Congratulations to our readers who are new college grads and now entry-level
job-seekers. This issue of QuintZine is especially for you. We think all
our readers can benefit from this issue, as well. In fact, some of
the advice in this issue is best suited for those who are just starting
college or not quite there yet.
New book resource: A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into
the Hidden Job Market, by Katharine Hansen, is now available.
This invaluable resource tells you everything you need to know
to use the indispensable tool of networking in your job search
and includes the most comprehensive information available on the amazingly effective technique of informational interviewing.
Copies of A Foot in the Door will be arriving at booksellers
such as Amazon.com by the week of May 22, but can be
pre-ordered now. Read more about the book at:
A Foot in the Door
Quintessential Careers is also proud to announce its latest in-depth tutorial
"Job Search 101," especially tailored toward telling college students
and new grads -- step by step -- everything they need to know to land
that dream job after graduation. Check out Job Search 101!
Feature Article: The Real World Panel
The Real World: What Entry-Level Workers Wish They'd Known When They Graduated
by Katharine Hansen
We talked to a panel of recent
college grads to uncover their perceptions of what the "the real world" is like and how they feel they could have better
prepared for it.
Quintessential Careers Site Award: CollegeRecruiter.com
CollegeRecruiter.com
aims to be the premiere, online information
source for college students, grads and recent graduates who
are seeking employment, business opportunities, further
education or training.
We like CollegeRecruiter because it has its roots in helping
college students and grads -- from the days of just publishing
a magazine to today's one-stop Website, where college students and
grads can find resources to help them in the job-hunt --
articles and ask the experts -- as well as an easy-to-use
search engine for jobs and internships.
CollegeRecruiter focuses on making its website easy-to-use
and an economical yet valuable source of information
for candidates, employers, opportunity providers and the schools.
CollegeRecruiter publishes a free e-mailed newsletter,
the College Recruiter Newsletter, that provides users
with a daily update on the new employment-related
articles and job postings.
In 1999, PowerStudents.com recognized CollegeRecruiter.com
as one of the leading sites for college students grads
and recent graduates and invited it to join its expanding
network.
In January 2000, CollegeRecruiter.com and its partner,
PerfectAgent, launched what is claimed to be
"the most powerful resume bank/matching system on the Internet."
Patrick Combs, author of _Major in Success: Make College Easier,
Beat the System & Get a Very Cool Job_, tells students and grads
not to let fear keep them from following their dreams.
(He also puts us in our place by telling us that one of our
questions is terrible, though he actually used a less polite word.)
JobTrak: 40.8
Percent Increase in Number of Jobs for College Students Compared to a Year Ago Shows the Economy is Still
Growing
JobTrak.com reports that, based on the results of its most recent
Index, the economy is still growing, and college students looking
for jobs still have many options. The Index shows a 40.8 percent
increase in total job openings posted in April 2000 in
comparison to April 1999, with an average starting
salary of $36,259.
This issue, high-school student Linda is worried because many of her
friends already know what they want to do with their lives, but Linda is
unsure:
Linda writes: "A lot of my friends already know what they want to do
and this is my sophomore year of high school. Our guidance counselors
say go in the direction of something you're good at, but I don't know
what my forte is. I thought of acting/singing, but many performers
don't make it (I'd still like to try anyway). What can I do to
find what I'm good at?"
"Tee" wants know how to go about responding to a blind-box want ad:: See the answer here.
Another reader who is a respiratory therapist seeks a career change and
wants to know how to begin the transition: See the answer here.
And a reader who who has several articles published under her maiden name
wants to know how to make her authorship clear now that she has a different
last name: See the answer here.
gotajob.com -- specifically
designed for job-seekers looking for part-time, hourly, entry-level, temporary, and seasonal jobs. Geared
for high school and college students, homemakers, and seniors. Free to job-seekers.
Infirmation.com -- a leading
job site for the legal community, with a large database of legal and non-legal jobs open to attorneys. Job
openings in law firms, start-ups, banking, corporations, and others. Also includes career counseling,
salary information, and employer information. Job-seekers can browse the job listings and submit your
resumes. Free to job-seekers.
JobAnywhere.Com --
sorts though 20 major job sites, hundreds of job newsgroups, and the job classifieds from almost 100
newspapers across the U.S. Job-seekers create job profiles and then the site's search engine searches
for matches. Free to job-seekers.
The JobFactory --
hopes to build one of the largest databases of job openings in the U.S. and to provide services
to job-seekers that will make the application process cheaper, quicker, and easier -- and they are
heading in the right direction! They link to more than 20,000 job sites and more than 1,000
recruiter sites. Includes a job spider that allows you to search by job, city, and state.
All free to job-seekers.
Find even more additions to Quintessential Careers by visiting our
Latest
Additions section.
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
College students need to be particularly mindful of approaching
the job search from the employer's point of view and talking about
what THEY can do for the employer -- NOT what the employer can do for
THEM. We've seen college students fall into the trap of
telling employers their demands in career objectives on resumes,
in cover letters, and during the interview. Remember, the employer
is not out to satisfy all YOUR hopes, dreams, and aspirations;
instead, the employer wants to know how YOU can help the
organization's bottom line.
Internships available to college students are up almost 33 percent over
last year, according to JOBTRAK.COM, because employers increasingly see
quality internships as a way to lure soon-to-be-grads into permanent
jobs with their organizations. This information underscores the importance
of obtaining an internship while you're in school. Some 58 percent of
interns are hired by the companies they intern with, and this number
is bound to increase as the number of available internships increases.
Brian Krueger, author of the excellent
College Grad Job Hunter,
says that the job-interview question that college students most often
blow is: "Why did you choose your college?" Your response should
demonstrate not only sound decision-making skills but should describe
how the education you obtained at your specific college will benefit
the employer.
Quintessential Careers: Coming Attractions
Look for:
An expanded cover letter and resume service coming online later in May.
QuintZine: Topics in Upcoming Issues
WATCH FOR feature articles on these topics in upcoming issues of QuintZine:
Pantsuits vs. skirtsuits for interviews * Internships * Case-based and behavior-based interviews * A Personal/Career Mission Statement
* Online Assessments * How a SWOT Analysis can help you market yourself *
Uses of a Functional Resume * Should your resume contain an objective? *
Where to find practice interview questions on the Web * salary negotiation
by guest author, well-known expert Jack Chapman * culturally competent resumes
for global jobhunting * how to choose a college * Q&As with well-known career
experts . . . and much, much more!
QuintZine
A publication of
Quintessential Careers
Publisher: Dr. Randall S. Hansen
Editor: Katharine Hansen
ISSN: 1528-9443
