Job
hunting more than circling classified
ads
By
Karla Casillas
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer
Proper preparation and strategy can make job hunting less stressful, more bearable
and produce successful results.
The most important thing for students to do when looking for a job is to do
their research. According to Paul Fornell, assistant director of the Career
Development Center (CDC), “you can’t go out without being educated
about the industry.”
Doing your homework before going out for an interview means researching not
only the industry you are interested in, but also the company you are hoping
to work for. Learn what the company is about; their history and future plans.
It is an important part in the preparation process and something students tend
to overlook.
“
[Students] come across as unprepared; asking naïve questions,” Fornell
said.
The lack of preparation is a pet peeve for some employers, he said. This problem
would not occur if students spent couple of minutes on company Web sites.
Proper research also helps job seekers learn about a company’s culture.
A company’s culture includes its values and commitments. The information
is public and can be found on company Web sites and in newsletters.
Another way to learn about a company’s culture is to go to its offices.
Collegejournal.com suggests observing the environment and interaction in the
office. Talking to current employees can give insight into what the work environment
is like.
Not only does it better prepare him or her for an interview with the company,
but also lets the seeker know if that is a place they would like to work in.
Another important method for job hunting is networking. Fornell recommends
starting with your natural network. A person’s natural network is people
one already knows friends, family members, students and faculty one works with
on a regular basis.
From a natural network, the job seeker can learn about the business he or she
is interested in and make additional contacts. Fornell said students can ask
people in their natural network who they know and contact them for leads.
Monster.com points out not every job opportunity out there is listed in the
classifieds section of a newspaper or posted on a company’s Web site.
“
Job Hunting Strategies that Really Work” in the Monster website mentions
how “The more people you network with, the more leads you can produce.”
Networking helps a lot, but takes more effort and assertiveness. Fornell said
students need to be motivated and have a plan. Networking, like job hunting,
takes time and it is important to remember it does not happen overnight.
“
It takes time and effort. It doesn’t come to you, you need to come to
it,” Fornell said.
For further job search help Fornell suggests going to the Web site at www.careers.csulb.edu
to help with the job search.
Students can meet with career counselors or drop in anytime. Interviewing skills
and resume help is offered, among other things.
Fornell recommends visiting the CDC’s Web site before the job fair April
20 to find out who will be there and begin the research process.
Other than being prepared, Fornell said students should think about how they
dress and communicate.
He said they need to lose their “lazy speech,” which is everyday
speech, and “kick it into a higher gear” when job hunting.
Preparation is the key to searching for a job but it is also important to “be
yourself, your very best self,” Fornell said. “Don’t try
to be somebody you’re not; be confident in your own skin.”
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