How to Do a Job Search – Should's and Should Not's

You Should First, know what career you want pursue! If you don’t know-do interest inventories Holland Quiz, My Next Move and Strong Use the Mentor Network Do an internship or post graduate internship Make sure you pursue a career you are interested in Make sure you use ALL services available

You Should Visit your college's Career Center and USE THEIR SERVICES!

Services at the Career Center Career Advising Choosing a Major and Minor Exploring What You Can do With Various Majors? Career Resource Library Resume Reviews on a walk-in basis On-Campus Student Job Listings Internships Assistance Career Positions after Graduation Workshops

Additional Services On-Campus Corporate Recruiting Online Database of Employers & Job Openings- eRecruiting Job Alerts Databases Graduate School Information & Assistance Job Fairs Network of Alumni Mentors Career Planning Class

You Should To summarize, use all job search resources that are available in Career Services including: -Career Services database of employers -Career Services job-alerts database -Career Services job fairs -Career Services jobs by major websites -Career Services on-campus interviews -Career Services employer info sessions -Career Services workshops - Career Services mock interviews -Career Services LinkedIn -Career Services Facebook

You Should Research employers you want to work for Use LinkedIn and professional networks. Use any or all resources listed above Create a professional resume Create a well-polished cover letter Create a portfolio if relevant (typically education, art, graphic design, etc.) Line up your references

You Should NETWORK-NETWORK-NETWORK! Talk to people – friends, family, professors, employment agencies, outsourcing companies, professionals in your field. If no one knows you are looking then no one will think of helping you. Use the Mentor Network Practice your interviewing Study for your interview Get those resumes out there!

Should Not’s Not read the job requirements Rely on others to do the work for you Rely on any one person – there is no reason for you to work with only one employment agency, rely on a single friend, etc. The more people who can help you, the greater your chances are of finding work.  Send your resume out randomly and to the wrong people – why would a law company be interested in hiring a programmer? Narrow your search so much that you ignore all the other attractive options out there Never follow up – always call or email a follow-up immediately. Call 5 times a day – don’t be a pest- people are busy Not read the job requirements  

THE END-the BEGINNING for YOU! His Advice-Don’t give up! The above stated search tips were from 1 job seeker, who had 5 job offers in 12 months

Graduate School To go or not to go?

Will earnings and satisfaction go up? Is there nothing else to do? What is the cost? Do you have specific career goals?

Facts! “The number of Americans with at least some college, including undergrad and grad school, rose 11% since 2008 to 121 million in 2013.” Wall Street Journal, Feb. 2014

Why Work First? Why Not Work First? Recharge your batteries Develop confidence Investigate a field Sometimes hard to re-enter field If you know what field it makes sense -more money, prestige, etc.

How Do I Decide To Go Or Not To Go? Related work experience in your field. Practical experience-internships, undergraduate research and volunteering. Experience will enhance your application making you a more viable, competitive candidate.

Choosing a School Will prestige help? Does Department emphasize what you want? Do they have practicum/internships with organizations that you are interested in? Investigate: attrition rate, average time to completion, your teaching requirements, language requirements, placement rates

Do You Know What Program? If you know the field you are going into and if an advanced degree is required for entry then grad school makes perfect sense For most it is not clear cut. If you are not sure of your career goals –Don’t go until you are.

Choosing the Right Program Academic Vs. Professional Academic focus on original research Professional focus on practical applications Masters Vs. Doctorates Masters= take 1-3 years to earn Doctorates= can take up to 8 years! For many fields the Masters may be sufficient. For others the doctorate is necessary (Doctor of Medicine, Juris Doctor…etc)

How to Find the Right School? Look at Directories for Grad Schools Visit the schools, meet with faculty or other grad students Evaluate Quality of the faculty Prestige of the school Cost and housing Job Opportunities Read the catalog Consult with faculty Talk with alumni Visit Speak to current students

How much does graduate school cost and how do I finance it? Tuition scholarships or waivers Assistantships Research Assistantships Fellowships-Support from outside the university comes from fellowships offered by federal agencies and foundations and are largely reserved for students seeking the doctoral degree. Loans

Admission Criteria Undergraduate GPA in major Recommendation from known faculty Undergraduate GPA in Jr./Sr. year GRE Related major References Overall GPA Essays/Personal statements Related experience Interview

How to Maximize Your Chances Research the department and prepare for the interview Cultivate strong references Study for testing requirements Choose first tier and second tier schools Look for up and coming schools Use personal contacts Write strong Start early

Testing Plan to take 1 year ahead of time Examples: GRE (Graduate Record Exams)-Prometrics-Take once per month-computer-based-must register/schedule take through www.ets.org -$185 for General Test-Also subject test (8 areas- paper-based) for some programs Quantitative Reasoning — Measures problem-solving ability Verbal Reasoning — Measures your ability to analyze and evaluate written material Analytical Writing — Measures critical thinking and analytical writing skills LSATS (Law School Admissions Test) GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) MCAT (Medical College Administrations Test) There are also 7 Subject Tests-you will have to find out from the school if you need to take one of them.

Official Transcripts Application Essay About your accomplishments & Interests to the study Use enthusiasm, creativity and uniqueness Get it critiqued before turning in with application 2-3 Letters of Recommendation Give your recommenders the correct forms with stamped and addressed envelops or website Resume Test results (study-study-study) Interview (practice-practice-practice)

Good Luck!