2009-10
INTERNSHIPS
JOBS
GRADUATE
SCHOOL?
Events
Courses Workshops
Advising
INTERVIEWS
RESUMES
CAREERNETWORK.MSU.EDU
WELCOME TO CAREER SERVICES @ MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
The MSU Career Services Network. . . . . 6
A map for finding the resources
you’re looking for
Get Familiar with MySpartanCareer. . . . 8
It’s more than just job listings
Career Advising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Where it happens and how to make
an appointment
Workshops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
A menu of off erings to jump-start
your career
Career Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Course listings and instructor contact info
Career Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Schedule of 2009–10 career events
Playing by the Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Your responsibilities for professionalism,
honesty, and ethics
EXPLORE & EXPERIENCE: FIND YOUR PASSION AND PUT IT TO WORK
Steps to Explore Your Career Options . . 16
If you’re wondering where to start,
look here for ideas
Career Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Not really tests, but they can help you
find some answers
Gaining Career-Related Experience
& Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Student employment, research, student
organization, and volunteer ideas
Job Shadowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Spend time on the job with a pro
to see what it’s all about
Informational Interviewing . . . . . . . . . 19
Meet professionals to get insider information
Learn and Intern! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Internships and co-op experience options
Getting the Most Out of Career-
Related Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Make an impression as an employee,
volunteer, or intern
When Your Major Isn’t a Roadmap
to a Career . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Applying liberal arts knowledge
to the world of work
Careers for the Public Good . . . . . . . . . 24
Finding your niche at a nonprofit and what
you need to know about federal employment
Thinking About an Advanced Degree. . 26
Things to consider for students interested in
graduate school or professional degrees
HOW TO CONNECT WITH AN EMPLOYER AND MAKE THE RIGHT IMPRESSION
Writing a Good Resume . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Formatting essentials, types of resumes,
and “dos” and “don’ts”
CAREER PASSPORTA publication of the Career Services Network
CAREER SERVICES
Kelley Bishop, Executive Director
@ the stadium
Theda Rudd, Associate Director
290 Spartan Way
East Lansing, MI 48824
517.884.1300
careernetwork.msu.edu
@ student services
Linda Gross, Associate Director
113 Student Services Building
East Lansing, MI 48824
517.355.9510
careernetwork.msu.edu
LEAR CORPORATION CAREER
SERVICES CENTER
Geoff rey Humphrys, Director
21 Eppley Center
East Lansing, MI 48824
517.432.0830
careernetwork.msu.edu
editorial team
Courtney Chapin, Managing Editor
Eric Doerr
Linda Gross
Tammison Smith
illustration
Tom Ruffley
layout/design
Charlie Sharp, Sharp Des!gns,
Lansing, Michigan
advertising inquiries
Please call Career Services
517.355.9510
© 2009 Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
All rights reserved.
Michigan State University is an affirmative-
action, equal-opportunity employer.
Contents
Action Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
A menu of words to help you
demonstrate accomplishment
Resume Makeover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
An example to help you take your
resume to the next level
Combination Resume Spotlight . . . . . . 38
An alternative resume format that could
be just what you’ve been lookng for
Thinking Outside the Box:
The Portfolio Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Create professional, creative, and
electronic portfolios
Cover Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Basics for writing a great cover letter
and a sample to get you started
Communication Essentials: Thank-You
Letters, Phone, and E-mails . . . . . . . . . 42
Make the right impression with
employers
THE JOB SEARCH
Search Strategies You’ll Use Forever . . 44
For your first job after college, your next,
and your next . . .
Job Search Facts You Need to Know . . . 45
Read this section to find out why
International Students and the
Job Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Special considerations for international students
Finding Unadvertised Jobs. . . . . . . . . . 46
Useful techniques for uncovering hidden
job opportunities
On-Campus Interviews for
Internships & Full-Time Jobs . . . . . . . . 47
Find employer presentations and interview
opportunities right here on campus
Graduate Career & Professional
Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
What current and prospective PhD
students need to know about how
to succeed in the job market
Dress to Impress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Tips to build your wardrobe
How to Get Results at a Career Fair . . . 52
Who should go, how to prepare,
what to do there and after
You’ve Got an Interview! Now What?. . 54
Expert advice on behavioral interviewing
and more
Negotiating Job Off ers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Congratulations! Tips on evaluating
your off er and salary
Life after MSU: Your Next Big
Transition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Recent grads give advice on how to
make a successful move from MSU to
the rest of your life
Featured Employers
3M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
BP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Dart Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Ernst & Young. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr
& Huber. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Greater Lansing Life. . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Greenstone Farm Credit
Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
MSU Administrative Information
Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
MSU College of Law . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
MSU Federal Credit Union . . . . . . 60
Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC
Techsmith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Verizon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Wonders
Holden
Wilson
Brody
LIBRARY
Ha
rris
on
Rd
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Michigan Ave.
Trowbridge Rd.
Union
Linton
MUSEUM
Wells
Engineering
CommunicationArts & Sciences
Admin.
Int’l. Center
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BRESLINCENTER SSPPAARRTTANAN
SSTTADIUMADIUM
Olds
Case
KELLOGGCENTER
CAREER SERVICES @ THE STADIUMspecializes in communication, science,
and technology career fields. They host
interviews with employers in a wide
range of industries and organize 12 dif-
ferent career events annually.
CAREER SERVICES @ STUDENT SERVICESfocuses on early career exploration and
experiential learning connections for stu-
dents looking to build the foundations of
their career preparation process. The cen-
ter also provides employment resources
for students and employers in education,
nonprofit, government, and creative fields.
A full range of graduate student career ser-
vices are provided at this center.
LEAR CORPORATION CAREER SERVICESCENTER in the Eli Broad College of Busi-
ness provides career advising for all
students interested in business-related
careers. They also host interviews with
hundreds of companies seeking interns
or entry-level hires.
FIELD CAREER CONSULTANTS are located
in various colleges across campus to pro-
vide customized career services for specific
majors and career fields.
THE MSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION pro-
vides career support to Alumni Associa-
tion members.
MSU Career Network
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career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Hubbard
Akers
Holmes
McDonel
Owen
Van Hoosen
Mason/Abbot
Phillips/Snyder
Shaw
Bo
gu
e S
t.
Ha
ga
do
rn
Grand River Ave.
Farm
La
ne
Wilson Rd.
Shaw Lane
Agriculture
Berkey
StudentServices
EppleyCenter
Erickson
Kedzie
Giltner
Natural Sciences
Bessey
Kresge
Fee
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5
7
9
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SPARTANSTADIUM
AUDITORIUM
WHARTON CENTER
1 CAREER SERVICES @ THE STADIUM
290 Spartan Way
careernetwork.msu.edu
2MSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
242 Spartan Way
John Hill, [email protected]
Dave Isbell, [email protected]
3COLLEGE OF ARTS & LETTERS
200 Linton Hall
Courtney Chapin, [email protected]
Paul Jaques, [email protected]
4COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
201 Berkey Hall
Kristi Coleman, [email protected]
5CAREER SERVICES @ STUDENT SERVICES
113 Student Services Building
careernetwork.msu.edu
6GRADUATE CAREER SERVICES
113 Student Services
Matt Helm, PhD, [email protected]
7COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCE
103 Natural Science Building
Brian Telfor, MSW, [email protected]
8COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
& NATURAL RESOURCES
121 Agriculture Hall
Jill Cords, [email protected]
9LEAR CORPORATION CAREER
SERVICES CENTER
Eli Broad College of Business
21 Eppley Center
10 COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION
ARTS & SCIENCES
Club 181: CAS Center for Jobs & Internships
181 Communication Arts & Sciences
Karin Hanson, [email protected]
Paul Jaques, [email protected]
11 COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
The Center for Spartan Engineering
1340 Engineering Building
Jennifer Jennings, [email protected]
12 JAMES MADISON COLLEGE
356 South Case Hall
Jaimie Hutchison, [email protected]
7career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Career Services staff will keep you
informed about opportunities based
on your profile information.
Upload your resume(s) and cover
letters. Keep them updated and
current.
Access current full-time job postings,
on- and off -campus jobs, internships,
and interview signup through per-
sonalized search criteria. Try a mock
interview! Never miss an opportunity
— create search agents and find out
fast when jobs that meet your criteria
are posted.
Expand your search by tapping into
the national and international reach
of the NACElink network.
Get information on what employers
are out there!
Keep track of your scheduled
interviews and interview requests
so you never miss a meeting with
an employer.
Stay up-to-date on career fairs, events,
workshops, and employer info ses-
sions to make the most out of every
opportunity.
Browse events in a calendar format by
day, week, month, or year. Mark events
for your personal calendar.
MySpartanCareer
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career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Career Search Tools
CONNECTING INTERESTS, SKILLS & VALUES
TO CAREER OPTIONS
▶ Bridges–Choices Planner: Assess and examine your
interests, work values, and beliefs about your work
skills. Search for information on careers, compare
your assessment results with the career information
provided, create a career goal plan and save it all in
your own on-line portfolio.
RESEARCHING EMPLOYERS, FIELDS OF INTEREST,
AND GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS
▶ CareerSearch: Fast access to almost 10 million key
contacts, including: company descriptions, addresses,
names, titles and many e-mail addresses. Search
by industry — advertising agencies, health care
providers, manufacturers, museums, nonprofits,
publishers and more! Use CareerSearch to find
potential employers in your targeted geographic areas
to start uncovering the hidden opportunities in your
field of interest.
INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES
▶ american firms operating in foreign countries:
The authoritative source of information on American
firms with branches, subsidiaries, or affiliates in
foreign countries. American companies listed have a
substantial investment in overseas operations wholly
or partially owned subsidiary affiliate or branch.
▶ foreign firms operating in the u.s.: The
authoritative source of information on foreign firms
(non-American) with branches, subsidiaries, or
affiliates in the United States. Foreign companies listed
have a substantial investment in American operations
wholly or partially owned subsidiary affiliate or branch.
2 NEWS FEED
The Career Services Network strives to bring you the latest
career tools as they become available. Keep your eyes on
MySpartanCareer and http://careernetwork.msu.edu to get the
word about new features and additional Career Search Tools!
9
Advising
Career advisors can help at every stage
of your planning for life after MSU. We
focus on helping you connect your aca-
demic and co-curricular experiences to
life after college, whether your plans
are employment or graduate study.
▶ Just getting started? The Career
Services Network has advisors
skilled in early stages of career
planning and development.
▶ The Lear Corporation Career
Services Center provides career
advising for all students interested
in business-related careers.
▶ Your college may also have a Field
Career Consultant who is a specialist
in career options for majors in your
college. Consultants can provide
detailed information about job
search strategies for specific careers.
All advisors work with students
through workshops and individual
advising. To set up an individual advis-
ing appointment, go to careernetwork.msu.edu and click on “Career Advis-
ing.” Because individual appointments
are in high demand, we recommend
attending a workshop before you come
see us to help make the most of your
individual time.
We’re
advising, workshops & courses
2 NEWS FEED
Everything the Career Services
Network has to off er is available to
recent graduates for one year after
graduation. Services, including
MySpartanCareer, are available
to members of the MSU Alumni
Association who are more than
one year past graduation.
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career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Courses
job search strategies Looking for a course that focuses
on finding a job, internship, or career-building experience?
If so, you may want to consider a course that can help you
narrow areas of interest, develop strategies for eff ective
professional communication, research companies, market
your skills and experiences, network with professionals, and
present yourself eff ectively in interviews and at career fairs.
ssc 490 1 credit fall & spring
Kristi Coleman [email protected]
al 250 2 credits fall & spring
Courtney Chapin [email protected]
cas 380 1 credit fall
Karin Hanson [email protected]
nsc 491 1 credit fall
Brian Telfor [email protected]
Some colleges and departments off er other courses for
specific fields. Consult with your academic advisor or
academic departments to find out more.
career & academic decision-making If you are looking for a
course that can help you connect academics, skills, and real
careers, consider enrolling in one of the following courses
taught by career experts. For more information and specific
section numbers, contact:
anr 101a 2 credits spring
Dr. Phil Gardner [email protected]
rcah 281 2 credits fall
Kate McGormley [email protected]
Workshops
Workshops are held frequently on a wide variety of topics.
See Events ⇢ Workshops in MySpartanCareer for a detailed
schedule. Workshop subjects usually include:
▶ Resume writing
▶ Step-by-step career planning
▶ Eff ective job campaign
▶ Orientation to the Career Services Network and
MySpartanCareer▶ Dressing for success
▶ Business careers for non-business majors
▶ Interview and communication skills
▶ Networking
▶ Preparing for career fairs
▶ Researching an employer
▶ Internship and summer job search strategies
▶ Applying for graduate/professional school
▶ “What can I do with a major in . . . ?”
▶ Presentations with featured speakers — including alumni,
employer representatives, faculty, and other experts
Here to Help!
5 NEW FRIEND REQUEST
Get connected with MySpartanCareer
▶ Create your profile on MySpartan Career — and keep it up-to-date. Tell
us a bit about yourself and how we can help you meet your career goals.
▶ Check for workshops, career events, information and other services that
meet your needs.
▶ Use MySpartanCareer to research employers. Look for internships, part-
time jobs (on- and off -campus), and full-time career positions.
3 CAREER SERVICES POST
Through many years of working with students on their
career development and job search, I believe most
do not understand the value of the services available
to them through the Career Services Network. Brian
Krueger, author of College Grad Job Hunter, accurately
captures the value of these services available to you:
“The same services available for free . . . from your
Career Development office would cost from $500 to
$3,000 at a professional career counseling service.”
Make sure you utilize these services as early as possible
in your academic career. —ERIC DOERR, COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
11
Fall Semester ’099/9/09 . EARN, LEARN & INTERN
Looking for part-time employment this fall? Searching
for an internship to help you develop your professional
skills? Update your resume and attend the Earn, Learn,
and Intern Fair. On-campus employers, along with local
businesses will be present to talk with students about
part-time job and internship opportunities.
9/23/09 . MSU’S JAMES MADISON COLLEGE LAW SCHOOL FAIR
Representatives from a number of top law schools come
to campus for this event. Come to meet admissions
representatives and find out more about law school and
the admission process. Although hosted by MSU’s James
Madison College, students from throughout the univer-
sity are welcome and encouraged to participate.
10/7–8/09 . CAREER GALLERY
The largest fair of the year—a two-day event! Over 250
employers and 4,500 students attend.
. SCIENCE, ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY EXCHANGE(Oct. 7) For students inter-
ested in the corporate sectors
of engineering, science, R&D,
biotechnology, computer
science and information
technology, media, and
telecommunication.
. BUSINESS EXCHANGE(Oct. 8) For students inter-
ested in business-related
jobs. Employers represent
the automotive, manufactur-
ing, agribusiness, service,
consumer products, retail,
insurance, transportation,
and finance industries.
10/13/09 . GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL RECRUITMENT FAIR
Meet admissions recruiters to learn more about programs
and what they seek in competitive applicants. Over 100
institutions off ering graduate programs in law, health,
science, business, public aff airs, arts, and humanities will
be at MSU to meet you.
10/15/09 . AGRICULTURE CAREER FAIR
For all students interested in Ag-related careers. Connect
with internships and full-time opportunities in the bio
economy, agribusiness, agriculture communications,
sales and marketing, research, production agriculture, or
the green industries. Employers represent the agronomy,
dairy, equine, fruit, horticulture, livestock, turf grass, veg-
etable, bio fuels, grain, landscaping, and meat industries.
11/3/09 . HOSPITALITY BUSINESS–CAREER EXPO
Targeted toward students with a particular interest
in pursuing management careers in the hospitality
industry. Employers recruit for permanent management
positions and internships. Prior to the evening career
fair, industry leaders present professional development
workshops in a variety of topics. This event is coordi-
nated through the department. For more information on
this particular event, call 517.353.9747.
11/6/09 . CREATIVE ARTS FORUM
For students considering a more creative career path.
Come to meet professionals and learn more about what
it takes to begin a career in fields like writing, editing,
curation, film, design, arts management, publishing
and other creative arts areas. This event is primarily an
information-sharing and networking opportunity, not a
recruiting event.
Career Events All events are open to students in ALL majors.
Attend all that fit your personal interests.
1 LINKS
Use MySpartanCareer to to see which employers
you want to meet and to find dates and times for
Career Fair Cram Sessions to help you prepare.
2 NEWS FEED
Career Fairs give you an opportu-
nity to speak directly with employ-
ers about openings, learn about
career fields, and gain advice
on job and internship searches.
Events are open to all enrolled
students — check out what we’ve
got planned for this academic year!
Don’t wait until you really need a job
to go to a Career Fair. Choose one
that interests you and go to learn
more about potential employers
and observe how fairs work. Career
Fairs are a great way to make pro-
fessional contacts! Plus, there is
usually a lot of free stuff .
12
career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Spring Semester ’101/21/10 . DIVERSITY CAREER FAIR
This inclusive event attracts over 2,400 students and 150
well-known employers representing a variety of industries.
Our largest Spring Semester event, this fair is part of a year-
long series of workshops, networking receptions, and em-
ployer information sessions related to workplace diversity.
2/11/10 . GOVERNMENT & NONPROFIT CAREER FAIR
Looking for a career with impact? Want to make a diff er-
ence? Come to this event to meet employers representing
federal, state, and local government as well as nonprofit
agencies. Explore what sorts of public service opportuni-
ties might be right for you.
2/11/10 . ENVIRONMENTAL, NATURAL RESOURCES & GREEN INDUSTRY CAREER FAIR
Passionate about nature, sustainability, the environment?
Attend this informational fair to explore consulting
firms, government agencies, nonprofits, policy interest
groups and other organizations whose work is related
to environmental, natural resources, conservation, sus-
tainability and green initiatives.
2/18/10 . SUMMER EMPLOYMENT & INTERNSHIP FAIR
For students looking for a full- or part-time seasonal job or
internship. Over 80 employers attend—past participants
include the Office of the Governor, Cedar Point Amusement
Park, Palace Sports and Entertainment (Auburn Hills),
Comerica Park, Target, Kraft Foods, Citadel Broadcasting,
and over 40 summer camps.
2/18/10 . ENGINEERING EXPO
When is a Career Fair not a Career Fair? When it’s an Expo!
This is an interactive, information-sharing event. Come to
gain knowledge of companies, interact with alumni, net-
work with professional engineers, and get “insider” info.
Over 800 students attend with a large percentage consist-
ing of younger undergraduates participating in their first
interaction with employers. For more information contact
The Center for Spartan Engineering at 517.355.5163 or via
email at [email protected].
2/19/10 . SPEED NETWORKING
You’ve heard getting a job is about who you know, and
speed networking is your chance to meet professionals
with careers in advertising, media, IT, sales & marketing,
PR/communications, multimedia, and entertainment. At-
tendance at a prep session is mandatory for participation.
Pre-registration is required for both the prep session and
speed networking. This event is coordinated by Club 181,
the CAS Center for Careers & Internships in the College of
Communication Arts & Sciences, 517.355.6500.
3/9/10 . SPRING BREAK JOB SHADOW PROGRAM
This one-day program allows you to gain valuable insight
on careers you may want to pursue in the future, network
with professionals in your areas of interest, observe the
workplace, and ask questions about your field of interest.
Students have the opportunity to job shadow professionals
from various disciplines at businesses, nonprofit or public
sector entities in Lansing, Detroit, Grand Rapids and
Chicago. Attendance at a prep session prior to the event is
mandatory for participation.
4/10/10 . HIREBIG10PLUS SPRING CAREER FAIR
This event is a unique opportunity for students from across
the Big 10 to connect with employers seeking to fill open
internship, full- and part-time positions. Combining the
power of the Big 10 schools helps us connect top employ-
ers with some of the most talented and qualified college
students in the field.
4/13/10 . TEACHER/ADMINISTRATOR RECRUITMENT FAIR
This annual MSU event attracts over 125 school districts
nationwide seeking to recruit new teachers. Participating
school systems include Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, New
York, Los Angeles, Indianapolis, Tampa, Chapel Hill, Fair-
banks, and Baltimore.
1 LINKS
Not sure what to do at a Career Fair? Go to careernetwork.msu.edu
and read our quick guide to Career Fairs! — or go to pages 52–53
to read the section “Get Results at a Career Fair.”
13
Playing by the
3 CAREER SERVICES POST
Possessing a high level of integrity is critical to happiness and success
throughout your educational pursuits, career, and life. It is the very key to
defining the person you really are.
Take this to heart — integrity isn’t something about you — it is you. We all
have to accept the implications of our decisions and actions — whether they
are positive or negative. In some cases, if we act with less integrity, we may
not like the consequences. However, it is the reality; and we have to live with
it — as well as deal with it!
On campus, we expect you to follow certain policies and practices, and to
honor your commitments — and to do this with a high degree of integrity. Keep
in mind that your actions are not isolated and many constituencies will in
some manner be aff ected by your decisions.
I believe one of the best descriptions of integrity can be found in our own
MSU Career Services Network’s 12 Essentials for Success:
“What does it mean to perform with integrity? Some ethical decisions
are pretty straightforward. Other times, you may not even think of
something as an ‘ethical’ matter, or won’t have an easy time knowing
the best thing to do.”
m Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary defines integrity as “moral
soundness; honesty.” Performing with integrity means:
▶ Accepting responsibility for your actions, including your mistakes.
▶ Keeping your word and following through.
▶ Making principled decisions based on personal and professional ethics.
▶ Following the golden rule — treating others as you would like to be treated.
▶ Acting consistently and transparently in all your dealings.
—GEOFF HUMPHREYS, DIRECTOR, LEAR CORPORATION CAREER SERVICES CENTER
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career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
your responsibilities for professionalism, honesty & ethics
Policies
FALSIFICATION OF INFORMATION
Students and alumni registering and submitting their resume and data are certifying that the information
is truthful and accurate. Those found providing false information in any way risk becoming ineligible for
on-campus interviewing and Career Network services.
INTERVIEW APPOINTMENT CANCELLATION
You are expected to accept the responsibility for keeping every interview appoint ment scheduled. Can-
celing late or not showing up may result in becoming ineligible for on-campus interviewing.
▶ LATE CANCELLATION. MySpartanCareer will only accept cancellations up to 4 days prior to a
scheduled interview — including Saturday and Sunday. If you need to cancel an interview after that,
you must contact the appropriate Career Center (at which the interview is to occur).
▶ NO-SHOW. A “no-show” for an interview is professionally unacceptable and demonstrates a lack of
respect and responsibility. Even in an emergency situation, you should contact and inform the Career
Center.
ACCEPTANCE OF JOB OFFER
If you’ve accepted a job off er, you should not continue to interview with employers. Notify employers
with whom you may have upcoming interviews and withdraw your application.
RENEGING
Reneging is accepting a job off er and then changing your mind
in order to accept an off er with another employer. Reneging can
damage your reputation forever — and may make you ineligi-
bile for on-campus interviewing and Career Network services.
The University does not sanction reneging on your part for any reason. Avoid a reneging
situation by carefully planning and managing your entire job search process.
Rules
1 LINKS
Policy details can be found on the Career Network
website and the MySpartanCareer login page.
15
Find Your Passion . . .
Steps to Explore
Your Career Options
“SO WHAT CAN I DO WITH A MAJOR IN . . . ?”
▶ Keep an eye on workshop off erings and alumni panels
in MySpartanCareer.
▶ Check out careernetwork.msu.edu to get a sense of
what others who graduated in your major are doing
now. Your college website may have additional info.
▶ Meet career advisors who can help you lay out a plan
to explore your interests and connect with alumni and
professionals.
“I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT I WANT TO DO . . .” OR “I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING!”
▶ A career advisor can suggest strategies to help you
uncover your interests, or narrow them down.
▶ The Career Network website off ers resources that can
help you browse career options.
▶ A career assessment can help you discover your
strengths and interests.
“I HEARD I CAN TAKE A CAREER TEST . . .”
Yeah, you can do that, but they aren’t really tests. The as-
sessments we use help you organize your interests. The
results help you reflect on what you already know about
yourself to plan for your future. Talking with a career
advisor about your results can help you see how you can
use what you’ve learned to make career decisions.
16
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and Put It to Work
4 YOUR CAREER INBOX
Ask yourself . . .
▶ Who am I? Who do I want to be?
▶ What values guide me? What are my most important
life goals?
▶ What ideas excite me? What activities are most
engaging?
▶ How do I learn? What knowledge is important to my
plans for personal and professional development?
▶ How have my experiences helped me grow? What
assets do my experiences bring to new settings?
▶ What skills are my strengths? Are there skills I need to
develop?
▶ What drives me? How do I make things happen and
create new opportunities?
2 NEWS FEED
College is about exploration and discovery . . .
Take time to talk with your professors, advisors, and
fellow students about majors, specializations, and other
areas of interest. If you’re not sure about what you’re
interested in or have too many interests, you may want
to meet with a career advisor to help you focus in on
what’s most important to you.
Career Assessments
▶ Bridges–Choices Planner allows you to assess and examine
your interests, work values, and beliefs about your
work skills. This online assessment also off ers a wealth
of information about occupations. You can search for
information on careers, compare your assessment results
with the career information provided, create a career goal
plan and save it all in your own on-line portfolio. Bridges–
Choices Planner is available through MySpartanCareer (see page 9). We recommend you make an appointment with an advisor after
completion to talk about your results.
▶ Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Strong Interest Inventory are in-
depth assessments available through your career advisor and require a minimum
of two advising sessions. The MBTI helps you to assess how your personality
preferences might infl uence your career choices, and helps you to understand
yourself and your interactions with others (at work or in your personal life). The
Strong Interest Inventory helps you clarify and refl ect on
your interests so you can better understand and expand on
possible career options.
17
Gaining Career-Related Experience &
Job Shadowing
During a typical job shadowing visit, you “shadow”
an employee at work for a couple of hours, or some-
times even a full day. The visit provides an up-close look at workplaces and the “real
job” from an employee’s view. You have a chance to observe daily office activities,
ask questions, and consider the potential pros and cons of a particular profession or
industry. You will also discover what workplace skills and career-related experiences
are essential to being successful in your chosen field.
BENEFITS OF JOB SHADOWING
▶ Gain important information and advice to assist you in making informed
academic and career decisions.
▶ Make a valuable new networking contact in the “real” world.
▶ Link your skill development, courses, and academic planning to your future
success on the job.
PREPARING FOR A JOB SHADOWING VISIT
▶ Research the employer and/or industry you will be observing.
▶ Choose 10–15 questions to ask the employee you shadow.
▶ Confirm the time/date
and plan for transporta-
tion to the site.
AFTER THE VISIT
▶ Send a thank-you note.
▶ Take time to assess
what you learned about
the skills and work
experiences needed
to pursue your career
interests. Are there skills
you need to gain? What
are your next steps?
1 LINKS
See MySpartanCareer for MSU
Spring Break Job Shadow Program
information!
4 YOUR CAREER INBOX
Additional ways to get career-related experience . . .
▶ Working on- or off -campus is
a great way to gain workplace
skills while earning a paycheck.
▶ Volunteer work and service-
learning are great ways to help
the community and build your
skill base.
▶ If you like research, try setting
up an undergraduate research
experience with a professor or
an employer. (venture.msu.edu)
▶ Being an active member of a
student organization provides
lots of opportunity for develop-
ing career related skills that
translate to success when you
graduate.
▶ Be a career event ambassador!
Each year we recruit hundreds
of volunteers to host employers
at career events. It’s a great op-
portunity for 1st- and 2nd-year
students to learn about fairs
from the inside out and for any
student who wants to broaden
their professional network.
3 CAREER SERVICES POST
Getting the crucial hands-on work experience you need
comes in the form of many opportunities. Cooperative
education, internships, and summer research are
great ways to start your introduction into the working
world. Volunteer, service learning, and study abroad
opportunities are also ways to gain experience and
the “soft skills” that are so important on the job. In
today’s job market employers stress the importance of
work experience. More engineering graduates find the
“entry-level” position is disappearing and the work
experiences they gain while still in school can benefit
them after college. Not only will you get a chance to
experiment to see what kind of work you like to do,
but three to six months working can open many doors:
expanded network, working knowledge of your industry,
and much more. —JENNIFER JENNINGS • COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
18
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Contacts
Talking to current professionals is a great way to
determine if a career field is for you. An informational
interview is a 10–30 minute conversation with someone
working in a position or field that interests you.
“WHY SHOULD I DO AN INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW?”
▶ TO LEARN. If you want to find out what a specific
career path has to off er, what the positives and
negatives are within an organization’s culture, or
which academic major will best prepare you for a
selected career path, why not ask the people who are
already working within that field?
▶ TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. In a recent national
survey, 70% of respondents reported they got their
present position because of a personal contact. The
earlier you start building relationships with people in
your field of interest, the stronger they will be when
you actually begin your job hunt later on.
“HOW DO I CONDUCT AN INFORMATIONAL INVERVIEW?”
▶ An outline for conducting informational interviews can
be found at careernetwork.msu.edu.
“WHERE DO I FIND PEOPLE TO INTERVIEW?”
▶ Career Search in MySpartanCareer — a searchable
database of employers, including contact info
(see page 9). You might be surprised how many
professionals are willing to talk with you about their
careers and professional experiences.
▶ Friends, family, and professors. You will be amazed at
how many contacts you may be able to make through
existing relationships.
2 NEWS FEED
Taking risks broadens your vision for the future . . .
▶ Experiment with electives and Study Abroad programs.
▶ Talk with faculty about their research and field
experiences.
▶ Take a tour of a business, nonprofit, or government
organization.
▶ Go on an Alternative Spring Break program.
Informational Interviewing
19
Internships
WHAT IS AN INTERNSHIP?
“Internship” has lots of diff erent meanings.
For our purposes, let’s define it as “work
experience (paid or unpaid) in your chosen
field of study.” Internships can take place
during the summer months or during a
semester, and may be full-time or part-time.
Cooperative education placements (co-ops)
are special internships available through
some academic departments. You can
receive pay and academic credit for such an
experience!
EVERY MAJOR CAN FIND WORK EXPERIENCE WHILE IN SCHOOL.
Whatever your major or field of study, there
are opportunities to obtain related work
experience. Check with your college intern-
ship coordinator or academic advisor to
discover if it’s possible to obtain academic
credit.
FINDING EXPERIENCE IS AS EASY AS . . .
▶ Make use of MySpartanCareer, and take
advantage of on-campus interviewing
and other campus resources, like career
events (see pages 12–13).
▶ Talk to faculty, advisors, family, and
friends (see the article on “Informational
Interviewing,” page 19).
▶ Identify employers of interest and
contact them directly!
Learn and Intern
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. SET GOALS.
Before you begin, sit down with your supervisor
and establish several realistic goals for your
learning experience. Ask, “What results should
I be working toward?” Use these goals to evalu-
ate yourself throughout your experience.
. KNOW YOUR PLACE.
You will be working with professionals who
have many more years of experience in the
field than you. Remember you do not have all
the answers. Communicate respectfully to all
employees . . . those with a college degree, and
those without. At the same time, don’t be afraid
to share your ideas. Sometimes a fresh perspec-
tive is just what your employer needs.
. FIND A MENTOR.
If your employer does not provide you with
someone who will coach you and answer your
questions, seek out employees who will agree
to serve in that role.
. TAKE THE INITIATIVE.
Some experiences are well-defined with specific
outcomes provided, others are not. In either
case, don’t sit back and wait! Your employer
will be impressed when you see a problem or
issue and address it. When you take ownership
in your work, you’ll find it more rewarding.
. HAVE FUN!
Learning about your chosen field can be an
enjoyable experience. Connect with other stu-
dents and employees both inside and outside
of the work environment. Take it upon yourself
to organize after-work social activities if they
are not planned for you. Remember to exhibit a
strong work ethic throughout your experience,
and you will be respected by those you work
with.
Getting the Most Out of
Career-Related Experience
Some things to consider to help you become the star hire that all employers hope to find:
2 NEWS FEED
Students who complete internships while in school are preferred
by employers, graduate, and professional schools. Entry-level
salary off ers to students who have internship experience are
higher than to students without internship experience.
4 YOUR CAREER INBOX
Find internships right here on campus! Use MySpartanCareer
and choose “Internship,” keyword MSU. Also find more about
Internships@State at intern.careernetwork.msu.edu.
1 LINKS
Check out the Student Internship Toolkit, fill out the Intern-
ship Interest Form, tell us about your internship experience,
and more at intern.careernetwork.msu.edu.
21
the liberal arts job search
IT HELPS TO PUT YOUR DEGREE IN PERSPECTIVE FIRST.
Just because the curriculum hasn’t
steered you along a particular career
path, that doesn’t mean your degree
is worthless or that no one wants to
hire you. You probably chose your
major not because of the job it was (or
wasn’t) going to get you, but because
of your passion for and interest in the
subject matter.
While not having a major that provides
a roadmap to a given career might
make figuring out what you want to do
next more challenging, it also gives
you many directions in which to turn.
Your degree isn’t automatically pre-
defining what you can do — you can do
just about anything you want.
Before you start on your job search,
you’ll need to lay some groundwork for
yourself. Ask yourself questions about
what’s important to you when it comes
to work and life in general:
▶ How will your choice of career
complement other aspects of
yourself?
▶ What role will your career play in
your life?
▶ What kinds of things would you like
to have the chance to do?
▶ What strengths do you want to use?
▶ What do you know you don’t want
to do?
DECIDE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO YOU TO WORK IN AN AREA DIRECTLY RELATED TO YOUR FIELD.
One of the hard personal choices that
you’ll need to make is deciding how
important it is to you to work in a
career that is directly related to your
field. This is a question only you can
answer. For many students, one of the
best things to do is to forget about
your field and focus instead on your
interests.
What are you passionate about? You
might find that your interests are very
diverse, or maybe very specific and
limited. Focusing on your interests is a
good way to grow your career opportu-
nities and help ensure that you find a
career that feels right.
If it’s really important to you to work
in your field, and you need help finding
resources for where to look and what
to look for, you should see your Field
Career Consultant for field-specific
assistance.
WHAT IF EMPLOYERS I’M INTERESTED IN AREN’T LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WITH MY DEGREE?
You may have to explicitly make the
case to an employer that you’re a
qualified candidate. The trick here is to
get beyond job titles and preferred ma-
jors. Instead, focus on the qualifications
When Your Major Isn’t a Roadmap to
4 YOUR CAREER INBOX
Sometimes fi nding a job might seem harder
for you than for your friends graduating
with a degree in business or engineering.
Some degrees are more profession-driven
than others, and that’s OK. As a liberal arts
grad, you’ve got a lot to off er an employer —
and there are a lot of directions you can go.
You need to know what you’re looking for so
you can you can fi gure out where to fi nd it.
3 CAREER SERVICES POST
With the extra level of flexibility from a liberal arts degree comes an extra responsibil-
ity to take initiative to explore career options that would be a good fit. You’ll likely
need to do lots of in-depth soul-searching regarding your personal goals, interests
and values as they apply to the world of work. If you haven’t already, spend some time
answering important questions about what you want to get out of work, where you want
to be in five years, what kind of life you want to live and who you want to be — do this
before you start your job search. Take time to put the answers together for yourself and
you might just find they help you later when employers ask you to articulate answers to
other hard questions like “Why do you want to work for us?”
— COURTNEY CHAPIN • COLLEGE OF ARTS & LETTERS
22
career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
section of the job listing. Look for posi-
tions that seem interesting, regardless
of what the title is, or the preferred
degree. You may in fact possess many of
the qualities they’re looking for:
▶ COMMUNICATION SKILLS, both
written and oral (remember the
countless papers and presentations?),
▶ the ABILITY TO WORK COLLABORA-
TIVELY (how about all those group
projects and community service
projects?),
▶ and LEADERSHIP SKILLS (ever
held a leadership role in a student
organization or been responsible
for training or supervising others at
work?).
These skills are all often part of the
desired qualifications section of entry-
level positions.
If you can demonstrate in your
cover letter and resume that you’re
as qualified as someone from the
employer’s preferred major, you have
just as good a shot at landing the job!
It’s all about how you put the whole
package together.
THERE ARE SOME LIBERAL ARTS-FRIENDLY CAREER PATHS OUT THERE YOU MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT.
Nonprofit organizations and govern-
mental agencies (both local and fed-
eral) tend to be a little more flexible
about what field your degree is in and
off er opportunities to do work in an
area that’s of interest to you. Nonprofit
and government employment (also
known as the public sector) can also
give you the opportunity to change
your world.
Read more about conducting a govern-
ment and nonprofit job search on
pages 24–25.
WHEN YOU SAY I CAN DO ANYTHING, WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN?
You might be wondering what other
liberal arts grads, or more speci fically,
what other students from your major,
have done with their degrees. The
possibilities are pretty much endless,
but to give you an idea . . . Liberal
arts graduates have become actors,
musicians, CEOs, marketing directors,
Hollywood producers, legislative aides,
advertising copywriters and creative
directors, communications managers,
writers, police officers, editors, transla-
tors, filmmakers, artists, designers,
counselors, lobbyists, teachers,
professors, elected government
officials, social workers, com-
puter programmers, managers,
curators, agents, promoters,
entrepreneurs — and yes,
even lawyers, judges, and
doctors!
a Career . . .
3 CAREER SERVICES POST
Have you considered federal employment?
If not, perhaps you should start. The
good news for MSU graduates is that the
federal government is hiring! In fact, the
federal government projects that more than
550,000 employees (over one-third of the
permanent, full-time workforce) will leave
the government in the next five years. Talk
about job openings! Even better news for
liberal arts students is that the federal
government currently employs more than
425,000 individuals from arts, humanities,
and social science backgrounds.
— KRISTI COLEMAN • COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
23
Finding Your Niche at a Nonprofit
Did you know that the vast majority of nonprofit organizations have paid,
full-time staff who perform a variety of tasks — graphic design, management,
volunteer coordination, writing, accounting, and more? People from all kinds
of academic backgrounds find nonprofits a rewarding and fulfilling career
path. If you’re looking for a chance to use your talents and a sense of social
contribution, a career with a nonprofit might be right for you.
Nonprofit organizations diff er from for-profit companies in that, although
they’re raising and generating revenue, making a profit isn’t their bottom line.
They’re using the money to forward their mission. Nonprofit organizations
can be professional associations, religious-affiliated groups, political activist
organizations, educational institutions, human service providers, just to name
a few. They cover a wide spectrum of interest areas—there’s probably one out
there doing work you’d like to be a part of!
There are literally tens of thousands of nonprofit organizations — so many that
when the time comes to research potential employers, it’s hard to know where
to start with your job search. To get started:
▶ DON’T FORGET THE LITTLE GUYS. You may be familiar with large
organizations like the United Way, Red Cross, or Sierra Club; however there
are many smaller nonprofit organizations that might not be so well known.
▶ BE SPECIFIC. Which sector and interest area would you like to work in — the
environment, public health, business services, research? The more specific
you can be, the more successful you will be in finding organizations that
might be right for you. Use CareerSearch to find nonprofits in your areas of
interest (see page 11).
▶ SHOW YOUR SKILLS. The more you stand out as
somebody who off ers a number of valuable skills,
the more competitive you are. Are you a good
writer? Do you have web-development skills?
Careers for the Public Good
2 NEWS FEED
Nonprofi ts and government agen-
cies come to campus. The Creative
Arts Forum, Government &
Nonprofi t Career Fair, and the En-
vironmental & Natural Resources
Fair are all good events to pay at-
tention to. The Diversity Fair often
sees some of these employers, too.
Always check MySpartanCareer to
see which employers are coming
to events. Your employers of inter-
est could be coming!
1 LINKS
For more information, visit
www.idealist.org.
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What You Need to Know
about Federal Employment
Did you know the federal government employs people in all
fields from art to zoology and is among the leading employ-
ers of liberal arts grads? In fact, over 425,000 arts, humani-
ties and social science alums work in federal agencies. And
median salaries for these workers tend to be higher in the
federal government when compared to other employers. High
rates of retirement — more than 550,000 individuals are
projected to leave over the next five years — are creating job
openings across the government.
Hiring in the federal government is decentralized, with
each agency hiring independently. By law, all government
agencies must post any vacancy open to outside applicants
on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website
(www.usajobs.gov). The application process (and applica-
tion) for government positions can be lengthy . . . be patient!
All applications are considered and positions are filled based
upon merit.
“HOW DO I APPLY?”
The federal government has its
own application system and what
sometimes seems like its own
language. Once you understand the
procedure of applying and some
special terminology, the application
is fairly straightforward. One of the
most helpful sites on the Web for all
aspects of the federal job search is
the Partnership for Public Service.
4 YOUR CAREER INBOX
Federal, state, county and city goverments
have all kinds of positions — everything from
artists to zookeepers. For more on federal em-
pllyment, see the info on this page. For state,
county and city governments, visit the website
for your locations of interest and visit a career
advisor for assistance.
1 LINKS
Visit the Partnership for Public Service at
MakingTheDiff erence.org to access resources
for college students and recent grads.
25ssspororttt 2220career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Why do you want to go
to graduate school?
▶ YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE and be able to use it to help people,
research, teach, make a great discovery . . . As a graduate
or professional student, you become part of the process for
advancing and creating knowledge in your field. Be prepared for
changes—the expectations from faculty members are diff erent
than for undergrads and are far more demanding.
▶ THE CAREER YOU WANT REQUIRES AN ADVANCED DEGREE.
Clearly, if you want to be a doctor, a lawyer, or a faculty
researcher, an advanced professional degree is required. In
order to advance in some fields—such as social work, public
administration, education, and business—you may need to
complete a professional master’s program.
▶ YOU WANT TO MAKE MORE MONEY. Having an advanced degree
does not always translate to more money. Salaries for someone
with an advanced degree vary by profession, job market, and
location. Advanced degrees do not always mean better chances of
finding a job, either. The key here is to do some solid research on
your profession and the demand for people with advanced degrees.
How can I decide if
grad school is for me?
Talk with current graduate students and faculty or professionals in
your field. Ask them why they chose graduate or professional school.
How has it helped them in their careers and life goals? What advice
would they give to a student thinking about graduate school?
Need some more guidance? Make an appointment with your field
career consultant or career advisor to discuss your graduate or
professional school search and application process.
Thinking about an Advanced Degree
2 NEWS FEED
Admissions requirements will vary
from program to program. Find out
for each program: preferred under-
graduate majors or coursework, if
any; GPA; standardized tests (GRE,
GMAT, etc.); academic or work
skills preferred; and application
deadlines.
1 LINKS
You can find a list of factors to
consider in choosing a graduate
school, information on personal
statements, and more at career-network.msu.edu.
26
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“WHAT’S A RESUME FOR, ANYWAY?”
You want your resume to catch the attention of an employer
and make them interested in talking to you. Employers
receive many resumes, and usually spend only seconds skim-
ming them. Make your important information easy for them
to see:
. Use bullets — rather than writing in paragraphs.
. Be as specific as possible about your skills and
qualifications.
. Use headings to clearly organize your content.
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A “ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL” RESUME!
If you’re considering a variety of career op-
tions and applying for many diff erent kinds
of positions, you’ll need to customize each
resume you submit. It’s important to tailor
your resume to the particular position
as much as possible. Incorporate
language from the job description
into your headings and action bul-
lets whenever you can.
Writing a Good Resume
2 NEWS FEED
Intimidated by the prospect of
writing your resume ? . . .
Confused about why you even
need one in the first place ? . . .
You’re not alone !
30
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Formatting Essentials
There are no rules about what a resume ought to look
like, or what it should or shouldn’t include. It all
depends on the job you’re applying for, the kind of
employer, and the image of yourself that you want to
project. But, there are some general formatting rules
you should always remember . . .
▶ For a recent college undergrad applying for an entry-
level position, stick to one page. (Exceptions are for
federal or education resumes, which tend to be longer
because of additional material required.)
▶ One-inch margins (all the way around) are standard
for resumes.
▶ Be consistent with your format throughout the
document. Use the same line spacing, font, font size,
etc.
▶ Avoid italics and underlining, since they can be
misread by optical scanners that are used by many
employers for scanning resumes into electronic
database systems. Use ALL CAPS and bold to make
your important words and phrases stand out.
▶ Choose a font that is easy to read. Good fonts include
Arial, Times New Roman, Palatino, Tahoma, and
Verdana. Use no less than 11 points for smaller fonts;
larger fonts can be easily read at 10 points.
▶ Make headers and contact information larger than
body text.
▶ Don’t use templates or resume programs to create
your resume. Anyone who spends time looking at a
lot of resumes can spot them a mile away.
▶ Use action verbs to begin bullet points whenever
possible. This way, an employer will easily see your
skills (analyzed, organized, wrote, solved . . . ) just by
skimming over the first part of each line. Check out
the action verbs list (page 34) for more ideas on what
kinds of language to use in your resume.
RESUMES ARE NOT A LIST OF EVERYTHING YOU’VE EVER DONE.
Use the job description to guide what you include
on your resume, and what you leave out. Employers
are interested in what you’ve done recently. Include
only experiences that you’ve had since you’ve been in
college — don’t include your high school education or
activities.
It’s not necessary to list all the courses you’ve ever
taken. If employers really care about your coursework,
they’ll ask for transcripts. If you have coursework that is
directly relevant to the position, you could include that
as a bullet point in your “Education” section.
IDENTIFY YOUR TRANSFERABLE SKILLS.
Even if you think that your work experience isn’t related
to the position you’re applying for, chances are you’ve
learned skills that would be useful and applicable in
almost any work setting.
Don’t just list the duties that you performed. Be as
specific and results-oriented as possible; using numbers
is particularly eff ective. Your involvement in extracur-
ricular activities, volunteer work, and work experience
while in college demonstrates that you’re able to man-
age your time eff ectively and balance multiple tasks at
once.
31
Choose Your Format
After you’ve identified the position or employer your resume will
target, choose the resume format that best meets your needs.
CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME
▶ Lists your work history in reverse chronological order
(most recent first).
▶ Is the format preferred by many employers. It is also the
preferred format for undergraduates.
▶ Works best for those who have progressed in titles and
have a good work history.
FUNCTIONAL RESUME
▶ Centers around skill areas that relate to the position for which you’re
applying.
▶ Works well for those with limited education, significant employment gaps,
lack of work experience, or experience in a diff erent field. This format can
be used both by recent grads and career changers.
▶ WARNING! This format isn’t well received by many employers for a variety
of reasons. If you’d like to use a functional format, seek assistance from a
career advisor for feedback. If you like the idea, but think it’s just a little
too much, you might consider a combination resume.
COMBINATION RESUME
▶ Combines both detailed work history and skills.
▶ Usually includes a “skills summary” or “highlights”
section near the top.
▶ TIP: Keep your skills section short, somewhere around
four bullets.
Resume Types
4 YOUR CAREER INBOX
RESUME-ZILLA!
Once you’ve decided what type of format will work best
for you, it’s time to start writing! Begin by making a list
of your skills, work experience, honors, awards, activi-
ties, internship experience, etc. Include anything you
think an employer would want to know. Once you have
this mega-resume, it will be easier to customize each re-
sume for each employer, and include only relevant info.
32
1 LINKS
RESUMES IN THE DIGITAL AGE
“What if an employer asks me for a scannable resume
— or wants me to send a resume electronically?”
Nearly 70 percent of all employers have an electronic
resume system, according to the National Association
of Colleges and Employers. This means that the first
person to see your resume will probably be a computer!
For information on scannable resume formatting and
electronic resumes, check out the resume resources at
careernetwork.msu.edu.
career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Resume Don’ts
In a recent survey of over 2,500
recruiters in the U.S. and Canada,
ResumeDoctor.com collected
feedback on their 20 biggest “pet
peeves” when it comes to resumes.
Surveyed recruiters represented
many diff erent industries/special-
ties. Below are the top ten results
from the survey.
1 Spelling errors, typos, and poor
grammar
2 Too duty-oriented; reads like
a job description and fails to
explain what the job seeker’s
accomplishments are
3 Dates not included, or inaccurate
dates
4 Omitted or incorrect contact
info or unprofessional e-mail
addresses
5 Poor formatting — boxes,
templates, tables, use of headers
and footers, etc.
6 Functional resume as opposed to
chrono logical resume. (Remem-
ber, many conservative employ-
ers don’t like this format!)
7 Overly long resumes (Don’t
forget to keep it to one page!)
8 Long paragraphs
9 Unqualified candidates — candi-
dates who apply for positions for
which they are not qualified
0 Including personal info not rela-
tive to the job (age, height, etc.)
33
ANALYSIS
analyzed
ascertained
assessed
compared
computed
conceptualized
concluded
confirmed
critiqued
deciphered
deliberated
determined
devised
diagnosed
estimated
evaluated
examined
forecasted
formulated
integrated
investigated
justified
measured
negotiated
prescribed
prioritized
projected
questioned
rated
recommended
researched
scrutinized
studied
substantiated
synthesized
validated
verified
COMMUNICATION
addressed
apprised
arbitrated
attested
authored
clarified
communicated
composed
convinced
corresponded
drafted
edited
explained
informed
interpreted
lectured
marketed
persuaded
presented
promoted
publicized
queried
reported
spoke
summarized
translated
wrote
CREATIVITY
brainstormed
constructed
designed
engineered
envisioned
fabricated
illustrated
produced
shaped
visualized
FLEXIBILITY
accommodated
adapted
adjusted
altered
amended
balanced
converted
grew
improvised
tailored
ORGANIZATION
arranged
assembled
budgeted
calculated
catalogued
centralized
charted
classified
collected
compiled
consolidated
correlated
indexed
linked
orchestrated
Use Action Verbs!
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career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
2 NEWS FEED
Use active language to describe your work experience
and skills! The action verbs listed here are organized
by skill areas to help you think about how your past
experiences can apply to skill sets employers look for. Of
course, many of these verbs apply to multiple skill areas
— use all categories to get ideas for how you might
describe your own skills and experience.organized
oriented
planned
processed
purchased
recorded
regulated
scheduled
systematized
tabulated
INITIATIVE
accelerated
accomplished
achieved
acquired
advanced
bolstered
boosted
built
coordinated
created
dedicated
demonstrated
enriched
established
expanded
expedited
implemented
improved
increased
initiated
innovated
inspired
introduced
launched
minimized
mobilized
modernized
modified
multiplied
overhauled
pioneered
revamped
revised
spearheaded
stimulated
suggested
updated
upgraded
LEADERSHIP
administered
advised
allocated
allowed
appointed
approved
assigned
authorized
chaired
coached
delegated
designated
directed
educated
elicited
employed
empowered
enabled
encouraged
endorsed
enhanced
facilitated
fostered
founded
guided
hired
influenced
instructed
interviewed
judged
led
moderated
monitored
motivated
officiated
recruited
sanctioned
supervised
trained
TEAMWORK
assisted
collaborated
contributed
cooperated
mediated
participated
partnered
PROBLEM- SOLVING
aided
alleviated
ameliorated
augmented
counseled
customized
debugged
eased
elevated
enlarged
extended
extracted
finalized
fulfilled
generated
identified
interceded
invented
lightened
polished
procured
reconciled
rectified
reduced
refined
reformed
rehabilitated
reinforced
rejuvenated
relieved
remedied
remodeled
repaired
restored
retrieved
revitalized
revived
settled
solicited
solved
streamlined
strengthened
supplemented
transformed
. . . AND MORE!
acted
activated
added
admitted
apportioned
appraised
approximated
attained
audited
certified
commissioned
committed
consented
contracted
disbursed
dispatched
displayed
enlisted
excelled
executed
exercised
familiarized
figured
guaranteed
indicated
instituted
involved
issued
licensed
maintained
operated
performed
prepared
programmed
realized
related
reserved
reviewed
satisfied
screened
secured
served
set
smoothed
sought
specified
submitted
surveyed
sustained
traced
transacted
transmitted
valued
35
the do’s & don’t’s of resumes
What’s wrong?
✘ This is an MS Word template! Using
a template or resume program can
cause an employer to think that
you don’t have the computer skills
necessary to create, format, and
organize your resume — or that
you don’t have the initiative to
figure out how to do one on your
own. Show employers that you can
think for yourself and use word
processing software skillfully.
Employers can spot template
resumes right off the bat.
✘ The contact information here is
too small — one of the downfalls
of templates. One of the most
important things on your resume is
how to get in touch with you. Make
sure employers will be able to read
your contact information easily.
✘ Never include personal information
like your Social Security number,
birth date, height, weight, etc.
✘ Don’t use an unprofessional e-mail
address! Set the tone for your level
of professionalism from the very
beginning of your interactions with
a potential employer.
✘ If you’re including an objective
in your resume, keep it short and
employer-focused. It’s great if you
want to advance your skills, but
employers care more about what
you’ll do for them rather than
what they’ll do for you. A better
alternative would be something
like, “To obtain a manager trainee
position with XYZ Corporation.”
This shows that you’ve done enough
research to know what entry-level
position you’d be hired into and
personalizes your resume for that
particular employer — in other
words, at least this resume only got
sent to them.
✘ Avoid using first-person (i.e., “I,”
“my,” and “me”). Employers know
you’re talking about yourself. Save
the space for words that really
matter.
✘ There are inconsistencies in the
size of bullets, formatting of lines,
and too many fonts, as well as
grammatical and spelling errors.
This shows lack of attention to
detail and generally sloppy work
habits.
✘ Bullet points for work experience
are very task-oriented. This only
shows the employer what you did,
but not your accomplishments
— how you contributed to the
eff ectiveness of the organization or
applied useful skills.
✘ Dates are listed in the front
(another pitfall of templates!),
which isn’t where they belong.
When you worked somewhere is
not as important as your job title
or where you worked. Put the most
important things at the front of the
line.
✘ Don’t use abbreviations and
acronyms.
✘ It’s nice to have interests, but those
listed here don’t apply to the world
of business or relate to the position
for which this student is applying.
Will an employer really care that
you like to listen to music? Will
that help you do your job better?
Probably not.
✘ Don’t include references on your
resume. Employers typically don’t
need your references until after
you’ve had an interview. At that
time, they will ask you for your
references, and you should have
them listed on a separate sheet that
matches your resume and cover
letter in both style and appearance.
If an employer wants them sent
with your resume, they’ll state that
explicitly in the “how to apply”
section of the job posting. Even
in that instance, you’d send them
as a separate sheet. For help with
writing your reference sheet, see the
resources on establishing references
at careernetwork.msu.edu.
What’s right?
✔ Name and contact information is
large and easy to read. Both current
and permanent addresses are
listed. It can sometimes be months
before an employer follows up on
Resume Makeover
36
career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Paige Turner
CURRENT: 3130 Green Drive, East Lansing, MI 48823 • (517) 555-1234PERMANENT: 999 Snowy Lane, Escanaba, MI 49829 • (906) 555-7890
EDUCATIONBachelor of Science, Zoology May 2010Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
• Additional concentrations in zoo and aquarium science and Japanese• Dean’s List (5/6 semesters)
EXPERIENCEAssistant Manager Sept. 2007–presentSparty’s Deli, East Lansing, MI
• Supervised and trained serving staff of 10• Ordered $7,000 in weekly supplies and inventory• Increased sales by 10% during tenure as assistant manager
President Aug. 2008–presentZoology Club, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
• Organized and supervised work of 3 sub-committees• Allocated annual budget exceeding $5,000• Interacted with university, city and state officials in service and lobbying projects• Increased membership by 23% during presidency
Study Abroad: Advertising in Asia Summer 2007Japan and China
• Studied interactive advertising management theory and practice in Tokyo, Beijing, and HongKong
• Visited 9 advertising firms and gained insight into creative, sales, and management practicesin major Asian markets
• Completed team advertising project using digital media and gaming for cell phone distributionand presented to panel of advertising and business executives
Sales Associate Summer 2006Sports Unlimited, Escanaba, MI
• In charge of direct sales of athletic shoes, accessories and apparel• Determined product display placement and arrangement• Selected and ordered products based on understanding of consumer demand• Involved in most aspects of managing a retail store including: scheduling, store security,
customer relations, opening and closing, as well as coaching employees to increase salesresults
COMPUTER SKILLS• Skilled in MS Word and electronic research systems• Proficient in MS Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Photoshop• Working knowledge of MS Access, Macromedia Dreamweaver, and Adobe Illustrator
PORTFOLIO AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
a resume, especially if they store
resumes in an electronic system,
and it’s possible you might be back
home when an employer is ready to
contact you.
✔ Degree and awarding institution
are spelled out. Additional areas
of study are highlighted, as well as
more specific information on the
Study Abroad program. For many
employers, foreign language skills
are important. If you don’t have
a skills summary in your resume,
including languages studied in your
“Education” section is appropriate.
✔ Formatting is consistent — dates
line up, bold and CAPS make
important information stand out,
font sizes (and styles) are the same
throughout, bullets are uniform.
Overall, the resume looks orderly
and organized without even
reading it.
✔ Experience related to the student’s
field of interest (business) is
highlighted in the bullet points
describing work history. Past tense
is used consistently to demonstrate
readiness to move forward and
leave even current experience
behind. Points are specific (note the
use of numbers) and demonstrate
the student’s success with and
impact on the operations of
previous employers.
✔ Related extracurricular activities —
especially leadership roles — can
be included and described in your
“Experience” section.
✔ Employers are increasingly looking
for employees with solid technology
skills. Use descriptors like “skilled,”
“proficient,” “working knowledge
of,” “competent,” etc. to demon-
strate your level of proficiency with
various programs/applications.
✔ It used to be standard protocol
to include a statement like
“References Available Upon
Request” at the end of a resume.
Now employers expect that
you’ll have references to off er, so
including a line to that eff ect isn’t
needed. However, if you have a
portfolio or samples of your work
that an employer would want to see,
including a statement referring an
employer to supplemental materials
is appropriate, since not all
candidates will have those to off er.
3130 Green Drive DOB: 01/01/1987
East Lansing, MI 48823 SS# 999-00-1111
(517) 555-1234
Paige Turner
OBJECTIVE To get a job working in business where I can advanse and strengthen my
communication, teamwork and leadership skills.
EXPERIENCE Sept. 2007–present Sparty’s Deli East Lansing, MI
Assistant Manager
• Manage staff.
• Ordered supplies and inventory.
• Prepare customers’ orders and provided customer assistance.
Aug. 2006–May 2007, Generic Sports Bar & Grill Okemos, MI
Waitress
• Took orders and served food.
• Cleaned bathrooms and lobby and performed side-work.
Summer 2006 Sports Unlimited Escanaba, MI
Sales Associate
• Assisted customers with purchases.
• Stocked merchendise.
Worked cash register and handled transactions.
EDUCATION 2006–2010 MSU East Lansing, MI
• B.S. in Zoology.
• Dean’s List every semester but one.
• Study Abroad, Summer 2007
INTERESTS Swimming, hiking, reading, working with children, listening to music
REFERENCES Kwame West, Sparty’s Deli
9807 Evergreen Drive, East Lansing, MI
(517) 555-0987, [email protected]
John Smith, Generic Sports Bar & Grill
1234 Grand River, Okemos, MI
(517) 555-5678, [email protected]
37
Combination Resumes
Getting rid of the objective at the top of your resume (which
many employers advocate) can leave you feeling like there’s
nothing there to grab the employer’s attention. But a well-
crafted “Skills Summary,” “Summary of Qualifi cations,” or
similarly titled section at the top can fi ll that niche for you.
A brief skills section serves as a short intro duction to your
strengths that can keep an employer reading. In fact, many
hiring managers say this is the fi rst thing they read!
To make this work for you, keep these tips in mind:
▶ Your skills section should be short, ideally 3–5 bullets.
▶ Beware of overstating your level of skill or experience by
using descriptors like excellent, expert, fl uent, etc. (In
most cases, the typical college grad still has more to learn
on the job.)
▶ Use moderate descriptors like: profi cient, working
knowledge, skilled, demonstrated strengths, etc. instead.
▶ If you’re having trouble thinking of what to include, try this:
Imagine you are in an interview. The employer asks you to
highlight your three greatest strengths. What do you say?
▶ While you want to avoid using vague or general
statements in your resume, your skills summary
is one place where this is more acceptable.
However, if you use general
statements — like “Proven
ability to work in teams as
both leader and follower” for
instance — make sure you
provide concrete,
specifi c examples
under your work
experience to
back it up.
Ling S. Wu1234 Eastside Dr., Okemos, MI 48864 • H: 517.555.5678 • C: 517.555.0912 • [email protected]
OBJECTIVETo obtain a summer 2010 Colonial National Historic Park Internship through the Student ConservationAssociation
SKILLS PROFILE• Presented to groups of up to 100, successfully communicating life and safety skills, and camp
protocol, certified in CPR and basic First Aid• Experienced in researching historical information using electronic, archival and library resources,
and Internet• Completed advanced coursework in Revolutionary and Antebellum history and culture• Studied interpretive services and visitor information systems• Working knowledge of MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Adobe Photoshop
EDUCATIONBachelor of Arts, History May 2011Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
• GPA, 3.75/4.0• Member, Phi Beta Kappa and Golden Key National Honor Society
EXPERIENCERiding Instructor Summer 2009Camp Linden, Girl Scouts of the Huron Valley Council
• Instructed campers in barn safety, horse care, and riding• Evaluated campers’ riding skills and placed them in appropriate groups• Presented to groups of up to thirty about horses, safety, and camp history• Supervised safety and well-being of over 500 children ages 7 to 12
Volunteer January 2008–presentBeekman Therapeutic Riding Center, Lansing, MI
• Worked one-on-one with special-needs riders to improve their balance and control• Handled horses calmly and confidently in new and diverse situations• Used shared interest in horseback riding as means of connecting with people of different abilities
Server July 2007–presentSoup’s On Café, Okemos, MI
• Quickly learned procedures for preparing food in proficient and safe manner• Improved communication skills through interaction with customers• Monitored register drawer and cash box, and processed daily bank deposits• Trained new employees for opening, middle, and closing shifts
ACTIVITIES• Volunteered for Michigan Women’s Historical Center’s Annual “Picnic on the Lawn” fundraiser• Ten (10) years of active involvement as member of Irish dance companies• Eleven (11) years of horseback riding experience, including English Hunter/Jumper, some
Western, and experience as instructor• Experienced in campsite preparation and set-up, outdoor cooking over open fires and using
propane camp stoves, and trail creation and maintenance
Combination Resumes & Portfolios
2 NEWS FEED
Think a combination resume
sounds like a cool idea, but want
some specifi cs on combining a
detailed work history and your
skills? Read on for how-to combo
resume tips!
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career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Thinking Outside the Resume Box
Portfolios are great tools for students from all majors. A professional portfolio
is usually taken to an interview. This type of portfolio is a documentation and
demonstration of your accomplishments. It shows growth in your skills and under-
standing over time. A portfolio not only documents your results but also how you
got there and what you learned in the process.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PORTFOLIOS?
Regardless of how you’ll use the finished product, all portfolios can help you:
▶ Write or update your resume more quickly, since all the relevant information will
be in one place.
▶ Organize information you’ve gathered over the years, such as awards,
certificates, and records of other accomplishments.
▶ Showcase your achievements, skills, and abilities for an interview.
▶ See your career as a collection of skills and talents that you’ve developed, rather
than just a list of job titles.
E-PORTFOLIOS: EFFECTIVE AND EASY
Electronic portfolios are an excellent way to showcase your
skills and your computer abilities. Remember more and
more employers are seeking students with high levels of
technology skills. The most eff ective portfolios are those
that are targeted towards a specific job or organization.
CREATIVE PORTFOLIOS
A creative portfolio contains only samples of work relevant
to your particular field. Just like a professional portfolio, your
creative portfolio should be organized and presented in a
quality format. Many creative fields also expect a title page,
essay, or artist statement and biography. Talk with people
working in your field about the specific expectations for this type
of portfolio.
39career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Cover Letters
THE OVERVIEW
▶ Write a separate cover letter for every position. The best
cover letters are customized for the employer receiving
them.
▶ Don’t just talk about you. Your resume talks about you.
Demonstrate you’ve done your employer research and
show them how you’re the best candidate for them. This
means talking about them and how you’re a fit for what
they need/want.
▶ Demonstrate professional, simple and direct writing
style while also expressing personal interest and
excitement.
▶ As with your resume, your cover letter is a writing
sample. Proofreading for grammatical and spelling
errors, typos, and content/style is just as important.
Mistakes can wreck your chances of moving forward.
▶ Think of your cover letter like a response to a personal
ad — you’re connecting your interests and experiences
with the other person — being genuine, conveying
interest, and showing that you understand what’s
important to them and sharing their values. You don’t
have to tell them your life story — you’re telling them
enough to convince them they want to invite you to an
interview to learn more.
THE DETAILS
▶ Your resume and cover letter should match in both style
and appearance.
▶ Fold them together and mail in a matching envelope or,
because employers are increasingly scanning resumes,
send your cover letter and resume unfolded in a large
envelope.
▶ If you’re e-mailing your resume as an attachment,
it’s not necessary to also attach a cover letter. The
e-mail message itself serves as a cover letter. Write it
accordingly.
▶ Address the letter to a specific individual.
2 NEWS FEED
Any time you send a resume or application to
an employer, you should include a cover letter.
Whenever you’re not face-to-face with an em-
ployer, your cover letter is your introduction.
40
career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER,
AND E-MAIL ADDRESS. Can be formatted
in standard business letter format or as it
appears on your resume.
DATE.
CONTACT AND ADDRESS. Use an individual’s
name, if possible.
SALUTATION.
FIRST PARAGRAPH. State the reason you are
writing, explain the type of work you are in-
terested in, or the specific position you are
applying for, and indicate how you learned
about the employer and/or the opening.
BODY PARAGRAPH(S). Be specific about
why you are interested in the position.
Briefly summarize some of your strongest
qualifications to do the work. Consider this
from an employer’s point of view by linking
your skills to specific requirements in the
job description. Show what you have to
off er the employer; don’t merely daydream
about what the employer can off er you.
CLOSING PARAGRAPH(S). Refer the reader
to the resume (or application form) you
are enclosing. Declare your interest in
an interview and off er to provide further
documentation upon request.
SIGNATURE.
YOUR NAME (TYPED).
ENCLOSURE.
Ling S. Wu1234 Eastside Dr., Okemos, MI 48864 • H: 517.555.5678 • C: 517.555.0912 • [email protected]
April 18, 2010
Jeremy Tolliver, CoordinatorSCA Conservation InternshipsThe Student Conservation Association689 River Rd., PO Box 550Charlestown, NH 03603-0550
Dear Mr. Tolliver:
I am interested in the Colonial National Historical Park Internship. As a history major, I am attracted to acareer in interpretation with the National Park Service, preserving historic sites, and educating the publicabout these resources. My career advisor at Michigan State University recommended your organization,and I learned of this position through the SCA website and internship database.
This position in interpretation would be a good fit for me. I enjoy being outdoors, interacting with others,and educating people about history and its value. I have taken upper-level history classes, focusing onRevolutionary and Antebellum American history and culture. I am currently taking a class at MSUthrough the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Resources program. The class focuses on park interpretiveservices and visitor information systems. I am learning about interpretation, developing educationprograms, and working with visitors. This class is building my knowledge base and teaching me skills thatI look forward to using in your program.
My experience working at Camp Linden Girl Scout Camp last summer improved my communication andinstructional skills. I am comfortable working with, and educating children and facilitating educationalprograms in an outdoors environment. I developed and presented informational programs to the scoutsabout safety, horsemanship, and the history of the camp.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to scheduling an interview with yourorganization to further discuss the position and my background. I am confident that my experienceworking with children and my coursework at MSU will enable me to make a valuable contribution to yourprogram.
Sincerely,
Ling S. WuLing S. Wu
Enclosure
41
telephone, mail, and e-mail
Communication
Using the Phone
▶ Don’t take a cell phone call or page
when with another person — it’s
rude. This is especially true during
an interview, site visit, or other
professional event!
▶ When leaving a voice mail or
message, speak slowly and clearly
so your message is clear. Keep your
message short. Leave your name
and phone number to ensure the
employer can call you back.
▶ Return calls the day they’re received.
If for some reason you can’t call
back the same day, call within 24
hours.
▶ Make sure that the greeting for your
answering machine and/or voice
mail is appropriate. Employers
often complain about greetings
that include loud and/or obscene
music, background noise, or are just
generally unprofessional.
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career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Essentials
Eff ective E-mailing
▶ Don’t use an unprofessional e-mail address (e.g.,
[email protected]). The recipient could delete
the message thinking it’s spam or porn.
▶ Always include a meaningful subject line that makes
it clear what will be covered in the message, such as
“José Vega — Confirming Friday Interview Time” or
“MSU Food Science Junior Seeking Information.”
▶ Always include your full name and contact information
in each e-mail.
▶ Remember that there is no guarantee that an e-mail is
private.
▶ When replying to a message, always include the
previous message in your response. Keeping the
thread of the discussion together will help both you
and your contact to follow the course of your e-mail
discussion.
▶ Always re-read and spell-check every e-mail before
you hit “send”!
2 NEWS FEED
Every time you communicate with an employer,
be as professional as possible. Always use cor-
rect grammar when speaking or writing.
Even if e-mail is your preferred way of commu-
nicating, check with your contacts to see what
their preferred contact method is so you can
communicate with them most eff ectively.
Thank-you Letters
▶ Always send a thank-you letter after an interview or other
personal interaction. Show the people you met that you
appreciate their time and attention. Thank-you letters can
be sent via e-mail, a hand-written note, or formal letter.
▶ Wondering whether or not e-mail is the best way to
send a thank-you note? As with most things, it depends
on the organization. More conservative employers will
likely prefer a formal letter. Employers who have a
high-touch approach to customer service or a high level
of relationship development with clients are more likely
to prefer a hand-written note or card. But any employer
with a quick turn-around time between interview and
off er (you interview on Thursday and they tell you they
plan to make a decision on Monday) should get an e-mail
thank-you letter.
▶ Be sure to send the thank-you promptly — it’s best to send
it within 24 hours of your meeting or exchange.
▶ The bottom line is that you want the letter to reach them
before they’ve made their decision. If they haven’t told you
what their timeline is, that’s one of the things you should
ask before leaving the interview!
▶ To avoid burning bridges that might be useful later on, you
should even send a thank-you letter to an employer with
whom you’ve decided NOT to accept a position.
▶ For more information on thank-you letters, see the
resources available at careernetwork.msu.edu.
43
Search Strategies You’ll Use Forever
3 CAREER SERVICES POST
YOUR JOB SEARCH AFTER COLLEGE IS ONLY THE FIRST OF MANY IN YOUR LIFE. According to the US Bureau of
Labor Statistics, the average American with a Bachelor’s
degree has about ten diff erent jobs between the ages of
18 and 34. In college you’ll be expected to learn about
job search processes — whether it’s finding a part-time
job or an internship. To survive — and advance — you’ll
have to become skilled at job hunting. Your first job out
of college is just the beginning of a lifelong process.
SEARCHING FOR A JOB ISN’T LIKE TAKING A CLASS. Although the resume seems like a writing assignment,
it’s really an “advertisement” for a meeting. And the
interview, which looks like an exam, is more like a date:
it determines whether there are enough interests in
common to take the relationship a step further.
DEVELOP A JOB SEARCH STRATEGY. The job search is
successful only if you take charge and develop a job
search strategy. So, maybe you’ll need to rethink your
strategy . . . there is no one job search technique that
will work every time for everyone.
— KELLEY BISHOP, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CAREER SERVICES
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career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
THREE JOB SEARCH FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW
▶ 75% of all jobs are never advertised. It’s a lot cheaper
and faster for an employer to hire a relative, a friend,
or someone they’ve met before. Otherwise, they have
to go to the trouble (and expense) of writing up a job
description, filing paperwork, conducting a search,
and then, finally, hiring someone. For this reason, and
the two others below, most jobs are never advertised.
▶ Who you know is as important as what you know. Most
successful job seekers find jobs with the help of leads
from friends and acquaintances.
▶ 98% of U.S. employers have fewer than 100 employees. These companies often do not recruit
from college campuses. You can find these “hidden”
employers with some of the tools available through
MySpartanCareer (see page 8).
WHAT THESE 3 SEARCH FACTS MEAN TO YOU
▶ The Internet should not be your only means of
searching for jobs.
▶ Talking to people and asking questions may be your
best job search strategy.
▶ Take advantage of MSU resources like
MySpartanCareer, career events, employer info
sessions, and other opportunities to meet and
discover potential employers.
HOW NEW JOB SEEKERS FOUND THEIR JOB
Friends or relatives
Alumni or school
placement contacts
Cold contact with
an employer when
no job was posted
Newspaper or web ads
source: U.S. Department of Labor
48%
23%
24%
5%
International Students
and the Job Search
We want to help you make your job search as
productive and stress-free as possible. But as
is probably becoming evident, the job search
is rarely, if ever, a quick and easy process. It
can be stressful even for those who have a clear
idea of what they want to do, where they want
to do it, and for whom. And for international
students studying at MSU or at any other uni-
versity, there are additional issues to overcome.
There are both legal and cultural barriers in-
volved in international students’ job searches.
Visa and work authorization processes can be
complicated and the cultural diff erences in
resumes, interviews and other aspects of the
search can be unsettling. It can also be difficult
to look for a job in your home country from
hundreds or thousands of miles away!
To help meet the particular needs of interna-
tional students, MSU’s Career Services Network
has partnered with MSU’s Office for Interna-
tional Students and Scholars to provide a cen-
tralized online resource. Visit careernetwork.msu.edu/students/international for access
to information specifically for international
students’ job search needs.
1 LINKS
For more information on services and resources
available to international students at MSU, please
contact the Office of International Students and
Scholars, 103 International Center, 517.353.1720,
oiss.msu.edu.
45
2 NEWS FEED
You must look more like a great po-
tential colleague than a desperate job
seeker! There are plenty of desperate
job seekers; it is your job to understand
your top companies’ needs and
place yourself in situations where
you can demonstrate your abilities.
Finding Unadvertised Jobs
“IF MOST JOBS AREN’T ADVERTISED, HOW CAN I FIND THEM?”
You start with basic research, using resources like
CareerSearch found in MySpartanCareer (see page 9).
Advanced resources such as field-specific journals and
websites (e.g., The Wall Street Journal if you’re inter-
ested in investment banking; Chemistry.org if you’re
interested in scientific research) help you discover
the major employers that hire for the jobs you want.
To know if you’re on the right track, you should con-
duct informational interviews with people working in
your field of interest (see page 19).
▶ Find specific field resources at careernetwork.msu.edu and/or
through your college’s website.
▶ CareerSearch provides fast, accurate, up-to-date information
on potential employers and contacts in a wide range of
industries and fields nationally and internationally.
“HOW CAN I NARROW THE FIELD OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS?”
If you are open to living anywhere, but have no idea where to
start, here are steps to organize your search:
▶ Determine up to 3 geographic areas of interest.
▶ Create a list of 5–10 organizations with whom you are
most interested in working. These organizations should get
most of your attention. Actively work to meet people in the
organization and learn more about their goals. Try some or all
of the suggestions for developing relationships with employers
listed here.
▶ Create a second list of organizations you have some
interest in. When you have time, do some basic research to
refine the level of your interest and possible networking
or career openings.
46
career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
for internships & full-time jobs
ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEWS
GET THE MOST OUT OF MYSPARTANCAREER.
▶ More than 500 employers
interview MSU students
throughout the academic year.
Sign up for these interviews in
MySpartanCareer.
▶ Search postings to find upcoming
on-campus interviews for full-time and internship positions,
submit your resume to employers online, check if you were
selected for an interview, and sign up for the interview time
and date.
ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES.
▶ PRE-SELECT INTERVIEWS. A two-step process: First you submit
your resume, then the company decides which people they want to
interview. Individuals chosen to interview will be able to sign up
for an interview time.
▶ OPEN INTERVIEWS. First come, first served! Once all the interview
slots are filled, the schedule is closed.
▶ MOCK INTERVIEWS. Practice interviews so you’re more prepared
for the real thing. First come, first served. Some schedules may be
limited to students in particular majors.
“HOW DO I DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH EMPLOYERS WHEN THEY WON’T RETURN MY CALLS?”
▶ ATTEND PRESENTATIONS AND
EVENTS sponsored by student organi-
zations, the Career Services Network,
or professional organizations.
▶ VOLUNTEER. Whether it’s for a cause
you believe in or pitching in when a
for-profit company needs some help,
you’ll have the chance to make a good
impression on others and potentially
get leads for other opportunities. Re-
sist acting phony when you volunteer
— engage in the activity to the best
of your ability, rather than badgering
people about your job search.
▶ USE RESEARCH. Look not only at
directories, like CareerSearch,
but also trade publications and
newspapers in your geographic area
of interest. Look for who is doing
work you find interesting — it might
be a new account or outreach with a
local group that you support.
▶ KEEP A LOG OF RESEARCH AND
ACTIVITIES, so you know whom
you’ve called, when, and next steps.
It’s embarrassing to call someone
twice because you forgot that you
already called, or not to call at all
when someone asked.
2 NEWS FEED
▶ Check interview schedules daily, and look ahead to dates
for the whole semester.
▶ If you submitted a resume for a pre-select interview, note
when you should check to see if you have been chosen.
▶ Make sure you note the date, time, and especially location
of your interview. Some may be held in the centers at
Student Services, Spartan Stadium, and Eppley Center.
1 LINKS
If you have questions about making
the most out of on-campus inter-
viewing, schedule an appointment
with a career advisor on-line at
careernetwork.msu.edu/advising.
47
Michigan State University advanced degree holders have
the opportunity to work in a variety of exciting careers in
academia, business and industry, government, nonprofit
organizations, or in their own businesses. In order to
maximize your ability to flourish in graduate school and
beyond, it is essential to be deliberate about your career
and professional development from your first days on cam-
pus until you graduate. To assist you, the Graduate School,
in partnership with Career Services, created the PREP
program (grad.msu.edu/prep). PREP will assist you in your
career and professional development planning from entry
to MSU through graduation, and into an exciting, reward-
ing career.
PREP focuses on four professional skills that are key to
career and professional development: planning throughout
the graduate career to identify and successfully achieve
career goals; developing resilience and tenacity to thrive
through personal and professional stages; practicing ac-
tive engagement in making important life decisions and in
acquiring the skills necessary to attain career goals; and
attaining high standards of professionalism in research
and teaching. Employing these skills at every stage of the
graduate program helps students to maximize their oppor-
tunities for professional growth and to discover a fulfilling
career path. In partnership with graduate and professional
programs across campus, the Graduate School seeks to
introduce students to a range of career activities and
opportunities with the goal of assisting degree completion
and enhancing professional success. Our workshops are
based on current scholarship on graduate student develop-
ment and are themselves part of an ongoing research
project through evaluation and assessment.
Graduate
4 YOUR CAREER INBOX
GRADUATE CAREER SERVICES
▶ One-on-one confidential career counseling
▶ Academic and nonacademic career search work-
shops and resources
▶ Professional development conferences
▶ Mock interview opportunities
More information on resources, programs and
services, including career counseling, is available
at careernetwork.msu.edu and grad.msu.edu.
48
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As a future PhD, there are a variety of
career options available to you both in
and outside academia. While having
an advanced degree sets you apart,
the job market for recent PhDs is
highly competitive. To be successful,
be proactive and learn what you need
to do to develop professionally so you
can position yourself for an eff ective
job search.
▶ IDENTIFY AND EXPLORE PhD
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. Future
employment opportunities include
positions in academia, industry,
government, and nonprofit organiza-
tions. Visit grad.msu.edu/prep for
a complete list of academic and
nonacademic job search resources.
▶ NETWORK. Networking is just
as vital to a PhD’s professional
development and future job success
as it is for any other job seeker. If
you haven’t already, read the article
here on “Informational Interview-
ing,” and the section titled “The
Job Search” for information on
strategies for finding contacts and
developing relationships. In addi-
tion, every PhD student should join
and get involved in a professional
society or organization, participate
and present at conferences, publish
in related fields of interest, and par-
ticipate in appropriate listserves.
▶ SEEK OUT MENTORS. Good mentors
can help you maximize your overall
educational experience, assist with
professional socialization into the
disciplinary culture, and aide in the
employment search process. Continu-
ally ask for input and assistance with
your educational and career goals.
Professional mentors may include
your advisor, but can also include
other faculty members or individuals
you have met in industry, agencies or
in non-government organizations.
▶ DEVELOP YOUR WRITTEN CREDEN-
TIALS: CURRICULUM VITAS AND
RESUMES. Written credentials vary
by discipline and the type of posi-
tion you’re seeking. For academic,
administrative and research posi-
tions you’ll need a CV or curriculum
vita — a comprehensive statement
of education, teaching and research
experience. For non-academic
positions, you’ll need a resume or
a hybrid resume/CV format. See the
section on writing resumes for more
information on what this entails,
how to get started and to see
examples. Seek input from faculty
in your department and make an
appointment to see the PhD Career
Consultant at careernetwork.msu.edu.
▶ GET INVOLVED. Attend career and
professional development activities
sponsored by your department, The
Graduate School, or Career Services.
For a complete list of programs
sponsored by the Graduate School,
visit grad.msu.edu/prep.
Career & Professional Development
Ph.D. Career Preparation
EducationUnknown
Private sector
Other
Government
PH.D. PLACEMENT
U.S. preschool, elementary, middle, secondary school or
school system
U.S. university-affi liated research institute
U.S. community college or technical institute
Non-U.S. educational institutuion
U.S. 4-year college or university (Other than medical school)
U.S. medical school(Including university-affi liated
hospital or medical center)
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
49
Dress Essentials for Everyone
▶ Hair should be clean, well groomed, and away from the
eyes. Simple, classic styles are best.
▶ No visible tattoos or body piercings.
▶ Remove extraneous earrings. (Women: one pair. Men:
none.)
▶ Avoid strong mints, perfumes, or aftershaves.
▶ Clothing should work for you, not against you. Fit and
comfort are important considerations in projecting
yourself at your best.
▶ Trendy clothing — like short skirts, low necklines, extreme
prints or colors — generally do not project an image
appropriate for a professional meeting.
▶ Crisp, clean, well-pressed clothing is a must.
Dress to Impress!
1 LINKS
Find more detailed information about dress dos and don’ts at
careernetwork.msu.edu.
2 NEWS FEED
You know that thing about never getting a second chance to make
a first impression? Well, it’s true. It’s just as true about a blind
date as it is about meeting a professional contact for the first
time. Regardless of the circumstances, you want to make the best
impression you can the first time around — or you might not get a
second chance!
Professional dress matters because it helps you to project an
image that lets the employer see you in the professional role you
are seeking. The whole working world doesn’t revolve around
dark conservative suits. What you wear for a professional encoun-
ter depends on the career field you’re pursuing.
Who Wears What?
▶ For TRADITIONAL CAREERS — like banking, accounting,
finance, engineering, law, and corporate positions — you’ll
need a conservative look that conveys competence and
authority. Suits should have a classic cut or style and
be dark in color (navy, dark grey, black, etc.). Shirts and
blouses should be a neutral color, like white, ivory, light
grey, etc. Ties and scarves should be subtle with a little
color.
▶ For those pursuing TECHNICAL CAREERS — in areas like
engineering, information technology, sciences, etc. — a
clean look that conveys knowledge, innovation, and
approachability is important. Suits should be conservative
in subtle dark colors. Blouses and shirts should be a subtle
color.
▶ PEOPLE-FOCUSED CAREERS — counseling, teaching, sales,
and social work, for example — require an image that
projects expertise but approachability. Suits should be
conservative in subtle dark colors; coordinate separates
can work too. Blouses and shirts should be a subtle color.
▶ The most opportunity for expression of personal style can
be found in CREATIVE CAREERS — like advertising, art,
design, and entertainment, to name a few. In these fields
you’ll need a contemporary image that conveys creativity,
innovation, and competence. Suits can vary in cut, style,
and color; two-piece coordinates are acceptable. Blouses
and shirts should accent your total look.
50
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Less Formal MeetingsWHAT TO WEAR FOR JOB SHADOWING AND INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS
So, for more formal interactions like career fairs and
interviews, hopefully it’s clearer now why suits are usu-
ally your best option. But if you’re going to a fair as an
information seeker instead of a job seeker, or if you’re
attending an event like a conference, informational inter-
view, job shadow, etc., a suit may make you overdressed.
For these kinds of interactions, you always want to dress
professionally — no ripped jeans, flip-flops, or T-shirts
with obscenities on them. Yes, we (probably) all have
these items in our wardrobe, but save them for
your friends, not a potential employer.
Follow the “dress essentials for everyone,” and
consider the items below when you’re picking out
what to wear.
▶ khakis ▶ sweater
▶ dress pants ▶ blazer
▶ dress shoes ▶ loafers
▶ button-down shirt
And remember, when in doubt, check with an insider
(your employer contact or career advisor, for example)
about what the appropriate dress in a particular
situation might be!
51
Before the fair . . .KNOW WHO WILL BE ATTENDING.
Before the fair begins, know which organizations will attend and what
positions they are hiring for currently. Get this information through
MySpartanCareer. Make a ranked list of employers that interest you.
RESEARCH EMPLOYERS OF INTEREST.
If you want to stand apart, be able to talk to the recruiter about what the or-
ganization does and how your skill set fi ts. At a minimum, go to their website,
learn about products, services, or clients, and read the annual report. Check
out more research tips available at careernetwork.msu.edu.
PREPARE YOUR RESUME(S).
Make sure your resume eff ectively refl ects your knowledge, skills, and
abilities. You can have a general resume to hand out, but if you really want to
make a great impression, make diff erent versions of your resume that target
the specifi c industry or job that interests you. Make sure you give the right
resume to the right organization!
DEVELOP YOUR COMMERCIAL.
You only have about 30 seconds to make an impression with a recruiter,
so you need to be able to quickly introduce yourself and let them know
your interests and qualifi cations. Practice a short 30-second to one-minute
advertisement that you can present easily while still sounding natural.
Things to include:
▶ Your name
▶ Your MSU program/major
▶ When you’re graduating
▶ What you’re looking for (more infor mation, full-time employment, an
intern ship or co-op, etc.)
▶ Your area of interest with the organi zation and how your skills (or
personal qualities or experience) relate to that area
How to Get Results at a Career
2 NEWS FEED
Depending on time and crowds,
you might want to consider ap-
proaching an employer towards the
bottom of your list to start off . This
gives you an opportunity to actu-
ally use your prepared introduction
with a real recruiter and work out
any last-minute nervousness be-
fore you visit the employers you’re
most interested in, where you can
least aff ord to be nervous.
52
career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
GET ORGANIZED.
Pick up a map showing where organization booths are. You
might also want to take a quick walk through the space to get
a feel for the layout of the fair. Then what?
THEY’RE WATCHING YOU!
Keep in mind that the moment you enter the fair, recruiters
are watching you. They take note of how you dress, how you
behave, how you interact with your friends and with other
recruiters.
APPROACH AN ORGANIZATION.
It can be intimidating to approach and introduce yourself to a
recruiter. Students often say introductions at career fairs are
“weird,” “unnatural,” or “forced.” It helps if you remember
the recruiter is here to meet you, so don’t be shy! Off er a fi rm
handshake, and then give your commercial. Remember, be di-
rect. If you’re interested in a certain position, let them know.
TALK TO THE RECRUITER.
Don’t talk over their shoulder, at the ground, up in the air, or
at the free stuff that they are giving away! Make eye contact
and don’t be afraid to let your enthusiasm show. Being truly
passionate about the employer and the opportunities they
have to off er can make all the diff erence.
GATHER INFORMATION AND BE RESPECTFUL OF THE RECRUITER’S TIME.
The truth is that most people at career fairs use fairs as an
opportunity to gather information. This is perfectly fi ne and
a great reason to go to a career fair if you’re not looking
for a full-time job or internship. Remember, career fairs are
all about networking, and recruiters love to see 1st- and
2nd-year students at fairs asking questions. It shows that
the student is thinking about and making connections for the
future! But if you’re at the fair to try to land a job, recruiters
need to know you’ve done your research and are ready to go.
While speaking with recruiters, be courteous to them and
your fellow students by keeping your conversations short
and purposeful.
FINALLY, MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THE NAMES OF THE RECRUITERS YOU TALK TO, AND IF POSSIBLE, GET THEIR CARD.
After the fair . . .FOLLOW UP.
If, during your conversation with a recruiter, you promised
to follow up with more information (website link, portfolio,
writing sample, etc.) then make sure that you get the
information out right away.
SEND THANK-YOU NOTES.
Send a thank-you note within 24 hours to everyone you
spoke with. This is a little thing that really makes a
diff erence! Almost everyone has the intention, but very
few actually get around to it. Don’t know what to write?
See information on thank-you letters on page 43 or at
careernetwork.msu.edu. It doesn’t have to be fancy — the
point is to remind them of who you are and let them know
you’re serious about your job search.
At the fair . . .
Fair 4 YOUR CAREER INBOX
MSU’s largest fairs have hundreds of employers and thousands
of students. This may leave you wondering — why even bother
wasting my time to be just another face in the crowd?
Organizations come to campus to meet prospective new hires,
whether now or down the road. Knowing what to expect and how
to work a fair can ensure that you aren’t simply just another face
in a sea of job seekers.
53
Interview BasicsWHAT’S THE POINT OF AN INTERVIEW?
The purpose of an interview is to exchange information.
The employer evaluates your ability to do the job. You
look for a match between your interests and the work.
WHAT’S A BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW?
Behavioral interviewing assumes that your past
experiences are good indicators of your future abilities.
You’ll be asked to tell stories about your past so that the
employer can assess your skills and behavior.
There may not be a right or wrong answer. There is only
your answer that may reveal something about your
qualities to the employer. By thoroughly understanding
the nature of the job and the company, you can more
accurately select examples from your life that have
meaning to the employer.
HOW DO YOU ANSWER BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS?
Being able to talk about your experiences in such a way
that employers can identify your skills is a challenge.
One way to help organize your experiences is to use
the PARK method. The PARK method helps you focus in
on the most relevant aspects of your experience for the
employer in a structured way.
Be prepared with information about
the company and the job, as well as
with questions that you have devel-
oped. By taking these steps, you’re
ready to be an active participant in
this exchange about your future.
You’ve Got an Interview! Now What?
3 CAREER SERVICES POST
P the PROBLEM or situation (“What happened?”)
A the ACTIONS you took (“What did you do?”)
R the RESULTS or outcomes (“What was the result?”)
K the KNOWLEDGE you gained and applied
(“What did you learn? How did you apply it?”)
typical behavioral interview question . . .
Q “Tell me about a time when you had to deal with
conflict in a group.”
your possible response, using the park method . . .
A “Last semester I was part of a student advisory
board to my academic department. We were de-
veloping a set of recommendations to improve faculty-
student communication. It was difficult to get the
various members of the board to agree on which recom-
mendations to choose, because everyone wanted theirs.
I focused on helping us look for common elements
between each recommendation. The result was that we
ended up recommending a faculty-student retreat in
which many of the more specific recommendations were
used. Through this experience, I learned how important
it is to really look at things from the perspective of each
team member.”
1 LINKS
You can find a list of
sample interview ques-
tions at careernetwork.msu.edu.
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career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Be Prepared!
Being prepared for the interview is very important.
The employer has already agreed to meet with you
based on your resume and cover letter — you’ve
made it this far. Now to be confident in your inter-
view, you need to be prepared. The following things
will help you:
▶ RESEARCH. Find out everything you can about the
organization. The interviewer will be able to tell if
you’ve done your homework. The more you know, the
more you’ll be able to connect your experiences and
skills to the needs of the employer. This will also help
you to ask more interesting questions when the time
comes.
▶ LIST OF SKILLS. Before the interview, make a list of
your skills and abilities. These are what will make
you an asset to your future employer; use the list to
put yourself in a positive frame of mind and help you
“sell” yourself to the interviewer. Your portfolio and
resume are great starting points for this list, since
they both sum up your experience and interests.
▶ PRACTICE. The Career Services Network off ers mock
interviews with employers a few times a year. Check
MySpartanCareer for dates and times to sign up.
You can also use InterviewStream, a new feature in
MySpartanCareer, to practice interviewing using a
webcam! Another way to practice is to videotape a
mock interview with a friend. Seeing youself in action
is a great way to test your ability to answer common
interview questions and get prompt feedback on your
body language and speech patterns. After all, you’re
your own best critic. Watch yourself in action to see
how you appear to an interviewer.
2 NEWS FEED
INTERVIEW DON’TS
▶ Arriving late or appearing rushed or disorganized
▶ Seeming over-eager and desperate
▶ Apologizing for your background or experience
▶ Criticizing your past employers or co-workers in any way
▶ Asking questions that you know the answers to
▶ Overselling your qualities
▶ Asking about salary and job benefits before you have a
solid job off er
▶ Elaborating on unnecessary details to fill an awkward
silence
55career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Your Happiness
Is a Balance.
The most important question to ask yourself is: Are
you excited about this job and the salary? If you are not
happy, you will not be a great employee, and you aren’t
likely to have a good experience with the organization.
But it’s also important to balance your excitement and
passion for the field you’re entering with a realistic
expectation for financial rewards.
You don’t have to accept the first salary you’re off ered.
You have the ability to negotiate for better benefits,
training, or pay. Feel free to ask for time to adequately
examine your total off er. Get all of the elements in writ-
ing, including benefit options, stock options, and wages.
Negotiation Tools
The strongest tools to negotiate with are salary informa-
tion for your industry and the value of the unique skills
that you bring to the table. The industry economic
climate and the location of your position will both have
a major influence on your salary off er, even when com-
pared to other candidates
within the same company.
New York City is not the
same as Traverse City in
cost of living.
Negotiating Job Offers
1 LINKS
FOR MORE INFORMATION . . .
. . . about salary negotiation, benefits, and
dealing with multiple job off ers, check
out resources for negotiating job off ers at
careernetwork.msu.edu.
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3 CAREER SERVICES POST
Be fl exible on location. In some cases, you
might have to start out in a town or position
that you didn’t plan on, but you need to start
somewhere. With a few years of experience and
hard work under your belt, you may be able
to transfer to the position or location of your
dreams. If your goal is the top position, you will
gain respect of your co-workers by starting out
in the field and working your way to the top —
and getting your hands dirty in the process!
— JILL CORDS • COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
4 YOUR CAREER INBOX
▶ PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTING can include
drug/alcohol, agility, genetic, personality,
honesty, skills, loyalty, and leadership tests.
▶ BACKGROUND SCREENING can include a
credit check, criminal records investigation,
driver’s license check, academic credentials
verification, and reference checks.
▶ REFERENCE CHECKING can include academic,
employment, and personal references.
While students and job applicants may think of
these tests and investigations as an “invasion
of privacy” or “off ensive,” there is nothing
illegal about employers seeking this informa-
tion. However, there are legal guidelines that
an employer must follow. You can find them at
careernetwork.msu.edu.
57
life after m.s.u.
SAY GOODBYE.
Admit it — college has been a blast.
For once in your life you have been
accepted for who you are, been in a
relatively safe environment, and had
limited responsibilities. Plus, you have
a great group of friends with whom
you’ve shared everything over the
past four or five years. Leaving all this
can be hard, even if your friends will
be working in the same geographi-
cal region. Before you break up the
group, make plans for a traditional
get-together that will bring you all
together once every couple years.
WATCH THE FINANCES.
All the money you had for extras in col-
lege disappears quickly when starting
in a new place. You’ll be responsible
for car payments, insurance (car,
health and home), food, rent or house
payments and then — oops! — student
loan repayments. Some of you may
already be strapped with credit card
debt. Get rid of it before taking on any
more obligations! Recent grads were
surprised at how fast their salary was
eaten up by daily expenses they didn’t
have in college, even with salaries in
the high $30,000 and $40,000s.
NEGOTIATE WITH PARENTS.
If you find yourself moving back with
your folks (assuming your room has
Your Next
2 NEWS FEED
Everything the Career Services
Network has to off er is available to
recent graduates for one year after
graduation. Services, including
MySpartanCareer, are available
to members of the MSU Alumni
Association who are more than
one year past graduation.
58
career passport 2009 | careernetwork.msu.edu
Big Transition
not been converted into the new office
or your folks have not already moved
into that one-bedroom condo), talk
with them about their expectations
and your own. Your lifestyle might not
match with their hours, and the habits
you picked up in college don’t always
go over well. While going home and
living with the folks can be cool, it can
wear thin if you are not getting along.
Best to maintain a good rapport with
the folks until you are ready to step out
on your own.
REMEMBER GOOD OLD M.S.U.!
For those seniors who are graduating
and still seeking work, Career Services
can still assist you during your first
year as an alum. Several alumni regret-
ted not taking advantage of these
services. Even if you leave with a job,
you may find yourself in a situation
that requires quick career assistance
(organization mergers, closings and
budget cuts can lead to layoff s and
withdrawals of off ers — it all happens).
You can still find the resources you
need at Career Services.
BE PREPARED FOR DULL AND BORING.
What made you think work would be
lots of fun? Actually, work can be te-
dious and repetitive, especially during
the first year or two. You are going to
be really eager to get started and make
a diff erence, only to be assigned a data
entry task or no-brainer assignment.
Engage in the work with enthusiasm
and do it to the best of your ability;
employers notice and your next assign-
ment will be much more rewarding.
LEARN TO FAIL!
For the past 16 years failure was
seldom framed in a positive context.
Remember when failing a course was
tantamount to disaster? Now there’s a
real chance for failure — not obtaining
a job or being admitted to grad school.
But in the world of work, organizations
operate on failures because failures
open doors to new ideas that can solve
problems. Because of this, risk-taking
is valued by many employers. With
risk comes failure. This is upside down
from college. Get used to it.
JOIN IN ON TEAMWORK.
Competition is fierce among students
who are vying for prestigious jobs
and admittance to graduate schools.
While there’s competition in the job
interview stage, the work environment
is much more team-oriented. Working
in teams can be motivating and excit-
ing — sharing ideas and learning from
co-workers is all part of the day. Be
prepared to share; take the initiative
on tasks by volunteering to assist co-
workers; and strive to be dependable
(begin work on time and get assign-
ments done ahead of schedule).
COMMUNICATE!
Your first introduction to most
members of your company may well
be through a written report or memo.
Work as hard as you can to write
clearly and eff ectively. However, do not
expect those around you to have heard
of good communication skills. Recent
grads report being easily frustrated by
indirect and implicit communication
(written and verbal) that occurs within
their organization. Be aware that poor
communication exists; don’t be afraid
to ask questions and have co-workers
clarify communications you do not
understand.
FIND A MENTOR.
Cultivate a relationship with an
experienced professional who can
provide guidance as you adjust to the
organization. A mentor can provide you
with insights on how the organization
actually operates and how to navigate
the diff erent teams and departments;
can off er career advice as you gain
experience; and can promote you to
higher management for assignments
and promotions.
— PHILIP GARDNER, PH.D., COLLEGIATE
EMPLOYMENT RESEARCH INSTITUTE
3 CAREER SERVICES POST
Congratulations! As you prepare to transition into your
new life in the world of work, you might want the advice
of classmates who’ve made the journey before you. Here
are some recommendations from recent alums in their
early careers . . .
59
WELCOME TO CAREER SERVICES @ MSU
The MSU Career Services Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Get Familiar with MySpartanCareer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Career Advising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Workshops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Career Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Career Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Playing by the Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
EXPLORE & EXPERIENCE: FIND YOUR PASSION AND PUT IT TO WORK
Steps to Explore Your Career Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Career Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Gaining Career-Related Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Job Shadowing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Informational Interviewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Learn and Intern! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Getting the Most Out of Career-Related Experience . . . . . . 21
When Your Major Isn’t a Roadmap to a Career . . . . . . . . . 22
Careers for the Public Good . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Thinking About an Advanced Degree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
HOW TO CONNECT WITH AN EMPLOYER AND MAKE THE RIGHT IMPRESSION
Writing a Good Resume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Action Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Resume Makeover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Combination Resume Spotlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Thinking Outside the Box: The Portfolio Solution . . . . . . . 39
Cover Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Communication Essentials: Thank-You Letters,
Phone, and E-mails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
THE JOB SEARCH
Search Strategies You’ll Use Forever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Job Search Facts You Need to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
International Students and the Job Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Finding Unadvertised Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
On-Campus Interviews for Internships & Full-Time Jobs . . 47
Graduate Career & Professional Development . . . . . . . . . . 48
Dress to Impress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
How to Get Results at a Career Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
You’ve Got an Interview! Now What? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Negotiating Job Off ers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Life after MSU: Your Next Big Transition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58