Module II: Job Search

Many graduates assume that completing their degree is all that is needed to be successful in the professional world. But employment trends are influenced by the current economic climate. The availability of jobs in your geographic area will determine the ease or difficulty of your job search. If you recently earned a highly sought after degree where there are more job openings than applicants, then you probably won’t have too much trouble finding a job. In fact, recruiters will probably come to you. In a poorer job market (more applicants than positions), finding a job becomes more competitive and usually takes much longer. To maximize your chances for success, you should rely more on networking and use multiple methods for finding job openings.

If your major does not require an internship, clinical, practicum, student teaching, or some other form of practical work experience, consider doing one anyway. An internship is the bridge between your classroom experience and the real world of work. It can not only be listed on your resume, but many employers actually prefer to hire students directly from internship experiences.

When should you start looking for a job? In general, you should start looking for advertised job openings, making contacts with recruiters and potential employers, attending job fairs and employer information sessions as early as possible in the semester that you plan to graduate. And don’t forget to register with your career center-they receive hundreds of job openings from employers every semester.

Remember that having a good resume will help your search immensely, but the resume will only get you in the door. After that, how well you conduct yourself in the interview will ultimately determine if you’re hired.

In this module you will learn how to:

• Differentiate between hard and soft skills.
• Write a value-added resume.
• Compose and write a cover letter.
• Ask for references and use them appropriately when looking for a job.
• Create a professional LinkedIn profile.
• Create a 30 second Self-Marketing Statement.
• Get the most out of job and career fairs.
• Prepare for, successfully participate in, and follow-up after an interview.
• Build a professional network and use networking to find a job.
• Locate and apply for job openings.