Job Search

KNOW YOURSELF · ASSESS YOUR OPTIONS · TEST YOUR DECISIONS

Looking for a job requires a lot more than just opening the newspaper or browsing the Internet. In addition to developing your written job search materials—the resumé, cover letters, thank you notes—you need to identify what positions you are going to apply for, and why. Think that sounds easy? It is difficult to get what you want in life if you don't know what that is. As Yogi Berra said, "If you don't know where you are going, you might not get there." This is the most difficult part of the job search, and the one most frequently ignored by job seekers. Many students feel that by interviewing randomly with every company generous enough to grant them an interview, they will, if the law of averages holds out, land a job. What exactly that position entails seems to lessen in importance more and more as the end of the year approaches. Focusing on specific personal goals and interests is a vital part of your job search. Consider the following:

Employers won't hire you if they are not convinced of your commitment—even passion—toward the work involved in the positions they are looking to fill. This is particularly true for "hot" areas like investment banking and management consulting, as well as in industries such as high tech that often experience high turnover. Start-up companies also demand workers who share the vision of their founders and who have the passion and drive necessary to make sure the company succeeds.
Your job or internship search will be much easier if you have a target in mind. The more focused you are, the more able you will be to conduct in-depth industry and company research as well as targeted networking and the more likely that you will get the job you desire.
While it is possible to land a job without being completely sure of your ultimate goals, a complete lack of self-reflection will very likely lead to job dissatisfaction. After all of the work you put into the job search, it is unlikely that you want to search for a new job right away.

To make the right decision FOR YOU, you have to know who YOU are and what you require out of a job. You then need to discover what options are available and to narrow the options down to the one that you will pursue at the present time. Narrowing your options does not mean that you are committing to one choice forever, only that it is the best option for you at this point in your life and career.

Key Components of Self-Assessment

Identifying your skills and competencies: What you do well?
Identifying your interests: What do you like to do?
Identifying your values: What motivates you?
Identifying your ideal job preferences
Self-knowledge will make it easier for you to identify industries and careers that could be a strong fit.

Unless you are the rare individual who can list these things off the top of your head and be genuine about it, getting to know yourself requires some work-work that will pay off in the future with a job that fits you and meets your needs.

Self-Assessment Exercises

The following questions can be guides for the process of identifying what you need and want from a job. After answering the questions, use your answers as starting points to help you brainstorm possible jobs. Sometimes, showing your answers to people you know to troll for ideas will bring up possibilities you would never have imagined.

Who are you?
Do you prefer working with facts or ideas?
Do you prefer to work alone or in groups?
Do you prefer a structured or unstructured work setting?
Are you more comfortable working with "things" or people?

Identify Your Skills and Competencies

Think about a past job/experience (paid or unpaid) and answer the following questions:

Why did you take the job?
What interested you about the particular company or organization?
What did you like and dislike about this job? Be specific. For example, if you did not like sitting behind a computer all day, explain why. What about sitting behind a computer was unappealing?
What skills did you like using in this job?
Were you good at performing this skill?
Do you think this skill is transferable and marketable to others?
Would you want to use this skill in your next job/career?
What skills did you develop or improve upon as a result of this job?
If the experience was successful, what skills did you use that made it successful?
If the experience was unsuccessful, what skills did you lack? Can you develop them?

Identifying Your Interests

What types of work or volunteer experiences excite you?
What types of books and/or magazines do you like to read?
If you could have any job in the world, what would it be? Why?
If you have a free day, how would you spend your time?

Identifying Your Values

What motivates you? There is no right answer, so be honest with yourself. Some values are:

Helping others
Security
Money
Creative expression
Personal growth
Status
Service to society

Consider how these values drive your decisions. What professions will allow you to live these values? Which companies follow these values?

Identifying Your Ideal Job Preferences

What is your ideal work environment?
Consider tangibles such as salary, bonus, and benefits.
Consider intangibles such as culture, freedom, and autonomy.
What would you want to be doing for most of the day?
What are the five essential elements that you must have in your next job?
What are the five elements you do NOT want in your next job?

Skills, Interests, Values, and Preferences Worksheet

Create a worksheet, such as the one below, to list the results from your self-assessment exercises as a basis for brainstorming. You can have as many lines as needed to organize your thoughts and ideas. Once you have brainstormed possibilities, start to assess your options and test out your decisions. See the following sections on Research, Informational Interviewing, Networking, and Internships for ways to begin your exploration. You can also ask yourself the following questions to assess your "fit" with the career, industry, or company you are considering. Keep in mind that people often make career decisions based on their interests but find that their work satisfaction is also linked to their values. Make sure you will enjoy the day-to-day aspects of the job, and then evaluate the values evident in company culture, products, customer service, etc. Do these align with your values?

What are your career options?

Assess options:

What do you want to do?
How well do you "fit" with your career options?
What do you need to do to get there?
What obstacles are in your way?

Set Objectives-Test Possibilities.

Decision Making:

Have you set realistic, attainable expectations?
Are you willing to invest what it takes to reach the goal?
Is there a time frame associated with the goal? Is it attainable?

Deciding Not to Decide—Yet

The purpose of this section of the Guide is not to nail down one particular job description or career path, but rather to get you thinking beyond the job titles to which business students often flock. As many of the positions sought by business students seem to be glamorous and high profile (e-business consultant, investment banker, brand manager), it is easy to want a particular job without knowing why or how it fits into your own skills, goals, and interests. By clarifying in your own mind what it is you hope to get out of both your day-to-day life on the job and your career as a whole, you will be in a much better position to evaluate which sector of the business world is best suited to you. Keep these exercises in mind when going through your job search process. You will find that if you have completed an effective self-analysis, you will be more effective in targeting an industry and functional role, in writing your cover letters and networking with industry professionals, and in interviewing.

"The Feld Career Center's counselors understand the dedication you have toward your career search and will provide the guidance and resources necessary to aid you in achieving your aspirations."
—Giuseppe Morgana (SMG '09)

Q: I know that looking for jobs online is the easiest way to apply...but is it the best?

A: Widely quoted statistics reveal that only 20% of job openings are posted. You need to have more than one approach to your job search. Due to busy schedules and multiple tasks, many students fall into the trap of relying on the Web to find a job. Make sure that you spend time not only responding to advertised positions on the Web and in print but also tapping into the "hidden job market."