Welcome to Career Services

Welcome! Whether this is your first semester at Wichita State or you are returning after some time off, we are glad you are here. And, we would love to meet you.

We’re here to help you answer those “what shall I do with my life?” questions, as well as the “where can I do that?” questions that follow. “How can I do that?” questions are important too. We have our own questions, intended to help you answer your questions. And, we have exercises and assessments, designed for the same purpose.

We offer resources to help you find a job on campus – or away from campus. We will assist you with your resume and other job search correspondence (think cover letter and reference page). We will coach you regarding networking and we will help you practice your interview skills.

If it has to do with career or work, we are all about it. Call or come over to 203 Grace Wilkie Hall. We are anxious to see you again. . .or meet you for the first time. Welcome!

 

Eighteen Step Job Search Plan

EIGHTEEN STEP JOB SEARCH PLAN

1.      Prepare resume, cover letter, reference page.

2.      Have above critiqued. Career Services is happy to do this.

3.      Load resume on Hire-a-Shocker. Set up a job agent.

4.      Be prepared to tailor resume and cover letter for specific positions you apply for.

5.      Talk to Career Services regarding the possibility of conducting informational interviews as a way to learn more about particular jobs…and as a way to make new connections.

6.      Make up form to record all applications, networking, other job search steps. Excel works nicely.

7.      Join professional organizations pertinent to profession. Take an active role. Make connections.

8.      Have photo taken for LinkedIn.

9.      Prepare profile on LinkedIn. Ask people to connect with you. Join groups and start/join discussions.

10.   Prepare 30 second introduction and/or “script” for use when meeting new people.

11.   Network. Network everywhere you go. Strike up conversations with people in line at the grocery store, or any place you shop! Make connections.

12.   Send a thank you note to everyone you conduct an informational interview with.

13.   Register with contract houses/temporary agencies. At a minimum, temporary positions teach you how to do the particular job you were hired for. And, they sometimes transfer to fulltime jobs. Temp jobs allow you to earn a paycheck and make connections while you search for a job.

14.   Volunteer as a way to fill the time, learn or enhance your skills and make connections while you are conducting your job search. Work can be paid or unpaid, so you can include volunteer positions on your resume.

15.   When you see jobs advertised, or hear about something, be sure to follow their steps to apply. If they ask for a cover letter, send/take a cover letter. You may want to print a copy of your resume and cover letter, dress up, and deliver your application materials directly to the employer’s site.

16.   Apply directly to organization websites.

17.   It is quite appropriate to use online sites such as Career Builder, Indeed, etc. Just remember, networking is really really important to a job search.

18.   Try not to get discouraged. Job search is difficult. Remain positive, network and make connections. Finding a job is sometimes about timing and who you know.

 

More about Networking

If you've met with me and/or red this blog regularly, you know I'm a firm believer that it's all about networking. Therefore, I'm excited to share what I just read. Credit goes to Katherine Moody. Katherine's website is (www.hiddenjobmarketsecrets.com). You will find good information there. Katherine asked me to tell you the terror-free networking scripts are free. 



Pay to Play
 
  

Actively networking and making connections are essential  and significant elements of your job search strategy today.

Social networking is important, but must be augmented with face-to-face and/or voice-to-voice connecting.

The etiquette is "ask for the help--ask for the check." That can get expensive unless you get creative. And the good news is "creative" is not only acceptable, it can often really make you stand out.

These days it is quite acceptable to ask someone to join you for coffee--on you. You could even offer to bring coffee to their office to make it easier for them to meet with you.

I have taken someone to lunch when it was critical for me to be able to spend time with her. I asked her assistant for her favorite restaurant--and then asked her to join me for lunch there. It really differentiated me from everyone else asking for her time.

You can ask the person's assistant or the person who referred you if there is something special they like--jelly beans or chocolates or cookies??
 
I recently met with someone who loved the oatmeal raisin cookies from the Il Forniao bakery in Irvine. Those 3 cookies were one of my best investments!

A couple of years ago someone gave me a lot of his time and never asked for anything in return. I found a fabulous hero action figure that I sent him since he was now "my hero." It still sits on a shelf in his office and even though he's become quite well known, he always takes my calls and gives me invaluable advice.

You only need a few of these wonderful people in your life and they will lead you to everything you want.

Thank people in a way that shows both your gratitude and personality. The handwritten notes I've gotten create a special spot in my heart for those who took the time to write.

When you think of networking as a way to make connections and build relationships, you'll come up with unique and money-saving ways to  say "thank you." And really build a relationship at the same time.

So pick someone to call, get your script out,and pick up the phone.

Who are you?

I worked with a student last week, who at the end of a career exploration exercise said “Finding yourself is important business. If you don’t know yourself, you have nothing.” Such a simple statement, but isn’t it the absolute truth?!?

It may take some work to discover who we really are. Maybe “who” we are is not “who” we think we should be. Sometimes “who” we are gets lost in the middle of “who” someone else says we should be.

We owe it to ourselves to do the discovery. We need to know who we are so we can decide who we want to be and what career path we want to start on.

Career Services has exercises and assessments and time to talk. Schedule an appointment. It’s discovery time!   

Transitioning From College to Work

As recent grads may agree, transitioning from college to the professional world is not always easy. And, we’ve all heard “you only have one chance to make a first impression”. What can you do to make sure that first impression is a good one?

1. Dress appropriately. Unless you are very conservative, office attire will be much different than what you wear when you go out on Friday night. It is always ok to ask Human Resources about proper office attire before you report for work on your first day.  
2. Be on time – for work, for meetings, coming back from lunch.Do not text or email or Facebook or Tweet while you are at work.
3. The same goes for shopping or just goofing around on the internet in general. The company is paying for your time. They deserve your full attention.
4. Be courteous of, and respectful to, everyone you work with. No one’s job is any more important than another. Everyone is valuable.
5. Do not share in office gossip. You might talk about someone only to find out they are close friends with …yes, the person you just bad-mouthed.
6. Do more than what’s expected of you. Never ever ever say “that’s not in my job description” – with body language or verbally.
7. Don’t appear too eager to walk out the door when your workday is over. I don’t mean you need to work through the dinner hour (unless that’s your assigned shift), but also don’t knock anyone down on your way out of the building.  

Not that hard. And, the payback will be well worth the effort.

“Professionalism: It's NOT the job you DO, It's HOW you DO the job.”

Dress the Part

I remember when I first read “During your job search, dress professionally and be prepared to meet a prospective employer any time you leave your house.” I groaned as I thought to myself “you have got to be kidding me!”

 

But, you know what? I’m going to give you that same advice. Why? I am a relentless advocate of networking. And, if you’re going to be networking, you need to look the part.

 

You can relax a little bit. I am not suggesting you wear a business suit each time you walk out your front door. I am recommending, however…unless you are on your way to the gym. . .you dress in business casual attire, or at a minimum very nice casual attire, each time you are going to be out in the public eye.

 

Just think about it – how much credibility do you have if you need a shampoo (perhaps even a shower!), and/or you have on a t-shirt with questionable graphics, your best stylin’ jeans that are frayed and sporting a few holes and flip flops.

 

On the other hand, if I meet you and you are dressed in nicely pressed khakis and polo style shirt plus you demonstrate good communication skills and professionalism – I will be able to see myself talking to my friends and coworkers – even my supervisor -- about you.  

 

Networking really is the name of the game. Dress the part.

Telephone Etiquette

Telephone Etiquette During Your Job Search

Any introduction to an employer is important, whether face to face or by telephone. A few important things to remember regarding telephone etiquette follow.

Have a professional message on your home phone, cell phone and answering machine. Train anyone who might answer the phone for you (think roommates, kids. . .) to answer the phone politely, take a message and deliver the message to you immediately.

Be prepared to receive a call from an employer anytime you pick up a call. If you are in a noisy environment, or any situation that could compromise the quality of your conversation (for instance, you just woke up) let calls go to your voice mail. . .where the caller will hear that professional message we talked about earlier.

Return all phone calls promptly, or at least within 24 hours. If you don’t the prospective employer will assume you are no longer interested.

Good luck. Get a Job!