It’s been quite a few years since I’ve been in college so
I forgot about using local universities (or even your own university) as a
resource for job hunting. Local schools will have connections to companies in
the area and as an adult, you can take advantage of any job listings or
counseling they may provide.
Below are my notes from the webinar, where they talked about
Career Redirection, Job Searching, Networking, Resume Development, and
Interviewing.
The need for career redirection can come from a lack of market success,
dissatisfaction with the work, or entering the job market after time away.
Regardless, you’ll need to figure out what type of work you want to do and who
will pay you to do that work.
Figuring out what you want to do will require some
self-exploration and that’s where meeting with career advisors or taking career
assessments can be helpful. Also, it helps to review job listings and trends to
see which industries have needs. One of these resources is the Occupational
Outlook Handbook located here: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/
Within the handbook is the Occupation Finder: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/occupation-finder.htm
Another recommended resource is the Inside Jobs website:
http://www.insidejobs.com/
Job searching can take several months and is often a
full time job in itself. Your job search might be affected by possible barriers
to entry such as level of schooling and geographic location.
Luckily, you can now use technology to aid in your job
search as well as take classes to sharpen your skills or gain new ones. Not
only should you use job search engines, but you should still visit job fairs as
well.
Even if you’re not currently job searching, you
should still keep your LinkedIn profile up to date and always be updating your resume
with projects and new skills.
Another website they recommended was http://www.idealist.org where you can find jobs,
internships, and volunteer opportunities in order to gain new skills you might
not otherwise get.
As for job search engines, the most powerful way to use
them is to create saved searches. You will have to create a free account, but
this way you can run these searches against jobs in your field easily and
quickly, and they often will send you emails with jobs that match with your
interests.
The Bradley Career Center recommended the following job
search enginges: http://www.indeed.com, us.jobs, (http://missouri.jobs/ or http://illinois.jobs/ for those near me), and http://www.glassdoor.com (where you can view
salary information).
Who do you know? Networking is really powerful for
landing jobs. You should network with family, friends, alumni, classmates, and people you have yet to
meet. Meet people through professional networks and volunteering helps to build
new relationships. Be sure to maintain those relationship as well.
There can be different styles of resumes, which is fine
as long as the important information is conveyed.
Employers review the content at the very top the most and
review resumes for about 30 seconds. Therefore, make sure your most important
attributes are at the top.
Employers are looking for communication skills, teamwork skills,
problem solving skills, planning and organizational skills, and job-related
knowledge. So you need to convey your experience with these skills on your
resume.
Now with online job searching, the Objective section and “References
available upon request” tag line are no longer necessary.
As far as formatting goes, just make sure you are
consistent throughout the resume and avoid loud colors and graphics. You
also may wish to submit your resume as a PDF to avoid any changes to formatting
when the employer opens the document.
If you can, explain how have you contributed and the
result Incorporate quantifiable information if it is possible. Example: Helped
fundraising project earn $10,000.
In addition to a resume, create a LinkedIn account where
you can extend what you have on your resume into the online world. This will help
you maintain a professional online presence in order to develop your personal
brand. You can access alumni from you own school on LinkedIn by going to www.linkedin.com/alumni
After you build your online presence, you can add
connections as well as research companies and industries for possible job
opportunities.
Use a professional photograph of yourself, add a headline
with you career title, and include a keyword-rich summary of skills.
Building your resume will help you prepare for an
interview since it forces you to review your skills. You should also learn
about the company by checking out their website and researching news
about them.
On the day of the interview, dress professionally. It’s
OK to be overdressed but not underdressed. Arrive a few minutes early and come
with questions prepared.
After the interview, write a thank you note and follow up
as appropriate.
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