"Letter to a Friend" Part I

I am currently working on my final paper for my career search class.

The assignment was to draft a letter to a friend about the main things I have learned in the class. There were 15 chapters in the book; this is just part 1 of many. I hope you can take a few things from this post and apply them to your next job or internship search. I would highly recommend this class to anyone concerned about finding a job upon graduation, or to anyone who wants to have the competitive edge over your fellow job seekers. Enjoy!



Dear Reader,

I understand you were unable to take Orientation 252 with Dr. Cox this semester due to your schedule. I would recommend that you take it this fall if possible. However, I know that you are beginning your job search this summer, so I am writing to you to give you a brief overview of the most important things we learned in her course. They are extremely helpful, and cover the course of the job search from beginning to end.

The first chapter we covered was titled “The Job Search Process”. Some important information to remember is to be very persistent and to start your job process early. Follow up on every lead you find! Something that may help you is to compile a Career Management Files Binder. This document would contain your research notes, a network list, references, your resume and cover letter, and any other work related documents. Assess yourself. Are you positive, assertive and enthusiastic? These qualities are important from beginning to end in your job search.

The second chapter focused on what employers expect. The main focus on this chapter was to explain that employers are more interested in hiring a person with good personal skills over good technical skills. They are looking for employees that have thinking skills- the ability to solve problems on the job. Being a good communicator is also of the utmost importance. Make a list of your competencies- that is, what you’re good at. First list your technical skills (computer skills, building skills, accounting skills, culinary skills, etc.) and then your personal skills (sense of humor, attentiveness, positivity, etc.) Know your strengths and weaknesses.

Another thing to consider is to monitor the job market for your preferred field. Get online and conduct a search on the growth of your future job industry. Then, you can search for particular job titles and descriptions of what you must do on the job. Find out what tasks you must complete, what technology you must be familiar with, how much education it will require, and also how much it will pay! All of these things are very important to know beforehand. If you are seeking a job in psychology, make sure you know the difference between different jobs in your field. One may suit you much better than another! Just because they fall under the same category doesn’t mean they are similar jobs!

The third chapter was all about marketing yourself with confidence. Dr. Cox explained to us that talking about yourself is one of the hardest things to do, which is pretty ironic considering that you should know more about yourself than anyone else does! In order to communicate easily with a potential employer about your qualifications, you need to always be thinking of your experiences from your education, training, and accomplishments. Pick a few stories that show your abilities the best, and commit them to memory. Make a list of your job-specific skills; that is, technical skills that will be used in a particular job. Then, make a list of your transferable competencies. Transferable competencies are the skills that you possess that can be applied at any job, like teamwork and problem solving.

The fourth chapter focused on networking. I can personally vouch that networking is one of the most important things you can do when conducting a job search. Sometimes, it IS all about who you know! Always be working on developing relationships with new people in your field. You never know when they will be able to help you in some way. They can also serve as references to include in your resume. Some tips on effective networking include sharing information about yourself, always being tasteful, professional, and polite, and always be businesslike. Sometimes, a contact can help you connect with that hard-to-reach employer or job opportunity.

The advent of social media has greatly increased the ease of networking. I know you already use Facebook, but I would suggest you tighten your security on your page so potential employers can’t see you doing that keg-stand last weekend. (Yes, they WILL look at your Facebook!) I advise you to set up a Twitter and a LinkedIn account. These are other ways that potential employers may check you out before actually offering you an interview.

Chapter five included information about job searching. The more research you conduct on your field, the more you know. This will give you a competitive advantage over any other job seekers that did not complete research. Being educated about the field you seek lets you make better career decisions. It will increase your competency, and therefore increase the possibility of being hired! If you’re more of a hands-on learner, I suggest you complete volunteer work or an internship in your field. It provides you practice for your job one day, and also will add to your list of references. The internet can assist you in finding internships and volunteer opportunities.