Job hunting...any tips?

[dlmvii]

I'm about to be a new member of the workforce (I hope) this May, when I graduate from school. I majored in Computer Science, and I did...ok, with about a 3.15 GPA (give or take a little depending on what my grades end up being this semester). I did have 7 months (2 summers + 1 winter break) of an internship at a telecommunications company doing some IT odd jobs, which I am really trying to sell. Unfortunately, the job market is pretty slim, and I'm really stressing about not being able to find a job in a decent period of time after school (I can live with my parents rent free for a few months, but I'd like to not do that for very long), and whether my schoolwork is good enough to find a decent position.

So, I guess I don't really see a lot of job offerings....is it smart to send out resumes blindly to companies? Or should I just stick to job posting sites?

As an aside, if anybody has any pointers on a resume, they would be greatly appreciated!

[Flashman85]

I've been unemployed for over a year, but things are finally picking up for me. Just a few observations/tips based on my experience; take them as you will:

The vast majority of job leads have come from people I know and applying directly to specific businesses (rather than from job boards like Monster). Whether in person or on Facebook, I've made it public knowledge that I'm looking for work, and many people have stepped up with ideas and connections.

I've found job boards to be more useful over the past month or two; if you can spare extra time to sift through stuff you don't want, keep your searches pretty broad: you might find something you never would have thought of, and certain jobs that are right up your alley aren't always filtered properly and might be left out of a too-narrow search.

Blindly sending resumes has rarely yielded anything productive; if you can, at least identify the person most likely to respond to your resume/pass it along to the higher-ups. I heard that if you identify a need within the company that you can fill, you've got a better shot than if you just ask for a job.

Check your Internet presence. Google yourself. Anything that's on the Internet can potentially be seen by an employer, so make sure whatever you've got out there reflects well on you (including what you post on these forums!).

My resume includes my education, certifications, work and volunteer experience, noteworthy activities, skills (such as typing speed, speaking Spanish, etc.), and travel experience. I include the years of employment and a two-line description of each job, all my contact info is in a neat block at the top, and I keep the whole thing limited to one page. Not necessarily the absolute best for every position, but it's a good starting place.

I've got plenty more ideas and suggestions, if this is at all helpful. Good luck!

[Edit]: Erm... don't be discouraged by the length of time I've been unemployed; I've changed directions with my search about three times, continually tried to break into fields that are almost impossible to get into, taken a few part-time jobs, and started one or two jobs that were supposed to be full-time but didn't end up as anticipated. So it's not like I've been unemployed and staring at a wall for a year and now feel qualified to give advice about how to get a job. ;)

[Anapan]

I've had no luck getting jobs from just leaving resumes. Nearly every job I've had was gotten by just showing up, asking to talk to someone in charge (the higher their position the better, you want someone with some pull in the company) and offering to work for a few days without pay starting immediately. Don't leave until you get a chance to talk to the boss. Tell them that you think you can do the job, and you want a chance to prove yourself. It makes a much better impression than walking in, dropping off a piece of paper with the front-door secretary and leaving. If they decline you, then you can ask what they've got to lose. That way, you're already working there, you can talk to the people you'll be working with, find out what they're making, what the job's really about, and how much you might want to actually be doing that job every day. Of course, bring the resume, one that's been looked over by someone with experience (the boys & girls club has a job-finding program that might be useful). In most cases I didn't even need to bring a resume.

[Anayo]

So basically like an internship, except you're not in school when you do it.

[the7k]

Every job I've ever been hired on to, I've been hired on to thanks to connections.

However, on top of that, it helps to pester the fucking crap out of the place. For both my current job and my previous job, I would go there about every other day prior to being hired.

"That position filled yet?"
"That spot still open?"
"Look at resumes lately?"
"Just checking to see how the hiring is going."

I'd keep doing this until, eventually, they cracked and gave me a uniform.

[ieatramen]

My $.02: take a job while waiting for the job.

It took him 3 years, but after working at a local community college doing admissions work my buddy finally landed an IT position (at the same college).

[Luke]

As an aside, if anybody has any pointers on a resume, they would be greatly appreciated!

I've been writing resumes for people from anywhere from $50-$300. PM me, and I'll take a look at/re-write your resume for free.

Sites like monster.com and yahoo hotjobs are pretty much a waste of time. You need to focus your search, first to a specific job title. Network with people in that job field, and find out how they found their job. Never straight out and say, "I'm looking for you to help me get a position", rather ask them for their "advice" on finding a job. People love to give advice. That advice might lead you somewhere.

Craft several different resumes, and add things that are specifically related to the job description in the job posting. Your cover letter also needs to be top notch, and also include experiences that relate to the job posting.

And it is paramount that your business card isn't CRAP!

[bobbynewmarkiii]

this:

My $.02: take a job while waiting for the job.

totally... Not only will it give you some income, it will not look bad on your CV like a year long break might, and will also get you out and about more - I did 3 months of job searching whilst being unemployed and it was crap - not like a 3 month holiday, as you don't know when you'll be working again and have no money for going out etc...

[prfsnl_gmr]

Everyone on this forum has given you excellent advice. The most important thing is to remember that looking for a job is hard work (especially in today's market), and that it will require a lot of time and effort to land your ideal position. My tips:

1. Get a job (anything) while you are looking for a job: (1) It will provide you the income you need to get out of your parent's house while you look for your ideal position; (2) You will make connections that might help you out down the road (there are a lot of people with graduate degrees waiting tables right now...they won't be doing this forever); and (3) when your future employer asks what you've been doing for the past x months, you will be able to show them that you are capable of holding a steady paying position (this is very important to many employers and very difficult for many people just graduating from college to show them). Finally, having a job while you look will keep you from getting discouraged if your job search stalls (and allow you the flexibility to take an occasional break from your job search to have some fun).

2. Move to a place where there are jobs. Unless you live in a major metropolitan area, you are unlikely to find your ideal position in your home town. You are also much more likely to meet people that can help you find a job in a major metropolitan area. Moreover, the years after college but before "real" responsibilities are incredibly fun. Follow tip one, get some roommates, don't be afraid to live in poverty for a while (you'r fresh out of school...you aren't supposed to be rich yet), and enjoy yourself.

3. Do everything you can to meet people in the field where you want to work. Go to conferences, meetings, seminars, etc. You will make good contacts that can lead you to a good job.

4. Take up a hobby outside of the house (i.e., rock climbing, frisbee golf, volunteering, etc.). This is a fantastic way to meet people in a new city, and a great way to meet people who can help you find a job.

5. Keep your resume to a single page, highlighting your experience above your education.

6. Have a killer cover letter that you can easily modify for a particular position. Have at least two people read it and comment on it, and make sure that it is grammatically flawless.

7. The internet is good and all, but outside of these forums (where you should definitely let people know you are available...I imagine a few members would love working with another retro gaming enthusiast), you are unlikely to find a job there. I have seen that many people directly out of college think that they can do everything over the internet, including landing a job. When it comes to finding a job, however, there is no substitute for face-to-face contact...so, don't rely on the internet (i.e., job posting sites) to find you a position. (Although, Craigslist can provide some good leads.) It is unlikely to pan out.

Anyway, you will find something eventually; so, don't get discouraged if it doesn't pan out immediately. As I mentioned earlier, when you first graduate from college, you really do have the whole world in front of you. Try to have at least a little fun, and good luck with your search.

[gtmtnbiker]

However, on top of that, it helps to pester the fucking crap out of the place. For both my current job and my previous job, I would go there about every other day prior to being hired.

"That position filled yet?"
"That spot still open?"
"Look at resumes lately?"
"Just checking to see how the hiring is going."

I'd keep doing this until, eventually, they cracked and gave me a uniform.

If it were me, I consider this to be annoying and would count it as a strike against you.

As everyone mentioned, networking is good. When I was in college looking for an internship, one of the things I did was to call companies to see if they had job openings. I think you can do this for smaller companies (under 50 people) because they usually don't have the resources to use Monster, Job ads, etc. Look for office buildings and scan the company listing. Find out info about the company and then call or see someone in person.

I had landed two paid internship offers this way before I ultimately settled on a different offer in Washington DC (the others were in NJ).

Check out government postings. For some of them, you will have to take an exam. They usually have a longer listing process. I remember applying for NSA (National Security Agency) and the CIA. The on-campus interview for NSA was memorable because one of the interview questions was "Are you a homosexual?". This was back in 88/89.
For the CIA, I had the on-campus interview and took some sort of exam in a group settings. Just before graduation (April), they asked me to come to DC for second interview but I had already accepted a job.