Working at Summer Camp: 5 Major Take-A-Ways

You probably know at least one person who has spent their summer at camp. Likely, they’ve raved about the experience and why “IT’S THE BEST!!!” but what makes summer camp so good and why should you consider a summer spent at camp? Here are 5 reasons to consider:

1. Learn Leadership

You’re in charge of a bunch of kids, so this one is pretty understandable. Depending on the camp, you may also be a counselor all on your own. You have to be aware of the schedule, different needs of campers, and you somehow have to get some wild kids where they need to go on time. You’re not only in charge, but you’re also setting an example constantly. You’re on the clock almost 24/7, and you have to be a role model despite being exhausted. It will challenge you and teach you countless things about yourself and what it means to lead.

2. Problem Solving

What better way to learn how to problem solve than have loads of problems thrown at you 24/7? Don’t get me wrong, camp is fun and it’s totally worth it, but camp is also full of issues as well. Campers are kids with their own agendas and who are used to their own way of doing things, so sometimes the new camp environment can stir up a lot of emotions and stress resulting in a camper needing a little extra TLC while you have to think on-the-go with 10 other kiddos to worry about.

3. Patience and Hard Work

Breathe. This is a word to live by at camp, but the benefit of it is that you learn how to be patient, find balance, and take one thing at a time. You get to learn how to be patient with kids, with other counselors, and show grace in situations that require a lot of effort. The reward can’t be matched. You feel uplifted and excited every time you hit the pillow because you know you’ve brought kids joy by serving them all day long, and you know you’re making an impact in their lives by dedicating your time and energy to them.

4. Adaptability

Camp is all about this one. You’re constantly moving and needing to adjust, which is great for those of us who like everything to be in order because it challenges us to think on our feet and not be afraid when things don’t always go as planned. This skill is highly transferable in the work field because, odds are, you’re going to need to learn to adapt at some point in time. Camp doesn’t stop for one homesick kid or another actually sick kid. You can’t predict or plan out all the mishaps in a day, but you can use each as an opportunity to learn, grow, and flourish as a person.

5. It’s FUN!

Despite the countless challenges of camp, it truly is an incredibly fun and filling summer. You get to hangout with a bunch of kids, play games, go on adventures, and just have a blast all summer. It’s tiring, sure, but the smiles and laughs will make it all worth it. You get to have a lifelong impact on kid’s lives and you get to meet incredible people along the way. You’ll likely have counselor friends who rock and you may get lucky and have some unbelievably wise bosses who want to pour into you too.

It’s safe to say you’ll have a high-energy summer and be exhausted by the end, but give it a couple of months into the school year and you’ll probably be dying to go back. The take-a-ways of camp can also look great on a résumé and will do you good when talking about your abilities to adapt, work with a team, and get things done in an orderly fashion despite chaotic situations. Sound like something you’d want to do? Come to the Summer Camp & Ministry Fair in the Bultman Student Center on January 23rd from 11 AM – 2 PM to learn more.

5 Tips to Help Balance Your Responsibilities in College

It can be so easy to fall behind on your to-do list and feel like you’ll never be able to catch up or get ahead of it. Trying to balance classes, homework, jobs, internships, and everything else life throws your way can seem like a never ending cycle. But making an effort to follow these steps can help to stay ahead of those to-do lists and help to bring more balance to your schedule.

1. Set Realistic Goals
Setting goals not only helps you to visualize what you need to get done, but it helps to organize and strive to accomplish these responsibilities! However, knowing the difference from realistic goals and unrealistic goals is important. Sitting down on Sunday night and writing down 5 goals for the week is a great place to start. They can be as a small as getting the first half of that paper due next week done by Wednesday. Another goal could be to spend 2 hours working on and updating your LinkedIn profile that you have been putting off for weeks. Having goals set will help you to prioritize and accomplish them.

2. Learn to Study Effectively
Don’t be the person that puts off studying until the day before the exam. Not only does this cause more stress for you in the long run, but cramming will not help you to perform as well as you could if you had been spreading out your studying. Creating a study schedule and dedicating an hour or so each day leading up to the exam will help so much more in the long run. Figure out what style of studying best works for you and do whatever you can to achieve that.

3. Learn to Better Manage Your Time- Stop Procrastinating!
Everyone knows that procrastinating only hurts us in the long run. So why do we keep doing it? Develop a system that best works for you to help manage your time. Whether that be Google reminders set up, writing things down in a planner, making more to-do lists, you name it! Also know what is worth your time. It is important to make sure that what you are spending your time on, you are actually benefiting from. If something is taking up a large amount of your time and your aren’t reaping the benefits, then it might be time to decide if it is worth your time.

4. Set Priorities and Let Things Go
It can be so easy to become extremely overwhelmed rather than to take control and organize all of our responsibilities that we need to get done. College is filled with mistakes and learning experiences. But it is important that from our mistakes we can move forward and let things go. If we let something slip, don’t sweat it. Learn from it and move on. Start making to-do lists, even if it isn’t something you would normally do and let yourself experience how amazing it feels to cross off each item and complete the list.

5. Explore Your Options and Get Help!
It is so important to explore your options and to know what is available to you. Especially here at Hope we have so many resources right at our fingertips that we won’t always have. Feeling stressed about some of your classes? Go to the Academic Success Center or attend your class’ study session. Stressed about what your major should be? Can’t find an internship? Need help with last minute interview prep or looking over your resume? Come to the Boerigter Center for Calling and Career! There are so many resources we have all around us, it is up to us to utilize them.

Save the Dates: Spring Events Coming Your Way

With the spring semester right around the corner, there are plenty of events to put on your radar and in your calendar. A wide range of events will be offered this spring that you could attend. These events are catered towards different career paths and opportunities.

In January there will be two opportunities near the end of the month. The Summer Camp & Ministry Fair at Hope will host different organizations that you could potentially work for either this summer or for a career geared towards ministry. Giving one of your summers to work at a camp can be an incredibly fulfilling and life-changing time. Even if you’re unsure, this is a great chance to get some more insight into the world of summer camps and ministry.

The other event in January is the Internship Fair. For those of you seeking out a semester or summer internship, this is an amazing chance to meet various employers and make a face-to-face connection. The fair will feature different companies in a range of fields making it a great event to attend for all types of majors.

In February, there will also be a pre-health networking night. This is a perfect chance for those intending to pursue a job in the health field to connect with current people employed in healthcare. This is also a chance to learn more about if pre-health is the best track for you.

Another fantastic series of opportunities are the Living and Working In events that occur in different regions. The first in the series will be focused in healthcare, but the following two events will be open to more types of alumni who can offer advice and tools. The healthcare event is Living and Working In: Royal Oak. This social event will allow a more casual chance to connect and learn more about opportunities in healthcare in Royal Oak, MI. This will be in February.

The second and third Living and Working In events are in West Michigan and Chicago, respectively. Both events will be networking-styled events where students can connect with alumni in order to get advice and gain tips about living and working in whatever region the event is located in. The West Michigan event will take place in March and the Chicago one will be in April.

You can always check out Handshake or the Hope calendar to keep updated about events that are coming up. Keep these events in mind when planning for your spring semester and future career exploration. These are all events that will help you launch into the next chapter of life, so be sure to check them out as they get closer.

Student-Athlete Résumé Sessions

Are you a student-athlete and currently applying for internships or jobs? At the Boerigter Center, we want to help you set yourself apart from the competition.

This semester we started to offer new group résumé sessions tailored to student-athletes. In fact, we kicked these sessions off by working with 90% of the football team by position group!

These sessions consist of learning about how to format as well as what type of content is best to include when building your professional document. Participants are then able to workshop and get feedback on their résumé from a Career Advisor. Student-athletes get to learn what sets them apart from other students and how to best represent the unique skill set they gain by participating in a college sport. 

Senior Jake Kozlowski is a business major and Hope football player. Jake will be graduating this winter and already has a job lined up after graduation working for Amway’s southern distribution center in Atlanta. Jake commented on what it looks like to represent yourself to an employer.

“Being a college athlete gave me a leg up as compared to the other candidates I was competing against for the position I secured at Amway. I found it was important to represent and communicate the qualities I gained by participating in football on my résumé and in the interview process. I was naturally able to highlight leadership, time management and communication skills. I encourage other athletes to do the same.”

There is one group session left this semester on Tuesday November 27th at 4:00 PM. To sign up for the session, please click here. If you have any questions, stop by the Boerigter Center in Dewitt and we would be happy to help you!

LinkedIn How-To: What Recruiters Look For

LinkedIn has become the more prominent way that many people are seeking jobs and finding people to recruit. It is a platform that heightens the concept of a traditional résumé by constantly being updated and interacted with. Over the past few weeks, we’ve looked at the how-to of the basics of your profile as well as networking and job search. In this blog, we’ll touch on what exactly stands out to recruiters.

With how many people are on LinkedIn, it’s vital that you are able to be set apart enough so that employers and recruiters see how you could be a good addition to their company. That being said, LinkedIn isn’t much different from your résumé in terms of how little time is spent going from one person to the next.

Just like a traditional résumé, recruiters are sorting through potentially hundreds of potential candidates. With this in mind, you have to catch the eye of an employer. By having a brand and tone to your profile, you create consistency. Each company and employer is going to be looking for something different, but if you have a brand that matches who you are, you’re more likely to find a good fit.

One of the most important elements to your profile is your photo. Statistics have shown that around one-fifth of the time someone views your profile is spent looking at the photo. Seeing your face allows someone to feel more personally connected to you, and you want your face to come with your name and brand, so having a solid profile photo matters. Don’t have too distracting of a photo. You want it to be just a portrait of you, and the background should have minimal going on. If the background is busier, it should match who you are and you should be what’s in focus.

Recruiters will see that your profile is complete and that you are engaged with it. The more you post and interact, the more frequently people will see your profile. Once on your profile, you want words, phrases, and other things that show you are well-accomplished. You want your accomplishments and experience to match what you’re interested in and applying for. Ultimately, showing that you are passionate and excited will bode well with potential future employers.

Get to know Kasey Petro!

“All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost.”  — J. R. R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Kasey Petro is the Employer Relations Liaison at the Boerigter Center for Calling and Career. She began working at Hope College in September 2016.  We asked Kasey 10 questions to give us the chance to get to know her a little better. This is what she had to say:

  1. What is your role at the new BOERIGTER Center for Calling and Career?

I first began working at Hope in the Development and Alumni Engagement Office and this September I moved into the Employer Relations role, at the Boerigter Center. I really wanted to be in this role because I love working with students and I am in a better position to use my skills to be able to connect students to the outside world.  I oversee HandShake, work with employers to build relationships that students can later use, and meet with students for mock interviews.

  1. What is one thing that is still on your bucket list?

I would love to hike to the Base Camp of Mount Everest. I love adventures and doing things that stretch my limits!

  1. What is your FAVORITE activity to do outdoors?

I would definitely say mountain hiking and camping.

  1. When you were a child what did you want to be when you grew up?

I actually wanted to be a lawyer. I have always enjoyed debating and love playing devil’s advocate. I remember once when I was in 6th grade, we had a mock trial in which I was the prosecutor. I kept talking and talking even after we had won because I needed to get all of my points across. To this day, I still care about justice and being able to understand both sides of any situation.

  1. What song would you burst out during karaoke?

I would just like to say unless this was a life or death situation I would probably be not singing in public. That being said, I would pick Sweet Caroline, because I know everyone would sing with me.

  1. If you could master any language, which one would you choose?

I would have to say Spanish. My husband speaks fluent Spanish and I would love to be able to use it communicate when we travel.

  1. Who would you most like to swap places with for a day?

The Notorious RBG (Ruth Bader Ginsberg)

  1. What is your favourite quote?

This is a hard one; there are so many amazing quotes! I really like a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt. She said “The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

  1. If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Curry for sure. I love all of the different flavors!

  1. What is something about you that people would be surprised to know?

I love all types of games! Board games, card games, sports- you name it. I love a good competition and if I lose a game I want to know why, so it doesn’t happen again.

We hope you enjoyed getting to Kasey Petro. You can head on over to Boerigter Center for Calling and Career to meet with her!

LinkedIn How-To: Networking and Job Search

As a continuation to a series of blogs about LinkedIn, let’s dive in with what it looks like to utilize LinkedIn. Once you have set-up your profile, your next step is learning to navigate the site. There are plenty of ways to connect with employers and find potential jobs to apply for. This short post will help lay some of the foundation of ways to get started with this process.

||It’s Never Too Early To Start||

Building a network is important, but it isn’t necessarily easy. It takes time to meet people, get your name out there, and feel like you have several connection. Start the process early. Take time to connect with professors, even if they are not necessarily in your specific career, they often have contacts with former students as well as plenty of employers or people who can connect you further. Additionally, don’t be afraid to talk about your career goals with family or in other circles of people in the workforce. Just expressing your interests can often go a long ways.

||Connect||

Don’t be shy. Add people to your network. Even if you don’t know someone super well, it doesn’t hurt to connect with them on LinkedIn. The more connections you have, the wider your pool of potential is. With more people on your network, you have more people who will see your posts, interact with your profile, and get your name circulating.

||Be Bold||

Reach out to people on LinkedIn. Send personal messages to people letting them know you’re job searching and if they have any connections to help you out. You should never simply ask someone for a job, but reaching out to people is always a good idea to build your network. Customize each message you send to show that you value the person you’re speaking with. Better yet, reach out to a recruiter on LinkedIn. Confidence shows initiative. After applying to a job, let the recruiter know and ask a question or engage with them. Don’t be afraid of putting yourself out there. The boldness may just land you the job.

||Browse Around||

Use LinkedIn as a resource to find potential companies you’re interested in. Plenty of employers use LinkedIn and frequently make posts about their companies projects and initiatives. You can get a pretty great sense about employers based off of their profile pages. Follow different companies and people that interest you. You can then share those posts and interact even more with companies that you would want to work for.

||Search||

Lastly, you can always search for jobs. You can narrow down filters to make it more applicable to you, and then you can often apply straight from LinkedIn to different opportunities. Try and follow-up and make a connection within the company in order to have a more personal relationship to the job you’re applying for.

There are so many ways that LinkedIn can help you find a job. The more you interact with the site, the more comfortable and easy it will be to understand how to use the site to its full potential.

LinkedIn How-To: The Basics of Your Profile

LinkedIn has become a vital tool in getting your face out there for employers to see. Additionally, the site serves as a way for you to seek out job opportunities and connect with employers after an interview or career fair.

The first step to making your LinkedIn account worthwhile is understanding how to set up your profile. While there are many things you can do over time to embellish your profile, let’s start with some basics.

||Headline and Photo||

You want to grab the viewers attention by using a short statement as your headline outlining who you are and what you’re looking for. For example, say your major (i.e. Business major) followed by what kind of job you’re looking for (i.e. seeking a position in public relations). You also want to make sure you’re well-represented in your photo. This photo should either be a professional head shot or resemble one. You want to be well-dressed and have a background that isn’t distracting.

||Give a good summary||

When you edit the summary section of your profile, utilize this space to quickly showcase your goals and career aspirations. The paragraph should be concise, give some information about your studies, and also showcase your unique self. Think of this as the start of your best cover letter.

||Fill it in||

Take some time to fill out your profile. Put in all of your education experience as well as extracurricular activities. Possibly most important is that you add in your work experience and volunteer work as well. The descriptions of your work should be similar to the bullet points of your résumé, but you want to make them more personable and put those skills and experience in paragraph form.

||Be active||

Treat this like your professional social media. This means you should interact with posts, share blogs you’ve written or articles you’ve read, and update people on new positions and professional moves. Engaging on LinkedIn gets your name surfacing more and allows employers to see your interests. This is also a great way to let people see the projects you’ve done that you’re passionate about and have spent time working hard on.

||Be Yourself||

Finally, it goes without saying, but it’s important to showcase who you are on your profile. You still want to keep things professional, but share things that you’re genuinely interested in and not just what will “make you look good.” Make your abilities and skills as well as your personality evident to employers.

If you ever have questions about your LinkedIn profile, you are always welcome to stop in at the Boerigter Center to ask questions or get feedback. Drop-in hours run from 3:00-4:30 PM every weekday. Stay tuned for a post about how to use LinkedIn to network and job search coming soon!

Why Consider the Insurance Industry?

Michigan is home to some of the nation’s largest insurance companies. The industry employs over 50,000 people and serves millions of policyholders in areas such as health insurance, property/casualty insurance, and life insurance. Insurance companies work to provide financial assurance products covering a diverse range of financial risks.

Many students do not have the insurance industry on their “career radar,” but here are some reasons why you should:

  • The insurance industry offers significantly higher wages. Michigan’s insurance industry average wage is $85,000, whereas average wages across all industries is $60,000
  • There is a substantial need for talent – the industry is replacing a quarter of the workforce due to retirement and broadening areas of recruiting interest
  • The insurance industry is seeking students with all backgrounds of study, which means it could be a great fit for everyone and especially those in fields with fewer job opportunities.

Alumni, Julia Mills (’18), is currently working in the insurance industry after recently graduating and shared some insight into the field.

“The insurance industry can be an excellent fit for students navigating the post-graduation transition. As most insurance companies are large scale, there are frequently many roles to fill at any given time. By working for an insurance company, you begin to get a taste of what the real world is like, which is necessary to face after college. Although it is not all glamorous, and the type of work available may not highlight your Myers-Briggs, it is an excellent place to learn what you do (or do not) love in a work environment. Hours are consistent, benefits are substantial, and interviewing is relatively easy. Another perk to the insurance industry is their commitment to training you thoroughly. Because your expertise on insurance will contribute to the greater picture of the entire company, businesses are likely to put time and effort into your training. This means that many doors are open for you, especially if you want to continue in the insurance world. If you are a learner, and taking in new information everyday excites you, the insurance industry could be perfect for you.”

If you are curious or interested in learning and discovering more about a career in the insurance industry, we invite you to attend The Michigan Colleges Alliance Insurance Industry Recruiting & Informational Event on November 15th from 1:00- 4:00PM. The event is being held at the Crowne Plaza Lansing West (925 S. Creyts Rd, Lansing, MI 48917).

The event’s agenda will include small-group roundtable networking sessions with each company. These sessions will have overviews of current and future recruiting needs.

A special drawing for multiple $500 Scholarships will be held at the conclusion of the event. All students graduating in May 2019 or later will be eligible. You must be present to win.

International students are encouraged to review individual positions and attend. Select companies offer sponsorship opportunities. Below you can find a link to register as well as learn more about the companies that will be in attendance.

Please register here to attend: https://mcainsurance18.eventbrite.com

Review each company’s positions currently posted via https://tinyurl.com/mcainsuranceevent.

As always, the Boerigter Center would love to help you prepare as well as answer any further questions. Feel free to give us a call (616-395-7950) or stop by the office located in Dewitt.

RESUMES! RESUMES! RESUMES!

Here at the Boerigter Center for Calling and Career, we know that students are SO excited about résumés! And they definitely have extra free time to write and perfect those important documents. Right?

Some of you may have a drafted version of a résumé stored somewhere within the endless documents on your computer. Maybe you need to work on it, but you say will get to it eventually…

Résumés are very important – they are a culmination of all of your work experiences fit into a one-page document. Oftentimes, résumés can be the difference in getting a job or interview, and the employer tossing it to the bottom of the “no” pile.

So don’t put them off anymore!

Give our office a call and make an appointment for a group résumé review session, you can learn valuable tips to perfect your résumé. Best of all, you will be in a small group with other students who are in a similar position as yourself. We know you have worked exceptionally hard in those volunteer or work experiences, let us help you show future employers that you are qualified.

After you have attended a group résumé session, we encourage you to come back for further help in a drop-in. Our drop-in hours are from 3:00-4:30 PM every weekday, where you can meet with a career advisor for additional information. If you are still seeking more résumé assistance, you are welcome to make an individual appointment with a BCCC staff member.

We look forward to working with you!