Job Search
Career ID Code
Prepare Pull together your marketing materials – this includes an industry-specific resume, interview attire, your online presence, professional image and your pitch. If you have questions about these things – see a career team member ASAP! "If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else." ~ Yogi Berra Develop your job target What kind of job would I like? What are those job titles? What skills do I most want to utilize in the position? What kind of work setting would I prefer? How far can I commute? Where do I want to live? How much money can I expect to make, and exactly what salary do I need? What other benefits are important to me (flexible hours, daycare, and retirement)?
Research To find out what the job market is like, look at the following: Occupational Outlook Handbook lists fastest growing jobs, typical salaries, and more - www.bls.gov/ooh. Specific company web pages and professional publications (specific to your field). The Career Services Library Guide full of databases for industries, companies and locations. LinkedIn can assist you with company research, contacts and job postings. Check with your academic departments for additional research tools they may have. Your own network can be a wealth of information.
Network 85% of jobs come through some form of networking. If you’re not tapping into the people around you, you’re making the job search longer than it needs to be! Tell everyone you know about your career dreams – family, friends, professional associations, alumni, classmates, professors, religious members, fellow volunteers, teammates, to name a few.
Maximize Social Media Social Media can be a great way to build your career identity and tap into the hidden job market. LinkedIn the leading professional social media to connect with your in-person network professionally and add to it; you also manage what potential employers learn about you from the Internet. Talk with a career team member on appropriate etiquette for communication using social media. Tips for using social media in the job search:
Remember that employers do research on their candidates, so keep everything you put online professional. Use the same avatar (headshot) across media for consistency of your career identity. Use status updates to inform others about your job search and show knowledge of your field. Add your LinkedIn, blog or Twitter to an email signature and your resume heading to help employers find you online. Join groups relevant to your career interests - comment and post to the groups regularly.
Search Openings SpartanCareers - Search for full-time jobs, participate in resume books and sign up for interviews. Career Fairs and Company Connections - Each semester Career Services Center brings employers to campus for you! Be sure to take advantage of these great opportunities to network and learn where you might fit. Career Fairs allow you to meet 90+ companies in just a few hours! Check SpartanCareers for the dates. Research employers of interest ahead of time. Dress for success and bring copies of your resume. Other Internet Sites - Many sites offer job listings specific to fields of interest. A few such sites are: » Career One Stop: www.careeronestop.org » The Riley Guide: www.rileyguide.com » Indeed: www.indeed.com » LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com » Idealist: www.idealist.org » Local newspaper: www.TriadCareers.com » Employment Security Commission: www.ncesc.com Staffing Firms - These organizations offer a way for you to get your “foot in the door.” You can gain valuable industry experience while continuing the job search. Talk with a career team member for firms in the Triad area.
Create a Target List Create a list of 25 companies/organizations with which you would be willing to work (take into account the answers to your job target above and be sure they match it). Fill in the blanks – do you have any connections in your network? If you do – those will go at the top of your list. Measure your motivation for working at the company. Having a connection doesn’t mean you want to work there. » 1 = “I would not excited about working there.” » 5 = “I would take risks to meet someone and try to work there.” Go to the website of the company to determine if they have current openings. Simply list yes or no. Sort your list. Put those with high motivation and connections at the top. Then prioritize your actions based on this list. For example – I will follow up with my mom to get in touch with the contact at Company A. This sets the priorities for your search. For more on this strategy check out the 2 Hour Job Search by Steve Dalton (available in the CSC Resources Center).
My Company Target List 1 2 3 4 5
List Target Companies Company A Company B Company C Company D Company E
Connections? yes - friend of Mom Yes – on LinkedIn Yes – at Career Fair No No
How motivated are you? 5 4 5 5 4
Do they have openings? no - not as of 4/12 Yes – 2 openings Yes – in Greensboro Yes – 1 opening Yes – training program
Have a Plan – a Flexible Plan Set goals such as: Apply for # of jobs each week. Conduct # of information interviews each week. Follow up with # contacts each month. WRITE IT DOWN!
Share your plan with your network. Have a calendar for tracking progress. Celebrate your successes!
Example Job Tracking Sheet My Job Search Log Sheet Company
Location
Position Title
Target
Charlotte, NC
Team Leader
Bank of America
Charlotte, NC
none posted currently
Post/End Date posted 5/17, ends 6/1
Date Applied 23-May
Contact Info
TO DO
Career Fair contact LinkedIn contact: Jane Smith through John Doe
email contact to say application complete Email sent to contact on 5/17. Follow up on 5/30
The Career Services Center is here to support you in your job search. Don’t hesitate to visit the CSC and our website for additional resources. Assessments are also available to facilitate your job search and get you moving into your desired career path!
Updated 6-2014