Dear Class of 2016: Get Moving on Your Future

By: Emily Glazer, www.wsi.com


Welcome to the hallowed halls of academia. Now start planning for life in the real world.

It’s still a tough jobs market out there and likely will continue to be for some time. So it isn’t too early for freshly minted college students to start making themselves more marketable – from taking classes that polish essential skills to building a strong network.

“The size of your support network and mentoring group can often be as important as your degree,” say Rich Feller, president of the National Career Development Association, which provides programs and services for career development.

Here’s a timeline on the moves to make over the next four years:

Freshman Year
Classes: You’ll likely be required to take certain basic courses or prerequisites for your major. But this also is the time to sharpen basic – but essential – communication skills, says Mark Brostoff, associate dean and director of Weston Career Center at Olin Business School at Washington.

So sign up for writing and public-speaking classes. And you’ll be able to carry the skills over into your job search and professional life. Think cover letters, elevator pitches, product presentations and company reports. It’s also the time to start fostering relationships with professors or alumni who will later help with career advice and internship and job leads.

Activities: Most students don’t step foot in the career services office until senior year, but it’s a good resource for freshmen as well. Many career services offices offer personality tests to help students figure out their passions and interest, says Robin Ryan, a Seattle-based career counselor.

Summer: It is likely too early to land an internship, but you still can gain valuable skills from a summer job. Try to tailor the job to your field of study in some way. Also consider asking about volunteer opportunities at a company or organization in your field of interest, Ms. Ryan says.


Sophomore Year

Classes: Take a business-writing course that homes in on writing cover letter, executive summaries and proposals, Mr. Brostoff says. It’s also time to become proficient with math – the kind you’ll actually have to use in everyday life. That means taking both an accounting and personal-finance class.

Activities: Narrow down membership to a few clubs or teams where you can stand out, and take an active role by volunteering for projects and events.

Summer: This is the time to start working internships, says Mr. Brostoff. Visit your career services office for a list of available internships and cast a wide net. Also ask professors and acquaintances in your field of interest.


Junior Year

Classes: You’ll likely need to declare your major by this point, says Mr. Feller. Keep in regular contact with your academic advisor to make sure you’re on track to complete requirements.

Activities: Join a professional or community organization based on your interests and field of study. And keep networking with professors and alumni.

Summer: If you haven’t secured a summer internship by now, this is the time to land one. The career services office can help place you in an internship or fellowship. Most offer help with resume writing and mock job interviews


Senior Year
Classes: If you still have electives to take, choose classes that build on what you’ve learned during a summer job and internship. Engineering majors can take a website-coding class, a skill that’s in demand for digital or technical positions.

Activities: Try to get a leadership position on a least one club or organization and outline what you hope to do to make your mark. It’s also time to put networking into high speed.

Summer: It’s all about landing that full-time gig – and putting all the advice and steps that you’ve hopefully taken over the last four years into practice.

Lastly, join your school’s alumni association so you can continue to build your network.

For more information see: The Wall Street Journal (online), Family Finances, August 28, 2012

It Could Be Who You Know.....

When they're looking for new hires, many organizations tap their own employees for suggestions. And not casually - these organizations have formal "employee referral programs" to help them find new hires.

In fact, in a recent survey, employers cited their employee referral programs (ERPs) as among their most effective means for hiring new employees. (Some even have such a program to help them identify good prospects for internships.)

As a result, if you have a contact within an organization that has an ERP, you could get the inside track on a position before the company goes outside to look for candidates.

ERPs are just another reason why networking is a good way to find a job.

For more information see: JOB Choices 2010 Diversity Edition

20 Tips for Navigating a Networking Event
By Courtney Pike, Director of Operations, JobBound

Two out of three people get a job through networking.

Most job seekers spend the majority of their time scouring online postings and blasting their resume to job boards. Ask any hiring manager or recruiter where they find most of their candidates, and most likely they will say through a referral or a recommendation.

Since networking is the key to getting your dream job, you need to make sure you know the rules of the game for networking events.

Sure, you may be intimidated by the ubiquitous evening networking event. It may seem scary, but everyone in that room is there because they want to network and talk with people just like you.

Here are a few, quick tips to ensure you have a successful networking event:

1. Do your prep work and know what type of people will be in attendance.
2. Read the news so you can be up-to-speed on current events and potential conversation topics.
3. Make note of who the event organizers are so you can thank them at the event. (Usually they are the most connected people in the room).
4. Dress the part. Make note of the venue and expected attire.
5. Think of about five conversation starters or opening lines. It doesn't have to be deep - weather, sports, local news, reasons for being there, etc.
6. Arrive on time. You can meet the organizers and work a smaller room.
7. Focus on the people, not the food. It is difficult to shake hands and continue conversations when your hands and mouth are always full.
8. Drink in moderation. No one wants to hear you slur your story about your job search over your fifth glass of pinot.
9. Position yourself in a high traffic area.
10. Be assertive. "Hello, my name is...." Introduce yourself and start conversations.
11. Say something after your name to help lead the conversation. "Hi, I'm Courtney, I'm new to YPC. Are you a YPC member?
12. Try not to talk with the same two people the whole night. Sure, it's more comfortable, but you can follow up with those two over coffee another day.
13. To keep the conversation going, focus on things you both know about - the guest speaker, the networking event, or the organization hosting the program.
14. Listen and ask questions. Remember, it's not all about you.
15. Hand out your business cards to those you shared a conversation with, but don't fling them out like flyers.
16. Request a business card from those you would like to follow up with.
17. Bring a wingman if you're intimidated; just don't spend the entire evening chatting with your friend.
18. Tell the event planners thanks and that you enjoyed the event.
19. Jot down notes on the business cards to keep track of everyone you meet.
20. Follow up!! After the event, get connected on LinkedIn, and send a personal email to request a meeting to continue conversations.

Remember, you simply are meeting people, making connections, and creating relationships. A quality network is a crucial part of your job search.

The Networking Challenge

Make the most of your networking

Finding people to contact is just part of networking. Try these quick tips to make the most of your conversations with networking contacts:

1. Send an e-mail to introduce yourself when requesting a meeting. Explain (briefly) what you have in common and describe what you hope to learn through your conversation. Include a date and time that you will follow up by phone to schedule your meeting time if you haven't heard back; then, follow through!
2. Research the industry, organization, and person yhou will be meeting prior to your conversation.
3. Consider information that you are learning in classes, internships, or student organizations that might be interesting to your target contact.
4. Make a list of questions to ask. Customize the questions to be specific to the industry and the person you will be contacting.
5. Treat professionals with respect. Use appropriate grmmar and spelling when writing messages. If you've scheduled a meeting, don't cancel. Arrive 15 minutes early.
6. Whether your conversation is in person, on the phone, or via e-mail, follow up with a thank-you note to show your appreciation and improve your chances of creating a productive relationship.

For more information see: Job Choices 2010

Succeeding in a competitive Job Market

Flexibility: For the ambitious job seeker facing a competitive job market, perhaps nothing is more important than flexibility. That means considering options outside of your comfort zone, but it doesn't mean your job search should be unfocused or disorganized. And don't just stop at opening your mind to different job options, be open to relocation.

Start Now: Many students don't think about their job search until senior year. The key is to not sit back and wait: TAKE ACTION NOW.

Use your career center: Your campus career center should be your first stop. Schedule an appointment with a career counselor to explore your career options. Take part in the resume writing, interviewing and other job-search-related events.

Employers say that the lack of research is obvious in interviews and that researching the company, and specific job, if possible - is perhaps the single most important thing a potential employee can do before interviewing. Candidates who fail to do so can come across to employers as disinterested and lacking initiative.

Know what employers want: Most job postings will provide a general list of requirements - the "hard" skills. Perhaps cheif among these is the work-related experience. As a rule, employers prize experience in potential employees, as it provides some evidence that you can, in fact, do the job. For most college students, work-related experience is gained through participation in an internship, volunteer activity or part-time job. (And experience doesn't have to be paid to count.)

In addition, many employers screen candidates based on GPA (generally 3.0 and above is the cut off for consideration).

Finally, employers look for "soft" skills - communication skills, leadership abilities, ability to work in a team, and the like. Employers look for well-rounded individuals. These individuals offer more than just an academic record. "They also participate in sprots or hold leadership positions in student organizations. They have the ability to listen, write, and speak effectively.

Connect with employers: In a competitive job market, it's especially important to use everything at your disposal. While you're in college, take advantage of any opportunities to interact with employers provided through your school. Once you have graduated, you'll find it is not as easy to get access to a group of employers in one location.

Some contacts may be available to you through your school: "Check with your school's alumni association." says Christopher Carlson, manager of university recruiting for Booz Allen Hamilton. "Try to identify alumni who are at companies of interest."

Be thoughtful, be informed: Conduct your job search armed with information and insight so that you don't dismiss a job out of hand or ignore potential opportunities.

Your first job is not likely to be your last, so look at how a job may help you gain experience and develop important skills, even if it's not what you expected to be doing.

For more information see: Job Choices 2010