Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Career Profile: Green Marketers

In today's career profile, we will take a look into the social responsibility field at a traditional occupation with an eco-friendly perspective. The green jobs sector is experiencing tremendous growth, especially when it comes to business practices and applications. If you haven't taken the time to educate yourself on recent green trends and developments, it could be a very smart move. Even if you're aren't passionate about the environment, you should be aware. There's a good chance that the company you end up working for values green business practices, or faces competitors that do!

A green marketer's role includes many tasks; marketing environmental awareness is certainly one of them. They analyze green marketing and sales trends to forecast future conditions and analyze the effectiveness of marketing strategies and channels. A large part of their job involves keeping up to speed with environmental technologies, advances, and education. They attend many conferences, events happening in local/relevant communities, and promotional events-all related to green products, companies, and technologies. An essential component is understanding consumer opinion, so research on buying habits and values is important. This helps them determine which target markets are most susceptible to green services, products, and technologies. Incorporating green business  practices (such as the use of recycled materials in the manufacturing of a product) into a company's branding or sales initiatives is a major component to the job. As stated earlier, marketing environmental awareness is key. A green marketer is constantly promoting environmental information and implementing it within advertisements, presentations, public relations related work, and other communication materials. Knowledge of green markets, regulations, products, and technology is carefully worked into the marketing strategy for optimal sustainability and social responsibility. Green markets identify the best marketing channels for their products/services and re-design or improve upon existing marketing strategies that lack environmental focus. In their efforts to spread awareness, green marketers are also responsible for writing the marketing content for green company/product websites, brochures, blogs, and other channels of communication. (Job task information adapted from O*Net, onetonline.com).



This career is just one example of how social responsibility or sustainability can be incorporated into an already existing, traditional business career. Combining your passions with your career... sounds familiar? That's what iChoose is all about. Click on the link below and take some time to see just how many different types of green jobs there are, and how much growth the industry is experiencing.

All Green Economy Sectors

Also, take the time to check out Justmeans, a website all about doing "business better." This website has a plethora of content on applying social responsibility to business, initiatives that companies are starting, and general industry news.

Don't forget to check back later in the week to learn about Vault Guides, the detailed and information rich industry guides available online to you through Babson!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Takeaways from November's Monthly iChoose Meeting: Networking

With all this talk about networking, you may be wondering what the ultimate point of it is. The truth is that everybody has a different reason for networking because we all want and need different things in life. We can employ networking as a tool to obtain what we need whether it be information on a career, an idea, resources, or even an internship or job! With such important goals, it's essential that you realize networking isn't about luck or a single strong connection- it's about building ongoing relationships with peers, professionals, strangers, and just about anyone! There is an immeasurable amount of value to be found in networking. Networking is a skill that must be practiced and perfected like any other. If you genuinely make the effort to start now, you'll be amazed at the number of contacts you can compile at your time at Babson, and even more in the business world beyond.



Don't assume networking is all about finding contacts; maintaining an ongoing relationship complete with communication and regular updates is equally, if not more, important. These relationships are life-long and bursting with opportunities and information. Make sure to maintain a single networking log to keep track of contact information, initial contact date, date you should follow-up, and other important information. Below is a link to a pre-made networking log for you to download. Feel free to add more to it or keep it basic, but keep it active and running for life!

Click Here for Networking Log

Here's the key to getting the most out of your networking resources: start sharing your interests with everyone! Anyone you meet may hold exciting information related to your passions, but if you don't tell them what your passions are, you might never find out.  Here are some potential resources you should make a mental note to target:


  • Clubs, speakers, conferences on campus
  • Faculty
  • Alumni Directory, alumni office
  • CCD!
  • Other centers on campus such as the Blank Cener, Lewis Institute,                                                       Bernon Center and Sustainability Office
  • Family
  • Social Media
Networking through social media is a fantastic and easy way to make and maintain connections. After meeting with somebody connect through LinkedIn or Google+! You can post blog comments on industry or company blogs. Use twitter to ask a company questions or make remarks. Don't have a twitter account? Sign up, seriously. Social Media is meant to be engaging and fun, but it can also be a brilliant way to market yourself, take advantage of opportunities, and let your voice be heard.



When you are networking in person, it's important to be able to market yourself quickly and clearly with personality. That's why you should develop and rehearse your elevator pitch. If you only had a minute to describe what you're looking to do in life or in the short-term future, what you personally do well, and who you are, would you be able to tie all of these things into an impressive and energetic spoken statement? Below is an elevator pitch worksheet to help you do just that. 


When you are able to confidently market your experiences, interests, and skills, people will pay attention to what you have to offer. The more practice you get, the more likely opportunity is to knock on your door.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Resources at Babson For The Entrepreneur In You

No matter where you go in the world, when you say Babson College, people think entrepreneurship. Some of us choose to concentrate in it, many will or already run their own business, but nobody can escape it. It is the axis of our curriculum and the backbone of our society. Our entrepreneurial thought and action based learning has earned Babson College the #1 rank in entrepreneurship from Businessweek 15 consecutive years. It differentiates a Babson degree from a typical business degree and communicates your advanced problem solving abilities to potential employers. Today's blog post will address the resources available to you at Babson that will cultivate and fuel your entrepreneurial spirit beyond the borders of the classroom.


Let's start with the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship. This building is the core of entrepreneurship at Babson. It combines a plethora of programs, initiatives, organizations, and opportunities to inspire entrepreneurship and put it into practice! A key example of this is The Venture Accelerator Program. This is a program unlike any other which takes a student's idea or vision and nurtures it through the exploring, pursuing, and launching and growing stages of the entrepreneurial process providing exceptional resources and support along the way. This is a one-of-a-kind recipe which combines peer groups, mentors, test strategies, market research, resource building, workshops, incubation space, events, speakers, and fundraising to create the ultimate entrepreneurial venture experience. It isn't simply a study, it's living entrepreneurship and taking action. You've probably heard this before at Babson, Action Trumps Everything, and this is what the Venture Accelerator Program is all about. Take some time to find out more about it here. Do you know what you're capable of starting? It's up to you to find out.




Get involved with Babson Entrepreneurship through social media! Like the Facebook page, follow @BabsonEship on Twitter, or get connected on LinkedIn.

Did you know that Babson is a leader in global entrepreneurial research? Babson has partnered with the London School of Business to conduct the largest, longest standing research on entrepreneurship called the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. Other research pursuits include the Successful Transgenerational Entrepreneurship Practices Program which focuses on entrepreneurial growth and legacy across family businesses, and the Diana Project which focuses on female business owners and business growth activity.

November 11-19th is Global Entrepreneurship Week at Babson! This week is loaded with activities, educational sessions, networking opportunities, and bundles of inspiration. It starts right off the bat with the Babson Entrepreneurship Forum from Friday, November 11th to Sunday, November 13th. You can still sign up so don't miss out! This forum is jam-packed with keynote speakers (refer to picture below), workshops led by experienced professionals, and contests including business plan competitions. If you take a few minutes to look over this year's schedule, you'll be amazed at how much you could experience and learn in one weekend.




                               @BabsonForum    Babson Entrepreneurship Forum on Facebook
Last, but certainly not least is E-Tower, the student-run special interest housing tower on campus located in Van Winkle Hall. E-Tower is home to 21 students that live and breathe entrepreneurship. They hold events across campus, hold speakers, and live by these 5 values: Just do it - Fail fast, cheap and often,Work harder & push yourself, Be ambitious, Learn & grow, Communication. It's a competitive process to land a room in E-Tower, but the learning and living environment is perfect for serious entrepreneurs. They've had ten businesses in Businessweek's top 25 and members are a fantastic resource for advice and information on starting up your own venture! Check out their website, find them on Facebook, and follow them on @etower on Twitter to see what they have in the works!

During this year's Global Entrepreneurship Week appreciate attending the finest institute for entrepreneurship around the world and get involved. Get connected across social media channels to stay up to date,know what opportunities are available to you so you can take advantage of them, and expand your mind. Action trumps everything at Babson College; if you get involved, you'll be amazed by the results.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Your Internship Strategy

With spring just around the bend, now's a better time than ever to start searching for an internship. However, to find one that's right for your field of interest, availability, and workload, it's essential that you develop a strategy. Today's post will help you identity methods and resources so you can do just that!

First off, networking is responsible for the majority of full-time jobs acquired post-graduation. Why not use networking as a gateway to obtaining an internship? Networking will be the theme of next week's blog post, but  invaluable connections can be made at business events, through LinkedIn, the Babson Alumni Directory, through informational interviews, and essentially anyone you engage in conversation with. The ability to recognize and efficiently utilize the personal and professional relationships you have in your life will get you far in the business world.

Exposure to hundreds of job and internship postings are available to you right now on Babson Career Connections. It's an incredible resource right under your nose. It's so simple to use, but not utilized nearly enough. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use it.


1. Log onto your portal homepage and find the career center applet (shown above). Under useful links, click on career connections.


2. Fill out your academic and personal profile so that your grade level accurately reflects postings that you are eligible for.



3. In the main search box at the top right of the page, type in internships and hit enter.


4. A list of postings related to the search keyword (s) come up. You will see the type of posting (job/internship), semester it is for, application deadline, and general description in the search results. You can do an advanced search by field, location, etc., but a broad search is recommended to avoid missing anything of interest.

5. If you click on a specific posting title you will be brought to a page with much more detailed information. Most jobs will require a resume with your application. You can upload your resume by clicking on the documents tab on the top of the page. Then it will be on file so when you find a posting you want to apply to, it will be ready to go. The same goes for cover letters, writing samples, etc.

It's really that simple! There are new postings every day so take a few minutes to fill out your career connections profile so you can reap the benefits for the rest of your Babson experience! Another word of advice: don't apply to just one or two internships and wait, apply to as many that genuinely interest you as possible until you secure one!

Have a particular company in mind you'd love to intern with? Go to their website and search their employment/career section for any internship listings or further information. If no information is available,  email them! Prospect! Ask if they hire interns to work on projects, normal functions, etc.(but don't ask for an internship directly), or look to set up an informational interview. Maybe they're respond with interest, it's worth a try.

The internet is an infinite source of internship posting with sites pertaining to specific fields to enormous general job boards. All you need to do is type internships into Google and hours of tab-opening, book-marking, and exciting opportunities await. Set aside a few hours on a less busy day in your schedule to explore what is available to you and get you motivated. Then you can select your top choices and work hard to present the most attractive and relevant application. Make sure to follow all application instructions carefully. Make an appointment with a counselor in CCD to create a custom search strategy and prepare a strong tailor-fit application for an internship/job posting.








Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Career Profile: Purchasing Manager

This week's career profile features the purchasing manager profession in the retail supply chain field. 

Job Description
Purchasing managers plan, direct, and coordinate the activities of buyers, purchasing officers, and related workers involved in purchasing materials, products, and services. This includes wholesale or retail trade merchandising managers and procurement managers.

Tasks
Purchasing managers are in charge of forming policies and contracts with suppliers on behalf of their firm. They oversee all of the buying, selling, material, equipment, machinery, and supply distribution activities of their department. They also interview, hire, and train new personnel for their department. Purchasing managers seek out the best suppliers to buy materials, equipment, and supplies from. They then communicate with the suppliers to get an accurate idea of the terms of the sale, product availability, and all essential details. Common duties include initiating and processing purchase orders and requests for both supplies and equipment. Making clear and accurate contracts with suppliers is an extremely important business matter. Purchasing managers are in charge of developing and implementing the instructions, policies, and procedures for purchasing and contract management. They keep organized, detailed records of all goods ordered and received. Participation in the development of product, equipment, and substitute material specifications is also part of their job. Constant analysis of the market and current delivery systems is an essential role they play in predicting and managing current and future availability of materials. Lastly, purchasing managers must mediate and resolve claims against employers and supplier complaints or dissatisfaction. Similar job titles include materials manager, director of purchasing, commodity manager, director of materials, director of strategic sourcing, procurement manager, procurement officer, purchasing director, and purchasing supervisor.

While their job description is chocked full of responsibilities, the tools a purchasing manager uses are relatively simple: a 10 key calculator, desktop, or laptop computer. However, the technology (software) used by a purchasing manager is a powerful resource that the job cannot do without. Database query, enterprise resource planning, procurement, project management, spreadsheet, and word processing software are all essential to purchasing management.

Purchasing managers must be knowledgeable in many fields including, but not limited to, economics, accounting, transportation, customer/personal service, human resources, law, government, mathematics, production/processing, administration, and management. 

Do you possess the skills and abilities needed in purchasing management? Which ones can you build or polish?

skills: 
  • Coordinating your actions to those of others
  • Active listening
  • Critical thinking 
  • Speaking
  • Managing personnel 
  • Negotiating
  • Persuading
  • Social perceptiveness
  • Strong time management skills
  • Decision making/judgment
abilities:
  • Oral comprehension and expression
  • Speech clarity and recognition
  • Written expression
  • Deductive reasoning (apply general rules to specific problems)
  • Fluid ideas
  • Written comprehension
  • Problem recognition
  • Information ordering

    General work activities include resolving conflicts, communicating with external parties, communicating with supervisors, peers, and subordinates, forming and maintaining personal relationships/connections, gathering information, decision making, problem solving, efficient/frequent computer use, the monitor and control of resources, coordinating the work/activities of others, and directing and motivating subordinates.


    Does the work styles of a purchasing manager fit with your personality?
    • Integrity
    • Dependability
    • Self control
    • Initiative
    • Stress tolerance
    • Adaptability and flexibility
    • Analytic thinking
    • Leadership
    • Attention to detail
    • Cooperation

      The median wages for a purchasing manager are $47.51 hourly and $95,070 annually (2010 data). The employment figures were 70,000 employees in 2008 with little to no projected employment growth rate from 2008-2018. There are predicted to be 21,100 purchasing manager job openings between 2008-2018. The top industries for a purchasing manager include manufacturing and the management of companies and enterprises.


      More information can be found from:

        Information from this career profile was obtained from onetonline.org. Check back next week for a career profile related to Babson' College's favorite field: Entrepreneurship! 
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