The Job Search
presented by
The Pennsylvania State University
Learn How to Market
Yourself Effectively
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know your skills
set goals for yourself
identify and target employers -- research!
develop effective tools (resume & cover letter)
make the contacts
follow up on leads
Know Yourself:
It’s a jungle out there!
• Most important step in the
process
• Employers are most
interested in what you
have to offer
• Assess your skills and
abilities and communicate
them effectively to
prospective employers
• Career Services can help!
Set Your Sights:
Your goals determine your direction!
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career field(s)/industry(s) considered
preferred job functions
geography preference(s)
work environment(s) of choice
special needs/considerations
Target Employers:
It’s quality over quantity of contacts!
• talk to people
• follow industry updates in
the media
• the WWW to check out general
info and specific employers
• career-related books and employer directories
in both the Career Information Center (Boucke)
and the University Library
Target Tools, as well:
Resumes and cover letters that connect!
• edit your resume and cover letter
to fit the employer and the position
• tailor language so that the reader
(employer) sees the connection
between your skills and their needs
• alter the order of appearance of skills to match the
order of skills listed in position descriptions
• HIT THE BULLSEYE -- Make the Connection!
Make the Contacts:
A multiple-methods approach is best!
• networking
• WWW
• targeted mailings
• resume referrals
• on-campus recruiting
• in-person visits
• classified ads
• employment agencies
Follow Up:
You never know where a contact will lead you!
• try to send follow-up
correspondence within
48 hours of contact
• have drafts ready before
you make calls/contacts
• “thank you” -- two little
words that can mean so much
• remember -- this is the beginning of your
professional network
Questions?
4th floor Boucke
865-2377
www.psu.edu/career