Job Search Strategies Archives - Page 2 of 9 - The Career Development Center Blog

Ready to get inspired for your job, internship, or career search? Each month we will spotlight an OSU student that has inspired us when it comes to their career development. Check out their success stories—besides inspiration, they also show that academic major does not have to restrict your goals and that there are many ways to define success.

Want to nominate an OSU student or alum for the Student/Alum Spotlight series? Or do you want to share your own success? Then please fill out this quick form and Career Services will contact the person nominated.

Name: Marcella Florez

Major: Masters of Education in College Student Services Administration

Year you graduated: 2013

Company: Coordinator for Orientation Programs at Portland State University

Tell us about yourself (include major, career goals/aspirations, etc.)

I have my bachelors of art in American Sign Language and English Interpreting from Western Oregon University. While at WOU, I was heavily involved with Orientation Programs, Service Learning, Career Development, and student leadership. From these experiences, I learned I loved Higher Education, particularly Student Affairs. After searching nationwide for a master’s program, I decided on staying in Oregon and am currently in my second year of the Masters of Education in College Student Services Administration program. I prefer to dream big when it comes to my career goals/aspirations, particularly within Student Affairs, I would love to someday be a president of a small liberal arts institution or a dean of student life. Until then, I want to be in Orientation and first year programs because of the energy and variety of students and family members we have the opportunity to interact with consistently.

How did you land your dream job (Coordinator) in New Student Programs at PSU?

How did I land… Well, personally it was all of the experiences I had leading up to such a wonderful opportunity. After my first year as an Orientation leader at WOU, I knew that is something I wanted to do in my life at some point. So from there on out, I kept thinking what things would I enjoy doing and what would prepare me to get a position in New Student Programs (at any institution). In addition, the people I have met. I have had the pleasure to work with, and have been mentors with me since I realized I wanted to work in New Student Programs. I can HONESTLY say have been the number 1 reason I landed this job. They taught me the ins and outs of the field, provided me opportunities of growth, supported me in every aspect of my experiences, and helped me network around the nation in Student Affairs.

What advice do you have for others who are preparing for their job search or career?

Take your time and enjoy the process. I know there are a lot of people who just want to apply to a lot of jobs and hear back as soon as possible, because finding a job upon graduation can be stressful and daunting. But allow yourself time to create your resume, time to find references and discuss the job itself with your references, set up mock interviews, have your friends/family/former employers/mentors look over your resume, cover letter, and other aspects of your application. The more eyes you have on your materials, the better they will become. Allowing time to create the best application and prepare for the best interview you can give, the more relaxed and confident you will feel in the end.

Did Career Services assist you anyway? If so, how?

Yes! I had worked in Career Services for 4 years prior to coming to OSU, and I thought “oh I don’t need a mock interview, resume help, etc.”. I still set up an appointment to have a mock interview JUST in case. It really helped me begin to rethink all of my experiences, convey my experiences that were applicable to the job, and just become used to “talking about m myself” again (something no one really enjoys doing)! In addition to my mock interview, the career counselor (Marian), knew my first interview was a phone interview. She sent me helpful tips and ideas to help me prepare for a phone interview as well, which was really helpful since phone interviews and in-person interviews can be very different.

Thanks Marcella for being our Student /Alumni Spotlight! If you are interested in learning more about interviewing, there are many resources available to you on the OSU Career Services website.

Want to nominate an OSU student or alum for the Student/Alum Spotlight series? Or do you want to share your own success? Then please fill out this quick form and Career Services will contact the person nominated.

Name: Nick Reed

Major: Business Administration (options in Management and International Business)

Year you graduated: 2010

Company: Adaugeo Healthcare Solutions

1. How did you find out about your job?

I attended the fall career fair as an alumnus in November 2012. I spent nearly the entire day interacting with potential employers, including the company that I now work for.

2. What do you do in your position?

I manage our company’s medical laboratory operations in central Oregon, work on projects on the clinical side of the company, as well as train in clinic management.

3. What advice do you have for others interested in finding a job?

First I would encourage persistence and patience. In the span of 6 months I went from being the one applying for jobs, to the person responsible for hiring. If there is one thing that both helped me get into my current position and continues to help me find qualified candidates for positions that I have open, it is the persistence of the candidate. It shows that you want the position you have applied for. It also keeps your name in the forefront of the hiring managers’ mind, versus being buried by busy days. Second is requiring professionalism from yourself. This encompasses many different areas of your life and job search including, how you dress, what your social media reflects, how you speak to potential employers, your resume, cover letter, and letters of recommendations. Finally be open to new ideas of what your career could look like. You may find difficulty getting your dream job directly out of school, so be prepared and open to look for jobs that can help you build your resume and work towards your dream job.

4. Did Career Services or anybody else assist you with your career development? If so, how?

I received assistance from career services. I had help with career guidance, resume editing and my job search.

Thanks Nick for being our Student/Alum Spotlight! If you are interested in learning more about Career Fair, there are many resources available to you on the OSU Career Services website. Here is also a great link to help you prepare for the fair.

Regardless of what your major is or if you graduated with honors, there are specific skills all employers are looking for in their new hires. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2013 Job Outlook report, although degrees and majors in demand may vary from year to year, the key skills and qualities that employers seek in their new college hires remains nearly identical year after year.

Ability to:

1. Verbally Communicate

In today’s world of text messages and social media, the ability to effectively communicate verbally is in decline, but is still in high demand. Start improving this skill by putting the smartphone away and engaging in conversations.

2. Make Decisions and Solve Problems

With the increase in standardized testing, there has been a decrease in the teaching of critical thinking, but this is still a skill employers are expecting of their employees. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and risk being wrong in order to solve problems.

3. Obtain and Process Information

Listening and understanding is an important part of success in the workplace. Employers are looking for someone who is able to understand directions presented to them in verbal and written methods, but don’t be afraid to ask clarifying questions if you are unclear of the expectations.

4. Plan, Organize, and Prioritize Work

Employers are looking for people who are able to effectively manage their time in the office. Practice developing this skill by utilizing organizing software or apps and making and completing “to do” lists.

5. Analyze Quantitative Data

Statistical analysis is what drives decision making within companies. Employees don’t need to be statisticians to be effective in their jobs, but they must be able to disseminate quantitative information presented to them to assist with problem solving in the workplace.

6. Understand Technical Knowledge

Every job will have specific hardware and software specific to that location and it is expected of employees to constantly learn and adapt to the new technical information presented.

7. Be Proficient with Computer Software

Just like the technical knowledge requirements, employees are expected to be proficient with the most common computer software applications (Microsoft Office for example) and be able to learn and adapt to new software specific to the company.

8. Create and Edit Written Reports

Effective professional written communication is vital in the office. Remember that all written forms of communication should be professionally composed, including text messages and emails.

9. Sell and Influence Others

In 1936, Dale Carnegie wrote “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. Over 70 years later, this is still one of the most popular references for business communication skills.

Think about which of these skills you do well and a personal example to support your claim. For the areas you need to improve, think about how you can start improving these skills and implement a plan to gain these skills. Keeping your nose in the books and graduating with a 4.0 GPA won’t cut it when you get out into the workplace.

Posted by Jennifer Edwards, Career Services Career Advisor

I receive a fair amount of requests for LinkedIn recommendations, and I usually oblige without hesitation. However, a recent e-mail from an old colleague made me realize there are plenty of “networkers” out there who just don’t get it.

“Yo, would you give me some props for that time we volunteered at SunLight.”

I thought he was kidding. But unfortunately, he wasn’t.

Here are two important facts you should know about my business relationship with this guy:

I haven’t heard from him in years.
We barely worked together.

His request of a recommendation was awful, there was zero effort applied. Apparently I’m only worth 14 words of this guy’s time.

(If you want to know how he could have taken a better approach to asking for a recommendation, you can read my advice on asking for LinkedIn recommendations.)

If only this “dear friend” of mine knew about the new LinkedIn Contact product.
Had he known, he may have received more than a laugh from me. He may have actually gotten his recommendation.

All LinkedIn users need to follow these three tips to stay current and ask for help more skillfully.

Oh, if you don’t have the new Contact app, you can sign up for the beta release.

1. Understand Not All Contacts Are Created Equal

In her book, Is Your “Net” Working, Anne Boe suggests you categorize the people in your network into one of eight possible choices:

Keystones: The core of your network.
Experts: The people you respect in your field.
Tangential Helpers: The people who help you get your job done.
Mentors: The people who provide you with guidance.
Role Models: The people who have achieved what you are aspiring to.
Hubs: The people who connect you with other helpful people.
Challengers: The people who cause you to look at your direction and challenge your assumptions.
Promoters: The people who recommend you to opportunities.

With LinkedIn Contacts, use the Tagging feature (see below) to put your connections into one of these eight categories.

Ask yourself, “Who do I need to stay in touch with? Which category can I apply?”

2. Set Contact Reminders

My friend’s failed request came out of nowhere. Yet, I’m also sensitive to the fact he probably has an above average network.

How can he possibly stay in touch with everyone, right?

(Glad to know I’m somewhere at the bottom. LinkedIn is probably a numbers game for him.)

Well, don’t wait until you need something to touch base with your network. That’s poor practice and is usually pretty obvious. Instead, use LinkedIn’s Reminder feature to remind you to consistently stay in touch.

Rule-of-Thumb: You should reach out to your most important contacts at least once every 30 days. Other contacts don’t need to hear from you more than once every few months.

Before you forget, go into your contact’s list and set these reminders for yourself.

3. Pick Up Where You Left Off

With LinkedIn Contacts, the e-mails sent to that person can be found in their profile. This is what it looks like:

This means you can pick up where you left off in your last conversation.

For example, three years ago, this friend of mine and I were talking about creating a website together. The platform never materialized but our idea seems to have become popular, kind of an ironic and fun shared experience.

Tip: By linking together past conversations with your latest notes, you help the contact see the nature of your relationship. Your connections are busy (like you) so they may need gentle reminders about why they’re linked up with you.

Joshua Waldman, author of Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies, is recognized as one of the nations top authorities in Social Media Career Advancement. To learn Joshua’s secret strategies for shortening the online job search and getting the right job right away, watch his exclusive video training here to learn How To Use Social Media Find a Job

NOTE: This post was written by a guest blogger and the content for the post approved by Oregon State University Career Services. We are not responsible for the content on the guest blogger’s personal website and do not endorse their site.

With summer coming to an end and the academic year fast approaching you may find yourself trying to squeeze in a few last minute trips and moments of relaxation. Take the next few weeks to also think about some goals you have for this coming academic year, whether they are academic, professional or personal. Here are a few tips for starting the academic year off right!

Organize

If you don’t already have one, go out and get yourself a planner: writing out assignment due dates, work schedules, classes and midterm days and times can help you stay on track
Write out a list of all your commitments for this coming academic year including classes, clubs, organizations, work responsibilities.

Set Measurable Goals

Write out goals for yourself, both short term and long term, and make a list of the steps you can take to accomplish those goals. Set a timeline of when you want to have them completed. Once you have completed one goal, set another.
Meet your Academic Advisor or visit a Career Counselor.
Make a point to meet with your Academic Advisor early in the term to plan out the academic year, talk about career goals and make sure you are on track with meeting your degree requirements.
If you find yourself struggling to choose a major, consider meeting with a Career Counselor; they can help you outline your strengths and interests as well as prompt you with questions to start thinking about your future.

Get Involved:

Depending on your level of commitments, consider getting involved with a new club or organization on campus, completing an internship or getting a part-time job. All of these opportunities will build your resume and enhance your skill set. You can check out internship and job opportunities on Beaver JobNet.

Posted by Ciara Lynn – Career Services Internship Coordinator

Your PhD, What’s Next? Non-Academic Jobs

Adopted from article written by Jayne Sharples, University of Birmingham. The original article can be found here http://www.prospects.ac.uk/your_phd_what_next_non_academic_jobs.htm

Where can I work?

A PhD is recognized by employers across a wide range of sectors as a sign that you will bring a distinctive skill set to their organization. There are also opportunities where your subject-specific skills and knowledge will be in demand.

Do not, however, limit yourself to applying for jobs that specifically require a PhD. Unless a PhD is a prerequisite for the job, employers won’t necessarily mention it in their advertisements.

After finishing your PhD, you may want to work outside of academia. Find out how to succeed in the job market

Sectors and types of work likely to match the skills and aspirations of PhD graduates include:

Education (teaching) – outside of higher education there are opportunities to gain relevant teaching qualifications and to teach your subject in schools or to lecture in a community college.
Higher Education (administrative and professional roles) – non-teaching roles are available in universities and other educational institutions. In universities, for example, PhD graduates are valued for their administrative skills and understanding of the research environment.
Public Sector – PhD graduates are valued in roles within the Civil Service, government agencies and local government for their analytical, research and communication skills. Your subject-specific knowledge will also be in demand if your research is relevant to specific public sector policy and strategy areas. Find out what it’s like to work in the public sector.
Industry Research and Development – opportunities exist to continue your research in commercial and industrial environments, for example in the medical, pharmaceutical and engineering sectors. Roles are likely to combine applied research with project management. Many higher-level positions within research and development are open to those with a PhD.
Healthcare Sector and Medical Research – the health sector is a relatively common destination for PhD graduates who wish to continue or build on their area of research, in the NHS or public research institutes. PhD graduates are also recruited to non-research roles.
Business and Finance – jobs are available in areas such as investment and retail banking, insurance and pensions. PhD graduates are particularly valued if they have specialist quantitative and statistical training, and high-level analytical and communication skills.
Be a Consultant – your ability to work on projects and to devise novel solutions to problems are of value in a range of management consultancy contexts, such as business and finance, technology and IT. Think tanks also offer opportunities for PhD graduates. Search for opportunities in business, consulting and management.
Publishing – the analytical and writing skills developed preparing papers and writing a thesis are essential skills for the publishing sector. PhD students who get involved with reviewing journal papers during their studies are well placed to move into writing and editorial roles.
STEM Industry – jobs are available in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics where PhD graduates can put their creative skills and talents into practice by creating new inventions.
Not-for-Profit Sector – opportunities in charities, voluntary and non-governmental organizations often include openings related to your area of research.
Entrepreneurship– the problem-solving and creative-thinking skills developed during your PhD, together with your communication and networking skills, mean that you may be suited to starting your own business.

Posted by Marian Moore, Career Development Coordinator & Career Counselor

Name: Jaina McGregor
Major: Business Information Systems, Finance, and Management (triple major)
Year in School: Senior

1. While a student at OSU, what have you done so far to gain experience?
Now that I look back on my time at OSU, I’ve come to realize that I’ve actually done quite a lot to gain experience. Maybe it’s because of my interest in three different areas of business and wanting to broaden my horizons with each or just a natural curiosity and desire to learn new things. Either way, each time I tried something new, I learned something more about what I wanted to do, how I could get there, and who I ultimately want to be as a person.
When I first came to OSU, I really wanted a “college experience” so I became involved in anything I could that would bring me in to the OSU community. My very first term on campus, I became an ASOSU intern even though I was never really interested in student government or politics or anything like that. I’m really glad I joined, though, because I was exposed to a whole different side of campus and got to work with a broad variety of really amazing people. It also didn’t take me long to figure out that I could spend my entire time there (a year) without ever touching student government, but could focus my time on working with various task forces to help make the OSU campus a better place to be. Working with ASOSU allowed me to build connections across campus, get to know people in various departments, and even led to the founding of a club where I was able to stretch my leadership legs for the first time.
I also sought out other opportunities to gain more knowledge about the field I was going into by looking around for various tech-related clubs and organizations on campus. It was then that I discovered a club for women in engineering, so as a way of trying it out, I joined the listserv. The listserv sent around a scholarship announcement to attend a conference I’d never heard of before for women in technology up in Portland called the Grace Hopper Celebration. Getting the scholarship was a long shot because I didn’t have the GPA stipulated in the requirements, but I applied anyway and was fortunate enough to be chosen. The conference was an amazing three-day event where EECS transported us by bus to and from the convention center, provided us with meals, and put us up in a hotel near the event. I was able to attend workshops, speaker events, panels, and a career fair where my timid and shy self managed to build up the courage to strike up a conversation with a very nice lady from IBM. Little did I know that I was having a conversation with a director of a department who was only watching the booth for a few minutes and that this very same director would offer me a 6-month long internship without even an interview with one of the teams she oversaw back east two weeks after the conference. Realizing that this moment only happened because of my courage to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone, I have done what I can ever since to keep up that momentum.
Since attending that conference, I have gradually gained more and more confidence with talking to strangers and, the even more terrifying, potential recruiters. One way that I helped to build my confidence was to expose myself to as many opportunities to practice as possible by attending mock interviews, volunteering to be the speaker for class presentations, and any other opportunity where I could practice talking with or to people that I didn’t know. I remember that there was an event at the alumni center that had a speed-dating type interview where you only had a few minutes to talk before you would get feedback from each interviewer. I was completely unprepared for anything because I wasn’t feeling very well and had completely forgotten about this particular component of the event. But it was during this speed-dating interview session that I discovered what my real passions are because I was “shooting from the hip”, completely unfiltered and unrehearsed because it didn’t really matter so there was nothing to lose with really letting go and just telling it like it is. I received incredibly positive feedback from each interviewer because I showed sincerity, passion, and eloquence without stuttering or sounding rehearsed. Since then, I have treated each interview (whether mock or real) the exact same way: showing sincerity and enthusiasm by being genuine and unrehearsed.

2. What are your career plans?
Since I’m such a planner-type personality, I actually have two different “categories” of my career plans: immediate and life-long. My immediate career plans include an internship with The Walt Disney Company back in my hometown of Los Angeles at their corporate office. I’d been solicited by a recruiter who had seen my experience with my on-campus jobs at both the Bexell Computer Lab and Business Solutions Group. It was the help desk experience that really interested her, though, as the position entails communicating technical information to non-technical people. I used to think that my jobs on campus didn’t really count or matter because they weren’t classified as an “internship” but I’m really grateful for that experience now and wish that I had thought of it as a type of internship a long time ago because recruiters don’t see a difference, it’s all about experience, not location.
After graduation, I’m looking to get started in an IT discipline since my primary major is information systems. I’ve also started taking classes from Harvard University toward their graduate program in IT so that I can add to my knowledge base to make myself a bit more marketable and broaden my knowledge of IT. The plan for graduate school also ties into my life-long career goal of pursuing upper-management within a large company. I never thought that I would have the courage to pursue such a lofty goal, but with the experience and encouragement that I have received from the different outlets I’ve pursued as well as the gift from my mentor of confidence in myself at a time when I had the biggest case of impostor syndrome on the planet, I’m able to reach heights I never dreamed possible.

3. What advice do you have for others who are preparing for their job or internship search?
Do your homework by researching companies, practice interviewing, and constantly improve your resume. One of the best things I did while at OSU was take a class required for business majors called Professional Development. In this class I had to create a Gap Analysis which consisted of evaluating your current skills and abilities to that of a job you want to pursue. It gave me a way to create a course of action that would lead me to my dream job. I also found that it really helps when you find a job that you’re passionate about, you create an incentive for yourself, a way to motivate the job search. And with the analysis, you would know what kinds of internships to target instead of just taking the shotgun approach of applying to as many things as possible and hoping something sticks. What’s the point of getting an internship that doesn’t provide you with the ability to gain experience in a career field that you are interested in pursuing? It’s better to take your time (and yes, this will take a lot of time) to find the right kinds of internships to apply for and tailor your resume and cover letter to that role. I also used Linkedin to find connections that work in a company I’m interested in working and starting to build a relationship with them by having an informational interview. It’s as simple as having a conversation about what they do every day. I’ve had tremendous success with this and even had the guts to try and connect with people whom I’ve never met. You’d be surprised at how many people are willing to help out a student who shows an interest in them and is professional in how they interact.

4. Did Career Services and/or anybody else assist you with your career development and preparing you for an internship or job? If so, how?
When I first came to campus, I knew my entire purpose for coming to college was to graduate and get a job so I made an appointment with Career Services fairly early on in my academic career. I wanted to make sure that every step I took while in school was leading me to that goal. I took several assessments of my personality and skills, learning more about myself and what I wanted in the process. I think those assessments really flipped a switch in me to constantly improve. I always found ways to better myself, never really being satisfied with anything I created no matter whether it was a resume, a Linkedin profile, a personal website, etc. I always found something that could be tweaked or improved in some way. I still do this even with offers for internships, I’m just constantly trying to improve.
But what really comes to mind when I think of career development is that I’ve had the benefit of working with two really great instructors on campus, Gene Young and Bob Mayes. Gene taught my BA 353 class and I’m better off for taking it with him. He rips you apart, but it’s obvious that he cares about each student’s success. It’s almost like he has to rip away all the bad habits in order to create a better, more refined person. I had some work experience and have had a few interviews so I felt that I was fairly professional already (especially because this was after landing an offer from IBM without an interview, I felt like the top of the professional world!) but this man humbled me. He gave me new tips and insights I hadn’t heard before and boy do they work. I’ve had even greater success since taking his class and I attribute that success to his tutelage.
I also took a chance on taking a random 1-credit class that didn’t apply to any major, but the title intrigued me: Think Like a Leader. It was a bit odd because I had to “apply” to enroll in the course by submitting an essay and I’m not that decent of a writer, but I decided to chance it. I’m incredibly grateful that I did because not only was I accepted into the class, but that action started a chain reaction of self-improvement. I was exposed to high-level executives every week and had to constantly refine my interactions with professionals. This class led to a mentorship, a nomination to join a leadership honor society, ongoing relationships with top-level executives, and a constant improvement of my professionalism. Bob has even coached me on interviewing and professional etiquette. I know that my mentorship with him has taken my professional development to a whole new level. For the first time, I’m really looking forward to what the future holds for my career.

Thanks Jaina for being our Student/Alum Spotlight! If you are interested in learning more about the job search process, there are many resources available to you on the OSU Career Services website, including a specific section on preparing for your job search. Be sure to check it out!

There are many ways to find internship opportunities and I always encourage students to implement all strategies. Before even starting to find an internship, it is a good idea to think about what you want to get out of the internship. In order to know what you want to get out of the internship, first think about what skills and experiences you need to have in order to get the job you want when you graduate. Check out multiple job descriptions, talk to people in the field and make a list of those qualifications. Then note the ones that you have and the ones you still need to develop. The ones you need to develop could be incorporated into your internship. For example, maybe you need to know a specific software program, or maybe you need to have experience presenting to others – include these in your learning outcomes for the internship.

Once you have identified the learning outcomes you will feel more prepared to find opportunities and you will appear more focused and confident to those looking to hire someone. Networking is always important, no matter the field, so tell all of your family, friends, professors, advisors, etc. that you are looking for an internship. Don’t just tell them you are looking for an internship, prepare a 30 second spiel that articulates what you want such as the industry, some companies or organizations that interest you, what you would like to get out of the internship, and anything else that you feel is important to include. You never know who someone in your network may know!

Besides networking, other strategies include paying attention to the emails you get from your professors, academic advisors, department, etc. Oftentimes they send opportunities your way but you have to actually read and follow up on the email. If your school has a job database this is another place to look for internships since employers are posting on that site because they want students from that particular school (at OSU it is Beaver JobNet). Career Fairs also often have internship opportunities, so be sure to attend! Depending on your major and field of interest, some companies have actual internship programs and those you can typically find on the company’s website or just do an online search of internship programs in “fill in the blank of your field.” Another great resource for internship opportunities are through professional associations. Every field has at least one professional association or society and many offer a student discount rate to join. Many also have internship postings on their website and you don’t always have to be a member to view them. Some companies are now recruiting through social media. LinkedIn offers job and internship postings and you can also search Twitter for internships in a specific field, for example, marketing internships. Just remember to make sure you have a clean and professional online presence!

These are just a handful of strategies to finding an internship…now just make sure you do at least one internship while in school. You’ll not only build a stronger resume, but learn about yourself and your future career.

Posted by Jen Busick Stewart, Career Advisor & Outreach Coordinator

The federal government has a tremendous amount of jobs across the United States. However, there are many myths associated with working for the federal government. These can drive students away from considering the federal government when looking for jobs and internships, leading them to miss out on great opportunities. By the end of this article, I will debunk these four myths.

Myth #1: Federal employees are paper pushers and are caught up in bureaucracy.
The federal government has more than 300 departments and agencies, and each performs different tasks, such as improving our education, advancing science, insuring our security and health, and preserving our environment. None of them is restricted to paperwork. Last summer, I had the privilege to intern at Brookhaven National Laboratory, the home of seven Nobel Prize winners and one of the sub-agencies of the federal government. This was not just an internship. I gained hands-on experience with cutting-edge devices, performed scientific research, made many connections with world-class scientists, and attended a wide variety of scientific lectures and career development workshops.

Myth #2: Salaries for federal employees are low and you are better off in the private sector.
The pay scale for many federal jobs uses the general schedule system and is graded from 1-15. The grades depend on the type of degree and several other factors such as class standing and GPA. For example, an undergraduate would be a GS-5, an undergraduate with honors GS-7 and graduate student GS-9. Each grade has ten steps, allowing for a range of salaries. For example, an employee with a GS-7 step 1 salary gets paid $33,979 per year, while an employee with a GS-7 step 10 salary receives $44,176.

On top of these salaries, there is the student loan repayment assistance program. Some agencies may repay up to $10,000 of student loans per year. In 2008, 35 agencies provided 6,879 employees with $51 million in student loan assistance.

Myth #3: All federal jobs are located in Washington, DC.
In fact, only approximately 16% of federal jobs are located in the Washington, D.C. metro area. The rest are located throughout the United States, not to mention the more than 50,000 jobs overseas! The Department of Energy, for example, has office locations in 30 states across the U.S., and when I interned at Brookhaven, I was working in New York.

Myth #4: The application process is complicated and overwhelming.
I have met many students who find the application process through USAJobs.gov overwhelming. It definitely can look that way but it isn’t once you create an account and start navigating the website. The basic process of applying for a federal job is as follows:

Find a job that you’d like to apply for.

When applying for a federal job, the first thing you must do is to look for available jobs before even creating your résumé. Nearly all federal jobs are posted on USAJobs.gov.

Create your résumé.

The federal résumé, like private sector résumés, should be tailored to each specific opportunity. That is why you have the option to build up to five résumés in USAJobs. Federal résumés have different structures and more detail than private sector résumés. When building your federal résumé, you have two options: you can create one and then upload it, or you can build one through the website. The second option, from my point of view, is the easier one, because it only requires filling in your information by using an online form. This ensures that all the necessary information has been included in your résumé. After you are done with these two steps, you are left with questionnaires and, for some jobs, essay questions.

Overall, the federal government provides lucrative job opportunities for any level of experience, from an internship while you’re in college to a senior executive. Don’t let these four myths stand stop you from achieving a meaningful career in the private sector. Check out www.usajobs.gov for your opportunity today.

Posted by Ahmad Mohammad, U.S. Department of Energy Student Ambassador

NOTE: This post was written by a guest blogger and the content for the post approved by Oregon State University Career Services. We are not responsible for the content of the websites linked in the post.

LinkedIn has become known to be one of the best social networking websites for people in professional occupations. Some of the main purposes of LinkedIn are to make connections with other people in the professional world. Once this takes place and people upload their resumes to showcase their work within their communities, it can then be used to look for jobs. Employers can also list jobs and search for potential candidates based on what people put on their personal profiles. It is highly recommended to have a LinkedIn profile. It is important to stay on top of your profile; you want to make sure it is up to date so you look like the “ideal candidate” for your possible future employers. Here is a list of 5 ways/ tips to get noticed on LinkedIn, using that profile you worked so hard to create and keep polished.

1.) Spruce up your career summary with relevant keywords. Recruiters and employers often look for skills and expertise a candidate obtains so highlight your qualifications by including certain keywords in your career summary.

2.) Participate in discussions. LinkedIn is full of different groups you can join, so find ones related to your industry and occupation and respond to comments and questions using the discussion and message boards with intelligent/articulate answers, these may attract recruiters which may lead to a possible interview or job offer down the road.

3.) Build up your connections. Connect with as many people as possible, from entry level employees to vice-presidents. Recruiters look at the number of connections you have, as well as who you are connected to, to evaluate your networking skills.

4.) Post recommendations on your profile. If you solved a problem or contributed to an important project at work and a co-worker of yours writes a recommendation about you, make sure it gets posted to your profile as well, not just theirs.

5.) Regularly update your status. Everyone you are “linked” to or who is in your network sees your updates when you post them, so make yourself more visible. It’s not a bad idea to post the fact that you are looking for work because all it takes is getting noticed by one person, the possibilities are endless!

Take these tips and suggestions into consideration when you start or continue to use LinkedIn. They could be extremely helpful to you getting more connections and hopefully getting that dream job you’ve been searching, waiting, and working so hard for. Good Luck!

References:

http://www.blueskyresumes.com/blog/the-top-5-ways-to-get-noticed-on-linkedin/

http://work.chron.com/noticed-recruiters-linkedin-9316.html

http://www.professiondirection.net/social-media/7-ways-to-get-noticed-using-linkedin-groups/

Posted by Carly Larson, Career Services Assistant

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