A Business Casual Style Guide

Whether you are preparing for your first company outing or your first summer Friday, what should you wear when the dress code is ‘business casual’?  This term strikes fear in many young professionals because it is broad and deceivingly easy to mess up.  First, always remember that it’s important to dress to impress.  Second, look neat and clean 110% of the time- there is no excuse not to.  Third, use your trusted co-workers as a style guide.  Even if you are the youngest, newest (and coolest) hire at your company, you can still use those around you as a reference for fashion appropriateness.  Read on for a quick business casual guide broken down by ladies vs. gentlemen.

Ladies:

Hair: Neat and groomed.  Pull it back if it gets messy during the day. A cute hair accessory (headband, barrette) is fine as long as it’s subtle. 

Face: Make up is totally fine as long as it’s not distracting.  Fake eyelashes, purple lipstick, etc. are probably too over the top for anything work-related. And remember, no one likes your perfume besides you, so keep it to a minimum. 

Outfit:  Tops should be fairly conservative in terms of cut and length.  Trendy colors are usually just fine. Bring a cardigan to cover up.  Skirts and pants can be a bit trendier in terms of cut (high waist, etc.) but keep them to a limited color palette.  Make sure everything fits properly (get them tailored if they don’t) and don’t show up in anything skin tight.  Denim is typically a no-no (but not always) and it goes without saying that jeggings are NOT allowed…ever!

Feet: Heels or flats are fine.  Heels should not be sky high- make sure you can walk confidently in whatever you’re wearing! Tread lightly when it comes to sandals, boots, etc… follow the lead of your co-workers.  Sneakers are a bad idea- wear them only during your commute.  Nude hosiery is sometimes necessary but always old-fashioned.  If you can wear opaque black or navy tights instead, go for it.

Accessories: Jewelry is fine as long as it’s not distracting.  The same goes for bags. 

Overall: Keep it neat and classy. 

Here are some great places to shop for business casual attire that will fit any budget (and remember that all of these stores have outlet locations- which offer great discounts):

Ann Taylor LOFT

Banana Republic

New York and Company

Gentleman:

Hair: Trimmed and under control.  Visit the barber, please.  No baseball hats!

Face: Keep it neat.  Shave regularly and put the time into making sure you aren’t missing anything.  Scruff isn’t acceptable.  And remember, no one likes your cologne besides you, so go easy.

Outfit: Forgo the tie. A clean, pressed, collared, button-down shirt is perfect.  Make sure it’s in an appropriate color.  Subtle patterns are nice too.  Quality does make a difference, so be sure you have a few nicer options in your closet.  Fit is essential, even if you aren’t paying top dollar.  Slacks need to fit properly as well- get them hemmed if necessary.   A jacket is a nice touch, but not always necessary.

Shoes: Pick up a few pairs of dress socks.  Make sure you have a few well-maintained loafers and oxfords- no sneakers, please!

Accessories: If you must wear jewelry, please keep it to a minimum.  Bling is never a good idea.  Carry a basic bag (yes, a “man purse”) to keep yourself organized. 

Overall: Keep it neat and classy.

Here are a few places to shop for all of your business casual needs:

Banana Republic

Brooks Brothers

Joseph A. Banks

Check out these guidelines on the Career Center website for more business casual suggestions!

Office Etiquette: A Brief Guide

Whether you are working at a part-time position on campus, or you are off working in the corporate world at a summer internship or job, office etiquette is essential.  We are all taught to mind our manners (hopefully!) … but did you know that etiquette expectations are different in the workplace?  It usually takes some time to understand and navigate them completely, but read on for some basic pointers.

Respect is ESSENTIAL.  It is the main ingredient of a functional workplace.  Respect all of those around you at all times (no, not just your boss and your cubicle-mate… but everyone you come in contact with on a daily basis).  Respect not only relates to time and deadlines, but also to personal space, and to language. 

TIMELINESS: Don’t be late!  If you are asked to be at work by 8AM, please respect that and arrive by 8AM (a few minutes early never hurt, either).  Of course, things happen (traffic jams, delayed trains, etc.) and you may be late once in a while, but don’t make a habit of it.   The same goes for lunch breaks.  Be mindful of the fact that you have a designated amount of time to eat and take breaks, and be respectful of it.  Be a minute or two early for any meetings that you have scheduled- this shows your co-workers that you are responsible and that you take your job seriously. Lastly, don’t leave early!  Work your full work day. 

Note: Culture will vary by workplace.  It’s always better to be extra attentive when it comes to time until you learn the ropes.

PERSONAL SPACE: Practice proper feng shui.  Chances are you aren’t sitting in a corner office just yet.  You might just have a desk or cubicle to yourself.  Keep your own space clean: don’t let anything messy or smelly pile up.  There’s no harm in using some Clorox wipes to keep things dust-free.  If you are sharing a small space, don’t crowd your co-workers with your things.  Again, the key word is respect.  In terms of borrowing items… always ask first, and be sure to return them.  Don’t sneak up on your neighbors- always knock or say hello so that they’re not startled. 

Note: People are sensitive to smells.  Whether it’s fancy perfume or fragrant lunch menus, do yourself a favor and keep this in mind.  Your coworkers will thank you.  

LANGUAGE: R-E-S-P-E-C-T.  Whether written or verbal, in a quick email or a serious presentation, keep in mind that you are being judged on how you string your words together.  Think before you speak: who is listening to you?  Who might hear what you say from someone else?  Think before you hit send: Did you use spellcheck?  Is there a salutation and a greeting?  It’s advisable to be extra formal when you first start job… you may end up needing to maintain a high level of formality anyway.   

Resume Basics

How is your resume looking these days?  If the answer is ‘Ummm…..not so good’ or ‘Resume… what resume?!” you’ve come to the right place. 

Before I go any further, log into your ZebraNet account, click on ‘Resource Library’ on the left side panel, and then click ‘Resume Packet’.  A pdf document will download.  Save it… this is an invaluable resource!

Ok, back to that resume! Did you know that recruiters take, on average, under one minute to look over each resume they come across?  That means you have just a few seconds to get capture their attention.  How exactly do you do this?  Your resume needs to reflect the absolute best version of you, your skills, and your experiences.  All of this needs to fit neatly on one sheet of paper.  Yes, one sheet.  If you have something that sounds like this, you can skip ahead to step two.   If not, read through step one carefully.

Step one:  Open up a new Microsoft Word Document and add information under each of these headings: contact information, education, honors/awards, relevant courses, related experience, skills, activities, and interests.  You won’t necessarily need all of this information for every resume, but it’s a good idea to have it all written down in one place to start.  And it’s ok if this looks like a mess.   Refer to the Resume Packet from ZebraNet (as well as the resume information on the Career Center website) for further explanations of the content you need to include, as well as vocabulary suggestions, etc.  

Step two: One of the main components of an effective resume is proper formatting.  Some of the information on your resume (such as your contact information) will generally stay in the same place regardless of the type of position you are applying for.  However, you may need to alter the format and/or revise the information on your resume in accordance to a job or internship description.  Save different versions of your resume (ZebraNet allows you to upload and save up to 50 versions!) to have on hand. 

Step three:  It’s important to have your resume reviewed.  No matter how rough or messy it is, you can stop by the Career Center during our drop-in hours to have a career counselor help you clean it up.  We can help you tailor your resume to a specific job or internship (be sure to bring a copy of the description!), increase the effectiveness of your word choices, or just take a quick look to be sure it’s totally polished. 

Lastly, click here for a list of video clips related to writing a strong resume!   

Online Personal Branding: What does Google have to say about YOU?

What are the top results when you Google your name?  Are the results relevant to you? Or does your (fully visible to even non-friends) Facebook photo album of Spring Break 2011 pop up?  Uh-oh.  Online personal branding is more important than ever before.  When you apply for a job or internship, you should assume that whoever comes across your name in the hiring process will Google you.   Why wouldn’t they? 

Online personal branding is essentially your online footprint- the combination of everything out there in cyberspace that has your name on it.  Some of it may be perfectly tame (your name printed in your high school’s talent show program), incredibly relevant (your name appearing as a list of Stony Brook 2011 alums graduating with honors), or potentially embarassing (those Spring Break photos I mentioned before).  So what can you do to establish, clean up, or enhance your online personal brand? 

To establish your online personal brand:


1.  Create online profiles.  This can be done on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.  Facebook is meant for informal communication.  You can include information on where you work and went to school, but it’s not necessarily the best place to build a professional online image of yourself.  LinkedIn is the social media hotspot for connecting with current and former bosses, co-workers, industry professionals, etc. 
Join groups that are relevant to you, and include yourself in discussions.  LinkedIn the appropriate place to connect with your professors and advisors- not Facebook.  Please note:  It’s advisable to stay away from MySpace. The site has gained a negative reputation and with few exceptions, it’s not an appropriate social media tool for establishing your online presence. 


2.  Join Twitter- it is great for sending out quick messages (‘tweets’) to your followers… but check those tweets three times (or more!) before you send them out.  Remember how public your message will become!

To clean up your online personal brand:


1.  Be mindful of any photos of you.  Keep your Facebook private and make sure your profile picture is somewhat professional.  Sign into your account, hit the ‘account’ button at the top right corner of the page, and then scroll down to ‘Privacy Settings’.  Click ‘Customize Settings’ and carefully decide who can view each component of your profile.  Be smart about this.  Professors, previous and current employers, and co-workers are on Facebook too.  Not to mention your parents… and possibly your tech-savvy grandparents.  Be sure that any image (whether it’s an actual photo of you, or one you’re just tagged in) is something that you wouldn’t mind an HR professional viewing.     


2.  Be mindful of the content you put on your social media profiles.  Make sure it is accurate and current.  Be especially diligent when it comes to employment history.  If you are using LinkedIn to help find employment opportunities (and you should be!), you want your profile to be a sparkling representation of you.  Additionally, think twice before you post unnecessary personal information.  It’s wise to keep things like your political views, etc., to yourself.

To enhance your online personal brand:


1.  Follow industry leaders and top professionals (not just celebs) on Twitter.  It is fun to read tweets, and you will actually learn quite a bit.    


2.  Now that you have your LinkedIn profile perfectly written, and you’ve joined all the right groups- you need to start participating in discussions.  These will showcase your understanding of topics related to your interests.  Again, be careful to proofread your responses.  Always maintain a professional and friendly tone.


3.  Write reviews of books on Amazon.  Make sure you have actually read the book.  Write a concise summary of your thoughts- and then have someone else read it before you post it.  The book should be relevant to your interests and your review should showcase your dazzling writing skills.

For further guidance on establishing, cleaning up, or enhancing your online personal brand, stop by the Career Center today!

Personal Branding: A quick guide

Personal branding.  It’s a popular buzzword these days… so what does it actually mean?  Personal branding is a process of developing the image you want to portray to the outside world- particularly the professional world.   It’s you, with just a little extra polish and poise.  A strong personal brand will help set you apart when you are networking and applying for internships and jobs.  So, how do you create a personal brand? 

Step One: Do a little soul searching.  Figure out who you are right now, and how that fits into who you think you want to become.  This not only has to incorporate your career aspirations, but also your own personal development.  Think about your past experiences in terms of education, work, and community service. What kinds of skills have you acquired?  How have you grown from these experiences? 

Step Two: Consider where you are right now.  What classes will you take next semester?  Have you pursued any leadership roles in the clubs and organizations you are involved with?  If you aren’t yet involved in any clubs, which ones are you interested in?  What are you gaining from your experiences this summer? 

Step Three:  Perform a gap analysis.  Once you have given your past and present situations some in-depth thought (it’s a good idea to write out this information… you can also look at your resume to help you organize your thought process), it’s time to consider what you are missing.

For example, let’s say you are entering your sophomore year as a business major.  You know from your coursework that you are interested in accounting.  You have a job right now at a summer camp- the same summer job you had last summer.  So you aren’t working at a job that is directly related to accounting, but if you really broke down your experiences at camp, you would see that you are gaining (among other valuable skills) an abundance of patience- a great attribute for a successful accountant.  And, you have an extra accounting course in your schedule for Fall 2011.  So you are going to gain a wider understanding of accounting principles.  What you are missing now is an experience that helps you better understand what it’s really like to be an accountant.  To remedy this, you might consider attending a ZebraCAN information session so that you can link up with an accountant and conduct an informational interview.  You can also become OCR eligible and begin applying for summer internships in the accounting field.    

Step Four: Putting it all together. Now that you gained an understanding of what you have done, what you are doing, and what you need to do, it’s time to construct a personal positioning statement.  Think of this as your slogan- a short verbal representation of you.  It needs to be concise:  Honors student exploring career possibilities in accounting.  Voila! You’ve just made significant progress towards building your personal brand. 

Here comes the challenge: living out that slogan and enhancing your brand every day! Stop by the Career Center (we’re open during the summer!) and let us provide you with some guidance on how to do this.

Congratulations to the graduating Seniors: Senior year in review

Senior year: the final countdown; the last hurrah; the last year of being a “kid” – well somewhat, at least.  This is not the time to come down with a bad case of Senioritis.  This is the time to immerse yourself in every Stony Brook activity possible, make that last push to excel in class, and apply everything that you’ve learned during the past three years in the pursuit of a career.  Yes, senior year is bittersweet, but it is also crunch time. 

            Your last two semesters are essentially a compilation of all of your hard work: where you can shine and showcase your academic talents and leadership abilities.  You can become engrossed in the Stony Brook atmosphere, while simultaneously preparing yourself for your future after graduation.  This is the time to utilize the networks that you have created throughout different departments and use them to your benefit.      

            Looking back, it is interesting to see how much you have developed over the past four years.  In freshman year, as a 17 or 18-year-old, Stony Brook University was a brand new environment, which was both intimidating and exciting.  At 21 or 22, after four years of educational growth, personal maturity, and professional development, Stony Brook is viewed as a different place.  “When I first came to Stony Brook, I just viewed it as a school.  Now, I view it as a home, a workplace, and a place to have fun and relax.  Now that I am a leaving, it would be a lie to say that I am not going to miss it,” said Ivan Xie, a senior who is majoring in Business Management. 

            I’m not saying that senior year should solely be dedicated to creating and preparing for your life after Stony Brook.  There must be balance.  Be proactive and cognizant of the future, but be sure to be social: spend time with friends, have carefree days, and set aside some serious “me” time.  Conceivably, this may be the last time in your life that many of your friends are all together.  Take advantage of the opportunities you have this year to stay involved on campus while maintaining your friendships. 

            The world can be a scary place, and nobody is going to hold your hand through interviews or other challenging situations that will come your way.  As you truly emerge into adulthood, with real adult responsibilities, it is time to exercise your independence and decide what is best for you in life.  Whether you go to graduate school, find a job, or travel and take a year off, you are the only person who knows what is right for you.  Stony Brook University has laid the foundation for what looks to be a promising future: go out and seize the opportunities that lay before you. 

 

Interview featuring Senior, Kirin Mahmud 

The 411 on Freshman Year

Let’s be honest here: the transition from high school to college is not an easy one.  Most times, you make the transition from being a “big fish in a small pond to a small fish in a big pond.”  At Stony Brook, a campus with over 20,000 graduate and undergraduate students, this feeling undoubtedly applies to most freshmen.  Eighteen is a rough age; you are stuck between childhood and adulthood, which makes the shift to the university level even more complex.    College can be intimidating, even daunting at first, until you find your niche and blossom.  Though freshman year is a clean slate and starting point, it is important to remember that senior year and graduation is only three short years away.  Preparation is key, and it is never too early to utilize the resources that are right before you. 

The first six weeks of school are considered the adjustment period.  During this time, freshmen students are the most formidable, and get acclimated to Stony Brook by testing the college waters, so to speak.  As a freshman, it is important to achieve a delicate balance of socialization and education.  College brings about a whole new world of freedom and responsibility: nobody tells you to go to class; nobody makes sure that you study; and nobody reminds you to complete homework assignments.  You must take the initiative to shape and plan your future.  Become engrossed in your classes; make and cultivate relationships with professors and staff members; become involved in clubs and organizations; actively seek opportunity.   

It is never too early to utilize the Career Center and the services it offers.  Come to resume review, and transform your lengthy high school activity record into a polished and articulated one-page document.  Make an appointment with an advisor or stop by during walk-in hours to receive guidance and advice about your major and related activities.  The Career Center exists to help you, regardless if you are a freshman.  Take advantage of ZebraNet and the events and workshops that are offered.  You may ask, “As a freshman, why should I go to and use the Career Center if none of my friends are?”  The answer is this: if you are motivated to succeed upon entering college, you will graduate from Stony Brook University with a plethora of experience and career opportunities.  You reap what you sow, and as cliché as it sounds, hard work really does pay off – trust me. 

Check out this video: Words of wisdom from a current freshman, Anna Lubitz.