Career Connections Newsletter • April 2008
Career Topic of the Month: Conduct a Comprehensive Job Search
Career Resource of the Month: Government Job Search Links
Spotlight on Success: SNC Alumni Profile
Career Tip of the Month: Podcasts
Internship of the Month
Upcoming Events
Career Topic of the Month: Conduct a Comprehensive Job Search
A job search can seem overwhelming and put you in “scare” mode in which you want nothing to do with it and would rather just stay in school for another couple of years. But then you realize how great it would be to put all of your skills to use in a position of your own which you are being paid for and perhaps have more authority than you did as a student. But where do you start? The job search is all about planning, researching and timing which hopefully culminates into a brand new and exciting job opportunity.
Planning
- Set a “taskline” and timeline. Develop a list of tasks and target dates you want to shoot for in completing each task. Examples of some tasks could be:
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- Writing a
resume and having it critiqued
- Set a reasonable amount of time to complete each task. It can be as easy as spending 30 minutes a day or week working on any aspect of the job search. Set reasonable expectations for yourself as to how many positions you will apply for at one time because each position needs to be given the same amount of time and effort.
- Setting priorities and creating a tier approach of first, second, and third importance may help in strategizing and determining which jobs you prefer and are more suited to your skills.
- The following areas should be thought about when starting your job search: position/field interests that you are looking for, organizational/industry type which appeals to you, and geographic preference – where are you willing to go?
Researching
- Begin with identifying positions or organizations which interest you and use multiple resources for this such as
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- People (professors,
alumni, former employers, family and friends, people in the field)
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Electronic or Paper resources (newspapers, websites, employment agencies, trade journals)
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Career Services Office (
Career Connections,
Professional internship experiences,
on-campus recruiting,
career contacts, and valuable website resources such as
The Occupational Outlook Handbook,
job search links or
others)
Timing
- Giving yourself plenty of time in conducting your job search is very important because you do not want to rush a major decision or pass up a great opportunity.
- Patience is a valuable attribute when in the process of job searching. There can be lengthy waiting time between when a person applies for a position and when one is called back for an interview. It often takes 6-9 months to find, apply, interview for, and be hired for the job best suited to your skills.
- Taking the time to personalize your search by reflecting on your skills, values and interests and making an appointment with a career counselor to develop a strategy to meet your individual needs can be the most valuable tool of all.
Please contact
Career Services if you have questions about the job search process or would like assistance in creating your own job search plan.
Career Resource of the Month: Government Job Search Links
According to a study in 2007 by the Partnership for Public Service, the federal government plans to open up 193,000 jobs through 2009. This hiring increase is due in large part to the aging of the workforce and the war on terror. There are jobs for every interest and skill area and not every job is in D.C. (about 86% of jobs are outside of D.C.). Check out the
Government Job Search Links on our website to learn more about open positions with the federal government.
Spotlight on Success: SNC Alumni Profile
Jennifer Jirschele, Psychology and Sociology, 1998
Administrative Policy Advisor, Department of Workforce Development, Madison, WI
Click here to learn about the work experience and career path of this successful SNC alum.
Check out our growing list of
Alumni Profiles to learn more about their career paths, experience and to envision what you can do with a degree from St. Norbert College.
Career Tip of the Month: Podcasts
Did you know that
podcasts are available to listen to on the Career Services website?
The
podcasts cover a wide range of topics including cover letter tips, interviewing, networking and 13 areas of career exploration such as accounting, customer service, economic development, education, financial services, graphic design and communication, health care, human resources/recruiting, law, media/communications, sales, and sports administration/recreation.
Internship of the Month: Graphic Design Intern
Why intern? Internships are a great opportunity to apply classroom theory to real life work and to acquire experience to make yourself more marketable for future employment. It can also be one way to "test" your chosen career area to determine if it is a good fit for you.
Graphic Design
Intern,
Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Green Bay
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Description: The Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking a graphic design intern to help with several different projects: newsletters, brochures, and direct mail, for summer 2008 and/or fall 2008. Qualified candidates will also be able to help with design of our four-color magazine, the BBJ. With this position you will gain the perfect experiences for your life after graduation –and you’ll get published to boot.
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Qualifications:
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- Must have knowledge and experience in In Design.
- Junior or senior level preferred for experience, but if you have awesome creative, show us what you’ve got!
- Flexible hours based on your class schedule.
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Contact: If you are interested in this unique internship opportunity, please provide cover letter and resume to
Lori Kaye Lodes, Marketing & Communications Manager.
For more information on this internship and to search for additional internships, please login to
Career Connections.
Upcoming Events
To register for an event or workshop, login to
Career Connections and click on Career Events.
Click here for the complete Spring 2008 Calendar of Events.
It's Not Too Late! Job Search Workshop for Seniors
Thursday, April 24, 5:00-8:00 p.m.
Location: Cofrin 15
Dinner will be provided! Registration is required.
