Job Zone E-News
Winter
2011-12 Issue:
Holiday Break – Make the Most of It!| Job Zone Tip | Upcoming Events | 8 Tips for Requesting LinkedIn Recommendations | A Laughable
Holiday Break – Make the Most of It!| Job Zone Tip | Upcoming Events | 8 Tips for Requesting LinkedIn Recommendations | A Laughable
Ahh…. holiday
vacation…a time for lounging around, eating goodies, sleeping late and
just vegging at home, right? Think again! Whether you are graduating next
spring or looking for a co-op in upcoming quarters, holiday break is the
perfect time to kick your job search into gear. Take advantage of your
down-time and a more relaxed atmosphere to put yourself a step ahead of the
competition by considering the following tips:
- Do some company research; find out what’s new in your field - what are some of the “hot industries” to explore? Consider all industries, not just the one(s) you’re interested in, and also look at non-profits and government to uncover possible employers.
- Review and update your resume – get some input and feedback from family, friends and neighbors to help critique and make suggestions.
- Find a professional in your field and set up an informational interview or shadow someone for a day to help you better shape your career goals.
- Now is the perfect time to look for a mentor – someone with whom you can establish an on-going relationship and who will continue to give you career guidance and advice throughout the process and in the future.
- Ask your parents for help with brainstorming ideas, uncovering new leads and discussing career goals. Really, they might surprise you!
- Network – use all of those holiday gatherings as opportunities to connect with neighbors, friends, former teachers, etc. Check out other networking events at home that might put you in contact with people in the community who might be able to help you. Put that “60 second commercial” to good use in all social and professional situations!
- Volunteer! Helping others by giving your time not only makes you feel good, but can potentially lead to some good personal connections and/or give you a chance to gain some additional professional experience to enhance your resume.
- Sending out cards or email greetings this year? Writing thank you notes? Include a note to let others know you are on the job hunt and to keep you in mind if they come across anything that might be of interest.
- While you have a little more free time on your hands, familiarize yourself with some of the social networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook – how can using these sites help you with your job search?
- Check out some job search sites you haven’t used before like Vault, Internships.com, Universe.jobs, Indeed.com, Glassdoor.com – are there any sites specific to your field?
- Take advantage of those after Christmas sales to find some good discounts on clothes to wear to an interview.
- And finally, make it your New Year’s resolution to get organized and get that job search in motion. Happy New Year!!
JOB ZONE TIP
Job Zone is a vast resource that you can access at any time
to find out the latest happenings in the Co-op & Career Services Office.
Not only is it the place where you can find help with resume and cover letter
writing; learn about negotiating offers and interviewing, it is the central
location to find the schedule for workshops, career fair events, employer info
sessions job postings and on campus recruiting. Your program coordinator may
send you a reminder the week of an event but you should be checking the Events
page and the institute calendar on a regular basis to learn what upcoming
events are taking place.
You can quickly find events in 3 places on our website:
1. Under the Events – workshops/info sessions tab on the
main student page of our site http://www.rit.edu/emcs/oce/students/workshops-and-company-info-sessions
2. In the events calendar (Job Zone) and short cut box on
the main page http://www.rit.edu/emcs/oce/students?usertype=student
3. On the Institute calendar
So don’t just rely on your coordinator! Be proactive about
your career development. Use our site to find out about upcoming events!
UPCOMING EVENTS -- WINTER CAREER PROGRAMS FOR YOU
Job Search Savvy for RIT Grads and Co-ops
So…you've worked hard to get great grades, attended the
Career Fair, applied to jobs online and learned about your career options…
BUT…do you know what it really takes to make your job search
a success?
We have the answers for you!
- Join us for our Winter Quarter 2011-12 line-up of NEW guest employer speakers, recruiter panelists and career experts delivering programs designed to help you:
- Refine and sharpen your resume and develop killer cover letters
- Sharpen your interviewing and presentation skills
- Negotiate job offers for expanded benefits and increased salary
- Use social media effectively to maximize your career options and job prospects
- Expand your professional network by connecting with RIT alumni and recruiters-learn about resources and tips on outreach
- Transition from military to civilian careers
- Navigate the US employment marketplace
- Learn recession job search tips for new college grads
- Find opportunities in the "hidden job market"
- And more…
Check our website at www.rit.edu/co-op/careers to learn
more and to reserve a spot in our sessions. We look forward to working with you
to help you achieve your career success!
8 TIPS FOR REQUESTING LINKEDIN RECOMMENDATIONS
How to Ask for an Endorsement from Your Contacts on
LinkedIn
From Patricia
Pickett, former About.com Guide
It might feel awkward to ask some of your former colleagues
for recommendations - perhaps it makes you feel like you're begging them to
sing your praises and talk about how much they like working with you on both a
personal and professional level.
But if you really think about it, recommendations on
LinkedIn are a lot like regular reference
letters that some employers would expect to see before they hire you. It's
a normal part of the job search process to ask for a recommendation when necessary,
so LinkedIn recommendations should be viewed as no different.
So how exactly do you go about asking for a LinkedIn
recommendation?
Here are eight tips for getting some good recommendations
that will demonstrate to recruiters and prospective employers that it is well
worth considering you for a position:
1. Use the LinkedIn Recommendations tool:
If you go to your Profile page and scroll down to view your
present and previous positions, you will see how many recommendations you have
for each position (if any), and a link that says, "Request
Recommendations."
Click a link for a particular position, and you will be
taken to a page where you can choose which connection(s) you would like to ask
for a recommendation (up to 200).
You can opt for the standard "Can you endorse me?"
message, or write your own.
Hit "Send," and the contacts you have chosen will
receive your message.
2. Personally Email Contacts: This is another option if you
don't want to use to use the LinkedIn Recommendations tool. Some recipients
might respond better to this, as they won't feel like you're spamming all your
contacts in the hopes of getting recommendations - you've specifically chosen
them.
3. Write a Recommendation for Someone Else First: If you're
still a little shy about asking, you could always take the initiative and write
a recommendation for that person without being asked, and then hope he or she
will write one for you to return the favor. Most people will be nice enough to
reciprocate.
4. Ensure You Contact People You Know Well: No matter what
method you choose for requesting recommendations, make sure it's someone with
whom you've worked closely, and who you think would feel comfortable giving you
a recommendation. There's nothing more annoying than getting a recommendation
request from someone you didn't work with extensively enough to be able to
offer concrete, honest feedback.
5. Word Your Request Politely: When you ask for a
recommendation, try to convey the idea that the recipient shouldn't feel like
he or she is under any obligation. You can use phrases such as "if it's
not too much trouble," or "when you have a chance," to
communicate that you are respectful of the other person's time.
6. Specify the Job Posting: If the recommendation is for a
specific position, make sure you direct the person to the job ad to offer them
some context for their recommendation.
7. Provide Some Suggestions for What You'd Like Mentioned:
This applies for both general recommendations and those that are specifically
written for a particular position you are pursuing. You don't have to give your
contact a word-for-word rundown of what the recommendation should say -
although sometimes writing a sample paragraph for them can help them get
started - but you can list some qualities or skills that you would like
highlighted.
8. Thank Your Contact and Return the Favor: When you receive
a recommendation, do not forget to thank the person - and if you haven't done
so already, write a recommendation in return.
A LAUGHABLE
What do you call cheese that
isn't yours?
Nacho Cheese.
Rochester Institute of Technology Office of
Co-op and Career Services
How exactly do you go about asking for a LinkedIn recommendation? cover letter templates is necessary?
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