I HAVE MY DEGREE, NOW WHAT?

1. I HAVE MY DEGREE, NOW WHAT? Tips for Finding Employment

2. Outline • Resume • Purpose • Resume writing tips • Job Search • Where to look • How to look • Interview • Preparation • Interview tips • Post interview

3. Resume - Purpose • Purpose of a resume • Put simply, the purpose of a resume is to get an interview • Resumes are one to two-page summaries of your qualifications and their sole purpose is to impress prospective employers • Your resume must be better than anything your competitors have to offer if you are going to get an interview

4. Writing an Effective Resume • Sell yourself • Employers want to know that you can contribute to profitability, solve problems, and achieve goals • Quantify your accomplishments • Don’t be afraid to “toot” your own horn • Do not include anything negative from your employment history • Never lie • Make sure to quantify all your relevant accomplishments but don’t lie about what you have done • Proofread • Neatness Counts – spend the time to ensure your resume is typed and structured correctly • Misspellings and grammatical errors are a “sure-fire” way to get your resume discarded

5. Writing an Effective Resume (cont) • Online resume resources: • http://www.quintcareers.com/resume-dos-donts.html • http://www.accepted.com/resume/tendos.aspx • http://www.ttgconsultants.com/effective-resumes/index.html

6. The Job Search • Use all resources at your disposal • - Network, network, network… • Use groups and organizations you are already a part of to build and extend your network. These are often the best ways to find out about potential openings even before they are made available to the general public • - Civic organizations • Lions Club • Kiwanis Club • Rotary Club • Jaycees • - Professional organizations • - Social organizations • - Linkedin.com

7. The Job Search (cont) • Use online job search websites such as www.monster.com and www.careerbuilder.com • These sites allow you to view and apply for a large number of jobs in a very short period of time • Do not rely entirely on job search websites such as Monster and/or Careerbuilder • Not all jobs are posted on these websites. In fact, many jobs are never posted at all • Do your research on Companies you would like to work for and do not be afraid to contact them directly. • Sometimes, if you are a strong enough candidate, positions are created for you

8. The Interview • Preparation • If at all possible, drive to your interview location a day prior to the interview • You do not want to be late to the interview because you cannot find the location • Research the company that you are going to interview with. Also, research the company’s industry • Practice an interview • Have someone ask you common interview questions and then critique your answers • Do not try to memorize answers. Your answers should come naturally

9. The Interview (cont) • Interview • Dress the part, dress for success • Suit and tie for men; business suite for women • Arrive early (if you run late, call the company) • Plan your commute to the interview so that you will arrive at least 10 minutes early • Bring extra resumes • Many interviews require you to meet with more than one person and not everyone will have a copy of your resume • Have a firm handshake • Don’t have a limp or clammy handshake

10. The Interview (cont) • Make and keep eye contact • Avoid using poor language (Avoid words such as “uh” and “um”) • Sell yourself • Your resume got you the interview but it will not get you the job. • Let the employer know why you should be hired • Ask job/company specific questions of the interviewer • You don’t have to wait until the end of the interview to ask questions

11. Post Interview • Close the interview by letting the interviewer know you want the job • Immediately following the interview write down any notes so you don’t forget crucial details • Write thank you letters within 24 hours for each person who interviewed you

12. Questions?