Hope everyone had some fun this summer.  I meant to write more blogs, but the season flashed by like the TGV.  At least we're harvesting some great corn!

The last post was from my extraordinarily gifted colleague Marshall Karp.  Today's is too.

Will Employers Come Looking For Me While I’m In School?

                                                                                                              by Marshall Karp

Hello!  I am Marshall Karp, guest blogger for Carol today.  I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.  I am a Career Counselor and provide Career Counseling, Career Testing, and Job Search Skills Training Services.  I have had my own business helping people find and get jobs they like for a really long time—over 25 years.  I love my job!

But, enough about me, I’m here to help you.  Today’s post is how to get the maximum out of on campus recruiters.  Normally, I talk in terms of how to go out and hunt down employers and openings, so it is a rare opportunity when they come looking for you.  Take advantage of it.

First, do not wait until the week before graduation to go to your school Career Services Office.  Go as soon as possible.  Go today and work with them, even if you have just started college.  Working closely with the CSO (Career Services Office) and checking in with them frequently will be your best chance of having a good job waiting for you when you are done with school.  Part of working closely with the staff is being in the loop when they set up on campus company recruiters.

Company recruiters work for the employers.  It is their job to scout out new and up and coming talent.  If this is a field in high demand, recruiters are looking for the top ranked graduates from different departments and programs.  A company may set up interviews on colleges because they are having a hard time finding employees. Some recruiters view college campuses as just another hiring venue they use.  There are other reasons that companies send recruiters to college campuses. One ice-breaking question you can always ask a recruiter is why they chose to come to your campus.  The first interview will probably be a preliminary screening interview.  Recruiter interviews could need an appointment set up ahead of time or may be open to students on a walk in basis.

• As this is a formal interview, go prepared:
•  Look nice
•  Smell nice (from a shower; not from overwhelming perfume or after shave)
•  Have a thirty second sales pitch (about your studies and your skills) ready and give it
•  Have your resume ready and give it
•  Research the company and position
•  Work with Career Services on your interview skills
•  Go to any Interview Skills Workshop
•  Practice, practice, practice the thirty second pitch and answering interview  questions

I want to talk about the first point, looking nice.  First impressions are, sometimes, everything.  You will need to come dressed as professionally as you can.  For you men, that is at least a shirt and tie and for you ladies, a business-like dress.  A huge problem you may have to overcome is looking young.  Now, there is nothing you can do about looking young, it’s who you are right now.  But by dressing professionally, you will appear to be a MATURE young person.  Companies don't hire immature looking people.  Whatever you do, DON’T WEAR JEANS!

Should you go?  I mean, you may not be done with your training or you may not feel you have much to offer or the recruiter may not be in a field that particularly interests you or whatever.  I am going back here to an old job-hunting tip: Never turn down the opportunity for an interview.  Interviewing is like anything else you can learn by practice, the more you do the better you will get.

Just to close, job hunting is like bike riding, sky diving, alligator hunting or whatever.  If you have to do it, you have to get started sometime.  On campus recruiters give you a great opportunity to test out and start to acclimate to the hiring process.   So give it a shot.  No, let me take that back.  Give it your best shot!

Carol's note: Given the economy, the cost of gaining a university degree, the time it takes to gain a university degree (average six years), over whelming debt and under whelming job opportunities, your parents stress over funding your education, etc., it's never too early to begin your job hunt or getting ready for it.

If recruiters come to your campus, find out when, what departments they are recruiting from.  Undeclared freshman take note of which majors get recruited.  This tells you about job market demand. If your major or intended major is not recruited for, and you really want to work in the field of your studies, you need to begin your after college job hunt two years prior to graduation.  Really.

 In my research for What Color Is Your Parachute for Teens, I discovered that students who began internships or field related employment the summer of their sophomore year most often left university with degrees and jobs.{jcomments on}