Job Searching?
Thoughts from a career counselor’s perspective …
Yes, no doubt there’s an uber-amount of doom & gloom in the media these days on many fronts.
In our current economic reality, conditions seem to change almost daily. ‘Change’ has become the norm. Believe that you can find a good ‘fit’ in the world of work, and make intentional steps in your academics & experiences to make that happen. Attitude, optimism and mixing-up your search strategies are key. Don’t hide behind email & the internet when ‘searching’ for internships or jobs – definitely use technology as key tools, but also don’t underestimate the value of connecting with people & contacts in-person.
Keep focused on what is in your control vs forces beyond your control. Dream big and create back up plans along the way to increase odds of landing an internship or job. Network with UW Alumni, friends, family. Utilize departmental resources and the UW Career Center, especially HuskyJobs, Campus Recruiting and employer Information Sessions.
Tons of good articles, links, resources sprinkled all throughout the Career Center website & Husky Career Blog. Fine tune [and customize/focus] your resumes, cover letters and interviewing strategies. Don’t expect anything to be handed to you – go after what you want - be patient, yet persistent. Uncover, embrace and market your strengths to employers or graduate programs. Keep an open mind about options/employers and cast a wide-net. Being flexible with your location preferences will increase opportunities. Try to think beyond the standard/expected/”box” about your life, future. Understand that job searching & transitioning from college-to-work, is a ‘process’ & will take time & energy. You can do it!
If you are going to comment on this or other posts … please try to avoid snarky-ness, negativity, links to get-rich-quick-scheme websites, all that junk. There are plenty of other online forums for venting/ranting. My hope is that posts, comments & links throughout this career blog are geared towards helping people in supportive ways.
