Job Searching for Professionals

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Job Searching for Professionals

• Elizabeth A. Ruff, M.S. Ed.S.
• Eric A. Weldy, Ed.D.
• Presented as part of the Division of Student
  Affairs (DSA) Professional Development
  Committees Workshop Series.
• October 1, 2007

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Quick Overview

• Written Communication in Job Hunting
• Resume Writing
• Cover Letter
• How to Present Yourself Interviewing
• Job Search Strategies
• Researching Employers
• QA

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I.A. Written Communication In Job Hunting Resume
Writing
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Resources For Resume Writing

• Videos
• Career.fsu.edu
• Our Services
• Workshops
• Resume Writing
• Guides
• Career.fsu.edu
• Our Resources
• Career Guides
• Resume Preparation

• Resume Critiques
• Career Center, UCA 4100
• M-Th 9-430, F 9-130, 230-430
• Walk-ins, no apt. necessary!
• Books
• Career.fsu.edu
• Our Resources
• Career Library
• Catalog

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Purpose of the Resume

• Marketing tool for your job search
• Pre-screening tool for employers
• Gain interviews with employers
• Applying to graduate school

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Consider Your Target Audience

• Whos going to be reading your resume?
• Develop a job target
• Consider the type of organization you want to
  work for
• Decide what type of information, and in what
  format, is most appropriate for your target
  audience

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opinions
opinions
opinions
opinions
opinions
opinions
opinions
opinions
opinions
opinions
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Categories

• Identification
• Career Objective
• Education/Training
• Experience
• Optional Categories
• References

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HEATHER ADLERhadler41_at_yahoo.com

• Present Address
  Permanent Address
• 220-A Bradford Court
  
  571 SE 12th Street
• Tallahassee, FL 32303
  
  Pompano Beach FL 33060
• [phone]
  
  (305) 943-0029647-1289
• CAREER OBJECTIVE
• A financial management position using my
  analytical, communication, and organizational
  skills.
• EDUCATION
• Bachelor of Science, Finance, Florida State
  University, Tallahassee, FL, August 2006
• Minors Computer Science/Spanish
• GPA 3.2
• EXPERIENCE
• First Union Corporation, Tampa, FL
• Staff Auditor (Internship), Summer 2006
• Prepared work papers and audit report
  summaries within the Trust Administration.
• Assisted with detailed examination of
  internal controls to ensure compliance with bank
• policies and OCC regulations.

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Sample Action Verbs

• ADMINISTERED
• ADVISED
• BALANCED
• COMPILED
• CREATED
• DEMONSTRATED
• DESIGNED

• EXPEDITED
• ORGANIZED
• PLANNED
• PROPOSED
• SUPERVISED
• TRAINED
• UPDATED

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Action Verb Examples

• Sales Representative
• Initiated and completed all services for new
  customers, as well as handled all billing
  problems and service change orders.
• Teaching Assistant
• Instructed 110 students in basic speaking
  techniques designed and implemented new lesson
  on effective non-verbal communication skills.

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Optional Categories

• Activities
• Awards
• Certifications
• Community Service
• Computer Skills
• Hobbies
• Honors
• Interests
• Languages

• Licenses
• Memberships
• Presentations
• Prof. Activities
• Publications
• Scholarships
• Special Projects
• Special Skills
• Travel

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References

• AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
• OR
• List on Separate Sheet

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References for Heather Adler

• Eddy Employer
• Bureau Chief
• Florida Department of State
• Koger Building, Room 122
• Tallahassee, FL
• [phone]
• Ms. Jane Doe, Vice President for Operations
• Widgets Designs, Inc.
• 1150 Busch Blvd., Suite 140
• Tampa, FL 33412
• [phone]
• Dr. Lyn Smith, Professor
• FSU College of Human Sciences
• Room 120 Sandels Bldg.
• Tallahassee, FL 32306-1059
• [phone]
• lgsmith_at_garnet.acns.fsu.edu

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Personal Data

• Marital Status
• Birthdate
• Health
• Photo
• Height/Weight
• Willing to Travel/Relocate
• (Optional--Generally Not Included)

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I.B. Written Communication In Job Hunting Cover
Letter
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Resources For Cover Letters

• Videos
• Career.fsu.edu
• Our Services
• Workshops
• Resume Writing
• Guides
• Career.fsu.edu
• Our Resources
• Career Guides
• Cover/Job Search Letters

• Cover Letter Critiques
• Career Center, UCA 4100
• M-Th 9-430, F 9-130, 230-430
• Walk-ins, no apt. necessary!
• Books
• Career.fsu.edu
• Our Resources
• Career Library
• Catalog

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Cover Letter

• Standard Business Letter Format
• Personalize/Slant to the Employer or Job
• Highlight Relevant Qualifications
• Proof Carefully for Grammar Typos
• Avoid Overuse of I
• Use Quality Paper

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Cover Letter Format

• 1ST Paragraph - OPENING
• Reason for writing
• Name of position, career area
• How you heard of opening
• 2nd Paragraph - BODY
• Highlight related experience/qualifications
• Slant to employers point of view
• Why interested in organization, work, location
• Refer reader to any enclosed materials

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Cover Letter Format (continued)

• 3rd Paragraph - CLOSING
• Best means to reach you if they need
  additional information
• Indicate whether you will follow-up by phone
• Thank reader for considering your application
• Sincerely,
• Sign your name
• Type Full Name

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II. How to Present Yourself Interviewing
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Resources For Interviewing

• Videos
• Career.fsu.edu
• Our Services
• Workshops
• Inteviewing
• Guides
• Career.fsu.edu
• Our Resources
• Career Guides
• Check each section

• Meet w/ a Career Advisor
• Career Center, UCA 4100
• M-Th 9-430, F 9-130, 230-430
• Walk-ins, no apt. necessary!
• Books
• Career.fsu.edu
• Our Resources
• Career Library
• Catalog

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Purpose of the Interview

• Point where hiring decisions are made
• Screening for future interviews
• Information exchange for the candidate and
  employer
• Convince employers that youre the right one for
  their organization

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Types of Interviews

• Face-to-Face
• Individual
• Group
• Panel
• Phone/Teleconference
• Video/Conference

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Video Conference Resources

• Custom Videoconferencing Solutions Inc. (CVS)
• CVS charges 150 per hour.  There is an
  additional charge if they need to initiate the
  network connection.  CVS does videoconferencing
  interviews for individuals and large groups.
• Signal House Communications (SHC)
• SHC also does videoconferencing interviews for
  individuals and large groups in the general
  public.  Rates unavailable. If a customer has
  the proper connections at his/her home or office,
  SHC will provide the equipment and technical
  support at the offsite location.
• FSUs Office of Telecommunications (OTC)
• OTC offers videoconferencing services to
  departments, faculty, staff and students.  OTC
  charges 175 per hour, and a 75 network charge
  if they initiate the network connection. 
  (information may vary from website)

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Preparation

• Know yourself
• Know the employer

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Know Yourself

• Academic Work history
• Experience - related, unrelated, transferable
• Special skills - languages, computers
• Resume Know whats on it!!!
• Career goals/objective

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Transferable Skills

• Budget management
• Coping with deadline pressure
• Interviewing
• Negotiating
• Organizing/Managing
• Public relations
• Speaking
• Supervising
• Teaching/Instructing
• Writing

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Know the Employer--Researching Employers

• Enables you to ask well-informed questions.
• Allows you to see how you could fit in the
  organization.
• It is expected by interviewers.

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The InterviewFirst Things First

• Checklist of items to cover before the interview!

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Checklist

• Identify your transferable job skills
• Become aware of your strengths
• Determine what youre looking for in a job
• Use written sources and people sources to
  research the organization
• Conduct information interviews

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Dress for Success

• Career.fsu.edu
• Our Services
• Workshops
• Dress for Success
• Our Resources
• Career Guides
• Proper Attire

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Dealing with Anxiety

• Prepare thoroughly
• Practice! Practice! Practice!
• Take deep breaths
• Get involved in the interview
• Realize interviewers are human too
• Be aware of your problem areas
• Think about what has worked for you in the past

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Interview Behavior
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Do....

• Arrive early
• Shake hands firmly
• Make direct eye contact
• Sit up straight
• Listen carefully
• Speak clearly distinctly
• Smile
• Address interviewer by title

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Do Not...

• Chew gum, candy
• Bad mouth previous employers, supervisors
• Play cool
• Stare down the interviewer
• Interrupt
• Slouch

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Structure of a Typical Interview

• Greeting
• Small talk
• Opening questions
• Probing specifics
• Interviewees questions
• Close

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Questions?????

• Educational background
• Experience
• Career goals
• Personal qualities
• Behavioral
• Sensitive questions

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Response

• Situation
• Communication in a group broke down
• Task
• You organized informal meetings at lunch and
  other times
• Action
• Members discussed issues related to the situation
• Results
• Communication improved and productivity increased

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Your Questions for the Employer

• Result of thorough research
• Reflect sincere interest awareness of needs
• Were not answered by other sources of information

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Address Organizations...

• Hiring criteria
• Job duties
• Performance evaluation
• Training program
• Career paths

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Questions to Avoid in the Initial Interview

• Salary
• Benefits
• Vacation/Leave time
• Perks

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After the Interview

• Thank-you letter
• Evaluation

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Thank-You Letters

• Reaffirm interest
• Improve/Update answers
• Mention points overlooked in interview

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Evaluate

• What would you do differently?
• Where can you improve?
• What were your impressions?
• What can you expect next?

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III. Job Search Strategies

• Questions to Ask Yourself
• Job Search Resources General Examples
• Job Search Resources Higher Education/Student
  Affairs

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Questions To Ask Yourself

• What do I want to do?
• Where do I want to go?

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Job Search Resources

• Internet i.e., specialty cites, online job
  fairs
• Career Center
• University/Public Library
• Professional Associations and Journals
• Publications i.e., newspapers, journals
• Employment Agencies
• Chamber of Commerce
• Networking i.e., professionals in field,
  colleagues, faculty, staff, friends,
  acquaintances, listserv groups

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Job Search Resources Higher Education/Student
Affairs

• HigherEdJobs.com http//www.higheredjobs.com
• Academic 360 http//www.academic360.com
• Academic Keys for Administration
  http//administration.academickeys.com
• The Chronicle of Higher Education
  http//chronicle.com/
• NASPA http//www.naspa.org/
• ACPA http//www.myacpa.org/

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IV. Researching Employers

• Why Research Employers
• What You Will Want To Know
• Sources of Information

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Why Research Employers

• Discover more about specific industries,
  geographic regions, positions, organizations or
  institutions
• Identify employers that best match your skills,
  interests and values
• Determine how you could fit into a specific
  organization and help achieve its goals
• Prepare and ask well-informed interview questions
• Demonstrate enthusiasm to interviewers
• Make well-informed decisions about employment
  offers

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What You Will Want To Know

• Size and scope of organization
• Organizational structure
• Location, facilities, employees, etc.
• Complete line of products, programs or services
• Senior Leadership or Management
• Budget/Funding

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Sources of Information

• Employer Literature
• World Wide Web (www) Homepages
• University/Public Library
• Career Center
• Better Business Bureau
• Chamber of Commerce
• Professional Associations
• Publications i.e., newspapers, magazines,
  annual reports, current periodicals

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V. Questions Answers