According to the seminar, there are three (3) steps in a job search for internships or career jobs. The first step is to know who you are and what can you contribute to the business or industry of your potential employer. These contributions may include the level of education you have attained, the skills you have, or even interests you have in the given industry. The second step is to know who is out there. This means you have to know who you want to work for. It is best to target a few companies you want to work in. The last step is to know if your chosen job or career has an opening in your chosen company (Blanchard, 2013).
According to the speaker, we must know how to organize our job searches. This can be done through a notebook or a computer. There are five (5) key steps in organizing our job search. First, we must be able to determine what we are seeking. What career do we want to be in? What company do we want to be part of? These are some of the many questions we should consider. Second, we must learn how to prioritize our list of positions to target. Do we want to be in marketing? What kind of career do we see ourselves in? The third is to keep our materials organized. We must always keep our priorities straight. The fourth is to target our resume and cover letter.
We must read job descriptions to fully understand what potential employers are looking for. In understanding them we can be able to personalize our cover letters to tailor-fit potential employer’s criteria. The fifth is to dress presentably during interviews. It is important to dress professionally and speak clearly during interviews. Lastly, when we are given job offers we must always evaluate them carefully and make informed decisions (Blanchard, 2013).
We must always do our researches by evaluating the pros and cons before being legally bound to an employer. Many websites can help us evaluate our hobbies, interests, and skills and they can link us to career paths that are suitable for us. Among these sites is the University of Arizona Career Services, Discover Career Exploration which makes you take assessments and link your interests, abilities, and values to jobs. These sites are based on personality theory.
They also help analyze salary ranges, demand for work, and growth of the industry. The site Discover Career Exploration’s information comes from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics and the site is frequently updated. Another helpful website is O Net online which also helps analyze job opportunities. Another key topic during the seminar is about what employers want. According to research employers are interested in hiring individuals with the following qualifications: good communication skills, honesty and integrity, teamwork skills, analytical skills, interpersonal skills, leadership skills, career experience, and strong academic records.
The advancement of technology made it very easy for us today to research employers. Our university conducts career fairs and information sessions on campus once or twice a year. We can meet our probable employers at these events. We can also check out Wildcat Joblink, a job and intern listings site which provides us access to the currently available jobs. Once in awhile employers would contact our university when they need new employees.
They usually conduct campus interviews or in other cases ask our university for resume referrals. Our school can help us get interviews. Career search employer databases are also helpful in looking for and applying for jobs. Though it may seem impersonal and cold this is a very convenient way for us in applying. We can also check out employer directories in the CS library. To apply directly, we can always apply via employers’ websites. Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin also help applicants connect with probable employers.
Reference
Blanchard, K. (Speaker). (2013). Job Search for Internship or Career Jobs [Video Recording]. Arizona: University of Arizona.