Category:Coach’s Soapbox

How to Create a Professional Video Background

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Are you someone who always turns on their video camera for meetings and wants a real background – versus a virtual or blurred background – but not sure where to start? Creating a professional background does not have to be time-consuming or costly. Here are five things to consider when creating a professional background. Location. Find or create a designated space for taking virtual calls. By designating a space for virtual calls, you will not be scrambling before your next call trying to find a good background forcing you to use a virtual background. Instead, find a location that is not busy. … / Read more »




Why Job-Seeking Students Should Stop Using Virtual Backgrounds and Turn Your Video On

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As more companies, schools, career fairs, and job interviews are going virtual, video meeting etiquette is something we are all learning about. We have learned how it can be easy to turn on virtual backgrounds or not turn our cameras on at all. However, it is more professional to have our camera on and use real backgrounds. Below are reasons why we should use our camera, why we shouldn’t use virtual backgrounds but real backgrounds, and tips on how to create a professional background. Why you should turn on your camera By turning our camera on, it shows we are … / Read more »




Successfully Navigating a Career Fair

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As the semester winds down, your university’s career center is busy preparing for their spring career fair. To land a summer internship or full time job after graduation, career fairs allow you to learn about various employment opportunities and network with recruiters. Successfully navigating a career fair requires preparation, execution and follow through. The plan outlined below will aid you to fully maximize your career fair experience.  Pre-Career Fair  Before the fair, your career center will provide you with a directory of registered companies. This directory provides an overview of each company, their desired majors, employment opportunities and additional vital … / Read more »




Interview Success- from the Eyes of the Recruiter

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I have spent over 7 years providing career coaching to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as alumni. Now, I serve as a Recruitment & Onboarding Specialist at a national nonprofit. Being on the other side of the table allows me to see candidates in a different light. Based on my observations of candidates, I am providing tips on ways to stand out during an interview: Research the company This is a critical first step. During an interview, you will be asked why you are interested in the company. From the interviewer’s perspective, they need to know that you are … / Read more »




Transferrable Skills

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What does waitressing at Red Robin have to do with being a TV news reporter?  Everything, as it turns out.  I learned that myself, right out of college.  I had spent a couple of years during school running burgers and shakes to tables full of hungry guests, grabbing ketchup along the way, remembering who liked to keep their “bottomless” fries full ALL the time.  Then, in my first two jobs out of journalism school, it hit me: reporting the news on TV is a lot like waiting tables.  You have to multi-task, you have to be friendly and professional.  You … / Read more »