Go Pro-Bono!!

That's right. Just like everyone is going "go-green," it may be time to go "pro-bono." Why? Because its not all about the money. Well..OK, but it shouldn't be.

For those of you who don't know what pro-bono is, its when you do something for free; volunteer work.

And if you haven't guessed it, I have gone pro-bono. Its only temporily, but it is something to do for now. At first I was hesistant to do it, because I was really hoping for a job. But then one person I talked to said its good to do something like this. It shows that you care about the community and want to give back, and future employers will see that.

As I thought about it, like anything else, you will get to learn things and for those who don't have a lot of internship expereinces, this is a good way to start. Plus the hours are felxible and you can still continue to look for a job.

TIP of the BLOG: Try volunteering. We are fortunate to have what we have and we should give back.

It's Hard-Knock Life for Us

Its been almost 2 weeks since my last internship ended, and right now I'm beginning to feel that thing where many college students are struggling to find an entry-level job or any job for that matter. I applied to 6 different places and I have been turned down from two of them so far. I've never had that much trouble getting into classes with the budget cuts (which I am very thankful of), but I guess I am paying for it by having a hard time finding a job, or even another internship.

So here are a few things I like to share (from my personal experiences, of course) when dealing with this kind of problem.

1) Apply everywhere. Don't be picky when searching for a job or an internship, and don't settle yourself short. Of course, don't apply for a medical internship if you are a business major, just don't limit yourself to the fields related to your major.

For me, I have not only been applying for positions in Marketing, Journalism, and PR, I've also been apply to jobs in customer service and to businesses who need an assistants.

2) Follow directions when applying to internships/jobs. If the post says "put this... on the subject line" then do it. If they say "list 5 things that make you tick in your cover letter," then do it. A lot of the postings I saw on Craigslist, the employers are looking for people who can pay attention to details. So if you can't follow a few simple instructions on how to send in your resume, then how can the employer know for sure you will follow directions when they give you assignments?

3) Once you send your cover letter and resume, wait for a few days. If you haven't heard from them by then,its best to send them another email, asking them for a follow-up. This is so you can show them that you really are interested in the position. Unless the internship/job posting says otherwise.

4) If they ask you for references, its best to give your references a heads up. That way they know where you are applying and what they can do to help. Its also a good idea to do this once you had an interview with them and they asked for references.

5) If a internship/job posting is a few days or even a week old, still apply for it. You never know. They could still be looking for someone.

6) Never give up. I know it sounds cliche, but its true. It is important to stay positive and have a good attitude. Someone is going to be interested in you; someone is going to take a chance on you, you just have to be patient and keep on trying.

FYI: Your cover letter is a good place to show them why they should consider you.

TIP of the BLOG: I just gave you 5 : )

The End of an Internship

My internship at University of Dreams is over. My last day was on Wednesday and unlike the other days, I was sad to come to work. This would mean that I have to say goodbye to everyone in the office. But this is also a good thing because I now can go on to other things and be able to learn more about myself and see what I can do.

Looking back at my internship, I learned a lot. Not just from the projects that I worked on, but also how a company works. The employers put a lot of effort and time to make things happen for students. They are all dedicated in what they do and know that what they are doing can make a difference. And I am with them on that and everything else 100 percent.

I feel that I have grown over the last 2 months. When I look at my resume, I can't believe how far I have come since my first job in high school, and feels like I can take on anything.

On your last day of your internship, be positive, thank everyone in the office (if its a small office), and write a few "thank you" cards to those you have worked with. Ray and I actually received a thank you card as well from everyone in the office. I'll admit, I almost cried as I said goodbye to everyone. I didn't want to leave, but it was a wonderful experience and I will be more than happy to return to the company in the future, if needed.

TIP of the BLOG: If you really connected to some of the people in the office, keep in touch with them. You never know when another opportunity will arise.

You know you love your internship when...

Its been awhile since my last posting, but I have been so busy with school and my internship.

I LOVE my internship!!! : ) It is such a blast. I'm learning a lot about marketing and public relations. The people are awesome!! And I'm working with another intern, Ray. We all have the same lunch hour, so when the time comes, we all go sit at a table in the office and we eat and talk about the current news. This week we are playing games during our lunch time in honor of the Olympics.

I love coming in early, and I'm always excited when Sunday and Tuesday nights come around because it means the following day I get to go to my internship. I'm not weird, OK. This internship has really helped me develop new skills (I can use photoshop creating a new template or an existing one) and it is helping me realize what I am good at.

I think the reason why I love my internship so much is because I am so dedicated in the company and its mission. I think what they are doing is great, and coming from someone who has experienced what the company is all about, makes it all worth it. For me, my experience helped me realize what I want to do. I'll be honest, without this opportunity I probably still be lost at what I wanted to do after graduation. And so this is why I want to give back and help others realize what they want to do. (Hence the name, University of Dreams).

As far as school goes, its going. The biggest news is that I turned in my graduation application. All I have to do now is to pass my classes and pray my application is approved.

TIP of the BLOG: What I said above is, I think, important when you intern/work somewhere. You have to be comfortable in the environment, be positive, and know that you can do the things they expect you to do. If you want more tips look at my previous blog " Preparing for Interview."

On The Very First Day...

The first day of an internship or a job is just as nerve racking as the interview was. You don't know what to expect, you feel nervous yet excited. It's like the first day of school.

My first day yesterday went great. I got there early (of course) and was shown where I would be working. With another intern, we were introduced to everybody else in the office. A couple of people remembered me as participant and were very happy to see me again and that I was joining their team.

After the introductions were made, my boss began to talk about the program, what we were going to do, and what he would like to be done. Afterwards, it was lunch time and every Wednesday everyone gets together at the main table, located in front of the office. Mostly the conversation was about what was going on with the "NBC drama," "American Idol," and the recent "Golden Globes."

Its a pretty relax environment.

Afterwards, my boss had a one-on-one discussion of what each of our first project is going to be. My first project is to critique the content of the Web site.

And that was pretty much my first day.

5 Tips for First Day:

1) Arrive early. Don't leave until you have completed your hours. Stay till the end, even if your boss says you can leave early if you want to.

2) Go in with a positive attitude, and relaxe.

3) Like with your interview, it is a good idea to wear something nice. Like business casual or a nice jean with a nice top (depending on the environment of the office).

4) Try to remember every one's names in the office, if its a small working area. (Of course, you don't have to have every one's names memorized on the first day)

5) Don't be hesitant to ask questions. You are here to learn.

Oh one more thing. The day before my internship started, I received e-mails from other people in the company welcoming me. If people took the time to e-mail you and wish you luck, you can also take the time to reply back and thank them. It will simply take a minute.

TIP of the BLOG: If you are working in a relax environment, don't get lazy or carried away. It is still a working environment and things need to be done.

Lessons about Phone Interviews

So I had another interview yesterday. And it was again with University of Dreams, but this time I was applying for a position as one of their summer staff programs. And unlike my previous interview, I had it over the phone.

Phone interviews...ya...there not exactly as easy as it sounds. Sure you don't have to "suit up" (a little saying from Neil Patrick Harris in How I Met Your Mother), or worry about getting there on time (in this case they will call you). But you don't see the person's face and you have to make sure your phone reception is good. I much prefer face to face interview, it makes it somehow more personal and easier for both parties (I think). Somehow I feel like I don't do well on phone interviews, we shall see. I won't hear back from them till the end of January.

But interviews do happen over the phone and here are some tips, some of which I realised afterwards I should have done. But that is why I have this blog.

7 Phone Interview Tips:

1) Be in a good, quiet area where you will not be disturbed. As a precautionary, tell others in your apartment/house that you are going to have a phone interview at whatever time, so they know not to disturb you. And where ever you are, make sure your phone is working. You don't want your phone to have static problems and all of the sudden it ends the call.

2) Phone interviews usually last up to 30 min. or maybe an hour (mine took only about 15-20 min), so make sure you have enough minutes on your cell phone (if that is the number you gave them).

3) Write down the questions they ask, so you can answer them easily and if you sort of ramble, it will help you get back on track.

4) Try not to say "...., so yeah," after your done answering a question. Instead just paraphrase the question (Ex: "So that is why I think its important....". FYI: This is where #3 comes in handy.

5) Take a brief moment before answering the question, so you can gather up your thoughts and not jump in so quickly.

6) Don't talk too fast because chances are the person is writing down some of the things you say. And don't interrupt them in the middle of the question, let them finish first.

7) At the end of the interview, you will be asked if you have any questions. After you asked your questions or if you you don't have any, try to tell them something that they don't already know about you and something that might be beneficial.

And before the end of the day, yes, send them a "thank you letter" (see previous blog).

For follow ups on the interview, see the previous blog as well.

TIP of the BLOG: Don't do anything else during the interview (ie: check your e-mail, clean your room, etc) you might get distracted.

Preparing for Interview

I have an internship...and its with University of Dreams. I don't start for another week, but I am very excited and looking forward interning at the company.

When you get a reply back from the place you want to work at (see previous blog), they will probably say that they are very interested in you and would like to set up a time and date to interview you. Once you have the date for the interview, write it down on a notepad and stick it on to your desk, or write a little alert note in your cell phone.

I would suggest that the day before the interview, gather everything you need to bring to the interview. That way you are not running around trying to finds things 5 minutes before your supposed to leave. For my interview I brought a copy of my cover letter, resume, references, samples of my writing skills, and a little notepad with a pen if I needed to write something down (I didn't have to, but its always good to be prepared).

I also looked the company's website and wrote down a few thoughts in case they asked me during the interview. Obviously its a good idea to familiarize yourself with a company's background and what they do.

I think the number 1 rule of the whole interview process is NEVER be late. It will not look good for you. I wasn't really familiar with the place of my interview, so I looked at Google Maps (using street view) so I know what the area looks like and where I can park. Even though I knew it only took me about 20 minutes to get there, I still left a good hour early before my interview. And this is not a bad idea to do. I was half an hour early, but at least it was better than being 5 minutes late.

Here are my 4 reasons why I think its important to be extra early:

1) It gives you time to relax and calm your nerves down. It will help you get focus on the interview, and not on other things (such as did I park in the right place? Did I lock my doors?).

When I arrived early, I walked around the area around the building for a little bit before going in. And it really helped me and my nerves.

2) While you are waiting for your interviewer, observe the environment (if its not at a coffee place). Is this kind of place you would like to work at? See how people address one another/what they wear. Will you be comfortable in doing the same?

3) If you are early, make sure you have everything you need and didn't forget something in the car. (You should probably do this when you are about to leave your car). So if you do forget something, you will at least have time to go back to your car and get it.

4) It just looks good to be early. It shows how dedicated you are and that you would really like the position.

During the interview, listen to what the person is saying. If you are confused about something, ask. Don't just say "OK, sure, yeah." Or you could simply restate what they said to make sure your both on the same page. Answer questions as best you can, the person is looking to see if you will be a good fit for this company, and you need to show it. Give examples or ideas you have depending on what position you are applying for.

I'm sure I'm not the only person, but once when something is over, I think to myself: Did I remember to mention this? Or did I answer this question correctly? But what I usually do is that I say to myself, "I did the best I could. What's done, is done." (I learned that last part from an old roommate).

Now that the interview is done, you can finally breath properly again (haha!). So what should you do? Two things: Treat yourself to something (a sweet, go to the movies, shopping) and by the end of the day send them a thank you letter.

A what!? Didn't you just tell them thank in person?

Yes. But when you send them a thank you note, you stand out because you are still fresh on their mind (I read this through many sites on Google).

Its really simple. Like a cover letter, you only need 3-4 short paragraphs. Do it within 24-48 hours after the interview.

Paragraph 1: Thank them for taking the time to meet you and giving you the opportunity to discuss whatever it was you guys talked about

Paragraph 2: Reflect a little bit about what you guys talked about and why you are perfect for the position. Mention anything else you forgot to say in the interview. And if you forgot to give something to them, attach it to the e-mail and let them know.

Paragraph 3: Its similar to Paragraph 2, but say what you will bring to the company and the position.

Paragraph 4: Let them know if they need anything else, they can call you. Thank them for considering you and that you look forward to hearing from them.

That is it. Then you just have to wait to see if you get it. Usually its a good idea to wait at least a week before calling them, if you haven't heard from them. Unless you know that the interviewing process will take another week or so.

If you got the position, congratulations! If not, its OK. Remember its a really tough process and a hard decision to make. That is why you should find ways in which you will stick out.

One more thing. Don't wait around to hear from them, apply elsewhere as well. There are people who are looking to fill in a position right now, rather than later.

TIP of the BLOG: Be yourself and have confidence (cliche I know) . When you are yourself, you will feel comfortable and will do well in the interview.

Looking for Internship

I was looking at Craigslist, and I saw a posting called Marketing Project Management Intern. I click on it and to my surprise it was a post from University of Dreams. As an alumna of the program, I was so excited.

Naturally, I jumped straight to my e-mail, but not before writing a cover letter on Word, and then pasting it to the e-mail. Afterwords, I reread the e-mail and did spell check on it (3x, no kidding) and checked to see that every word was perfect. Haha.

Last week, I googled on how to write a cover letter since I never wrote one before. And since almost every single internship requested one on Craigslist. I found one that I really like. It was short and sweet. You only need 2-3 sentences each paragraph.

Paragraph 1: State who you are, what position you want to apply for and where did you find it. (I read a tip on how lot of the companies have so many internship positions that when you apply for one, you should make it as clear as possible as to which one you want. Even going as far as writing the posting ID number).

Paragraph 2: Tell them why you are interested in the position. What makes you a good candidate for them to consider. (Some applications will ask you a few questions and its good to answer them in this paragraph).

Paragraph 3: Thank them for considering you and that you look forward to hearing from them. Mention you attached (or pasted) your resume, and also if they would like references or work samples, if they did not ask.

TIP of the BLOG: Be as polite and formal as you can be. But don't use big words that you don't know.

Did You Vote on Tuesday…Me Neither

That’s right. It was Election Day on Nov. 3. Yeah…I didn’t know what to vote for either.

Things that happened on Nov. 4, 2008-- the U.S. presidential election-- included thousands of people gathering around a park, people sitting on their couches glued to their TV waiting to see the first poll results and others checking their iPhone every five minutes for any news.

It was nothing like that on Tuesday. Nobody really cared that there were local elections going on. It was simply a normal Tuesday for most people.

Why is it that we get so hyped up when it’s the US presidential election? Well, I guess its because people care more about who leads this country. Maybe its because there was a lack of advertisement on who was running for what and what Propositions were on the ballot. Or its just maybe because we were so excited last year, that we used up all of our energy in that election and we were just too worn out to do anything this year.

I think all major elections (Governor, US Senate, State Senate, ect…) should happen at the same time. And not have one part of the country have elections one year and the other part in another year.

That would be cool, that way we can at least see and maybe learn something about another governor rather than just our own. And it would give a chance for citizens to come together, like it was last year.

People always say its important to vote and have your voices be heard, but does that only mean when it comes to voting for a new governor, US Senator, and president? Or when an important Proposition comes up? What do you think?

Here are the results (and what was on the ballot) for the San Francisco area, if you’re curious.

Television vs Real Life

I love watching TV shows. I think they are so much fun to watch because, like movies, they take you away from your current situation. But recently some shows have been using some real events and applying it to the show’s storylines. Grey’s Anatomy’s storyline right now has to let people go and merge two hospitals because of the recession. In Ugly Betty, Mode Magazine had to get some help because they were not making enough money.

And so I though it would be interesting to see what people have to say about television shows and if they really show what people go through in real life. Shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, and Ugly Betty are trying to show what goes on in everyday life and how people handle the situations.

Today, I received help from a group of girls from a high school in Oakland (look above picture on the left): Claudia Alvarez (L); Gabriela Pena (C); and Yasmin Briceno (R).

It was my responsibility to show them around campus and give them a few tips on how to interview people. They were a little shy to talk to people, but I think they did a nice job in the 15-20 minutes we had to get quotes.

Here is the question we asked and the responses the girls got.

Do television shows portray what real people go through and do people tend to go for looks over talent?

Rachel Buddeberg, a grad student and philosophy major:

“In television they care more about the beauty. I would say that in the movies they don’t really care because to make a good movie they go for talent.”

Anteo Quiroz, a postback (meaning he is getting another undergraduate degree) in biology

"Some shows like HBO and Showtime are more realistic than ABC and Fox... And they do choose beauty over talent to a certain extent.”

Bussola Oluwole, 23, postback biology

“ The real world is all scripted and that I think that the doctors in Grey’s Anatomy don’t act like the doctors would in the real world.”

Alejandro Pulido, 18, freshman, philosophy major

“Character conflicts might be real and other stuff are exaggerated. People are more attracted to appearance, that’s the difference between books and television."

Good magazine gone...gone

What makes a good magazine? Better yet, what makes a good magazine to continue? Let’s see…

Rolling Stone: Music, politics, popular cultures, and of course, it’s a legendary magazine. It’s a popular magazine since a lot of contemporary artists and actors appear on the cover.

Entertainment Weekly: Behind the scene look of upcoming films. A magazine that gives readers sneak peaks about anticipated films…yeah its not going anywhere.

Vogue: Articles on current fashions. It’s a very popular magazine as it gives fashion tips and keeps readers up to date on what is new in fashion.

Playboy: Naked pictures of women--- Enough said.

Ramparts Magazine was one of those magazines that were considered one of its best during its time. Yet it wasn’t good enough to continue, but I wonder why. It was what people called a “radical magazine,” because, from everything I read, it changed the way of how reporting should be done and it was quite popular with Bay Area readers.

Ramparts also did stories on the Vietnam War and, as it was a left-wing magazine, they did stories that were against it. Oh and the magazine apparently also made the Black Panthers famous.

We don’t have lot of left-wing magazines in the Bay Area, I wonder why… We are a liberal area, in some way.

But at the time, it was important to Bay Area residents because it was the political magazine for the Bay Area. It was “the magazine to read” in the Bay Area as far as politic news was concerned. I don’t think the Bay Area has a lot of political magazines, not like the New Republic or the Time.

So why is the magazine not here today? I never did find out why it folded. Not enough money, probably. Or perhaps all the good writers went on to something different. In fact, a few of them went on to create Rolling Stone Magazine. Not bad…

But I just noticed something, the magazines I listed above, for the most part they are all entertainment magazines. So entertainment triumphs politics?

Using The Word "I"

“No Story is ever finished”

So what the about the phrase “happily ever after?

That was my first remark when freelance writer Mark Follman said about how stories are never finished. I guess fairy tales don’t count, but now that I think about it, Mark may have a point. After all, they don’t call them sequels for nothing. But, in news terms, a story is quite simply never done. There are always follow-up stories or other angles to a story. Stories, whether in news or in films, go on and on either in continuation or different ways. Like the “Rocky” and “James Bond” films.

Some other things Mark said when he visited my journalism class this past week included:

“Best stories I’ve read don’t have to use the word ‘I.’”

When I read opinion stories, it amazes me how a writer can write so well, without having to use the word “I.” It is a challenge, but it works. I remember writing for the [X]press last semester, and when I wrote for the opinion section, it would usually take me about an hour or so to write something. This is of course, with little research and reporting. Now at the [X]press, writers can no longer use the word “I,” and a lot of amount of research and reporting is required.

“You have a big choice to make when you put your own voice.”

You think it would be the easiest thing to write an opinion piece, as noted in the above paragraph. Just simply writing your opinion about something and occasionally saying “I believe…” or “I think…,” isn’t really good enough. Come to think of it, it does get kind of repetitive. When I was thinking about it, I think that by using “I,” it makes it more personal to the readers. It’s like writing in a diary, but everyone gets to read it. Whereas, when you don’t use “I” and instead you use the scene settings and other dialogues, it makes it more realistic and convincing. And quite frankly, it makes it more professional.

FYI: I used the word "I" 7 times.

Lessons fron John

I have never been interested in reading op-ed pieces before. I don’t know why, but I just never took the time to read what some people are saying about things. Then I took the Opinion writing class and I realized how fun writing an opinion piece can be. I am currently struggling a little bit, but hopefully in time I will be able to write as good as the guest speaker that came to the class to speak.

Before SF Gate columnist editor John Diaz came to my journalism class to discuss his experiences, I read some of his op-ed pieces and I have to say, he makes it look so easy. My favorite was the one called “Worst dog in the world? Move over, Marely.” In his piece, he wrote about his experiences with his dog while tying it to the movie “Marley & Me.” I thought it was a nice different piece compared to the other ones I read. His other ones were opinions on hard news events.

In fact, that is the type of op-ed writing I like to do because it makes it personal and people can relate to it.

Here are the top 5 things I learned from John:

1) Don’t write about personal consumer issues otherwise the company will give you something in compensation. And that is not exactly helping others and you’re just being selfish.

2) Write about something that can reach a wider audience and not just a certain type.

3) Even though its an opinion piece, you still need to research and do reporting.

4) Your writing should have a voice; the words should reflect your voice/feelings.

5) Just because a story has been done before, doesn’t mean you can’t take a different angle to it.

My Pets

When I was little, I had canaries. I always wanted a puppy or kitten, but my parents didn't think I could handle a puppy or kitten. I tried to prove them by "practicing" with my dog toy.

For awhile, my family and I didn't own canaries. Just two years ago, we got two guinea pigs. One was white named Snowball and the other is a black and white name Flower. But Snowball died suddenly a few weeks back.

My father always loved canaries, so it was not really a surprise when my father brought two canaries home and my little sister named them Bella and Edward (yup, after Twilight). I asked why he liked canaries so much and he told me its because they always brought good luck to the family. With times like these, I hope they do...

Check out my pets!

A Flower From Home

Roses are known as the romantic flowers. They also happen to be my favorite flowers. I especially like roses that have mixed colors blend in together. There is just something about these flowers that make me smile when I see them.

My sister took this picture on my 21st birthday. Whenever a big event is coming up in my family, my father always goes out to the garden and picks the flowers. He loves to garden: pick flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Our garden is filled with these things.

Our flowers are mostly roses of different color; some are the same and others are mixed. The smell of them are the same ones at the store, only these flowers are for free. It always makes me feel good whenever I see these roses on the kitchen counter.

Grad School

When I was in high school, I didn't want to go to grad school. I thought that once I get my undergraduate degree, I'll be done with school forever. But then the recession happened and I began to really think about my future. I spoke to many of my friends and only two or three are planning to go to grad school. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with not going, I mean grad school is not cheap. But trying to find a job under these circumstances is hard. So what do you do? I'm sure like everyone else, we are Googling "how to find a job in a recession?" or "how to have your resume stand out?" Yahoo! and MSNBC have articles on such things and even one where it talks about cities that employment is needed.

But going back to grad school....

I'm planning on graduating this year and I'm looking into grad school for next year. I was thinking about waiting a year, but I'm afraid I might get lazy and not want to go back to school. I've been in the school mode since kindergarden, might as well go for it for another year or two. So I've picked a few schools I'm interested in and it honestly feels like high school senior year over again. I need to do the applications, get transcripts, recommendations, and for some schools take the GRE (the SATs for grad school).

On top of that, I need to pass the classes in order to graduate, and at the same time be an editor for my school's newspaper.

So much to do, so little time...