It was a great interview. As you started to leave the office, your potential employer asks you for the names of two references.  Who do you ask?

If you are applying for a job or completing a graduate school application, at some point you will have to ask someone to provide a recommendation.

As a student, your list of references should include a faculty member, preferably in your major and an employer reference from an internship or part time job. Most graduate programs will require two faculty references and perhaps a non-academic reference.

Develop a list of 5-6 people who are potential references. Qualify each of these professionals in respect to your relationship. Is this someone who knows you well because of your participation in classes and who can comment on the academic quality of your work? Can they adequately predict your ability to succeed? As a former internship employer, will your reference be able to cite specific projects along with an assessment of your performance?

Arrange an appointment or stop by during office hours and meet face to face with each of the people on your list. Be prepared. Bring a copy of your resume and the job description or graduate program brochure. (Do not text a recommendation request with a link to a website.) Create a short list of why you are pursuing this job or graduate program and talk to your potential reference about what you would like them to emphasize. Does the employer require good communication skills? Ask if the faculty member could cite your final paper and presentation as an example of your skill match. Is the graduate school looking for people with a commitment to their community? Ask the reference to mention the time you spend tutoring in the local elementary school.

Selecting a reference takes time. You may have someone say no. Or, you may have someone agree and not follow up. Always have a back up. People forget. Provide deadlines and enough lead-time to avoid last minute panic. This is not a time to be shy. This is part of your marketing strategy. Your references should feel confident with both the information you have provided and their direct experience with you to recommend you without reservation.

Not every career field rewards its ’stars’ with the level of recognition of the Academy Awards ceremony. If you want to be the best in your field and be recognized by your peers, your job search should lead you to the organizations who are ‘world class’. If you believe regular feedback is critical to your success, narrow your search to employers who are known for frequent evaluations and celebration of achievement.

How employers and professions recognize accomplishments are indicators of a culture placing high value on its’ employees. If this is your preference, there are some resources to help you learn more about organization culture. Each year Fortune Magazine publishes ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’. This article, published in February provides a summary of each company including their size, average annual salary and benefits. This year the listing also highlighted the companies in the top 100 who are hiring.  Fast Company magazine published a list of ‘The World’s Most Innovative Companies’ in the March 2009 issue.This list evaluates employers on innovative ideas and creative execution. In September, Business Week published ‘The Best Places to Launch a Career’, a listing of 50 companies hiring entry level employees. Similar to the Fortune article, this listing provides some insight on how students, employers and university career offices compare employers. Computerworld offered its’ top ‘100 Best Places to Work in IT’ list in June with data on who is best at retention, training, diversity and career development. Working Mother magazine has published their list of ‘100 Best Places to Work’ for fifteen years. This survey looks at actual budget allocated for work/life programs, on-site day care and policies in place to support the advancement of women. The site includes additional lists on ‘Best Companies for Multicultural Women’, ‘The Best Green Companies’ and the ‘Best Law Firms for Women’.

Take a few minutes to review these lists. The data will help you establish ‘values’ benchmarks. A large part of your success in the workplace depends on your ‘fit’ with your peers and the culture. If you want that Oscar, start acting, directing, animating and producing. If you value recognition and cannot act, direct, animate or produce, find a place that retains its’ employees, provides training, budgets for work/life programs and connects you with a mentor.

You have to find an internship. Everyone you know has one. How do you find the one that is right for you? Where do you start?

You have the advantage of living in a major metropolitan area. You are not restricted to summer internships. There are many options and you can work during the semester. Begin your search by asking a few questions. How do people in your career field typically find work? What is the skill set an employer wants in a new hire? What is the profile of a successful professional in this field?

If the answer to the first question is: ‘you start as an intern’, you know your first step. In today’s economy the typical entry path into any organization is through an internship program. Talk to your friends who are interns this semester. You may find that downsizing in their industry has provided them with more responsibility in the workplace. As employers have to ‘right size’ to meet budget goals, interns are filling the gap.

What is the skill set you will need to successfully launch your career? What expertise should you develop that complements your academic record? Look at the job descriptions for internships in your field. They will give you a clue to an employers’ requirements. Most employers are looking for strong written and verbal communication skills. In addition, they need folks to help them solve their business problems and manage client needs. These generic skills are portable across most organizations and will add to your portfolio even if you decide not to pursue a related career at the end of your internship.

Finally, research the profiles of leaders in your career field. What is their story? What work experiences did they accumulate on their way to a leadership position? This will give you some indication of the road to follow. Internship Week panelists will provide additional ideas and options.

As an intern you will observe the organization culture and decide if this is a place where you can succeed.  Your employer will have the opportunity to assess your performance over a period of time and decide whether to extend an offer.

In the end, you have to start somewhere. Nothing can replace ‘being there’.

If you are considering a summer internship, now is a good time to start the process. Next week is Internship Week, the semiannual event to connect employers with USC students. The format groups employers by career fields and combines a panel discussion with a networking component. Sessions begin on Monday, February 23rd and continue through Thursday, February 26th. If you cannot attend, you can listen to the podcast of the panel discussion along with those of previous events.

This is the year to take advantage of any opportunity to mingle with employers. If you are a freshman or a senior, attending events and making connections will help you establish a competitive presence. Why should an employer hire you for an internship over other candidates? You should be prepared to answer the question. To do that, continue to research potential career fields and employers.  Talk to people about your career aspirations. Internship Week provides one venue to build on what you may already know about a field or employer. Or, it may open up new possibilities you have yet to consider.

Review the schedule and select the panels you plan to attend. Develop some questions to ask the employers. At these events you should be looking at the nonverbal clues to organization culture. The panelists are successful at the places they represent. Many share the common experience of a USC education. How do they dress? How do they present the internship opportunities? As you listen, what questions come to mind that will help you assess if this is a place where you can succeed?

If you don’t find what you are looking for at Internship Week, continue to use connectSC and set up an appointment with one of our internship advisers. If you are going home for spring break, now is a good time to identify possible summer internships closer to home. Spring break is a great time for interviews.

Take some time this week to update your resume and get ready for Internship Week.

Does the competitive nature of the new economy change the relationship between a prospective hire and the employer? Over the past few weeks I have heard from a number of students who are interviewing for entry level positions. Many have expressed concern over aspects of the recruiting process with fewer positions available. All seem to be looking for the ‘perfect’ solution to manage the process. Did I make the best impression?  How do I follow up and maintain contact with the employer? If I receive an offer, how quickly should I accept?

What has changed this year is the number of opportunities. What has not changed is the process of finding a job. It may take longer and you may have only one offer. The key is not to let the overlay of economic news shake your confidence.

You will make the best impression by being prepared. Do your research. Conduct information interviews. Practice interviewing. Don’t memorize answers or overthink the process. Be educated, but be yourself.

Once you have connected with an employer, always ask about next steps. Get a sense of decision points and timeframes. Always acknowledge the time a recruiter spends with you in an interview with a handwritten thank you note. Realize that most employers do not IM offers. Follow up within the timeline set by the employer.

Once an offer is made, give yourself time to consider all aspects of the position. Do not make a decision until you see the offer in writing. If there are aspects you wish to negotiate, schedule an appointment with the recruiter and have the conversation face to face. Your research gives you a sense of industry standards and your negotiation should be fall within those guidelines.

Economic conditions add an extra element of anxiety to the job search. Analyze your competition. Know your strengths. You cannot control an employer decision, but you can manage your role in the process.

Looking for work is not just about becoming expert in your field. You must also demonstrate an understanding of global issues. You have to be clear on where you want to be in five years and how this job will help you acquire the skills to get there. And you have to be clear on your definition of success or you won’t know it when you see it.

At this point you may be so focused on the economy and who will employ you that you may have neglected an aspect of your research that is not directly related to your job search. Here are my ‘cliff notes’ suggestions for catching up.

There are three authors whose name you should know: Thomas Friedman, Malcolm Gladwell and Po Bronson. The first two are authors with books on the NY Times bestseller list, ranked number nine and one respectively. The third is the author of an article included in the January issue of Fast Company magazine.

Let’s start with the issues around globalization and the environment. Thomas Friedman who writes a regular Op Ed column in the NY Times has written a book, ‘Hot, Flat and Crowded’. His main premise is that the United States in a unique position to recapture a role of global leadership by taking the lead on conservation issues. Take some time to read his article, ‘The Power of Green’ in the NY Times Magazine and you will be able to have a lively conversation on the issue with a potential employer.

Malcolm Gladwell is a name you may find familiar with his previous books, ‘The Tipping Point’ and ‘Blink’. Last month his new book ‘Outliers’ was published. In it, as in previous books, Gladwell takes complex academic research and translates it using anecdotes in this case, to help us understand why some people may be at an unfair advantage to succeed. In a November article for NY Magazine, ‘Geek Pop Star’, author Jason Zengerie summarizes the main points of the article , including the 10,000 hour rule.

Finally, Po Bronson, who wrote the bestselling ‘What Should I Do With My Life?’ in 2001, updates his concepts in a new article; ‘What Should I Do With My Life, Now?’ He challenges some popular myths of the downturn in the economy and challenges the job seeker to think about the future vs. what you are doing now.

Finding a job is more than a match of resume to job description. It is connecting on a variety of levels with the people who will make the hiring decision. Broaden your knowledge base and you will be more confident in your communication and a more competitive candidate in your job search.

Today our website has a new icon: ‘Trojans Hiring Trojans’. With a click on this button any member of the Trojan family can post a job or an internship exclusively for USC graduates and students. The success of our alumni over time has been supported by fellow alumni. In this competitive job market, we encourage all our alumni to ‘think USC first’ when hiring new staff. In listing a position on ‘connectSC’ an employer has access to over 7,700 alumni and over 12,000 current students.There is no charge to post a position. Our staff will be happy to assist you with any questions. Contact us at 213 740 9105. Fight On!