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Whether you are looking for a part-time job to
pay for school or seeking employment related to
your major, the Career Center is here to help
you! To begin your search please use
the above menu. If you would like
additional assistance including specific advice
on employment within your major please
schedule an
appointment with an employment
advisor. |
Job Search
Strategies
Important: The
more committed you are to your job search, the greater your chances of finding
the career opportunity most satisfactory to you!
The following five strategies will help you maximize your job-hunting
effectiveness.
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Strategy
#1:
Know Yourself
The first step in securing employment is
identify your own interests, aptitudes and vocational goals.
Realistically look at where you are now, where you've been, and where
you hope to be in the future. Determine what kind of work you would like
to do and where you would like to do it. Honestly evaluate your own
strengths and weaknesses as a job candidate and outline your selling
points. A helpful book in the Career
Resource Center is Richard Bolles, 1998, What Color Is Your
Parachute?
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Strategy
#2:
Research Potential Employers
Once you have determined what kind of work
you would like to do and where you would like to do it, begin researching
potential employers. You can start by simply creating a list of
companies for whom you would like to work. Once you have created this
list, begin researching these companies in greater detail. The
following are resources for helping you locate and research
employers.
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Strategy
#3:
Build a Network of Resource People
Networking is simply meeting with people
and building relationships with them to gain their assistance in your
career search. Let people know that you re looking for employment,
the type of employment you are seeking, and when you will be
available. The following is a list of individuals who are
important resources.
- Professionals in your field of interest
- Family Members
- Neighbors/Friends
- Campus Organizations
- Career Services Staff
- WSU faculty and Staff
- WSU Alumni
- Members of Churches or Social Groups
- Community Leaders
- Church members
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Strategy
#4:
Use a Variety of Methods to Find Employment
One common mistake in searching for
employment is limiting yourself to one approach (e.g. just looking in
the newspaper classifieds). In reality, there are a number of
effective methods for finding employment, and research shows that using
a combination of methods is more effective than using any single method.1
The following are job-hunting methods listed in approximate order of
effectiveness.2 For help with any of these methods,
please contact a the employment advisor
for your major.
- Researching organizations and
approaching them directly.
- Calling companies listed in the yellow
pages.
- Asking relatives for job leads.
- Asking friends and people in the
community for job leads.
- School placement office.
- Internet job search.
- Government and private employment
agencies.
- Local newspaper adds.
- Adds in professional or trade
journals.
- Sending out resumes to employers
through the mail.
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Strategy
#5:
Be Persistent
Research shows that it takes the average
person in the U.S. two to four months to find a job, and that
one-third of all job hunters give up
during that time.3 Sometimes a successful job hunt may
last even longer than this. The moral: Be persistent and don't
give up. If one job-hunting method is not working for you try
another. Perhaps you will need to expand your list of potential
employers, update your skills, or even modify your vocational goals.
Whatever happens, stick with the process until you find suitable
employment.
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