La Salle University Expert Offers Tips for Preparing for and Securing That First Job Out of College

Louis Lamorte, Director of Career Services at La Salle University, suggests the following during the process of preparing for and securing a job after graduation.

JOB FAIRS

Preparation is key. As they say, there is safety in numbers as long as you present yourself to the employer. Attending with friends is a great way to cover more employers. What you may not be interested in, a friend may. Personal business cards are a great touch; it demonstrates preparedness and professionalism."

The objective is to sell your skills, your ability to do the job, your experience, and your professionalism. I believe one of the downfalls to a job search is lack of appropriate follow up. Candidates need to take the initiative on this; remember employers may see hundreds of candidates in one day. Ask for a business card or at least what you should do next; doing so will allow you to send a thank you note or make a follow-up phone call a few weeks after the fair (if you don't hear from them first). They may, actually they probably will, ask you to visit their website to review and apply to current openings. Don't get frustrated... yes you didn't have to go to the job fair to do that... but there are reasons why employers do this. First, they are required by federal law to maintain a list of applicants and one of the easiest ways to get you into to their database is via their Web site. But just as important, this is one way for them to identify the serious candidates; if you are willing to take the time or follow their request, you'll project interest.

I would recommend that candidates spend the time before the job fair to review and apply to jobs on an employer's website; that's part of the preparation. Then when you are speaking to the reps, if you see jobs of interest, you can discuss those; if you don't see the position you want or fit, you can ask about potential or future openings in that area.

A personal business card -- not your current business card -- is a great touch; it demonstrates preparedness and professionalism. (There are a number of on-line vendors that offer free color business cards.)

WHAT TO WEAR

When it comes to attire, "professionalism" is the word of the day. Business professional or 'business appropriate' is the proper attire. Candidates should look like they belong in the business, whatever the business may be. Recommended for men: a business suit, generally blue, gray, or brown; a clean dress shirt in a solid color that complements the suit and is “wrinkle-free”: a matching tie that is not too flashy, also complimenting the shirt; and polished dress shoes (that's right no sneakers or work boots).

Recommended for women:  also a business suit, either with slacks or a skirt that hits just above or below the knee (you're not looking for a date); a complimentary blouse or shirt that's not too bold or “revealing”; if you prefer skirts, always wear stockings, sheer or neutral colors; shoes should closed toed (no “toe cleavage”), with a mid-height heel and comfortable...pumps are probably best.

Sound conservative, generic? Well it might be, but the objective is to sell your skills, your ability to do the job, your experience, and your professionalism. Once you have the job, you can begin to project your personality through your attire (if it fits the culture).

COVER LETTERS

Job seekers should keep in mind that the cover letter (as well as the resume) is a candidate's introduction to a potential employer. Thus the best these documents can do is get the job seeker an interview or at least a call back from the employer.

Some basic, and I'm sure obvious, tips on cover letters:

No spelling or grammatical errors (and don't rely on spell check to catch everything; have someone else read the letter, too).

Appropriate and consistent formatting of the letter (flush block left style is acceptable).

Whenever possible, address the letter to a person not a title (this will mean doing some extra research to get a specific name).

Keep it to one page and be sure to sign it.

The cover letter should begin with a brief introductory paragraph that identifies the specific position (or functional area) to which you are applying and how you found out about it. If you have been referred by a friend, a professor or former colleague, this is the place to include that name.

Use one or two succinct paragraphs to highlight your qualifications that match the employers desired or required skills and experience for the position. The key is to write this in a way that complements the resume. Review the job description and requirements to identify what is important to that employer and/or position, then include those skills, experiences and /or education in the letter, with one caveat -- don't repeat every detail from the resume in the cover letter. For example, it's okay to mention a previous position that provides evidence of related experience but it's not necessary to identify the specific employer (as that should be on the resume).

Conclude with a closing paragraph that not only demonstrates your interest to interview and desire to work for that employer, but also indicates what you will do as follow up. I recommend that candidates specifically say they will follow-up by phone...and then actually make the call (even if it means leaving a voicemail or message with someone else). In today's competitive job market and difficult economic times, it is imperative that candidates follow-up with  employers to whom they have applied.

COMPUTER SKILLS

For “non-technical” job seekers, the most requested software skills are for MS Office, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook. No surprises there!

Although most college students and recent grads are very computer-literate and certainly internet-savvy, they would benefit by developing a high level of proficiency with the latest versions these programs/packages beyond what is required in the classroom. Hands-on experience or training seems to work best for most people, so I'd suggest spending time "playing with" the programs.

FOLLOW UP

I believe one of the downfalls to a job search is lack of appropriate follow up. Candidates at a job fair need to take the initiative on this; remember employers may see hundreds of candidates in one day. Ask for a business card or at least what you should do next; doing so will allow you to send a thank you note or make a follow-up phone call a few weeks after the fair (if you don't hear from them first). They may, actually they probably will, ask you to visit their Web site to review and apply to current openings. Don't get frustrated; yes, you didn't have to go to the job fair to do that, but there are reasons why employers do this. First, they are required by federal law to maintain a list of applicants and one of the easiest ways to get you into to their database is via their Web site. But just as important, this is one way for them to identify the serious candidates; if you are willing to take the time or follow their request, you'll project interest.

Send “Thank you” cards to interviewers after your interview, writing that you are serious about working at that company.