How do I Actually Find a Job?

By Kelly Martin, Toppel Peer Advisor 

As a peer advisor, we have tons of students that come in on a daily basis looking for help with their resumes and cover letters, but one question that I seem to get a lot that’s more difficult to answer than questions about resume formatting or how to address a cover letter: how do I find a job/internship?

Often, as soon as I am done working with a student on their document, they then ask me, “now how do I find a job?” With resumes and cover letters, while the content will vary from person to person and job to job, there’s a basic template to follow. With a job search, there are many ways to approach it. So here are some of my observations from personal experience and from watching friends and other students that are on the hunt for jobs or internships.

First, the way you go about searching for a job could be very different from one field to another. As a student in the marine science school, the internships I’ve found have been completely from doing my own research—running a lot of Google searches, varying my keywords, and looking through the websites of as many organizations as I can. I also made a list of multiple organizations that I knew of already and went to their websites to specifically search for a “careers” or “internships” page. However, a business student could probably find job or internship opportunities in their field fairly easily through Toppel and other job websites.  So do some research on your field and figure out what might be the best way to approach your search.

While some things may change depending on your major or field of interest, one thing that will help any person looking for a job: connections. Connections are great way to get an extra leg up in the application process, and may even make you aware of an opportunity you never would have thought of before. So ask your professors if they know of any internship opportunities, ask your friends and family if they know of anyone in your field who may be able to help you out, or even just give you advice. It can’t hurt to ask and you never know what doors may open!

Finally, utilize Toppel! We have an amazing staff here in our office, and there are tons of resources you can use to find a job. From industry panels and career fairs, to advisors assigned to your specific major and job postings on our website (HireACane.com), there are countless ways that Toppel can help you in your job search.

So get out there and show the working world how awesome ‘Canes are, and get some job and internship experience to add to your resume. Happy hunting!

5 Tips to Jump Start Your Job or Internship Search

By Jordan Adams, Assistant Director of On-Campus Recruiting

“I’ve applied over and over to internships and jobs but can’t get a solid interview, how do I get my foot in the door!!!”  Below is the advice I give to UM students, alumni, my own friends, and family.  
 

1. Fix your resume:   

Your resume is a living document that can always be improved and adapted so it should continually be on your mind during a job search.  Most importantly, it has to be concise and to the point.  Recruiters see hundreds of resumes at a time and only keep reading until they get bored.  This means that your resume should only be one page (2 max for people with significant experience), no paragraphs! (only bullets and phrases), and it should be tailored to the position/organization you are applying to. They took time to write a job description so you should take time to reorient your resume to compliment the position and highlight the skills they are looking for.  

And just as importantly, don’t sell yourself short.  Any job experience is valuable and can relate to your job search.  Worked in the student store as a cashier?  Well, you have excellent customer service skills, assisting over 150 clients daily, and facilitated the implementation of a new digital textbook rental program that has saved the university over $200k annually.  Just remember that bullet points for your experiences should highlight what you did, the skills and tools you used, and positive outcomes.  It is important to orient the bullets to your particular job search and to use specific examples/quantify your experiences as much as possible.  

2. Research: 

The more you know about your job and internship search, the better off you will be.  Research can take many forms.  You may be interested in a specific field, but are not sure about actual career paths or how to leverage your major, or you may know exactly what you want to do, but are not sure how to make it happen.  Either way you have to get prepared and Toppel has compiled great resources to help you such as Career Links that has important industry-specific information, Glassdoor that compiles thousands of company reviews and salary information, ONet Online that provides important industry/occupational descriptions and data, and many more guides and handouts.  Also, once you login to your HireACane.com account, you can;  utilize Vault Career Intelligence to get insider access to industry information and job search advice, discover information about jobs and internships abroad with GoingGlobal, and view the hundreds of jobs and internships available in the system.  Simple online searches can also be useful as you try and find the major organizations in your industry or look at the prominent players in your region.  

3. Network: 

Networking may seem daunting or confusing, but it can be done in many different ways and is completely necessary to find a job or internship these days.  We all know that most people get a job or internship through a personal relationship (“because they knew somebody”) so now is the time to put yourself out there and get to know somebody. Start with friends, family, and your professors.  They should all know your career plans and are the most likely to help you with tips, advice, and job connections.  Your next step is to get involved with student groups and organizations that give you much needed exposure to the professional world.  Many student organizations bring in guest speakers, Greek organizations have professional development events, and Toppel hosts Career Expo’s, Meet-Up’s, and many other career fairs and events that are specifically designed for students and alumni to meet with employers.  And if you are not ready to get out of the house, start connecting on LinkedIn.  LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network and you just need a professional picture and information from your resume to get started.  Once on, you can connect with friends and family to start your network and can explore the group of over 60,000 ‘Canes who work at thousands of organizations worldwide and instantly have something in common with you. 

4. Apply and follow-up: Now that you have an updated resume, did a little research, and started networking, it’s time to start applying!  HireACane.com should be your first stop because you will be competing against a much smaller applicant pool and employers are specifically seeking UM interns and full-time employees.  Pay particular attention to on-campus recruiting because employers making the effort to come to campus want to maximize their time by seeing as many qualified applicants as possible.  Applying directly on company websites and via LinkedIn may be your next step, along with the many online employment websites.  

Don’t forget that the most critical part of the application process is following-up and setting yourself apart from the crowd.  Employers are inundated with hundreds of resumes, many of which come from across the U.S. and even globally, and you need them to take a second look at yours.  There are a variety of ways to get their attention.  If you can find out who the recruiter or hiring manager is, reach out via email or LinkedIn and say who you are, why you would be a good fit for their organization, and provide a copy of your resume (all in 3 to 4 sentences).  Don’t forget about your network, including the career center, and ask anybody you know that has a connection to the organization to put in a good word for you.  You can also reach out to ‘Canes via LinkedIn who work for the organization and ask to chat with them; depending how it goes they may give you some good advice or even pass your resume along.  You never know what will get your foot in the door so try as many angles as possible when you are pursuing your dream internship or full-time position.  

5. Meet employers on campus: Take every opportunity you can to meet employers when they are on campus.  They are making a special trip to UM just to meet you so it is absolutely worth it to see what they have to say.  Many student organizations and Departments across campus host professional speakers and Toppel has multiple events each semester introducing employers to ‘Canes.  Major events include; Career Expo each Fall and Spring, Practice interviews with real employers, specialized career fairs, and Meet-Ups for industries such as Communications, STEM, and Healthcare.  Toppel also hosts a number of company sessions and on-campus interviews that can be found on a continually updated online calendar.  Make sure to RSVP for company sessions and apply to on-campus interview positions before each deadline so that you guarantee yourself the best chance at securing a job or internship.  

You never know when you will get your break so every one of these items may be the key to your success.  Additionally, feel free to stop by Toppel during walk-in advising Monday through Thursday from 10:00am to 4:30pm or give us a call at 305-284-5451 to discuss any of these points.  Our job is to empower and connect so don’t hesitate to reach out! 

A Very See-Through Door Made of Borosilicate

Written by Thien Tran
Part of the Career Toolbox Series 

I know you’re probably thinking, “Thien, this is a very bland name. Why did you decide to name something so plainly?” Well I’ll tell you exactly why I did so. You see, I have always found that it is better to be as straightforward as possible when it comes to names. For example, if hurricanes weren’t named after boys and girls, then maybe everyone would evacuate like they’re supposed to and no one would get hurt. You may decide that you want to play outside during Tropical Storm Sandy, but I bet you’d never go near Hurricane Death Machine 5000. So this blog post is about precisely what the title says: a look through the glass door of a company.
 

What is it?

GlassDoor.com is a website that can be used to search for jobs, much like any other job board on the internet. However, there are many unique aspects that set this particular website apart. For one, it is very aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate and narrow searches. Other websites look atrocious. Like ugly little animals. Like something I would draw with my left hand. Anyway, GlassDoor.com not only offers job postings, but also company and occupational salaries, company reviews, interview questions, and hiring process reviews. These are usually anonymous, written by employees and job seekers alike. Although, some companies will put their own information on the website to ensure the information is accurate as well as to promote.

 How do I Sign Up?

By now you’re probably thinking, “Why Thien, how do I become a part of this elite group?” And worry not my dear friend, for I’m here to tell you just that. You can become a part of this group by simply signing up on the website with your email, or even through your Facebook account. You may be thinking at this point, “Whoa, my Facebook? But why Thien?” And I’ll tell you exactly why. Here it comes, ready? Here it is: with your Facebook connected to GlassDoor, you can see who your friends are connected to. They may be employed by a company of interest, or may be friends with someone who works for a company you are looking at. Still don’t trust me? I wouldn’t either. You know that guy who always farts and then asks everyone, “Hey, do y’all smell popcorn?” And then everyone takes in a huge whiff trying to smell popcorn. That’s ME!

Searches

You can search for jobs with a keyword, title, or company, along with a location. You can further narrow down your search in terms of distance from the location, posting time, and company rating. These postings are usually hosted by another website, such as Monster or CareerBuilder. In addition, you can check out company overviews, salaries, employee reviews, photos from the office, and Facebook connections. It’s a like a buffet! But please try to have some self-control. Like the people who make bubble wrap.