A strategy for finding a job or an internship

Finding a job or an internship in a tough economy requires using job search strategies and resources beyond the most obvious or traditional sources of employment information. There isn’t a single most efficient or all-encompassing way to find a job or an internship. Job seekers must employ a variety of strategies to fit their unique circumstances.

An important point to remember is that your job search is likely to take longer and require more contacts than you might anticipate. A slow job market can easily add three to six months to the average job search. If your job search is restricted to a small geographic area or a specific industry, these two factors can add several additional months to your job search. The best advice is to start the job search as early as possible.

Establish your goals

In any job search, the job seeker must establish some guidelines to help define the job-search process. Take the time to consider your goals and expectations for employment. Ask yourself if these are realistic given the current job market or your immediate financial situation. If you need assistance assessing your situation, consider making an appointment with a career counselor. You may schedule an individual appointment with a career professional at Career Center for Science and Engineering (call 612-624-4090).

Develop a customized job-search plan

After you have established your goals and know your job search time frame, you can begin by looking at sources of information that will help you establish a list of potential employers. There are two main ways to begin to create an employer list. The first approach might be to select industries that match your career goals. Because such industries might be found anywhere in the world, you might want to focus on a geographic region (an area consisting of several states). In a tough job market you will significantly affect the length of time you must allow to find employment if you focus on a smaller number of industries or geographic areas. Try to achieve a reasonable balance by choosing three industries, for example, and searching for jobs in these industries in two to three geographic areas. If you are restricted to a single geographic region as small as one metropolitan area or one state, then you must significantly increase the number of industries that you consider for employment.

Creating your employer list

There are many directories and other sources of information available to help you establish a list of employers by industry or geographic location. The Career Center for Science and Engineering Resource Center, 50 Lind Hall, has an extensive collection of directories. You are welcome to use these directories in our office during regular office hours. A staff member can assist you in learning how to use these directories and suggest how to access others.

Using employer contact information effectively

After you have developed a comprehensive list of employers, the next step is to contact them. Job seekers frequently ask, “How will I know if these employers have a job or internship opening?” Whether or not an employer has job openings, you should consider sending a resume and a cover letter, specifically a “letter of inquiry” ((it is appropriate to email as well as to mail a hard copy).

It pays to research the employers on your list before you write a cover letter or resume. The amount of information available on each company depends on the size of the company and whether it is a public or privately held organization. During your research, the most valuable information that you could find would be the contact name of someone within the organization having hiring authority. This person is most commonly referred to as a hiring manager. This position is not the same as a human resource manager; however, it is a good idea to send a resume and a cover letter to hiring managers in departments of interest to you and to company human resources representatives.

To learn more about writing a resume and the different types of cover letters used in the job search, consult the Career and Job Search Guide (PDF) , available at the Career Center for Science and Engineering. You are welcome to submit a draft cover letter and or a resume to our office for a professional staff person to review. You also can make an appointment or attend one of our scheduled workshops.

What about online applications?

Many job seekers will ask if it is a good idea to send a letter and a resume and to apply online at a employer’s web site. Yes, it is a good idea to submit an application in both formats, although it may seem like duplicate effort. It never hurts to have more than one possible contact within a company.

How can you increase your chances of getting an interview?

Besides applying online and by emailing individuals within an organization, you can significantly increase your chances of being considered for job openings by networking inside a company. Many job seekers are unaware of the power of networking. Networking is defined as “making personal or professional connections” and using those connections to learn about job opportunities or to be referred to hiring managers.

Many first-time job seekers don’t know how to develop a professional network. You probably already have a personal network of friends, family, and acquaintances that you can use to start your professional network. Don’t be afraid to ask friends and family to help you. Start by finding out if people in your personal network know individuals who are working for your employers of interest. Ask them to consider people in their own personal or professional network that you might contact to learn more about a company or employment opportunities. You will be amazed to learn about some of the network connections available to you once you begin to ask the people around you to help. Think about how your professors, classmates, parents of friends, members of clubs, and organizations that you belong to can all add to your network.

Through resources available in the Career Center for Science and Engineering's Resource Center, our staff can help you to locate organizations that will help you establish a professional network. You may already belong to a student chapter of a professional organization that you can join after graduation. Consider contacting these professional organizations to learn how you might use their services to add to your network.

For more information on job searching, you are welcome to attend one of our scheduled job-search strategy workshops or to meet with a professional staff member.