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If you have ever found yourself thinking that you would love to work abroad or get into an internationally-based career after you graduate, this event is a must for you to attend!

Here's what a student from last year wrote about the event:

[The International Career Forum] really helped me get a sense of what I need to do to be successful in an internationally focused career and a better idea of what my career path might be. THANK YOU for having this event and I hope it continues forever!

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I don't know what I want to major in...I think I know my major, but what kinds of jobs can I get with it!?... I need a part-time job...I tried to apply but they wanted a résumé and I don’t have one...

Do any of these sound familiar? They do to us at the Career Center, where we help first and second year students find answers to these questions.

Often when students consider the Career Center, they think "in three or four years when I'm about ready to graduate." While we have services for seniors, visiting us earlier than your last year can give you a jump start on preparing for the future. If you’re feeling like it’s too scary to think about the future, know that starting earlier can make your graduation a lot less stressful. And, it helps you get more out of your time at the UO.

Just a few of the benefits of starting early with the Career Center: » Read more

The Career Center is a great resource for you in your search for the ideal internship. Mark your calendar for our upcoming Winter Internship Fair on January 27, 2009 in the EMU where we will be hosting organizations and employers seeking interns for available opportunities. Read on for our 9 tips for finding a great internship! » Read more

photo: IslandReefJob.com

If this wasn't confirmed by the Queensland government and the AFP I would think it’s a hoax. Instead it's a clever tourism marketing campaign that really does offer the opportunity to earn six figures for living it up on a tropical island in the Great Barrier Reef. They’re asking for a 60 second video application as well as an online application. The website is currently down, but Google has a copy of their job listing PDF.

The job pays 150,000 Australian dollars (105,000 US dollars) and includes free airfares from the successful applicant's home country to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland's state government announced on Tuesday.

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We’re always looking for new and better ways to share our expertise about preparing or searching for jobs and internships. This Fall we revamped our Facebook page to add event photos, links to useful videos, our blog feed, and opportunities to anonymously submit questions to our career counselors. Check it out, become a fan, and leave a comment to let us know what you think!

Is twitter more your style? Follow us to get the latest info from the Career Center.

Do you use Google Reader, Bloglines, or another feed reader to get your news? Subscribe to our feed!

Addicted to customizing your personalized homepage from iGoogle, My Yahoo, or netvibes? Add our feed to your homepage!

If you still like getting updates in your email, you can also sign-up to get email updates from us. » Read more

FINCA staff dancing in a Carnival parade

Teresa Roark recently returned from doing a microfinanace internship in Peru. Here's a short summary of what she got out of her internship:

I completed a six-month IE3 internship in Ayachucho, Peru last summer. While there I worked with the microfinance bank FINCA Peru, and their art division FINCA Exports. The internship was an amazing experience. The thing that I enjoyed most about my internship experience was professional development. I was forced to develop a variety of work skills that I continue to use. The internship had little structure, and required a great deal of self-motivation. There were many times that I felt challenged unqualified for the tasks given to me, but the high expectations helped me to rise to these challenges. Since returning to the United States these skills have been a great asset. I have been able to get more rewarding and higher paying jobs that require a higher degree of responsibility. I feel capable of accepting this responsibility and rising to any challenge. » Read more

Tyler Macklin at the ODE did a great job putting together this video about the Fall Career Fair. If you haven't found your way to the EMU Ballroom for one of our fairs yet, check out the video to see what it's all about. Our next fair is the Winter Internship Fair on January 27.

photo by: makani5

This post is part of our Ask a Career Counselor series. Have a question? Ask us!

This week's question:

I was reading the article about moving forward in the face of bleak economic news, however, I believe it would behoove the career center to blog about how to move forward in the face of personal discouragement. In looking for a job I find that there are days when it becomes overwhelming and I get bogged down, not only by the news, but my own personal sense of impossibility. For me, it takes a good run, and I am ready to trudge through more cover letters, internet searches and informational interviews. I realize, however, that there are many strategies for working through this "down" time. I urge you to address this topic. For many people it is one of the largest challenges of the job hunt. Thank you.

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Most companies consider people their greatest asset. A high premium is placed on those who embrace and encourage curiosity. The most important thing you can convey to an interviewer is why you are interested in their company and their available opportunity. You need to express the value you bring, and the value you will add. Ask yourself, what is my unique ability? Am I passionate about this business and this company? Am I conveying that passion in this interview?

Recruiters and HR professionals know when hiring interns or recent college graduates that they will have limited real work experience. Regardless, all employers want to hire people that are passionate and have initiative. At Waggener Edstrom we value curiosity. We embrace and encourage curiosity at all levels of our organization. So how do you do this? » Read more

photo by zense

You might not realize it, but the customer that you wait on at your job at the neighborhood cafe could be the CEO of the company you desperately want to work for. Some preparation and practice can help you reach out to them in a way that may benefit your job search in the future. Practice interviews are a great way to hone your networking and interpersonal skills in a professional environment.

Setting up some informational or practice interviews can be intimidating, but you will see the results and learn a lot about yourself and what you want to do with your career. Start out with a parent, professor, or friend. Have them ask you basic questions and give you honest feedback. Ask them to tally the number of times you say "um," "like," "you know" or other fillers. Once you've gotten that down, head to the Career Center to do some research and ask if there are any UO alumni willing to conduct an informational interview with you at a company you're interested in. They don't have to be in HR, anyone with a job similar to your interest could be a big help. Or, just call the company up and ask if there is someone you can chat with (hint: do your homework on the company first). Here's your line:

I'm really interested in your company, and was wondering if I could have 20 minutes of your time to buy you a coffee and learn more about what you do there.

You'll be amazed at what this little bit of initiative can do for you. Who knows, you might even end up with a second interview!

The Career Center offers a one-credit class each term called Career Connections that focuses on developing skills for a successful informational interview and job search and gives you access to professionals interested in conducting these interviews. Look for Career Connections under CARC in your course schedule. Find out more about Career Connections.

Get started today. Being proactive is the key to finding a job in a tough job market. » Read more