Department of Sociology & Crime, Law and Justice

Finding a Job

Job-hunting is a time-consuming process that will demand a good deal of your energy. However, there are steps you can take and resources you can utilitze to maximize your chances of success. Every semester, you'll want to take advantage of the seminars offered by Career Services in the Bank of America Career Services Center. Seminar topics include writing resumes, learning how to network, making the most of career fairs, and looking for jobs on the internet.

What is a résumé?

it's a marketing tool.
it's a summary of your experiences, academic preparation, and accomplishments which are relevant to career objectives and which attest to your work ethic, organizational skills, etc.
It's a snapshot of what you have to offer.
It is a fluid document that changes frequently.

What a résumé is NOT:

your résumé should not be an exhaustive list of everything you’ve ever done
a résumé is not your autobiography
résumés are not one-time projects which seniors complete right before or after they graduate

How do I get started?

reflect on your educational background, jobs you've had, organizations and activities in which you've participated, special honors you've achieved, and skills you've developed
list these items using some of the headings above
read about résumés and résumé styles
start drafting! Don't be afraid to try out different résumé styles to see which ones appeal to you.
consult with the counselors in Career Services or with the advisers in Oswald Tower if you feel "stuck".

Some Résumé tips:

proofread your résumé
ask someone else to take a look at it, too.
focus on accomplishments rather than on descriptions of your duties.
be prepared to revise your résumé frequently.

What is networking?

Networking involves talking to people and making contacts with individuals who can help you find out about job opportunities.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that 70% of all job openings are not advertised, recruited for, or made known outside of an organization. In other words, 7 out of 10 jobs are secured through the "who do you know" method of job search.

But I don't have a network…

Yes, you do! Think of all the different roles you have at this point in your life---and all of the people you know through those roles.

I am … a student

a Penn Stater

a volunteer at…

an intern

a member of my religious organization

a former employee …

a current employee at …

a friend

a niece/nephew

a neighbor

All of these individuals are part of your network.

Ways to expand your network

participate in events involving alumni and visiting practitioners
develop your curiosity about what people do professionally-talk to people about their jobs
inquire about opportunities to job-shadow professionals for a day
complete an internship
participate in Lionlink- a networking service coordinated by Career Services and the Penn State Alumni Association; it's free!
always send a thank you note to anyone who's extended a helping hand to you.

Searching for Jobs Online

Job-hunters shouldn't focus all their energy on applying for jobs posted online, but it is helpful to check out different Web sites, like those below, for job announcements.

http://www.asanet.org/cs/root/leftnav/publications/publications
http://www.jobweb.com
http://www.lib.lsu.edu/gov/fedgov.html
http://www.careerbuilder.com
http://www.monster.com