During our course giveaway, we asked how your job search was going.

Results were really interesting.  More than 50% of those who responded have a job and about 40% are still looking or exploring options.

We thought some straight-forward, practical career advice might be a useful follow-up.

So we reached out to our friend, Lisa Torchiano, at the UVM Career Center, and here’s her advice. Of course, you can connect with the Career Center directly for support – stop by drop-in hours (for those in BTV area) or make an appointment with a career counselor (in person, phone or Skype.).

If I don’t have a job yet, what should I be doing aside from applying for jobs? 

• Don’t shy away from internships. They are great ways to build industry specific experience and do it during a specific timeline.
• Volunteer your time. Nonprofit organizations can benefit and you can grow your skills while supporting a cause you care about.
• Create a LinkedIn profile and use it for research and outreach.
• Craft your elevator pitch, your explanation of what you are looking for, and share that with friends, family, professors, and former colleagues.
• Network! Arrange informational interviews in which you can learn about industries and career paths. Alumni can be great resources for this; use LinkedIn to connect.
• Develop a skill set that is connected with your desired next steps. Take a class, watch online videos or do research.

What are some popular online job search resources?

• Before I even mention other online resources, I want to make sure readers know that one of the best features of Catamount Job Link is the employer contact information. This is often the hardest information to come by in a job search. This is worth a great deal both for positions you are applying for and proactive employer outreach.
• The Research Career Fields page on the Career Center website is a goldmine of industry specific job search engines and professional information.
• Indeed.com should also be in your toolkit. It’s a powerful search engine; strong search words are key especially in large cities. And, you can have search results sent to you every week or so.

If I want to go to grad school next year, what should I be doing now to prepare?

• Start researching the programs you are interested in and note their deadlines. These dates creep up quickly and some may be as soon as November and December of this year for fall admittance.
• Study for and take any required entrance exams (GRE, LSAT, MCAT, etc.).
• Start writing your statement of purpose. Depending on how many schools are you applying to, you may be writing numerous different statements. It’s never too early to start.
• Connect with professors. You will need anywhere from 1-3 letters of recommendation and often a number of those are required to be from faculty members.
• Check out the Career Center’s Graduate School page for information on the entire application process.