Tips for college students on how to search for a job

By Jeffrey McMurray, special for Gannett News Service

• Start early. Companies aren't usually interested in interviewing freshmen or sophomores for positions they can't fill for two years, but it is never too early to make that first contact. If you know what is out there by your junior year, you can spend senior year honing your search.

• Don't look for a job until you find a career. Before looking for specific companies, decide on a line of work. Job fairs and written assessments are ways of finding a match for your skills.

• Before companies interview you, interview them. Informational interviewing can be an effective early step in the career search. Call a company in a field that interests you and request an informal interview. Talk to as many representatives at the company as possible, expanding your web of contacts. This exercise will better inform you about the companies, and perhaps lay the groundwork for them to interview you later.

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• Who you know is as important as what you know. The methods may have changed, but old-fashioned networking is key to landing a dream job. Networking shouldn't be limited to the people you know well or those in your field of interest. Tell virtually everyone you meet about the skills you have and the type of job you're seeking. Ask if they know anybody who would be a good contact, and take copious notes in a small notebook you carry with you. People want to help, but only if they're asked.

• Befriend the people who work at your school's career-placement center. Virtually every college or university and many individual degree programs have offices whose sole purpose is to help you find a job. These centers usually learn about the hot openings, schedule campus interviews and make early connections. Many students wait until days before graduation to stop by, when the centers are flooded with panicked job seekers. Visit as a freshman, and let the counselors know your interests. Stop in occasionally and, as a senior, make the placement center your second home.

• An internship is like a job interview that lasts three months. Nothing looks better on a resume than "been there, done that." Companies pluck employees from their pool of summer interns. In fact, firms often design internships as a recruiting method, while also helping students develop marketable skills. Freshmen and sophomores should pursue internship possibilities with the same aggressiveness as seniors pursue employment. Apply just as you would for a job, with a resume and cover letter tailored to the company's needs.

• Accept the interview, even if you don't want the job. One of the first things companies look for in a prospective employee is the ability to communicate. Most people aren't born with these skills, so practice is essential. When recruiters come to campus, sign up for every possible interview session you can — even if it's with a company you don't want to work for. The career-placement center usually offers practice sessions. Better to drop the ball in practice than during the game.

• Employers are more interested in your skills than fancy fonts or colorful resumes. Students usually slave over the appearance of their resumes, often letting the contents slip. Resumes should be clean and professional, but a basic look will do. Many companies scan resumes into a computer and search for specific skills they're seeking. It's far more important to highlight your skills, education and work experience. Unless you're applying for a position as a designer, use the cover letter to showcase your personality.

• Companies won't read a book about you, but they might skim a letter. Prepare a cover letter that lets your personality shine for employers in a few words. Your goal is to get them to look at your attached resume A cover letter shouldn't be a narrative of your resume, but should briefly list the highlights and express your personality. Always include your contact information and tell them when you'll follow up with a phone call. Then, do as you promised and follow up.

• Keep applying until you run out of time or money. Students often spend too much time thinking about the strategy of a job search when they could be searching. There are differing schools of thought on whether a few specifically-targeted letters with follow-up phone calls are more effective than a bulk mailing of hundreds of generic resumes. If you have the money and time, try both approaches, but make sure your dream company doesn't get a specific letter and the version mailed in bulk. Keep a list of the actions you take with specific companies, and don't make promises to call or send more information when you can't follow through. Until you land that dream job, keep those applications rolling.

• If you don't land your dream job, aim for something close. Even in times of economic prosperity, not every college student can land the job they want. In tough times, even fewer will. However, a college degree in a specific field can put you in the running for something close. Rather than take a fallback job to pay the bills, for a little less money you could accept a position closer to your goal. Don't lose sight of why you chose the course of study you did and what you want to do in your career.