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Articles posted in April 2009

  • Seek and you shall find your career

    Guest Author, April 30, 2009
    [Ed. note: This belongs to our series of posts featuring tips for recent grads from LinkedIn users. Paul Carpino is Employer Outreach and Internship Coordinator at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. His ten year career in the Hospitality Industry includes management, production supervision, concept and menu design, along with creating the food service program for one of the largest athletic clubs in the nation.]

    How do I use the power LinkedIn? Let me count the ways!  When you return from an event/mixer with business cards, quickly invite your contacts to join your LinkedIn Network. After returning from an interview, invite the interviewer to join your network. Read a good book or just returned from an awesome event? Post it through the “Updates” feature.

    Students and recent grads, the “New Job Seekers” are using new, creative strategies to find jobs and launch their careers.  Here is a brief guide to help you expand your reach, build your network and seek out that new job:

  • [Ed. note: This belongs to our series of posts featuring tips for recent grads from LinkedIn users. Bruce Biskin, PhD is a career planning and assessment expert, and senior associate with Delaware Valley Career Solutions. He also co-administers a job/career resource wiki in Bucks County, PA]

    It’s almost May and graduation is right around the corner.  A year ago, many college juniors were expecting to be popping the academic bubble and taking the next step toward independence–and some have. But the short-term job outlook is more uncertain for many others and stress-levels are beginning to ratchet up. So what can you do to kick-start your career?  Here are four tips.

    1. Remember that jobs are still out there. The “perfect” job rarely is waiting just for you, but good ones are there to be found. Focus less on a particular job or career path and more on your marketable skills. If you are stuck in a rut and need help, check in with the career services center at your college and get help before you graduate. Or hire a professional career counselor or coach to help hone your job search skills and support you through the job search process after you graduate.

  • [Ed. note: This belongs to a series of contributing guest author posts from LinkedIn users. Heather R. Huhman is the entry-level career columnist for Examiner.com, career expert for the Careerealism Twitter Advice Project, job search expert for Campus Calm and author of the e-book “Gen Y Meets the Workforce: Launching Your Career During Economic Uncertainty"]

    For every open position, employers receive hundreds—and in some cases, thousands—of applications. As a result, they search for any and every possible way to narrow down the selection. “Cookie cutter” cover letter? In the trash. Only one previous internship when the position requires “one to three”? Moved to the bottom of the stack. Typo? You can forget about it.

    You get the idea. So, how can you make your application materials stand out?

  • Forget the Economy – Stick to the Job Hunt

    Guest Author, April 29, 2009
    [Ed. note: Kristen Fischer is the author of Ramen Noodles, Rent and Resumes: An After-College Guide to Life. She works as a copywriter from her home office in New Jersey and writes regularly about what she calls “the after-college” at her blog.]

    If you’re a little frightened to enter the working world in today’s economy, you’re not alone—many grads find the financial climate intimidating. But the key to landing a job in these tough times is to press on with your job hunt, and get a little creative, too.

    Create a strong marketing platform. Instead of fretting over what’s on CNN, arm yourself with a strong resume. If you’re not getting jobs, the economy isn’t solely to blame. Make sure you’re putting out a strongly written, error-free resume and that you practice interviewing with a friend or family member. Today’s job applicants can’t just present themselves; they have to sell themselves. So dazzle each cover letter and interview with concrete examples of why you are the best person for the job. No experience? Think about transferable skills.

  • [Ed. note: This belongs to our series of posts featuring tips for recent grads from LinkedIn users. Kelly Lux is a career development specialist and certified career and transition coach with experience in several areas of the working world including corporate/manufacturing, elementary and higher education, state government and retail.  She currently provides services to alumni and students of Syracuse University with a focus on mentoring, networking and social media, and job search strategies and tools.]

    I have recently spent a great deal of time in my office talking to students who are very confused about what their options are after graduation.  The problem is, they are limiting their options before they even get started. Students think that 1) major = job, 2)  job boards = job, and 3)  NYC (or Chicago, LA, you pick) = job.  I’d like to address these three myths.

    1) Take a look at the profiles on LinkedIn and see what people really do with their majors.  A quick review of profiles for people in marketing & advertising revealed degrees in creative arts, sociology, business administration, economics and journalism.  Do some searching and see what people with your degree are doing.  Remember that as you search for jobs, the more you open yourself up to possibilities, the more you increase your chances of landing a job you that you really want.  Where might you be able to apply the skills you have learned in college? Where can you combine those skills with your interests?  Answering these questions will help you come up with some options to check out.