GPS 470: Senior Seminar (2020): Finding Jobs

Keep an open mind as you search for job opportunities. The writing, critical thinking skills, groups projects, and research skills you've learned at Hollins will allow you to apply for a wide array of job opportunities. Think back to any positive experiences you've had related to internships, work study, previous work experience, or class projects - could any of those lead you to a job? What parts of the job did you like most? Try to brainstorm keywords related to those experiences when searching for a job.

Below are some job you may be qualified for:

• international worker
• legislative aide
• Peace Corps or AmeriCorps volunteer
• admissions counselor
• affirmative action assistant
• alumni relations worker
• college placement worker
• extension service specialist
• public health educator
• student personnel worker
• teacher
• advertising staffer
• banker
• computer analyst
• consumer relations worker
• control engineer
• data entry manager
• human resources manager
• insurance agent
• issues manager
• labor relations staffer
• market analyst
• merchandiser/purchaser
• planning assistant
• production manager
• project manager
• public relations staffer
• publishing staffer
• social media strategist

Indeed.com is a national job search engine. You can use keywords or select a location to narrow down your search. On the search results page you can use filters to narrow down the results even more (note: use the filter "Entry Level"):

Where else can I look? If you know a particular sector you would like to work in, there may be specific search engines for you use. For example, if you'd like to work in Higher Education you could search HigherEdJobs.com or ChronicleVitae.com. Interested in a job with the government or local municipality? Search a specific city's job website (e.g. Roanoke) or search USAJobs.com for federal jobs. For nonprofit jobs, try Idealist.com.

You may need to Google "______ jobs search engine". 

Use the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook to get information on job outlooks. You can also use this site to get a general idea of job opportunities and quickly see the educational requirements. 

Before you move or accept a job offer, you need to think carefully about the cost of living in your area and your net (take home) pay. Use the calculator's below to help you:

ADP's Paycheck Calculator  - be sure to select the correct state and fill in the annual salary. To get an idea of how much you will take home per month, set your pay frequency to monthly. This calculator will give you a general idea of your after-tax salary. This does not account for health insurance or retirement deductions. 

Cost of living calculator - use this to compare the cost of living with Roanoke.

Consult the Hollins Career Center for help preparing your resume and cover letter. Below are some general tips:

• Prepare a resume. Emphasize broad analytical and communication skills. Highlight internship and job experiences. Ask an advisor or college career counselor to critique your resume. Make sure you have no grammatical or spelling errors.
• Put together a sample cover letter. While a cover letter should be tailored to the specific job to which you are applying, it can be helpful to write a sample letter. Cover letters should be no more than one page and are primarily an opportunity to show how your skills match specific job requirements. Be sure to show your skills, rather than stating them. (For example, instead of listing “team player” as a skill you could write about contributions you made to a successful team project.) Be sure to proofread your cover letters for spelling and grammar. Ask a professor or advisor to proofread and critique your letter, too.
• Seek an internship with a business or organization that interests you. Internships provide valuable work experience and potential professional references.
• Begin searching online to explore potential job opportunities. 
• Tap into your networks. Alumni groups, acquaintances, and mentors can be valuable sources of career advice. Consider requesting informational interviews with acquaintances whose careers you would like to emulate. Professional networking sites like LinkedIn are also useful for researching potential career paths and contacts.

List adapted from ASPCA's "Entering Job Market" suggestions.