JOB HUNTING OVERVIEW
Stat Club Workshop
March 19, 2014
OUTLINE
I.
Searching for opportunities
II. Career and internship fairs
III. Networking
IV. Top mistakes
V. Resources from Career Services and Eberly College of Science
SEARCHING FOR OPPORTUNITIES
Stat Club Workshop
March 19, 2014
WHERE TO LOOK
 Utilize online job search engines or job boards to find publicly-posted positions
 Research companies that may be of interest to you and explore their HR/career site
 Ask those in your network if they know of any unlisted or potential job opportunities
 Work with head hunters or recruitment agencies, especially those who specialize in your field
 Use Penn State’s networking and job placement resources
 Career or internship fairs are a great place to find companies actively searching for new hires
Various colleges and departments around campus offer information sessions throughout the
year
ONLINE JOB SEARCH ENGINES
 Recommended search engines or job boards:
Those found on social media, such as LinkedIn
Those found on professional associations, such as ASA
Penn state boards, such as the SciOpps website in the Eberly College of Science or the NLCN
CareerBuilder.com
Monster.com
SimplyHired.com
Indeed.com (aggregate)
Dice.com (for tech jobs)
USAjobs.gov (government)
CraigsList.com or SnagAJob.com (for local or part-time positions)
Internships.com (internships)
 Focus your search by using keywords to match your interests, skills, and location
 Do not apply to “any” job
APPLYING FOR POSITIONS
 It’s okay to apply to a position if you don’t meet all of the requirements, but avoid applying to jobs for which you are severely
underqualified (or overqualified!)
 Customize your cover letter and resume to specifically link your skills and interests to the duties and requirements of the position
 Ask for referrals from someone in your network who also works in the company
 If references are needed, make sure they are from appropriate individuals who can speak to your professional or academic
experience, such a mentor, supervisor, or professor
 Conduct research on the company prior to applying utilizing the company’s own website, as well as outside review sites liked
Glassdoor
 Keep resumes updated
 Do not write “see attached” or “see resume” in lieu of filling out online forms – this will automatically eliminate you from
consideration in many cases
 Explain job gaps
 Be sure to submit application to the correct person!
OTHER TIPS
 Find a job to fit your skills, rather than the other way around
 Temporary or internship positions can sometimes lead to full-time work
 Make sure your email address, email signature, and voicemail are professional
 You may have to work your way up
 Most successful job hunts come from actively searching – don’t be lazy!
 Know what you’re looking for
 Talk to others in the field and do some research – you may find that there are other types
of positions out there well-suited for you that you didn’t even know existed
 Network! (more on that later)
CAREER/INTERNSHIP FAIRS
Stat Club Workshop
March 19, 2014
PREPARATION
 If available, review the list of attending employers and research the companies you are most interested in
Learn about the company’s mission, goals, industry, product/services, etc.
Review their job/internship postings, as well as college training programs they may offer
 Prepare a list of questions for employers, and think about answers to possible questions they make ask of you (see next
slide)
 Prepare an “elevator speech”, a short 30-second presentation you’ll use to introduce yourself to employers – include
things like name, education, goals, interests, and skills
 Dress professionally (but wear comfortable shoes)
 Print and bring a supply of resumes
 Bring a folder and/or briefcase to hold resumes and items you receive at the fair (business cards, brochures, etc.)
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
 What do you think about (latest trend in the industry)?
 What entry-level positions are available in your company?
 Does your company offer internships or training programs?
 What positions would be a good fit for someone in (major)?
 What skills or education do you look for most in a candidate for this position?
 How would you describe a typical day in this position?
 What is one of the biggest challenges of the job?
 How would you describe the company culture?
 What do you like most about your job at this company?
 What is the balance between teamwork and individual work?
 May I contact you with further questions? Do you have a business card?
Do NOT ask:
 What is the compensation?
 What does your company do?
AT THE FAIR
 Arrive early if you can so that you can access your priority employers before they are overcrowded
 Be ready to wait if a table is crowded, and be assertive in introducing yourself
 Talk to as many employers as you can, and LISTEN to what they are saying as well – even if you don’t land a job, you may still
leave with something of value
 Find ways to connect personally with recruiters with possible
 Stress your willingness and ability to learn new things
 Do not overlook small companies; they probably will be less competitive but may offer greater opportunities and allow young hires
to take on broader and more responsible roles early in their careers
 Maintain a positive, energetic attitude!
 If you are interested in a particular employer, be sure to verbally affirm your interest with enthusiasm
FOLLOW-UP
 If you are still interested in the company, follow up with an email within a week,
unless the recruiter specifically asked for a phone call
 Briefly convey why the position or company is a perfect fit for your skills and
interests
 Keep it short but confident!
 Ask for the opportunity to speak further
 Provide a resume and/or cover letter if appropriate
NETWORKING
Stat Club Workshop
March 19, 2014
WHAT IS NETWORKING?
“The cultivation of productive relationships for employment or
business” – Merriam-Webster
More than half of all jobs are filled by networking and referrals, often for positions
that are not even publicly posted! It would be to your disadvantage to ignore this
important, yet sometimes difficult, step in job searching.
BUILD YOUR NETWORK
 People with whom to start:
Coworkers and other business acquaintances
Classmates and professors
Members of a professional association such as ASA
Graduates of Penn State or other school you’ve attended
Family and friends
 Down the road also network with:
Colleagues and peers
Mentors
Customers and clients
NETWORKING TIPS
 Connect using social media, business gatherings, clubs, volunteer activities, professional associations, conferences, or even social
events
 Talk with strangers; make an effort to meet new people; be friendly and approachable
 Create and regularly carry business cards
 Aim to be helpful and take an active interest in others; make and keep small promises
 Maintain contact, especially those from which you’ll be asking to provide references
 Reach out through email, social media, or phone
 Attend networking events when possible; bring your business cards and go prepared to meet new people
 Organize your contacts and keeps lists of people with whom to follow-up
Do NOT:
 Be overly aggressive
 Focus only on the “most important” people
 Try too hard to impress
 Stay quiet
SOCIAL MEDIA
 LinkedIn
Friend only those that will help you professionally, including close friends, family, classmates, professors, coworkers, and
supervisors
Take advantage of their job search engine – though they may have as many job listings, you are able to share your
LinkedIn profile with employers for many positions
Create a complete but simple profile, and keep it updated, as it can be viewed as a kind of online CV
Include job skill keywords relevant to your position of interest, endorse job skills of others, and ask others to endorse you
Ensure your picture is professional and preferably a head shot
Share your LinkedIn profile with employers
Join interest groups, including Penn State Career Connection
 Facebook, Twitter, Google+
Probably do not need to share with employer, but be sure to keep it as clean and professional as possible while searching
for a position
Best to keep it set to “private”
TOP MISTAKES
Stat Club Workshop
March 19, 2014
TOP MISTAKES
 Not preparing for interview
 Spelling or grammatical errors
 Being disorganized
 Not having a professional “online presence”
 Failing to research the company
 Focusing only on posted jobs
 Having a negative attitude
 Lying or over-exaggerating on resume or application
 “Bugging” the hiring manager
 Not networking
 Applying for “any” job
 Being too generic in skills or experience
 Neglecting to explain job gaps
 Having an unprofessional-sounding email address
RESOURCES FROM CAREER SERVICES
AND EBERLY COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
Stat Club Workshop
March 19, 2014
UPCOMING EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS
 Spring Career Fair
March 26 & 27 (Wednesday 3/26: non-technical; Thursday 3/27: technical)
11:00am – 4:00pm at the Bryce Jordan Center
All majors; Full-time positions, internships, and co-ops
More information at http://careerfairs.psu.edu/spring/student/default.shtml
 On-campus workshops at 103 BOA Career Services Center
Tomorrow, March 20 at 4p: Resume Tips for technical majors
Tomorrow, March 20 at 5:15p: Interviewing Tips for technical majors
 Technical Resumes and Approaching Career Fair Representatives workshop
Tomorrow, March 20 at 5:45p in 8 Mueller
Features Penn State Science alum Christopher Kistler from Merck
 Walk-in resume reviews
March 24 in 112 Ritenour
Step by between 10am, and 4pm
 Resumania – have resume reviewed by HR professionals
March 25 on second floor of Career Services Center
Stop by anytime between 11am and 3pm
SERVICES
 Drop-in counseling, Monday through Friday 8:30-4:30
Brief 10-25 minute meeting
Concerns such as career decisions, job shadowing, resumes, grad school, internships, cover letters, salary negotiations, networking, interviews, offer
evaluation, etc.
 Individual career counseling
In-depth and confidential 50-minute appointments
Allowed up to 10 per year
Must attend at least one drop-in session to be eligible
 Mock interviews
One-hour appointments
Feedback session provided
 Online workshops and recorded presentations
 Penn State Career Connection: LinkedIn professional networking group
 Nittany Lion Career Network (NLCN) job board
 LionLink networking database