JobScribble

JOB AND INTERNSHIP ADVICE 

(Also, see the FREE Guides at the bottom of the page!)

College Career Center:

Whether you are a student or alumni, utilize your campus Career Center to help you with your job search! If you have relocated, you may still be able to utilize resources and/or services of the local college in your new area. College Career Centers provide great resources, including local job opportunities, internships, job searching, and career planning information and advice. Many of them have a job board with jobs for students and graduates.  You will also find a career library and helpful career counselors. They also offer a wide variety of services such as workshops, Job Fairs, career assessments, job listings and networking opportunities, etc.

Newspapers:

To find more local jobs, search area newspapers.  If you don’t subscribe to the local newspaper, many help wanted sections can be found online or go to your local library to view newspapers.  Don’t miss Sunday’s edition of the local paper as it usually has the most listings.

When answering want ads, consider dropping off your resume instead of mailing or e-mailing it. When you arrive, just ask if you could please introduce yourself to the hiring manager.  It takes time to find a job. Remember that lots of people are using the newspapers too so spending a little extra time and going the extra mile will set yourself apart from the competition.

If you decide to drop off your resume, dress like you are going to an interview because first impressions count! Don’t take too much of the person’s time. Just shake their hand and say, “Hello, my name is ____ , and I wanted to drop off a resume for the ___ position you advertised. I think it is a great fit for my skills and abilities, and I hope you will call me for an interview.” Yes, it is easier to stick a stamp on an envelope or e-mail your resume, but you will stand out from the crowd of job seekers.

Don't wait for jobs to be advertised!  Get a jump-start on future job leads and read newspaper articles to learn about companies or other industries that are expanding, relocating or opening in your area. Call the company and ask about job opportunities or mail them a prospecting letter and resume. Even better, ask if you can go in and talk with them about job opportunities and let them know you would like to learn more about their company. If they say yes, prepare for it like you would a job interview!

Trade Journals:

There are many trade journals for specific occupations or industries. Check with your local library and College Career Center for assistance in finding trade journals. Trade journals can also be found on the Internet and many allow you to search for job opportunities on-line without a subscription or membership. Professional organizations or associations usually publish trade journals or newsletters related to your career field. The Center for Association Leadership has an on-line directory to help you find Associations in your career field.

Job Boards:

On-line job boards can be a great way to help you find job leads. However, like newspapers, more and more job seekers are using them so competition can be tough. Niche job sites, which concentrate on a particular population or career field are becoming more and more popular. Niche websites make it easier for you to find a job in your field and in your local area.  If you are looking for jobs with degree requirements, put your degree in the key word search bar.  If you are looking for jobs without a degree, then in your searches use terms like "entry level" and "will train" in the key word search bar.  Instead of searching by a job title or industry, use the skills and abilities that you have and would like to use on the job.  For instance, "Spanish", "PowerPoint", etc. Don't forget to do Google searches for companies and organizations in your area to see if they have their own company job board. 

If you are seeking a city, county, state or federal job.  There are usually job boards for each of these identities.  To locate federal jobs go to USAjobs.  Search the Internet to find the job boards for the city, state, and county job boards in your area.  Usually local state jobs are listed on a state employment website.  You can go to the website for the Department of Labor for your state to find jobs with various state agencies. Your school district will also have an education job board on their website.  

Also, see FREE Guides about Internet Job Searching and How to Get a Job with the Federal Government at the bottom of this page.

Workforce Centers:

Workforce Centers are usually located in each county and they go by different names, which can be very confusing to the consumer (One-Stop Center, Workforce Development, Workforce Alliance, etc.).  To find local area jobs, go by and visit one of their centers.  They are a great resource to find local area job openings.  Try the Yellow Pages under employment or go to your state's Department of Labor website to search for your areas Workforce Centers.  Most are funded, in part, by the Department of Labor, and they provide free services to those seeking employment. If your are looking for a job opportunity or job resources, they often have a veteran's counselor.  Also, if you have been laid off, you should contact them to inquire about unemployment benefits while you are looking for work.  You may event be entitled to unemployment benefits if you are fired.  You may just have to wait a certain period of time before you can be eligible. Often Workforce Centers provide tuition for training at local colleges and institutions in high demand occupations for those that may have been recently lost their jobs.  Each state will probably also have their own job board for jobs that are posted through these agencies.  For instance, if you live in Florida, you could go to www.employflorida.com or if you live in Texas, you would go to www.workintexas.com and for California go www.caljobs.ca.gov.  You can also use the One Stop Service Locator to find a center in your area.

Job Fairs:

Job Fairs can be held at local college campuses, companies, hotels, on-line or other places in your community. Job Fairs in the community are usually advertised in the help wanted section of the newspaper. Staffing agencies, local unemployment office, and employers usually sponsor community Job Fairs, and it they are usually free for job seekers to attend. Sometimes Job Fairs can be held for very specific career fields (i.e., nursing, construction, computer technology, etc.). Check with your local Community College and/or University Career Center to see when their next Job Fair is scheduled.  They are a great resource for job openings for college students but they are also usually open to the public. 

Here are a few tips to help you succeed at a Job Fair and find the best job:

• Start early and don't arrive late for Job Fairs.  It takes time to see and talk with recruiters.  Unfortunately, some recruiters leave early, so you may miss one of your targeted recruiters.
• Dress and prepare like you are going to an interview since you will be meeting with hiring mangers or human resource staff.
• Take lots of resumes printed on quality resume paper (don’t fold your resumes).
• Check out the employers who will be attending the fair before you go by reviewing on-line announcements which may list the companies and job opportunities.   If you know the employers that will be there, go to their job postings section of their company website to see if they have any job listings you would be interested in. Remember if a position is not listed, it does not mean they are not recruiting for it now or in the near future.
• Research the company and learn something about them before the Job Fair.
• Type a short cover letter to employers you want to target and include it with your resume when you visit their table. This makes it more personable and will set you apart from the other job seekers at the Job Fair.
• Introduce yourself and sell yourself in the few minutes that you meet with them.
• Ask a few questions about the company and job opportunities.
• Tell them what type of job you are looking for and your qualifications.
• Ask if you can schedule an interview (some Job Fairs provide interview rooms for companies so you may get an interview at the Job Fair).
• Pick up business cards and to get the names of the people you talked to so you can follow-up with them.
• Thank them for speaking to you.
• Take a pen and paper for notes and put your resume and other papers in a small professional leather portfolio.
• Follow-up after the Job Fair with a thank you letter and enclose your resume even if you left a resume with them at the Job Fair.
• Make a follow-up phone call about five business days after you mail the thank you letter (or call sooner if the recruiter asked you to).
• Don't grab free stuff recruiters bring.  Ask if you can have one and thank them!

Networking:

Networking is letting lots of people know you are looking for a job because they just might know someone who is looking to fill a position. So tell your friends, relatives, neighbors, your hairdresser or barber, teachers, etc. about the type of job you are looking for! Below are few ways that you can network so you are more effective. 

Networking Websites:

You can place your profile on networking websites such Linkedin and Zoominfo and if you prepare appropriately you can post a video resume on Youtube and you informational profile on Facebook.  These types of websites are searched by employers and recruiters seeking job candidates.  Once you register then you can also network with others in your field or industry.  You may be surprised to see that Zoominfo may have your profile already if you have ever been mentioned in a published article or newspaper. You may want to review these websites to make sure the information about you is accurate and current.

Watch out for other social networking websites where you may have posted, videos, pictures or comments that you would not want an employer to see (Facebook, Myspace, etc.). Pictures of you on the beach during spring break with a beer in your hand will not leave a good impression! Many employers are searching the web and social networking websites for references to your name. If you use these sites only post things that would feature you in a positive light. If you would not want your mother to see it, then don’t post it on the Internet!

Blogs:

Search for blogs in your area of expertise and interest and begin to post questions and comments regularly. You will become known in the industry, and it helps to begin networking with others in your field. Often people blog about job opportunities or have their own job board.  You can also let people reading the blog that you are looking by creating a post on the blog.

Think about setting up your own blog and posting your resume and possibly examples of your work (i.e. web design, writing samples, etc.). Keep your personal information like your last name, address, and phone number off your resume.  Instead create an e-mail address that you use for job searching. If you are worried about using employers names on your resume, you can use generic descriptions.  For instance, instead of using Sears, put National Department Store.  

You can start a blog pretty easily with some of the free open sources available on the Internet or use a low cost blog platform.  Blog platforms are very user friendly and with little to no HTML and web design background, you can have a blog set up in no time!   

If you have some computer knowledge, you can probably set up your own free blog at Wordpress, Blogger.  For a small monthly fee, which includes hosting, you may want to consider using Squarespace or Typepad.  If you don't have any computer skills, there are web and blog design companies that can assist you for a fee. 

Informational Interviews:

Have you ever wished you could just get your foot in the door? Well, you can contact people in your field and ask them if they can talk to you about their career. When you meet with them, let the person know that you are looking for employment and ask if they know of any opportunities or anyone who might be hiring.  Provide your resume and ask them to call you they hear of any job opportunities.  Follow-up with a thank-you note after the informational interview (handwritten card is OK).

Visit your campus Career Center, college clubs or organizations. They can often help you find alumni who might be willing to talk with you and provide assistance on how to handle informational interviews.  Find companies and contact the department you would like to work in.  Local organizations and associations are also another good way to generate leads for an informational interview.  As mentioned above, blogs and networking websites can help you find someone you can talk to in your industry.

First try and identify the name of the person you would like to speak with if you have identified a company you would like to work for. The Internet is sometimes a great place to look for contact information so you can ask for the person by name when you call. Many companies list the names and job titles of staff on their company website. When you don’t know the name of a person,  ask the receptionist for the name of the person who is the manager for the ____department. When you find the person you would like to network with, let them know you are interested in learning more about their career field and ask if they could meet with you. You will be amazed at how helpful people can be!

To prepare for the informational interview, have your questions prepared ahead of time. Don’t spend too much time with the person (about 30 or 45 minutes).  Here are just some sample questions you might want to ask, but also think of other questions that are important to you:

Why did you decide to enter into this career?

What college degree would be related to this job?

What do you like most about this job?

What do you like the least about your job?

How would you recommend that I find a job in this field?

Also, see FREE Informational Interviewing Guide at the bottom of this page!

Associations and Clubs:

Associations and clubs provide job leads and networking opportunities to members (some will require a fee for joining). If open to non-members, go to some of their meetings, conferences or activities.

Associations and clubs may also often have on-line job boards that can be accessed without passwords so check them out regularly while job searching.

Check out their pod casts and online videos to hear what is going on in your industry. Participate in their blogs and sign up to receive notices of blog posts and RSS feeds. They may also publish trade journals or newsletters, which may list job opportunities so sign up to receive these too.

When you become a member, you may also have access to members’ names and contact information so that is a great resource for networking!  It also helps to have a contact person you can network with or follow-up with after applying for a job.

To find clubs and associations, use the Internet and put in search terms for your field along with the name or key words for an association, organization or look up your field in the “Encyclopedia of Associations”. Your library, campus Career Center and professors can help you find this information too.  Check out the ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership for a Directory located under their "People and Groups" tab and click on "Gateway to Associations".

Local civic organizations or groups can be found by reviewing your local newspapers, which often list meeting information and/or check your yellow pages for clubs or organizations.

College campuses may also have a campus chapter for national organizations.  Check with your college’s Student Activities office, bulletin board, and/or website for a list of campus clubs and organizations.  They often provide listings for internships and jobs available for college students.

Participating in these organizations may provide networking opportunities, increase your knowledge in your career field, and upgrade your skills and abilities.

Staffing Agencies:

Employers may use a staffing agency to fill a temporary staffing need. They also use temporary agencies to try out employees to see if they will work out.

Headhunters or staffing agencies can help you find a permanent or temporary job. Just make sure the employer pays the fee. Also, ask if you will be hired directly by the company and, if not, when would the employer be able to hire you. You may be on the staffing agencies payroll during a short period of time until the employer decides if he will hire you permanently.

Should you take a temp job? Remember a paycheck is better than no paycheck. It also helps to keep the gap in employment between jobs to a minimum. Taking a temporary job in your field is a great way to get your foot in the door, learn new skills and network.  It also gives you an opportunity to see if the company, work environment, job, co-workers and boss are good fit for you.

Internships:

An internship is either paid or unpaid on-the job training that is related to the degree that you are pursuing. An internship can be paid or unpaid and sometimes internships provide college credit (check with your college program to see if your program provides credit).

To find college student internships, call companies and ask if there is any Internship available or check with you college Career Center or Job Placement Office. An internship is usually temporary, but it could lead to a permanent position if you do a good job. Internships can also help develop your skills and abilities.

Also, see FREE Internship Guides at the bottom of this page.

Job Shadowing:

Job Shadowing is observing someone doing his or her job in your career field and is usually used by high school or college students who want to learn more about a career field.  Just like Informational Interviewing, you can call someone in your field and tell them that you would like to learn more about a field and would like to know if you can shadow them for a half-day. This will enable you to also learn more about a particular company and industry. This is a great way to determine if you are pursuing the right career field and/or college major.

Volunteering:

Volunteering with local organizations can help you network and learn new skills. Giving your time to your community can be rewarding. Volunteering can also help you when you have to explain job gaps during an interview. You may include your volunteer experience on your resume or let the interviewer know that you volunteered and briefly explain your responsibilities and accomplishments. There are many places to find volunteer opportunities—start with your local United Way or other nonprofit agencies in your neighborhood. Other places you may want to try are as follows:

Volunteermatch.org

Globalvolunteers.org

Pointsoflight.org

1-800volunteer.org

Job Search and Internship Guides: