Next Election is: Nov. 6, 2018
Deadline to update your address or register to vote for the Nov. Election: Oct. 15, 2018
Information about how to register and where to vote:
https://www.elections.virginia.gov/
Candidate information: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/…/cand…/2018November.html
Federal Student Aid FAFSA Reminder
The 2019 – 2020 FASFA is available starting on October 1,2018! Do NOT Delay!!! NOVA’s Fall priority date is March 1.
o Go to www.nvcc.edu/novaconnect
o Click on self Service, then Student Center
o Review your To-Do list items
o Respond promptly and submit required documents
Check out the new mystudentAid mobile app!!!
App can be used to begin, complete, and submit FAFSA Application
Downloadable through Apple App Store and Google Play
by Tiffany Waddell Tate
LinkedIn is a tool for students and alumni to build connections, but frequently, many don’t quite know how to maximize their digital presence online. LinkedIn is one of many tools you can use to create a digital stamp that embodies your personal and professional brand.
If you are curious about how to create or update your profile to make your brand statement clear and noticeable, check out these five tips to make your profile pop today!
Make sure your photo is a professional headshot. No need to pay for a full photoshoot, but I highly recommend having a friend or colleague snap a photo of you with a solid light-colored or natural background behind you. Once you have a few that you like, crop one to include no more than your mid torso and above. If you are in education or recruiting, you can likely have a bit more fun with your choice of dress in the photo, so let your personality shine through! Profiles with fresh headshots definitely get more traffic than those without.
Instead of writing a boring snippet that just includes your job title (that’s in your experience section anyway!) try thinking of a brief, but creative description of what you do or what you’re particularly adept in. Who are you, independent of your professional title? For example, if you started own your company, instead of saying “CEO of Fran’s Cupcake Company” try “Dessert aficionado with a passion for sprinkles” which will make your profile stand out. If you work in a more traditional or conservative space, however, it is also a good idea to highlight the core skill set or motivation that drives your work. For example, if you work for a creative marketing agency, you might try something like “marketing manager with a keen eye for design.”
While many people think of LinkedIn as an online resume, it’s more than that. The summary section allows you to craft a (brief) statement that tells your story. What are you passionate about? What drives you? Specifically, what are you good at and how does it assist you in making things happen? Are there topics or experiences that you have that contribute to your overall value that may or may not be tied to your current position? Write about it here. LinkedIn tends to come up in the top five results when someone Googles your name, so make every word count!
Like most social networks and blogs, you have the option within your profile to create a “Vanity URL” which is a shortened web address for your page that fits nicely onto a business card or e-mail signature. Vanity URLs also make your profile easier to find in online search engine results.
I like to think of recommendations as “living references,” because your personal brand is not just what you say about yourself—it includes what others have to say about you, too! Asking colleagues, clients, or former supervisors for LinkedIn recommendations can only strengthen your professional digital presence.
Bonus pro tip: it is better to give than receive! If you ask someone to write a recommendation for you, offer a recommendation in return—or at least send them a thank you note. It’s only proper!
What tips do you leverage to make your profile pop?
Tiffany Waddell Tate, former associate director of career development at Davidson College, is now the associate director of national engagement in the Office of Alumni Engagement at Wake Forest University.
Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers
Are you part of NOVA’s Advance Program? If so, George Mason Career Services is hosting Government Week next week. Learn more by visiting: https://careers.gmu.edu/events
Want to know more about the NOVA/Mason Advance Program? Check out: https://www.nvcc.edu/advance/
Social media is a great way to stay in touch with friends and relatives, but it also can be a useful tool in your job search. Employers are using social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to both promote their organizations and connect with potential job candidates.
While social media can help you research employers (critical to your job-search success), be sure to use it more actively—as a way to connect with potential employers. By following a few basic tips, you can use social media to get in front of hiring managers.
Get Noticed
There are a few key points to keep in mind when using social media as a job-search tool.
Create a Profile That Gives a Positive Impression of You Think of it as your online resume: What do you want it to say about you? Hiring managers can get a stronger sense of who you are, and if you’re a potentially good fit for their company, through your profile.
Be Aware of the Keywords You Include in Your Profile This is particularly true for sites focused on professional networking, such as LinkedIn. Many employers do keyword searches to find profiles that contain the skill sets they’re seeking in potential hires.
Don’t Include Photos, Comments, or Information You Wouldn’t Want a Potential Employer to See
Don’t Mix Personal With Professional The social media you use in your job search has to present you as a potential employee—not as a friend. Follow the rules for writing a resume.
Make Sure Your Profile Is Error-Free You wouldn’t offer up a resume rife with misspellings, would you?
Choose Appropriate Contact Information Your e-mail address or Twitter handle should be professional—a simple variation on your name, perhaps—rather than suggestive or offensive.
Connect Many organizations have embraced social media as an extension of their hiring practices, and provide information that you can use to research the organization and connect with hiring managers and recruiters.
Stay Connected Keep in touch with recruiters or other decision makers you may interact with in cyberspace.
There may not be an available opportunity at their organization right now, but that could change, and you want to be considered when it does.
Finally, in addition to maintaining your network, use social media tobuild your network. Don’t just establish a social media presence—work it. Reach out. Interact. You will get out of social media what you put into it.
Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers
Trying to find an internship? Looking for a job? Whether you are near a computer or on the go, a great place to begin your search is by accessing the Jobs and Internships Database for NOVA students and alumni.
The following are some benefits of using the system.
Don’t delay – follow the steps below to begin using the system.
Have you been awarded Federal Work Study Aid? If you are using Financial Aid to pay for your courses and are interested in being a student worker this semester, NOVA Online’s Student Services Department is hiring!
More information can be found at: https://www.nvcc.edu/workstudy/index.html and https://nvcc.studentemployment.ngwebsolutions.com/jobxJobdetailPrint.aspx?JobId=10129&win=True
OR,
Are you looking for a job or wanting to upgrade to a better job? Have you applied for jobs without success? Is your resume failing to open doors for you?
Unlock the mysteries of the job search with Job Prep Express, Saturday, September 8 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at NOVA’s Loudoun Campus in the Higher Education Center. Experts from healthcare, education, IT, service industries and more will be giving their best job seeker tips.
Learn how to properly format your resume, search for a job online, and prepare to ace an interview. Mock interview practice is available for a limited number of participants. The event is FREE, open to all and co-sponsored by the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce, Loudoun County Economic Development and Northern Virginia Community College.
Register online at http://www.loudounchamber.org/events/job-prep-express/ .
Did you know all NOVA students have free access to FOCUS 2, an online, interactive, self-guided career and education planning system that can help you:
View a Getting Started with FOCUS 2 handout.
Follow the steps below to begin using FOCUS 2.
Contact Christy Jensen (chjensen@nvcc.edu) if you have any problems accessing the system.
If you will be taking an online MTT class, the NOVA Online Success Coaches are here to help! We realize that math can be intimidating and sometimes overwhelming. To combat these concerns, we have developed a summary of free NOVA supports, resources and best practices to enhance your learning in MTT.
First, read your syllabus and other folders in your course Blackbaord! As noted in the course processes, you will begin MTT by taking the Syllabus Quiz, when you pass, inform you Professor and your pre-test will be unlocked.
Attend the Online MTT Lab – This lab is embedded in your MTT class as a resource for general questions regarding course content and concepts. MTT Professors are logged in and ready to help you! To access the Online Math Lab, click on the “Online Math Lab” link in your Blackboard page.
Promote Your Success: Watch course videos, take notes, view PowerPoint slides available in your MYMATHLAB.
Take advantage of free educational resources:
Manage Your Time Well: When taking an online class, it is important to plan ahead and manage your time well. If time management is not your strength, take a few minutes to review our free workshop, Time Management: Strategies for Success: www.studentlingo.com/nvcc.
Develop a Routine: Think of this class as an on-campus class where attendance is expected. Keep up with your pre and post-tests, homework and log into the math labs. Be sure to read the announcements/ check emails daily. View the free online workshop, 10 Tips for Success in Your Online Course. Although the instruction in MTT is individualized and you can progress as quickly as you like, you must complete a minimum number of quizzes and tests per week to make satisfactory progress.
Be proactive! Maintain communication with your instructor throughout the semester. If you have questions or need direction with an assignment, make an appointment. Don’t know what to say: 10 quick steps to e-mailing your instructor!
Enhance your Skills-Free Math Workshops: If math is challenging, take time to view our free online workshops located on Student lingo. http://www.studentlingo.com/nvcc. How to Succeed in Math, How to Overcome Math Anxiety.
Repeating MTT: If you are unable to complete all of the Units, some work can be imported if it is within the same semester—consult with your Professor.
Publisher Access Code: Your Access Code will last until you are finished with all of your MTT.
Completing MTT Units 2 and/or 3: When checking into the testing center, a formula sheet, containing the volume formulas only, will be provided for the pre and post-tests. If they do not provide one, just ask. (If you are using a Proctor, they should have one as well.)
Your NOVA Online Success Coach is here to help you navigate the semester with success. They can refer you to free tutoring, assist with time management, help with organization, and answer any questions about MTT or other other online classes, reach out to your Success Coach, onlinesuccess@nvcc.edu or 703.323.3347.