"Take your schooling and responsibilities seriously because that is
what a future employer is going to judge you by. You might be able to
'get by' in school, but in the 'real world, that doesn't cut it if
you want to succeed."
-- Margaret Goodwin, business analyst, Hewitt Associates, 2000 management grad
"Always have a smile on your face no matter how difficult it becomes."
-- Anonymous
"Be confident, outgoing, aggressive, keep an open mind to jobs.
(e.g., I was dead set on getting a PR job and ended up in sales,
which I love!)."
-- Ali von Staudach, senior account executive, CNET Networks, 1999
communication studies grad
"Be persistent and work hard."
-- 2001 TV production grad
"My advice would be: 1. Create a list of things you think you want to
do. 2. Research those things to investigate whether they are really
something you want to do. 3. Try to obtain an internship to get
yourself experience in the field. 4. Make valuable contacts that can
guide you through your career and obtain that first position."
-- Anonymous
"Try to put away at least $100 a month into a savings account."
-- Anne Johnson, senior corporate relations coordinator, U.S. Chamber
of Commerce, 2002 economics grad from the University of Dallas
"Go to your career services office. Have them check your resume. Get
advice. Go to mock interviews. Focus on your grades. Research
corporations or your desired career path."
-- 1999 grad
"Start early. It's a tough economy, and you need to be prepared for a
potentially grueling job search. Get your resume ready. Network --
call around to family and friends. Just start working on those
activities early. Graduation will sneak up on you faster than you
might think. Keep perspective; don't expect to start as a vice
president. Get your foot in the door and make a name of yourself
through hard work."
-- Bryan Stoehs, channel manager, Gartner News, Gartner, Inc., 1999
communication studies grad
"Don't wait to start the job search. Embrace everything you can while
you're still in school, because you will definitely miss it."
-- 2002 political philosophy grad
"Set realistic career goals and know what you need to reach them;
find a job or a company that you really enjoy; don't focus too much
on salary at the beginning. ...if you impress people, your stock WILL
rise."
-- Charles L. Sano, ticket sales associate, University of Miami
Hurricanes, 2001 sports administration grad
"Make sure you keep your life balanced in all aspects of what may be
important to you, family, religion, work, etc... Work so that you may
live ... do not live so that you can work."
-- 1999 finance grad
"Always be willing to learn new things. Remember, you don't always
have to have the answers. Just know where to go to get them. Be
willing to ask for help."
-- 1999 human resource management grad
"Grad school isn't for everyone, and you really shouldn't go unless
it's absolutely what you want to do."
-- 2002 biology grad
"I'd recommend a good internship, especially one that may turn into a
full-time position after graduation. Be prepared to work your way up
in a company. You will gain valuable experience for your future. Be
creative and ambitious. Don't expect things to be given to you;
earning them will be a lot more valuable."
-- 1998 marketing and 2000 MBA grad
"Enjoy school. Work is work."
-- 2000 math grad
"My best advice would be, not to expect to land your dream job
directly out of school. I highly suggest getting a master's degree to
put you above the competition. I'm going back to school this fall
because the job market is so competitive and flooded with recent
grads. A bachelor's degree no longer carries the weight it used to,
so if you haven't got the experience, go back to school."
-- Anonymous
"It is more important to find a job that you like than to accept a
job just for the purpose of getting a job or for a good salary. If
you have the opportunity, take the time to figure out what type of
industry you would like to work in and the type of job you would like
to do."
-- Nick Bertoni, benefits and recruitment coordinator, Schulman,
Ronca, & Bucuvalas Inc (SRBI), 2001 management grad
"Research career opportunities in your field of study before choosing
your major!"
-- Anonymous
"Create a good resume NOW. Don't wait until you graduate. If you need
help, seek it out, and be willing to pay up to $200 for a quality
resume; it's worth it if you can afford it. Also, begin applying for
jobs NOW. Don't wait until after you graduate. The longer you wait,
the more competition you'll face from other recent grads."
-- 2002 philosophy and religion grad
"Work as if you are in the position of your dream job, not the
position that you currently have."
-- 2001 business-school grad
"Decide what you're passionate about and try to find a job that will
help you live out your dreams."
-- Shannon Patterson, media coordinator, John Scott Advertising, 1998
marketing grad
"Your job is not the most important thing in life. Being without a
job will prove that to you. Remember to have a balance between
personal life and your work. If they are not balanced, you will not
be happy! Chances are if you are not happy with one side, the other
will suffer equally."
-- Anonymous business-school grad
"Grade-point averages do NOT put you a step ahead of other job
candidates. Experience does! Also, expect to make about half of your
ideal salary!!"
-- 2000 marketing grad
"It is a tough job market out there. Exhaust all the resources that
you have available to you -- the Internet, your professors, the
career services office, and utilize a headhunter. They have a lot of
inside leads to big companies."
-- 1998 marketing grad
"The most important thing employers look for is experience."
-- Web Editor, Thomson Media
"Don't necessarily take the first job you are offered, but realize
that most people have to take a job that is less than ideal to get
their careers headed in the right direction. Have a realistic idea of
what you are worth; most people do not land a job paying $60,000
right away."
-- Jerra Fortner, assistant portfolio manager, Wachovia Securities,
1999 finance grad
"Start looking WAY ahead of graduation and use every single contact you have."
-- Anonymous
"Start the job-hunt EARLY EARLY EARLY!!!! Learn about as many jobs in
as many different areas that you can that might even come close to
interesting you because it seems that these are the jobs you tend to
start out in."
-- J.P. Politano, 2001 management grad
"I so sound like my parents here -- but it is so true -- live like
you are still a student and save your pennies. Put yourself on a
budget."
-- 1999 general-business grad
"Don't wait. Start looking for a job before it is to late. Be willing
to start at the bottom and work your way up. Nobody is guaranteed a
job. You have to go and make yourself seen and heard. A job depends
on you, and the success of your life is in your hands."
-- 2001 grad
"Relax and have fun. You have the rest of your life to work and only
[limited time] to be an undergraduate student. Do not worry about
your first job because most likely it will not be your last. Try to
find a workplace that will provide the skills necessary to build your
desired career. College is the best time of your life, don't let it
pass you by."
-- Anonymous business-school grad
"Keep your cool. Stay focused. Remain flexible. Drink heavily (just kidding.)"
-- David LaRocque, information analyst, EDS, 1998 human resources
management grad
"Have a pretty clear picture of what you want to do. Research what
the job market has to offer in order to makes preparations while you
are in college. It is more effective to research and work toward
something than to do a bunch of work not knowing if it will apply to
anything. Take your classes very seriously from the start and try to
find ways to apply what you are learning as a means of reinforcement.
This way you will be better prepared once you are on the job."
-- Anonymous
"Make sure you develop some form of secondary skill you can fall back
on. This may be a certificate program that identifies you with a
certain trade, or perhaps a hobby in which you are EXTREMELY
knowledgeable and proficient that has marketability. If you will be
receiving a B.A. instead of a B.S. or engineering degree, make sure
you can acquire your teaching certificate along with your degree.
Otherwise, stay in school that extra year and get it!"
-- 1999 history grad
"Seek out employers/careers and interview with as many possible
companies as possible. Scoring high in an interview secures you a
job, which may lead to a very successful career."
-- 2002 business-administration grad
"Know as much about the employer as possible. That will give you an
indication of what kind of questions they will ask."
-- Anonymous
"Be honest and be yourself [in interviews]. Ridding yourself of any
annoying habits (i.e., hair or pen twirling) is key. Be able to pick
up a conversation and keep the interviewer interested. Smile, make
eye contact, and give a firm handshake! Best advice -- if you can
ask the interviewer more questions than they ask you, it takes a
tremendous amount of pressure off you."
-- 1998 international business grad
"First impressions are very critical. Never discuss salary unless it
is brought up by the potential employer. Think before you speak!
Research the company if at all possible and make a positive comment
about the company during the interview. If you cannot think of
anything, tell them how much you would enjoy working in the specific
area (e.g., finance, human resources, banking, etc.). Always have one
or two questions for the interviewer (e.g., about the product the
company manufacturers, is there room for advancement, what are future
plans of the company, etc.). Never show up late. Smile, smile, smile
-- letting them know you are glad for the opportunity. Be cordial but
not too friendly (showing professionalism). The one mistake I have
made in the past is restless hands. I have ALWAYS noticed that the
interviewer sees what I do with my hands. Keep them in your lap and
don't twiddle your thumbs! If an interviewer does not show you around
the office, ask if you can see where you would be working. You can
sense the atmosphere and you will be able to tell if employees are
generally happy. If you really want the job, send them an e-mail (if
they give your their e-mail) or drop them a short-but-sweet letter
thanking them for the time to see you and your interest in the
position. Also, always have a fresh resume on you just in case you
are asked for it. Most resumes are either e-mailed or faxed. You do
not want them to struggle for information and ask questions that
should be quite clear on your resume. And last, but not least, always
bring your references with you. If they ask, you've got it with you!
It also shows them you ARE interested!"
-- Anonymous
"It really sets you apart from other job candidates to have a
portfolio or other tangible evidence of leadership ability and
success. Find creative ways to set yourself apart from the crowd in a
professional way. Fully research (not just on the Internet) your
desired industry and desired position so that you may speak
intelligently with the interviewer."
-- Lisa Wheeler, medical sales representative, Wallace
Pharmaceuticals, 1999 marketing grad
"Be yourself [in the interview], after all if you are hired and then
act differently from how you did at your interview, you'll look like
a fake."
-- 2002 wildlife and fisheries science grad
"Learn how to interview well. Practice greetings/firmness of
handshakes, eye contact, appropriate attitude during interviewing
(when to smile, when to be businesslike, etc.). Learn standard
interview questions. All very important! Buy a good, all-around
interview suit. Remember first impressions. Persist in finding a job.
Start early. Remember there are tens of thousands of other seniors
who want jobs too. Focus. Breathe. Be confident in yourself. The
recruiters and interviewers can smell fear and uncertainty."
-- Robert Ashodian, 1999 management grad
"Definitely, it's about interviewing. Sometimes I felt myself
frustrated right after interviews because I knew that it was my dream
job in a dream company. Anyway I made so many mistakes and never was
told by people interviewing me about the concrete mistakes I made. I
just realized right after interview in the corridor that I made them.
[Among some of my] fatal errors:
- When I was asked if I have any questions, I just said no.
- On the question of why did not I stay with [my former employer]
after a pre-graduation internship, I mentioned very low salary.
However, it would have been much better if I told them, that I did
not like [that industry].
- Before I left ... [the interviewer] offered me to wait a little
bit, so I could go with him in his car [instead of] by the company's
bus. It was very stupid from my side not [to take this] wonderful
opportunity to tell more about myself to this guy in the car, but I
refused.
Everything was in my hands; I could have got that job. I
just gave a gift to another candidate by myself.
-- 2001 grad
"One thing I wish I had known (or had been smart enough to realize)
is to turn off your cell phone during an interview (just in case Mom
decides to call to see how it's going)! Yes, happened to me, and I
still ended up landing the job!"
-- 1998 international business grad
"Send out as many resumes as you can. When you are looking for a job,
it is your job! Spend as much time as you can making phone calls,
searching the Internet and sending resumes. Most importantly, don't
get frustrated. Hard work pays off!"
-- Colleen Holuk, marketing specialist, Stromberg, LLC, 2001 Stetson
University grad
"Have confidence in yourself. You are well-trained to do this job.
Once you have the job, don't be afraid to prove your capability. If
you outshine the old-timers, that is OK."
-- 2001 education grad
"Map out your plans, and if you are unhappy doing what you are doing
... seek another route, all of life is a lesson."
-- Anonymous
"Get experience before you graduate and see your career path clearly
before you. Stay motivated, work hard, and have fun."
-- Anonymous
"Make sure that your skills are made visible by getting assigned to
the right job assignments. Keep a journal of your accomplishments to
add to your resume. To remain competitive, keep your skills current.
Be flexible when provided job opportunities and be prepared to
transfer skills into other industries when the time comes."
-- Anonymous
"Never give up. That position suitable for you is out there. It may
not have opened up yet."
-- 2002 applied history grad
"Don't give up -- it's tough to find a job sometimes ... but you
will. Also, find your own happiness ... the job may or may not do it.
Your relationships may or may not do it. Find something that keeps
you going and hang onto that."
-- 2001 general-business major
"Find something you like to do and make it the basis for your career."
-- Anonymous
"Believe in yourself, know yourself, and have confidence in yourself."
-- 1998 English grad
"Do as many internships as you can. You'll learn a lot of interesting
things at school, but it's nothing compared to what you'll learn
working. You'll quickly realize that what you learn at school and
what companies expect from a student are different."
-- Anonymous
"Be prepared to struggle the first three to four years. Get over the
'I have a degree' syndrome immediately. A BA degree is as about as
useful as a high-school diploma these days. It only actually works if
you have experience also."
-- Jo Smith, substitute instructor, Murray State College, 2001
psychology grad from the University of Oklahoma
"Start job-hunting yesterday. Also, have your resume checked by
someone either in your university's career center or an experienced
professional who understands the system. Even asking your network
contacts in a company to critique your resume could be useful. Every
company looks for something a bit different, so having an insider
tell you what to focus on in that particular case cannot hurt."
-- 2002 marketing and Japanese grad
"Don't wait until graduation to establish your post-college plans.
Get to work at least by the summer before your senior year."
-- Anonymous
"Make the decision on what you are looking for before graduating. Do
not graduate until you are 100 percent confident that you are
employable. Decide if you are ready for work in a field you enjoy. If
not, stay in school, change your major, and try again."
-- Anonymous
"Relocate. You need to move out to move up. Be prepared to start at
the bottom of the ladder."
-- 2003 computer information systems grad
"If you know exactly what you're interested in, then go for it with
tenacity, and if you don't, give yourself as many options as you can
and just try to explore something you think will help you to flush
out your interests and priorities. Sometimes a job can help you
figure out what you DON'T want to do, rather than what you DO want to
do, and that's valuable."
-- 2002 anthropology grad
"Never settle."
-- Anonymous
"Believe in yourself. You have enormous potential. Do your best to
unleash that potential and allow it to bear positive fruit. Have a
positive attitude -- it is one of your greatest assets. The good news
is that it can be developed and trained to the point that you can be
successful in anything you undertake. Strive to become a leader with
a heart of a servant -- that will guarantee success. Seek out
positive mentors who can and will assist you in getting what you
want. Then help as many others to get what they want in life -- then
you will get what you want in life. Finally: never, never, never,
never give up!"
-- Mario Teixeira, director, SolutionFinders, 2002, MA grad in
organizational leadership from Regent University
"Be confident and be proactive in the job-search process."
-- 2002 English education grad
"Be all you can be. Work hard for what you want, but don't step on
anybody. Your friends are the most important asset; don't abuse them.
And be happy in your work."
-- 2003 grad
"See if your educational institution offers advice on finding a job
after graduation."
-- Anonymous
"Be sure the career you chose is right for you."
-- teacher, 1999 education grad
"Sit back and observe how the company operates, how each person
prefers to work. Some people like to be approached in person, others
via email, others by phone. Each person works differently, and the
only way you can become savvy is by taking a step back and watching."
-- 2002 broadcast news grad
"Be persistent and have a passion to get your dream job. Success only
comes after you have failed many times. It is the process that is
valuable -- learning how to find a job is a skill that will be
important for your career down the road. It is not only a one-time
event."
-- Anonymous
"Start looking for whatever you plan to do after school NOW!!"
-- 2002 biology grad
"As far as salary negotiation goes, you have to keep a few things in
mind. First, if the company is talking salary, they are interested.
How much money you get is based on internal criteria the employer
has. Recognize that although you have a degree, that's about all you
probably have, so don't try to squeeze an extra $7-10,000 out of
them. You could talk your way out of a job."
-- Bryan Stoehs, channel manager, Gartner News, Gartner, Inc., 1999
grad in communication studies
"My motto is that if you don't ask, you don't get. If you get an
offer, even if it is more than expected, you might as well ask for a
higher salary. In my experience, most employers have room to bump a
salary up, but only if the person asks."
-- 2001 business-administration grad
"I chose to be severely underpaid just to get my foot in the right
door, which has thankfully allowed me to work my way up and make the
money I deserve (sometimes that is a sacrifice you have to be willing
to make.)"
-- 1999 communications studies grad
"In regard to salary negotiation, know what the going rate is before
entering into anynegotiations."
-- Anonymous
"Salary negotiation is so important. Do the research as well as know
how much you need to survive."
-- Anonymous business-school grad
"Research is a must for [salary] negotiation (not just on the
Internet, but asking people in the same field and geographical
location.)"
-- 1999 communication studies grad
"Most companies have some kind of tuition reimbursement
policy/benefit [for grad school]."
-- 1998 international business grad
"I wish I had shopped around more. Different school districts pay
different salaries. It is not difficult to find a teaching job.
However it is difficult to secure a particular location. Finding a
district in which you can be genuinely happy is another hurdle. You
need to research the mission statements of the district and campuses,
and decide if you can be passionate about their priorities."
-- 2001 education grad
