marketing your liberal arts degree: discovering what career is calling you

Marketing Your Liberal Arts Degree To Employers:

Roy Y. Chan, M.A.Indiana University, Bloomington

rychan@indiana.eduOctober 8, 2015

Discovering What Career is Calling You

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• To address challenges in the job/internship search process

• To identify strategies on how to market yourself to employers.

• To help translate your skills to the workplace environment.

Objectives

True OR False:These days many people challenge the value of a liberal arts education.

It’s expensive, and it fails to lead directly to a job.

FALSE!

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YOU Are in Demand!

Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), 2015

Examples of Successful Liberal Arts

People

John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State

• B.A. in Political Science, Yale University, 1966

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Michael Eisner, Walt Disney Company CEO

• B.A. in English Literature, Denison University, 1964

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Susan Wojcicki, YouTube CEO• B.A. in History and Literature, Harvard University,

1990

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Sarah Clarke, Actress of 24 (Nina Myers)• B.A. in Fine Arts and Italian, Indiana University, 1991

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What do the these people have in common?

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“So I’m about to graduate…How do I get there????”

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Two Key Steps to Market Liberal Arts Degree

• 1) Discover Your Path• 2) Selling Your Potential

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1) Discover Your Path

• “I’ll do anything…I just need a job”

• “I have a B.A. degree…I’ll take any job”

Not true!

More likely, you don’t know what you want to do or how to get there.

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1) Discover Your Path

Three categories to explore your path

a) Values – What makes you happy?

b) Interests – What is calling you?

c) Skills and Strengths - When do you shine?

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1) Discover Your Path

a) Values – What makes you happy?

• Have a high salary OR meaningful work?

• Have time freedom/flexibility/autonomy OR clear path for advancement?

• Have friendship OR competition?

* Not sure? Consider completing The Values Assessment

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1) Discover Your Path

b) Interests – What is calling you?

1) What subject do you like to talk about?

2) What subjects in the bookstore do you go first?

3) If money did not exist, what are three activities you’d love to experience?

* Not sure? Consider taking The Strong Interest Inventory (SII) or The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

(MBTI)

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1) Discover Your Path

c) Skills and Strengths – When do you shine?

1)What do your friends tell you about yourself?

2)What was your favorite subject in school?

3)What role do you assume in team projects?

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1) Discover Your Path

Values Interests Skills

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2) Selling Your Potential

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FACT

Your major is NOT important. Rather, your abilities/skills and drive for success matter more than major.

2) Selling Your Potential

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Tell Your Story

1)What are the values, interests and strength you identified in your self-reflection?

2)What is an event that has helped shape who you are today?

3)What is an accomplishment, in schooling, volunteering, internship, or work?

4)What skills did you gain from your major?

What makes you unique?

2) Selling Your Potential

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1)Resume – Quality over quantity

2)Cover Letter – Customize your story to their needs

3)LinkedIn – Title and Summary are key

4)Informational Interviewing – Ask questions to employers and tell your story.

3) Job Hunt Effectively

Two Biggest Factors How Employers Select Employees

1)Internal Candidate

2)Network

October 24, 2015SLIS IUB (Edit via "View" Menu then "Header and Footer...")

2) Job Hunt Effectively

October 24, 2015SLIS IUB (Edit via "View" Menu then "Header and Footer...")

Set Job Search Goals

3) Selling Your Potential

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• “I don’t have relevant experience.”• “My degree doesn’t relate to a career.”• “I’m just like everyone else.”

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Purpose of liberal arts education

Roy’s “RST” Secret Ingredient

1)The “R” Rule – It’s not about your Resume; it’s about our Relationships

2)The “S” Rule – Smile, Smile, Smile

3)The “T” Rule – Thanking and Follow Up is key skill to success

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Final note….Did you know that IU offers FREE career coaching session for both IUAA members and IUAA non-members? Set up an appointment today at: careers@alumni.iu.edu

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Questions? Comments?

Roy Y. Chan, M.A.

Indiana University, Bloomington

rychan@indiana.edu

(562)-338-1507

For more information, visit: www.royychan.com or www.linkedin.com/in/rychan

October 24, 2015