What does it take to land a job?

Quick answer — it’s takes TIME and DISCIPLINE.

In order to conduct a thorough job search, you need to reserve a few hours throughout the week.

Of course this means you already have all the materials ready to go: a well-written cover letter and a resume that highlights your relevant skills and knowledge. Remember, the job of the cover letter is to intrigue and entice the reader to view your resume. With the combination of a great cover letter and resume, you land the interview.

You will also need to carve out time to prep for the interview. Len Morrison, Director of Career Services, hosts an excellent interview prep workshop that transitions from the research phase to putting a strategy together on how to answer questions and how to back up the answer with examples.  Many companies are using the phone screening method to decide if you make it to the next round. No biggie, because in completing the interview prep workshop with Len, you’ll be prepared with your elevator pitch and know why you’re interested in the company, organization, or agency.

Considering all your materials are ready for action, you’ll need to schedule in various times to apply for jobs and to do some networking. I suggest scheduling an hour a day, maybe during your lunch time, to peruse web-based resources.  Apply to at least four jobs a day, three days a week. Eventually, you’ll get in the rhythm of applying to many more — and you may even land your dream job!

 

 

 

 

By Colleen Murphy
Colleen Murphy Senior Associate Director, Pulsifer Undergraduate Career Development Center