How can you're college help you get a job?

Hi Trey,

Here are 10 tips for finding a job in an economic wasteland.

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  Know what it takes. Different fields have different application requirements, and you need to know what those are for the field you are interested in. Do you need a résumé, a cover letter, a writing sample, a portfolio, etc.? You also need to know what these materials look like in your field and which skills and experiences you need to emphasize.

  
  


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  Perfect your application materials. Always have your application materials reviewed by someone who is a better editor than you are. After polishing and massaging your résumé 100 times, you are probably too close to see the nits that need to be picked. Have your materials reviewed again whenever you make revisions or add updates. Don't know any good editors? If you are in school, try your career services office.

  
  


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  Activate your network. Tell everyone you know what type of job you are looking for. There is no sin in looking for employment, so you need to get everyone in your network working for you.

  
  


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  Star Tip. If you have a professor who has worked in industry or does extra work in the field you're considering, make sure to invite him or her to use their contacts on your behalf. Often, even an informal recommendation from a professor can open doors.

  
  

Extra-Pointer. If a parent, family friend, older brother or sister, or employer of yours works in the field you want to go into, enlist their help, too. You never know who has the contacts that count.

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  Attend meetings, go to seminars, and read the materials.

  
  


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  Be patient and persistent. Set aside time every week to check for job postings, to do research on employers in your field, and to send out a manageable number of applications.

  
  


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  Star Tip. www.job-hunt.org, www.wetfeet.com, and www.careerjournal.com are three of the many websites that will help you in your job search. They provide job search tips, career research information, company profiles, and many other features.

  
  


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  Don't treat an interview as an interrogation. If you are fortunate enough to land an interview, treat it as an opportunity to establish a professional relationship with the interviewer. Know the employer, and be prepared to ask intelligent questions. Engage with the interviewer, and do not be shy in letting the interviewer know how much you know about the employer and how much you want to work there. Be enthusiastic, not desperate.

  
  

Extra-Pointer. It's always a good idea to do a little Web research before the interview on the company—and, when possible, on the individuals—that will be interviewing you. You'll make a much better impression when you know what the company is doing and how you might fit in.

In: http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/professors-guide/2010/03/31/10-tips-for-college-students-looking-for-a-job-in-a-tough-market

Best of luck in your achievements!

I am not sure where you go to school or who told you that, but nothing could be further from the truth. With that said, use your career resources department. Go in as much as possible. See if they bring in companies to interview or can help you land interviews. In addition, network network network. Use LinkedIn. Speak to your professors -- they have connections and may be able to help you with an introduction.

I think a lot depends on where you attend school. A large university has a lot more resources than a small one, so use what you have in front of you.

There should be a Career Services office and it may be a part of the office of Student Services, email them or look into it on campus!