| Finding
the job you want takes many steps and involves just as many
decisions. This checklist is designed to help you along
the way and guide you to the appropriate sources. Be sure
to discuss your progress with your career advisor. |
| Knowing
What You Want |
 |
Choose
your ideal work environment-large corporation, small business,
government agency or nonprofit organization. |
|
Choose
your ideal location-urban, suburban or rural. |
|
List
your three most useful job skills and know which is your
strongest. |
|
Know
whether you want to work with people, data or things. |
|
Know
whether you enjoy new projects or prefer following a regular
routine. |
|
List
some of the main career areas that might interest you. |
|
List
your favorite leisure time activities. |
|
Know what kind of reward is most important to you in a job-money,
security, creative authority, etc. |
| Researching
Career Options |
|
Develop
a list of career possibilities to research. |
|
Visit
your career services library and utilize the Internet to
learn about various careers. The Dictionary of Occupational
Titles and the Occupational Outlook Handbook are valuable
resources. |
|
Consider
whether your desired career requires an advanced degree. |
|
Keep
up with current trends in your field through trade publications,
news/business magazines and newspapers. |
|
Identify
employers interested in interviewing someone with your academic
background and experience; create a list of three or more
employers in the field you are considering. |
|
Use
the Internet to learn more about potential employers and
check out salary surveys and hiring trends in your anticipated
career field. |
|
Make
at least three professional contacts through friends, relatives
or professors to learn more about your field of interest. |
|
Meet
with faculty and alumni who work or who have worked in your
field to talk about available jobs and the outlook for your
field. |
| Getting
Experience |
|
Narrow
down the career options you are considering through coursework
and personal research. |
|
Participate
in a work experience or internship program in your chosen
field to learn of the daily requirements of the careers
you are considering. Such assignments can lead to permanent
job offers following graduation. |
|
Become
an active member in one or more professional associations-consult
the Encyclopedia of Associations for organizations in your
field. |
|
Volunteer
for a community or charitable organization to gain further
work experience. Volunteer positions can and should be included
on your resume. |
| Creating
a Resume |
|
Form
a clear job objective. |
|
Know
how your skills and experience support your objective. |
|
Use
action verbs to highlight your accomplishments. |
|
Limit
your resume to one page and make sure it is free of misspelled
words and grammatical errors. |
|
Create your resume using a word processing program and have
it professionally duplicated on neutral-colored paper, preferably
white, light gray or beige. If you are submitting your resume
online, be sure to include relevant keywords and avoid italics,
bold and underlined passages. |
|
Compose
a separate cover letter to accompany each resume and address
the letter to a specific person. Avoid sending a letter
that begins "Dear Sir/Madam." |
| Preparing
for the Interview |
|
Arrange
informational interviews with employees from companies with
which you might want to interview. Use your network of acquaintances
to schedule these meetings. |
|
Thoroughly
research each employer with whom you have an interview-be
familiar with product lines,
services offered and growth prospects. |
|
Practice
your interviewing technique with friends to help prepare
for the actual interview. |
|
Using
the information you have gathered, formulate questions to
ask the employer during the interview. |
|
Arrive
on time in professional business attire. |
|
Collect
the needed information to write a thank-you letter after
each interview. |
