The NAU Career Compass, October 2024

Crafting a cover letter can be one of the most challenging parts of entering the job market. It’s the first glimpse an organization will likely see into your personality, and your ability to articulate how your experience applies to a particular role. It’s an important opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism while blending in some of your personal writing style, so it’s worth getting some help from NAU Career Development to make the most of it! Once you’ve made an appointment in Handshake to meet (in-person or remotely) with a staff member of Career Development, the next thing you’ll do is email your cover letter to career@nau.edu (don’t worry if you don’t have one, we will just start from a blank document).

During your appointment, we’ll help you to create a strong introductory paragraph that expresses your interest and highlights your admiration for aspects of the organization to which you’re applying. We’ll discuss your experience to identify the most compelling parts, focusing on what best represents your qualifications for the role. Closing out your cover letter, we’ll help you create a compelling statement that emphasizes your interest in an interview. If you provide us with a job description, we’ll also work with you to tailor the content of the cover letter to the information in the job description. Finally, we’ll ensure your cover letter formatting looks polished, complete edits if time allows, or strategize how to complete edits after the appointment. Check out Handshake to make an appointment!

The career fairs this fall were amazing! Over 2000 Lumberjacks and recruiters had the chance to meet one another, establish professional relationships, and discuss potential job and internship opportunities.

Join us in the spring semester for more events:

• Part-Time Opportunities Fair on January 22, 2025
• Career & Graduate School Fair on March 27, 2025
• Virtual Career Fair on April 3, 2025

Or how about meeting and connecting with a company during your lunch hour at the University Union?  We hold Career Coffee Corner on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in the University Union near the Hot Spot from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  Check out the calendar to see which companies will be on campus! We add new companies to the schedule regularly.

NAU Student Employment offers students the opportunity to work for the institution in a variety of different positions (over 4,000!). Often, students seek out opportunities that ‘line up’ with their major or chosen career path. All future career opportunities will need you to excel in communication skills, in which giving and receiving feedback is a fundamental aspect. Feedback demands that we investigate our own actions, admit mistakes, and learn from them to continue the wonderful journey of growth.

What happens when you do not receive feedback?

• You may feel undervalued and under-supported
• It may lead to stagnation of your skills
• May lead to lack of communication or miscommunication
• Could potentially damage work relationships

How do I excel at receiving feedback?

• First step is to prepare to be given feedback. 1-on-1s are a great space for you to bring up the conversation of strengths and challenges.
• Understand that the goal of feedback is to help you grow in your skills!
• Do some self-reflection and think about what you believe your strengths and challenges may be.
• Lastly, keep a growth mindset! A growth mindset views your intelligence, abilities, and talents capable of learning and improving upon
  • A growth mindset is the decision to learn from feedback
  • It also forces us to acknowledge that we are a work in progress

What if the feedback is unclear?

• If any of the feedback is unclear – Ask Questions. By asking questions, you are showing that you are engaged and committed to learning.
• Always inquire about specific examples. This allows you to avoid any misunderstandings.
• Request guidance on how to address areas of improvement. By asking this great question, it allows you to gain valuable insight on how to improve!
• Lastly, reflect on how awesome it is that you are receiving valuable feedback that will help you grow! You are more than welcome to thank them for their valuable insight.

Can I give feedback to my supervisor?

• Yes! It is a common misconception that feedback can only be from a supervisor to supervisee.
• Giving feedback to your supervisor can allow your team to excel! It will allow you to identify any misunderstandings or miscommunications between your supervisor and yourself.
• It can also help grow towards furthering the trust between the both of you!
• Your supervisors will appreciate your honesty and as they want to work towards an agreement of what your needs are within the job.

How do I give feedback to my supervisor?

• Giving feedback, especially to your supervisor can be nerve-wracking! The first step is to prepare for what you would like to convey.
• Always be empathetic and remember that they are human too! It is best practice to balance out your content with reinforcement as well as areas of growth.
• Make sure that you are specific and focusing on behaviors versus the person.
• Be timely. Do not wait until months later to give them this feedback. It is always best to bring up the area of growth as soon as possible. Again, 1-on-1s are a great time to bring these concerns up.
• Remember, your supervisors want to see you grow, and they want to grow too!

Having intentional conversations with your supervisor about your strengths, goals, and areas of improvement can help you tap into your communication skills. You are gaining skills throughout your journey and Career Development is here to help you in articulating those skills and highlighting how they transfer to your future endeavors. In the meantime, here is a Career Readiness Professional Skills Self-Reflection that can help you dive into your strengths, skills, and goals!

Disney will be coming to campus Tuesday, October 22 – Wednesday, October 23! On Tuesday they will be visiting classrooms and giving an information session on their Disney College Program from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in the Career Development office, and on Wednesday from 1:30 p.m. – 4:55 p.m., they will be hosting a Disney Mini Career Conference above our office in Havasupai A/B. Free food and networking opportunities!

Learn more and register via Handshake NOW for these exciting events!

• Info Session
• Career Conference

Don’t forget that we have drop-in hours every day Monday – Thursday at our Career Development office in the University Union, just down the hall from Chick-fil-A.

Thanks and go Jacks!