Holiday Thoughts

On your list of things to be thankful for over the next few days (and months) consider adding the following:

• Having an office like the Center for Career Services and Cooperative Education whose mission is to help you think about and plan for your future;
• Having a career advisor in your school and college who is also available to help you consider your next steps;
• Having loads of choices: what clubs should I join? should I study abroad? do I do a coop? do I get a job? do I go to grad school right after my degree or do I try to work for a while?
• Having access to a system like Career Directions which lists internships, part-time and full-time jobs, volunteer opportunities 24/7 with new listings every day. (Really, every day...new jobs even come in on weekends);
• Being a college student and having the time (even if it is only between classes) to think about (just think, not worry) about your future.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving break with lots of turkey and smiles and come see us when you come back!

After Graduation, What's Next?

Adapted from an article by Peter Vogt, Monster Senior Contributing Writer, at http://career-advice.monster.com/job-search/getting-started/after-graduation-what-next/article.aspx

 

Scary as the "After Graduation" question is, you really do have to think about it and the best time is before graduation. Here are some questions to help:

Do You Know What kind of Job You Want?

You might think employers will appreciate your "I'm willing to do or learn anything" approach to getting a job. However, most employers interpret that as "I'm desperate" or "I have no focus, so I'm just taking a shot at whatever I stumble across."

If you're fuzzy about the type of job you want, now is the time to work with a career counselor in your school or college.    There, you can start to figure out where you best fit in the world of work, what you want to do,  learn about social media and how to use it in your job hunt, what steps are involved in an effective  job-hunt,  and be able to talk over your specific concerns with someone trained to help you.

Do You Have Experience?

Employers look for evidence that you've gained experience in your field through co-ops,. internships and part-time jobs, full-time jobs or even volunteering. If you haven't picked up this type of experience yet, it's a good bet many of your peers have and will likely have an edge over you in the entry-level job market.

But don't despair if you lack experience. You can get it now or after you graduate by doing a postgraduation internship, volunteering or temping.

Do You Know Your Chosen Field?

Imagine going into an interview and saying, "I love this field and know a lot about it -- that's why I want to get into it myself." The interviewer replies by saying, "Interesting. Tell me what you know." If you've been faking it to that point, you're in trouble.

Once you've chosen your field, study it thoroughly so prospective employers know you understand it. Research industry publications, visit industry Web sites, and participate in professional organizations and attend their conferences and seminars. Visit the Career Center's website at http://www.montclair.edu/careerservices for links to all of these.

Do You Have a Strong Resume?
You may be the best entry-level job candidate the world has ever seen. But if you don't market yourself effectively on your resume and cover letter, no one will ever know.

So make your resume the best it can be. Tailor it to each specific job you pursue, watch out for the most common mistakes and be sure the document looks as good as it reads. Learn how you can put together a decent resume by attending an in-person workshop or by listening to our online workshops. Additionally, Monster's Resume Center can be of help, as can the Center for Career Services. Bring a rough draft of your resume to our drop-in hours for a face to face critique.

Can You Back Up the Claims You Make on Your Resume and in Interviews?

Employers have met all kinds of candidates, including some who have flat-out lied about their accomplishments.

Make sure there is nothing on your resume you can't discuss in detail.  Practice your interviewing skills with our online system InterviewPrep, a part of Optimal Resume. Interview Prep lets you select questions to answer and using a video cam, see yourself responding! You can also email your online interview to your career advisor for feedback.

More ideas at Monster.com:

http://career-advice.monster.com/job-search/getting-started/after-graduation-what-next/article.aspx