Use your resources

Your Student Employment office has a number of different assets for you to use in your search for employment. To increase your chances of getting a position you want, you should make use of these tools.

Web Resources
There are many Student Employment tools you can use on-line. Resume writing, interviewing tips, and job searching are just a few. There are also links to "Job Choices" which is an on-line magazine produced by a national organization working with colleges and employers. There are many articles that provide excellent suggestions for improving your ability to make yourself the best candidate possible. These resources can be found by clicking on the picture.

Make your resume effective

Not all resumes are created equal! A resume is designed to get the reader's attention and to land an interview. The job market is very competitive and in order to be one of those chosen for an interview your resume must convince the employer that you have what they are looking for. Here are some points to keep in mind when creating your resume.

• Did you read the job description carefully? Your resume should address the requirements of the position you are applying for. Focus on key words from the job description to include in your resume.
• Your resume should support your ability to fulfill the duties of the position. Do not just create a list of all of your past accomplishments. Focus on those achievements/skills that support the position requirements.
• Keep your resume to one (1) page if at all possible. Your ability to be concise, but thorough is appreciated by a reviewer.
• Spelling, grammar, and formatting is important! All an employer has to judge you by is the document in front of them. This is also the first demonstration of the quality of your work.
• Lengthy paragraphs are not a good match for an effective resume. Bullets and short sentences that get your point across make for an easier read and allow the reviewer to quickly find relevant information.

Get the Interview

With the unemployment rate at 8% or higher, the competition for vacant positions is very high. To improve your chances of landing an interview, here are a few suggestions:

1. Only apply for positions that you are actually qualified for. You should have either education or work experience to meet the position requirements. Applying for openings that you are not really qualified for will only increase your frustration when you do not receive a call for an interview.
2. Do not send generic resumes/cover letters/applications. Your package should be specific to the position requirements. Tailor your resume to address the skills and requirements as listed by the employer. Write your cover letter for the position you are applying for, not a generic letter for all employers.
3. Read the position description! To improve your chances of landing that interview, you must address the needs of the employer. In most cases, the advertisement will tell you what the employer needs. Do not ignore this.

Keep in mind that you are trying to fill an employer's needs. Put yourself in their shoes and see if your application package addresses those needs. If it is not clear on paper that you are a good fit, you probably will not move to the interview phase.

Competition

Landing the job you want is not always a matter of having a good resume and getting through an interview.  In today's economy, you might be "qualified" for a position, but you may not be the best candidate.  I work with many individuals who do not understand why they were not hired for position that they were qualified for.

The slower economy and high unemployment rate has put more people in the position of seeking a new job.  That means the competition for available openings is higher.  It isn't enough to be qualified, you must be the best applicant in the mind of the employer.  Everyone that is interviewed generally meets the qualifications for the position.  You need to stand out from the competition.

• Make sure your resume is in line with the job description. The employer has already told you what they are looking for in the ideal candidate!
• Every answer to interview questions should be tailored to show that you have the skills necessary to do the work.
• Be committed. Tell the employer you are looking for long-term employment with their company, not a stepping stone to something else.
• Talk at length about your experience in the work place. Even if you are lacking in actual experience, be sure to talk about anything you have done that might be related to the position.
• Be positive and have a great attitude in interviews. Who wants to hire someone who wouldn't be pleasant to work with?

These steps may seem simple and common sense, but so many applicants do not follow this plan of attack.  The majority of applicants create generic resumes and send to everyone, only talk about things they are comfortable with in interviews (as opposed to tailoring to job description), speak poorly of previous employers and talk about what they hope to gain from the position, not what they can do for the employer.

Social Media - Hurting, or Helping?

We live in a world of instant information, electronic connections, and less privacy than ever.  Many people never stop to consider if their "on-line" life could be a detriment to their job search.  The answer is "yes" in many cases.

Employers are using as many tools as possible to screen potential hires.  This means that many even look up profiles to see who you really are.  Have you Googled yourself?  Looked at your Facebook or Twitter account to see what impression a potential employer might draw?  You should.

An employer once told me that they were on the verge of hiring one of our students...until they saw their Facebook account.  There were several posts degrading the student's present place of employment and the student's co-workers.  Would you hire someone that spoke poorly of your business and employees?  Neither would they.

Always know what information is available on-line about you.  The employer should not be the first to know!

To "Temp" or not to "Temp"

I am often asked whether working as a temporary employee looks bad on a resume.  My answer is always the same: all periods of employment look good. Working in a temporary position can also allow you to develop new skills, audition for possible long-term positions within the company, and show future employers that you have a strong work ethic.

If you are having trouble finding a full-time position in your industry of choice, consider working for a temporary agency in areas that will strengthen your primary skill set and teach you additional skills. Experience in the work place is very important to employers and having diverse abilities will make you even more competitive.

Job Search Anxiety

The process of searching for employment can be very stressful. You may be transitioning from the exhiliration of graduating from college to entering the job market, or just searching for a position while still attending school.  The self-imposed pressure of wanting to secure a stable position can take a toll on your mental and physical health.  It is important to be at peak performance as you speak with each employer you meet.  You are making a first impression each interview and you do not want to appear tired, depressed, moody or defeated.

There are some very good articles on The Ladder which address the issue.
Dealing with Anxiety

What do employers want?

Hiring a new employee is a big investment of time and money for an employer.  If the person selected does not work out, it is a waste of both. This makes the selection process very important to an employer and is why resume review and the interview process can seem so grueling.  So what is an employer looking for?

Job specific skills. Read the job description carefully and make sure you are selling yourself as the best person to fill the job. Your resume should be tailored with "key words" in the job description to make it easy for the employer to want to interview you. During the interview you should emphasize your qualifications that are a fit for the job description as well.

Soft skills.  This is an area that many employers find to be very lacking in candidates. These are skills such as:

• Strong work ethic
• Initiative
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Teamwork
• Interpersonal skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Flexibility and adaptability

Be sure to give examples of your soft skills during an interview. This can go a long way towards convincing an employer that you are a good fit.

Back to class...back to work!

Summer classes are starting, and for many of you, that also means finding job for the summer (or longer). The Student Employment office has a few tools to help you locate a position.

Career Connection - Our on-line job posting system that is only available to current TTC students and alumni.  We generally approve jobs each day on the system and average 140 - 150 active jobs on a typical day.  If you are not registered, you are missing some great opportunities that can only be found there.  Create an account (if you do not have one), upload a resume, and apply on-line for most of the positions. Be sure to check this site regularly as we also post announcements of employer visits and other events that might help you find the right job.

Outside Searches - Our web site has an organized listing of other helpful job search tools. Take advantage of this page to maximize your search. 

Finding employment is never an easy process, but by using these sources we hope you will maximize the use of your time.

Stand out from the crowd

Today's job market is extremely competitive. For every open position you can expect to compete with dozens of other applicants at a minimum. Sometimes even hundreds. Managers cannot afford to interview everyone, so they generally select 5 - 10 of the top candidates. How can you make the cut?

• Address the needs of the position rather than trying to list every accomplishment in your life
• Use key words from the position description in your resume
• Organize your resume so that the most important information for the position is listed first

Using a generic resume that you send out for every position is poor use of your time. You must convince the hiring manager that you are a good candidate for "their" position. The use of key words and addressing the position requirements will do just that.