By: Emily Young MA ‘16

I am a huge believer in the power of two very important words: “thank you”—you can’t say them enough. In building your career path, it is important to be gracious about all the opportunities you receive and acknowledge them. Mentors, job interviewers, informational interviewees, professors, friends, family etc., they all deserve thank-you letters.

By: Emily Young MA ‘16

An elevator pitch is a speech designed to capture someone’s attention and answer the universal question “tell me about yourself.” In about 30-45 seconds, the length of an elevator ride, you should get across who you are and what you aspire to become.

By: Emily Young MA ‘16

Networking and building your personal brand image isn’t top of mind when you think of social media platforms like Twitter. If you have never utilized Twitter to build your personal brand you probably have perceptions of Twitter like this:

By: Emily Young MA ‘16

Summer is a great time to invest in your career goals and personal image. During the school year, it is easy to get caught up in classwork and extra curricular activities and put your long-term career planning on the back burner. Therefore, each Wednesday I will post tips, tricks and advice from across the Internet to help you improve your online image and achieve your career goals. First step, LinkedIn!

By Emily Young MA ‘16

You’ve landed a summer internship, have a lay of the land, and figured out your commute; now what? Check out these tips to make the most of your summer internship.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

I remember the first time I started to interview for jobs. My heart was racing, my hands were shaking, my voice trembled as I spoke. My obvious nervousness hindered me from being the confident person I normally am and it affected the likelihood of my interviewer trusting my competency for this position. Through time, the nerves became less noticeable and I began to sound sure of myself and passionate for the career I am pursuing. What started off from landing initial phone interviews and then being eliminated has turned into being invited to second round interviews. Along the way, I’ve reflected back at the lack of professionalism I displayed both in interviews and in the application process.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

I met Evan Brown on a Peaks and Professors Hike this semester and upon hearing he was a senior, asked the (for many) dreaded question, “What are your plans after graduation?”

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

If your professional resume and Facebook had a baby, his name would be LinkedIn.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Probably the most valuable lesson I’ve learned in college is that there is a whole lot in this big, beautiful world of ours that I know very little about. I won’t ever know everything, but I plan on learning more and more, even after graduating from USC in May 2017, which is approaching way too quickly. To facilitate this, I’ve started checking out my options because honestly the dream is to continue going to school as long as possible.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

My current class standing is a bit odd. It’s a gift and a curse because I have to spend an extra semester at USC while my classmates are entering their full time jobs as graduates this spring. In a way, it is also a gift because I now have an extra summer to take advantage of the internship programs offered by potential future employers.

By: Hannah Kim ‘15

Los Angeles Magazine recently hosted a panel where women leaders came together to talk about the importance of mentorship. Though they work in different fields and come from disparate backgrounds, these women all share the quality of being a *~badass~*. Whether they’re facilitating youth outreach programs in South Central LA or giving women the perfect blowout, they are empowered leaders who are making a tangible impact in their communities.

By: Mark Love ‘16

With Spring Break behind us, we only have five weeks left until this school year comes to a close. For seniors, their times of juvenile hijinks and inconsequential party behaviors will cease – unless they’re attending graduate school – as they delve into the real world. Freshmen and sophomores can steer clear of any stress since these teenyboppers have over a year left to attempt to figure out their lives. And then there’s the juniors, like myself, who are lingering at the crossroads. We can choose to engorge ourselves with alcohol and chill out as summer approaches, but deep down, we know that walk across the graduation stage is right around the corner. It can be a confusing time for us soon-to-be seniors, so I have some advice for those who are at the same stage in their lives as me.