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JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES FOR SENIORS The University of Notre Dame Career Center

248 Flanner Hall – (574) 631-5200 – ndcps@nd.educareercenter.nd.edu

+CONGRATULATIONS SENIORS!Congratulations to the Seniors who have already accepted a job offer!

The Career Center is so proud of your hard work, effort, and continued success!

+IF YOU HAVE ACCEPTED… Please take some time to sign into GoIRISH to update

your future plans for the University Database. Select your Profile then Placements & fill in your new

employment information

+HOW DO I GET STARTED? Be humble

Be realistic

Be honest

Be respectful of your boss’ time

Be self-sufficient

Be friendly

Be a can-do employee

Be flexible

Be open-minded

Be organized

Have respect for your peers

Learn from those who have been there before you

Expand your business networks

Get to know your supervisor early

Fine tune your writing, speaking, and listening skills

Manage your time strategically

Choose a win-win attitude

Learn to handle criticism with class

Recruit a mentor

Dress for success

+TOP TEN ANNOYING THINGS ABOUT THE CORPORATE WORLD1. CORPORATE DÉJÀ VU You spend huge amounts of time reporting the

same information and hearing it repeatedly at meetings.

2. INVOKING SYNDROME Colleagues try to persuade you to do what they want by name-dropping someone higher up.

3. EGOMANIA Certain people reach a high level in a company and they think they are better than others.

4. HIERARCHIES In the corporate world, all are not created equal and sometimes you can get in trouble just by talking with someone higher up without going through the correct channels.

5. DENIGRATION In some companies, it’s an unspoken rule that the younger you are, the less respect you receive.

“They Don’t Teach Corporate in College” by Alexandra Levit

+TOP TEN ANNOYING THINGS ABOUT THE CORPORATE WORLD6. BUREAUCRACY The corporate world has a lengthy approval process for everything, so you’re never sure which department you need to consult before a decision is made.

7. HYPOCRISY Sometimes you can act on your company’s values and get burned for it.

8. MICROMANAGEMENT Twenty-somethings thrive on independence, yet some managers will bear down on you with critical eyes at every stage of a project.

9. UNCOMMON SENSE Sometimes the obviously correct way to do something is staring everyone in the face and not everyone sees it. Common sense is dead in the corporate world.

10. NONSENSICAL CHANGE Despite the fact that reorganization results in mass confusion, decreased productivity, and low employee morale, companies continue to do it year after year.

“They Don’t Teach Corporate in College” by Alexandra Levit

+ADVICE REGARDING ETIQUETTE Don’t spread gossip Don’t swear Don’t be politically

incorrect Don’t talk about sex,

drugs, or politics Mind cultural sensitivities Don’t share secrets Deliver what you promise Complement your co-

workers

+UNETHICAL CONDUCT? HOW TO RESPOND… Honesty is the best policy! Take Action.

Four Steps to Solving a Problem:1. Define the problem2. Generate as many possible

solutions as possible3. Evaluate each possible solution

and choose the best alternative based on the pros and cons

4. Implement the chosen solution

LET’S GET ETHICAL!

+ARE WE SUPPOSED TO ASK FOR A PROMOTION?People who want to be promoted maintain a strong corporate persona, proactively set goals, confront and solveproblems, communicate effectively, and greet challenges with a positive attitude. They also do the following:

1. Perform at a high level2. Demonstrate leadership skills3. Keep free of baggage and skirmishes4. Position themselves as agents of change who support current

company policies while also embracing future opportunities5. Seek to expand their influence and challenges by broadening the

scope of their responsibilities6. Develop and support the people they work with

IF YOU ARE GOING TO ASK, BE SURE TO HAVE A GOOD REASON!

+STILL PLANNING? NO PROBLEM! Now is not the time to say, “Either I am getting my

dream job or forget it.” Look into finding a position

doing something you enjoy, pays a decent wage, teaches skills, and lets you make connections so that when the economy is better, you can be promoted within the company or have experience which will help you get the job you really want.

+JOB SEARCH SITES ON THE CAREER CENTER HOME PAGE

GoIRISH provides job postings and employer descriptions and information specifically for Notre Dame students.

Vault

Career Shift

Career Search

Going Global

Job Central

Focus

Wetfeet

Uniworld

UCAN

+JOB SEARCH SITESTHE BIG JOB BOARDS

Job Central Monster.com Careerbuilder.com

MAJOR JOB SEARCH ENGINES SimplyHired.com Indeed.com Jobster.com True Careers Workopolis

JOB SEARCH SITES DiversityJobs.com EmploymentGuide.com Job.com JobCircle.com Yahoo! Hot Jobs Idealist.org JobFox.com Jobing.com GetTheJob.com GOJobs SnagAJob.com TopUSAJobs

+NETWORKING Networking is hugely

important, and yet, it is easier than it may seem. Talk with professors Attend conferences and

career fairs Talk to people in the

community Ask your parent’s friends or

friend’s parents if he/she has a connection

About 80% of jobs are obtained through networking.

+WHEN & HOW TO NETWORKWHEN Always be on the watch for

establishing a relationship… airplanes, sporting events, meetings, and social gatherings.

After you have applied for a position at a company, find someone at the company to network with… the goal is to find the hiring manager and get your resume in front of that person.

HOW Email the person and ask if

he/she can give you just a few minutes.

Identify yourself and indicate you would like their advice…

Ask questions about their experiences, time as a student, and decisions they made in their career path.

+NETWORKING: THINGS TO REMEMBER A networking meeting is

NOT an interview… it is relationship building

A networker owns the meeting, sets the agenda, and takes the blame if it does not go well

The networker is responsible for setting the direction of the meeting and keeping things moving

+NETWORKING DATABASES MyNotreDame is a database of Notre Dame alums

and where they work. Seniors have access through the Alumni Association.

LinkedIN is an online network of experienced professionals. Join this network at linkedin.com, create a profile using nd.edu email address, join the ND Alumni Group, and search its members.

CareerShift and CareerSearch both provide company contact information. Access these databases through the Career Center Online Library. Career Shift allows you to search by college.

GoIRISH Employer tab generally provides a contact and their information for companies that have recruited at ND in the past

+JOB SEARCH ADVICE Find a passion and find a way to get involved even if its

not the dream position. Be Prepared, Proactive, and Positive. Do not worry about the income made in your 20s. Focus

on the foundation being built, It will make all the difference in your 30s and beyond.

Stay in consistent contact with employers and people in your network. A “no” now does not mean a “no” forever. Follow-up, Follow-up, Follow-up.

Power up your resume with strong, specific, action verbs to highlight your skills and experience.

Show enthusiasm… in the cover letter, interview, thank you notes, and follow-ups!

+JOB SEARCH ADVICE Realize that your entire life is ahead and making very

calculated moves will pay off 15-20 years from now. Don’t rush past building the foundation of your career.

Realize that the cost of living in your 20s is as low as it gets and this is the perfect time to travel for work, teach English abroad, ministry, Peace Corps, and other worldly volunteer work if interested.

+ALWAYS REMEMBER…10. Read Up!

9. Dress Up!

8. Speak Up!

7. The world revolves around whomever you are talking to

6. Keep yourself and your life in balance

5. Smart questions trump smart answers

4. No one plays the Martyr well

3. People matter more than accomplishments

2. Leadership matters more than results

1. Be open to possibilitiesShawn O’Grady, VP Marketing General Mills

+Helpful Resources

“Getting Promoted: Real Strategies for Advancing you Career” by Harry Chambers

“Life After College: The New Graduates Guide” Edited by Nadia Bilchik

“They Don’t Teach Corporate in College” by Alexandra Levit

http://www.careerbliss.com/advice/8-career-lessons-from-katniss-everdeen-of-the-hunger-games/

+QUESTIONS?