Virtual Career Center

Job Search Strategy

Once you've selected your job targets and set your goals, you're ready to develop your job search strategy including a marketing plan, networking and job search tools.

Self-Marketing Strategy and Tools
How you present, or market, yourself will be extremely important to your job search or career change. Steps for building a career, marketing plan and effective marketing strategies include:

• Identify your target companies, departments and positions.
• Build your brand. Clarify the message you want to convey and how you want to be known.
• Develop your marketing strategy and package yourself. Use the marketing tools available to you to convey your message to employers, including business cards, your networking sound byte, targeted resume, targeted cover letter, interviews, portfolio, Internet, e-mail and recruiters.
• Network and tap into the hidden market.
• Utilize the appropriate tools to identify opportunities on the open market including the Internet, classified ads, recruiters and job fairs.
• Don't stop marketing once you start a new job. Market your skills and accomplishments internally and within your professional association.

For more information related to these areas of your job search strategy, follow these links:

• Resumes and Cover Letters
  Resumes & cover letters are usually your first line of contact with an employer. Don't waste this opportunity.
  
  
• Successful Interviewing In Five Easy Steps
  Interviews are the way employers assess your skills and your ability to fit their company culture. Review these steps and sample questions for more effective interviewing.
  
  
• Building A Career Portfolio
  Career portfolios are a way to visually present your abilities and accomplishments to an employer. Learn whether this tool is right for you and how to compile a portfolio of work samples.
  
  
• Networking
  Networking and connecting with opportunities in the hidden market.
  
  
• Job Search Tools
  Job Search Tools for connecting with opportunities on the open market. Includes resources and Web sites for job postings, company research, job fairs and recruiters.
  • Web Job Search Tips
    
    
  • Working A Job Fair
    
    
  • Using A Recruiter In Your Job Search
    
    

How the Alumni Career Center can help you develop and implement a comprehensive job search strategy:

• Professional Development Workshops — We conduct workshops on many topics related to preparing for and implementing a successful job search strategy. Fees for individual workshops are $25 and all workshops are offered at no additional charge as a feature of the Alumni Career Center's Comprehensive Service Package. See the calendar at www.uiaa.org/calendar for details.
  
  
• Career Advising — Our staff can evaluate your job search strategy and offer suggestions for success. Career advising is a feature of the Alumni Career Center's Comprehensive Service Package, available for an annual fee of $160 to Alumni Association members. An option to meet one time for one hour with a career adviser for a $40 fee is also available to Alumni Association members.
  
  
• Alumni Offering Assistance feature of the Alumni Association's Online Directory — More than 40,000 alumni in a wide variety of occupations can give you experience-based information about their work and career paths. This resource is available to members of the Alumni Association and accessible through the Online Directory link at the right.
  
  

• The Complete Job-Search Handbook by Howard Figler, Ph.D.
  
  
• Knock 'Em Dead: The Ultimate Job-Seeker's Handbook by Martin Yates
  
  
• What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles
  
  
• Creating You and Company: Learn to Think Like the CEO of Your Own Career & Job Shift by William Bridges
  
  

• The Job Hunter's Bible: What Color Is Your Parachute? - Richard Bolles presents links to resume, cover letter, networking and research sites, as well as advice on expectations and reality.
  www.jobhuntersbible.com
  
  
• The Riley Guide - guidance from preparation to conclusion of your job search, with links to hundreds of sites for more help
  www.rileyguide.com
  
  
• Career Center at Monster.com
  www.monster.com

Can't find the resources you are looking for? Have questions about the Alumni Career Center services? University of Illinois alumni can ask our career experts for help with job searching and career questions.