The spring career fair is next Thursday. In a challenging economy, what can you do to set yourself apart? Start with your research. Find out who will be attending the fair and develop a plan to ensure you will have time to talk to your target group of employers. If you are not registered on connectSC, register now. Once you are in connectSC, click on the career events icon at the top of the page. Scroll down to career fair and click on the link to search employers. Then click the search button to review an alphabetical list of employers. Develop a priority list including your top five and your top ten. This way you will have time to meet with your selected employers between 10 and 2:30.

Arrive early. Most employers will be there at the opening of the fair. Many will begin leaving by 2. Plan about 15 minutes for each employer to give you time if there is a line or if the employer wishes to have a more extensive conversation. This event is the beginning of the hiring process. Many organizations will bring recent graduates back to campus for this event. If these folks were friends last year, they are employers on this day. Keep it professional, you can socialize later. Often these recent grads will be your best advocate during the hiring process.

Given the downturn in the economy, this will be the most competitive job market in many years. Dress the part. Even if the employers’ attire looks Friday casual, the expectation is that you create a professional image. If you are a senior, you should be in a suit.  As a sophomore or junior, dress in business casual. (slacks and collared shirt for men; skirt, slacks and sweater or blouse for women) Greet each employer with a firm, but not debilitaing handshake. Keep the eye contact and ask for a business card. This will allow you to follow up with a thank you note.

For additional tips on preparing for career fair, check the fall career blogs on this site.

What have you done today to move you closer to your career goal? Our current economic challenges leave no room for procrastination. Begin with research. What do you know about your current career field?

As a student you are familiar with research methods. Use the same process to analyze the economics of your career path. First, do a literature review. In this case, use major media resources to provide the broad context (New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post). You may also want to investigate the journals and websites of your profession. There are also a number of sites that take on the broad, intellectual challenges of the economy and professions. This past week, the New York Times Sunday Magazine highlighted TED.com, a site where you can view the speeches given at the annual invitation only TED conference. (TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design) After viewing these presentations, you may see a new direction for you career.

All the desktop research in the world cannot replace the one to one conversations you will have with practitioners. You next step in the research process is to identify people you can talk to about your career. In this economy, you need honest feedback. What are the opportunities out there? What are the skills that give a job candidate the edge? What is the long term viability of the field? Where might you be looking for alternatives?

Here is an example. Yesterday there was a profile of the Tennessee womens basketball coach, Pat Summitt in the New York Times. Let’s say you are interested in being a coach after graduation. Forty-five of coach Summitt’s players are coaching at all levels of womens basketball today. My guess is she would be the ‘go to’ person for advice if you wanted to be a coach.

lAs reported in the NYT article:”to players who express an interest in becoming a basketball coach, Tennessee’s Pat Summitt offers a simple piece of advice: major in psychology. “I wish I had,” she said last week. “Because you’re always trying to figure out the best way to motivate each individual.” Great advice if you are trying to figure out what major you should choose in preparation for coaching.

The Trojan Network is the place to source USC alumni contacts for information interviews. Spend about an hour each day on your research and information interviews. Not only will you futher develop your research and interview skills, you will be on your way to your next job or internship.

How often has someone told you what you should do after college? Before you commit to a career direction, you want to be sure it is your decision. You may consult with family, friends, faculty and alumni but at the end of the day this is how you will spend the majority of your time after college. It is important that you are doing what you want to do, not what others expect you to do.

In the past 24 hours we inaugurated a new President of the United States. Before President Obama committed to the campaign he consulted with advisors, constituents, friends and family. It was a process he has followed at each juncture in his career. In the end, it was his decision to proceed.

Last week, USC quarterback Mark Sanchez decided to leave USC for an opportunity to pursue a career in the NFL. Given all the press coverage in the last week, everyone seemed to have an opinion on his choice. But it was his choice to make.

Your decision may not have the high profile visibility of President Obama or Mark Sanchez, but you do have to trust your instincts. The challenge is to engage your ‘board of advisors’ in a positive way. If you make a mistake, you adjust.

Always be candid with others on your career goals. Look out ten years. What do you see yourself doing? What skills will you need? How does the first job start you ‘on track’ to acquire these skills? If you can articulate this to your ‘board’ they will be able to offer specific advice and counsel. This approach also deflects arguments, as you demonstrate a well thought out career plan.

Put your plans on paper. Create a ‘career outline’ for the next ten years. Incorporate the advice you receive as input to your plan. You may make adjustments, but stay on track with your goals.

The world is full of unhappy professionals who followed a career path drawn by others. Create your own directions. It’s your decision. It is your career.

We live in interesting times. We all share a front row seat to history. Take notes. As citizens we anticipate the inauguration of the first black American President. At the same time we share the experience of family and friends who have been impacted by the economic downturn.

Late last week the federal government closed the books on 2008, reporting the highest unemployment rate in sixteen years (7.2%). The total number of jobs lost in the recession totals 2.5 million according to the New York Times, with 524,000 jobs lost in December. While we were working through the fall semester 1,087,000 people lost their jobs in the fiscal fourth quarter. In California, as reported in the Los Angeles Times, the state unemployment rate rose to 8.4% at the end of November.

These are the numbers. But not just numbers, people.

This space is often focused on the tactical. Today, let’s share the big picture. In the global picture, there are a multitude of options.

As we consider the political and historical mileposts of the week, seek out information. Take some time to do your research. There will be new jobs created by this incoming administration. Is there something in the economic proposals that opens a career opportunity for you?

The numbers are important. They ’size’ the problem. In the spirit of the glass is half full, 92.8% of jobs still exist.

A major decision point in job search is deciding where you would like to work. Not just the organization, the location. During the fall semester we conducted a quick poll of student thoughts on relocation. Seventy-four percent of the 493 respondents indicated a willingness to move for a job opportunity. In a more competitive hiring season, you may think about working in a different city to begin your career.

Think back on your choice of college. When you considered alternatives, how did location factor into your decision?  A significant number of students decided to travel across oceans, the US or state lines. Some of you are attending USC within a few miles of home.  Now, think about study abroad. Have you traveled or studied abroad in the last four years? If you are in the group of students who have lived for a period of time away from home, how can you translate that into your work choice? If you have not moved far from friends and family, how do you explore the possibility of working in a distant location for the first time?

In the current economy it is a good idea to start your research early. Once you have decided on a field or organization, determine where the geographical center is located. For example, if you are in the entertainment industry, Los Angeles is still the hub. However, opportunities continue to emerge in New York and other states where tax incentives encourage productions to move from LA. If finance is your field, New York is still the finance capital of the world. If the recent election has motivated you toward public service, perhaps Washington, D.C. is in your future.

Any decision to relocate should include consideration of your life outside of work. Do you have a base of friends or family in your new location? Is the population young college grads or established families? If you are active in a religious community, are there options to continue to be involved in a new city? If diversity is important to you, how diverse is the new location? Do you enjoy attending theater, sporting events or concerts? Are you just ready to move to a place with a lower cost of living? Relocation can be a total lifestyle change.

Talk to friends and faculty. Ask them about where they are from and how they made their decisions to move.   Check the alumni association web site for a list of alumni clubs. These can be a great resource in learning more about a new city.

Each year Money Magazine selects the ‘100 Best Places to Live’. This year Texas has the most cities on the list. Another resource is Sperling’s Best Places. This site evaluates locations on cost of living, schools, climate and crime. You can also take a quiz on your preferences to determine a possible match.

Start the new year considering new options. Be open to spending the first couple of years in your new career in a new place.