Job Search

Salary & Relocation Sites

Job Seekers should know the going rate for people with their level of skill and background.  Several web sites may be checked to learn more about salaries for persons with comparable qualifications.

  •  Bureau of Labor Statistics -   Select "Publications & Research Topics" then "Occupational Outlook Handbook".

  • Economic Research Institute - Select "College/Career Planning".

  • Job Smart - click on salary information. 

  • Salary.com. This calculator allows you to determine the salary you would need to make in a new city, based on cost-of-living differences.

  • HigherSalary.com - This site provides detailed profiles and salary information for hundreds of careers.

Job Search Strategies Packet Online

Planning the Perfect Trip

Your main goal in the job search is to get as many job interviews related to your career objective as possible.  The strategy you use to reach this goal requires a great deal of planning, persistence and hard work.  The process is similar to that of planning a vacation.  Think about it:  you plan a vacation very carefully, and review the details so that the trip will be enjoyable.  Your job search should be even more important than your vacation.  After all, a vacation is only a couple of weeks long...jobs last for a lifetime.

Just as you prepare for a vacation, you'll need to prepare for a job search.  Your search begins with some general self-assessment and preparation.  If you can respond positively to the following questions, your search will take on a clear focus.

 

WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
1. Do you know what type of position you are seeking?
2. Do you know what type of work environment you are seeking?
3. Have you identified geographic preferences?

HOW WILL YOU GET THERE?
4. Have you identified your assets in terms of skills and interests?
5. Do you know how these skills and interests can be applied to work?
6. Have you developed a resume?

WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN YOU GET THERE?
7. Have you considered work and lifestyle values?
8. Do you know how to prepare for a job interview?

If you have answered "NO" to any of the above questions, you may want to consider
further career exploration and making a career counseling appointment.


Create your own Action Plan

For a Successful Job Search!

 

1.  Set Realistic Goals for Your Job Search.

2.  Develop a Timetable.

3.  Incorporate a Variety of Approaches to Reach Potential Employers:

  • Visit the Career Services Office
  • Networking
  • Attend Job Fairs
  • Set-up Informational Interviews
  • Search Company Websites
  • Research Professional Organizations
  • Log-on to BSC Career Link
  • Answer Newspaper Advertisements & Internet Postings

4.  Work on Your Job Search Plans Every Day - Don't Procrastinate!

5.  Read Local/Regional Newspapers to Keep Informed of Business & Employment Trends in Your Area.

6.  Be Well Organized & Keep Track of Your Progress.

7.  Accept Rejection as Part of the Process.

8.  Develop a Network of Supportive People.

9.  Consider all Opportunities & Alternatives.

10. HAVE FUN! Plan time for yourself, as well as for your job search.

Internet Job Search Strategies



As society finds new uses for the Internet on a daily basis, it is imperative that job seekers utilize this powerful tool in their job searches.  Be sure not only to access job listings on line, but to utilize the Internet to its fullest ability to network with professionals in your career field, to conduct research on employers/organizations and to apply for positions right on line!

 

Networking!

Seven out of ten job seekers obtain positions through networking. The Internet is the world's largest network, so use its reach to your advantage.  Visit job-related and/or industry related list servs and discussion groups to make valuable contacts, and don’t forget to research professional organizations to learn about networking opportunities.

Free Access to Information and Resources

With just a few keystrokes you can access hundreds of thousands of free resources via the Internet.  Utilize the web to access job listings (via job listing web sites and individual organization web pages), to submit your resume on-line for job postings, and/or to obtain valuable information on companies/organizations of interest by visiting their homepages.  In addition, the Internet enables you to search for positions not only in your geographic location but also across the U.S. and abroad - for those of you interested in relocating.

Impress Potential Employers

Utilizing the Internet in your job search impresses employers in two ways.  First of all, it demonstrates your familiarity and skill with this technology and employers are constantly seeking technologically savvy employees.  Secondly by researching organizations via the Internet you enter interviews well prepared with the most current information on the organization and that knowledge may set you apart from other candidates in the eyes of an employer.

Top Job Search Sites

Below are some web sites that contain job listings, company profiles and other job search related information. There are hundreds of sites and these are just a few of them. Check out the Job Links section of the Career Services web site at http://www.bridgew.edu/CareerServices.

 

Researching an Employer

Review annual reports and corporate literature from public libraries, area Chamber of Commerce, local newspapers, real estate offices, city or town halls, and internet sites for the following information:

 
  1. Structure of the Organization
  2. Division of Departments that Interest You
  3. Products and Services
  4. Size of Company (including number of stores, plans, divisions, and employees)
  5. History (how long established)
  6. Philosophy and Objectives
  7. Growth and Earnings
  8. New Products, Research, or Services Planned
  9. Personnel Policies and Benefits
  10. Geographic Locations of Home Office and Divisions
  11. Career Paths and Training Programs

Networking... What Everybody's Talking About!

How can networking help me find a job?

  • 7 out of 10 job hunters find jobs through networking.
  • Build your network by contacting everyone you know.
  • Communicate the type of job you are looking for.
  • Ask your network about jobs, organizations and career fields.
  • Stay in touch with your network and follow suggestions.
  • Employers like to hire people who come highly recommended.
  • Check out our online Networking 101.

Never underestimate the knowledge and influence of the people you know!

What to do with the information gathered from leads

  • Ask your initial contact if he/she would be willing to call the employer on your behalf or allow you to use their name in your cover letter.
  • Call the contact. Create a script that feels comfortable but not rehearsed. Practice with a friend.
  • Write a letter of introduction. Be professional, brief and positive.
  • Have a focused request, i.e. arrange an interview or meeting.
  • Follow-up on all leads.
  • Thank people along the way. Send thank you letters.
  • Provide a copy of your resume or send it as soon as possible.
  • Treat secretaries and assistants courteously and respectfully. They are the gate keepers and are making their assessment and evaluation of you to the employer.
  • Try calling early or late in the day in order to bypass the secretary.
  • Be persistent and professional. Know the process and don't become a nuisance.

Pitfalls and Climbing Out of Them

Looking for a job, especially when you are not currently employed, can be an ego deflating and isolating experience. It is not easy to be at your best when you feel you are at your worst, yet that is what an effective job search requires. You may find yourself slipping into some habits and nursing some feelings that will interfere with your job search. These can be self-defeating behaviors that interfere with your being as happy and/or productive as you can be. Here are some defeating behaviors, including actions and feelings, and what to do about them.

Pitfalls

  • Procrastination in replying to want ads or starting the job search ("Oh another day won't matter." Then a week later, "I guess it's too late now.") Stopping the job search after receiving a few rejection letters.
  • Putting off making phone calls to prospective employers ("...Monday is probably a bad day...I'll call tomorrow...It's probably too early...It's lunchtime...I'm too tired...It's too late...Friday is probably a bad day, I'll try Monday.")
  • I don't have anything to offer an employer.
  • I'll never find a job.
  • Everyone else is more qualified.
  • There are so many people out of work; I'll be competing with hundreds.
  • There are no job openings in my locale, why bother looking?

Climbing Out

  • Talk with someone on a regular basis about your feelings. This someone should be a good listener -- someone who makes you feel good about yourself.
  • Reward yourself for sticking to your job search activities.
  • Don't become a hermit. Accept social invitations, call old friends you haven't seen in a while.
  • Remember that rejection is part of the process, and has nothing to do with who you are as a person. You'll most likely hear a number of NO's before the YES!
  • Tell everyone you know that you're looking for a job. Most people are sympathetic to that situation. Remember, help sometimes comes from unexpected places.
  • Stop feeling that your situation is unique. It is a rare person who will go through life without being unemployed at least once.

Last Modified: October 24, 2011