The Job Search. The Pennsylvania State University. presente

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The Job Search
presented by

• The Pennsylvania State University

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Learn How to MarketYourself Effectively

• 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

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Know YourselfIts 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!

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Set Your SightsYour goals determine your
direction!
Address the following

• career field(s)/industry(s) considered
• preferred job functions
• geography preference(s)
• work environment(s) of choice
• special needs/considerations

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Target EmployersIts quality over quantity of
contacts!

• talk to people
• follow industry updates inthe media
• the WWW to check out generalinfo and specific
  employers
• career-related books and employer directories in
  both the Career Information Center (Boucke) and
  the University Library

the key is research
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Target Tools, as wellResumes and cover letters
that connect!

• edit your resume and cover letterto fit the
  employer and the position
• tailor language so that the reader(employer)
  sees the connectionbetween 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!

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Make the ContactsA multiple-methods approach is
best!

• networking
• WWW
• targeted mailings
• on-campus recruiting
• classified ads

• resume referrals
• in-person visits
• employment agencies

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Follow UpYou never know where a contact will
lead you!

• try to send follow-upcorrespondence within48
  hours of contact
• have drafts ready beforeyou make calls/contacts
• thank you -- two littlewords that can mean so
  much
• remember -- this is the beginning of your
  professional network

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Questions?

• 4th floor Boucke 865-2377
• www.psu.edu/career