Quintessential Careers Content Index: Entry-Level Job-Seekers

Quintessential Careers Content Index:
Entry-Level and New-Grad Job-Seekers

Our comprehensive Content Index enables you to locate articles, tutorials, quizzes, and worksheets related to job-search for entry-level and new-grad job-seekers.

Read summaries of each piece of our content pertaining to entry-level and new-grad job-seekers to determine whether you'd like to click on the link and learn more. The Index leads off with the most recent content items at the top, so you know where to find the freshest and most up-to-date content; however, there are also items for which we have no publication date -- and these are located at the end of the list.

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How to Find a Job: A Job-Seeker Job-Search Guide
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2012, July 18
Summary: Provides key advice, expert strategies for job-seekers on how to find a new job. Learn best job-search methods that lead to job offers.

Seven Characteristics of Sought-After Interns
By: Steven Rothberg
Published: 2011, Aug. 15
Summary: Gen Y Career Guru Steven Rothberg provides critical advice for college students regarding characteristics of sought-after interns.

15 Quick Tips For Gaining Valuable Experience In College
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2011, Aug. 15
Summary: A list of the 15 best tips for finding and gaining valuable work (and other) experience while in college.

15 Quick Tips For Landing a Job at Graduation
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2011, April 18
Summary: Wouldn't landing a job by the time you graduate validate all your hard work? As you'll see with our 15 tips for finding a new job by graduation, the keys to success involve knowing who you are and what you want -- and starting early enough to achieve your goal.

Job Shadowing Tips Checklist For Teens, Students
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2010, Nov. 15
Summary: Job-shadowing tips to ensure the best job-shadowing experiences -- for both you and the professional you are shadowing.

Questions To Ask While Job Shadowing
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2010, Nov. 15
Summary: Students can enhance their shadowing experience by preparing a list of questions to ask. This article suggests questions.

Top Five Career Networking Strategies for New College Grads and Entry-level Job-Seekers
By: Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2009, Dec. 14
Summary: How new job-seekers can get the most bang for their networking buck.

Career Planning for Millennials, Gen Y, Twenty-Somethings
By: Randall S Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2009, Nov. 16
Summary: Career planning is about reviewing your current career and envisioning your career future. In terms of your future career, career planning should look both at the short-term (the next 1-2 years) and long-term (5+ years).

How to Get Started on Your Resume: A Five-Step Primer for College Students and Recent College Grads
By: Randall S Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2009, Sept. 21
Summary: This primer provides a clear framework for developing your resume, the single most important job-hunting tool.

Addicted to Internships: How One College Student Just Said No to Service Jobs and Started Building a Career One Internship at a Time
By: Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2009, Aug. 18
Summary: As a college student struggling to make ends meet, would you have the courage to swear off typical college restaurant and retail jobs and commit yourself to career-boosting internships -- even unpaid internships? Rising Manhattan College senior Julie Davis did -- even after relocating from Florida to the far more expensive New York City.

College Students You Simply Must Do an Internship (Better Yet: Multiple Internships)!
By: Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2009, Aug. 18
Summary: Why it is phenomenally important it is that college students complete at least one internship, and preferably several.

How the Lessons Skills and Values You Develop in College (and Maybe Even High School) Prepare You for the Job Market
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., and Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2009, Aug. 18
Summary: Top lessons students should learn and perfect in college that will make them attractive candidates to prospective employers.

Job Search Advice for College Seniors Recent College Grads Job Hunting in Times of Uncertainty
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2008, Nov. 3
Summary: If you follow the advice in this article, you can increase the odds that you will indeed be one of the lucky few who find a good-paying job. And yes, by the way, these strategies will work in all economic situations -- but they will especially help in times of uncertainty.

On College and Career What to Expect from Your College or University
By: E. Chandlee Bryan
Published: 2008, Oct. 20
Summary: In this article, we examine three myths of the on-campus job search and provide you with tips on how to make the most out of your campus career office.

Frequently Asked Resume Questions A FAQ for College Students and New Graduates
By: Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2008, July 21
Summary: Top lessons students should learn and perfect in college that will make them attractive candidates to prospective employers.

College Grad Job-Hunting Readiness Quiz A Quintessential Careers Quiz
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2008, April 21
Summary: Job-search preparation and finding a job as your final exam to your college experience.

Fifteen Point College Grad Job-Hunting Study Guide
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2008, April 21
Summary: Understanding and perfecting these 15 areas related to your job-search -- from identifying specific jobs and careers to researching salaries -- will give you both greater confidence and success as you seek the best job offer upon graduation.

Working Abroad Tutorial: How to Find an International Job or Internship
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2008, Jan. 21
Summary: This free tutorial is about helping students and recent grads finding employment -- internships or jobs -- overseas.

What Recruiters Wish College Job Applicants Knew The Top Five Tips for Getting a Job
By: Maureen Crawford Hentz
Published: 2007, April 30
Summary: How college students can package themselves, differentiate themselves and get the job of their dreams.

Job Hunting Lessons from the Street: Roundup of Recent College Grad Experiences
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2006, April 10
Summary: The team at Quintessential Careers asked a number of recent college graduates to tell their stories. These are stories filled with every emotion you may feel on your road to success, including frustration, joy, anger, happiness, resentment, elation, contentment, fulfillment, longing.

College Offers Fertile Ground for Starting a Business
By: by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2005, July 5
Summary: The stories of three entrepreneurs who started their businesses while attending the same college illustrate not only that colleges campuses provide great launching pads for entrepreneurial pursuits, but also the variety of paths that young entrepreneurs can take.

Examples of Businesses Started by College Entrepreneurs
By: Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2005, July 5
Summary: A list of businesses started by college students, including well-known student-started businesses.

Career Exploration Calendar for College Students
By: Donald Asher
Published: 2005, April 11
Summary: This article is one in a series excerpted by permission from How to Get Any Job with Any Major, Ten Speed Press, (c) 2004, Donald Asher. Donald Asher, also known as "America's Job Search Guru," is the author of nine books on career-development issues.

College Students: Develop a Targeted Job Search Using the Senior-Survey Technique
By: Donald Asher
Published: 2005, April 11
Summary: Donald Asher has created an ingenious way for college students to gather information that they can use in a targeted job search. By planning a legitimate research project to write up or present in a class, extracurricular organization or your school's career center, you can survey employers and gather inside information that will guide you in exactly how to target your preferred employers when it comes time for your job search. Through diligent research efforts and persistence in finding the right people to survey, you can obtain information that your peer graduates won't have.

College Students Time to Take Inventory
By:Donald Asher
Published: 2005, April 11
Summary: College grads often do not think they possess the skills employers seek in entry-level employees, but it's most likely you do. Use these inventories to help you discover yours.

Liberal-Arts Skills That Are Most Useful in Careers
By: Donald Asher
Published: 2005, April 11
Summary: Liberal-arts majors gain valuable skills that will help in your careers. Here's a short list.

Skills and Strengths College Students May Not Realize They Possess and That Employers Love
By: Donald Asher
Published: 2005, April 11
Summary: College grads often do not realize the just how many skills and strengths they have developed through their college experience.

Ten Ways to Market Your Liberal Arts Degree
By: Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2005, April 11
Summary: Let's say you have to market yourself to employers as a liberal-arts grad virtually on the strength of the degree alone. This article will give you some ideas of how to do that.

New Grads Must Dig Deeper to Beef Up Skimpy Resumes
By: Teena Rose
Published: 2005, March 29
Summary: What do you do if you're a new graduate with limited experience? You dig deep, very deep. Covering all the bases will ensure your resume reflects key information that is relevant to your career. It's important to focus on the assets you bring to the table, and it's even more important not to forget any career tidbit. This article explains.

Beyond The Apprentice What Young Employees Really Need to Know to Succeed in the Business World
By: Alexandra Levit
Published: 2005, March 14
Summary: Today's employees technically have more occupational choices than previous generations, but since the turbulent economy has limited our options, we face escalating uncertainty about our careers. More employees are seeking counseling than ever before, and job jumping, spurred by stress and dissatisfaction, has become the norm. This article offers six tips to help you win at the business world's game.

Checklist for College Students to Help Avoid or Reduce Quarter Life Issues
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2005, March 14
Summary: College students can help reduce -- or avoid -- the quarterlife crisis by using this checklist.

Lisa's Story A Firsthand Account of a Quarter Life Crisis in Action
By: "Lisa"
Published: 2005, March 14
Summary: A true account of one twentysomething's struggle for personal and career identity -- and her search for meaning.

Navigating the Quarter Life Crisis to Career and Personal Success Five Strategies for Fulfilling Your Dreams
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2005, March 14
Summary: Are you in your 20s? Are you experiencing signs of a "quarterlife crisis?" If so, then this article is for you. The article offers five strategies you can take to right yourself and get back on track for fulfilling your dreams.

New College Grads Focus on the Type of Job You Want and the Skills You Can Bring to It
By: Robin Ryan
Published: 2004, May 24
Summary: You've invested thousands of dollars for the coveted diploma and now an important question stares you in the face: Will it be worth it? Will you get a good job? And -- an even bigger question -- What will you DO? Many new grads feel lost when they consider the endless list of career choices and fields they could go into. This article tells them how to focus.

New Grads Must Dig Deeper to Beef Up Skimpy Resumes
By: Teena Rose
Published: 2004, March 29
Summary: Covering all the bases will ensure your resume reflects key information that is relevant to your career. It's important to focus on the assets you bring to the table, and it's even more important not to forget any career tidbit.

Turning Your Internship into a Job
By: Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2004, March 1
Summary: Taking a proactive approach is one of a number of strategies that can help you parlay an internship into a job. This article describes that and other techniques.

Self Assessment for New Grads and Entry level Job Seekers Is First Step to Career Plan
By: Teena Rose
Published: 2004, Feb. 16
Summary: Like any serious step you'll take in life, you must first determine the number of baby steps needed to get from one spot to the next. In other words, where are you headed and how will you get there? This article tells how to plot out the steps.

Making a Successful Transition from College to Career: Time for a Reality Check
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D. and Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2003, April 28
Summary: Are you ready for a reality check? This article offer eight critical issues facing upcoming grads in the near future.

Real Grads Real Advice Real Stories Real World
By: n/a
Published: 2003, April 28
Summary: About 100 recent graduates from numerous colleges and universities responded to our Real-World survey. Respondents shared their comments and advice in these areas: workplace stressors, making the best impression in your first days on the job, extent to which college prepared them for their first job, most important factors in landing their first jobs, most important piece of advice for soon-to-be grads, stories of landing that first job, observations on the importance of networking, teamwork skills, what they wish they'd done differently in college, and what they wish they'd known about job-hunting when they graduated.

Real World Pearls of Wisdom for this Year's Graduating Class
By: Rachel DiCaro
Published: 2003, April 28
Summary: Five tips/insights for new grads.

Resume Writing Quiz For Entry-level Job-Seeker/New Graduate
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D. and Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2002, Nov. 11
Summary: New graduates and other younger job-seekers often struggle a bit in developing a strong resume. How confident are you in your resume-writing abilities? Take this quiz and test your resume-writing prowess.

Networking Business Cards: An Essential Job Search Tool for Career Changers and College Students When A Resume Just Won't Do
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2002, July 8
Summary: Networking business cards, which have the look and feel of a traditional business card, give you the opportunity to provide critical career and contact information with people you meet in social and professional situations.

Powerful New Grad Resumes and Cover Letters Ten Things They Have in Common
By: Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2002, April 29
Summary: OK, you're graduating from college soon. Time to give your resume and cover letter a checkup to ensure they are as powerful as they can be. Powerful new grad resumes and cover letters have several things in common, so you can kill a number of birds with one stone with this checkup.

So You Have Graduated College What is Next for You? Eight Critical Issues Facing New Grads
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2002, April 29
Summary: What's next for you after college? This article provides a list of the eight critical issues you need to deal with as you move onward with your life in your transition from college to career.

College Student, Recent College Grad Behavioral Interview Practice Questions
By: n/a
Published: 2001, Dec. 12
Summary: Are you prepared for your next interview? How well can you answer these 20 behavioral job interview questions? Take our practice interview.

College Student Recent College Grad Traditional Interview Practice Questions
By: n/a
Published: 2001, Dec. 12
Summary: Are you prepared for your next interview? How well can you answer these 20 traditional job interview questions? Take our practice interview.

Job Search 101 Tutorial Ten Things You Need to Know Do to Land Your First Job
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2001, April 9
Summary: This tutorial is designed for college students and recent college graduates, but the advice, tips, and resources in this tutorial can really be used by any job-seeker who is looking for some extra help in landing a new job.

Job Interview Questions College Seniors Recent Grads
By: n/a
Published: n/a
Summary: A list of sample interview questions college seniors and recent grads can expect, especially at first, more traditional interviews.

College Student, Recent College Grad Mix of Interview Practice Questions
By: n/a
Published: 2001, Dec. 12
Summary: Are you prepared for your next interview? How well can you answer these 20 mixed job interview questions? Take our practice interview.

Networking Timetable for College Students
By: Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2001, Dec. 12
Summary: Take all the socializing you typically do as a college student, crank it up a few notches, and you have networking of the sort that can truly help you land a job upon graduation. When you first enroll in college, you don't necessarily think about the kinds of hard-core networking activities that will really benefit your job search later on. But the earlier you start, the better off you will be.

How to Find Your Ideal Internship
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2001, Sept. 24
Summary: How do you find your ideal internship? It's a three-step process: Determine Your Internship Goals, Prepare/Polish Your Job Search Skills, and Find/Track Down Internship Sources.

Internship Do's and Don'ts
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2001, Sept. 24
Summary: Key rules prospective interns need to understand to make the most of any and all internships.

Career Services Do's and Don'ts for College Students
By: n/a
Published: 2001, Aug. 13
Summary: Keys to getting the most from your college's career services office. Follow these simple rules and you'll maximize the resources and advice from these professionals.

Choice Advice from College Career Counselors
By: n/a
Published: 2001, Aug. 13
Summary: College career counselors, whose business it is guide you in planning your career and getting a job, offer some terrific advice, both about use of college career offices and about job-hunting in general.

It is Never Too Early or Too Late to Visit Your College Career Office
By: Mary Keen Krikorian
Published: 2001, Aug. 13
Summary: Let's explore, then, some reasons a first- or second-year student would venture into an office called "Career Services," which certainly sounds like a place seniors would go to find out about opportunities available after graduation.

Seven Not-So-Obvious Reasons to Take Advantage of Your Campus Career Center
By: Peter Vogt
Published: 2001, Aug. 13
Summary: Why should you pay a visit to your school's career services office? This article suggests seven not-so-obvious reasons.

Tips for Getting an Internship or Summer Job
By: Monster Trak
Published: 2001, May 7
Summary: Each year, students obtain interesting, substantive, and career-related summer jobs and internships. The key to their success is preparation and an early start in the job search process. The search for an internship or summer job should be conducted in the same manner. This article offers some tips.

Ten Tips for Landing Your First Job
By: John Petrik
Published: 2000, Aug. 28
Summary: Beginning your first job search doesn't have to be a frustrating experience, according to John Petrik, dean of career services at the DeVry Institute of Technology campus in Addison, IL. "Students are often intimidated by the thought of the first post-graduation job hunt," Petrik said. "But that process can be easier than they think if they remember the basic job-search rules." This article outlines those rules.

Making the Most of Your Internship(s)
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2000, Sept. 25
Summary: For many college students, taking the headlong plunge outside the safe, secure world of college results in a rude awakening to some of the cold, cruel realities of the real-world rat race. We talked to some recent graduates to see what they wish they had known about the real world when they graduated and what advice they would impart to those about to leave the college womb.

Real World: What Entry-level Workers Wish They Had Known When They Graduated
By: Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: 2000, May 15
Summary: Knowing that you will have one or more internships during college, what are the keys to making the most of your internship? This article contains the 12 keys to internship success. Follow these guidelines and you should be well on your way not only to a successful internship, but to a successful career.

College Experience Worksheet for Resume Development
By: n/a
Published: n/a
Summary: Use this worksheet to brainstorm aspects of your college experience that may be worthy of listing on your resume.

Conquering the Real World A Guide for Achieving Success After College: (Career Success Tutorial)
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: n/a
Summary: Insights, tips, and tools to assist you in the transition from college to career/job -- a free tutorial.

Emphasizing Your Classroom Transferable and Marketable Skills
By: Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: n/a
Summary: Skills picked up in the classroom that apply to the workplace.

Emphasizing Your Transferable and Marketable Skills in Your Cover Letter
By: Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: n/a
Summary: If the work you've done during college was at a low level and outside your field, the experience can seem difficult to relate to the first post-college job. This article tells you how to do it.

Get That Internship and Excel in it Tutorial
By: Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: n/a
Summary: One of the best ways for college students to not only gain valuable work experience but to also fine-tune your career aspirations is by tackling one or more internships. Employers hiring new grads want to see work experience in your career field -- and internships are the way to obtain that experience. This tutorial tells how to obtain one.

Informational Interviewing A Powerful Tool for College Students
By: Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Published: n/a
Summary: Because they are exploratory, informational interviews are particularly effective for college students, who can use them to illuminate their career path in several ways.

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Quintessential Careers Content Index: Entry-Level and New-Grad Job-Seekers

Our comprehensive Content Index enables you to locate articles, tutorials, quizzes, and worksheets related to job-search for entry-level and new-grad job-seekers.

Quintessential Careers Content Index:
Entry-Level and New-Grad Job-Seekers