Job Search Tools

How To Find a Job

Finding a job after college is a lot of hard work! Many are surprised at the amount of time and energy it takes to complete a successful job search. It can also be especially difficult if you aren’t sure what type of job you want, either. You don’t have to let your major dictate the type of job you look for and/or accept.

Here are the basic steps to a successful job search:

• Self-Assessment

A beginning step in this process is self-assessment. Understand your skills, your temperament, your values, and your interests. If you haven’t already, take the Discover inventory. It is a great way to find out of what your particular skill-set is made.

• Find Career/Job Information

Read job descriptions; evaluate career paths; gather information on training programs, relocation, etc.; incorporate current events, projections; what intangible personal qualities are sought; research pay, benefits, work environments, etc.

• Develop Job Search Skills

Set job goals; attend Career Services workshops ; write résumés and cover letters; create a job search plan; network; research companies; do informational interviews; identify contacts and resources; open a placement file with Career Services; order student OBU business cards.

• Begin Your Job Search

Use a variety of resources; adapt your plan as you go; follow through on leads; be persistent and patient (finding a job doesn’t happen overnight!); send thank you notes.

A great resource is the NACE 2008 Job Outlook report .

Networking

What is Networking?

Networking is the art of building alliances. It's not contacting everyone you know when you are looking for a new job and asking if they know of any job openings. Networking starts long before a job search, and you probably don't even realize you are doing it.

Kelly Pate of the Denver Post wrote in her article, Everyday People Key in Job Networking (March 30, 2003), that "Friends, friends of friends, a barber, a neighbor and former co-workers are often the best resources for job seekers, especially in a market with far more people out of work than job openings, job placement experts say."

You are networking when you

  • attend professional or trade association meetings
  • talk to other parents when attending your child's sporting or music events
  • volunteer for a local park "clean-up" day visit with other members of your social clubs or religious groups
  • talk to your neighbors
  • strike up a conversation with someone else waiting at the veterinarian's office
  • post messages on mailing lists or in chat rooms
  • talk to sales persons who are visiting your office

In Terms of a Job Search, Networking is the way to Go!

Networking is consistently cited as the Number 1 way to get a new job. You know how everyone says that "80% of the jobs available never get advertised?” This is how you find them and get them!

According to CareerXRoad's 2007 Annual Sources of Hire Survey, 34% of new hires brought in from outside an organization were due to employee referrals. The folks who do the hiring would much rather talk to someone who's been recommended by someone they already employ. It's easier for them because they have your first reference and it saves them considerable effort in advertising the position and sorting through all the résumés and phone calls. (Taken from RileyGuide.com)

Bison Network

If you are unsure about the career field/job you are interested in pursuing, meeting with a Bison Network mentor is a great way to see things up-close-and-personal. Many times people “glamorize” a job in their mind and when they get into the day-to-day nitty gritty, it’s nothing like they thought it would be! On-the-job shadowing or doing an informational interview with a Bison Network mentor can help by giving you a “reality check”. Mentors can also be available for résumé pointers and phone calls if you just have a few questions. For more information on meeting with a mentor, contact Career Services.

Career Portfolio

(The following is from Your Job Skills Portfolio: Giving You an Edge in the Marketplace by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D)

What is a job skills, job-search, or career portfolio? It is a job-hunting tool that you develop that gives employers a complete picture of who you are -– your experience, your education, your accomplishments, your skill sets -– and what you have the potential to become -– much more than just a cover letter and Résumé can provide. You can use your career portfolio in job interviews to showcase a point, to illustrate the depth of your skills and experience, or to use as a tool to get a second interview. To read more of this article, click here.

Online career portfolio OptimalEfolio™ helps students and alumni stand out in a competitive marketplace with an attractive online portfolio that demonstrates their unique skills and competencies to employers.Students and alumni can create and manage all essential employment documents in a single online, offering powerful convenience for busy students and working adults who have less time to dedicate employment preparation than ever before. This service is FREE to all OBU students and alumni.

Career Fairs

Many students are unaware of the potential job goldmine that is available at career fairs. At a career fair you are given the opportunity to meet with a recruiter face-to-face, which makes your Résumé much more than a piece of paper. When making a favorable impression, your chances for an interview increased. It is also a great way to find out more about potential employers. There are many great companies out there you may have never even heard or for whom you never thought about working!

There are several things you need to keep in mind before attending a job fair:

  • Attend with purpose. Employers are turned off by candidates that don’t know what type of job for which they are looking. Saying things like “I’ll take anything” or “I just need a job” will not land you an interview any time soon.
  • Make a plan. Decide ahead of time which companies you are interested in speaking with and do research on those companies. Recruiters are impressed and flattered when you know facts/details regarding their company.
  • Hard Copy Résumé. Make sure you have several copies of your résumé on nice paper. The paper that comes out of the printer in the library won’t work. A nice, heavy paper is ideal. If you can’t afford any, you can pick some up in the Career Services office for free.
  • Jump Drive Résumé. Many employers are asking students to upload their résumé to the employers’ computers on site. The best way to do this is to bring a jump drive to the event.

For more details on how to have career fair success, attend one of the workshops offered in the fall and spring semesters. If you cannot make one of the workshops, make an appointment with the Career Counselor or call 878-2416.

Social Networking Sites (Facebook, MySpace, etc.)

Websites such as Facebook and MySpace are a huge part of the college student’s day-to-day life. Pictures of adventures and parties with friends are documented. These pictures find their way on not only your Facebook page, but with on the pages of other friends, as too. This may all seem like harmless fun…and in many cases that is true. But more and more employers are checking sites such as these to find out more about potential hires. To an employer, your Facebook profile tells them who you really are. So, be care of which groups you join, what pictures are posted (not just yours, but the ones your friends post, as well), and the comments you leave. It could mean the difference on whether or not you get the job…or keeping the one you already have.

Job Listing Websites

  • OBU Job Board
  • One Wire - A career management tool creating precise connections between professionals and firms in the finance industry.
  • Bright - Discover new careers with the help of your social network. Use your connections to see companies that have the best job openings for you.

After College Network (for business majors)

Oklahoma Web Sites

National Web Sites

Government Web Sites

International Web Sites

Ministry Web Sites

Tips in Applying for Government Jobs

Conducting a Long Distance Job Search

If you are thinking of moving of somewhere other than your parent’s house, you may find yourself conducting a long-distance job search. To save time and money, try to do as much work as possible before heading off in your car to your destination of choice.

There are a few things you can do ahead of time:

  • Identify your career and personal goals.
  • Write an ideal job description and use it as a benchmark.
  • Identify potential employers in your geographic area of interest.
  • Be organized!
  • Create a timeline.
  • Identify employers of interest and contact them, letting them know when you’ll be in the area.
  • Be sure to include your relocation plans in your cover letter.
  • If possible, use the local address of a friend of family member on your résumé.