My Date with the USC Career Center
By Aida Solomon MCM ‘15
One of my biggest preoccupations this summer has been job hunting. Although I had found a promising internship almost two months ago, the opportunity fell apart. I was disappointed to be so close to jump-starting my career and having to start over again from square one.
I began to understand that, after seeing the same results, it was time to start with coming up with a new game plan. As I just started USC this past spring, I had not yet taken advantage of the USC Career Center, and scheduled an appointment to get some much-needed advice.
Located next to the Student Union, the center is easy to walk past and not notice among the crowded courtyard filled with students. Upon entering, I was immediately greeted and introduced to Associate Director Jennifer O’Conner. For the next hour, I had Jennifer’s undivided attention, and let me tell you, I was blown away by what I learned.
Not only did Jennifer send me home with helpful fact sheets about prepping before, during, and after interviews, she provided me with completely different insight on my months of job searching. I had been focusing more on the content and layout of my resume; however, Jennifer told me that in entertainment, it is more often than not who you know that will get your foot through the door.
While I’m not afforded the everyday opportunity to brush elbows with entertainment professionals, networking sites like LinkedIn allows any student to create a visible profile to showcase to the rest of the professional world. Jennifer emphasized that LinkedIn was key to reaching out to people working in the fields that I see myself in.
Naturally, what you say and how you say it is key: simply saying, “Hire me!” is sure to be a turn-off. However, approaching the individual by saying, “I’ve been following you for some time, and I admire your work. Is there any advice you can give me to get to XYZ” is a less abrasive introduction. It’s also important to know that many such professionals have extremely busy work schedules, so prepare to wait for responses or opportunities to meet up.
Jennifer was also able to make some corrections on my resume. She emphasized that while a strong resume is key, it is also important to set myself apart from the hundreds of applicants vying for the same position as I am. Establishing relationships is important, and by building a Rolodex of connections in the industry I am pursuing, I stand a better chance of being asked in for an interview.
