About that interview or Just exactly what does this company.

Right about now, especially if you are graduating, a big part of Back to Earth from Planet College is jobs. A big part of jobs is just simply getting one. You've probably had several but if you are getting your degree this term then this time the job is a little different. It is the next step and maybe even the first step in your career.

If you are now involved in interviews there are a few basic points to bear in mind. The simple ones may seem obvious but as the TA said at your last class meeting, "Let's review." For any given interview first of all show up on time. In the world of business on time means a few minutes early.

Living in Your Department.

Summer on Planet College is the time most students earn most of the money they will need for fall term. Two jobs, three jobs even four not at all uncommon- even with squeezing in a summer school class or two. The advantage to working more than one job is you have that much less time to spend the money you are earning. This can lead to an opportunity you may not have considered.

At some point in the perpetually discouraging life of every student on Planet College there comes a time to declare and act on it. That is declare a major and do what is necessary to fulfill the requirements. This usually entails more than the average attendance/attention expended so far in your courses.

Making an outrageously serious effort to actually get somewhere in your education requires time, commitment and application. And money. If now you are strenuously involved in accumulating as much money as possible for Fall consider this.

This fall take as many courses as you are permitted in your major. Be in your department for every event, every course you need, every guest speaker and every major related program offered. This is often referred to as "Living in the department" and, as you've seen ,some devoted majors do actually end up sleeping in the hallway. Student's who have made this exceptional effort often report experiencing an unexpected lift when grades are issued. Spending one full term concentrating on nothing but your major will upgrade your assessment of your self as a student. It will also put you significantly closer to actually graduating.

Living in the department takes a special effort and is of course dependant on your finances. If working during the regular term is a necessary priority then living in your department may not be possible. Still, if you can save enough money from all those work hours this summer, then, you may be in a position to really make a move this Fall.

The More I Work The Faster My Money Goes

With winter break coming soon students on Planet College are looking forward to - working more. Either more hours at their regular jobs or seasonal jobs or both. Which ever it is most students will once again realize truth of the line from the original rock and roll classic Shake, Rattle and Roll, "The more I work the faster my money goes." Working all week for a paycheck which disappears in one weekend night is a common frustration. The obligations toward friends and family during the holidays does nothing to ease this frustration.

This post is about one more frustration, taxes.

Earnings are taxed just like everything else. Some time next year you will probably owe money on the money you are earning this year. Some of this obligation may be relieved by withholding, the money taken out of your paycheck for your future income tax obligation. When you fill out the paperwork after being hired you fill out among other things a form called a W-4. This authorizes your employer to take out a set amount of your earnings each pay period. This money, a deduction from your paycheck, is intended to pay for your federal and in some cases state tax obligation.

Next year you will receive a W-2, a form from your employers which will detail how much you earned and how much was withheld from your earnings. That is in part an explanation of the frustration you feel when you work more and seem to have less.

Right now as the busyness of the end of the term and the winter break mounts there is little time to stop and examine your financial situation. More work simply means at least some more money right now.

Next year, when you get those w-2s and start doing your tax return for 2010 look carefully at the amount which has been withheld and the amount you will actually owe in taxes. Too much withholding could mean a refund check from the government. Not enough withholding will probably mean you will be sending a check to the government. Either way then would be a good time to look at your w-4 amounts. If it seems wise to adjust them one way or another it will probably be possible to submit a new W-4 to your employer. Check on it.

Basic Requirements For The Job.

By this time in your career on Planet College you have probably applied for a few jobs. Maybe more than a few. So you are, no doubt, familiar with the "basic requirements" section of the job posting or description. Usually this section contains essential elements that the worker must be able to perform when hired. They are often relatively simple things like, " must be available to work evenings and weekends", "must be able to lift forty pounds", stuff like that. Often one basic thing not included is just assumed, "Must show up on time and be sober." This is usually a given and is almost always detailed somewhere in the company's employee manual.

Anyway most of these basic requirements also apply to your school experience. It is usually essential to show up on time, sober helps, and about lifting the forty pounds? Sometimes that back pack can get mighty heavy.

The point of this is that just like any one of your current jobs, school, right now, is a job. Perform the tasks regularly, show up on time, lift that forty pounds, i.e. meet the requirements. Employing a work-a-day approach to your education may not be too "uplifting" but it will get the job done. And unlike your paycheck, the compensation for this job, a degree, will last the rest of your life.

Accepting Applications

Planet College endorses jobs on campus. Most student's work at least one job, often more. Working on campus provides some simple advantages. You are there anyway so transportation costs are eliminated. Depending on the place where you work there can be useful discounts, books, food, tickets and stuff. You can meet people. Social is a big part of life on Planet College so working on campus can mean expanding your in-person facebook page.

That's jobs on campus.

How about around campus, near campus, by campus? You'll see the signs at the dry cleaners, bike shop, coffee place and all, "Accepting applications." A job near campus is practically the same as a job on campus. No transportation hassle, meet people, discounts on stuff and a few bucks. Cool.

Going Home.

It's time, thank goodness, for most students to go home. Home from Planet College to your local version of Planet Earth. What's your style for going home? Throw your stuff in a trash bag and hop in your friend's Tacoma? However you get there when you get there you will be a little different from last time. A little older, a little more experienced possibly? Meanwhile, home may be the same as always. Home doesn't change much, at least not as fast as you have been changing. That is why there is no place like it. There is nothing so comforting as the familiar. Hopefully that is home for you.

Now, it may be that the changes which have been occurring nationwide, during the past year especially, may have changed your neighborhood too. Neighbors may have moved, their homes lost. Folks may have lost jobs. Christmas, for those who celebrate traditionally, may be reduced. Celebrations may be fewer, smaller and more sober. This is change.

On Planet Earth, back at home, as on Planet College, change happens. This year you may notice that simple fact more clearly when you get home for the holidays. Yes, change happens and not always the way we want it. However it has happened and where ever it has happened, Happy Holidays from Planet College.

But my boss is an idiot.

Work can be tough sometimes and having an unreasonable boss doesn't help. Most experienced Planet College students have had several jobs while financing their college careers. Along the way most have also had a difficult boss, supervisor or owner. No matter what the position there always seems to be at least one difficult person who has authority or is in control. The forms of unreliability or difficulty are many; clearly favoring one worker over another, issuing conflicting instructions, unreasonable expectations, even perfectionism, for the time available. You've probably seen it and can expand this list.

This can only be frustrating. Especially when you really need this job. And who doesn't?
What to do? Well, first of all quitting, is rarely an option. It is tempting when you are doing your best and it just doesn't seem good enough, at least according to your supervisor.

A little perspective often helps. Recognize it for what it is. A job you need - well OK- a pay check you need now. This job, at least this company, is a lot more important to your supervisor than it is to you. She probably has a great deal invested in her position. This means that being right is real important to her.

So. The solution? Agree. That is it. Just go along and be agreeable. For now realize that this is not the last stop of your career. (And for your cranky bos? It probably is the last stop of her career.)Your opportunities are expanding as you work toward your degree. Keep this in mind for the time you are at work.

Meanwhile complaining about work is a time honored tradition among hardworking, stressed-out students. So go ahead. You are permitted. You will find that almost everyone has or has had a difficult, unreasonable or even impossible boss. Go out with friends after work for pizza and soda or even a beer. Make sure you are a safe distance from your work place and complain away. Enjoy getting all that nasty boss work stuff out. And when you leave work. Leave it there. Things change. They always do. And you will be able to call this just another experience. An experience which will equip you to better deal with some future nasty boss down the road. And believe it, they're waiting for you back on Planet Earth.

Your basic application.

In no long period of time on Planet College you'll notice you do a lot of applying.

Applying for jobs. Applying for internships. Maybe even applying for special programs. You may have noticed that basically the drill is essentially the same. If you recall from your original college application some information is continuously necessary. Name, address, phone number, date of birth are among the standards necessary on most types of applications. Additionally, employment applications often ask for previous employers and often ask for references.

For this reason Planet College once again suggests that as a busy student it is useful for you to keep a file. A file can be anything but a sturdy manila folder like the kind use for business is very useful. This file could contain your essential information plus clear copies of relevant documents such as your birth certificate. Also it is useful to compile a list of your employers. This list can contain the name of the business, the location, your supervisor with, if possible, a phone number and your position i.e. the type of work you did.

Another useful list is a list of references. At this point there are usually at least two kinds. One employment references and the list of employers above may suffice. The second is academic. This is a list of instructors who are familiar with your efforts as a student. This is useful because you may need this type of references should you apply for, as mentioned, an internship, an advanced course or degree or a scholarship.

Having all of this basic information available in one file can significantly expedite the many application processes that you as a student experience on Planet College

Off to work, diploma in hand

This is graduation season and a lot, a whole lot, of brand new graduates will be marching off to work, degrees posted, commencement completed and diplomas in hand.  About that brand new position with the high salary and all the cool perks that come with a degree?  Well for most graduates, not right now. In fact, if you are a graduate this term you probably are marching off to the same job or jobs you've had for a while. At least until one of the scores of resumes you have sent out pays off with an offer.  Mean while the experience of one graduate from a couple of years back might help illuminate your path.

Karl graduated a couple of years ago with a Degree in Marketing.  This is his story.

After I graduated I continued working at the same places I had been working.  I had to. I sent out resumes like every body else, even got a few interviews, but nothing solid.  I learned that an educational travel company I had worked for briefly had openings in their main office which is in my home town.  I had led  a tour group for them a couple of years before. My folks are from Eastern Europe and I'm pretty good with languages so it was a fit and I got to tour Europe for free for three weeks.

I knew it was 'customer service' but it was full time and I figured it might be a chance to use my Marketing Degree.  I moved back home and started work.  All the new hires started in what is actually a boiler room. Wall to wall desks. The company is large and they advertised their tours heavily in student newspapers and on the web.  We were supposed to take the incoming calls and sell up.  The callers were responding to the low prices advertised for the tours but these were just bait.  Our job was to sign them up for more features and longer tours.  There was a lot of pressure to perform with big signs at the front of the room about who was making the team go and who wasn't. There was a bar located on the ground floor of the office building where everybody went after work and on Friday's there was a 'sales meeting' in that bar at three pm.  This was mostly about getting wasted and hooking up for the weekend. At first it was fun, a lot like college really. But after a few months it was clear nobody from customer service was moving up. Whenever there was an opening the company brought in someone from another office who was already a manger.  The us vs. them culture of workers vs. management was particularly toxic and finally discouraging.  I tried pointing this out at the regular 'sales meetings' but no body from management wanted to hear it. Worse the pay was really bad. The company commonly charged the salary which was low anyway against any commissions I might have earned and I ended up earning less than if I had just been an hourly employee bagging groceries at some supermarket or something.  After nearly six months I could see I was going no where. I was still at my folks who were OK about it but I really couldn't stand it.  I thought I would have been out of there sooner.  Finally through another part of the company I learned about teaching positions in other countries.  I thought, "Why not? At least I'll be out of here." So I got all set up and now I'm in Shanghai.

It's kinda cool being in a completely different culture right now. I know a lot of other graduates have done this.  I've been here a while and I'm picking up some Chinese.  I'm not gonna start right now about the actual teaching position.  Same company, so, what would you expect?  Bu,t at least I'm out of my folks' house.  That's what happened after I finally graduated.

When should I call back?

Soon.

At this time where job getting is critical ,new returnees to Earth from Planet College may be a little hesitant about following up on calling employers back after interviews. Following rounds of interviews sometimes potential new hires can me timid about calling the company back after an interview. Sometimes, thinking they don't want to look to hungry because it might erode their bargaining position, a candidate may delay or skip calling back entirely. This in other times might be coy and even effective.
Not now.
It is wise, smart, useful, clever and even necessary to call any company you've interviewed with and ask if the position has been filled or are you still being considered. This now is crucial. There are quite a few graduates who are trying for very few jobs.

A useful time frame for a call back is about a week after the initial interview. If you are not too clear on the details it is ok to simply call the reception and ask for Human Resources. When they answer, introduce your self and tell them you had interviewed recently for a position and you'd like to know if you are still being considered or should you continue looking elsewhere.

Right now, you really need to know, so, do this. Call back and good luck!

The Suckiest Job On The Planet

“It’s the suckiest job on the planet Mr. Morris.” Heather was an Ed Major from upstate. During her first two years at our school she had lived on campus in the residence halls. Because she would be at school for at least two more years she decided to become an RA, a Residence Assistant in the campus residence halls. The promise of free rent and meals was appealing so she applied and was accepted for the position. Shortly before the semester began Heather attended training for her position. She was now about half way through her first semester in her job. She was sitting in my office looking particularly bedraggled. She complained that she could rarely sleep, her building was noisy and rowdy and her efforts to maintain some kind of order were laughed off. Heather was particularly discouraged that the Housing Office, the administration of the Residence Halls, gave her no support when she attempted to restore order in her hall. She said it was too late in the term to back out now and she was stuck for the rest of the year. If she had known it was going to be like this, she told me, she would never have applied for the position. So be cautious. Not all jobs on campus are for everyone. Being an RA takes a particular temperament. Expect roommate squabbles, late night knocking, primitive hygiene practices, heartbreaking tales of love affairs gone wrong and not entirely legal substance use. Especially if you are managing a building full of people who have never been a way from home for any appreciable amount of time before. Elsewhere these people may be referred to as irresponsible, uncaring and inhumane. On a college campus they are known as freshmen.

Before We Start.

Classes wont be back in regular session for a few weeks yet. You might still be finishing up a summer course or working the extra hours or the extra job or jobs you need to be prepared for Fall. Planet College regularly reminds students of the basics of finishing the requirements. Due to the busyness of everyday life on Planet College students often find this reminder useful. So here we go for the next term.

First of all, attend. Don't miss class. Students who graduate attend class regularly. The one sure path to your degree is attend your courses.

Second. Have a grade goal for each class.  By now you understand the value of goals and a grade goal helps you focus. Remember a grade of C is a passing grade. You can, depending on your major, finish and graduate without ever achieving a grade higher than a C.  This can help take the pressure off.

Stop occasionally and look around at where you are, both on campus and in your life. Are you where you want to be? Probably not yet. But are you on your way? Probably yes.

Third, got a problem? Ask for help. Class problem, money problems, roommate problems, even legal problems, there is probably a resource on or near campus which can provide some assistance. All you have to do is locate them, they are there, and ask. Just say, " I need some help."

There once again are the basic which can significantly assist through college and back to earth with a real job.

Internships

When seeking work, especially meaningful work of the kind which could lead to a career, the subject of internships often arises among students on Planet College.

So it might be time for an intern "orientation".

First internships are rarely paid positions. What is offered is usually a position in an industry in which the intern might want to work, sometimes meals and transportation costs are included. This can add up to a modest sum often in the form of a payment. This payment is sometimes called a stipend. It is not a wage or a salary.

An intern may be asked to do a variety of tasks like getting coffee or taking out the trash or picking up supplies. These are usually under the heading of "gofer" and most internships are really gofer jobs. Still the opportunity to work with professionals who are in the business is helpful.

Interns are notoriously cheerful and upbeat. Which is why many business like them. Interns often provide fresh energy and a new perspective to their daily work .

If you are interested in an internship but might not know how to get started looking, ask at your department office. College departments often receive requests for students who may be interested in an internship.

If you do locate a potential position regard it as seriously as you would any job interview.

Be prepared to talk about what you feel you can contribute to the business for which you are a potential intern. Some students have found that a brief thank you note addressed to the interviewer is not only courteous it also helps keep your name in front of the interviewer.

As with any position for which you may be interviewing a call back within a week to the interviewer is standard practice. This call should be brief and to the point. "If the position is still open I am still interested."

BAC vs. GPA

On Planet College now, student thoughts turn to summer. Jobs, parties, trips and summer school classes. Before we disburse to our various destinations it could be important to go over final grades. Especially if they are not up to the standards you projected back in January. If they are there is no need to read on. You've made your grade goals and life can go on.

If not it could be useful to check your average BAC during the last term. Your BAC is your blood alcohol level. Blood Alcohol Level is simply the percentage of your blood which consists of alcohol. In most jurisdictions, and jurisdictions are where this becomes important, if you have a blood alcohol level of .08% you are considered to be under the influence. This content impairs your ability to function, most notably in operating a motor vehicle.

Alcohol use is a legendary part of Planet College. Some schools are more directly aware of this than others. Some of these schools even have programs directed toward moderating student alcohol use.

But what about you? How is your BAC awareness holding up? Did it exceed your GPA. If so there may be a clue to your over all performance this last term. Check it out.

Simple formula; When your BAC exceeds your GPA your career on Planet College is impaired.

If this has been a factor in your progress or lack of progress think about getting some help. And help can be as simple as talking things over with a friend.