What every graduate needs to know: how to find a job

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Dear Joan:
Would you share your advice about how to secure an entry-level position in Milwaukee's personnel field. I recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, I majored in business administration...

Dear Joan:
I am a liberal arts undergraduate who graduated in May. I am interested in presenting my qualification in a concise, business-like and interesting way...

Dear Joan:
I just graduated and don't know where to start. I've had part-time jobs but nothing related to my skills...

Answer:
Doesn't it annoy you that you've paid thousands on your education without a single, practical, required course called, "How to Find a Job"? It's crazy.
Here's a crash course to get you started:

Your Resume

·        If you have an objective, write it first. For example: Seeking a responsible position as a personnel generalist in a service organization.

·        Next, your education. List your degree and grade point average - if it was high. Highlight significant results achieved in any aspect of your education. Mention areas of emphasis, special projects or courses that apply to the job you want. (This becomes unnecessary once you have some work experience.)

·        Under work experience, elaborate on any internships, part-time jobs, leadership in school organizations and volunteer experiences. Many graduates miss an opportunity to sell themselves in this category.

Employers are searching for clues to your past accomplishments so they can predict future success. Paint them a picture of leadership, initiative, achievement and results. For example: "As a dormitory resident assistant, I planned and organized social events, managed the day-to-day operations and acted as liaison and representative on several legislative committees." (And you didn't think being an R.A. was important enough to mention!)

Another example, if you've been a bartender or in food service or retail sales: "Personal attention to customers resulted in repeat business." (Music to their ears!) You get the idea.

·        Do anything to get "work experience." You don't have to be paid for it to qualify. If you have a degree in accounting, for example, volunteer to help a small-business owner free of charge. Explain that you're looking for ways to apply what you've learned to get experience.
Call each project of this kind "work experience." If these people like your work, they'll be good references, contacts or maybe even future employers.

Contacts

·        Your parents were right. It's whom you know, not always what you know that counts, especially now. Borrow your parents' address book. Contact your family banker, dentist, lawyer, neighbors, aunts and uncles.

Ask them who they know in your field and if you can use their names when you call for an informational interview. In an informational interview, you ask questions about the person's job and the company - don't ask for a job. (Don't worry. They're looking you over.)

·        Join a professional organization. Ask your contacts for their recommendations. At the monthly meetings, network your little heart out. Research. Remember all those nights spent in the library researching papers? There's finally a practical payoff.

·        There's a wealth of information on companies in the public library. Many resources even list the executives and their titles. If you don't know a card file from a nail file, make friends with the reference librarian.

·        Read the business pages of the paper. The classifieds only list a small percentage of the actual job openings. When an article mentions that someone has been named the head of a new division, for example, it often means opportunity for you.

·        Finally, remember this: Your degree is only a ticket in the door. Employers hire people who have enthusiasm, drive, persistence and initiative. Don't stop until you get what you want.

 

 

Do you need answers to tough job hunting questions? Are you looking for some added punch to help you stand out from the crowd? Joan Lloyd’s has developed job hunting tools that can help you to maximize your job search:

Savvy Negotiation Strategies to Get Paid What You’re Worth on a New Job (Detailed, 8-page PDF by email – no shipping charge)
Easy, Step-by-step Guide to Using the Internet to Land a Great Job (Detailed, 10-page PDF by email  – no shipping charge)
The Resume That Opens the Door and the Interview That Gets the Job (Detailed, 37-page PDF by email – no shipping charge)