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NETWORK YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS!

What’s the single most important step an individual can take in their job search?

You know the answer: networking.

What you may NOT know is that there are many ways to network.

Networking involves letting people in your life know that you are in the job market.  This includes relatives, neighbors, professors, friends from high school, folks who attend your church and so on. Another avenue many people use is membership and participation in professional associations. Organizations may have programs designed for people making career choices or changes. Second, attending meetings is probably the easiest and most socially acceptable method you’ll find of introducing yourself to people you’ve never met. Third, you’ll meet people who have valuable information about working conditions and opportunities in your field or industry.

Where do you find information about professional associations? An easy way today is to utilize an Internet search engine. Another resource is to consult the business section of your local newspaper. Finally, you can ask professors or other professionals in the field about related associations.

Another, often overlooked, resource is alumni associations and other social organizations. It is important not to impose upon social acquaintances and fellow graduates but at the same time utilize these contacts, as appropriate, for information. Career & Counseling Services maintains an alumni database filled with individuals who are ready, willing and able to help their fellow Buffs strike out into the world. They have agreed to be available for professional and/or social networking. Contact our office or visit our website to take advantage of this opportunity.

Networking Links:

http://static.jobtrak.com/job_search_tips/network.html
http://www.quintcareers.com/networking_guide.html
http://www.quintcareers.com/networking.html
http://web.olivet.edu/facs/network.htm
http://humanresources.about.com/library/weekly/uc051202a.htm
http://www.quintcareers.com/womens_networking_organizations.html

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What Can I Do With A Major In...?

Have you ever wondered what career and job options match up with the degree you are working towards or have?  Quick task:  1) Grab a piece of scratch paper and a pen; 2) Write down the top 10 occupations that you want to do after graduation that you know typically hire people with your degree.  3) Only list the jobs if you know what you typically do in the job, what the training requirements include, the pay, and the job outlook.  Did you struggle coming up with ten?  Most people can only name a few career paths they have thought about.

What resources should you use to identify occupations that FIT your major?  Lots of people use the TV and their relatives to come up with career fields to consider. The TV show "CSI" created a whole rush of people wanting to be crime scene investigators.  Relying on what your parents and grandparents do for a living could create a very short list.

It might surprise you--and for some, relieve you--that there is a plethora of career fields just waiting for you to consider them that are sure fits for your degree field.  One of the resources we recommend you use to research occupation/major fits are those found on the web sites at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.  The Career Services offices at NCW and UTK have taken all the work out of coming up with career options that fit particular majors.  You will find extensive occupational lists and research resources associated with the majors that universities offer, including West Texas A&M University.

You’ll be breathing a whole lot easier after you’ve finished viewing the career paths most common for your major.  Coming up with a list of ten occupations specific to your major, which you want to do, is powerful in helping you target your job search.  Your chances for employment rise dramatically by going after ALL ten jobs on your list. Make the list NOW!  Search for and apply for these ten jobs TODAY!

Related Links
http://www.uncwil.edu/stuaff/career/Majors/
http://career.utk.edu/students/majors/majorsindex.asp

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Top Five Strategies for Landing Your Dream Internship
(and, just maybe, your full-time job!)

All right, students, you know the drill. Landing an internship can be one of the most important things you do before graduation. The experience can help you explore a career field and, in many cases, can position you for a full-time job offer with your interning employer. With these potential benefits, you'll want to be sure you are the candidate at the top of the list for your dream internship.

Below are five strategies to help you prepare for and secure your dream internship:

1. Get Experience

I know, I know, that’s what internships are for.  Right? WRONG! When I worked in career services, my job was to identify student candidates for high-level internships. Guess which students always shined? The ones who had some sort of previous related experience. Even when I later did corporate recruiting, I looked for experience in internship candidates.

The experience I am referring to falls into a number of categories. I will highlight a few here:

• School Activities: No matter where you go to school, chances are you’ve got a bazillion different clubs, organizations, etc. that you could join. Zero in on a few that are in or related to your field of interest. Are you interested in journalism? You should be pounding down the door of your school newspaper getting experience in as many departments as possible. Are you interested in Biology? You should join or head up a committee in the Biology or Clean Environment Club. You don’t have clubs like that at your school? Start one (now THAT would look great on a resume)!

• Volunteer Activities: In my experience working with students, this was one of the most under-utilized forms of experience. It surprised me because, even though a lot of volunteer opportunities were unpaid, they provided invaluable fodder for resumes. Are you interested in law? How about contacting a non-profit legal aid association to see if you could volunteer to file for a couple hours a week? Hey, maybe it could even evolve into an internship. Not only does volunteer work beef up a resume, it demonstrates that you are a concerned, responsible citizen. Not sure where to find out about volunteer activities? Start by inquiring with your career services office.

• "First Step" Internships: There is a misconception out there that internships are only for juniors and seniors. Untrue! In many cases, there are "first step" internships available to any students regardless of class standing. "First Step" internships are typically unpaid and may be more clerical in nature. Students who begin with this step may not have the most challenging assignments; however, they will be exposed to an organizational environment. In the internship game, simply having this exposure may give you a leg up over other students. Also, you’d be surprised at the number of students who start out in a clerical function within an internship and move into more advanced, relevant assignments. You may find some of these opportunities through Internweb.com or check with your career services office.

• School Projects: Whenever possible, utilize school projects to your advantage. For example, as an Information Systems major, your project may be to create a program for an airline reservation system. By all means, use this experience to your advantage by detailing the project and the programming tools used in future correspondence with employers.

2. Learn to Write a Power Resume

What do I mean by Power Resume? I mean one that will easily and thoroughly tell an employer that you are the right candidate for the job. This doesn’t mean plugging your demographic information into a pre-programmed resume template. It means honing in on the key skills/requirements that the employer is looking for. An employer should be able to easily tell from the top one- to two-thirds of your resume that you are the candidate they are looking for.

I recommend laying the internship description right next to your resume so you can change/target your information to coincide with the internship requirements. You may want to use a Qualifications section at the top of your resume that describes how your skills match each of the internship requirements. Another option is to include a Relevant Experience category towards the top that details all of your related school, volunteer, and/or previous internship experience.

WT Career Services offers a great resume workshop to help you.  Check out the workshop schedule on the web at http://wtcareer.wtamu.edu/cs/student/workshop.htm

3. Learn to Write a "Power Cover Letter"

When I worked as a recruiter, I read so many generic cover letters from people that said they were “the best fit for the position," that they were "very interested in my company," and that they were "dedicated and hard-working."  While these statements all sounded admirable, they were nothing but words on paper. Why?

It can be likened to buying a new car. Suppose the salesperson told you that a car would be perfect for you because it was the "best darn car around" and that it was "sure to get you from point A to point B." You might first laugh in the salesperson's face before inevitably asking "what else?" You would want to know WHY it was the "best darn car around" and what differentiated it from other cars.

The same applies to a cover letter. Avoid simply stating that you are the "best darn car around." If you tell an employer that you are the best fit for the position, follow it up with proof or examples of why you stand out from the rest. Check out an example cover letter on the WT Career Services web site at:
http://wtcareer.wtamu.edu/cs/student/Resume%20workshop/RWpg33a.htm

In-person cover letter critiquing can be done in the WT Career Services office on any Tuesday or Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. If that doesn’t meet your schedule, you can drop off your cover letter and have the critique emailed to you within three business days.

4. Practice, Practice, Practice Your Interviewing Skills

In most cases, if an employer is interested in the cover letter and resume you submitted, they will call you in for an interview. Similar to writing an effective resume and cover letter, you will need to do some research and preparation. Depending on your industry of choice, you may even want to prepare a portfolio that includes relevant work or writing samples. It is a good idea to think of this interview the same as you would an interview for an entry-level job.

When I interviewed candidates for internships, there were some things that stood out among the candidates who were ultimately offered internships:

• They did their research on the company and brought up points of interest in the interview.

• They had questions for me during and after I had finished asking my questions. It made a negative impression on me if an internship candidate I was interviewing did not have any questions. I knew the internship was going to be a major learning experience and that it could potentially lead to a full-time job. I thought it was important that the candidate learn as much about the internship as I learned about him or her. Asking questions also demonstrated interest and enthusiasm for the position.

• They appeared enthusiastic about the position. This didn’t mean they jumped up and down like a cheerleader; rather, they demonstrated sincere interest in the position through a firm handshake, positive eye contact, confident body language and carefully thought-out responses.

• Last but not least, those who made an impression were those who TOLD me they wanted the internship. They clearly and specifically stated (to my face!) their interest in obtaining the position---very important.

There are two great interviewing resources available from the WT Career Services- the online interviewing workshop and mock interviews.  The online workshop can be accessed at http://wtcareer.wtamu.edu/cs/student/workshop.htm

Mock interviews are an excellent way to practice interviewing before going through the real thing.  Students who participate schedule an appointment, show up in interview attire and answer typical interviewing questions from our staff.  They are then coached on strengths and areas they can improve.  The improvement most students achieve by practicing is incredible!  Mock interviews can be scheduled by calling Career Services at (806) 651-2345.

5. Follow Up** (stars indicate GREAT IMPORTANCE!)

LISTEN UP (all right, now that I have your attention)! This is VERY important and cannot be emphasized enough. Sending a follow-up thank you letter has got to be one of the most important things you can do in your internship search. This demonstrates a very important skill to employers…Follow through! Always be sure to send this out within 24 hours of the actual interview. In my recruiting experience, if two equally qualified candidates were being considered for one internship, I would wait to see who followed up. If only one did, that person became the top choice.

Within your thank you letters, I suggest indicating that you enjoyed learning whatever it was you learned from the interviewer (remember those questions you asked?), reiterating how your skills/experience fit the position and, again, explicitly stating your interest in the position. I am partial to a brief, typed, laser-printed letter that is presented on resume-quality paper, though other forms (email, fax) are generally acceptable as well.

* * *

In closing, I’d like to tell you all to keep an open mind, work hard and be yourself in your internship search. Though I can’t promise that the above steps will always result in landing your internship of choice (I think there is always a little bit of luck and fate in all that we do), they will certainly increase your chances. I wish you all the best in your internship and career search!

Tami Gove, B.A., M.S., is President of Internweb.com, an online source for free searchable internship listings and free internship posting. With experience in career services and in corporate recruiting, she saw a need for a site that connected students and employers on internship issues. Please visit the site at http://www.internweb.com or send any comments or questions regarding this article to tgove@internweb.com.

Copyright © 2000 by Internweb.com. This article may be printed, photocopied or duplicated for educational purposes only.

Additional Comments by Steve Sellars, Cooperative Education Coordinator, WTAMU Career Services.

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Dealing With Rejection in the Job Search

After meticulously preparing your cover letters and resumes, you send them to carefully selected companies that you are sure would like to hire you. You even get a few job interviews. But all of your return correspondence is the same: "Thanks, but no thanks." Your self-confidence melts and you begin to question your value to an employer.

Sometimes, we begin to dread the BIG NO so much that we stop pursuing additional interviews, thereby shutting off our pipeline to the future. We confirm that we couldn't get a job because we stop looking. Remember, fear of rejection doesn't have to paralyze your job search efforts. Let that fear fuel your determination; make it your ally and you'll learn a lot.

Eight Guidelines to Ward Off Rejection

1. Depersonalize the interview. Employers may get as many as 500 resumes for one job opening. How can you, and the other 498 of us be no good?

2. Don't make it all or nothing. Don't set yourself up for a letdown: "If I don't get this job, I'm a failure." Tell yourself, "It could be mine. It's a good possibility. It's certainly not an impossibility."

3. Don't blame the interviewer. Realize interviewers aren't in a hurry to think and behave our way. Blame your turndown on a stone-hearted interviewer who didn't flatter you with beautiful compliments, and you will learn nothing.

4. Don't live in the past. When you dredge up past failures, your nervous system kicks in and you experience all the feelings that go with failure. Unwittingly, you overestimate the dangers facing you and underestimate yourself.

5. Don't get mad at the system. Does anything less pleasurable exist than hunting for a job? Still, you must adjust to the world rather than make the world adjust to you. The easiest thing is to conform, to do what 400,000 other people are doing. When you sit down to play bridge or poker or drive a car, do you complain about the rules?

6. Take the spotlight off yourself. Sell your skills, not yourself. Concentrate on what you're there for: to find out the interviewer's problems and to show how you can work together to solve them.

7. See yourself in the new role. Form a mental picture of the positive self you'd like to become in job interviews, rather than focusing on what scares you. All therapists agree on this: Before a person can effect changes, he must really "see" himself in the new role. Just for fun, play with the idea.

8. Keep up your sense of humor. Nobody yet has contracted an incurable disease from a job interview.

Written by Roseanne Lidle Bensley, Placement and Career Services,
New Mexico State University.

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Negotiating Your Best Salary

For many job seekers, one of the more uncomfortable aspects of the job hunt is salary negotiation.  Remember, it’s natural to feel uncomfortable discussing salary, but the following tips might make the process of negotiating a salary much easier.

• Before you go into an interview, determine your financial needs so you will know what salary you WANT to earn, what you NEED to live on, and what you will be willing to SETTLE FOR.

• A very important step in the process of salary negotiation is researching the market rate salary range for the position you’re seeking.  Discovering salary ranges is not as difficult as it might seem.

  • Try internet sources such as www.salary.com, http://jobsmart.org, and the Job Search Resources links from the WTAMU Career Services web site at http://wtcareer.wtamu.edu.

  • Review salary information in the Career Services resource library.

  • Contact professional associations in your field.

  • Talk to networking contacts, or schedule an informational interview.  Our web site can show you the steps to take for a successful informational interview.

  • Find salaries for related positions in published job listings.

  • Review business and trade periodicals that publish salary updates.

• Be realistic.  Remember that entry-level salaries are usually not as negotiable as salaries for mid-level or executive positions.

• Let the employer mention salary first.  Try to delay salary negotiation until you know exactly what the position entails.  If you are asked about salary, say you expect a salary that is competitive with the market or give your accepted salary range.  If you have determined your financial needs and researched market rate salaries, you will be prepared if the employer asks about salary early in the interviewing process.  Still, you must never say to a prospective employer, "I need to make at least ___ dollars."

• You are not obligated to accept the first salary offer.  If the offered salary is inadequate, you should negotiate.

• Know your strengths and achievements, document them, and be prepared to discuss them.  You need to be able to demonstrate your value to an employer.

• Although you want your employer to realize your worth, you must never lie about your salary history to get a higher offer.  If you get the job and the truth is discovered, your lie could be grounds for termination.  Even if you are not fired, your credibility will be destroyed.

• When negotiating salary, don’t be overly aggressive, and don’t use salary negotiations to fuel an ego trip.  Don’t give the impression that you’re playing games with the employer.  Practice salary negotiating with a friend, or call WTAMU Career Services at 651-2345 for help practicing your negotiating skills.

• Don’t focus on salary alone.  Take the entire compensation package into account.  This could include insurance, paid sick leave, education programs, expense accounts, professional membership dues, profit-sharing plans, retirement plans, stock options, or relocation expenses.

• If you are not successful at negotiating the salary you want, try to obtain other concessions or benefits such as a better title, more vacation time, or a bigger workspace.  Other options to negotiate might be parking spaces, more flexible working hours, or unpaid leave time.

• When you finally do agree on a salary and accept the job offer, be sure to get it in writing.

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THINKING ABOUT GRADUATE SCHOOL?

The options are endless to choose from after you graduate with your degree from West Texas A&M University.  Looking for a place to start one’s career – a job - is what many people opt to do.  Other options might include volunteering for the PeaceCorp, touring Europe, joining the military, or going to graduate school.

Graduate school has increasingly becoming a popular next-step choice made by college graduates. Two of the common reasons given by students for their choice to attend graduate school include: 1) A tight job market due to a poor economy, and 2) The awareness that an advanced degree increases one’s knowledge and employability.

If you ask the Deans of graduate schools why an individual should pursue a graduate degree, as we did in writing this article, you’ll get strong justifications for the choice.  The purpose of graduate study, as stated on the WTAMU Graduate School’s web site, is to encourage academic inquiry, to stimulate intellectual creativity, and to foster the spirit of independent scholarship and research.  Additionally, what we here in CCS find is that employers value employees who have both experience and advanced degrees in their field.

We’d like you to receive your graduate degree from West Texas A&M University.  WTAMU has traditional classroom instruction as well as Internet-based classes, making it easy to have a learning environment that fits your need. WTAMU’s on-line classes are a fantastic choice for students who cannot physically attend classes due to the demands of their work schedule or due to the driving distance to Canyon, Texas. To get detailed information about WTAMU’s graduate school, including the degree programs offered, go to their web site at http://www.wtamu.edu/academic/grad.

If Not WTAMU, Then What?
If West Texas A&M University does not offer the graduate degree program you are seeking, you’ll have the tough decision to make on what university to attend.   Career and Counseling Services has information to assist you with the selection process on our web site at http://wtcareer.wtamu.edu/cs/student/resource.htm.

A fun way to explore graduate school is to attend their open houses or recruiting fairs. Through these events, you can get a feel for the school and its atmosphere. GradSchools.com has a listing of recruiting events where you can brouse and find select programs in which you want to participate.  Their web site is at http://www.gradschools.com/.  GradSchools.com also has useful information including admissions information, tips for applying to graduate school, testing information and much more.  Check out the tutorial on how to write your admissions essay.

Application Tips
From GradSource.com

• Consider applying to several grad schools - your preferred choice plus two or three more. This will improve your chances of getting accepted to at least one college.

• Request application and financial aid forms as soon as possible. It doesn't hurt to have these forms sooner than later so that you know what will be required.

• Visit campuses to see the buildings, classrooms, residences, library and sport facilities. Attend college fairs to talk to the representatives of that school. Make sure the college culture fits you.

• Start preparing your applications package early. Completing application forms, writing personal essays, securing recommenders and obtaining transcripts is time-consuming.

• Be aware of academic requirements - depending on the program and school, a specific degree, grade point average and standardized test score may be required.

• Grades. Grades. Grades. The tougher your courses and the better your grades, the more options you'll have for applying to grad school.

• Submit applications, supporting documents and application fees well before the deadline. Most schools will not evaluate an application until all documents and fees have been received.

• Fill in all forms completely. Check for accuracy and clarity. Have someone else check your application for accuracy and clarity.

• Organize your financial records, scholarship submissions and student loan applications.

• Keep a record of all applications for each college, and copies of all relevant forms and documents.

• Applicants from outside the US should start even earlier and be aware of the additional documents you need to submit such as financial documents, health certificates and visas.

• The options for graduate school are as endless as the options for seniors graduating from college with their bachelor degrees.  Should graduate school be the choice you make for your next step, research your options, plan thoroughly, and GO FOR IT!

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"What Now" Blues?
What If You're Still Job Hunting Six Months After Graduation?

In today's job market, many job seekers will not find suitable employment immediately upon graduation. Don't despair. Here's what employment professionals from a broad cross-section of business, industry, the service sector, government agencies and the military advise:

Keep on trying-Don't give up or get discouraged. Search harder, especially in areas not directly related to your major field of study. The state of the current job market is the result of economic forces and has nothing to do with you personally.

Re-evaluate your job search techniques and strategies-Learn to market yourself more effectively. Fine-tune your interviewing skills and revise your resume with an eye to alternative occupations. Contact employers with whom you have interviewed for specific feedback on your interview technique.

Gain further work-related experience-Any work experience is better than none. Even part-time or volunteer positions can strengthen your appeal to potential employers.

Try any reasonable job available in your field of interest-Take any position with a company employing your major or accept a position at a lower level in a stable, reputable organization. Remember, many employers promote from within-particularly in these times of hiring freezes and company restructuring.

Redefine your career goals and expectations-Don't be insulted by having to start at a lower salary or position level than expected. Remember that you are competing not only with other recent college graduates, but also with experienced applicants who are willing to accept those entry-level positions.

Sign up with a temporary agency-Working for a temporary agency will permit you to see what opportunities are available inside several organizations. Sometimes, a temporary assignment can lead to an offer of permanent employment.

Network, network, network-One of the best ways for any job seeker to uncover career opportunities is through networking. Make as many contacts as you can with people in all types of businesses and industries related to your chosen career field. Join a professional association. Conduct informational interviews. Keep in touch with former employers, professors, classmates, internship supervisors-anyone who could be a potential lead for a job.

Adapted from Recruiting Trends 1992-93 by L. Patrick Scheetz, Ph.D.,
Collegiate Employment Research Institute. Michigan State University, 1992.

Look at http://gradschool.about.com

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Fall 2004 Career Event Calendar

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