The ultimate job search guide: Your dream job is out there somewhere, but a successful expedition takes time, a thorough exploration, and the proper tools

Careers and Colleges, Jan-Feb, 2002 by Tracey Randinelli

Sarah Shumway, a recent graduate of Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York, found that job hunting this past year was tougher than she had expected. With a polished resume in hand, this double major (English, media and society) interviewed with six different companies during her senior year, but by May she had no offers.

"It was a tough time," she remembers. "It was like, 'I'm graduating, I don't have a job lined up, and I'm going home to my parents."' But with perseverance and a positive attitude, Shumway landed a position in a children's publishing firm in New York City. "It took a lot along the way to get this job," she says. "but I'm where I want to be."

Shumway, like many new job seekers today, found out that opportunities are harder to come by than in previous years. According to a survey by WetFeet.com, an online recruiting company, undergraduates had an average of just 1.2 job offers by Match of 2001, down from 3.5 offers in March 2000.

"A year or so ago, companies would do anything to try to hire talented people," says Tony Lee, editor-in-chief and general manager of CollegeJournal.com, an online arm of The Wall Street Journal. "They'd pull people off Daytona Beach during spring break. Now, opportunities are disappearing. Companies that have had substantial recruiting efforts in the past have put them on hold."

Still, opportunities exist; job seekers just have to try harder. Whether you're looking for part-time work now or planning ahead for your post-college job hunt, preparation pays off, and knowing the strategies and tools (a dynamite resume, an impressive interviewing style, the right clothes) can set you on course for a successful job quest.

FINDING THE JOB

Classified ads and job postings at a school's career center can still uncover some employment jewels, but today's search requires casting a wider net. "Students who rely only on campus interviews and responding to job ads are missing 80 percent of the opportunities out there," says Steven Rothberg, president and founder of CollegeRecruiter.com, an online job board targeted to students and recent graduates. Most jobs are filled through referrals or internal resources. Your mission should be to leave no possibility unturned by exploring all the major employment sources.

Networking

Nearly every expert puts networking at the top of the job-finding list. "Most students know--within two degrees of separation--someone at a large company they can make a connection with," says Steve Pollock, president of Wetfeet.com. Rothberg suggests discussing your job search with every single human being you come into contact with. "Very often, a family member or friend will know of an organization that's hiring," he says, "but won't think about your needs and the organization's needs an put two and two together." That's why you must alert people to your qualifications.

To expand your networking beyond your inner circle, explore these sources:

Professional organizations. See if your campus has a student branch of a professional association related to the field you're pursuing, such as the Public Relations Student Society of America or the Professional Photographers of America. Or find out if a professional association in your industry accepts junior or apprentice members.

College alumni. Talk to graduates of your college or university in your field. Most alumni offices have names of former students willing to be contacted.

Career fairs. Career centers often sponsor events that match employers seeking to fill entry-level positions with students looking for jobs. At Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, the career services center organizes a fair in the fall and spring. Structured like a convention floor, the fair allows students to visit booths and talk one-on-one to company representatives in a variety of industries. "The fair was a great platform to begin the whole job hunting experience," says Tony Hawkins a 2001 Harvey Mudd graduate. "I was able to get my resume our to about 15 companies as well as sign up for interviews, all in one afternoon." One of those resumes went to SRI International, a nonprofit corporation based in Menlo Park, California, that, after several interviews, ended up hiring Hawkins as a research engineer.

Career Centers

Only about 12 percent of jobs come to students by way of on-campus interviews, according to William Cohen, professor of marketing and leadership at California State University, Los Angeles, and author of Break the Rules: The Secret Code to Finding a Great Job Fast (Prentice Hall Press). Still, the career office is often a good place to start your job search.

In addition to coordinating on-campus recruiting visits from major corporations, many college career centers offer special programs to help match students and employers. For example, the referral service at Hobart and William Smith's career center places students resumes in a special database that counselors can sort through and then forward appropriate resumes to employers looking for workers in specific career fields.