Get a Job
Planning your job-search strategy is just like anything else you will do in the business world. It takes well-defined goals, planning, confidence and marketing skills. You should look at yourself as a business and at potential employers as your customers. What does it take to make the sale?
Job-Search strategy Well-Defined Goals
It isn't enough to set a goal of getting a job. Your goals should define the type of company for which you would prefer to work. Decide what is important to you in life and in your career. Doing this will help you know exactly what to ask potential employers during interviews.
Planning
Do your homework. Know important facts about potential employers. Find out what employers in your particular scope of interest find most important. Know what you will ask during the interview and be prepared to answer any question that comes your way.
Confidence
Know what other recent grads will have to offer and be prepared to articulate exactly what you can provide that is different and better. Look over your resume section by section and remember key things that you did to accomplish each item. Pick out interesting stories that display your leadership abilities and team-player skills. Think of yourself as a product and learn every marketable aspect.
Real-World Resumes
Here are a few tips for resume success:
- Ask someone whose opinion you trust to review your resume for typos, grammatical errors or other mistakes.
- Customize your resume to fit different positions.
- Tell the truth!
Heading
You want your name, address and telephone number to be easily read and quickly found. Use your home telephone number. Purchase an answering machine or voice mail so prospective employers can leave you a message.
Objective
Be concise and clear about your objective. Tailor your resume to match the company's criteria.
Experience
List your work experience in chronological order, beginning with your most recent job. If you have had several part-time jobs, list them separately in a section called "Part-time." Include the dates, title and company just as you would for a full-time position. Don't forget to include any internships. In your job descriptions, point out your accomplishments rather than simply listing your duties. Explain how these jobs related to accounting, required leadership abilities, showed your team-player skills or demonstrated your ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
Education
List your most advanced degree first (i.e. master's of accountancy) followed by any other post-secondary education. You can point out specific courses or minors outside of the basic curriculum that you feel will make you more marketable. When you list your GPA, place your GPA in your major separately. If it isn't higher than your overall GPA, list only your overall GPA.
Activities
Showcase all of the associations and organizations in which you belong or participate. List all positions you've held in each and include dates. Any volunteer or community service projects also should be included. Employers appreciate candidates who used their free time to cultivate their skills by helping others.
Awards or Honors
Include all academic honors, organization awards, community awards and any commendations received from previous jobs.
References
It is not necessary to include references on your resume unless an interviewer requests them. However, you should have your references ready to give to potential employers at any given time. This means being prepared and obtaining permission from your desired references along with the assurance they will speak highly of you. Three references are usually sufficient.
Overall Look
Your resume should be printed on 20-pound weight paper, preferably white, cream or light gray. Have someone with strong grammar skills proofread your resume. A sloppy resume with misspellings and grammatical errors will not help you land your dream job. Your cover letter and envelope should be in the same font as your resume and should be printed on matching paper.
Interview Guide
- Know your resume and be prepared to answer specific questions about any part of it.
- Know the position you are interviewing for and the company's business description, mission and job description for the position.
- Map out your route the day before the interview.
- Arrive 10-15 minutes early.
- Dress appropriately and professionally. Leave off the perfume and cologne.
- Be friendly. This includes everyone you come in contact with before, during and after your interview. The person you are rude to in the parking lot could be the person interviewing you.
- Avoid speaking negatively about past employers, professors, or colleagues. Always focus on the positive and be prepared to say something good about all of your previous employers or managers. Listen. The interviewer will tell you exactly what he/she is looking for in an employee. Customize your answers to fit that description.
- Answer each question completely, but avoid long-winded responses.
- If the interview takes place over lunch or dinner, don't take advantage of the situation. Don't order the most expensive item on the menu and be smart about alcoholic beverages. If you choose to drink, limit yourself to one drink.
- If you are still interested in the position after the interview, express that interest to the interviewer. Always follow up with a brief note thanking the interviewer. Remember to ask for a business card so you can address the thank-you note properly.
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