Job Search Strategies Informational Interviews Experiential Education

1. Job Search Strategies Informational Interviews & Experiential Education

2. Networking Activity Find others that have words in the same language (i.e. all German words together in one group) Discuss your experiences & connections Can you get help finding a contact for your info interview or job search? Can you help others with a contact for their needs?

3. Objectives Midterm Evals Job Search Strategies Informational Interviews Experiential Education Resume, Goals Resume & Cover Letters due

4. What do Employers Want? Employers� Perspective http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZYEJGM446o

5. Job Search Strategies Plan: Decide exactly what you want to do and what you have to offer Search: Decide where you want to use  your skills Target: Identify organizations that interest you the most, whether or not they are known to have vacancies

6. Fatal Assumptions Remain loose or vague to take advantage of whatever is available. Spend time only on the organizations that have vacancies. Apply only to large companies.

7. Finding Jobs/Internships Kuder Career Portfolio UF Guide to Majors & Careers Occupational Outlook Handbook Professional Associations Gator CareerLink Online job postings Phone book / Employer directory Networking / Referrals / Informational interviews Volunteer work / Previous jobs/internships Third-party Recruiters

8. Sample Job/Internship Search What can I do with a History major? Kuder (www.ufl.kuder.com) UF Guide (www.crc.ufl.edu/ufguide) OOH (www.bls.gov/oco) Professional Assoc (www.abanet.org) Gator CareerLink (www.crc.ufl.edu) Employer Directories (www.crc.ufl.edu/showcase) Phone book (www.411.com)

9. Networking / Referrals Information Sessions Informational Interviews Professional Organizations Professors, family members, friends Career Fairs

10. Volunteer / Internships Gain professional knowledge and experience Meet key people or gain resources / referrals 98% of employers use experiential education programs for recruiting 52% of interns accept FT positions with internship employer 86% of college students complete 1 internship 69% of college students complete 2 internships Starting salaries: $1,000 � $2,000 more

11. Third-party Recruiters Passive systems where you rely on others to promote your credentials May charge fees, so beware Keep your resume up-to-date Maintain accurate records and follow up where necessary

12. Hidden Job Market Only 20% of all jobs are posted Small businesses represent 99.7% of all employers employ 50% of the private work force Target your ideal company directly Telephone directories / Employer directories Chambers of Commerce / Professional Assoc websites Old job ads Create your own job

13. Five Worst Methods 5. Internet ONLY 10% success rate - technical, computers, engineering, finance, healthcare 1% success rate for all other industries 4. Mailing resumes at random 7% success rate 3. Answering ads in professional or trade journals 7% success rate 2. Answering local newspaper ads 5-24% success rate 1. Going to third party recruiters 5-24% success rate

14. Five Best Methods 5. Networking (asking for job leads from family members, friends, professors, etc.) 33% success rate 4. Knocking on the door of an employer, whether they are known to have vacancies or not 47% success rate 3. By yourself, using the phone book�s Yellow Pages (identify subjects/fields that interest you) 69% success rate 2. In a group, use the phone book�s Yellow Pages 84% success rate 1. The Creative Approach to Job-Searching 86% success rate (doing something different)

15. Prime Example� Daily Show clip on finding a job & creating a resume

16. Informational Interviews The purpose of an informational interview is NOT to get a job, but a number of jobs do come from Informational Interviews. It�s purpose is to gather data on important a position you are interested in.

17. Benefits To explore careers & clarify your career goals To find out how suitable a career is for you given your personality, skills, and values Learn about the right path to obtain a job To build confidence for job interviews To expand your professional network To understand the needs of employers & learn how you might fit into a particular organization. To gain access to �hidden job market�

18. Benefits What Should I Do with My Life? Po�s book is full of informational interviews learning about different people and the career paths that they have taken. Have his stories been beneficial to you?

19. Improve Your Chances Probability for a job offer will increase as you do more informational interviews. 3 interviews = 25% chance of a job 8 interviews = 95% chance of a job

20. Obtaining the Interview Determine your goals Do your research Quintessential Careers has a helpful guide at www.quintcareers.com/researching_companies.html Company websites, annual reports, company literature, library reference material, CRC and people in the industry or company. Develop a question list of unanswered questions Determine who you want to interview Contact them and state purpose and amount of time expected

21. Obtaining an Interview Don�t be afraid to ask; most people enjoy giving an interview. Those who don�t won�t! Find out the best days / times to call or visit Be respectful to everyone, especially the gatekeeper Ask for help from your network Family, friends, family of friends Service providers (your family doctor, dentist, accountant,�etc) Faculty, CRC Recruiters Phone Book, Internet

22. Julia MeriwetherThe Chemical Engineer Who Lacked a Chemical When Po asked Julia why he was privy to her story, why she hadn�t told her oldest friends, she said �Because you�re the only one who really asked.� Se was surprised that no one who loved her asked why she abandoned engineering. Are there things that you would share about your experiences if only someone asked? Imagine what others will tell you if you ask!

23. Preparing for the Interview Call the day before to confirm your appt and location (get directions if needed) Carry a small professional notebook and pen to take notes & write questions if they are talking Bring your prepared list of questions & resume Dress professionally Arrive 10 minutes early When meeting the person, stand up, shake hands and introduce yourself

24. Gaining Information What information can you get from an informational interview? Career field Organization Professional training and education Salary & benefits Personal insights

25. Career Field Questions Can you describe a typical workday or week? What are the main responsibilities associated with work in your field? What do you like most (least) about your work? What type of education and experience do you need to remain successful in this field? What are the future career opportunities in this field? Are you satisfied with your field? How could it be improved upon? What advice would you give to someone trying to break into this field?

26. Organization Questions Please tell me more about your organization and its purpose. Is there a good chance for advancement or lateral movement in this firm? How does your organization compete or cooperate with other organizations within this field? How is the job security within this organization? What are the challenges you face? Why do people enter/leave this field or company?

27. Training & Education Questions Are there other types of credentials or licenses required/ helpful for this job? What types of training/education is offered to employees? Are there particular professional associations that are beneficial to be a part of in this career field?

28. Salary & Benefits What is the average salary of people in your position? What is the typical entry level salary? Is your salary competitive in this area? What benefits does this company offer? Are training & education costs covered?

29. Personal Insights Are social obligations or other expectations outside of work hours? Do you find a work-family balance easy to manage in this career field? What special advice would you have for a student entering this field? How can I be more competitive? With whom would you recommend I speak? When I call, may I use your name?

30. Important Things to Note Be a good listener Build a network � keep in contact with those you interview. Ask for referrals � ask for other contacts that might be helpful to you. Share professional information about yourself, but don�t dominate the interview.

31. Marcela WidrigThe Practical Way to Pursue the Impractical Marcela (international modem sales to bodywork) hated the question �What do you do?� She felt compartmentalized and judged according to how she answered. How comfortable are you with sharing your education and experiences with others? Are you able to own them confidently to share them with a potential employer?

32. Concluding the Interview Get business card & key names Thank them for their time (and references) Send a thank you letter within 24 hours Remember the interview may continue informally if they walk you out the door

33. Experiential Education Co-op - Internship � Externship

34. Phil CaplanKeep in Mind Even What You Can�t Define Phil: �I read about this thing [former Florida Governor Bob Graham] pioneered. He called it �work days.� He would regularly go out and work an entire day doing different jobs� It wasn�t a photo-op. He wanted to understand them. I was profoundly influenced by this. I still think about it� What are some of the jobs that you want to better understand?

35. Activity � mini info interviews Find a partner you haven�t really talked with during in-class activities Learn more about the kind of career they�re interested in. Ask questions Determine similarities Make a connection and/or referral

36. Informational Interview Assignment Conduct interviews with two people (with three or more years of experience in their field) who have a job(s) of interest to you. in the same career field, but in different settings, or In different career fields. No family members, peers, or faculty members Attach a business card of the contact or provide complete contact information, including job title, address, and phone number. A handout is available on the website to guide you through the steps. Write a 2-3 page summary of the interviews including: How these interviews affected your knowledge about the career(s) and your own exploration What new information, ideas, and insights you gained Whether the interview increased or decreased your interest in the field

37. For next class� The Art of Interviewing Read Bronson Ch 27 Russell � offers lessons to a satisfying life Employer Panel Q&A Have a GREAT Spring Break!