Conducting Your Job Search

Candidates looking for jobs and employers seeking candidates find each other in a variety of ways. A comprehensive job search should utilize as many strategies as possible and include resources that are unique to one’s career field of interest.

Whatever your ideas are, it will be important to get organized. Recognize that you must make time to research and develop plans. Schedule time each day to do something rather than spending energy worrying and feeling anxious. The Career Development Center offers multiple resources to assist you with your job search.

Preparing for Your Job Search:

• How to Find a Job Quick Reference Guide provides strategies for finding openings and addresses multiple issues, including understanding what employers want and identifying what you have to offer.
• Our Looking for a Job in a Tough Economy Quick Reference Guide provides tips and encouragement for job seeking when jobs are scarce.
• Our Tips for a Successful Job Search Quick Reference Guide is a compilation of advice and wisdom from The Career Center Directors National Benchmarking Group, 2009.
• To help identify strengths and skills in preparation for your job search, we recommend Top Ten Strengths Exercise and Transferable Skills.
• You should also have prepared a well-written, targeted resume (or resumes) and learned how to write strong cover letters PRIOR to beginning your search.

Identifying Openings

• eRecruiting: CDC's web-based career management system, eRecruiting, lists positions from across the country, with many in the NY metropolitan area. All currently matriculated BU students have an account. Alumni may access eRecruiting for a small yearly fee.
• Networking: Through the Binghamton University Alumni Association Professional Network on LinkedIn, you can tap an expansive group of fellow alumni for networking. If you're a current student looking to learn about career fields, expand your professional network, and or improve you job search strategy, we encourage you to join the LinkedIn subgroup specifically for student-to-alumni professional networking. Included in the Student-to-Alumni Professional Network subgroup is a network of Binghamton alumni who have volunteered to be contacted by current students regarding their career. Alumni network volunteers can provide information and assistance whether you are conducting a job search, considering graduate school or contemplating a career change. Although the Network is not an employment or placement program, it is designed to help you connect with alumni and tap their talents and insight. The Networking Quick Reference Guide provides more information on successful networking.
• Job Search Links: CDC has also identified potentially helpful websites for your job search. Please note, this is not an exhaustive list nor does CDC endorse any of the sites posted. They are listed solely for your convenience.
• Short-Term Opportunities: It may also be helpful to explore term-of-service opportunities. These shorter-term assignments, generally one or two years in length (i.e. City Year or AmeriCorps), are a great way to gain skills and make contacts while giving back to the community.

Additional Resources

• Career Advancement Program Loan (CAP): To help defray the cost of finding employment and related activities, the CDC, through a generous gift from the May Company, parent company of Lord & Taylor, offers current matriculated Binghamton students the Career Advancement Program. CAP is a revolving loan fund to which students may apply for funds to support expenses associated with exploring career interests, pursuing an internship, applying to graduate school, or seeking employment. If you’re unsure of the appropriateness of a request, seek the advice of a CDC Counselor.
• Salary: It is important to research salary prior to your job search so that you have realistic expectations of what your salary should be. Our collection of salary links may be helpful in determining fair pay in your career field. In addition, it is advisable to research salary in relation to your location, as cost of living expenses impact how much an employer is willing to pay.
• Relocating: Prior to relocating, it is important to learn about the community to which you may move. CDC has identified numerous relocation links that you may find useful as you consider a move to an unfamiliar location.
• Ethics: Understand  your rights and responsibilities throughout the job search process. Read Playing Fair ... Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Job Seeker by the National Association of Colleges and Employers Principles for Professional Practice Committee
• Third-Party Recruiters: The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) defines third-party recruiters as "agencies, organizations, or individuals recruiting candidates for temporary, part-time, or full-time employment opportunities other than for their own needs." For tips on how to work effectively with these agencies, see A Student's Guide to Interviewing with Third-Party Recruiters.
• Do your research on the organizations you are considering applying too. A helpful website is the Better Business Bureau (www.give.org/bbb/index.asp) which enables you to determine if a business or charity is accredited by the BBB. Business which do have met the BBB Code of Business Practices. Part of this involves a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints.

The website of the Career Development Center at Binghamton University contains links to other websites as a convenience for its users and is not responsible for the contents of any linked site.