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Don’t put all your eggs in one basket! When it comes to job searching, you will obtain the best results by using different methods. In this handout, you will find a list of helpful job search techniques, together with their advantages and disadvantages. It is very important that you plan your job search; that way, you will more likely encounter the opportunities that are right for you. There are three major aspects to planning your job search: 1) Becoming aware of what you have to offer to an employer, 2) Determining what kind of jobs and industry you want to target, 3) Becoming knowledgeable about the employers that you are targeting. After you have determined these three aspects, you will be on your way to an effective job search.

Before you Start

1) Assess your skills, needs and preferences. Your job searching process will depend on many factors, including your skills and your personal preferences.

• Technical skills.
• Transferable skills: Attention to detail, keeping records, editing, critiquing, problem solving, the ability to see the big picture, etc.
• People skills: Ability to follow directions, work in a team, supervise people, listening, verbal communication, persuading/motivating, teaching, selling, negotiating, delegating responsibilities.
• Preferences. Work alone or with a team? Like to be in charge? Thrive under pressure, or is pressure a stressor? Follow routine or welcome new situations/ideas? Work with people or things?

2) Identify the type of job in which you are interested. Here are a few sources for information on job types:

• Job descriptions. Look anywhere jobs are posted. Read job ads to discover the skills which are in demand. Highlight those in your resume and work on the areas you are lacking.
• Information interviews. The goal is gathering information (job leads and contacts), not obtaining a job! To find out more about information interviews, please see our handout “How to Conduct an Information Interview”.
• Volunteer. Network, get to know people in your field, and explore a career. You gain valuable experience for your resume.
• Internship or co-op. An internship offers many of the advantages of volunteering. It will require more hours of your time and may or may not be paid.
• Professional associations and professional journals. Associations often publish journals with specialized employment ads, host searchable databases for positions in specialized fields, and post information on upcoming conferences.

3) Research employers and find out which ones have the type of jobs that you want. Find out about the industry and the employer:

• Trends in the field
• Growth areas
• Major players in the field
• Major challenges/problems in the field
• Size of the company
• Weak points
• Competitors
• Culture
• Organization

This information can be collected from the following sources:

• Listings from past career fairs, on campus interviews and company presentations at UT. See our library.
• Company Visit Reports. We visit companies and report work-related information, together with contact information. See our library.
• On campus company presentations. See schedule online on our website.
• Specialized industry listings and articles on industry trends and company profiles. Industry listings contain addresses and key product/growth information. Some online resources:
  www.hoovers.com
  www.fortune.com
  www.forbes.com
  www.wetfeet.com
  www.vault.com
  www.bls.gov
  www.redherring.com
  www.thestandard.com
  www.sec.gov
  
• Specialized publications. Usually the products advertised are manufactured by companies that could be your potential employers. Also, see the their job ads.
• Chambers of commerce. Especially helpful for geographically limited searches.
• Professional associations in your field of interest. Their websites often have searchable online databases with company members, or positions in the field.
• Salary surveys. Find them through professional associations, the library, or the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov).
• Industry conventions/conferences. Network at their placement centers.
• Occupational Outlook Handbook (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Gather information about trends in the profession, related occupations, and relevant trade and professional associations. See our library or online at www.bls.gov.

4) Keep your job search organized. Create multiple lists of employers, divided by type of job offered, level of interest to you, or by geographic area.

• Keep two separate lists of records, one for your networking contacts (including information interviews), and another for your actual job applications. You can use cards, a notebook, a binder, a computer database, or spreadsheets. Use whatever works best for you. Keep record of:
  • Name of the contact person
  • Title
  • Company
  • Date(s) of contact
  • Brief record of what was said
  • Name of person referring you to the contact person
  • Names of the people that he/she referred you to
  In addition to the above information, for job applications include:
  • Copies of all correspondence
  • Dates of contact
  • How contacted
  • Follow-up actions
  • Copies of the job notices you applied for
• Keep a calendar for your “to do” list. Record all necessary follow-ups and appointments in one place.

5) Have your tools ready before you actively start looking for employment:

• Targeted resume(s).
• Effective letters.
• Learn how to effectively present yourself.

If you need assistance, our office has handouts, workshops, and a library. You can also make an appointment with our staff to review your letter or resume, or to practice your presentation/interview skills.

Ready? Go!

Each job search method has pros and cons. You will get the best results when using a combination of the various techniques.
On campus resources:
1) Career fairs
Pros

• Time efficient: You see many employers at once.
• You can use this event early in your job search to gather information.
• You get immediate personal attention from a recruiter.

Cons

• Time constraints. A short time may be allotted to you, depending on how many other applicants are waiting. Prioritize the employers you want to visit with.
• May be overwhelming. Stay organized, take note of names, positions discussed, follow-up.

2) Company presentations
Pros

• Usually open access to all students, whether or not you are scheduled to interview with the company through the online recruiting system. You can contact companies that do their on-campus recruiting with other colleges on campus, and would not otherwise see your resume.
• Great preparation tool for an interview.

Cons

• You will have to keep track of presentation calendars in various departments, student associations, and career services offices.

3) On-campus recruiting
Pros

• Located on campus.
• Competition among Natural Sciences students, rather than general public. This kind of interviewing is selective, but the pool is relatively small.

Cons

• None.

4) Natural Sciences resume database
Pros

• May get contacted directly for an interview.
• Gain exposure to companies not coming to interview on campus. This is especially true of smaller organizations, especially in biotechnology and computer science.

Cons

• You cannot target your resume to a specific position or employer.

Off campus resources

1) Internet job databases. There are two main types. Some of them are general, with thousands of employers and positions; some of them specialize in certain fields and post only related jobs. For a list of employment websites related to your major, see our handouts: “Career Options for …. Majors”, and “ “Conducting an Electronic Job Search”.
Pros

• Time-efficient: You can apply for many positions in a very short time.
• Professional associations often offer a collection of links to reputable specialized job databases.
• Worldwide geographic reach.

Cons

• Your resume could get buried in a database. If there is a contact name in the job notice you are responding to, send your resume directly to that person.

- If privacy is a concern, choose a database that will not disclose your personal data (blind resume). - The majority of jobs posted are computer-related. If you are interested in other fields, stick to specialized job sites recommended by professional associations. 2) Networking. Most positions are filled through networking and direct company contact. This method is time effective for the employer, filling positions before the need to advertise arises. When looking for contact people, include all of the people you know. They might not have direct contact with the jobs/ industry that you are targeting, but they know other people who might. Your network of people could include:

• Faculty members and instructors
• Administrative staff in the departments
• Faculty and academic advisors
• Co-workers
• Supervisors
• Other students
• Members of student organizations
• Your family professional contacts
• Alumni (i.e. www.texasexes.org)
• Professional organizations

Pros

• The employer already knows the person who is referring you, and this very fact will guarantee you attention.
• May learn of unadvertised openings.
• Making contact might result in a courtesy interview.
• Can use other people’s networks to help you in your search.

Cons

• Networking can be time-consuming.
• A contact in itself is not enough to get you a job.
• Your network of people needs to be maintained. Keep in touch with your contacts!

3) E-Networking. It allows you to create a community of virtual contacts who can be just as helpful in providing information on job leads, industry trends and possible openings. To network online, visit the sites of professional associations, alumni organizations, and message boards. Subscribe to electronic mailing lists.
Pros

• Do not need an introduction from a person to get in touch with your contact. Everyone in the community that makes his/her email can be contacted.
• Response time is immediate. This makes e-networking much faster than regular networking.

Cons

• Email as a medium tends to make communication less formal. Stay professional.

4) Employment agencies and specialized placement firms. Their bottom line is their customer: the hiring company, not you! Keep in mind that they are serving the employer’s needs, not yours.
Pros

• Their service is usually free to you.
• When taking a temporary position, you can network with people, and possibly land a permanent position at a later time.
• The search firm will submit your resume only to relevant employers.

Cons

• May be less effective for non-technical or inexperienced graduates.

5) Want ads
Pros

• Newspaper ads are effective when geographical concerns are important
• Minimal investment of time.
• You can search remote locations using the web.

Cons

• Competition. Because a large number of people read the classifieds, employers usually try to fill their position using other methods, to avoid receiving huge numbers of applications. Only 30% of all positions are advertised in the paper.
• When searching ads from specialized publications, competition from other applicants is still a factor.

6) Mass-mailing your resume.
Pros

• None

Cons

• Very low rate of response.
• Costly.

7) Targeted mailing
Pros

• Higher rate of response than mass-mailing your resume.

Cons

• Researching the organizations before sending your resume can be time consuming. If you have kept notes while networking and researching careers and employment possibilities, most of the research work is already done!
  
  Here is a list of SOME of the publications available in our library:
  
  Break the Rules. The Secret Code to Finding A Great Job Fast William Cohen 2001
  The Complete Job-Search Handbook H. Figler, 1999
  The Everything Get-a-Job Book Steven Graber, 2000
  Guide to Internet Job Searching, The VGM Career Horizons
  Headhunters Revealed! (Choosing/using Prof. Recruiters) D. Gurney, 2000
  Job-Hunting on the Internet R. Nelson Bolles, 2001
  Job Searching Online for Dummies Pam Dixon
  Knock 'em Dead M. Yate, 2002
  What Color is your Parachute? 2001 Edition Richard Nelson Bolles