In the News
Beat Others to the Best Jobs
RedEye
09.16.2004
By Alison Neumer
For college seniors, graduation is a school year away but the job hunt is already on.
Think about it as a yearlong process, advises Brad Karsh, founder and president of JobBound, a Chicago consulting firm that helps people prepare for the job search.
To start, students should update and finalize their resumes, including campus activities and academic achievements, as well as job experience.
“Companies can sniff out resume fillers,” warns Karsh, so include facts, figures and accomplishments, not just a list of organizations and companies.
Students often supplement their resumes with paper or online portfolios, says Karen Allen, director of the career center at DePaul University. Even though portfolios were once considered a tool for art students, students of all majors now use them to provide examples of their work, including projects, spreadsheets or writing samples.
“It lets students ask: What do I want to say about myself and my marketability?” Allen said.
Then it’s time to get networking, career advisers urge. Talk to friends, parents, professors and alumni. Informational interviews are a great way to connect with a company “insider,” someone who may not be in a position to hire you but can recommend you to the recruiter when an opening comes along.
Just as important, recruiters say, informal interviews give students a chance to learn what it’s like to work in a particular field or specific company.
Overall, students spend too much time looking for jobs online, when most opportunities come from contacts, says Karsh, who was recruiting director for a large advertising agency for 15 years.
Job boards are a great place to identify opportunities, but savvy students then will use alumni or networking contacts to help stand out from other job applicants.
As students network and narrow their job search to specific fields or companies, they also should prepare for the interview process, DePaul’s Allen says.
“Research jobs and companies to have a good understanding of what’s expected {from that position}. Students are least prepared for that, employers say.”
Also, practice interview skills, Allen advises. At DePaul, students practice interviewing with alumni, faculty members and career center staff.
Then the process of applying and interviewing begins, although timing depends on the field, advisers say. Banks and consulting firms, which plan to hire a set number of graduates each year, recruit in the fall. Fields such as media and non-profits, however, operate on “just in time” hiring, usually in the spring.
Students have an advantage in the job market over older applicants because, coming straight out of college instead of another job, they can be more flexible on salary, fields, location and position, Karsh says.
“Open up the search and recognize you can move on later,” he recommends. “You are better off getting some experience, and that dramatically increases job options.”
