Archive for the ‘Career Services’ Category
Tips for Job Hunters
Posted on: January 30, 2013
Finding a job today takes much more than just looking through the want ads. But the good news is that you also have more tools to help you. Here are a few tips to help you find your next job.
- Make the time. Don’t make looking for a job your lowest priority. Instead, set aside time every day to work on your résuméresume, check listings, send emails or call potential employers.
- Complete an online profile. Sites like LinkedIn are popular with employers and can help you look like the real deal.
- Reach out to people. Tell everyone you know that you’re looking and what you’re looking for.
- Stay up on your industry. Read articles, attend events and get involved. Show prospective employers that you’re serious about your field.
- Search everywhere. Don’t limit your search to just one place. Check online job boards, company websites and even the newspaper.
- Be persistent (but not a pest). Follow up with potential employers and let them know you’re interested. But don’t be a pest about it. That can ruin your chances.
Stick with it and stay focused. The right job is out there waiting for you.
What You Do Online Matters
Posted on: January 25, 2013
When considering a job candidate, employers do everything they can to try to get a sense of who that person is. One way that’s becoming more popular is social media, and that’s where it pays to be careful.
It’s so easy to let our guard down on sites like Facebook and Twitter. After all, it’s just our friends, right? Not always. In fact, many employers will research job applicants on social media even before the job interview. And depending on what they find, it may hurt your chances of ever getting a job there.
So what can you do about it? If you’re looking for a job, do yourself a favor and take a look at your social media history. Consider deleting posts that might seem inappropriate or make you look less reliable than you are. Check your privacy settings to ensure your posts are only shared with those in your closest network. And if you can add a few posts that show your intelligence, that’s even better – just in case all that you think is private is not.
What you do online may not land you a job, but it can certainly keep you from getting it. So be careful out there.
A career fair (also call job fair) is an event where you can talk to recruiters and hiring managers from many different companies at once. Some may be looking to hire right away, and some may not. But it’s a great opportunity to meet professionals and get your name in front of people in your field as part of your job search . Here’s a short list of tips to help you make a good impression.
- 1. Dress nicely. Every employer you talk to is like a mini interview. So dress like you’re going to an interview. It’ll help you look more professional.
- 2. Bring multiple copies of your résumé. You’ll be talking to a lot of people, so make sure you have a stack of copies of your résumé resume ready to hand out.
- 3. Prepare your “elevator pitch.” Your “elevator pitch” is how you sum up your value as an employee in one minute or less. Write it ahead of time and practice it until it flows naturally.
- 4. Arrive early. Plan time to park and get checked in, so you’re ready the minute the event starts.
- 5. Be assertive and enthusiastic. Look them in the eye when you shake hands, and remember to show a positive attitude. This is no place for complainers.
- 6. Keep cool. Don’t let the crowds get to you. Smile, be polite and focus on the benefits of being there.
- 7. Network. Don’t just keep to yourself. Talk with people. Introduce yourself. Visit all the employers’ tables. You might discover something new.
There are some companies that have job fairs scheduled throughout the year. National Career Fairs, for example, runs fairs at over 300 locations. Other organizations, such as LI Works, have an event once or twice a year. Still others, including Women for Hire, focus on a particular audience.
Remember, you might not land a job that day. The goal is to meet people and get your name out there. And it’s great practice for interviews. Good luck!
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The Brookings Institute recently performed a study to find a link between education and unemployment. And they found one. According to their report, cities where more people have a higher education also have more job opportunities.* The reverse was also true; cities with less higher education turned out to have fewer job opportunities.
So what does that mean to you? Education can be the key to a better career and more opportunities. And at Everest, you can pursue a degree in popular fields such as accounting, business, computer information science, criminal justice and paralegal. These are career-focused programs designed to prepare you for jobs in the 21st century economy. Classes are small, instructors are industry professionals and learning is hands on, so you get experience practicing the skills you learn. After graduation, you can get job placement support from Everest’s Career Services professionals.
For more information on associate and bachelor’s degree programs, as well as one-year diploma programs, contact Everest today. Programs and schedules vary by campus.
*Source: Brookings Institute, “Education, Job Openings, and Unemployment in Metropolitan America”
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Your résumé is the first way a potential employer is going to get to know you and what you can do. But when you’re just starting out and don’t have much experience to show, volunteering can be a way to help fill in the gaps. You just need to do it right.
- Make it meaningful. Don’t just say, “Volunteered at the food bank.” Describe how what you did was good experience. For example: “Organized donations and arranged distribution to needy families.”
- Volunteer in your industry. Try to find volunteer opportunities in the field you want to work in, like at blood drives or clinics.
- Describe achievements. Did you raise money? How much? Serve needy families? How many?
- Ask your supervisor. Be sure to ask your volunteer supervisor what title would be most appropriate for you to list on your résumé. He or she may have some helpful ideas.
- Separate it from work experience. Be sure to keep paid jobs under “Work Experience” and volunteering under “Volunteering.” This will help prevent confusion and make your résumé easier to read.
Be sure to check outcareer planning services at Everest, including résumé workshops, formatting help and more.
When interviewing for an entry-level accountant job, chances are there won’t be a lot of questions about your workplace experience. After all, you’re just out of school! However, you should be prepared to answer some specific technical questions, including:
- What accounting applications are you most familiar with? Be prepared to discuss your Everest training as well as any other applications you may have learned on your own.
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of these systems? Accounting applications are designed to deal with specific problems and situations. Be able to explain the pros and cons of the systems on which you were trained.
- Give us some examples of accounting reports you’ve prepared. Bring sample reports to your interview and be prepared to discuss how you created them.
- What’s the biggest challenge facing accountants today? What they probably want to hear is, “Accountants need to be effective consultants and managers, not just number-crunchers. Employers don’t want just facts and figure. They want solutions.”
For more advice on having a successful job interview, consult with your Everest Career Services professional.
Did You Know?
Everest placed more than 40,200 of its graduates in jobs related to their fields of study in the 2010 calendar year. This was done with the help of Everest’s Career Services teams, which provide graduates with support such as:
- resume preparation,
- rehearsing effective interviewing techniques, and
- identifying and contacting local employers.
Over the past several years, Everest has developed relationships with employers and employment agencies throughout North America. Focusing on programs in some of the fastest growing fields, Everest is committed to helping its students prepare for and launch careers they will find satisfying and rewarding for years to come.
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