Transcript Slide 1

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 –
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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
 Rely on others to do the work for you
 Rely on any one person – there is no reason for you to work with
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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 areaspaper-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
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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!