Guides: Career Development Resources: Job Search Approaches

Professional Media Presence

Overview
Resource Links

Social Media can be a great help in developing your professional online presence. However, if not curated appropriately, it can be a huge hinderance to your career. In the next tab over you will find links to helpful articles explaining why and how to curate your professional online presence.

It is crucially important to conduct research when on the job hunt. Take time to thoroughly look through each job description for the jobs you are applying to before approaching the manager at their place of employment. You will want to be able to speak clearly about the responsibilities and duties you will potentially be performing. You will also want to be able to ask relevant questions to the hiring manager about the position. However, it could look poor on your part if you ask questions that are already answered in the job description. Be sure to check out the next tab for relevant resources about how to prepare and perform research for your job hunt.

Indeed : Researching the Company Before Deciding to Interview Before committing to interviewing with a company, it's beneficial to study the organization and reflect on whether you think you'd enjoy working there. You can typically find relevant information about companies by reading their website, social media pages, industry publications, and local and national news. Developing a process for performing research before agreeing to an interview might help you be more selective with the interviews you accept, which can save both you and your potential employers time.
Job Hunt : The Ultimate Guide to Company Research for Your Job Search When you’re job hunting, it’s essential to do your research on potential employers. Learning about a company can help you decide if it’s the right fit for you and give you a leg up in the interview process. Here’s how and why to research a company before applying for a job.
Pew Research Center : The internet and job seeking This report, based on a nationally representative survey of 2,001 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, documents the current state of digital job seeking in America. It first examines the basic contours of this issue – how many people have looked or applied for a job online, how the internet stacks up to other sources of job information in terms of overall importance, and how confident Americans feel in their own digital job-seeking skills. After that, the report examines the specific role smartphones and social media platforms are playing in Americans’ job seeking habits.

Dealing with Stress While Job Searching

Searching for a job can be stressful especially if it is your first time looking for meaningful employment. It is important to not let the stress take control of your search as it can be an exciting time in your life. Below there are a few tips on how to manage the stress of job hunting.

Set a daily time limit
- It can become quite exhausting delivering resumes and speaking to managers so it is important to not get burnt out. You can do this by setting daily time limits to your search such as: Two hours from 1-3pm in person and one hour 4-5pm online. Once you have completed your daily quota, leave it for the next day and do something relaxing.
Focus on the small wins
- The act of looking for a job can sometimes become discouraging if you have not heard back from many places of potential employment. However, it is important to take every chance you can get to focus on the small wins during your search. Even just speaking to a manager is a win because you are developing your professional network and learning how to professionally speak with possible employers.
Practice Practice Practice
- There is a lot to remember when you are handing out resumes and speaking to managers in person. This is why it is important to practice your introduction and elevator pitch until you cannot mess it up. This will lead to less stress when meeting with potential employers because you will already have rehearsed everything you need to say at the beginning of your conversation.

Helpful Readings on Stress Management

Managing your career in a downturn by Harvard Business School Pres. What does shaping your career mean? -- Taking charge of your career -- Knowing yourself -- Understanding business interests -- Clarifying your work reward values -- Assessing your skills -- Finding developmental opportunities at your company -- Helping others manage their careers -- Overload and toxic worry -- Positive stress and productive worry -- Assessing your stress level -- Taking charge of stress -- Turning worry into action -- Connecting with others -- Connecting with yourself -- Letting your body help you relieve stress -- Practicing good stress habits -- How to look at the big picture -- How to audit your time -- How to develop your plan -- How to time-box -- How to manage your time -- How to overcome obstacles -- How to develop good time-management habits -- Tools and resources for shaping your career -- Tools and resources for managing stress -- Tools and resources for managing time.
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2009
Winning the stress challenge : highly successful stress-management and wellness programs by Nick Hall, PhD
Call Number: E-Book
ISBN: 9781722520878
Publication Date: 2019

Networking

Overview
Resource Links

At any point in your career whether you're just starting out or if you've been in a position for 20+ years, it is always important to be building up your professional network. A "network" is the collection of relationships you have made and upkept while searching for jobs or working in your field.

Getting Started on LinkedIn LinkedIn is a networking tool, based on the principle of social reciprocity, and a job search app. It’s professionally focused and widely adopted in the business sector.