Employer Information

Want to know the inside scoop on a particular employer? You might want to check out Vault.com. You can access Vault through our website (http://careers.wichita.edu). Just go to the "Career Exploration Resources" link; then click on "Vault Online Career Library". To research employers in general, or read reviews regarding a certain employer, go to the "Companies" link.

Glassdoor.com is another resource which includes "inside information" for a multitude of employers.

Google, Vault, Glassdoor.com -- there's a lot of information out there. It's yours for the taking.

~jan

Know all those holiday parties and family dinners coming up? They provide the perfect time to network--to meet new people and build rapport. Be ready to start conversations with questions such as "What will you be doing over the holidays?" Or, "How do you know the hosts?" Or, How long have you been a member of this organization?"

A common question at social gatherings is "What do you do?". Be prepared to ask that question--and also to answer that question. "I graduated earlier this month from WSU with a degree in communications. I hope to find a job in advertising here in the Wichita area."

Be ready to start conversations with questions such as "What will you be doing over the holidays?" Or, "How do you know the hosts?" Or, "How long have you been a member of this organization?"

A caution: don't (do not) take your resumes to holiday social events. This isn't the time to ask someone for a job or a job lead.

Do take your business cards! You may very well meet people who will ask how they can get in contact with you later. And, a great way for you to end a conversation is "It's been a pleasure to meet and talk with you. May I have your business card?" As they give you their card, hand them your card.

After the event, take the next step and follow up with people you met by sending a short note saying how nice it was to meet them, how much you enjoyed your conversation, and ending with best wishes for a happy New Year.

Networking is about relationship building. The holiday season offers lots of opportunities to network. Happy holidays!

It's Only Your Life

"It's only their life" said the recruiter when he talked about how casually students dressed for recent interviews. He couldn't believe people looking for jobs wouldn't dress to impress potential employers. Have an interview? Get your suit cleaned and pressed. Do the same with your dress shirt or blouse. Shine your shoes. Get your hair trimmed. Clip your fingernails. Shower but skip the fragrance.

Any questions? We'll be happy to talk with you regarding anything to do with your job search.

It's your life -- take it seriously.

~jan

Withdrawal Letters

Remember hearing that an interview is your chance to find out about the organization you are interviewing with? During or after an interview you may decide the job you interviewed for is not a good fit for you, or that you are not interested in working for that employer. If this happens, send a withdrawal letter. You don't need to give a lot of detail regarding why you are no longer interested--you don't want to "burn any bridges". You do want to be professional and courteous. Thank the employer for their time and consideration and say you would like to withdraw from consideration. Say what position you interviewed for and when you interviewed. Use business letter format. For more information, or an example of a letter of withdrawal, contact us. ~ jan

THANK YOU FOR THE INTERVIEW?

Want to stand out as a candidate. . .in a good way? Send thank you notes! Within a day or two of your interview, send a personalized note to each person you interviewed with. Point out something about the organization and what the person said that made a positive impression on you. This is an opportunity to tell your interviewer you are interested in his company. A thank you note is also a great way to remind the interviewer(s) of the strongest things in your background making you the perfect candidate. Be sure to look back over your thank you note carefully to make sure you don't have any grammatical or spelling errors.

Not interested in the company after your interview? Read my next blog on withdrawal letters.

~jan

People get jobs through people they know

Once in a great while, you get an opportunity you just can't believe you get. Happened here--last Wednesday night--for three engineering majors. A workshop on resume prep, put together by NSBE and SPHE, started out slow. . .good for the three people in attendance who got to sit down beside reps from Koch and Cessna and talk resumes -- their resumes. More important than their resumes, however, was the fact they had time and opportunity to make connections with some important employers! Over the evening, more students filtered in -- but the advantage went to the three students who were there early, resume in hand, ready to meet people who may be very important to their future.

The message: take advantage of the opportunities you have to make connections! Bottom line: people get jobs through people they know.

Salary negotiation and interviewing

Ten savy stuents attended Thursday night's workshop on salary negotiation and interviewing. Dana Thompson, HR/Recruiter from LSI gave practical sensible tips on when and how to attempt to negotiate a job offer. Kari Abrahms and Fred Rains, Target Managers, presented how to interview so well that you get that job offer in the first place.

Missed the session but want to know how to interview? Schedule a mock interview with one of our career counselors. What are you waiting for? Call 978-3435 today! ~ jan, career counselor

Dress for that interview

Interview season is here. So, a few tips for the guys from an upscale men's clothing store.

1) Want to look your best? Send your dress shirt to the dry cleaners to be laundered and pressed. Oh, and make that shirt white!

2) Can't afford an expensive suit? Buy a moderately priced suit and have it professionally tailored--that moderately priced suit will look like a million bucks.

3) Socks! Never ever wear a lighter color than your slacks.

4) And, ties. . .skip bright red, yellow, and big prints. Go for the more conservative look. Blues and small prints are good.

You'll be lookin' good!

~jan

Note: these clothing tips provided by Johnston's Clothiers

Speaking of the Fall Career Fair coming up Thursday

Have your business cards ready? Many employers will not be able to accept your resume. Therefore, it is a good idea to have business cards ready to hand over. For help with your business cards, check out these two resources, suggested and tried by one of your fellow students:

1. Microsoft Publisher and
2. website that automatically generates one for you with a logo of your choice: http://www.degraeve.com/business-cards/

Looking forward to seeing you at the Career Fair!

Career Fair

The past three weeks or so have been extremely busy around the Career Services office. We have been critiquing resumes like no one's business and holding what seems like a hundred appointments per day (okay, slight exaggeration). I hope this does not scare anyone from coming in and using our services, though. If anything, you should all be more inclined to use our services, knowing that your competition is getting on the ball.

Our Fall Career Fair is in one week: September 24th from 4-7pm. We have over 50 employers signed up to attend. Because of the rush, we are holding special walk-in hours the Monday and Tuesday before from 1-7pm both days. So, if anyone has any type of question about the fair, their resume, or anything career-related, come on in!

I think career fairs can be a little intimidating, especially if you've never actually been to one. We would be happy to sit down with you and coach you on a game plan before you attend. It's not a good idea to go unprepared. You will need to initiate some conversation with employers. I see a lot of students roam around aimlessly at this event every year, with no idea what to say. Let us help you stand out in the crowd!

1. Research the companies you plan to visit. You can find a list of them in ShockWORKS and the majors for which they are recruiting.
2. Prepare some questions. Don't just ask about job opportunities. Plan to talk about yourself, your interests and most importantly: their interests. What do they look for in a candidate? How would they describe their company culture? What made him or her choose this company? How long has he or she been with the company?
3. Wear a suit! It's time to go out and invest in something to impress!

-Randi Lindquist, Career Counselor

Job search tip

Just back from a luncheon meeting where an employer gave a great job search tip. His company recently advertised a job opportunity and received 500 email/electronic applications. (You read that right -- 500.) They also received 7 (seven) hard copy resumes. "Those were the ones I looked at--the resumes printed on good quality resume paper", the employer said. "The rest of the applications are in an electronic inbox somewhere."

Those seven candidates made the extra effort to stand out -- positively -- from "the crowd". And, it served them well. ~ jan

Not having joined the twittering movement, "30 Ways to Lose a Job on Twitter" was an eye opener to me. Sounds as if people use Twitter almost like a journal and post amazing info. Info they wouldn't want their mom to see, let alone their boss---or someone they hope might be their boss someday. "Four out of five recruiters regularly run web searches to screen job applicants." What does that mean to twitterers? Do NOT post anything on Twitter (or Facebook, or MySpace, etc., etc., etc.) that could come back to bite you. . .in other words, that you wouldn't be pleased for your mom to see. Don't do it! ~ jan

Another reason to use ShockWORKS

With the huge number of applicants currently for each job opening, some employers are doing away with posting on typical job sites. One reported strategy is to use only sites affiliated with the manager's alma mater. Looking for a job? Why not take a look at ShockWORKS?

~ jan

Read article yesterday on recruiting and staffing, reporting "15 million unemployed workers are now chasing 2.5 million jobs openings. In simpler terms that is approximately 10 unemployed workers for every open job.

What does that mean for recruiters? They are overwhelmed with the number of applicants for each job they advertise. I once talked with a recruiter who said some days she had as many as 600 resumes a day to review. I'm betting that number is even higher now.

What does that mean to applicants? What do you think? Call to schedule an appointment if you want to sit down with us and talk resumes. 978-3435

~jan

I'm delighted -- just opened a thank you from a student for helping him with his resume yesterday. Why is a thank you such a big deal to me? Because it is a big deal when someone takes the time and shows the initiative to send a thank you. Took me back to my recruiting days and reminded me how pleased my managers were to get a thank you note from an interviewee. Thank you notes from candidates are rare, and all other things being equal, can make the difference in which interviewee gets the job offer. Manners matter! ~ jan

Online Networking

One of my coworkers just received email notice of a message posted to her myspace account. She was curious about the message, especially since she isn't registered on myspace. The message was not a good one--not one you'd send anyone in your professional network. I'm thinking it was meant for someone else--someone the sender is pretty upset with. Which reminds me it's a good idea to take a minute and check what I'm doing before I hit the "send" button.

As the author of "Seven Days to Online Networking" says: "Be respectful, courteous, and honest in all your online networking activities. Be positive and professional. Don't say anything that you wouldn't want aired on national news or shared with your mother!"

~ jan

Becoming a Leader on the Job (Search)

A Washington Post article by a member of the class of 2009, this provides a different spin on "job searching as a job."

Becoming a Leader On the Job (Search)

Like thousands of young people across the country, I am a little over a month away from graduating from college -- and entering a downright hostile job market. It would be an understatement to say I feel panicked, in spite of having worked hard for years to build an impressive resume for future employers. No one envies the class of 2009.

Although job searching is exhausting, I've realized my search may actually be teaching me some valuable leadership lessons -- perhaps more than any entry-level, "real" job ever could. Read up on the five ways that looking for a job is making me -- and can make you -- a better leader.

1. Venturing out of your comfort zone
Sitting around and waiting won't make jobs come running your way. The past few months have forced me to be more "social" than I've ever been. Once I got over the initial fear of emailing an alum, calling up a potential employer, or sitting down with a supervisor at work, the boundaries of my comfort zone expanded infinitely. Here are 12 different ways of using social networking to land a job.

2. Managing panic and staying positive
One recent evening, I sent out no less than 30 emails to alumni in the journalism industry. "Dear Mr./Ms. _______, I am interested in hearing about your experiences in journalism...." Almost a dozen alumni responded that same night, but to my dismay, almost half of them said they were no longer at their previous jobs. "I'm not in a position to offer any advice to you," one alum wrote to me. "Maybe we can talk again when the financial crisis eases off." It occurred to me that I needed to cut myself some slack: This recession's hitting everyone, no matter how good their resumes. Not everything is under my control.

In her article "High Spirits + Energy = Better Job Search," career coach Diane Costigan advises, "You need patience to play out the waiting game; perseverance in the face of rejection and bad news; persistence to keep moving forward when motivation may wane; and, perhaps most important, a positive perspective to keep your motivation high."

3. Evaluating your next boss
I am beginning to see just how easy it is to get completely consumed by the "Please, hire me!" attitude. This is especially the case now, as times are difficult and being extended even one job offer seems like a bounty of opportunity.

But (as I am being reminded by a few wise adults in my life), a job search is very much a two-way process. Not only are potential employers evaluating you, but you too, must evaluate your next boss. As a Washington Post writer pointed out, "few things have more impact on your happiness at work than the person you answer to every day."

4. A process of self-discovery
Four months ago, I wanted to land a job that would allow me to write about news and politics. When this quickly became much more difficult than I had ever expected, I had no choice but to rethink my strategy. What are the things that I am really good at and how can I put these skills to use? How can I best "sell" my best qualities to employers, without completely compromising the things I care and feel passionate about?

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Claire Bonilla, who took a roundabout path to get to her current job, said: "When I was younger I had an interview question that asked what color I'd choose to describe myself. I chose black because it's made up of the entire spectrum of colors. I believe that every person is made up of different components -- skills, talents and facets. With any job it really comes down to understanding what talents, or colors, you will pull out that align with that job." My goal now is simply to find a job that connects with one aspect of my interest and skills, rather than all of them at once.

5. Helping others, especially when times are difficult
So many people in my life -- from professors, alumni and supervisors at work, to the parents of an adorable two-and-a-half-year-old boy I babysit for -- have blown me away with their willingness to help. Their gestures range from buying me coffee and offering me career advice, to putting me in contact with people in the journalism industry.

I feel inspired to give back in the same way someday. I cannot wait to get that first phone call or email five years down the road, from a soon-to-be-graduate asking me for career advice. And if they are worried at all about the job search, I will reassure them that they will be okay, because after all, I was class of 2009 -- and I survived.

By MJ Lee April 8, 2009; 11:23 AM ET

An Interesting Breakfast...

So I just went to the most random Chamber of Commerce breakfast in Derby. First off, there was a mariachi band. Which resulted in eighty businesspeople shaking maraccas and singing "La Bamba." Then, at the end, two attendees won a minute apiece in the "money machine" - a phone booth sort of deal with dollar bills blowing everywhere. The idea is to catch as many as possible... and the trick is to lift up your shirt, stuffing all the bills under there.

Yeah, not what I expected in a business meeting. But the point is, it was fun, relaxed, and very easy to meet people. When I introduce myself as from Wichita State, most people assume I'm a student (grr). No, I explain, we're Career Services, we have free job postings and interviews... But if I were, say, a business student, these vice-presidents and entrepreneurs would be equally glad to meet me, exchange cards, and talk about their companies.

Networking activities like this are everywhere. Google local Chambers of Commerce to find their events, many of which are free or $10. The Nonprofit Chamber of Service hosts meetings as well, including a wide range of Sedgwick County nonprofits and agencies:
www.nonprofitchamberks.com/members.html

So get out, have some fun, meet people... who knows where it may lead. A mariachi party, a money machine; maybe even a job.

Web 2.0

Seeing as a blog is "Web 2.0," it seems appropriate to post this Web 2.0 wisdom from GottaMentor.com, sent by my colleague at UGA...

Using Social Media to Create Job Leads
By: Andrea Rice Updated: 05/27/2009

The days of just sending in a resume and cover letter for a position and crossing your fingers for an invitation to interview are rapidly disappearing in a growing number of industries.You don’t have to be part of Generation OMG!!! to take advantage of social media.

In fact, for some jobs you’re meaningfully limiting your opportunities to market yourself and turn up new leads if you ignore the communication medium of choice. Social media allows you to be much more proactive in your job search, and can meaningfully increase the likelihood of uncovering the job opportunities that never get posted.

Action Items
Professionalize your online presence
Recruiters are increasingly conducting background checks using popular sites like Facebook. Take down any suggestive pictures of yourself or public commentary about that embarrassing tattoo you got when you were drunk. That`s not the kind of thing that will impress prospective employers. You can control your privacy settings on sites you post content on, but what if one of your hundreds of friends passes something along. Better to be safe than sorry.

Make sure you have a professional personal email. Many social media sites allow you to list your email in the profile section. Don`t take yourself out of the running with an email you`d be embarrassed to have on a business card.

Take advantage of LinkedIn
LinkedIn has the largest database of professionals and attracts a lot of recruiters. Complete your profile as you would your resume with job titles, time frames, and IMPACT-FOCUSED job descriptions. Make sure to use key industry jargon or search terms for the position you’re seeking.

Start connecting. You can do this in several ways: allowing LinkedIn to check your webmail accounts to see who you know that is already on LI, import contacts from other address book software, invite people directly, search past or present colleagues and classmates.

Get at least 1 co-worker or business partner to recommend you. Provide them with key descriptors or terms that reinforce the key traits for the opportunity you’re targeting. Include the link to your LinkedIn public profile in your email signature. People will be able to easily see your background, figure out who you know in common, and read the glowing recommendations you`ve received for your work.

Get the word out
The majority of jobs are not posted, and are instead filled through referrals from others. If people don’t know you’re looking, you’re less likely to be contacted about an opportunity. Let people know what steps you’re interested in taking next.

How can you share the word?- Complete My Objectives in a profile on Gotta Mentor and share it with others- Put your objective in your status update on LinkedIn and Facebook. It’s not that common, but people have received job offers or interviews by tweeting that they were looking for a new job or had just been laid off.

Get personal
Google people you know at the companies you’re targeting. Have they been quoted in any articles, spoken at conferences? Referencing something personal about them is a better way to start the conversation. Use sites like LinkedIn or Plaxo to figure out if you know people in common. If so, get them to put in a good word for you and read the action step on arming those who can help you below to make sure you make the most of that introduction.

Arm those who can help you
Whether you’re using Gotta Mentor, LinkedIn, Twitter or some other platform to find or connect to people, make sure you give the people who can help you the information that will allow them to promote you effectively. If you are asking for someone to make an introduction, in addition to having a complete professional profile, give the individual a paragraph with a brief description of relevant background highlighting your impact and any key skills.

Build your personal profile
Contribute to the conversation. Identify the higher profile, relevant blogs in your target space and monitor these sites. Sign up to have the blogs sent to your email and join the dialogue with comments and constructive critique.

Launch your own blog. Share your insights on the industry and attract people and opportunities to you. For the more technically savvy, set up a Twitter account and begin to follow people at the companies you’re targeting. Make sure you have a bio. People you follow receive a message when someone chooses to follow with them. Don’t miss the first opportunity to let them know who you are. Communicate with them occasionally.

When possible walk before you run
If you have the luxury of time, try to establish some connections with people at your target companies before asking about job openings. The more people know you and genuinely like you, the better advocates they can be. This takes more effort and commitment, but is a great way to highlight your expertise for recruiters.

Think before you type
Be careful. Don`t be too flippant or too casual about your presence online and how you engage others. Social media is a great way to stay connected to people, but it is also very public.

Gets You Going

Welcome to your first cup of Career Coffee. A coffee cup, you say? What’s with the metaphor?

Well, we debated a lot of titles. “Career Memo” – too boring. “Career Catsup” – too random. The idea is a mini-magazine, with no lectures, no announcements, no exhortations to attend our events (though we hope you do).

These will be articles you can sip casually, savor some tips and humor, and perhaps get a jolt towards a career, a job, a promotion.

Who are “we,” anyway? The author isn’t using the “royal we” from some delusion of grandeur. We are the staff of Wichita State Career Services, and we’ll work together to brew up issues and answer your most embarrassing career questions.

So, please holler at us with questions and feedback. Shoot emails to career.services@wichita.edu and say what you want to hear.

A few ideas already are percolating: How to Talk to Strangers (yes, we’re all grown up, it’s okay now); How to Pick a Major (decisions!! augh!!!); How to Dress Without Looking or Feeling Like an Idiot (been there, done that, got the leopard-print blouse…)

It’s going to be a fun year.

-Meredith Warren