JOBTALKSJOBTALKS

Job and InternshipSearch Strategies

Indiana UniversityKelley School of BusinessC. Randall Powell, Ph.D

Four Critical Elements of an Effective Four Critical Elements of an Effective Job and Internship SearchJob and Internship Search

Self-AssessmentSelf-Assessment– Defining your skillsDefining your skills– Putting your skills to workPutting your skills to work

Goal SettingGoal Setting– Must have a goal to be effectiveMust have a goal to be effective

Effective Resume PreparationEffective Resume Preparation– Your advertisementYour advertisement– What you have to sell “YOU”What you have to sell “YOU”

Interviewing/Negotiating TechniquesInterviewing/Negotiating Techniques– Mastering the interviewMastering the interview– Answering interview questionsAnswering interview questions

      

Ground Rules to ConsiderGround Rules to Consider

Easy to follow strategyEasy to follow strategy– Get yourself organizedGet yourself organized

Finding a job is a full-time jobFinding a job is a full-time job– Planning your careerPlanning your career

NetworkingNetworking Assessment of personal essential needs Assessment of personal essential needs

and desires and desires Experience, knowledge and skillsExperience, knowledge and skills Two-parties have needs that must be metTwo-parties have needs that must be met

Strategy to ConsiderStrategy to Consider

Identify opportunities that align with your Identify opportunities that align with your goals and interestsgoals and interests

Convince employers that they need to Convince employers that they need to interview you to determine if you meet their interview you to determine if you meet their needs and have the potential to succeedneeds and have the potential to succeed

Prepare to present “Product YOU” Prepare to present “Product YOU”

Step 1Step 1

Understand the Employment MarketplaceUnderstand the Employment Marketplace– Take time to understand the realities in today’s Take time to understand the realities in today’s

employment marketplace. They may differ from employment marketplace. They may differ from your expectations.your expectations.

– Consider the local job market –country variationsConsider the local job market –country variations– U.S. Department of Labor statisticsU.S. Department of Labor statistics

Occupational Outlook by industryOccupational Outlook by industry www.careerstop.orgwww.careerstop.org (US marketplace only) (US marketplace only)

Step 2Step 2

Make a Plan to Achieve Your Job Search Make a Plan to Achieve Your Job Search GoalsGoals– Establish and follow a Establish and follow a planplan to meet your to meet your

objectives. objectives. – Set a Set a time tabletime table for achieving each goal and for achieving each goal and

stick to it as closely as possiblestick to it as closely as possible– Make yourself Make yourself accountableaccountable– Keep accurate Keep accurate recordsrecords

Step 3Step 3

Gather Information About Your Targeted an Gather Information About Your Targeted an Internship/Job Through Networking and Internship/Job Through Networking and ResearchResearch– Determine your employment needs and desires.Determine your employment needs and desires.– Investigate job functions, industries and Investigate job functions, industries and

geographical locations of jobs where you have geographical locations of jobs where you have an initial interest.an initial interest.

– Review Future trendsReview Future trends

Step 4Step 4

Refining the Resume to Package “Product Refining the Resume to Package “Product YOU”YOU”– Identify and document your marketable Identify and document your marketable

experience, knowledge, and skillsexperience, knowledge, and skills Visual ImpactVisual Impact Be PositiveBe Positive Be HonestBe Honest Target your qualificationsTarget your qualifications

– Utilize information from your research and Utilize information from your research and networking to package and market YOUnetworking to package and market YOU

Step 5Step 5

Secure Referrals and Introductions Through Secure Referrals and Introductions Through Your NetworkYour Network– Utilize networking contacts from alumni and Utilize networking contacts from alumni and

friendsfriends– Choose your references with careChoose your references with care– ““Thank you” is a powerful statement.Thank you” is a powerful statement.

Unfortunately, it is seldom heard.Unfortunately, it is seldom heard.

Step 6Step 6

Get an Interview with the Get an Interview with the Decision MakerDecision Maker– Take networking contacts to the next level to Take networking contacts to the next level to

secure introductions with decision makers that secure introductions with decision makers that will lead to interviews.will lead to interviews.

– Goal of a job search campaign is to meet face-Goal of a job search campaign is to meet face-to-face with employersto-face with employers

– Preparation is critical to success.Preparation is critical to success. Research the employer, the industry, and the jobResearch the employer, the industry, and the job

Step 7Step 7

Final Preparation to Final Preparation to Ace the InterviewAce the Interview– Your power in a job search is in making Your power in a job search is in making

effective effective presentationspresentations to employers to employers regarding your knowledge, skills, work regarding your knowledge, skills, work experience, and motivation for that interviewer experience, and motivation for that interviewer and job.and job.

– Build information learned during your Build information learned during your networking efforts to networking efforts to reinforce your fitreinforce your fit with the with the targeted job.targeted job.

– Maintain a Maintain a good attitudegood attitude and a healthy sense and a healthy sense of humorof humor

Step 8Step 8

The Interview and Follow-UpThe Interview and Follow-Up– Review what to expect during the interview and Review what to expect during the interview and

pitfalls to avoid – pitfalls to avoid – interview presentationinterview presentation..– Learn how to Learn how to measure your fitmeasure your fit during an on-site during an on-site

interview.interview.– Develop a plan to Develop a plan to close the saleclose the sale and properly and properly

follow-upfollow-up– Preparation is critical to good telephone Preparation is critical to good telephone

communication. communication. ScriptingScripting is simply planning is simply planning what you are going to say before you say it.what you are going to say before you say it.

Step 9Step 9

Deliver “Product YOU’Deliver “Product YOU’– Your start date is set.Your start date is set.– Assure them you delivered on your potential.Assure them you delivered on your potential.– Plan to stay connected in order to retain your Plan to stay connected in order to retain your

value and marketability.value and marketability.

Career Center Website ResourcesCareer Center Website Resources

Career Resource Links: Review TopicsCareer Resource Links: Review Topics– Career/Job/Internship SearchCareer/Job/Internship Search– Industry Job SearchIndustry Job Search– Geographic Job SearchGeographic Job Search– Internships and Volunteer WorkInternships and Volunteer Work– Interview ResourcesInterview Resources– Salary & RelocationSalary & Relocation

ConclusionConclusion

An effective strategy will help you use An effective strategy will help you use printed resources, web-based resources, printed resources, web-based resources, and networking contacts to help you identify and networking contacts to help you identify and consider a variety of jobs until you and consider a variety of jobs until you secure the opportunity you want.secure the opportunity you want.– Your employment future is your responsibility.Your employment future is your responsibility.– Savvy job seekers will make full us of the wide Savvy job seekers will make full us of the wide

array of resources provided to them.array of resources provided to them.

If you would like to If you would like to learn more, learn more, Career Career Planning StrategiesPlanning Strategies textbook will supply textbook will supply additional information additional information on this topic.on this topic.