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Today’s workshop will cover several key ideas when searching for a job at the conclusion of graduate school. I will discuss how to get and stay organized, remain optimistic, and how to develop awareness of visible and hidden job markets. This slide covers a few of the basic tips to get you started as you begin to search for jobs. These ideas are excellent take-away points from this workshop and while we will cover them in more detail throughout our time today, remember to refer back to these in the future.

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Whether you are a year from graduating or plan to graduate this spring, the first and perhaps most important step in your job search is to identify your priorities. Ask yourself what you want most from your job and in life. Do you want a specific type of position or are you open to several kinds of work in your field? Perhaps you want to find a job in an entirely different field or move across the country. Do you like more laid back work environments or higher pressure situations. Consider how big of a work force you would like to be a part of and whether you will have a desk type job or one that is more active.

Once you have identified your priorities, sit down and rank order them according to how important they are to you. If geographic location is more important than your initial paycheck, you should look for jobs in the region of the country you prefer. If salary is the most important factor, develop a salary range for jobs you are willing to consider. Once you have a list in order of most important to least important, it is much more clear for you to see what you are looking for in a career. Next, consider what priorities are absolute “musts” and which other factors are preferable but not required. Are there some things on your list that you are willing to be more flexible with? If so, you can widen your search radius and limit the restrictions you have. When you have identified your priorities, it makes it more simple for you to spend

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your valuable time applying to jobs that meet your criteria and also will be fulfilling careers. While it is important to identify what you want out of a job, try to be flexible in some aspects as well. As this is your first job after graduate school, be careful not to eliminate options or be too rigid in your search that you can’t find the perfect job. Most of us will not find our ideal job the first time around and that is okay. Another point to remember is that while we do have ideals for our first job, it may not be realistic to expect an extremely high salary and lots of vacation days etc. You may need to dial it back and while salary is a priority, make sure your expectations are reasonable.

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Job search website like Monster.com, Indeed.com, and Careerbuilder.com are excellent places to start searching for a job. Be sure to try different combinations of search terms and search according to the criteria you generated when identifying your priorities. You may also consider career websites like O*Net, Career Zone, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Eureka, Career Net, or Petersons.com. These websites allow you the chance to group jobs by field and become aware of positions you may not have previously been aware of.

If there are specific companies you would like to work for, remember to check their websites often as they may not list openings on widespread employment websites. Even if the company you are interested in does not have any immediate openings, utilize networking connections you may have or take a chance and submit a resume just in case. If you have the opportunity to submit a general application, go ahead and try that as well. Study the mission and goals of companies you are drawn to. Find out who the person in your department would be and make an initial contact to ask them about their thoughts on the industry. You never know what opportunities could come out of an initial contact.

You can also diversify your job search by checking professional organization websites.

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As a school counseling student, I am a member of the state and national professional organization and both of these groups maintain a section with job opportunities across the country on their webpages. If you are not sure how to diversify your search or what resources may be helpful, talk with a mentor or peer to find out. Friends and mentors may also be able to point you in the direction of subscription email lists that will alert you to job postings.

Older forms of communication are certainly a part of diversifying your search. You never know when you might find an interesting job posting in a newspaper, on message boards on campus, or even in journals or magazines.

Unconventional ideas may also be appropriate. Have you thought about creating your own position, or starting your own business? Now may be the time to live out those dreams!

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Many positions are advertised. But some positions are unpublished or found in the hidden job market. We have just discussed strategies for the published opportunities but many graduate students may overlook the unpublished jobs, simply because they do not have any experience with the hidden job market. When searching for a job, consider looking at search or recruitment firms. With a simple Google search, you can gain access to these firms according to geographic region. These firms operate as employment agencies and specialize in job placement, staffing solutions, and recruiting. One way a recruiting firm can help is by marketing you to an organization even if there is not a published opportunity. While there are open positions, the jobs may not be public and a recruiting firm may be your ticket into your first job. These unpublished positions are actual but not yet advertised positions, positions that may have been discussed but not yet posted, or positions created to meet a company’s needs. If you are considering a recruitment firm, be sure you find one that matches your geographic preference, if you have one, if possible, find one that specializes in your industry or a career area you would like to enter. Many employment firms will perform a comprehensive skills assessment to test special skills related to your industry. A personal interview also allows the firm to get to know you, your career goals and the type of position you are seeking. Many firms will essentially act as your agent and coach you during the interview process and help prepare you for

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opportunities.

Be aware recruitment agencies typically charge a fee for the services they provide. In some cases, you can communicate to the agency you would like the employer to cover this fee once you land a job. This does actually occur in some instances and in this case, you have received personal help finding a job at no cost to you. While not all employers work with recruitment agencies, many do. One benefit of working with an agency is they a stake in your success. Their reputation depends on how easily you find a job. Among their other services provided include reworking resumes to tailor to specific jobs and helping you negotiate a salary and benefits package. Whether you decide to use a recruitment agency or not, be sure you find one that works for you and feel free to explore your options.

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One of the basic tips we discussed in the beginning of the presentation relates to developing customized cover letters and applications. If you are open to more than one industry or different positions, you should use two or three versions of your professional profile. Coordinate your documents according to the job posting and reorganize and restate the information so certain keywords and phrases stand out. If you are applying for academic positions such as with a university or college, you will typically want to use a curriculum vitae. For nonacademic jobs your documents will include resumes, cover letters, and experience information. Pay attention to the job posting to find out exactly what is needed to apply. If the posting includes information about reference letters, be sure to tailor these as well. As often as possible, provide the job description to those writing your reference letters. Your references do not have to write entirely new letters but may make slight modifications to ensure their letter applies to a greater extent.

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Job descriptions are different from actual jobs. Be careful not to apply to every single job you see, especially if it does not align with any of your priorities or simply just isn’t for you. Looking for a job can be a stressful and time consuming process and when you start getting frustrated with the tasks in front of you, it can be easy to give up or apply for every single opening you see. If you fall into this trap, you may find yourself in a job you do not enjoy or you will begin applying for jobs where you do not have the qualifications or experience. Be sure to keep your search wide enough that what you apply for is a genuine possibility for you. On the other hand, do not gloss over every posting that appears to be a second or third choice. Make time to sprinkle in some opportunities that are potentially interesting. While some intriguing postings are not what you expect in a negative way, some posting you quickly glance at and avoid may actually be a great first job for you.

Bottom line, if you are completely uninterested, do not apply. If you have some interest but it isn’t your first choice for a career, it may deserve a second look.

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Now that we have considering the actual application process in more depth, let’s look at a job posting more carefully. This is a sample listing I pulled from Monster.com for us to examine today. One of the first questions we want to ask ourselves if we find the posting to be interesting, is what are the requirements/qualifications? Don’t waste your time applying to jobs where you are not meeting almost all of the qualifications. Pay particular attention to the education requirement. The reason you want to pay attention to this requirement is that employers use it as a key criteria to screen out applicants because education is extremely easy to check and verify. Even if the required education seems very high, employers will double check whether those applying do actually possess this quality. Beyond checking the education requirement, spend some time reviewing the other qualifications. Again, the most important requirements are listed toward the top, usually, but not always. Ensure that you do indeed have the skills the employers wants or don’t waste your time.

Another key factor of analyzing a job posting is to examine the position title as well as the duties. Often times the requirements or responsibilities are listed in order from most important to less important. Usually the duties listed at the top of the posting are also tasks you will spend more time with on a daily basis. If these tasks and duties near the top of the list are things you don’t enjoy or don’t do well, consider skipping

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this posting. For example, in this posting the Reference Law Librarian will spend most of their providing reference and bibliographic services and less time on student payroll records. If you do not like maintaining a budget in particular, it appears as though this job would require some but not an overwhelming amount of budgeting skills.

Once you have identified the skills and requirements, match your experience to these key terms, required skills, and duties listed in the posting. Address these areas in your resume and cover letter, although be sure to differentiate. Don’t turn in a resume that is basically a list of everything in your cover letter.

Read carefully through the job description just to see if there are any specific questions you need to respond to. For example a tech company called BUMI asks respondents to the posting to include a joke with their application. It may seem silly but in this case, BUMI excludes all applicants who did not follow this direction. Make sure you follow all directions and pay attention to the details. In this case you would need to apply online and include three references. A few things to pay attention to in this case is the additional surveys and forms online. It would be very disappointing to be qualified for a job and perhaps a top applicant and end up being overlooked because you forgot to follow all the directions. Also look for information about where exactly to send materials, the deadline to apply and who you should send materials to. If you aren’t sure or are debating to address your materials to ‘Whom it may concern,’ spend some time researching the company and getting in touch with secretaries or contact personnel who can point you in the right direction.

Finally, just be aware there are job scams out there. Just to be safe, Google the company listed in the posting to ensure they are indeed a real company. If the only information you find is other job postings or information about donating, it is probably a scam.

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Many time job seekers find themselves waiting for postings to appear. Whether you have lots of free time or only a small amount, consider unpaid internships or volunteer opportunities to gain experience. If you plan to graduate this spring and find you do not have a job during the summer, take the chance to build your experience in your industry. Unpaid opportunities do count as valid experience and you never know when you might make a networking connection with someone that leads to a future career. Volunteering or completing internships also allows you to have the chance to prove your work ethic or skills. These opportunities also may result in adding to your list of references as well.

Taking advantage of your spare time is also a chance for you to continue to learn. Consider reading books, industry blogs and magazines, and keeping current with noteworthy happenings and news. By continuing to learn, you are making yourself a more knowledgeable and attractive candidate. We cannot always control the job search process but sources recommend do change what you can change instead of waiting for employers to “give you a chance.”

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During the job search process, you can’t afford to sit by the phone and check your email constantly. There are a few things you can do to get the information you need and successfully follow-up after applying. If you are very interested in the job, you should follow up to demonstrate your enthusiasm and not just ask if employers have received your application.

1. Verify the receipt of your application. Your information could have been directed to a spam folder accidentally. Within a day or two of applying, contact the company to verify your information was received. If there is no contact information, use the main phone number and ask for the hiring department, human resources, employment, etc. If you do have a contact individual listed, always be respectful of their time and be polite. If you call, ask if the moment is good for them or if they’d prefer you call at another time. Be careful not to contact more than once or twice at the most after you submit your materials.

2. Ask about the process. If you have the opportunity to speak with someone, inquire about the screening details. Ask questions such as, “Can you provide some information about the expected timeline,” “When might be a good time for me to follow up about my application?” By asking these questions you will have a better idea if employers are going to take a few days to hire someone or several weeks.

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3. If you cannot get ahold of anyone, send a follow-up email within five to seven days after applying. Remember to maintain a positive tone in your email and acknowledge your continued interest in the position. The key to this step is continuing your communication with the company not emphasizing the fact that you haven’t heard anything yet.

1. Can you hear the difference between emailing this response and the second response: “I applied for the position of _____. I haven’t heard anything back yet and am very interested” vs “The customer service position brings together my five years of experience in ___ and ___. I welcome the opportunity to discuss my background and how it may be a match for your needs.”

If you have tried following up and still haven’t received a reply a few weeks later, it is probably best to move on and invest your time in other opportunities.

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Practice interviewing. Instead of waiting for someone to bite when you send in your application, take the time to prepare. Employers will easily be able to see if you have done your homework and are ready to interview. If you do not have much practice interviewing, practice answers to commonly asked questions. Whether you need to create notecards or flashcards to help practice your responses and ingrain them in your memory or want to role play with a mentor or friend, practicing ahead of time makes it more likely you will be confident when the time comes to interview. Being prepared also makes it more likely you will land the job. Preparing for interviews also entails researching the company and those who will be interviewing you if possible. Be ready to relate your experiences to situations you will discuss in the meeting.

Some of the most commonly asked interview questions are: 1. Tell me about yourself. 2. What interests you about this job? 3. What do you know about our company so far? 4. Why did you leave your last job? 5. Tell me about your strengths/weaknesses. 6. Tell me about a time when you had to… (situational interviewing). 7. What questions do you have for me?

Preparation also extends to your personal life. Be sure your email address is a professional title. You voicemail message and online presence if professional and

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portrays you as a mature adult. You can also take time to begin selecting interview attire as well.

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Looking for a job can be frustrating and tiring. In order to stay focused on your future, it takes a high amount of patience and a calm manner. Easier said than done! One way you can alleviate some stress is to stay in a regular routine. While you may sleep in some, do not make it a habit of using an entire day to sleep until late afternoon. Get up at a regular time, eat properly, and get some exercise.

Continue to volunteer or build experience to keep your mind off feeling stressed. Concentrate on the skills and knowledge you do have. What is something you would like to capitalize on? Perhaps you have been thinking about learning a new language and becoming bilingual.

Surround yourself with positive people who can help you see the good during the process. Network with your connections and build contacts with new people as well.

Manage your expectations. You cannot and will not be offered every job you apply for. The job search is a series of “No’s” before you get a “Yes.” Instead concentrate on the interviewing skills you are building, reflect on the contacts or resources you have built, or take time to appreciate the new skills you have gained during this time.

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If you find yourself needing support, you can reach out to support groups in churches, local organizations, or at the counseling center.

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