Your Job Search

Useful Websites
College Students' Top 10 Job Search Mistakes
Job Fairs
 

Web Resources
Here are some websites that may help you in your job search.

College Students/Alums Only please come into our office to obtain a school registration password	job search engine that searches multiple job boards at once!	Search jobs, post resumes, network and search related articles
The nation's largest employment network.  Search jobs, post resumes, receive job alerts and advice.	Search local jobs, post resumes and view company profiles	Search jobs by city, post resumes and compare salaries.
Fun articles about how to break into a fabulous job!	Search jobs (including military jobs) and post resumes	Search local jobs by city and compare salaries
Part-time, Full-time and Student Jobs

(back to top)

College Students' Top 10 Job Search Mistakes
Here's a crash course on what not to do or think while searching for a job:

1. Don't Think You're Entitled to a Job
   Maybe you've fallen into the trap of believing the world owes you a job, because you've done all the right things like earning your degree and gaining relevant experience while in school.  But employers don't share this perspective.  They want you to prove yourself and demonstrate you're the right person for the job.  Employers don't respond well to a give-me-a-chance type of thinking.  They want to know what you can do for them.

2. Don't Assume You Have No Valid Work Experience
   If you don't believe you have any skills, experience or education that employers want, how will you convince employers to interview you, let alone hire you?  You do have skills and experience to offer, perhaps through your academic background, internship or part-time job.

3. Don't Fail to Explore All Career Possibilities
   College students never learn about careers that might really interest them, because they don't explore career paths beyond the few they already know.  Give yourself the opportunity to truly explore all your career options. 

4. Don't Use Passive Job Search Methods.
   In this difficult entry-level job market, you must diversify your job hunt.  The more search methods you use--particularly networking activities--the more likely you'll find the job you want.

5. Don't Worry About the Rest of Your Life Before It Unfolds
   Very few people work in the same organization, or within the same career field, for 30-40 years.  Don't stress yourself out unnecessarily by trying to figure out what to do with the rest of your life.  A much better question to ask yourself is, "What will I do first?"

6. Don't Ignore Your Campus Career Center
   Almost all colleges and universities have a career center staffed by counselors and filled with career-exploration materials.  Are you tapping into your career center?  If not, consider the fact that your tuition dollars are going towards a resource you're not using. 
   Visit the Fullerton College Career and Life Planning Center  in Room 113 today! see map

7. Don't Treat Less-Than-Knowledgeable People as Career Experts.
   College students take career advice from incredibly uninformed people--roommates, friends, family members and other relatives.  Make sure you critically evaluate each source of career information you use so you make your career decisions based on verifiable facts, not ignorant opinions.

8. Don't Let Opportunities to Gain Experience Pass You By
   If you graduate without getting some field-specific experience, you'll have difficulty competing with candidates who do have some.  Remember:  By itself, your degree is only a basic credential for an entry-level position.  In most cases, employers demand more.

9. Don't Neglect to Talk to People in Your Chosen Field.
   It's one thing to read about a specific career on the Internet or in a book.  But you won't get a true feel for what a career is all about unless you talk to someone who's working in that field or at the company in which you're interested.

10. Don't Believe Your Major Limits Your Career Options
    With only a few exceptions, your major doesn't box you into career options.  Sure you probably need to be an accounting major to go into accounting or a law degree to practice law, but in most cases, the major you choose can be applied to many career paths.

Have you fallen into any of these traps?  If so, do something about it, either on your own or with the help of a career counselor at your school or in your community.  While there's no need to dwell on job search mistakes, there's no need to keep making them, especially when your future job is at stake.
(College Students' Top 10 Job Search Mistakes by Peter Vogt, MonsterTRAK Career Coach)

(back to top)

Job Fairs

Every semester the Workforce Center invites employers to join us on campus to recruit students.
This is a great opportunity for students since the employers come to you--here on the Quad!
The next Job Fair is scheduled for Wednesday, October 22, 2008.

Learn how to Work a Job Fair Effectively!

Click here Þ List of Spring 2008 Job Fair Participants.

(back to top)