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 - Dr. Dunn's Class
- Monday, Monday March 5th, 2012- from 1-2 PM-117 HH.
Post-Graduation Planning -Basic Steps of Job
Searches and
Grad School Strategizing
Congratulations, you've done it! You made it
through college, have your degree in hand and
are finally ready to make your mark. You are now
in the real world and it's time to get your
professional life started.
If you are in the middle of this crossroad, it
can be scary, exciting, confusing, overwhelming or all of the above.
First some stats:
- Click
here for information from
CollegeGrad.com on who is hiring
- Interesting information:
•Two-thirds of 4-year undergraduate students
graduated with a Bachelor's degree and some
debt.
•The average student loan debt among
graduating college seniors was $23,186.
•86.3% of 4-year undergraduate students who
applied for federal student aid, borrowed to
pay for their education
- Click
here for job search
power point
- Click
here for Graduate School information
Following are some steps to
make a successful college-to-real world
transition.
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Graduation is just a few weeks away and the
class of 2012 along with their parents is
feeling the anxiety, big time. What’s the
anxiety about? The job market. It’s been four
years of hard work, new friends, and fun. Now
it’s time to leave all that behind and go out
and find a job and begin to build a career. When
this class entered college, the job market was
better and although it has been reported that
this job market will be better than last year
for 2011 grads, this job market will be more
competitive than ever. Fear and anxiety can keep
you stuck. Some describe it as if their feet are
stuck in cement and they cannot move. Usually
this happens when one focuses on the end result
and the task is so large that they just can’t
take any step forward. They are so fearful of
failing that they cannot move. So how do you
move forward and compete? There is a method and
a strategy and it’s all in the preparation.
Here are the steps.
1. Start researching the job boards for job
descriptions you are interested in
2. Take note of the knowledge, skills, and
abilities they are looking for
3. Print all of those job descriptions and put
them all out on the table.
4. Make a list of what they are looking for and
separate that list into 2 columns: technical
skills/knowledge and characteristics
5. Review your work experience, internships, and
project work and identify where the synergies
are.
6. Review your resume to make sure it depicts
what the companies are looking for. You may need
to modify your resume accordingly.
7. Always tell the truth on your resume. If
you’ve got what they want, then say so. If not
then don’t.
8. Start sending out your resume and cover
letter; email, snail mail, or however it’s
requested.
9. Gather your evidence that reveals how you
have the technical skills/knowledge and the
characteristics that the companies are looking
for. Evidence is stories of your experiences,
etc., that show how you meet the requirements.
10. Prepare your 30 second commercial so you can
answer “Tell me about yourself”
11. Practice your stories.
12. Target 20 companies of choice.
13. Make a list of everyone you and your parents
know. This is your network.
Let them know what you are looking for and why
you think you would be of value (why you meet
the qualifications) to a company and ask to be
referred to anyone they know. Ask for referrals
into your 20 companies of choice. Networking is
how most grads are getting their jobs.
14. Reach out to your college alumni who are
working in your career of choice and your 20
target companies, for advice.
15. Remember, looking for a job is your job
right now. Do not give up. Think of it like a
funnel. The more you put in the more comes out
the other end. However, its got to be quality or
the funnel will get clogged.
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