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THE DAILY COUGAR

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2 ■ Tuesday, February 8, 2010 CAREER GUIDE The Daily Cougar

CAREER GUIDE

Tips outlining your job search strategy

With unemployment for col-lege graduates, between the ages of 20 and 24, at 5.75 percent, it is imperative for college students to formulate realistic career goals and choose their academic majors care-

fully. As graduation approaches, the successful job can-didate will begin the job search early and will utilize a multitude of job search resources. Experience shows

that the professional job search involves targeting and researching a select number of potential employ-ers, rather than using a scattershot, mass marketing approach.

This Daily Cougar Career Guide is designed to assist students in preparing for the challenges of the transition from college to career. In that spirit, here are a few tips to help you plan your job search strategy:

1. It is not enough to know what you want in a job. You must demon-strate what value you can add to the

organization. Identify and market transferable skills you have acquired in class projects, out-of-class activi-ties, internships and part-time jobs.

2. Networking is a key method of uncovering job opportunities, but it is largely underutilized by new college graduates. College students and new grads can actually open doors through networking that are largely closed to the experienced job seeker.

3. Utilize all available resources. In addition to networking, utilize the wealth of resources available on this campus — job posting sites, on-campus interviews, career fairs, internships, career development workshops, job shadowing and much more.

4. With the rate of hiring down in most industries, many employ-ers are hiring primarily from their internship pools. An internship, co-op experience and — in some cases — a part-time job can be the precursor to a career position.

JOB SEARCH continues on page 5

Through University Career Services, students are introduced to many potential on-campus employment opportunities that include technical support, tutoring and jobs that are available in their departments. | Photos.com

Student guidelines to landing a job on campus

ON CAMPUS

Reality of working at a university

Becky ReiterUNIVERSITY CAREER SERVICES

On-campus employment is a challenge to find on any university campus. Every August, University Career Services hosts “Campus Jobs for Coogs,” a career fair for on-campus job opportuni-ties. Most on-campus employers hire their student workers for the entire school year during this event.

Check the UCS website and social media (LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter) to learn when this event will occur so that you have an even higher chance of finding a job on campus.

There are some extremely

important things to remember when searching for an on-campus job:

1. Demand for on-campus jobs is higher than the supply, which makes landing an on-campus job competitive.

2. Many students find their on-campus job through word of mouth. When you meet people, let them know you are looking for a job on campus.

3. Have your friends that work on campus keep their eyes open. Ask them to tell you about oppor-tunities within their offices. When there is an opening, ask your friend to recommend you.

4. Followup with your contacts. Don’t just tell them once that you are looking for a job on campus, follow up on a weekly basis, because you never know when an opening will become available.

5. Start your search in your own department or college. Academic departments may want to know your major because they may prefer to provide positions to students enrolled in their own department or college.

Also important are the top five office expectations:

DependabilityIf you are ill, call your supervi-

sor as soon as possible. Your office depends upon you to operate smoothly and efficiently.

PunctualityMake sure you get to work on

time every time.

Confi dentialityInformation heard or seen in

EMPLOYMENT continues on page 7

RESUME

Top fi ve resume mythsBecky ReiterUNIVERSITY CAREER SERVICES

#1: Your resume must be one page.False. For example, if you are a

graduate student who has worked on research with multiple professors, worked for 10 years in the fi eld before starting your master’s program or presented at multiple conferences for student chapters of professional organizations, you may be cutting out essential information if you try to limit your resume to one page.

Even undergraduate students with a few years of relevant work experience and multiple positions in student organizations may have dif-fi culty keeping to the one page limit.

#2: Your resume should include your entire work history.

False. Your most relevant

Dr. DavidSmall

RESUME continues on page 7

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The Daily Cougar CAREER GUIDE Tuesday, February 8, 2010 ■ 3

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4 ■ Tuesday, February 8, 2010 CAREER GUIDE The Daily Cougar

INTERNSHIPS

Campus Recruitment coordinating potential internshipsPatricia TamezUNIVERSITY CAREER SERVICES

In today’s current job market, it’s easy to assume that no one is hiring. Wrong. Believe it or not, companies are constantly challenged with fi nd-ing qualifi ed applicants for their job opportunities. Although there has been a decrease in new hires across the nation, Houston is one of the top cities that continues to hire during this tough economic time.

Where are these job opportuni-ties and how can students apply? One way to do this is to participate in Campus Recruitment, a unique service University Career Services (UCS) offers to all UH students. Students often think that a profes-sional interview only takes place at an employer’s offi ce, but in reality, UCS invites company recruiters from a broad spectrum of industries such as business, engineering, technol-ogy, government and non-profi t to conduct interviews at our offi ce for full-time, part-time, and/or intern-ship opportunities.

How It WorksCampus Recruitment takes place

every Fall and Spring semester. UCS coordinates up to 350 corporate recruitment visits each year — that’s a lot of interviews. Companies in various industries are invited to par-ticipate; however, employer needs refl ect the demands of the overall job market. Each semester is divided into one-week recruitment periods, each with a corresponding deadline

in which to submit your resume through the UCS website.

What You Must DoIn order to participate, you must

complete a Campus Recruitment Workshop (CRW) that may be done online through the UCS website or in person during the schedule times and dates that we offer this workshop. The purpose of the CRW is for you to learn how to register for Campus Recruitment, to learn how to search what companies are recruiting and for what positions, and to learn the procedures and policies of this service. Once this is complete, you will create your Data File and upload at least one resume. UCS encourages all students to visit a career counselor during walk-in hours for a resume critique before they upload any resume(s).

Why You Should ParticipateEmployers are looking for

students like you. The challenge arises when there aren’t any students applying for great opportunities with employers. By participating in Campus Recruitment, you are not competing with the general population through websites such as CareerBuilder or Monster.com, since only UH students are allowed to use Campus Recruitment.

Throughout the semester, new companies and organizations will post their job requirements in Cam-pus Recruitment; therefore, continue checking the UCS website for new additions — you never know when you’ll run into a great opportunity

you’ve been waiting for.

Why Students Like Campus Recruitment

Students that participate in Campus Recruitment appreciate that they don’t have to drive off campus for their interview. Uni-versity Career Services is located in the Student Service Center 1 Build-ing, No. 524 on the Campus Map, making it a short fi ve or 10 minute walk from almost anywhere around campus. A professional waiting room welcomes you to UCS and 13 interview rooms are available to meet with a recruiter.

Students enjoy the fact that their resume upload, applying for a job and checking interview status is all done online on the UCS website. It’s convenient and can be accessed at any time.

Connect with UCSUniversity Career Services

offers a wide variety of services such as workshops, career-related events and seminars, career fairs, career counseling, vocational assessments, job search assistance and volunteer opportunities. Make an appoint-ment to meet with one of our

career counselors to learn how to research possible career paths for your major and how to land an internship, plan your job search strategy or to practice your inter-view skills.

Connect with University Career Services by reading about career-related articles on our Twitter page, view event pictures and to RSVP to UCS events by “liking” our Facebook page and by building your professional network by link-ing to us on LinkedIn. At UCS, we want our employers to hire a Coog. If you’d like more information, please contact [email protected].

University Career Services (UCS) provides students with a variety of services that include workshops, seminars and job search strate-gies to get them familiar with today’s job markets. | Photos.com

©2011 H-E-B Food Stores, 11-1265

The Daily Cougar CAREER GUIDE Tuesday, February 8, 2010 ■ 5

WHERE THE JOBS ARE

Job growth fi nds wayto small businessesJessica CampbellUNIVERSITY CAREER SERVICES

According to Campus2Careers.com, over 99 percent of US com-panies are small businesses, and 75 percent of the jobs added since January 2009 are at companies of less than 1,000 employees.

Make immediate contributions Small companies are often

fast-paced and offer the oppor-tunity to make a big impact in a short amount of time. If you want to quickly see the results of your efforts at work, join a small or medium-sized company.

Wear lots of hats.Rather than assign you a nar-

row niche as larger companies are apt to do, small businesses value well-rounded employees who can contribute in diverse ways. Small and medium-sized businesses are more than twice as likely to recruit liberal arts majors.

“I believe small businesses and nonprofi ts are the best career path for all grads,” said CEO of campus-2careers Jay Whitchurch.

“This is particularly true for Liberal Arts majors, who may have the opportunity to use their broad-based education across all functions of the organization rather than be stuck in a cube with a single task,” Whitchurch said.

More casual and fl exible environment

Small companies often have a more relaxed work environment than large corporations. Because of their size, it is possible to nego-tiate a fl exible schedule and other perks.

HR Specialist at Heavy Construction Systems Specialsts Jackie Mwandia said that the best thing about working for a smaller company is that you can make an impact immediately, have direct access to the CEO and executive team, you are given the freedom to be creative, you don’t have to deal with bureaucratic “red tape,” and you get to wear multiple hats.

“The greatest part is that you get an opportunity to do what you do best everyday,” Mwandia said.

HCSS offers an amenity-rich campus featuring casual dress, on-site wellness facilities, game and theatre rooms and “bring your dog to work” facilities. No wonder HCSS was named a “Top Small Work-place” by the Wall St. Journal and one of the “Best Companies to Work For in Texas” by Texas Monthly.

Opportunities for growthBecause of the access to

higher-ups and the small work environment, it is easy for people to notice and recognize your accomplishments, which leads to opportunities to advance.

“One of my friends recently left a large computer company for an entry-level, lower-paid position at a start-up,” said Nathan Green, President of campus2careers.

“He was employee No. 17 at the new company, and within a year was promoted three times. He is now making twice his salary from the large company and managing the team he initially joined,” Green said.

If you’re interested in working for a small company, be sure to search job postings and campus interview schedules at University Career Services (www.career.uh.edu).

It would be helpful to get involved with an area Chamber of Commerce and utilize your LinkedIn account, since many small businesses look immediately to their personal and professional networks when they have an opening. You can also register with campus2careers (www.campus2careers.com), which has plans to expand into Houston in February.

You can learn more about HCSS and campus2careers at the Texas Job Fair on Feb. 8 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center.

With unemployment steadily rising, small businesses like this small hardware store have remained a dependable source for individuals job searching and looking for a fresh start. | Photos.com

JOB SEARCHcontinued from page 2

5. Apply your research skills. You can gain a leg on the competition by demonstrating to the employer that you have taken the time to learn about the organization — its products and services, size, structure, locations, competitors, market share, corporate culture and management philosophy.

6. You can anticipate most of the questions that will be asked in an employment interview. There is no reason to be unprepared in this phase of your search. Practice your responses but do not memorize word-for-word. Mock interviews and feedback from a career counselor is excellent preparation. Remember to develop questions of your own for the employer.

7. Your search may be prolonged due to the recession (no, its effects are not over) and because experienced workers are competing for the same jobs. As a new graduate, you bring new knowledge, enthusiasm, a smidgen of idealism and a strong work ethic to the workplace.

The transition from college to the workplace will continue to be a competitive and challenging expe-rience for most graduates during this academic year. Since a suc-cessful transition has an important bearing on future career satisfac-tion and success, we encourage you to take full advantage of the resources described in this special edition of The Daily Cougar.

Dr. David B. Small is the Associate Vice President for Student Services at the University of Houston.

6 ■ Tuesday, February 8, 2010 CAREER GUIDE The Daily Cougar

Behavior in the workplace can signifi cantly impact your credibility and dependability as an employee. Improved communication skills will lead to better business relationships. | Photos.com

COMMUNICATION

Art of business etiquetteLisa RenaudUNIVERSITY CAREER SERVICES

Business etiquette matters more now than ever before as technol-ogy allows us to tweet, post and comment to hundreds of people at a time. Here are some guidelines to communicate effectively and professionally:

Using the PhoneWhen you call someone, the fi rst

thing you should do is to identify yourself and state why you are calling. Never launch into questions or requests for assistance until you have fi rst stated who you are. If the call goes to voicemail, listen to the message. Some messages will indicate whether or not the person is in the offi ce, who to contact if you need immediate assistance or provide an e-mail address, asking the caller to e-mail them as their preferred method of contact.The preferred method of contact usually gets your request answered faster. Lastly, by all means, leave a mes-sage. State your name and number fi rst and speak slowly and clearly. Briefl y state what you’re calling about and then close by repeating your number again slowly. Don’t speed up just because you are so familiar with your own phone num-ber. Wait 48 hours before you call back or e-mail the person again.

E-mail CommunicationsYou may use your Blackberry or

iPhone to send e-mail messages,

but this doesn’t mean that you can format your e-mail like it is a text. When you are communicating with professional people rather than friends, take care to avoid grammatical and spelling errors. Whether you are communicating with UH faculty and staff members or a prospective boss, pay attention to how and what you write. Keep in mind these simple steps before you hit send.

Step One: Be sure that you’re addressing your e-mail to the right person. We have all heard horror stories about e-mails that were sent to the wrong person and the nega-tive ramifi cations that followed, so making sure the recipient’s e-mail address is correct will save you some unwanted stress.

Step Two: Include a subject line that is direct and to the point. Busi-ness professionals often check their inbox and scan the subject lines of e-mails to see what needs immedi-ate attention. A vague subject line could get your e-mail passed over.

Step Three: Treat your e-mail like a letter. Use a greeting like “Dear” or “Good afternoon” and end with a salutation like “Sincerely” to help personalize your communications. If you’ve never e-mailed the person before, take time out to research who they are. This will help you select the most appropriate greet-ing. Using “Dear Sir” for a female is not appropriate. Neither is “Dear Howard” when you are addressing faculty members with Ph.D.’s. In addition, keep your e-mail brief. Any lengthy communications

should be sent either in an attach-ment or through other means like snail mail or fax. When writing your e-mail, maintain a courteous and professional tone. E-mail is imper-sonal and the tone of messages can be easily misinterpreted. Do a fi nal check for spelling, grammar and missing words. Once you click “send,” your message is in cyber-space and can’t be taken back.

The Art of ConversationThere are a few general rules to

being a good communicator. The fi rst is to listen, and it can be really diffi cult to do. Concentrate on what the other person is saying and let them know you understand them by nodding and making eye contact. The second is to think before you speak. Don’t jump into a conversa-tion or fi nish a sentence because you know what the other person going to say. Use proper titles when addressing professionals. For example, when communicating with a faculty member on campus, be sure to address them as “Profes-sor” or “Doctor.” Remember to say, “Please,” and “Thank you,” because these basic principles of good man-ners can be somewhat lacking in our fast paced world. They certainly are words that work. So just a reminder, the smallest effort in brushing up your communication can make a big impact and can make a positive impression. Using professional communication etiquette everyday will help you stand out from the crowd in school, in your job search, in the workplace and in life.

SOCIAL NETWORKING

Get connected using new promotional toolMarilyn WadeUNIVERSITY CAREER SERVICES

If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile yet, you may be behind the curve in finding jobs and profes-sional networking opportunities. LinkedIn is a professional social networking site that was designed to help people manage their pro-fessional relationships. LinkedIn currently has over 80 million professionals in over 200 coun-tries and territories worldwide. Using LinkedIn as a networking and promotional tool is strongly recommended for the profes-sional job search. Please review the following LinkedIn strategies if you are just getting started:

Creating a complete LinkedIn profile

Include all relevant experience, education, skills and accomplish-ments as well as a professional photo. Obtain recommendations from supervisors, co-workers and customers. Update your profile regularly.

Request connections with everyone you know to begin grow-ing your network. Use LinkedIn to connect with people you went to school with, worked with or have other connections with.

Ask your first degree contacts for introductions to new people with whom you would like to connect.

Join LinkedIn groups that are relevant to your field or industry, as well as company and educa-tion or alumni groups. Actively participate in group discussions by making intelligent comments and posting news articles.

Search people, jobs and/or companies for positions of interest.

When communicating with other LinkedIn members, your messages should be as professional and concise as possible. The following steps are recommended:

NEVER USE THE DEFAULT MESSAGE. This message does not state

who you are or why you want to connect. It also forces the mem-ber to do the work of researching your profile and how you know him or her. Although using the default is the easy route, it is the

least likely way of making a good impression and getting a desired response.

ALWAYS PERSONALIZE YOUR MESSAGE

Even if you think the member knows you well, it’s a good practice to personalize your mes-sage. First impressions do count — even in email and LinkedIn messages — so take the time to make your message authentic and effective.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF.State who you are and how you

know the person. For example, “I am a computer engineering junior at UH, and we are both members of the IEEE LinkedIn group.”

MENTION ANY REFERRALSIf you and the member have

a third party in common, tell them so. For example, “My aunt Mae, Director of Marketing at XYZ Company, recommended I contact you.”

TELL WHY YOU WANT TO CONNECTIf you admire their work,

follow their blog, have questions about what they do or want to re-establish a connection, tell them so.

BE POLITE AND PATIENT

Don’t forget to say, “May I,” “Please” and “Thank you.” Also, remember that professionals are busy people, so be patient if they don’t respond immediately. Some professionals rarely check their LinkedIn accounts, so be prepared to wait for a response.

Need help getting started on LinkedIn? UCS Career Counselors can help. They are available to meet with you and review your LinkedIn profi le and networking strategy.

Students and alumni are also welcome to join the UCS LinkedIn group. Connect to UCS staff, UH students and alumni; also receive UCS announce-ments, events, career-related articles and information. Visit http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=2471829 to join.

Marilyn Wade is an assistant director at Alumni Career Services at the University of Houston.

CAREER INTERESTS

How to use career assessments for good decision makingDr. Janet CivitelliUNIVERSITY CAREER SERVICES

The wonderful thing about living in the modern age is that there are an infi nite number of career possibilities to pursue. However, this is also chal-lenging and many students say they are overwhelmed with choices and confused about how to decide.

Fortunately, career counselors are trained to help you by offering career assessments to help you gain clarity about your interests, values, personality and skills.

A good career assessment is like a tourist guidebook that can suggest

countries to explore, but it can’t tell you what it is like to actually work and live in that country. To really test the options suggested by career assessment, career counselors recommend that you take classes, do volunteer work, get involved with student and professional organiza-tions, and meet people already working in the career fi elds that interest you.

Choosing high quality career assessments is important so that you don’t make career decisions based on bad information. Here are some recommendations by the profes-sional career counseling staff at UH University Career Services:

Interests — The gold standard of career interest assessment is the Strong Interest Inventory (SII), the most widely used and well-respected career interest measure in the world. The SII compares your responses to a large sample of professionals who are already satisfi ed with their careers.

This assessment requires profes-sional interpretation by a career counselor.

UH students may take this assessment for $10 at University Career Services. Though not as com-prehensive as the SII, there is a free Interest Profi le assessment available online at http://www.ioscar.org/tx/assessment/samenu.asp

Values — Research shows that a signifi cant predictor of career hap-piness is the goodness of fi t between an organization’s values and your values. Examples of career values are Independence, Job Tranquility and Status. You can explore your career values by using the free KnowdellTM

Values Card Sort at http://www.stewartcoopercoon.com/jobsearch/career-values.

Personality — The most well-known personality assessment is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, The MBTI requires professional inter-pretation by a career counselor. UH students may take this assessment for $10 at University Career Services.

There is also a free personality self-assessment available at http://www.personalitytype.com — the free version will give you an approxima-tion of what the more established MBTI would tell you. You don’t need to buy any of the reports from the website because you can visit with a UCS career counselor to fi nd out how your personality affects your preferred work environments.

Once you have reviewed your assessment results, you may fi nd it easier to make career decisions or you may still feel uncertain. Profes-sional career counselors can assist you in many ways to sort out your options.

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The Daily Cougar CAREER GUIDE Tuesday, February 8, 2010 ■ 7

the office or department is confi-dential and cannot be discussed with your friends.

Anything business related needs to be kept within the con-fines of the office building.

Work AssignmentsRemember that your work is

your signature. It’s a reflection of

you, the office and the University. Sign it with pride.

Use of Resources and SuppliesYour schedule time is work

time. School work should be done on your own time.

Office supplies and equipment are school property and are for office use only. Do not have per-sonal visits from friends.

Becky Reiter is a career counselor at the University of Houston.

EMPLOYMENTcontinued from page 2

RESUMEcontinued from page 2

WHAT’S IN A DEGREE?

Liberal arts students gain prestigeCasey RadleUNIVERSITY CAREER SERVICES

Have you ever heard that liberal arts students can’t get jobs? Do you worry about what your options are as a Psychology major? Are you tired of your parents asking you what you can do with an English degree? Do you secretly (or not so secretly) wish you had chosen Business as your major? Do you fear you are doomed to work in retail for the rest of your life? Well, fret no more, my dear liberal arts students and have hope. Your degrees do have worth and can be valued by a variety of employers

As a liberal arts student, you have developed strong critical thinking skills and possess the ability to research, write, analyze and synthe-size information.

A liberal arts education teaches students to view problems from multiple perspectives and to think independently. Put simply, you have been learning to learn, which makes it easy for employers to train you. Sure, you might not have the specifi c technical skills that an engineering major has, but you have widely applicable skills that will transfer from the classroom to the workplace.

Think about it: how many group projects have yo worked on during your academic career (teamwork and leadership abilities)? How many papers have you written (research and writing skills)?

Furthermore, you’ve taken a wide variety of classes across multiple disciplines, including

foreign languages, which have increased your language skills and multicultural sensitivity — two highly marketable skills in today’s workplace. Employers want to hire you because they see you as cre-ative, open-minded, well-rounded candidates with excellent communi-cation skills and the ability to relate to people easily and effectively.

“More than any other curricu-lum, the liberal arts train people to think critically about concepts and society, look at the big picture and analyze cause and effect relation-ships, break an idea or situation into component parts and put it back together again,” said Robert Goodward, Director of Publications for Liberty Mutual Insurance, Co.

You have a vast array of options and can work in almost any fi eld. While this freedom can feel liberat-ing, it can also seem overwhelming at times. If you don’t know what you want to do or what you’re looking for, it can be incredibly diffi cult to actually fi nd it. To ease this frustra-tion, you should turn your focus and attention to yourself. Once you identify and clarify your personality preferences, interests, skills, motiva-tions and values, you can more easily pinpoint a career that will be a good fi t for you.

As you begin looking for and applying to a job, keep these tips and techniques in mind to best market yourself to employers:

Be proud of your liberal arts education — do not apologize for it. Fully understanding the worth of your degree will help you convince

someone else that your liberal arts degree is valuable.

Identify all your transferable skills — be able to effectively explain how you can be an asset to that organization or company.

Know what you want to do (or at least communicate that you do) — employers want to hire graduates with clearly defi ned goals.

Take advantage of the resume and cover letter — take advantage of the opportunity to strut your writing skills that these application materi-als give you. Consider including a Professional Profi le or Qualifi ca-tions Summary in your resume to provide a nice snapshot of all your benefi cial and useful skills. Demon-strate the signifi cance and worth of your education and experience in your cover letter. As a bonus, it also serves as a writing sample, which might set you apart from other can-didates, if you create a well-crafted, compelling letter.

Gain experience — intern, volunteer, take classes outside of the liberal arts college, etc.

Have realistic expectations — you have to work hard to fi nd a satisfying job that aligns with your interests and values. The job fairy will not visit you overnight and place a job offer under your pillow. In fact, many companies don’t even actively recruit liberal arts majors. It’s your responsibility to be proactive, take initiative and be persistent in your job search.

It’s also up to you to persuade employers that you have a lot to offer.

experience for the position you desire is what needs to be show-cased on your resume. Remember, your resume is your marketing tool.

Volunteer experience and internships can be just as benefi-cial as a paid position. A part-time job that you only worked at for a few months will not excite your potential employer and may even hurt your chances of being called for an interview.

#3: A great resume will produce job offers.

False. A great resume may get you an interview. You may look great on paper but an employer will almost always want to meet a possible future employee in person.

This is why it is important to work on your interviewing skills by scheduling a mock interview appointment with your UCS Career Counselor.

#4: You should include, “Refer-ences available upon request,” at the bottom of your resume.

False. This line is unnecessary and will take up space on your resume that you may need to use for more pertinent information. Employers know that you have references and they will request them when they require them.

#5: It is okay to fib or stretch the truth on your resume.

False. Never put informa-tion on your resume that is not the complete truth. Employers will find out and people have been fired for lying on resumes. Increasing your GPA, stretching your job duties and making your-self an employee instead of an intern will be discovered and will harm your future opportunities.

All UH students can receive a resume critique at University Career Services. Walk in hours are posted on the website at http://career.uh.edu.

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8 ■ Tuesday, February 8, 2010 CAREER GUIDE The Daily Cougar