  page,  and  present  actions  that  you  will  take  after  sending  this  letter,  if  any.    Sincerely,        Signature  Typed  Name    enclosure:    resume                                              (any  other  application  items)  

Consider using your resume heading as an alternate.

Do your research to find an appropriate name. In a situation where you haven’t been able to find this, a replacement like “hiring committee” can be used. “Do not use To Whom it May Concern” or “Dear Sirs!”

Discuss what appeals to you about the work or program by going beyond the website to clients, projects, news, etc.

BRIEFLY mention any actionthat you’ve taken to be abetter applicant, e.g., people you have met or talked to.

Set up the next two paragraphsof your letter with a thesis sentence.

Example: “I am seeking an opportunity to work in this positive, collaborative environment, as well as to take on the varied responsibilities that this position has to offer. My experience working with children, managing large-scale projects, and designing curriculum may make me a good fit.”

Avoid: “I am seeking an opportunity like this and my experience and your requirements may be a good fit.”

Maintain a separate document with all of your topical paragraphs. Copy from and paste into it to keep a useful record of your cover letter paragraphs.

What you say, for example, about how you have managed a number of significant projects and deadlines as a leader in DUU can be applied to any opportunity where projects and deadlines are critical to being effective at work.

If you scan your signature and save the .jpg file, you can insert it into digital files!

Examples might include when you will be in town for a visit or a follow up call.

35

The US Air Force is hiring Engineers! Each year the Air Force seeks out engineering students majoring in critical technical fields and offers them the

opportunity to earn extra money while completing their degree. These students will receive full pay and

benefits of an Air Force E-3, including housing allowance, and comprehensive medical and dental care while they finish their degree. Upon graduation they

will attend Basic Officer Training and be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force!

If you are a sophomore majoring in Computer or Electrical Engineering, and you would like to be paid to

go to school and have a challenging and rewarding career waiting for you at graduation, then the Technical

Degree Sponsorship Program may be for you. For more information contact your local recruiter or visit

AirForce.com.

MOVING Local and Long Distance Relocation

Residential and Commercial Free Estimates and Low Rates Packing Materials and Boxes Climate Controlled Storage

919.419.1059 www.trosamoving.com

Need Some Gently Used Furniture? Visit the TROSA Thrift Store 1703 E. Geer Street, Durham

Working with the Duke community for over 15 years!

TROSA is a nonprofit organizaon in Durham that helps substance abusers change their lives. Our businesses help support our programming. Thank you!

NCUC C-726 ICC MC35111-C

DUKE CAREER fAiRSare the primary source for Duke students

Looking for an internship or full-time job?

www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/career

Make plans now to attend the

2013-2014 Career fairs:fall Career fair ........................................September 11Nonprofit & Government Career fair ...October 17Career & Summer Opportunities fair .....January 23Just-in-Time Career fair ..........................April 9

Keep an eye on this website forinformation about additional fairs. (http://goo.gl/6ERiS)

The Chronicle will

print guides listing

participants and their

locations at the Fairs

on the following dates:

• Tues., September 10

• Weds., October 16

• Weds., January 22

37CAREER GUIDE // 37

From Interview to OfferWhile a sharp resume and persuasive cover letter will get you an interview, you’ll need excellent interviewing skills to close the deal and land your desired position. All too often, job and internship seekers invest large amounts of time to write their application documents but give short shrift to interview preparation.

An interview can be conversational (that is what you hope for!) but it is NOT just a conversation. Even the most confident and personable people person will benefit dramatically from thoughtful interview preparation. You have come this far; be sure you keep up the momentum and build upon your preliminary success.

Research industry, employer, and role. Follow the relevant news, learn the organization’s website backwards and forwards and scope out your interviewers on LinkedIn and Google. Reach out to employees—maybe even Duke alums—in the company.

Rehearse your introduction. What will you say to create a positive and compelling first impression when you are asked the question, “Tell me about yourself”? No matter how it is phrased, expect that you will open the interview with a platform to talk about your interest in the opportunity and how it fits with your strengths and experiences.

Connect your experiences. Practice telling short stories that give evidence to your success. Mentally connect these stories to the qualities they best represent.

Prepare your own questions. You will be given the opportunity to ask questions during your interviews. This is a valuable part of the interview, not just a polite gesture. Consider questions about the role, company specifics (but never salary or benefits—not yet), the personal experiences of people that you meet, or questions that relate to current events or news.

Send thank-you notes. Send them the very next day to each person or group that you meet. Refer to something interesting or unique from the conversation to create an opportunity for the reader to think of you again. Paper makes a stronger impression, but email is the way to go if a hiring decision will be made before snail mail can reach its destination.

Interviewing

37

38

The vast majority of interviews are behavioral in nature. Frequently, behavioral

questions will include some form of, “Tell me about a time when…” and will relate to tasks, scenarios, and qualities that will be

significant to the position you are now seeking. Through this method, the interviewer hopes to gauge your potential for success. The premise of behavioral-based interviews is that your past actions are the best predictor of your future performance. The

appropriate response is to share a concise, but detailed story about a relevant experience.

•Providewellthought-outexampleswithsuccessfulendings.Even a story about your biggest failure can conclude with what you learned from the experience!

•Refertospecificexamplesratherthanbroadcharacterizations.

•Besurethatyourstoryhasabeginning,middle,andend.SeetheSTARmethodforrespondingon the next page.

•Prepareyourstoriesinadvancebyanticipatingtheexpectedstrengthsneededfortheroleandmatching them with your own accomplishments.

•Addressandcontextualizeyourowncontributionswhendiscussingagroupproject.

•Pullexamplesfromacrossyourrangeofexperiences.Usingjustoneorafewcancreateasensethat others have not been valuable.

•Speakpositivelyaboutyourself,colleagues,supervisors,andpeers.

•Usethemostrecentexampleswhenpossible.

Behavioral Interviews

Behavioral Interview Success

39

Behavioral Interviews The STAR MethodSTAR is formula for creating your best response to

behavioral-based questions. Interviewers expect

you to present your thoughts and experience in

this manner. Don’t worry, however. You’ll see that

the STAR method is no different than the basics of

any good story composition.

Question: Tell me about a time when you had to provide difficult feedback to a team member?

STAR

Situation

Task

Action

Result

Set the scenario for your example.

Describe the specific challenge or task that relates to the question.

Talk about the actions that you took to accomplish the task.

Present the results that followed because of the chosen action.

“Last semester I took a psychology course that required a group project to examine motivation. The professor assigned each student to a 4-person group. My group decided to look at what motivates college students to participate in community service activities.”

“As a group, we developed a plan to distribute the work between us. However, after the first few weeks, it became apparent that one of our team members was not completing her part of the project and she missed one of our group meetings. The rest of the team decided that we needed to reengage her.”

“I took the initiative to set up a meeting with her where we discussed her interest in the project as well as the other academic responsibilities. After talking with her, it was clear that if we changed her contributions to tasks that better fit her skills and interests, she would most likely contribute at a higher level.”

“It turned out that the team could redistribute tasks without compromising so every member got to work on the pieces of the project that were of most interest to them. In the end, we completed the project and received positive feedback from our professor.”

A few important tips:•AstrongSTAR

response will last one to two minutes.

•Bebriefinyourset-up. Give just enough background or contextual information for your story to make sense.

•Theresultiscritical. Everything in your example builds towards this component.

•Usethestructureof the acronym for direction if you forget what you were saying. If all else fails, skip to the R, result.

404040

Case Question TypesTypical case questions fall into four categories:

Calculations/Computational Scenario – Devise a solution given a

problem statement, data elements, and possibly a formula

Business Operation Scenario – Devise a solution given a problem

related to operational effectiveness.

Example: How can you increase efficiency of Starbuck’s ordering

process by decreasing wait time during peak hours?

Business Strategy Scenario – Devise a solution given a problem

related to strategy and new markets.

Example: How will airlines remain competitive with rising fuel costs

and increased regulations?

Brainteaser – Two primary types including the estimation case, How

many golf courses exist in Wisconsin? and the random fact analysis,

Why are manhole covers round?

Resources for students preparing for a case interview are the following:

• Case In Point: Complete Case Interview Preparation by Marc

Casentino

• Mock interviews through the Career Center

• Practice cases and interactive online cases on employers’ websites

Case Interviews

C ase interviews are a specialized type of interview

common in the consulting industry. In a case interview,

the interviewer presents a dilemma, and the candidate must

analyze and discuss the problem and propose a solution.

Employers use case interviews as a way to evaluate a

candidate’s qualitative, problem-solving, and analytical

skills and often their business acumen. In addition they will

evaluate the communication skills, listening skills, enthusiasm

and non-verbal cues, e.g., eye contact, of the candidate. The

way in which a candidate arrives at a solution to the question,

which demonstrates to an employer how the candidate thinks

through a dilemma, is as important as the actual solution the

candidate provides, if not more.

40

41

Next Steps and Selected Resources:

Search Skills and Strategy•Scheduleacareercounselingappointmenttobesureyouare

presenting yourself effectively in writing and speech as well as finding

opportunities that match your interests. (http://goo.gl/q72KX)

•UtilizeDrop-InAdvisingatSmithWarehousetogetadvice

the same day you need it, no appointment necessary!

(http://goo.gl/yOVWS)

•Createanaccountandroutinelycheckeachofthese

Duke databases to become aware of internships,

jobs, and employers.

eRecruiting (http://goo.gl/4L2kF)

iNet (http://goo.gl/FSG0A)

UCAN (http://goo.gl/4IutS)

•UsetheselistsanddatabasestoincreaseyourawarenessofopportunitiesatDukeandbeyond.

Leadership Development Programs (http://goo.gl/TMkzd)

Short-Term Opportunities (http://goo.gl/raf9Y)

e-leads (http://goo.gl/3IUQh)

•Visitourwebsitetofindthesehelpfulguides.

Strategic Search (http://goo.gl/Ksls6)

Online Profile (http://goo.gl/jz5Ku)

Interviewing (http://goo.gl/8pQUL)

Cover Letter (http://goo.gl/t6Rjy)

Resume (http://goo.gl/SkJ8d)

Networking (http://goo.gl/9TWer)

Career Research (http://goo.gl/Xdk3w)

Self-Inquiry (http://goo.gl/4b2MD)

41

42

At Lutron, we’ve been designing and manufacturing energy-saving light control solutions since 1961.

Our success depends on your success. Join Lutron’s Innovation Leadership Program and you’ll develop the skills and knowledge needed to win in the world of innovation.

• Immediately join an engineering development team• Hone innovation and product design skills• Receive formal mentor support• Collaborate regularly with business unit managers

and directors• Acquire real-world experience through field assignments• Foster relationships with Lutron’s global customers

Key opportunities include: Engineering— Electrical, Mechanical,

Computer, Software, Manufacturing, Industrial, Architectural

Science—Physics, Chemistry, Math

Opportunities are also available in sales leadership and field engineering leadership—hiring all majors.

To learn more about how you can be a part of our future visit

www.lutron.com/careers

Jamie McMahon (Electrical Engineering Major)Design and Development Engineer

I’ve been a part of Lutron for 5 years.

Develop Your Career with Us

@lutronjobs©20

13 L

utro

n E

lect

roni

cs C

o., I

nc.

| P

/N 3

68-2

717

RE

V G

Dynamic keypad in Black

43

Search Skills & Strategy: Learn to CommunicatePersuasively

•Draftandredraftresumes,coverletters,andother application materials. Accelerate your learning curve and comfort level with this new type of presentation by getting feedback from multiple people.•Telleveryoneyouknowthatyouaresearching,and what for. Be as specific as you are certain.•CreateaLinkedIn.comaccount,learnthefeatures,and join the Duke University Alumni Network group. Your network has just expanded to over 10,000 professionals.•Practiceyour“elevatorspeech”,athirty-secondintroduction that concisely shares your background, interests, and goals. Use the Nine Domains to expand your thinking.•Usecareercounselingappointmentsthroughoutto be sure you are improving continuously throughout your search.

Where to go from here

Self-Inquiry:Uncover What Drives You 10-13

•Startanotebookorfilewhereyoukeepallofyourthoughts in one place. Use it as you think of things.•Attemptthevalues,interests,skills,personality,and experience exercises. Fifteen minutes apiece is a great start.•Drawatimelineofyourlife.Markallofthememorable experiences. Look for patterns in the things that have been compelling and exciting for you.•Createalistofpeopleyouwouldasktobeonapersonal Board of Advisors. Ask someone on your list to have a conversation and provide advice based on his or her life experiences.•Useacareercounselingappointmenttobegin exposing patterns in your values,

skills, interests, and personality.

Exploration: Discover Opportunities 14-17

•CreateaccountsoneRecruiting,iNet,and

UCAN.

•SignupforCareerNewsandothernewsletters

that match your interests.

•Attendcareercenterevents.TheFannie

Mitchell Career event happens annually and

brings over 70 alums back to campus to talk

about their careers.

•Mapouttheinfluencesonyourdecisionto

come to Duke. Know that your decision-making

style impacts how you should plan to explore

careers.

•Useacareercounselingappointment

to devise a research game plan. Work

with a counselor to identify the best

resources to use.

Experience Acquisition:

Test Your Strengths and Interests

in the World

•Develop a list of things you want to learn about or to

be able to do.

•Use the DukeGroups directory to identify student

organizations that match your interests. Try out something

that builds a skill that you would like to develop.

•Research opportunities to pursue your interests in

Durham and the broader community.

•Assess whether your time is being filled by the

most meaningful commitments. Use the Buffet of

Experience as food for thought.

•Use a career counseling appointment to identify

steps toward experiences that strategically align with

your curiosities.

pgs. pgs.

pgs.18-21

pgs.22-41

44