In This IssueThinking About Grad School?Career Day ADWhere RU Headed?

Staff DirectoryAsk the DirectorFrom The Director’s DeskGrad School Day AD

Alumni Success StoryFaculty Advice ColumnEtiquette TipCareer Day ADVideo Contest AD

Intern SpotlightEmployer SpotlightGrad School Action PlanGre ADGoing Global

Altria AD

Grad School?Career Panels ADSpeed Networking ADHow to Tweet Workshop AD

Choosing A MajorCareerKnight ADCo-op Program ADRU Into Culture AD

Calendar Of EventsCareer Knight ADGMAT AD

Jennifer Jean-Louis ‘13

Stephanie Wang ‘15 Meera Patel ‘13

Parth Gandhi ‘12Joshua Curtiss ‘12

My graduate school plan is to get into a fiveyear education program. I want to start usingCareer Services this year to find other educa-tion programs.

I want to get my PharmD and get my MBA in aone year program. I want to use Career Servicesto search for internships and narrow my searchdown to good internships that will be best for me.

After I graduate I want to get my Ph.D. in clini-cal psychology. I will use Career Services forresume critiques and get counseling to searchfor job opportunities.

My plans include a Masterʼs program inNeuroscience. Career Services has helped mequite a bit because I obtained resources to use towrite my personal statement. Additionally, I willmock interviews to help me refine my skills.

I use Career Services to find internships and attendtheir career fairs. My plans for graduate school areto continue on to medical school or go to graduateschool for research.

I have attended career fairs for internships andit has helped me. I am in a program for HumanResources and Management which is a fiveyear program and I will graduate with a masterʼsdegree.

What are your plans for graduate school and how are you using Career Services to help you?

WHERE RU HEADED?Ashlee Redmond ‘12

English and French

Pharmacy

Psych, Philosophy, & Cog Science

Human Resources & Management

Cell Biology & Neurosci/Psych

Cell Biology & Neurosci/Psych

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THINKING ABOUT GRADUATE SCHOOL?by Richard L. White

More than 80% of Rutgers studentsindicate that they intend to pursuegraduate study at some point in thefuture. Be sure to start early, planahead, and submit meticulous appli-cations to beat the competition.

Why and when should youconsider graduate study? Agraduate degree builds your cre-dentials, expands your knowledgeand experience, and advancesyour career. If your goals areclear and financial resources areavailable, consider graduate studyshortly after college.

Where should you go to gradu-ate school? Eight key criteria areuseful in choosing the right school:

1. Interest in the Field.Your interest in and commitmentto your field of study are proba-bly the most important factors.If you’re uncertain about what tostudy, that’s a clue to wait.2. Availability of a DegreeProgram.Research universities that offerprograms that are right for you.Professors and current graduatestudents are great resources.3. Career Opportunities.What are the current jobprospects and future projectionsin your field of interest? Job mar-kets are bound to change—forbetter or worse—during any fourto five year period.4. Quality.Four key “quality” factors are the

faculty, facilities, student body,and reputation. Talk to profes-sors, read program websites andliterature, and talk to profession-als in the field.5. Cost.Cost is one of the simplest ways tonarrow your choices. Determinehow much money you have avail-able from savings, income, tuitionsupport programs, loans, financialaid, and family support.6. Location.Do you prefer urban, suburban,or rural locations? Consider theaccessibility of mass transit, com-muting time and costs, and prox-imity to museums, educationalinstitutions, research institutes,and libraries.7. Size.Institutional size provides cluesto the overall environment, aca-demic resources, class size, andstudent-faculty ratios.8. Credit vs. Non-Credit.A formal program leading to adegree may not be the bestroute for you. Non-credit, non-matriculated programs might bemore appropriate.

How do you get admitted? There are six key aspects to theadmissions process:

1.Undergraduate Preparation.The trend in graduate admissionsis away from requiring specificcourses and toward more liberal-ized requirements. If a graduateprogram does have specificrequirements, make sure youmeet them. It is also desirable to

This issue is sponsored by:

show some special achievementsin your undergraduate major.2. The Application.This form is usually your only con-tact with an admissions commit-tee, and the impression you makeis critical. If essays or personalstatements are required, makesure you write in a clear, concise,and grammatically correct style.Write with conviction and impact,and have your statement critiquedby a professor or career counselor.3. Credentials.Graduate and professional schoolsrequire three key items: collegetranscripts, recommendations, and,in some cases, standardized testscores. Transcripts are obtainedfrom the Rutgers Registrar’sOffice. Recommendations shouldbe from professors or professionalsin the field who know you and yourwork well. Set up a credentials filethrough Interfolio, our online cre-dentials service, available 24/7.Log on to www.interfolio.com.4. Standardized Tests.Standardized tests will not “makeor break” your candidacy, but youshould prepare for them. One ofthe most inexpensive ways is totake the two-day, $250 GRE testprep seminar sponsored byCareer Services. The seminarsthis year are October 22 andNovember 5. For information, goto careerservices.rutgers.eduand click on “Students,” and then“Graduate School.”5. Interviews.Interviews are rarely requiredtoday in the admissions process.However, if an interview can be

arranged, you can learn moreabout the program and provide aclear impression of who you are.6. Deadlines.All schools have deadlines, butdon’t wait until the deadline isimminent; apply early. Earlyapplications demonstrate yourinterest and timeliness. Noteother deadlines such as portfo-lio submissions (for studio pro-grams), interviews (if required),

and standardized tests.Discuss your plans with a careercounselor. We can also assist youin critiquing your personal state-ment. If the plans of recent grad-uates are any indication, graduatestudy may well lie in your future.

Richard L. White is the NewBrunswick-wide director ofCareer Services at 56 College Avenue

PAGE C2 THE DAILY TARGUM CAREERS October 4, 2011

by Richard L. WhiteDirector, Career Services5 6 College Avenue

As the title of our cover storyindicates, this issue has a spe-cial focus on graduate study.Over 80% of Rutgers graduatesintend to pursue advanceddegrees eventually, and it’snever too early to begin plan-

ning. Career Services offers a full range of pro-grams and resources for students thinking aboutor applying to graduate school.

Hundreds of students every year attend ourGraduate and Professional School Day. Thisyear it will take place on Wednesday, November 2from 12:30 - 3:30 in the Rutgers Student Center.As usual, it will have a national and regional focuswith over 130 graduate programs representingbusiness, education, engineering, humanities,law, medicine, the social sciences, and more.Columbia, NYU, UPenn, and Princeton are just afew of the universities that will be on hand. Anumber of Rutgers units will also be attending.

If you’re thinking about graduate school, visit ourCareer Services website and print out a GraduateSchool Action Plan. We also encourage you tovisit graduate and professional school websites.

If you’re a senior seeking a full-time job aftergraduation or an underclass student seeking aninternship, be sure to register for “CareerKnight,”the Rutgers on-campus interviewing and job post-ing system. Mark your calendar for the Businessand Liberal Arts Career Day on Friday, October21 from 10:00 - 3:00 at the Rutgers Student Center.Representatives from over 100 employers will dis-cuss full-time jobs and internships.

If you’re not sure about whether to pursue a jobor graduate school, read the article, “Grad School?Full-Time Employment? Both?” It may give yousome insights into this important decision.

Whether you’re on a job or graduate schooltrack, and regardless of your year in school, CareerServices has something to offer you. Stop by any ofour three offices this month. And watch for ournext issue of Careers on November 1.

Dr. Richard L. White is New Brunswick-wide directorof Career Services

Dr. Richard L. White

Director of Career Services

Career and Interview CenterBusch Campus Center7 3 2 -4 4 5 -6 1 2 7Janet Jones, Senior Associate DirectorGreg Sobol, Assistant DirectorJennifer Broyles, Assistant DirectorJoe Scott, Assistant DirectorSue Pye, Assistant DirectorTammy Samuels, Assistant DirectorToi Tyson, Assistant DirectorMarcia Milgrom, Career CounselorBarbra Bonifield, Career Services CoordinatorToni Berlingieri, Career Services Coordinator

Career Center at 4 6 College Avenue7 3 2 -9 3 2 -7 9 9 7Chrystal McArthur, Senior Associate DirectorDavid Bills, Assistant DirectorLarry Jacobs, Assistant DirectorMonica Bryant, Assistant DirectorSylvia Cordero, Assistant DirectorTina Vance Knight, Assistant DirectorDoug Ricci, Career CounselorScott Borden, Career CounselorLinda Bagen, Career Services AssistantMark Kerr, Career Services Assistant/Special Projects

Administrative Office5 6 College Avenue7 3 2 -9 3 2 -7 2 8 7Richard L. White, DirectorDorothy Kerr, Employer Services Executive ManagerBarbara Thomson, Senior Project CoordinatorAlison Koo, Budget and Technical CoordinatorLarissa Keller, Employer Services CoordinatorLisa Goddard, Employer Services CoordinatorMary Beth Kimberlin, Employer Services Assistant

From The Director’s DeskSTAFF DIRECTORY

Q: I recently asked a professor about letters of recommendation forgraduate school. He told me that Career Services sponsors a cre-dentials service. Can you give me the details?

A: Your professor is right—Career Services offers a credentials serv-ice through Interfolio. To get started, log on to www.inter folio.comto set up your account. There is a $20 annual setup and maintenancefee. You can print out the appropriate forms and give them to the pro-fessors who are writing letters for you. In turn, the professors faxtheir letters to Interfolio, and the letters become part of your account.You can then manage your file on a 24/7 basis, sending the lettersthat you designate to the schools of your choice without ever seeingthe contents of the letters.

We recommend storing 3-4 letters from professors, research men-tors, or supervisors who know you and your work well.

Good luck with your graduate school applications!

—Dr. Richard WhiteDirector, Career Services

Ask the Director

Did You Know?CareerKnight is our online system for scheduling on-campus interviews, reviewing internship and job list-

ings, registering for Career Services workshops, learn-ing about career days, developing your resumes and

cover letters and more!

October 4, 2011 CAREERS THE DAILY TARGUM PAGE C3

Alumni Success StoryAnn CoiroAssociate Professor, English

1 . What advice can you give to students whoare not sure of their major?First, freshman and sophomore year is an excel-lent time to explore a wide range of courses and totest out your interests and your strengths. It isalso important throughout college to take advan-tage of as many opportunities as you can. Amongthe many possibilities are guest lectures by emi-

nent experts, internships, student activities, writing for student publi-cations, and study abroad. Second, study a field to which you aredrawn, not simply what others suggest.

2 . What suggestions do you have to students debating betweengraduate school and work?It doesn’t need to be an either-or question. Even if you are sure youwant to go on to graduate school, it is often a good idea to work for ayear or so. For one thing, you want to be sure that graduate schoolreally is what you want, and getting away from school for a while helpsclarify that. Plus, applying to graduate school is surprisingly time con-suming, and the process is difficult to juggle while also completingsenior year. If you are considering graduate school, it is key to estab-lish strong relationships with two or three faculty mentors who cansupply you with advice and, crucially, letters of recommendation. Infact, getting faculty letters on file is an excellent idea, whether youthink graduate school is in your future or not.

3 . What skills will students develop as English majors?English majors learn to read carefully, to analyze, and to write well.They also learn to work collaboratively, listen to others, and debatewith others in order to gain deeper understandings. Also, they gaininvaluable historical and cultural perspectives. All of these are funda-mentally important skills in a wide range of professions.

4 . What job and internship opportunities are available for stu-dents majoring in English? What can they do to increase theirchances of finding a job or internship?There are hundreds of internships available to English majors; go toCareer Services and take advantage of the contacts they have and theadvice they can give you. Your chances of finding a job are multiplied byevery skill you have—and you probably have a greater range of skillsthan you realize. Work with Career Services and your faculty mentors towrite a resume that demonstrates all that you can do. Office hours areideal practice for the job market. Go! Drop by often and talk with yourprofessors and teaching assistants. You will learn what it is like to be in aone-on-one interview and how to critique and explain your own work.And you may pick up some excellent leads as well.

Dominique K. BogatzCook College, 2001,Environmental Policy,Institutions and Behavior Glenn A. Bergenfield, P.C.,Attorney

What aspect of your job do you enjoy the most?The least? I really enjoy collecting infor-

mation from prospective clients about their casesin order to decide whether our office should takethem on. I also enjoy conducting discovery andmediating cases. I dislike the sometimes difficultpersonalities of the adversaries.

What do you think are the most valuableskills that someone should have if they want

Dominique Bogatz Ann Coiro

Faculty Advice: Ann Coiro

to be in your position? Good listening and great writing skills.

What do you think made you successful? Persistence and patience.

What advice can you give som eone whohas p lans for graduate school or is look-ing for a job stra ight ou t of college? Have a lot of patience and don’t give up. It’s avery dif ficult job market out there, but youhave to go out and meet people at variouscareer events, hand out your resume, be per-sistent, follow-up, and network. If you decide togo to graduate school, make sure you have aclear plan of what you want to do after yougraduate. Enrolling in graduate school to avoidgetting a job right now is not necessarily agood move.

It’s a typical day and you are inyour car on the way to work. All ofa sudden, a tiny person in a giantChevy Suburban cuts you off.With a cell phone in one hand anda large coffee in the other, that per-son still manages to give you anextremely offensive hand gesture.

You certainly didn’t deservethat, so what should you do?Lay on the horn? Tailgatemenacingly? Jump into thenext lane, push the acceleratorto the floor, or pull up next tothe person and give the look?

Do nothing. A strong person usesrestraint. Dr. P.M. Forni, author ofChoosing Civility, says, “Restraintis the art of feeling good later.”

Source: the Culture andManners Institute atwww.cultureandmanners.com

ETIQUETTE TIP: Feel Good Later

Did You Know?Bring your Rutgers ID when visiting Career Services for

appointments, drop-ins, on-campus interviewing, seminars,and career days.

PAGE C4 THE DAILY TARGUM CAREERS October 4, 2011

Employee name:Christopher ThomasTitle: Sales DevelopmentAssociateCompany name: AltriaGroup Distribution Co.

What skills does your com-pany seek in new hires forfull- time or internshipopportunities?Our company looks for leaders.

Displaying leadership is a key characteristic we lookfor when evaluating potential candidates. Workingin a fast-paced environment our employees mustalso be well organized and able to manage their timeand resources effectively in order to succeed.

What is special about working for your company?A common response you will hear from any employ-ee of Altria when posed with this question is that“the people” make this a special company. The cul-ture and work environment implemented from thetop down allow employees to manage a great work-life balance as well as challenge themselves on adaily basis through their work.What can a student expect to learn during aninternship at your company?

Our internships are a realistic 10 week summer pro-gram in which you participate in activities similar toour entry-level Territory Sales Managers. You willpartake in business analysis and presentations aswell as be given a small territory of accounts to callon as if you were a full-time hire. You will be pairedup with a mentor throughout this process to helpyou learn the position as well as aid in your person-al and business development.

What type of questions can a student expectduring an interview with your company? Arethey behavioral-based?We look for a well-rounded candidate so our ques-tions can stem from a variety of areas, but manyare behavior-based and revolve around a candi-date’s leadership capability, teamwork, and abilityto apply feedback.

What is the best way to find out more aboutyour company?The best way to find out more would be to attendone of our information sessions that we frequentlyhold with student organizations or talk to us at acareer fair. You will get a flavor for the culture ofour company through our employees. Until thenyou can learn a lot about us on the web by visitingwww.cantbeattheexperience.com.

An interview with Christopher Thomas of ALRTRIA:

Employer SpotlightGR ADUATE SCHOOL

ACTION P LAN

Planning Process

• Visit any Career Services office, pick up our Career Services Guide,and review information pertaining to graduate study.

• Visit our website at careerservices.rutgers.edu; click on“Students” and then “Graduate School Planning.” Also click on“Events” and attend programs pertaining to graduate study.

• Meet with a career counselor and/or faculty advisor to discuss yourgraduate school plans and the decision-making process related to theseplans.

• Attend the Graduate and Professional School Day on November 2from 12:30-3:30pm (Rutgers and nationwide programs).

• Attend off-campus graduate school events such as the Graduate andProfessional School Days each fall at Rutgers-Newark and Rutgers-Camden, the Law School Admissions Day at Rutgers-Newark and theMBA Forum offered at numerous locations. Check their websites fordetails. If you are a health professions student, register with the HealthProfessions Office.

• Research graduate and professional schools through their websites,or Peterson’s Guide to Graduate and Professional School Programs atwww.petersons.com.

• Review GRE, GMAT, or LSAT information. Sign up and prepare forthe appropriate exams. Consider prep courses given through Rutgersor organizations such as Kaplan or Princeton Review. Answer samplequestions online or in-test prep guides.

• Visit graduate schools in which you are interested and talk to admis-sions representatives.

Application Process

• Review graduate school websites for information on programs andapplication procedures. Request information about specific depart-ments, faculty research, and financial aid.

• Use our online credentials service in support of your applications. Set upand manage your reference file at www.interfolio.com. Request letters ofrecommendation from three professors who know you and your work well.

• For specific questions regarding professional schools, visit pre-law,pre-med, and other pre-professional advising offices at Rutgers.

• Have your application essays critiqued by a career counselor, men-tor, or academic advisor.

• Submit applications, official transcripts, and other required mate-rials on time.

Student name: MiguelZorrillaMajor: CommunicationsYear of graduation:December 2011

Where did you work andwhat were your mainresponsibilities? I interned for Altria Group Inc.,a Fortune 500 company. My

title was sales and distribution Intern. My mainresponsibilities included administrating sales andmarketing initiatives for three separate operatingcompanies at retail. I was also responsible for con-ducting a detailed analysis of a key account, provid-ing recommendations for all three operating com-panies to top management.

How did you get your internship? I attended one of the Rutgers career fairs on cam-pus, and after speaking with a former Altria intern,I got excited about the opportunity. I went ontoAltria’s “Can’t Beat the Experience” website andlearned more about the company and the intern-ship in particular. After applying for the positiononline, I was invited in for an interview at the BuschCampus Career & Interview Center. After two addi-tional interviews, I received an offer for the sum-mer internship.

What did you like best about your internship? I had a couple of internships in the past, but intern-ing for Altria has provided me with the best experi-ence so far. The thing I liked best was the compa-ny’s dedication to the internship program. Thecompany treats this program like a true businessfunction, from the hiring process to the final event.Everything is planned with great detail to allow theinterns to get the most out of their experiences. I

was able to work with many different levels ofemployees, and everyone was eager to help theinterns succeed. The bottom line is that Altriatreats its interns like a part of the team, somethingthat is rare in internship positions.

What were the most valuable things you gained?The most valuable thing I gained from my intern-ship at Altria intern was real-world business expe-rience. My internship confirmed that working insales and marketing for a major corporation iswhat I want to do upon graduation. Altria pro-vides its interns with experiences that a class-room could not provide, such as one-on-one inter-actions with clients and preparing and presentingbusiness projects to top management. The Altriainternship program has a slogan of “Can’t Beatthe Experience,” and it truly lives up to this. Theexperience and value you gain as an Altria interncannot be beat.

What are your career goals and job-searchstrategy?I hope to work in the sales and marketing depart-ment of a major corporation. I began my jobsearch strategy early in my college career by pur-suing as many internships as possible to gain theexperience and networking opportunities to leada full-time job. The biggest part of my job searchstrategy is to utilize the resources available to me,specifically Career Services and CareerKnight.Attending job fairs and open houses around cam-pus is the best way to get your resume circulatingand learn about different companies and posi-tions available. Utilizing CareerKnight is essen-tial; this is a great resource available to students.There are hundreds of companies searchingspecifically for interns and entry-level positionson this site. I would advise all students to use thisresource, which has been essential to methroughout my time at Rutgers.

Miguel Zorrilla

An interview with Miguel Zorrilla of ALRTRIA:

Intern Spotlight

Christopher Thomas

Did You Know?Check your email and read our weekly“Career Services Update” message list-

ing upcoming events and importantinformation from our office.

October 4, 2011 CAREERS THE DAILY TARGUM PAGE C5

PAGE C6 THE DAILY TARGUM CAREERS October 4, 2011

GRAD SCHOOL? FULL-TIMEEMPLOYMENT? BOTH?

Like many students, you may be thinking about your options followinggraduation. Should you pursue graduate school, employment or both?Each path offers a variety of challenges and rewards. Advanceddegrees can bring status and increased earnings. Employment pro-vides a salary and a break from studying.

Common concerns students mention related to this decision are:

“ If I don’t go to graduate school right away, I may never go.”

“Maybe I should work first to help pay for my graduate study?“

“Don’t I need to get a graduate degree to get ahead?”

“Perhaps I should work first and then decide on the best grad-uate program for me?“

As with any career decision, each option presents pros and conswhich need to be explored. Meeting with a career counselor to revieweach option you are considering can help in reaching a decision.Together you can discuss answers to questions such as:

“What are the academic and career choices available to me?”

“What are my personal and professional goals?”

“What are the advantages and disadvantages of each choice?”

“What makes it dif ficult for me to choose?”

“What additional information might help me to decide?”

Exploring these questions with the assistance of a career counselorcan help you move past a phase of indecision and put your career plansinto action. Call Career Services today and schedule an individualappointment, 732-932-7997 or 732-445-6127 ext. 0

Did You Know?You can subscribe to the Career

Services channel on the myRutgersportal for a daily feed of career-

related links.

October 4, 2011 CAREERS THE DAILY TARGUM PAGE C7

Think about it. Choosing a major is an important academic and careerdecision you will make at Rutgers. If you’re a sophomore, that deci-sion is only a few months away. If you’re a first-year student, it’s not asfar away as you may think—about 18 months. We encourage you togive this issue serious thought. As you work through the process, youmay be tempted to let someone else make this decision for you.However, before doing so, you’ll want to consider your own thoughtsand feelings regarding your major.

As you explore college majors, consider these questions beforemaking a final decision:

• What classes are required for the major?

• Is there a required GPA to apply for the program?

• Are you capable of successfully completing the coursework?

• Does this field of study interest you?

• What career options relate to the major?

• Are these career options appealing and consistent with your skills?

• Is the outlook for employment strong for these career options?

• What salary can you expect to earn?

Here are three simple steps that you can take to get started:

• Schedule an appointment with a Career Services counselor toexplore these issues.

• Pick up a copy of our free Career Services Guide at any one ofour three offices on the College Avenue or Busch campuses.

• Visit the Career Services website at careerservices.rutgers.edu for:

—“Rutgers Online Career Planning Site”

—“College Majors and Careers” providing career informa-tion on over 80 majors

—“First and Second-Year Students” web section

Good luck in your search for the major that is right for you!

FIRST AND SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS:

CHOOSING A MAJOR

Did You Know?Career Services served morethan 100,000 visitors in our

offices last year.

PAGE C8 THE DAILY TARGUM CAREERS October 4, 2011