Here are three things you can do before exams start to get ready for the spring job search. These suggestions work for both full time jobs and internships. First, develop a list of ten organizations where you would like to work. Next, register for connectSC, the official job listings site for USC students and alumni. Already registered? Then check into additional web sites unique to your career field and register on their job boards. Have you found a match between your top ten list and the job listings? If not, stop by the CPPC and share your list with one of our career advisers. We may be able to help you make the connection or suggest alternatives. Finally, spend a few minutes online and in one of the USC Libraries doing some additional research on potential employers. By the end of the week you should have a list of contacts and some quality information that will help you craft your cover letter. The CPPC staff is available to review your cover letters and resume. Stop by during walk in hours, Monday – Friday, noon to three or call 213 740 9111 to schedule an appointment.

A simple Thanksgiving recipe:
Ingredients: Friends, family, food
Directions: Mix equal parts of all ingredients, taking 8 hours to rest between servings. Add 12 – 15 hugs per 12-hour period until warm. Early in the day take a long walk to clear the mind and spirit.  Be careful not to watch any news programming it may spoil the mixture. Take deep breaths and short naps as needed. For seasoning: share stories, laughter and tears. For a dessert variation on this recipe add music and dance. Keep warm and repeat for leftovers. I find that a loose interpretation of this recipe will result in a slightly undercooked, but refreshed mind and body.

“The idea of having to schmooze with people I didn’t know was unappealing.” Maybe peer networking is a viable alternative. An article in yesterday’s New York Times; ‘For Help Finding a Job, Friends in Low Places’ describes the ‘peer infiltration’ approach to networking. The traditional assumption is to find a contact who is highly placed in an organization and schedule an information interview. According to the article, the world of online social networks is translating into a bottom-up approach to job search. Now is the time to extend your social network to a job referral network.

“…I realized the idea of networking was about reconnecting with people you know from elementary school, high school and college. It was just like asking your friends for favors.” Think about this. Has your friend or a classmate given you contact information for an internship? Most of us don’t even think of the person sitting next to us in an 10 o’clock class as a potential network contact. Look around. The Trojan Network is alive and well in every class you take.

As you make the transition from Facebook to job search, make sure your friends can speak to your professional qualities. Give them a copy of your resume and be very specific on the skills you would like them to highlight. And, in this context, treat your friends as professional connections.

This afternoon when you arrive a few minutes early for class, engage the person sitting next to you in a career conversation. You may be able to help them in their job search and they may be able to assist you. Lateral networking is far less intimidating. Try it.

If you are heading home for the holiday, you may want to bring a few resumes with you. It is not too early to talk to people about full time jobs after graduation or a summer internship. It is also a good time to take a reality check on the economic conditions close to home.

Are you reading your local newspaper online? You may want to take a few minutes over the next two weeks to catch up on what is going on in your hometown. Get some first hand information on how the economy is having an impact in your local community.  What are the implications for your job/internship search?

Is there someone you might want to meet with over the holiday weekend for an information interview?  Call them this week to set an appointment.

Visit your local library. The reference librarian can be a great source of information. The librarian can direct you to online resources that will help in your research on organizations, professional associations and career fields. Rather than spend hours surfing the net, visit with someone who can target the best resources for your search.

Are you visiting friends over the holiday? Talk to them and their family members about summer internships or full time jobs. Ask them if they know anyone in your career field. You can also help others with their job search. Network.

Always have a copy of your resume with you. You can ask people for feedback and you will be ready if someone asks for a copy.

The holidays can be stressful.  This year the degree of stress may be heightened due to economic pressures. Try to get some rest, but also program some time for your job/internship search. You will come back to campus with a sense of accomplishment and a realistic view of career possibilities.

“Many of the students who express interest in our organization are not even being considered due to their not submitting a cover letter…simply submitting a resume just isn’t enough. Another hint you might give them (applicants) is to communicate in their cover letters that they know something about the company to which they are applying. Anyone who has any experience screening applicants can detect a generic cover letter easily and these are quickly discarded.”

This quote is from an email we received from one of our employers, a USC alumnus, last week.

There are a couple of key points to emphasize from this employer feedback. First, follow directions. It is stated clearly in this employer’s job posting that they require a cover letter to accompany the resume. Using the Internet for job search is a convenient option. However, avoid the temptation to click and send a resume before you have scrolled down through the entire listing. Create a checklist for each job posting to ensure you provide the required documents.

Employers expect students to research an organization as well as the particular job. Your cover letter must include a component that demonstrates your knowledge of their operation.

Avoid templates when writing your cover letter. The CPPC provides a sample, but you should not use the identical wording in your letter. Customize each cover letter to connect your skills and interests to an employer’s requirements.

If you are applying to an organization that requires strong writing skills, your cover letter gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your ability. Take the time to craft a quality document. This is your introduction to a potential employer. Think of it as your first work assignment.

Follow directions, do your research and craft your cover letter with the mindset of a first day on the job new employee. Ask yourself, would you invite you to an interview after reading your cover letter?

Three weeks from today many of you will be sitting down to a Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family. If you are a senior, the topic of conversation will turn to your plans after graduation. As an underclassmen, folks may want to know what you have selected as a major or what your plans are for the summer. Here are a few ideas to manage the conversation.

If you have a job offer, you can focus on discussing your plans for starting your career. You may find that family and friends have contacts within the organization or career field you are entering. Ask for names and start to build your professional network.

If you have recently started your job search, share your experience to date and ask for advice. My favorite response is “I am considering a number of options, what ideas do you have for me?” This turns the question around and you may gain some new insight.

Let’s say you have been focused on midterms and getting through the semester. You have not started to look for a job or internship. You may still be undeclared. Ask for advice. Talk about the classes you enjoy the most and your activities outside the classroom. This gives people a starting point to respond and suggest possible options.

Whenever possible, give people something they can work with. The more specific you can be in talking about what career interests you have, the better the chance they will be able to help and provide a referral.  Bring home a few copies of your resume. I am not suggesting you leave them on the dining room table, but it is a good idea to be prepared.

We have all been witness to a historic moment. The citizen voters of the United States have elected Barack Obama the 44th President. After a two year campaign, or a two year interview process, President-elect Obama will take the oath of office on January 20, 2009. The American Dream is alive and well. Each of you played a role as the employer. The majority of you thought Senator Obama was the best candidate for the job. Take a moment to reflect on this moment and realize that in this country you have the opportunity to be whatever you want to be.

Today’s message is simple – vote. Take the energy you have placed on your candidate and the state propositions and vote. If the lines are long – wait. Your choices will help define policies that will influence the economy and your career options. Understand where your candidate stands on the issues that are important to you. Every vote counts. Vote.