Career Services Update - week of December 9, 2002!

 

* Congratulations – We are actively working on the new job board and we need your help!  Job offers are beginning to roll in and we want to ensure that all of you get the recognition you deserve!  Please go to our congratulations form and fill out as much information as possible so that we may update our database and get your name on our board, directly outside the Career Services office. 

 

* Thank you!  - Special thanks to Mark Wallace and Betty-Jane Meader for their contributions to our December Brown Bag Lunch.  Our topic was "Marketing Yourself" and if you were unable to attend, you may find highlights here.

 

* Job Hunting tips -  Collegegrad.com reports good and bad news for upcoming college grads. The good news is that planned entry level hiring is up slightly. The bad news is that the hiring results are only marginally better than 2002, which was the worst year for entry level hiring in 20 years!  Their advice is start early and start NOW! They have put together the results of their 'Top Entry Level Employers' survey and listed their results here.  This site has links to all the top employers' sites and career pages, if they have them. 

 

* Career Fairs – Spring dates are now available on-line.  Make plans now to visit these career fairs open to all Thomas College students!

 

* Cover Letters - SIX MISTAKES TO AVOID!  When writing a cover letter, be aware of the following six mistakes that can jeopardize your success.

  1. Typos and Grammatical Errors:  Your computer spell-check will not have a problem with the fact that you used the word "to" instead of "do", and even some grammar-check programs do not pick up the nuances, such as the too familiar "I'll" instead of the more formal and professional "I will".  let another pair of eyes read your cover letter; someone else can often pick up simple mistakes that may land your letter in the circular file!
  2. The Redundancy Factor:  Your resume should speak for itself; to tread the same ground in a cover letter is time-consuming and pointless.  Use the language into the job ad or job description.  Those "key phrases" will stand out.  You could also detail a particular achievement or relevant experience you have had that may not be listed on your resume, such a community service experiences, committee or volunteer work, and personal interests that relate to the position but have a smaller place on your resume.   
  3. Saying What You Do Not Have:  Never tell an employer, "Even thought I have no specific experience in this field..."  A negative statement will burn its way into an employer's mind.  Accentuate the relevant experience that you do have.  Build a bridge between your experience and the experience a potential employer is expecting.
  4. "Ted or Mary Who?"  Be sure to get permission from those with whom you have networked to use them as references in your cover letter.  mentioning someone's name with whom you have had limited contact may result in an answer of "Who?" And sometimes, it is bad office etiquette for an existing employee to give an "outsider" the heads up on a position.  Ask first!
  5. The Dear Sir/Madam Problem:  If at all possible, strive to uncover the person responsible for filling the position.  A vague salutation such as "Sir/Madam" turns your cover letter into a form letter.  If you are taking the time to send your resume, take the time to find out to whom it should be directed.
  6. "Call Me if You Want Me" Syndrome:  State plainly at the conclusion of your cover letter that you will be checking in with the prospective employer a week after the closing date to set up a potential meeting, and then do it.  Leaving it up to the employer to call you if he/she is interested lends an air of insecurity or ambivalence to your letter.  Take the initiative!  But if the job ad specifically states no phone calls, you will have to be patient!

* Weekly humor...

 

Duplicate faxes

Bill Yates has a ditz for a secretary; the other day he asked her to send a FAX to Microsoft in
San Juan.. Later on that day , he gets a call from San Juan Microsoft:
"Hey Bill!, how come you keep sending me the same FAX over and over again? I got 83
Duplicates of the same FAX!"
"Uhh, I dunno," he said, "I'll ask my secretary".
So he went to his secretary, who was still at the FAX machine, and asked, "San Juan said they're
swamped in my Faxes, what seems to be the problem?"
She answered; "Well, it's not me!, I keep trying to send your FAX out to them, and it keeps coming
out the other side of the FAX machine!"

 

Have a great week!

 

Career Services

Thomas College

Waterville, ME

(207) 859-1106 - phone

(207) 859-1114 - fax