FINDING A JOB AFTER GRADUATION

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FINDING A JOB AFTER GRADUATION

• Welcome
• Job Search 101
• Self Assessment
• Identifying Potential Employers
• Researching An Employer
• Preparing Your Promotional Tools
• Making Contact With A Potential Employer
• Career Planning Centre Services

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Job Search 101 When to Start

• If you are graduating in the Spring, start your
  job search now!
• Many employers recruit in the Fall, some as early
  as September
• Treat your job search seriously schedule time
  each week to devote to it.

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Job Search 101 Steps

• 1. Self-Assessment Know what you want and what
  you can offer an employer
• 2. Identify Potential Employers
• 3. Research Potential Employers
• 4. Prepare your Promotional Tools resume, cover
  letter, interview skills
• 5. Make Contact with Employer

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Self Assessment

• Interests What do you like to do?
• Values What is important to you in a job?
• Skills what are you good at?
• What are some skills youve gained from your
  education and your experience that would be
  relevant to employment?

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Identifying Potential Employers

• Some Employment Programs for New Graduates
• Nova Scotia Civil Service Internship Program
• (www.gov.ns.ca/psc/career)
• Public Service Commission of Canada Post
  Secondary Recruitment (http//jobs.gc.ca)
• Career Edge (www.careeredge.ca)
• Entrepreneurship Programs Create your own
  job! SEED Capital Connexion Program
  (www.acoa.ca/e/financial/capital.shtml )

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Identifying Potential Employers

• Visible Job Market
• www.msvu.ca/careerplanning
• www.careercruising.com (Username Mount,
  Password Vincent)
• Service Canada Job Bank (http//jobbank.gc.ca )
• University departmental bulletin boards
• Company postings (in-house, websites)
• Employment Agencies
• Halifax Career Fair www.halifaxcareerfair.ca
• Summer Job Fair www.smu.ca/sjf

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Identifying Potential Employers

• 80 of jobs are never advertised
• The hidden job market
• How do you find jobs that are not advertised?

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Identifying Potential Employers

• Accessing the Hidden Job Market
• Networking (in person and social networking
  sites)
• Newspaper articles
• Company newsletters and websites
• Yellow Pages, The Career Directory (2007)
• Directories related to your field of study
  (Directory of Community Services, Business
  Directory for the Metro Halifax Chamber of
  Commerce)
• Professional Associations
• Volunteering

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Using Linked-In and Other Social Media Tools

• What is it? www.linkedin.com
• How to make new professional connections
• Use of other social media Facebook, Twitter,
  etc
• Resource How to Find a Job on LinkedIn,
  Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and other Social
  Networks, B. D. Schepp, 2010

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Researching Potential Employers

• Research products and services they offer, what
  they look for in employees, application methods,
  special initiatives, recruitment schedules.
• Researching the employer will help you identify
  what you can contribute to the organization.
• How can you research employers?

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Preparing Your Promotional Tools Resume Tips

• Prepare a professional resume
• Keep your resume to a maximum of 2 pages
• Should be done in point form use bullets
• Avoid use of I
• Choose the format that best demonstrates you have
  the skills to do the job
• Include headings such as Education, Relevant
  Skills, Employment, Extra-curricular Activities
• Use action verbs (i.e., monitored,supervised,
  tested) and accomplishment statements)

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Preparing Your Promotional Tools Cover Letter
Tips

• Always address your cover letter to the
  appropriate individual
• Maximum 1 page
• Use confident language (i.e. I am certain I am
  the ideal candidate for this position.)
• Avoid I think, I feel
• Always close by thanking them for reviewing your
  application

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Making Contact With An Employer

• If applying for an advertised job
• Follow the application instructions
• Send a professional resume and cover letter
  tailored to the position
• Follow-up after you apply to ensure they received
  your information, to restate your interest, and
  to find out their timeframe for setting up
  interviews.

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Making Contact With An Employer

• If accessing the hidden job market
• Make initial contact by mail, email, or
  telephone goal is to secure an in-person
  appointment with a hiring manager
• When making direct contact (phone, in- person),
  always have your resume with you, prepare a short
  script about yourself and what you can do for the
  employer (related education, experience, interest
  in the organization), be prepared for an informal
  interview
• Options directly ask about employment
  opportunities, or ask for an information interview

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Sample Script First Contact With An Employer

• 1. Introduce yourself name, degree
• Hi, my name is __. I am completing a degree in
  ___at MSVU.
• 2. Establish common ground (referral source,
  common
• interest)
• My professor, Dr.___ suggested I contact you to
  find out more
• about career opportunities in the field of___.
• 3. Show that you know something about the
  organization
• (show your research!)
• I noticed on your website that your company is
  expanding its
• services.
• 4. Ask for an in-person meeting (information
  interview)
• Im really interested in learning more about
  your organization and
• Im wondering if I could meet with you briefly
  to ask some
• questions?

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Sample Information Interview Questions

• How did you get started in this type of work?
• What skills or personal qualities are necessary
  in this career?
• How is your organization being affected by the
  recent expansion? (or other appropriate question
  showing your knowledge of the organization)
• Does your organization offer volunteer
  opportunities for students interested in gaining
  more experience in this field?
• Are there any current employment opportunities
  within your organization?
• Where else could I find people involved in this
  type of work? (get referrals if appropriate).
• Note - Try to find a way to show how your
  education or experience can help meet the
  organizations needs (give examples of related
  educational projects, work experience, etc.)
• - Bring your resume, leave it if asked.
• - Always send a thank you letter to individual
  you interviewed.

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Career Planning Services

• Resume Critiquing
• Interview Preparation
• Mock Interviews
• Co-Curricular Recognition Program NEW
• Speed Mentoring
• Resource Library
• Individual Counselling
• Interest Testing
• Job Finding Club
• Upcoming Events