CB Campus Careers & Jobs Blog

New graduates: Conducting your first job search

It's been a few months since this year's past graduates finished school, and hopefully you've been looking for a job during that time - even better, hopefully you've FOUND a job.  But, on the off-chance that you haven't and instead have just been enjoying your time off (totally fine), then read on.

Job hunting can be a long, arduous, tedious task - but it doesn't have to be. Here's an example of you can break up your week, according to "The Everything Get-a-Job Book."

Sunday: Look through the classified ads.

Monday: Follow up on these ads by sending out your resume and cover letter.

Tuesday: Focus on contacting companies directly.

Wednesday: Do more research to find listings of other companies to contact.

Thursday and Friday: Spend the day networking as you try to set up appointments to meet with people and develop more contacts.

If you don't have a job secured after you've been job searching for a few months, consider looking for a part-time job to keep yourself busy, help you make some money and gain experience. Even if the job isn't in your field, you can surely apply basic skills from one job to another.

You're probably frustrated with your lack of a full-time job and working part-time will also break up your routine, keep you motivated and show future employers that you have initiative and good work ethic.

Good luck on your search and keep checking back for more advice!

Are you ready for the real world?

Are you ready for the real world?

I'm sure you think you are...but take this quiz from Nicholas Aretakis, author of "No More Ramen: The 20-Something's Real World Survival Guide," to find out.

1. You dream of making it big in the fashion industry. You have an assistant manager job at a Gap store in the suburban Midwest. You spend most of your job-hunting time:

1. Searching the Ralph Lauren and Prada websites for job listings and making contacts on MySpace.com with people who describe themselves as working in fashion.
2. Launching your own clothing design business and planning a move to New York.
3. Taking night classes in design and doing an internship with a local clothing designer who’s been able to get her clothes into a few area boutiques. You want to learn more about the business before you make any big changes.

2. You’re offered an entry-level job in your desired field, but you’re not sure if you can live on what they pay you. You:

1. Turn down the job because you refuse to be exploited that way.
2. Accept the job. You’ll take a second job or find a cheaper place to live.
3. Accept the job and move back in with your parents. You miss them anyway.

3. After a year at an entry-level job with no sign of a promotion on the horizon, you:

1. Start looking at graduate programs. School is much better than the working life, and no matter what degree you get, it will help you get a better job and earn more money.
2. Decide you like your job enough to stay, so you resolve to work even harder. You’ll deliver consistently excellent work, show that you understand the business, and network with co-workers. You’ll stop complaining about problems and start offering creative ideas about solving them.
3. Look for a new job. You weren’t that comfortable there in the first place, and you believe you’ll be able to realize your true potential in a more supportive workplace.

4. Your grandparents give you a college graduation gift of $5,000. You:

1. Go on a shopping spree and plan to spend the summer bumming around Europe. With your college degree, you’ll be earning plenty of money on your own soon, so it doesn’t matter if you’re broke by September.
2. You use $1,000 to pay off your credit card debt, put $2,000 into a savings account, and plan to use the rest to help you out while you’re doing a low-paid summer internship in your chosen career.
3. You spend half the money backpacking with friends in Costa Rica, a trip you've dreamed about since high school, and then use the rest to live on as you look for a job and apartment in the city you've chosen to live in.

5. Your new schedule is killing you. You have to be at work at 8:00, and don’t leave the office until 5:00 p.m. or later. All you have energy for after work is watching TV. You:

1. Quit. You’re just not ready to be so grown up, and you don’t want to become a stress mess like your parents. You’ll wait tables part-time for a year or so until you’re ready to re-enter the real world.
2. Resolve to work harder, waste less time on personal e-mail and blogs, and become a key player at the office. If you get a promotion, your job will be more exciting and you know you’ll feel better about the long hours.
3. Sign up for a yoga class and resolve to get off the bus a couple of stops early so you can walk part of the way to and from work. You know you always feel better if you exercise regularly.

Scoring: Give yourself 10 points for each A, 20 points for each B, and 30 points for each C.

• 50–70 The Entitled Prince/Princess. You have unrealistic expectations. You think you deserve freedom, accomplishment, money, and enjoyment, but you aren’t willing to put any effort into getting them.

• 80-110   The Overachiever. You're driven and have your eyes on the prize. You'll probably accomplish great things and earn plenty of money. But don't forget to make space for the other two qualities of happiness: freedom and enjoyment.

• 120-150  The Happy Pragmatist. You're goal-oriented, but not as driven as the Overachiever. Work/life balance is important to you. You may not climb as high on the career ladder or earn as much money as the Overachiever, but you'll probably have an excellent balance of all four qualities of happiness: freedom, accomplishment, money and enjoyment.

You could be Diddy's new assistant!

Sean Combs - aka Diddy - is looking for an assistant. Lucky for you, he just narrowed the applicant pool to only college graduates.

Diddy placed a help-wanted ad onto YouTube, looking for someone to do everything from holding his umbrella in the rain to chaperoning his band.

Don't get too excited just yet - Diddy doesn't want any old resume - he wants a video resume.

"It's a new age, new time, new era," he says in his first posting. "Forget coming into the office and having a meeting with me and being all nervous."

Diddy is onto something here - video resumes are next "new" thing in career advancement. Though usually not be used in place of a traditional paper resume, videos are a great supplement to showcase your personality and strengths on camera - and to put a face to all the faceless resumes.

But, if not executed properly, your 'visume' could end up hurting you, rather than helping you. For example, if you talk to long, get too creative or act unprofessionally, your chances of being brought in for an interview decrease. But, if you're to-the-point, charismatic and professional, you're sure to at least get a viewing.

Joe Turner, career expert, offers nine video resume mistakes to be aware of:

• It runs too long. "Don't bore the hiring managers. Keep it under two minutes; about one minute should get your message across.
• You don't know who you are. "Prepare your 'elevator pitch' before you record. Here is an example: 'I'm a seasoned Sales Manager whose strength in creative sales and marketing techniques generated $500,000 in brand new revenue for my employer in 12 months.'"
• Thinking a video résumé is your résumé on video. "Contrary to its name, a video resume is NOT a resume. It's a 30 to 60 second ad spot to entice your viewers to look at your (digital) résumé and find out more about you."
• Rambling on camera  "Put it on paper first. Think of what you want to say about yourself. Write it down in short sentences and then say it aloud. Replace any syntax problems or phrases that are hard to enunciate with simpler words. You speak differently than you write, so keep it in a conversational tone as if you were speaking to your real-life interviewer a few feet away."
• Too many "ums and ahs." "Don't wing it. Your finished product should be compelling. This is the most professional image you want to present, so prepare ahead of time and memorize your script."
• Severe case of "Serious Face."  "Have a bit of fun with it. You want to project enthusiasm. Think "upbeat" and smile when you look into the camera. Imagine that you are meeting with a flesh and blood hiring manager at a great company who already likes what she sees."
• Giving far too much information. "Remember the KISS formula: Keep it simple stupid."
• Uninviting appearance. "Remember, a video résumé is a type of interview, so dress the part. Give the appearance of someone in the role for which you are applying. You will also have some background showing on the video.  Make sure it's not your dirty laundry or the clutter of your bedroom."
• Too many "Clowns."  "No arms folded or hands on hips. While it's OK to use your hands to accentuate, watch out for those 'clowns.' These are what acting coaches call unnecessary arm movements which, on playback, tend to make you appear like a clown, i.e., humorous. You don't want unintentional laughs. Keep your arms and hands by your side as much as possible."
  

Dude, where's my career?

When I graduated, I was on top of the world. I felt like I could do anything, be anyone and go anywhere. I dreamt of employers fighting over me, my references raving about me and my resume taking me straight to the top.

Then I woke up.

New grads often enter the workforce with this same sense of pride - you're feelin' good because you graduated; you came out with a sweet GPA and you scored the opportunity to work for your dream company. All the hard work is done, right?

Wrong.

Too many new graduates are entering the workforce with an unflattering sense of entitlement, says Margot Lester, author of "The Real Life Guide to Starting Your Career" and "Be a Better Writer: A Power Tool for Young Writers." New grads come in expecting jobs but not wanting to do the menial tasks and in general, thinking they're too good for this, she adds.

"An attitude of entitlement is a deal-breaker for almost any employer," Lester says. "You've got to lose it."

The problem is, most grads aren't even aware they have an attitude! Lester suggests this quick check:

• Do you feel wronged when you don't get something you want - or just disappointed?
• Have you generally gotten almost everything you've really wanted or strived for?
• Do you feel you deserve to get what you want and have trouble understanding why you don't get it?

Did you say yes to any of these? Then you've probably got an attitude of entitlement.

Lester offers these simple tips on how to ditch your bad attitude and get to work like everyone else:

• Shift your focus - begin to look at things with an attitude of gratitude.
• Instead of expecting to win everytime, try to be appreciative of the experience.
• Thank people for their time.
• Look for lessons to be learned from NOT succeeding.
• Start realizing that there are a ton of talented people in the world and if one of them gets the job you wanted, maybe you were wanting the wrong job, or maybe they had a different set of skills that was a better fit.

Taking time off : time well spent?

If you've followed the straight and narrow, chances are you've been in school for 16 years in a row. How's that for depressing?

As we speak, you're cramming for finals, pumping out papers, preparing presentations AND (for some) getting ready to graduate. Couple that with my earlier statistic, and you've got yourself a classic case of burnout.  It might be time for a break.

Taking time off after college isn't uncommon - the question is, is it a good idea?

There are many reasons for taking time off. Aside from the aforementioned burnout, you may want to take some time to find where your passions truly lie. Maybe you need time to re-focus on your career goals and return to your job search with enthusiasm. Or, it might be time to pursue experiences that might be impractical once you enter the real world - like that backpacking trip to Europe.

How would your European escapade affect your resume? An interesting experience won't necessarily help get you a job but it will show that you're not afraid to break away from the pack.

Real example: one of my good friends went to work at a resort in Saipan after graduation to see the world, learn Japanese and make some money. She returned to the states in March and recently accepted a job offer from an employer who told her they appreciated her soul-searching and wished more people would do the same.

Let's weigh some of the pros and cons of taking time off after college.

Pros. You could...

• Teach English overseas
• Gain experience before deciding what you want to do
• Pay off some debt
• Show independence to an employer
• Work an internship or take classes to gain more experience for the "real world."
• Travel through Europe and work odd jobs
• Pursue the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps
• Build character

Cons. You could also...

• Fall behind your friends
• Miss out on job opportunties
• Fall into more debt
• Lose knowledge and learning abilities
• Raise a red flag to employers
• Have trouble adjusting to a "real" schedule
• Lose motivation to find a job at all
• Return with changed values and views on working

Ultimately, you should always do what will benefit you personally, not what might look best on your resume and job applications.

Campus Casual to Business Casual

It was about this time last year when I was chugging Red Bull, popping Adderall and averaging about 8 hours of sleep - per week - for weeks on end. Ah yes, the end of the school year - when finals loom in your future and graduation seems as far away as it did when you were a freshman.

For me (and probably you), finals week not only meant cram sessions, all-nighters and frequent breakdowns - it meant bathing infrequently (surely my knowledge would wash away) and living in my sweatpants. In fact, most of my senior year was spent in hole-ridden jeans and baggy sweatshirts, save the few days when I might have had to look presentable for a presentation.

But when finals are over and you leave your college campus behind, you've gotta leave your sweats there, too. It's time for something cleaner, something nicer and in many cases, something that fits the category of "business casual."

Need help transforming your closet from college to business casual? Elizabeth Freedman, author of "Work 101: Learning the Ropes of the Workplace without Hanging Yourself" (Random House), offers these tips.

Define Business Casual...

"It should pass the 'CEO test,'" Freedman says. "If you bump into the CEO in an elevator, and s/he would approve of your look, chances are you're dressed appropriately."

Upscale, professional, crisp and smart are all adjectives that apply to business casual, Freedman says.

Here are a few golden rules to follow when it comes to business casual.

• Don't try to get away with one wardrobe.  "To save a buck, some of us wind up wearing the same things to work that we would wear on any given weekend - but business casual isn't casual dress," Freedman says. "It's an upscale, professional look - not to be confused with what you might wear out one night with your friends."
• Dress better than you have to. You've heard the expression, 'Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.' "Many people resist stepping up their wardrobe, saying things like, 'Well, I just sit inside a cubicle all day - nobody sees what I wear," Freedman says. "Don't kid yourself. People, including your boss, do notice and when you make the effort to look the part, you broadcast to the world that you take yourself and your career seriously."
• It's not just what you wear; it's how you wear it. "Clothes should be pressed, crisp and neat, so get rid of the khaki pants with the frayed edges or the shirt that always looks wrinkled. Polish the shoes, wear a belt and invest in a little dry-cleaning," Freedman says. "It may cost you a little extra, but when you bump into the CEO, you want to look polished and professional, not rumpled and wrinkled."

Here are a few items your CEO probably would not approve of:

• Anything you would play in. You shouldn't look like you're going to a cocktail party or a picnic. "Avoid extremes," Freedman says. "Anything that is too tight or too short is automatically out, and likewise, keep the baggy and the too long for your time off."
• Keep jewelry to a minimum. Freedman says that guys should keep the earrings, bracelets and other jewelry (other than a wedding ring) at home. "Unless you're Tony Soprano, the pinky ring simply doesn't belong at the office," Freedman says.
• Anything extreme. Too high or too low (think low-rise jeans or short shirts) should be kept out of the workplace, Freedman says.  "If a co-worker can see that you're wearing a thong or what God gave you, it's too low."
• Save flip-flops for the surf. There isn't anything remotely business-like or professional about flip-flops, Freedman says. "Even if they cost you $100 and are adorned with jewels from Tiffany, don't do it."

The bottom line?

"If you want to play on the team, wear the team uniform," Freedman says. "If you're not sure what to wear at the first job or internship, look around your office, see how successful people dress and imitate. I'll bet you won't find senior-level folks at work dressed shabbily - or in flip-flops."

For more information, you can visit www.elizabethfreedman.com.

Networking: the Best Way to Get a Job

"It's not about what you know, it's about whom you know." Does that statement ring a bell? It should, since I said it in my last blog. But I can't reiterate it enough.

In today's working world, studies have shown that only about 5 to 10 percent of new jobs are posted online or on the Internet - all other positions are filled by word of mouth. So getting your foot in the door of a company might not be about your education or experience, but more so about your personal contacts. In fact, two years ago The Wall Street Journal reported that 94 percent of successful job seekers claimed that networking had made the difference for them.

Networking can happen anytime, anywhere, whether it be by talking to a stranger on the train, meeting a friend for coffee or a drink, contacting an alum from your alma mater, or having your best friend's dad put in a good word for you.

Here are some helpful ways to successfully network.

Find People to Network With

You feel like you don't know anyone who can help you, but the truth is, your resources are endless. While it might seem awkward approaching your sisters' friend or the random girl from your class last semester (who happens to have some awesome hook-ups), it's totally necessary. Here are resources to find people to network with:

• Your family (immediate and extended)
• Friends and friends' families
• College alumni association or career office networking lists
• Professors, advisors, coaches, tutors, clergy
• Members of clubs/organizations you belong to
• Former bosses and your friends'/family's bosses
• Facebook.com or MySpace.com

Be assertive ... but not desperate

Know what you want and what you're looking for in a job. Address your talents, skills and goals when you're talking with a contact. Even if you're networking with someone you've known your whole life, it's important to appear serious about your acquisition - not like you've already got the job in the bag simply because you know someone. Also, don't forget to sell yourself - be confident and say what you need to to leave a lasting impression.

Don't leave such a lasting impression that you come across as pushy. Talk about yourself, but don't forget to listen, too. Don't ask for a job - ask for advice. They might be able to give you the inside scoop on who is in charge, who to contact directly (other than HR), what kinds of people have held the job you're looking at, or how to customize your cover letter and resume to get noticed.

Keep Important Tools

When you meet with a contact, bring along the necessary tools, like your resume or business cards with all your current contact information. Don't forget to ask for contact info as well, and make sure to follow-up with an e-mail telling them how much you enjoyed your meeting. This is one sure way they'll keep you in mind.

Don't give up

Networking (and job-hunting in general) can be an arduous process. Some contacts might be able to help you right away, others after a few months, and some not at all. Don't get discouraged if you don't see success right away. Just keep networking.

Which comes first, the job or the move?

Months before graduation, I was set on moving to New York City.  It was the place to be for the industry I hoped to get into.  But being a small-town Iowa girl, come graduation, I chickened out.  I had no idea what to do or where to go.  My roomate came to me one day and suggested we move to Chicago.  So we did.

My parents found the idea less than thrilling and rightfully so.  I was moving somewhere where my cost of living would triple and with no job, I had no idea how I would support myself financially.  But, while it's easier to find a job when you're already living in an area, long distance job searches are doable.  Just use these tips before you make the big move:

Research

As with any job hunt, research is the key to success, but even more so with long distance job searches. You’ll need to research your target location. A small town may not be a haven of low-cost, crime-free living and a big city may have few opportunities in your chosen field, Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. writes in her book, Making the Big Move.

CB Campus and Careerbuilder.com can help you find jobs in almost any location in the United States. You can also try reading the business section of local newspapers in the area you're moving to; this will give you an idea of the job market in your desired location.

Networking

Ever heard the old mantra, “It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know?” It couldn’t be truer.

Tell friends, family and colleagues about your plans to relocate and ask them for contacts in the area. Then, make a list of potential employers (this will also help jump-start your social life). Facebook and MySpace are also great resources to find friends living and working in the city you are moving to. Everyone always knows someone, and even though you might feel awkward or pushy contacting them, it’s always worth a try.

Knowing someone who lives in your featured destination will also be a key factor in my next tip...

Cover Letter and Resume

Employers can be turned off by out-of-state applicants, so ask a friend or relative living in your target city if you can use their address on your cover letter and resume. Or, if you've already secured a house or apartment in your new city, use that instead of your current address.

If you're lacking friends in your target town (don't feel bad - I was too), make sure to include a specific date you might be in the area to interview. For example, I used the dates I would be in town apartment-hunting and was able to set up two interviews during that time frame. It's also useful to include a moving date so employer is compelled to take you seriously.

Good luck!

What do you mean, I have to apply for more than one job?

It's that time of year again. Spring break is over, and seniors are approaching their last months of college. Anxiety levels are high as each month passes and you still don't have a job, which begs the question...why not? Are you looking hard enough? Are you following up after you submit your application? Are you interviewing, but not getting any offers? Or, are you just not applying to enough jobs?

Recently, I came across an article in The Wall Street Journal that struck a chord. It advised students how to stand out at a job fair and, when I got to the last paragraph, Mark Mehler, a principal at CareerXroads, a recruiting technology consulting firm in Kendall Park, NJ, said: "You have to have 100 leads a month active to get 10 interviews to get an offer. If you get the 10 interviews that means your resume is working. If you don't, it means your resume needs work. If you get to the finals in the 10, but don't get the job, the candle has gone out. You haven't sold yourself. You don't have the passion."

I'm not far enough removed from my own post-college job search to not remember it well. You do have to apply for A LOT of positions to get the interview and to find that job, but 100 leads might be a little steep. This is not to say you don’t have to apply for numerous positions - I probably had upwards of 50 leads and still landed 10 interviews.

A few personal tips on how to land that first job:

Apply for Everything

You can't apply for only one job and assume it's yours. My college mentor gave me the best advice I’ve ever gotten: Apply for everything. I applied for positions I knew I would never get and positions I knew I would never want. I often got interviews for the jobs I was less interested in, which gave me interview experience - and you can never have too much of that. Plus, applying for everything gave me chances to network. I heard back from numerous employers who told me they would keep me in mind for other opportunities, and they did. There’s no such thing as "over applying." So start applying; then keep applying - and then apply some more.

“You won’t know until you try.”

At least that’s what Mom always says. Applied to the job-hunting process, you won’t know that you won’t get your dream job if you don’t at least try. My very first interview out of college was for an internship at a magazine. I went to the interview with the highest confidence; until I got lost on my way and I was an hour late. We all know being late is a big no-no in the interview process - but at that point, I thought, “What do I have to lose?” So, I showed up, had a great interview and I left thinking I had no chance in hell of getting the job, but at least I tried. A week later they offered me the position and told me they hired me partly because I was late! If I’d had the guts to show up after that, I must be a real go-getter. (Note - Don’t try this at home!)

For more tips interviewing, check out this article on why you might not be getting the interview.

Do You Have Heli-Parents?

Are your parents super-involved in your job hunting process? Did your mom write your resume? Does your dad haunt student job fairs, gathering company information for you?

If so, you have "helicopter parents," so named for their tendency to hover over every stage of their child's life... and, well, it's probably time to tell the ol' parental choppers, "Thanks, but no thanks."

While it's wonderful that your parents care enough to want to be involved in your life, at this stage in the game they shouldn't be calling the shots. Sure, everyone wants to make Mom and Pop proud, but that doesn't mean your parents should be responsible for deciding your career goals. And it should go without saying that when a hiring manager sets up shop at a job fair, he or she is there to speak directly with potential employees, not the parents of potential employees.

None of which is meant to imply that parents should be ignored. Your parents are valuable resources, and likely have years of work experience under their belts. Use their knowledge to your advantage by asking your parents for advice and perhaps even networking guidance, but don't ask or allow them to do the actual grunt work of job hunting for you. In addition to being an employer's nightmare, having your parents do your work for you is just kinda lame, isn't it?

A good rule of thumb is to think of your parents as career advisors, not head hunters. Occasional words of wisdom are great, but if your parents start phoning up prospective employers for you, it's a sure sign you've allowed them to cross the line. And when that happens, you'd better be prepared for the deafening perma-whir of your hovering heli-parent.

Check out this AP/MSNBC article for full details on the chopper epidemic... Heli-parents article.