Since 1994, the employment market for college and university graduates has been strong. When the employment market is strong — when times are good — it is difficult to talk seriously about planning and executing a job search campaign. But, over the years, many of us who have worked in the career services business have observed that employment cycles can spiral downwards, even crash very suddenly.

What we hope to do in this chapter is provide you the strategies to conduct a job search campaign, and to do so successfully regardless of the strength of the employment market. All too often, job search strategies are written for the status quo — for the average job seeker — well, not this one. While reading this chapter is not going to guarantee you success, it is designed to "raise the bar" when it comes to job search strategies.

People who seem most prepared to begin their job searches have thought seriously about and begun to focus in on what they want to be when they grow up. Career counsellors call this self-assessment — a process whereby job seekers introspectively examine both personal and career-related goals, interests, and values. They do so by asking themselves questions like:

• What types of jobs interest me?
• What would be my ideal work environment?
• Geographically, where would I like to be located?
• Which is most important — a high starting salary or financial security?
• How important are "quality of life" issues? for me to achieve work/life balance?
• What would I like the content of my job to consist of?
• How important is it for me to like the people with whom I work?
• Is it critical for my new employer to be ethical? for my new company to be socially responsible?
• How important is long-term job security?
• Where do I envision my career headed in the future?
• Will a graduate or professional degree help me attain my career goals?

At the beginning of your job search, it is not important for you to have satisfactorily answered all of these career-related questions. What is important is that you know the questions you need to address and use the job search process as a means of finding some answers.

BASICS OF THE JOB SEARCH CAMPAIGN

The first two things you need to know and do to conduct a successful job search:

1. You need to learn what may be a new vocabulary, including some of the key words that are introduced throughout this chapter. These include: resumes (sometimes targeted) and cover letters, researching employers, people (not computer) networking, interviewing styles, career and job fairs, job listings, career resource library, on-campus interviewing, and alumni career network.
2. You need to visit your career services office (or whatever title it goes by), meet one of the staff members with whom you seem to communicate well, and ask him/her to define the key words above in the context of your school. The counsellor will likely ask you some questions to assess your current understanding of and level of preparation for the job search process (e.g., have you prepared your resume, do you know where to find background information related to the employers attending our career fair, are you confident with your interviewing skills, etc.). If he or she fails to ask you questions about your job search status, by all means take the initiative and volunteer the information. Finally, ask the counsellor to describe how you, individually, might successfully employ the available career centre programs and services to conduct your job search. An important point for you to remember — career services staff are there to provide you with the tools to achieve your career goals. Good counsellors, like good teachers, simply guide you through a process of learning.

If you only do the above and you graduate in a year when employers are madly scrambling for new employees, there is a pretty good chance that you will secure a good job. However, you will need to go beyond the basics if you are not fortunate enough to graduate in a "good year." Moreover, you'll need to go beyond the basics to secure a great job.

Typically, conducting a successful marketing campaign means learning what the customer wants, needs, and/or expects from a product or service. Take a look at the following list. It addresses some of those personal characteristics employers are seeking.

1. Academic Skills: Those Skills which provide the basic foundation to get, keep and progress on a job and to achieve the best results. Canadian employers need a person who can:

- understand and speak the languages in which business is conducted

- listen to understand and learn

- read, comprehend and use written materials, including graphs, charts and displays

- write effectively in the languages in which business is conducted

- think critically and act logically to evaluate situations, solve problems and make decisions

- understand and solve problems involving mathematics and use the results

- use technology, instruments, tools and information systems effectively

- access and apply specialized knowledge from various fields (e.g. skilled trades, technology, physical sciences, arts and social sciences

- continue to learn for life

2. Personal Management Skills: The combination of skills, attitudes and behaviours required to get, keep and progress on a job and to achieve the best results. Canadian employers need a person who can demonstrate:

- self-esteem and confidence

- honesty, integrity and personal ethics

- a positive attitude toward learning, growth and personal health

- initiative, energy, and persistence to get the job done

- the ability to set goals and priorities in work and personal life

- the ability to plan and manage time, money and other resources to achieve goals

- accountability for actions taken

- adaptability

- a positive attitude toward change

- the ability to identify and suggest new ideas to get the job done-----creativity

3. Teamwork Skills: Those skills needed to work with others on a job and to achieve the best results. Canadian employers need a person who can:

- work with others

- understand and contribute to the organization’s goals

- understand and work within the culture of the group

- plan and make decisions with others and support the outcomes

- respect the thoughts and opinions of others in the group

- exercise "give and take" to achieve group results

- seek a team approach as appropriate

- lead where appropriate, mobilizing the group for high performance

Source: The Conference Board of Canada

You need to convey to employers in your cover letters, on your resumes, and during interviewing opportunities that you have these qualities. Think of specific examples that will help you demonstrate that you have them; examine your class work, involvement with campus or community organizations, or work or volunteer experiences. The person who says, "I believe I have strong communication skills" fails to give the employer any supporting evidence. Compare that to, "I believe I have strong communication skills. As the service coordinator for my sorority, I made more than 20 presentations to university and community groups to explain the purpose and goals of our charitable campaign."

It may sound impersonal to talk about yourself as if you were a box of cereal, but learning how to effectively market yourself is the single most important element to a successful job search campaign. If you view yourself as the product you most need to sell — focus on your strengths and articulate them in everything you write and say — you can be confident knowing that you are presenting yourself in the most competitive way.

As with the marketing of any product, you need to develop supporting documentation to convince clients that you are worth the investment of their time and energy. The written marketing pieces over which you have the greatest amount of control are your personal resume and the cover letters you develop to connect the resume to the positions in which you are interested. Additionally, the availability of quality word processing and laser printing allows you to produce professional-looking materials that can be customized for each position to which you apply.

The resume is a self-marketing tool, designed with the goal of obtaining a job interview. Resume information is targeted succinctly to a career field and addresses the needs of a specific employer. Your resume should market your relevant skills, knowledge, and accomplishments.

Preparation

It will be difficult to begin the process of writing your resume unless you identify the career field and types of employers that will be the focus of your job search. When you know how you will use the resume, then you will be able to write an effective, targeted resume that gets results. You will likely spend a considerable amount of time developing your resume, choosing the right words and phrases to describe your marketable skills and experiences. It is not uncommon to write several revisions before arriving at the final version.

One-page resumes are preferred for most entry-level positions. Two-page resumes are acceptable if the information on both pages demonstrates the skills and/or experience relevant to your profession. Resumes should highlight skills and accomplishments that meet employer qualifications, excluding irrelevant information and experiences. Well-designed resumes will be visually appealing and free from any spelling, typographical, punctuation, or grammatical errors. All resumes should be written concisely in an organized format that presents the most important information first.

Types of Resumes

Information related to skills and experiences can be presented in a chronological format, a functional format, or a combination of the two. Each format has its advantages and disadvantages. To select the type which best supports your strategy, review the following descriptive information and resume samples.

Chronological Resume
In the chronological resume, job history is organized chronologically with the most recent job listed first. Job titles and employers are emphasised and duties and accomplishments are described in detail. A chronological resume is easy to read, and can highlight career growth. It is suited to those whose career goals are clearly defined and whose job objectives are aligned with their work history.

Functional Resume
In a functional resume, skills and accomplishments developed through work, academic, and community experiences are highlighted. Your skills and potential can be stressed and lack of experience or possible gaps in work history de-emphasised.

Combination Resume
This format combines the elements of the chronological and functional types. It presents patterns of accomplishments and skills in categorical sections or a single section called "Qualifications Summary." It also includes a brief work history and education summary. This format is advantageous for those who wish to change to a job in a related career field or strategically promote their most marketable skills.

Sequence the categories according to what is most important to the employer and your career objective. A recent college graduate with limited experience will usually put the education section first since it is the most significant qualification. Education will also be listed first when it is a qualifying requirement, as in the case of teaching, law, medicine, or engineering. If an applicant wants to emphasise significant work or leadership experience, or apply for jobs in fields such as sales, public relations, or merchandising, it may be useful to present the experience or employment sections first.

Contact information

• Begin your resume with your name by capitalizing and using bold type.
• Include street address, city, province, and postal code.
• Include phone number(s) where you can be reached weekdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Designate your home phone with an "H," and work number with "W," or a "Messages" number.
• Add an e-mail address if it is checked regularly.

Career/Job Objective
The purpose of the objective statement is to inform the employer of your career goal and targeted interests. The statement should describe the focus of your job search. If your resume is broader, relay the most relevant objective in an accompanying cover letter. A good objective includes type and/or level of position, type and style of organization, and skills/qualifications.

A career/job objective is advantageous when:

• You want to specify your interests and where you would fit in the organization.
• You want to present the impression of a focused, self-confident person.

A career/job objective is not advantageous when it is:

• Too broad and meaningless, reflecting indecision.
• Too exclusive, eliminating you from jobs for which you might be considered.

Qualifications or Experience Summary
A summary of qualifications can condense an extensive background by emphasising experiences and accomplishments in brief keyword phrases. The qualifications summary is accomplishment-oriented and provides an overview of your work experience. It can also serve to summarize relevant academic, volunteer and leadership experience for those who have limited work experience. A summary is most appropriate for someone with substantial experience, for someone who is changing careers and wants to demonstrate transferable skills, or for someone with a varied background. Scannable resumes also rely on accomplishment statements. If you know your resume will be electronically scanned, consider a summary.

• Example:
  Accomplished editor, news reporter and promotional writer. Demonstrated skills in project management and staff development.
• Example:
  Two years' experience as office administrator; four years' teaching experience living abroad; two and one-half years' high school teaching experience; M.B.A. in International Business and Information Systems; B.A. Mathematics; French language fluency.

Education
If your education relates to your objective and is within the past three years, it should be the first section. If not, education should follow the work experience section of your resume.

• Start with your most recent degree or the program in which you are currently enrolled. List other degrees or relevant education in reverse chronological order.
• Highlight your degree by using bold type or capital letters.
• If the degree is relevant to your job objective, begin with degree and emphasis, followed by university, location of university, and date of graduation or anticipated date of graduation. Example:
  M.S., Communications Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, May 1996.
• If degree/program is not directly related to current job objective, begin with the university, followed by the location, degree and emphasis, and graduation date.
• If you are within two semesters of graduation, do not use "expected" or "anticipated" with month/year of graduation.
• If you have a high GPA, include it on your resume. You may want to highlight your GPA on a new line as illustrated on page 60, or in an educational highlights section. Example:
  McGill University, Montreal, QC, B.A., Political Science, May 1996. GPA 3.4

Educational Highlights
This section is most effective when you have experiences from your education that are impressive and/or directly relate to your objective. Adding this section is useful when you have developed skills and specific knowledge through education and related activities rather than work experience. This section can be used to highlight coursework, research, study abroad experience, leadership and student activities that complement your objective.

• Consider listing relevant coursework under the appropriate degree. Example:
  Relevant coursework: Investment and Portfolio Management, Advanced Financial Management, Marketing Research, International Banking
• An alternative to highlighting courses is to list the skills and knowledge acquired through important courses and research. Example:
  Developed model investment portfolio for Fortune 500 company. Analysed stock market trends using state-of-the-art computer simulation programs. Invested innovative capital formations strategies at metropolitan Washington area investment firms. Designed promotional campaign for new consumer product in a targeted market.
• You may want to describe research or design projects. Example:
  Design Projects: RF radio control, Laser and Microwave Amplifiers, Transmission Lines. Research: "Brazilian Economic Policies Beyond the Coffee Exports". "U.S. Foreign Policy: Transition in Latin America".

Employment Experience (Chronological)

• Begin with your current/most recent position and work backward, chronologically. Devote more space to recent employment.
• If your job titles relate to your current job objective, start each position description with job titles. If not, begin with the organization.
• Follow job title and organizational information with the organization's city and province.
• Use the first and last month and year to describe dates of employment. Example:
  Telecommunications Engineering Aide, Centre for Telecommunications Studies, Calgary, AB, September 1990-January 1996
• Describe the last three to five positions in detail. Summarize earlier positions unless relevant to your objective.
• Do not show every position change with each employer. Only list in detail the most recent job and briefly summarize promotions.
• Do not repeat skills that are common to several positions.
• Within each listed position, stress the major accomplishments and responsibilities that demonstrate your competency. It is not necessary to include all responsibilities, as they will be assumed by employers.
• Tailor your position descriptions to future job/career objectives.

If writing a two-page resume, make sure the most marketable information is on the first page.

Employment Experience (Functional)

• Use two to four sections to summarize each area of functional skill or expertise.
• Develop the functional skill headings based on the skills you want to market to employers and/or that are most related to your targeted objective.
• Describe your skills in short phrases and place under the appropriate functional skill categories.
• Rank the phrases within each category and place the most important skill or accomplishment first. Examples:
  WRITING
  Reported on-the-spot news stories for suburban Montreal newspapers.
  Provided in-depth coverage of political issues, including unemployment compensation and merit pay for teachers.
  Edited and marketed a brochure for a cultural/educational program designed to focus on life in London. Resulted in a 30% increase in program attendance.
• Do not identify employers within functional skills sections.
• List a brief history of your actual work experience at the end of the section, giving job title, employer and dates. If you have had no work experience or a very spotty work record, leave out the employment section entirely or summarize the nature of your jobs without providing specific details. If you do this, be prepared to discuss your specific jobs in more detail at the job interview.

Scannable Resumes
Human resource professionals in small, medium, and large organizations are investing in new state-of-the-art computer systems to increase efficiency in storing and accessing resume information. By using artificial intelligence capabilities, resumes are optically scanned into the computer system as an image. The computer then "reads" the resume and creates a database of the applicant's relevant skills, degrees and achievements in the form of key words. Employers then access a candidate's resume by searching for key words.

To maximize potential employment opportunities, it is important to be prepared to submit an effective "scannable resume". Develop your resume by using the following guidelines for format and content.

• Keep it simple.
• Standard serif and sans serif fonts work best. Avoid ornate fonts and fonts where the characters touch. Font size is also important. Use sizes between 10 points and 14 points type size.
• Italics and underlining cause problems for the scanner, especially if combined. Use boldface for emphasis or ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
• Vertical or horizontal lines should be used sparingly. When used, leave at least a quarter of an inch of space around the line.
• Avoid graphics... and shading or shadowing.
• Do not compress or expand the space between letters or lines.
• Do not double space within sections.
• The resume you submit should be an original. It should be printed with a laser printer on white or light-coloured 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper. Print on one side only.
• Resumes that have been folded, stapled or otherwise mutilated will not scan well.
• It is imperative that you describe your skills and accomplishments in key word phrases.
• Use the language of your profession.

Nouns are more distinguishable to a computer than action verbs. Label yourself with phrases that describe activities or experiences. For example: Use "managed training and development" vs. "trained and developed" or use, "Assisted with salary survey" vs. "surveyed salaries of..." You may also want to consider a summary of accomplishments that focus on results not duties and responsibilities. Remember to keep the resume basic in format, style, and language.

GENEVIEVE C. LAMBERT
2600 Front Street, N.W.
Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6
Bus: (604) 555-1602
Res: (604) 555-9000

• Extensive knowledge of computer software design and implementation.
• Comprehensive management experience of professional teams and individuals.
• Expertise in program development for telecommunications and manufacturing fields.
• Skilled at communicating technical and non-technical materials to audiences, peers and administrators.
• Effective negotiator on contracts and with outside vendors.

Management Systems Analyst, Provere Corporation, Calgary, AB
Develop over twenty software programs to date to maximize user efficiency and communication. Supervise a staff of six technicians with responsibility for troubleshooting including program debugging. June 1994-present
Technical Assistant, Bell Canada, Vancouver, BC
Worked with other members of the technical staff to develop a data network for overseas communication. September 1988-August 1990
Sales Associate, Handyware Technologic, Vancouver, BC June 1986-April 1988

M.S., Computer Engineering, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, May 1994
B.S., Computer Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, June 1990

Review existing systems to enhance design of a Data Communication Network. Interact with manufactures and other clients to develop interactive programs for users. Team-designed a hotline system utilised by four hospitals to maximize emergency care. Develop a comprehensive hands-on orientation program for new employees.

Coordinate computer automation activities for a 150-employee company. Supervise 15 professional and support staff and schedule staff assignments. Assist Department manager with long range planning goals and implementation. Plan negotiations with military and other prospective contractors.

• Association for Women in Computing, 1989-present
• Computer and Communications Industry Association, 1994-present
• Independent Computer Consultants' Association, 1994-present

The Cover Letter

The cover letter is used most often to introduce resumes forwarded in response to employment classified ads or other posted job listings (including those on the Internet). Increasingly however, job seekers who attend career fairs or participate in on-campus interviews are providing recruiters a cover letter to accompany the resume they hand over during the fair or interview. What motivates candidates to take these extra steps? They are looking to gain a competitive edge in the employment market.

Whereas the resume is an abbreviated listing of information focusing primarily on your college or university career (including academics, interests, extracurricular and volunteer experiences, and employment experiences), the cover letter affords you an opportunity to present this information in a business letter format that is grammatically correct. Remember how much importance employers place on communication skills.

Generally, cover letters are no more than one-page in length and contain three or four short paragraphs that address four implied questions: how you learned about the job, why you are interested, how you are qualified, and what steps you plan to take to be considered. Depending on the amount of information you are presenting, paragraphs #2 and #3 can either be combined or separated — it is a judgment call on your part based primarily on how much information you convey. Focusing on each of these paragraphs, here are some important points to remember.

Paragraph #1: How you learned about the job?

Identifying your source of information about the job is, for the most part, a rather simple and conventional way to begin the dialogue. For employers, it clarifies the intent of your letter as well as gives them some sense of the effectiveness of the various methods they use to advertise employment listings. For you, it affords you the opportunity to specify the job or corporate division or geographic location in which you are most interested. And, if you happen to have been referred and/or encouraged to apply by some influential person in your employment network, identifying the individual by name in this initial paragraph may be beneficial (e.g., your cover letter and resume may be routed more expeditiously through the review process).

Paragraph #2: Why you are interested?

There are likely many reasons you are interested enough to take the time to write a cover letter to attach to your resume. For the most part, employers are interested in hearing you address the reasons you are motivated — why this company, why this particular job, why this location, why at this time in your life do you believe you are ready to pursue this opportunity. Remember, among the Top 10 Personal Characteristics Employers Seek In Job Candidates, motivation/initiative was ranked 3^rd.

Paragraph #3: How you are qualified?

Arguably the most important paragraph in your cover letter, this is your opportunity to relate your qualifications — your academic training, your work experiences, and your extracurricular experiences — to the various skills the employer has outlined in the position description. Using the information listed on your resume as a reference point, you set about to convince the employer your qualifications are not only a good match, but that you are confident you can help the company achieve its organizational goals.

There is truly an art to cover letter writing — a subtle way of conveying information about you, but in ways that address the employers’ needs.

Paragraph #4: What steps you plan to take to be considered?

Much has been written about how to close a cover letter, and many of the examples seem to suggest either passive or aggressive closings. If every employer took the time to respond to every cover letter they received, then a passive closing would suffice. However, employers are often inundated with responses to position listings and often lack the time or resources to respond to everyone. As a way of maintaining control, some job campaign strategy writers recommend a more aggressive tactic.

In-between these extremes is an assertive approach that seems to meet the job candidate’s need for maintaining some control while, at the same time, offering him/her another opportunity to demonstrate interest and professionalism. Using this approach, you would close the cover letter with a sentence like: Thank you for your consideration of my credentials. I will contact your office in the next ten days to see if you require any additional information regarding my qualifications. About ten days later, you contact the employer to see if their decision process might be expedited by your completing a company application form, or by forwarding a copy of your transcripts, a list of your references, a writing sample, etc. By making this call and offering supplemental information, you are demonstrating sound, professional business skills. And, after you have made the offer, it is quite appropriate for you to then inquire about the disposition of their search process, and in particular, the status of your candidacy.

August 1, 2000

Ms. Connie Ramberg, President
MONSTERTRAK Corporation
63 de Brésoles, Suite 400
Montreal, QC H2Y 1V7

Dear Ms. Ramberg:

I have read with great interest the position listed on your corporate Website for an Account Executive. With this letter and the attached materials, I would like to formally apply for the position. Upon graduation from the University of Toronto, I will be relocating to Montreal.

While attending U of T, I have become familiar with the various on-line, web-based products of your company. In my third year, I used your company software and, working with our University Career Services counsellors, identified internship opportunities in the Kingston area. In my senior year, I used your firm’s on-campus interview scheduling system to seek permanent positions. Unfortunately, few of the companies participating in that program were from Montreal.

Among the qualifications you list in your position description, you seek someone with excellent verbal and written communication skills, sales experience, and someone who is self-motivated. As detailed on my resume, I believe my academic, extracurricular, and work experiences meet your expectations. The curriculum for Government majors at U of T requires numerous position papers and on-going class dialogues regarding past and current events and issues. Additionally, in most Government courses, students are assigned several projects requiring written research papers and verbal presentations. Regarding sales experience, for two summers I worked for a small retail firm where I became very knowledgeable about our product lines in order to best meet the specific needs of each customer.

I look forward to talking with you in more detail regarding my interest in working for your company. If I do not hear from you beforehand, I will contact you by telephone in the next two weeks to see if you require any additional information regarding my qualifications. Thank you, in advance, for your consideration of my credentials.

Sincerely,

Megan Leigh Smith

Encl.

There are probably a number of programs offered annually on your campus that can help you with your job search. While they won't make the process effortless, they can greatly reduce the time, energy, and expense of considering career opportunities on your own. Each has a different objective for helping you achieve your career-related goals and each has a different purpose and value to employers seeking qualified job candidates.

Career and job fairs: Career and job fairs are often sponsored by your campus job placement and career services office, an academic university, a consortium of universities, or even off-campus commercial ventures. Such events allow employers to collect job search paperwork from a significant number of candidates, talk with people long enough to develop some first impressions, and distribute information about their firms.

• Wear appropriate attire — some events are formal requiring you to wear interview attire while others are less formal allowing a more casual dress. For the best advice on appropriate attire, seek opinions from your career services staff.

• Prior to the event, review a list of all of the companies attending the program. For those in which you are most interested, conduct some basic research focusing on their major products and/or services, their primary markets (e.g., regional, national, international), and the qualifications they are seeking in their position descriptions.
• For the employers you most want to impress, take several "targeted" resumes, cover letters, and/or academic summary sheets. For other employers take several copies of a strong "general" resume.
• As you approach each firm representative, use a firm handshake and begin by presenting a 30- to 45-second personal introduction highlighting your academic and career interests.
• Use your time efficiently. To gain confidence, start with a few employers who interest you but who are not among your top choices. When you are at the top of your game — focused, articulate, high energy--approach your top choices.
• Ask employers for their business cards, and be sure to jot down key notes from each conversation (use the backs of the cards if you like).
• Ask several informative questions that show your knowledge of and interest in their company and industry.
• Afterwards, send follow-up thank-you letters to the employers you most want to impress, and be sure to include key points from the notes you made.

Employer information sessions and receptions: Increasingly, employers view these types of programs as important introductory and/or pre-interview programs. They are designed to provide a substantial amount of information about their companies, as well as let recruiters meet interviewees and other interested students. The employer’s objective makes sense — by providing general information about the company en masse, individual interviews can be focused more on candidates’ skills and qualifications. While attendance is not mandatory, an employer's attitude can be negatively affected when a candidate fails to attend.

• Conduct some basic research on the company. At a minimum, visit the company's web site, read any materials sent to you in advance, and review the company literature on file in your career services office.
• Attend sessions whenever you can, and arrive on time. If you can not attend a session, contact the recruiter in advance to let him or her know.
• Unless the employer specifies otherwise, wear interview attire to the session.
• Use an adapted version of the 30- to 45-second personal introduction you developed for the career fair.
• Find someone in the crowd who you can comfortably approach and ask them to tell you who people are and what they do; then strategise how you can gain the most from the event.
• Take along a few copies of your resume, just in case some representatives ask to see it.
• Collect business cards; jot down key notes on the backs of the cards.
• Listen to the presentation, and reflect on your own academic training and experiences.
• Begin formulating some of the interview questions you might be asked, and practice your responses to those questions.

Off-campus job searches: For a variety of reasons, on-campus interviewing programs fail to meet the employment needs of all students. Probably the two reasons cited most often by students are: (1) the employers participating in on-campus interviewing are not looking for (interested in) students with my major or career interests; and (2) the types of positions the on-campus interviewing program supports are not of interest to me (i.e., because of job content, geographic location, etc.). So, many students utilise other job search strategies in order to find positions that satisfy their career goals.

• Begin by contacting your employment centre staff to learn about and utilise all of the resources available to assist you.
• Meet periodically with an employment advisor to keep him/her informed about your search, seek opinions, review updates of your resume and drafts of cover letters, etc.
• Attend career fairs and employer information sessions to become familiar and comfortable with employer interactions in those settings.
• Practice your interviewing skills:
• rehearse answers to sample interview questions;
• attend special career services workshops about job interviewing;
• talk with friends about their interviewing experiences;
• conduct a "mock" interview with your career counsellor (some offices even videotape these practice sessions).
• Keep detailed and accurate notes regarding all contacts you make and the status of all correspondence you transmit; and keep an accurate and up to date log of your job search.
• Be "active" and use some combination of the various strategies described below.

Job searches away from home: This type of search can be very time-consuming but also productive. Sending out dozens of resumes with photocopies of cover letters is rarely effective. You are better off targeting your efforts to a particular geographic area and arranging a job-seeking trip.

• Choose the geographic or metropolitan area in which you want to focus. Arrange when you can go for at least three days.
• Use various sources to identify potential employers.
• Get correct names and titles (by telephone) of key individuals and send them a resume and personal cover letter.
• Follow-up with phone calls to schedule appointments.

Send out your resumes and letters to individuals you identify by research and telephone work, and follow-up with a call. Since you are travelling to their city and paying your own expenses, there is a greater chance that they will put aside some time to speak with you.

Christmas vacation, spring break, and early in the summer are the times students most often use for interview trips. If the target metro area is only a few hours from campus, you can visit a number of times during the year.

Resume referral databases: For many years, career services offices have been forwarding the resumes of qualified students and alumni to employers. As the capabilities of computer software to store, retrieve, and transmit resumes have improved and gained wider use, the process has become more efficient and effective. While your part in this is relatively passive (your career centre forwards your information), referrals represent yet another method to have your credentials presented to potential employers.

• Keep the resume you have in the database(s) up to date.
• Periodically check to see to which employers your resume has been referred.
• If an employer interests you, customize a resume and cover letter and send it to the employer directly.
• Keep accurate, easily accessible records of all contacts in case you need to follow-up later.

Third-party agencies: Third parties are businesses that match the employment needs of an organization with prospective employees. The most popular of these, at least among university students and recent graduates, are temporary employment agencies. The reason for their popularity is simple — they do much of the job search connecting work for both the candidate and the employer. Although initial assignments are sometimes clerical in nature, temporary or temp employees can experience a variety of work environments, assess different types of jobs, and eventually determine which types of employers might be a good match for their talents and personality.

• Interview several agencies to determine which seem most interested in helping you achieve your career-related needs.
• If you have a bad experience at one work site, continue to do good work, but let the agency know you are not satisfied.
• When you find the right match in an employer, volunteer to assume more responsibility, network within the organization, and make your interests known.

Computers — and in particular the Internet — offer the means to review job descriptions, transmit your cover letter and resume, complete company application forms, submit writing samples, take a battery of aptitude or psychological tests, provide written responses to interview questions, and even receive and accept job offers via e-mail. However, there are some genuine concerns about the security and confidentiality of the personal information you transmit electronically. Discuss these issues with your career counsellor so that you can make an informed decision about sending your information electronically.

Jobs on the Internet: The number of job listings on the Internet is increasing at an astronomical rate. In additional to national databases, there are now regional, provincial, even city job listing systems. Today, many newspapers include their employment classified ads online, and employers of all types are posting current vacant positions on their company web sites. Many of these sites provide search engines to help you narrow your selections; often such sites include instructions about how to apply — sometimes by mail, but increasingly directly online.

For all resumes you post or transmit on the Internet, be sure to use key words to describe your academic, employment, and extracurricular experiences. Keywords could include skilled in time management, dependable, high energy, leadership, and sense of responsibility.

• Follow the rules for scannable resumes so your information is readable.
• Whenever feasible, customize your resume and include a cover letter that tells the employer how you are qualified to do the job.
• Read the application instructions and be careful about routinely giving permission for anything and everything to be done with your information. (When in doubt, print the instructions and discuss them with a career adviser.)

Alumni career networks: Many schools have a group of alumni who have volunteered to provide career-related information to currently enrolled students or fellow alumni. Often, these networks can help you explore and clarify your career options, conduct informational interviews, seek internship and externship opportunities, make valuable connections for employment, even consider graduate and professional schools. Increasingly, these networks are computerized, allowing you to query the databases for information such as academic majors, occupational interests, geographic locations, and/or other key job search criteria. In some alumni networks, the volunteers are able to specify the level of their involvement (for example, some may only feel comfortable providing advice over the telephone while others indicate a willingness to take a more active role in helping you).

• Be courteous and gracious — volunteers are the most precious of resources.
• Contact the alumni in the manner they prefer and follow the procedures established by your career services and/or alumni offices.
• Use the alumni network as a springboard to develop an even larger job search network by soliciting the names of additional contacts.
• Send your resume, accompanied by a cover letter, anytime you think it might be helpful.
• Send a letter of appreciation after every contact.
• When you graduate, be sure to sign up as an alumni career network volunteer.

Professional associations: Most, if not all, academic programs of study have national or regional professional associations or societies that provide a variety of services to members (e.g., newsletters and job listings). Some have services to help members network with other members.

• Be courteous and gracious and follow the procedures established by the professional association.
• If applicable, contact the members in the manner they prefer.
• Use the network as a springboard to develop an even larger job search network by soliciting the names of additional contacts.
• Send your resume, accompanied by a cover letter, anytime you think it might be helpful.
• Send a letter of appreciation after every contact.
• When you graduate, be sure to join your regional or national professional or technical association.

Telephone interviews: Your ability to distinguish between an employer's telephone call and a telephone interview can make a big difference in whether you get a particular job. Telephone calls from employers might include invitations to attend an information session, participate in an on-campus interview, or make arrangements for an on-site interview. Telephone interviews, however, are just that — they are efficient and relatively inexpensive ways for employers to conduct initial screening interviews, even follow-up interviews. Sometimes, calls are hard to distinguish from interviews, and in a rather casual, unannounced manner you find yourself responding to a set of questions that require as much thought and preparation as would be necessary if you had traveled to the employer's office dressed in your best interviewing attire.

• Determine whether it is a call or an interview — calls are primarily informational — interviews include job-related questions.
• If it is an interview, decide quickly if this is a good time to talk.
• If not, simply ask if you can arrange a mutually convenient time to conduct the interview.
• Apply your best interviewing skills (even if you are dressed to play tennis).
• Follow-up as you would for any interview.

Electronic mail: E-mail is widely used in the job search process as a means of communication, and its applications continue to grow. For example, after interviewing on campus, one employer realised that she had selected too many students for on-site interviews. Upon returning to her organization, she contacted some of her hiring managers to develop a list of follow-up questions that might help her further screen the candidate pool. She then e-mailed the list of questions to each student. All of the students responded, and after she and the hiring managers reviewed their answers, they realised that some of the students had much better writing skills than others. Because strong communication skills was listed in the position description as an important and job-related qualification, those students who demonstrated the best writing skills were the ones invited for on-site interviews.

• Access and read your e-mail at least once daily.
• Take your time replying to official, job-related e-mails.
• If you need assistance, have a draft of your note proofed by someone before cutting and pasting it into your e-mail reply.

Personal URLs: Personal web pages or URLs share a characteristic with telephone answering machine or voice mail messages--they can leave a great, first impression or a first, last impression. Career counsellors hear numerous stories from employers who, after hearing a candidate's "unprofessional" answering message, simply never call again. The same care and cautions can be applied to personal URLs.

• Regularly review and screen the information on your personal URL.
• Include site information in your resume and/or cover letter especially when it points to some professional work experiences or hobbies.
• Periodically update the information, especially if you include such items as your resume or personal calendar/class schedule.
• Maintain some level of security for your site.

According to experts, you can expect to change your job five or more times over the course of your lifetime, so learning how to conduct a job search is something of a continuous improvement process. The more you learn about the process this time, the faster you can get started the next time. And, the more skills you master with this job search, the better able you'll be to integrate and use effectively new strategies in the future.