“Doing the job right the first time gets the job done.  Doing the job wrong 14 times gives you job security.” Author Unknown

Are those leaves I see falling off of the trees already? What? Summer is almost gone and you don’t have a job yet? Unless you want to start a neighborhood leaf blowing company as a side line, it’s time to get serious in your job search. This is the second in a series of posts to help you in your job search for your first full time job.

What comes first: First things first and this short list covers some of what you will need:

1. Resumes
2. References
3. Research
4. Cover Letters

Resumes:

• Entry Level Resumes – The first and most important thing you will need is a resume. Take your time with this as your ability to “get your foot in the door” is heavily dependent on the content and “look and feel” of your resume. There are so many choices these days. This resource, from Collegegrad.com, provides a list of links to help you get started (or to improve on what you already have).

• Resume-Resource.com – This is an excellent site and one of the best I’ve seen and it is definitely worth spending some time here.  There are numerous articles and tips for almost every aspect of the Resume process (writing, cover letters, thank you letters, etc.)  It provides:
  • A broad range of tips and articles
  • Sample Resumes for many careers / industries
  • Resume writing tips
  • Resume templates (for a fee)
  • Cover letter examples
  • Thank You Letter examples
  • Follow-ups

• Monster Career Advice – Monster offers resume, letters and some career advice.  Not nearly as comprehensive as Resume-Resource.com and it looks like the bulk of services are fee based.

• eResumes.com – Another comprehensive site which offers a broad range of samples and advice.  There are also quite a few recommendations for fee-based resume services.  High level, this site provides:
  • Resume writing advice and examples (including a tutorial on writing your resume)
  • Sample cover letters
  • Numerous articles and advice including links to third party services

Next post will focus on References.

Good luck in your search.


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Related posts:

1. College Grad, Job Bound, Late Summer Job Search Vol 1
2. Job Bound College Grad Your Job is Waiting – Resources Revisited Vol 1
3. College Grad Job Search – Are You Prepared?

“In my simple way Guess you could say I’m living in the big time” – John D. Rich, Kenny Alphin

The sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance” have faded to a memory and the hard reality of looking for a job in the real world has set in. Four years of college went by really fast and settling back in to “life with the folks” is a lot harder than you thought it would be (all the more incentive to get a job). But let’s face it, this is the big time and very little of what you learned in school has prepared you for looking for a job. Yeah, you may have visited the college career office at one point in your senior year, but what did they tell you again? Not to worry, you are not alone (although your parents don’t really want to hear “none of my friends have found jobs either”). The first in a series of posts leveraging CareerAlley’s vast library of resources to help you get on your way to getting a job in the real world.

Where to Start – Do you have your Resume?

• Recent College Graduate Resume – This list of links, from one of my favorite college career sites – www.collegegrad.com, provides a number of different resources to help you in writing or updating your resume. The links provide examples, templates and advice on references.  This is the best place to start if you are reviewing or writing your resume.

• Entry Level Resumes – The first and most important thing you will need is a resume. Take your time with this as your ability to “get your foot in the door” is heavily dependent on the content and “look and feel” of your resume. There are so many choices these days. This resource, also from Collegegrad.com, provides a list of links to help you get started (or to improve on what you already have).

Make a Plan:

• Keep a list to keep track of which sites you’ve visited. Include your username and password for each site. You think you will remember them but you won’t. Also include the last date you visited
• ALWAYS return calls as soon as possible, start off your day doing this
• Review your top 5 job search sites
• Check jobs on LinkedIn
• Respond to emails as appropriate (and related)
• Research, research, research – making a list of companies you would like to work for
• Register on 3-5 company websites
• Register on 3-5 job search sites
• Send your resume to 3-5 recruiters/headhunters
• Use job agents and leverage technology
• Register where you can and make sure you upload your resume
• All done with every list known to man (not likely)? Recycle the list, revisit the job search boards and try new searches

Other Options – Internships: Just because you graduated college doesn’t mean that you can’t consider an internship. At a minimum, this will give you some great experience and there is always the possibility of  a job offer:

• OneDayOneInternship.com – Associated with OneDayOneJob.com, I’m sure you’ve guessed what this site is focused on. Links at the top of the main page for Today’s Internships, Past Internships, Entry Level Jobs (links back to ondayonejob.com), About US, Blog and more. The Past Internships link leads to a list of internships previously posted on the site. You can view the list by Date, Employer and Tag Cloud. Clicking on any company link leads to a full page with a broad range of information (including internships).  There are additional helpful links on the right hand side of the page which provide additional information or direct links. If you’ve read any of my college career posts you will know how I stress the power and importance of internships during college. This is the site to go to when making your decisions regarding internships. A wealth of information is included in all of the links with a very clean and crisp interface.

• Internweb.com – It’s a very good idea to have as many internships during your college education as possible, but if you are graduating this year and don’t have a job, you could certainly still do an internship over the summer until you find full time employment. This site has tabs near the top for Intern Listing, Intern Jobs, College Intern and Intern Board. Below this there is an Intern Search bar to the left and below that is a section for students with plenty of resources. Center section is your main search area where you can subscribe or look at some internships now.

Good luck in your search.

Related posts:

1. College Grad, Job Bound, Late Summer Job Search Vol 2
2. Job Bound College Grad Your Job is Waiting – Resources Revisited Vol 1
3. College Summer Internships – Do You Have Yours?

“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.” – Robert McCloskey

It doesn’t always have to be about me, sometimes it can be about you too. I get lots of emails suggesting links that many of you think will appeal to CareerAlley readers. I generally collect these until I have enough that is worth a dedicated post and today is your lucky day. So thanks to all of you who have submitted your ideas and please keep them coming!

• 10 Worst Work-Study Jobs in College – Obviously with the college student in mind and, at first glance you might not think there is any relevance, but think again. Having jobs while you are in college has an impact on how easy it will be for you to find a job when you get out. If you must work (and most of us must), try to avoid the worst jobs. This article, posted on Bestcollegesonline.net, provides a fairly extensive list of which jobs to avoid.

• Different Jobs in a Fire Department – Another article for those considering careers, this one is all about working in a Fire Department. There are lots of jobs you can consider – from Search and Rescue to Disaster Management, this article is worth a read if this is one of your career choices. There are additional resources on the left hand side of the page.

• 3 (Loving) Ways to Get Your Kids Out of the Basement – Okay, not really sure this is just for parents. It really wouldn’t hurt if you are a recent grad (with out a job yet) to read this as well. Why? The article is all about transition and, in case you haven’t noticed, that is exactly what recent grads go through as they transition to the job world. So, not only is this great advice for you, but you might want to forward the link to your parents as well. Don’t forget the Job Search tab at the top of the page.

• Ten Top Secret Job Search Tips – Not sure I exactly agree, but like I said, it is not always about me. Some of these are good tips, but I’m not sure these tips by themselves will help you find a job. Nevertheless, this article, posted on Jobs.AOL.com, takes a slightly different approach. Tips like Write and Exercise are an interesting slant. As interesting as the article are the comments to the article (which did make me think twice about this review).

• 3 Steps to Using LinkedIn to Find a New Job – This article, from Collegerecruiter.com’s blog, provide the basic steps for leveraging LinkedIn. It’s not just about registering, it’s about leveraging your connections and LinkedIn’s functionality. In addition to the three steps, there is a short video as well. Also take a look at The Top 10 LinkedIn Groups for Job Seekers.

Good luck in your search.

Related posts:

1. The Best College Grad Job Search Resources – Vol 2
2. School Daze – College Grad Job Search
3. Job Bound College Grad Your Job is Waiting – Resources Revisited Vol 1

“A stepping-stone can be a stumbling block if we can’t see it until after we have tripped over it.” – Cullen Hightower

When we discuss the process of looking for your first job out of college, what we usually mean is looking for your first real job out of college. Most college grads have actually been in the working world for a while in one way or another, even if it’s just what many consider “unskilled” work in fast food, waitressing, bartending, working a register, lifeguarding or dog-walking.

It’s important that you view your current job—as well as your past college jobs—as stepping stones toward your future career. When filling out job applications, many people do not include some of their college jobs because they believe it might make them look bad (wearing a chicken costume for a fast food restaurant?) or that the job experience gained is not relevant to the job you are applying for (how does working a cash register relate to the entry-level accounting job you’re applying for?). But you may want to rethink these ideas.

Why? First of all, because employers like to see that you remained consistently employed for a long period of time. If you leave out that infamous chicken suit job from your resume, the person looking over your resume may wonder why you were not working during the blank time period. Secondly, there are ways you can make even the most embarrassing work look golden on a resume. Instead of writing “I wore a chicken suit for six hours a day,” you can write, “I creatively promoted and raised awareness for my company, helping to boost sales.” That doesn’t sound so bad now, does it?

While the chicken suit may be an extreme example, the important thing to remember is to look over every single college job you’ve had, scouring it for the job skills you acquired that a future employer would find valuable. For instance, the employer at the accounting job you’re applying for may not care that you worked a cash register, but they do care that you have experience handling money and that you helped train new cashiers (that shows leadership skills).

Your education and college job experience together is a powerful combo. In the education section of your resume, you can emphasize courses you took in communication and professional writing, for instance. In the job experience section, you can write that you “demonstrated excellent communication and conflict management skills” while waitressing or working with customers in another capacity. After all, didn’t you get quite adept back in the day at pacifying even the crankiest of customers?

The point to remember in all of this is that it is far better to list your college jobs than to strip your resume bare when applying for your first real job out of college. Sure, extracurricular activities, volunteering and GPA may look good on a college application, but they won’t do you too much good all by themselves on a job application.

Be creative in the way you include your college job experience, and think long and hard about the skills you’ve gained because of them. Good luck!

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Kate Cunningham, who writes on the topics of online university rankings.  She welcomes your questions and comments at her email Id: cn.kate1@gmail.com. 

Good luck in your search.

Related posts:

1. Job Search Marketing Toolkit for College Grads & Entry Level Job Search
2. College Grads – This Ain’t Your Father’s Job Market
3. Entry Level and College Grad Jobs Vol 4

“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.“- Mark Twain

Just graduated? Congratulations! Don’t have a job yet? You are not alone. There are lots of reasons why you’ve not found a job yet – just graduated, tough job market, lots of competition, etc. Doesn’t really matter the reason, at the end of the day you just need to find a job. So, what to do? There are lots of jobs out there that might not be your first choice, or maybe you never considered, but if you have an open mind, there are plenty of opportunities. Now I’m not talking about becoming a monk or a missionary (not that there is anything wrong with that). So where do you start?

College Career Search:

• Jobseeker – Specific Career and Job Sites – Quintcareers.com offers an excellent page of resources for teenagers, college grads, temporary workers, executives and much more.  This should definitely be on your list of “job search sites to visit list” in your job search. The top of the page has links for Students and Job Seekers. Along the left hand side are a number of other job seeker tools. And last, but certainly not least, are a broad range of links that you will find useful in your search.

 

• Getting Started on Twitter: 25 Tips For Job-Seekers to Take Advantage of the Web’s Best-Kept Job Search Secret - I’m sure that if you are a recent grad (or a new job seeker) that Twitter is a part of your everyday life. Another great article from Quintcareers.com, this one is all about leveraging Twitter. So at first you may say “how is that possible”, but this article provides all of the pointers you will need (like leveraging lists and “follow people who you want to know you”.

• CareerAlley’s College Grad Resourses -  This link is a very long list of college related job search resources I’ve gathered over time. From company related career sites that have College sections to articles like “How College Graduates Can Land a Job in a Down Market“, these links are a great place for you to start.

• CollegeRecruiter.com – And let’s not forget about CollegeRecruiter.com, “a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities” is their tag line. Their main page has a search engine so you can get started right away. There is an “advanced search” button right under the  “Find Jobs” button. In addition to this there are links for job seekers as well as special links for internships.

• Aftercollege.com – Another great website for college grads, this site also leads with a job search engine followed by featured organizations, featured employers and “browse popular jobs”. There is a job seeker sign-on (if you so choose) as well as career networks and more. Once you started the search engine, you can further narrow your results leveraging the categories on the left hand side of the page. Check out their part time jobs and interships as well.

Good luck in your search.

Related posts:

1. College Grad Job Search Resources – What You Think
2. Jobs for College Grads Vol 7
3. Who’s Hiring for Entry Level Jobs & College Grads Vol 3

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius

I recently had to interview a few college students for potential summer intern positions. This was probably the hardest interview I’ve ever had (and I was the interviewer!). Interviewing people who are first starting out is so different from interviewing people who have experience. All of my questions were regarding relevant courses, hobbies, computer skills (yeah, most college students have better computer skills than my coworkers) and “what do you want to do when you graduate”. So why am I telling you this? As a college grad you are up against very different challenges than those with experience. Most hiring managers use a “point of reference” when interviewing candidates (like, how does this person compare to other people who work here, or people with similar experience). When interviewing someone for an entry level position, the interviewing manager has no point of reference. Okay, this is where you come in. As the person being interviewed, you can drive the interview process and kill two birds with one stone (so to speak). You can drive the interview by providing relevant information and you can help the hiring manager by giving them a point of reference (and thereby help seal the deal). Today’s post continues to dig into our deep store of job search resources for college grads and entry level job seekers.

Preparing for the Interview:

• Tips For the College Graduate…Mastering Your First Job Interview – I’ve already told you my experience interviewing college students and how you can turn the interview into a great opportunity. This article, posted on googobits.com supports my view that how you present yourself during the interview can be the determining factor as to whether you are given additional consideration. Lots of good advice – show up on time, come prepared, speak up, etc. The article is definitely worth a read.

Resumes:

• Powerful New Grad Resumes and Cover Letters: 10 Things They Have in Common – A great article with lots of resources advice and links provided by Quintcareers,  the ten tips offer advice on targeting your market and leveraging your college career experience. The page has additional related links on the left hand side of the page as well as some additional links at the bottom of the page.

• Student & New Graduate Resume Answers – This article, from 1st-writer.com, offers examples, how to make your resume look good (even though you don’t have experience, what to include and so much more. On top of this, there are a bunch of related links for your use.

• Entry Level Resumes – The first and most important thing you will need is a resume. Take your time with this as your ability to “get your foot in the door” is heavily dependent on the content and “look and feel” of your resume. There are so many choices these days. This resource, from Collegegrad.com, provides a list of links to help you get started (or to improve on what you already have).

Are you Safe for Prime Time: It’s too late to regret all of the crazy things you’ve done in College, but it doesn’t hurt to check up on your image before you start interviewing.

• Google Yourself – Every man’s reference check – What about checking on yourself? Do you know what stuff might be out there on the World Wide Web? You may think you are clean, but you just never know. This article, by Sam Headhunting,  tells you several things you should know (and do) like be aware of your online image, how to Google yourself and more. There are a few additional links which provide more information on the topic.

• Background Check Yourself? – Sounds like a good idea. The purpose, of course, is to make sure you find out any negative information about yourself first. This particular article is for multiple purposes (like checking your credit), but employers are also on the list. This is likely to cost you something, as I don’t think there are any “free” background check services. So I would save this option for those who are worried something might come up.

• Warning: Social Networking Can Be Hazardous to Your Job Search – Just about anything you’ve written or posted online has the potential of showing up during a background check.  This article, posted on Careerbuilder.com provides a few real examples where stuff posted online killed the candidate’s chance of landing a job. The article also provides some advice on how to protect your image online.

Good luck in your search.

Related posts:

1. College Grad Job Search – Are You Prepared? – Vol 2
2. Job Bound College Grad Your Job is Waiting – Resources Revisited Vol 1
3. College Grad Job Search – Are You Prepared?

“Graduation is a tough day for parents. They go to the ceremony as parents. They go home as contemporaries. After twenty-two years, they are unemployed.” – Erma Bombeck

The real world. You’ve spent 16 years of your 22 years in school (depending on pre-school, pre-pre-school and if you were on the 4 year or 4+ year college program). Learning is a great thing, but it does not prepare you for the real world. “What?” you say, “I’ve wasted all of that time?”. Not wasted. Knowledge is a great thing, now you have to learn how to use it.  You may have had some training or courses on job search and career development when you were in college, and it may have even prepared you with everything you need to find your first “real” job. But the good news is that just in case it fell short of what you need this post is the first in a series of posts to revisit resources for College Grads on the job hunt.

Companies with College Grad Career Pages:

• Hess Corporation – You probably already know what Hess does (Energy). Their University Graduates page is very well done. Left hand side of the page has recruiting events (check the calendar) followed by company information stuff. Also on the left hand side are a number of search links based on job type. Center page is a bullet point list of all the reasons why you would want to work for them. If you can’t match up with their college recruiting calendar, you should still add your resume to their site and take a look at their job openings.

• Symantec Corporation – Innovative technology is the name of the game at Symantec. Their College Connections page has a ton of information for college grads. Left hand side of the page has links for Internship Programs, New College Grads, Campus Calendar and more. Center page has an overview of some of the programs that might interest you. Right hand side of the page has links to job listings as well as “meet the management team”

• Internal Revenue Service – The IRS has a great College Student / Recent Grad page as part of their Careers section. There are tabs at the top for About IRS, Working at IRS and Opportunities. Center page provides an overview with a Search & Apply box. There is a short video on the right hand side of the screen (Meet Our Employees). Below this are a broad range of resources, including “Fun Career Tools”. There were 72 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• General Electric – GE is involved in way too many businesses to list here. There are over 300,000 people in over 100 locations (according to the website) and they are world-renowned for their management training programs . Their “University Students” page has links on the left hand side for Job Search, Careers, Why GE and more. Center page are links to their Undergraduate Leadership Programs, Internship and Co-ops programs and much more. To the right of this there is a link for “Start Your Job Search”. – there were 4,291 jobs opportunities when I checked the site.

• Disney Professional Internships – So we all know what Disney does, and they have a broad range of programs for High School and College Grads. Their Internships are well known and respected. Their students page has a Disney company overview followed by a listing of internship fields. Click the “Apply Now” button on the left hand side of the page to submit your details.

• The Hartford – The Hartford is known for both financial products and insurance. They employ over 31,000 employees and are in the Fortune 100. The College page of the Careers section provides a comprehensive list of links. Center page, there is a brief overview, followed by links for Full-Time Programs, Internships, Campus Recruiting and more. The left hand side of the page has similar links, plus additional links for other career related topics. Clicking on “View Opportunities for College Students” yields 13 College Student job opportunities plus 251 other job opportunities.

• Intel – Intel is know for computer chips and their college careers page is well done. The left hand side of the page is filled with relevant links (like Job Search, Intern/Grad Opportunities, a Jobs Blog and so much more). The center of the page starts “Get Started with Your Future” and has a listing of student centers by country. The left hand side of the page has a number of additional job search link. There were 480 job opportunities when I checked the page.

Job Search Marketing Toolkit Stuff You Need:

Resumes:

• Powerful New Grad Resumes and Cover Letters: 10 Things They Have in Common – A great article with lots of resources advice and links provided by Quintcareers,  the ten tips offer advice on targeting your market and leveraging your college career experience. The page has additional related links on the left hand side of the page as well as some additional links at the bottom of the page.

• Student & New Graduate Resume Answers – This article, from 1st-writer.com, offers examples, how to make your resume look good (even though you don’t have experience, what to include and so much more. On top of this, there are a bunch of related links for your use.

• Entry Level Resumes – The first and most important thing you will need is a resume. Take your time with this as your ability to “get your foot in the door” is heavily dependent on the content and “look and feel” of your resume. There are so many choices these days. This resource, from Collegegrad.com, provides a list of links to help you get started (or to improve on what you already have).

Cover Letters:

• Cover Letter Checklist for College Grads – From collegegrad.com, provides a short list for ensuring you’ve got it covered

• Covering Letters for students – A very good article to help you understand the objectives, what to consider, and explanations of the various types of cover letters.

Thank You Letters:

• Ten tips to make your thank you note stellar – This article, by USA Today, provides some great tips for you. These are all important points and, believe me, hiring managers are reading these letters to see if you “got the point”, were listening and if you really want the job.

• In Job Searching: thank you letters – About.com comes through again with a number of sample thank you letters. But take a look, there are more than what is showing on the first page, there are additional pages (just click “next” at the bottom of the page).

• How To Write an Interview Thank You Letter – Can’t have a “how to” without howtodothings.com. The post starts off with a very good overview, followed by four steps (with great commentary) and then a sample letter. At the bottom of the page are additional related links which you will find useful.

Lots of links, so get to work until next week.

Good luck in your search.

Related posts:

1. College Grad Job Search Revisited Volume 6
2. The Best College Career and Job Resources – Vol 3
3. The Best College Grad Job Search Resources – Vol 2

“Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he’ll believe you.  Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he’ll have to touch it to be sure.” – Murphy’s Law

Why is it that we always need to learn things the hard way? No matter how much advice we get from our parents (and their parents before them), we all still need to “live the experience” first hand before we actually get it? Call it the “Wet Paint” syndrome (re-read today’s quote if you don’t get it). Job search is much the same. There is so much job search advice as to what to do and how to do it, it can be overwhelming. But, the good news is that there is a common theme for most job search advice and with some time and dedication you too will have your job. Today’s post is about how (and where) to find entry level jobs.

• How to Find an Entry Level Job – This article is from CollegeRecruiter.com and provides some great advice about how to find an entry level job. From defining what an entry level job is to covering the basics of what you will to find that job, the article is full of advice and related embedded links to resources. But that is not all. The page also includes a job search bar on the left hand side of the page, followed by links to featured employers.

• Landing your first job takes patience and persistence -  Written by Lee Miller of The Star-Ledger, this article was posted on NJ.com and covers what you need to find your first job. From Networking to Social Sites and Branding, it is all about leveraging what you already have. This article is definitely worth a read if you are looking for your first job.

• AfterCollege.com -This site is focused on a number of services to help in your to job search. The main page leads with a job search box. Below the job search box (which is center page), are links for featured organizations, employers and jobs. You can browse jobs by functional category or by the generic search box. There are links at the top of the page for Jobs and Resources (like interviews and resumes). There were over 33,000 job opportunities for those with 0-3 years experience.

• EntryLevelJobsite.com – What better place to look for entry level jobs than a website by that name? There are tabs at the top of the site for Post Resume, Search Jobs and Career Resources. This is followed by a job search box, with advanced search and a job search directory to the right of the search box. Below this is a section for “Search Top Entry Level Jobs” on the left and recent job postings on the right hand side of the page. There were over 212,000 job opportunities posted when I checked the site.

• CareerRookie.com – “Internships, part-time jobs and entry-level careers” is the tag line for this site. Top of the page has tabs for Resumes, Find Jobs and Advice & Resources. There is a key work search box on the right hand side of the page followed by sections for Top Entry Level Jobs and featured employers. There were over 3,000 job opportunities posted when I checked the site.

Good luck in your search.

Related posts:

1. College Grad & Entry Level Job Search Week – Vol 1
2. Thousands of Entry Level Jobs
3. Who’s Hiring for Entry Level Jobs & College Grads Vol 3

“A good rule of thumb is if you’ve made it to thirty-five and your job still requires you to wear a name tag, you’ve made a serious vocational error.” – Dennis Miller

I started interviewing college students for my company’s summer intern program this past week. It’s interesting to compare their resumes, what they’ve done during the college summers past and all of the extra-curricular activities. The money is nice, but it’s oh so much more important to get that experience on your resume (after all, mowing lawn’s for “Long Grass Landscaping” does not add much to your resume). Of course, any job is better than no job during the summer, but it’s never too late to get that summer intern job (well almost never). So today’s post is all about helping you get that summer intern job. Let’s start with the “how to” and then get to the “where”.

• Students: 6 Best Ways to Get a Summer Internship – This article, from Moneywatch, provides an overview regarding the summer job outlook (an embedded link) and goes on to say that you should not be discouraged in your quest for a summer internship. Some good tips (like, “Can I wear my nose ring to the interview”) as well as the 6 tips.  Lot’s of embedded links for additional information, as well as related links at the bottom of the page.

• College Internship Opportunities – How to Find Summer and Semester Work Experiences – Another “how to” article from Suite101.com, with 6 tips (coincidentally) on where to find those internships. Some great advise with a few embedded links. Definitely worth a read. There are a few related links on the right hand side of the page.

• Internzoo.com – If the name of the site is any indication, it sounds like this might be a great place to find those intern jobs. Top of the page are tabs for Advanced Search and Internship Advice. Center page leads with a Job Seeker sign up followed by a Companies box and popular searches. The left hand side of the screen has the latest internship postings. The Advanced search allows you to add locations and types of jobs.

• CareerRookie.com – “Internships, part-time jobs and entry-level careers” is the tag line for this site. There are links at the top of the page for Resume, Find Jobs, Advice & Resources and Videos. There is a keyword search directly below the tabs which lists over 130 pages of opportunities. Below this are top entry level job categories and Vertical channels followed by featured employers. At the very bottom of the page are additional vertical channels, one of which is Internships.

• SummerJobs – “Surf for the perfect summer job” according to the site. Top left hand side of the page has links for Search Jobs, Browse Jobs and Featured Employers. The center section also has a list of featured employers while the top right hand side has featured jobs. You can register on the site and have access to additional tools. There were over 500 summer job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Additional Resources:
  • College Grad Stuff
  • Entry Level Jobs
  • College Grad Resources

Good luck in your search.

Related posts:

1. College Grad, Job Bound, Late Summer Job Search Vol 1
2. Jobs for College Grads Vol 7
3. College Grad, Job Bound, Late Summer Job Search Vol 2

“Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!“” – Robin Williams

At some point your last Spring Break will be over (depressing, isn’t it?) and reality will set in. It is your Senior year, graduation is almost here (another semester is not an option so say the “folks”) and you don’t have a job yet. Now part of your excuse is that it is a terrible job market and if you are like most college seniors, there is a certain amount of procrastination (not one of the excuses you want to use). There are lots of options for you. Obviously the best option is to get your dream job at your dream company. Once you’ve gotten over the disappointment of the unlikeliness of that happening it’s time to consider your other options. “What are they” you say? In the best to not so best order:

1. A full time job in the industry or functional area you would ideally like to work
2. A summer intern position (yes, you can still do this after college) in the industry or functional area you would ideally like to work
3. A volunteer role so that you have something to put on your resume while you are looking for a job (you can see this is quickly heading downhill)
4. Admit you are never going to get a job and become a monk (probably not an option unless this was always your career goal)

Today’s post is a bit of a mix and match of the above items (I’ve left the monk bit out for this post). Focus real hard on option number 1, but there is nothing wrong with options 2 and 3 and they will allow you to fill in your resume (and you never know who you will meet and where it will lead).

• Hess Corporation – You probably already know what Hess does (Energy). Their University Graduates page is very well done. Left hand side of the page has recruiting events (check the calendar) followed by company information stuff. Also on the left hand side are a number of search links based on job type. Center page is a bullet point list of all the reasons why you would want to work for them. If you can’t match up with their college recruiting calendar, you should still add your resume to their site and take a look at their job openings.

• Symantec Corporation – Innovative technology is the name of the game at Symantec. Their College Connections page has a ton of information for college grads. Left hand side of the page has links for Internship Programs, New College Grads, Campus Calendar and more. Center page has an overview of some of the programs that might interest you. Right hand side of the page has links to job listings as well as “meet the management team”.

• Internships.com – Seems like the likely place to start your search for internships. The site has links at the top for company directories, student tool kit and student home. The link at the start of this paragraph runs the Internship search at the site (there were 422 Internship opportunities when I checked the site). You can narrow this down by using the search box on the left hand side of the page.

• NYCInternships.com – Don’t let the name of this site fool you, they also have links to Internship programs in many other cities (look a the bottom left hand side of the page for the city links). Tons of resources here – links to students, destinations, internships and more all at the top of the page. Center page are links for NY internships, top industries and how to put it all together (housing and other things you will need). Don’t forget to look at the international internship program links at the bottom of the page (how neat would that be?).

• Projects Abroad – Okay, this is the volunteer part I mentioned (option number 3). There are some excellent and interesting opportunities here (and they will all look good on your resume). Center page has a bunch of overview information and the top of the page has links for Projects, Destinations and Apply Now. Many more links on the left hand side of the page – too many to list here but you should definitely take a look.

Good luck in your search.

Related posts:

1. College Grad Job Search – Are You Prepared?
2. Job Bound College Grad Your Job is Waiting – Resources Revisited Vol 1
3. College Grads – This Ain’t Your Father’s Job Market