Multifaceted Searching in Todays Job Market
By Jill Randolph
July 23, 2010
The following is an interview transcript with Mary Roberts, Director of Georgia College and State University's Career Center. Previously, Ms. Roberts was the Assistant Director of Career Services at Mercer University in the Stetson School of Business and Economics. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Presbyterian College and a Master of Education in Student Personnel from the University of South Carolina. She is a board member for the Georgia Association of Colleges and Employers and is also a member of SHRM-Atlanta. She serves as the Chair-Elect for the University System Committee for Career Services and Cooperative Education and is Vice-Chair for the Georgia Careers Consortium.
Founded in 1889, GCSU is the state's designated public liberal arts university. More than 36 undergraduate degrees and 25 graduate programs are available in four schools. Georgia College is recognized as a "Top Master's university" by U.S. News and World Report as well as one of "America's Top 100 Best College Buys" by Princeton Review.
The University Career Center provides career development services to over 5,000 students and alumni to ensure successful job, internship, and graduate school searching. The center organizes the Internship Fair, Graduate & Professional School Fair, GCSU Career Expo, and the Nursing & Health Sciences Career Expo. The department also coordinates a Career Peer Advisor Program.
Jill Randolph: What are the most common mistakes students make in their job search?
Mary Roberts: Students often focus on one method and fail to use all of the resources available. They also underestimate the power of networking and researching before making assumptions. Additionally, they complete applications without following directions, they make spelling mistakes and they write generic cover letters.
Not targeting their letters toward a specific position or company is a big mistake that can completely take them out of the employment recruiting process very early. The sad thing is that some students don't realize what they are doing wrong. To demonstrate their genuine interest in a job, they have to do more than write one cover letter and send the same one with every application.
Also, when they interview, students often make the mistake of not thoroughly researching an organization and the job description so that they are able to sell why they are the best fit for the position during their interview. Another mistake is not following up with companies. They also don't keep good records. Part of the challenge of having everything online, is that people don't have hard copies of all their information, so they tend forget information more easily.
Students need to have a set strategy and spend two hours a today being productive and looking for opportunities. Networking and taking initiative are also key. Everyone wants the biggest result with the least amount of work, but hard work truly increases the odds of achieving their objective.
Jill Randolph: There are currently many unemployed people applying to jobs, including those for which they are overqualified. What do you recommend students and recent graduates do in order to outshine their competition?
Mary Roberts: It's nearly impossible for recent graduates to compete with people who graduated 10 or 20 years ago, which is why internships are so important. Students should make a concerted effort while in college to gain experiences they can discuss with potential employers. They should pick one or two things they are passionate about and get involved in those areas.
Students also need to be well rounded so that they can compete with their graduating class. A student with a 4.0 GPA who has no extracurricular activities may struggle to find a job, which is why it's important for students to use their college's career center, even as freshmen and sophomores.
Jill Randolph: Does your school offer any seminars or classes in order to introduce and explain your services to freshmen?
Mary Roberts: We have a freshman academic seminar on-campus. It's academically oriented and each academic department has the freedom to conduct it as they see fit. When we are invited to these courses, we give seminars on networking and on how to create professional resumes.
For many student jobs on campus, resumes are required in order to apply. Some students don't think they need resumes, but once we talk with them about scholarship applications, they realize the increased importance.
Students who visit their schools' career center early on will be ahead of the game when they are juniors and seniors. If they have the basis for their resume, practice with mock interviews and the experience of attending a career fair, they will have a much easier time when interviewing and submitting applications when the time comes.
At our career fair in March, it was great to see students who had been in our office seeking help to prepare for the event. When students aren't dressed appropriately and don't conduct themselves as they should, we are blamed. However, when they are prepared, it makes us all look good.
Jill Randolph: How do students respond when you try to explain the value of your services?
Mary Roberts: Those students who visit our office for help have a completely different approach than the ones we talk to in a class they are required to attend. When I talk to a class, I'll have five or six who listen and others who don't see the importance.
Jill Randolph: Do you have any websites, books, or other resources that you recommend?
Mary Roberts: I refer students to www.jobweb.com, which is run by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. It has information on the job market, proper resume format, as well as resume samples. The Occupational Outlook Handbook is great for students who want to look at specific majors.
Additionally, "What Can I Do With My Major" is a program designed by the University of Tennessee. We purchased the rights to post a link on our website, and we also use it with seniors and alumni who aren't sure which paths they wish to pursue.
In terms of books, the workbook that partners with What Color Is My Parachute is a good resource because it forces people to examine their lives and the things they enjoy doing in order to determine a career path. I also recommend Do What You Are, a book that further explains career and personality types related to the Myers Brigg Type Indicator Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview? and The Knock ‘Em Dead Series are very good as well.
We prefer online resources, and it amazes me how many students don't use Google to search for the information they want. We have an online service for students and alumni called "Career Connection", which is accessible access through our website, gcsu.edu/career. We have jobs and an employer directory on the site and it is the primary way we communicate with our students, especially if there are recently listed job openings.
In terms of events and services we offer to the public, we partner with Augusta State on the Educator Exposition every February. It is open to public because the Teach Georgia Program also works with us to organize the event. People from all over the state attend. There are also statewide career fairs that may be available to students if their school participates.
Upcoming events that our office will be hosting include our Graduate & Professional School Fair on October 25, 2010 and our off-campus career fair, named the Career Opportunities Fair, on November 10, 2010 in Atlanta. A list of participating schools is available at www.georgiacareeropportunities.org.
Our statewide career fair, the GACE College-to-Career Fair will be April 13, 2010 and the website is www.gace.org/careerfair. We will offer that fair again next April 2011. Our on-campus fairs are limited to GCSU students and alumni. Our off-campus fairs in Atlanta are open to students and alumni from GCSU and participating universities.
Jill Randolph: What is your opinion on the use of specific salary sites during salary negotiations in the job search process? Do you have any cautionary advice for students?
Mary Roberts: I refer students to salary.com, but they need to complete other research as well, because a median salary estimated on salary.com may be high for a student with minimal entry-level experience. They should talk to people in the fields that interest them to research typical starting salaries, as talking to industry people is the way to determine more accurate numbers for their area.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook can also provide useful information depending on the particular career field the student is focusing on. There is usually salary range information in the Handbook, but it may not be as specific as salary.com.
It's important that students consider the cost of living for the area they are researching because it makes a big difference in their salary negotiations. They also need to be prepared to negotiate other critical elements of the job such as start dates, weeks of vacation, and possible dates for salary increases.
It's important for them to realize that negotiating is about more than the salary. The benefits that a company offers may outweigh the cost of a lower salary, especially in the long term.
Jill Randolph: Do you think the aggregate job search websites like Indeed and SimplyHired pull their listings from certain companies, or do companies submit the listings themselves?
Mary Roberts: SimplyHired has a more advanced search system in that they pull from companies and job boards. SimplyHired is a useful tool to get students thinking about companies and opportunities they may not have thought of. Though it normally has good information, students should also visit the company website to ensure the posting is still valid. I also like the advanced search option on SimplyHired because you can filter information so that it only pulls jobs from company websites.
The key is using the Internet to research and find information. Many people go to job interviews without having completed research so that they can best sell their skills to that company. They don't know the demands of the position or how the company operates. However, they can use information found online to be more prepared. The Occupational Outlook Handbook is also a solid resource to be able to research the demands of their intended career. People overlook a great deal of information and miss out on opportunities to sell their skills by not completing company or industry research.
Jill Randolph: You had mentioned that you were an English major. What are some of the benefits of a liberal arts education, as opposed to earning a degree in a specific subject like engineering or nursing?
Mary Roberts: Many people choose a major because of practical reasons. Some pick a major because they are really good at that subject, but they don't always know how it will help them professionally. Part of our role is to provide the oversight to encourage students to think about their major in a different light and how it may impact their career path.
Although I was an English major, I knew I was never going to be an English scholar. English majors don't have to become professors or teachers because they majored in a liberal arts field. English forces students to learn how to write and communicate, and regardless of the job, people need to know how to communicate and to be persuasive. English majors enter into a variety of different fields such as insurance, as well as traditional fields such as education.
A liberal arts background creates and develops individuals who are flexible, which is what employers are looking for. Our nursing or education majors are also required to have a liberal arts background. We are constantly encouraging students to think about their lives after graduation and their desired future impact on the world, which we believe prepares our students to be flexible and productive in the working world.
Everything is changing, which makes it's hard to predict which fields will be thriving in 5 or 10 years. We push our students to think about the future, because it prepares them to hone their lifelong career seeking skills. Under almost every circumstance, graduates' jobs that they have right after college don't last forever. They will make career and job changes, and they need to know how to do that effectively.
Getting through to all students is a challenge, because some students think they know exactly what they want to do with their lives, and they don't want our help. For those students, we have to work hard to demonstrate the value of our services.
Jill Randolph: How has searching for a job changed from the past, and how has stayed the same?
Mary Roberts: In the past, people may have been successful without using all of the different job search methods. People still may search passively, research on the Internet, and find something. However, we encourage people to challenge and push themselves to do more. In this economy, jobseekers must be aggressive and active.
At a recent SHRM meeting I attended, I was impressed to see many jobseekers from the HR field were in attendance with the sole intention of networking at the event. Many people will not do that.
However, jobseekers who are having trouble finding employment should make the effort to connect with people in their field. Linkedin is an excellent resource because in addition to connecting with people you know, you can join professional groups that will expand your network. Looking online everyday and not finding a good match can hurt a person's self-esteem, especially if it is the only facet that they are doing.
It is also important for jobseekers to connect with people in the companies they are targeting, because opportunities they never may have considered can be discovered. Putting themselves in the shoes of their potential employers can also make it easier to locate desirable job postings.
Jill Randolph: How has the job market changed over the past year? Have there been any signs of improvement, and if so, in which areas?
Mary Roberts: I started to see a big change last spring on this campus. The Georgia Association of Colleges and Employers hosts a career fair every April, typically with 130 to 150 employers. Last year, we only had 70 employers and it was a challenge to persuade those companies to register. This April we had over 80 register, which may be a sign that the job market is slowly improving.
This year has been challenging for us as well. We have alumni contacting us for help, which had not been as prevalent in 2007 and early 2008. Most of the students who use our career center and casting a wider net are finding jobs, but those who are looking for a specific position are taking longer to find employment. Those who are more open minded and are willing to move or perhaps start in a field that isn't necessarily where they see themselves in the future are more likely to find a job quickly. These opportunities can provide the students with valuable experience.
There are many students who want to stay in Atlanta or Middle Georgia, and have limited themselves in that regard. It's a challenge for those who have lost their jobs and are unwilling to relocate. There are several good local companies, but they can't hire everyone. People have to broaden their search if they want to see results more quickly. Otherwise, they need to realize that their job search will probably take longer. In a good economy, it takes six to nine months to find a job. In a bad economy, it may take much longer.
Jill Randolph: Do most of your students stay in Georgia or the Atlanta area after graduation?
Mary Roberts: Most of our students are from Atlanta, but many also come from the Macon and the Warner Robins area, where we are located. We don't have as many out-of-state students, but they are often the ones who want to leave Georgia. We recently conducted a survey at our career fair, and about 50 percent said they wanted to relocate to Atlanta, while 48 percent said they wanted to stay in this area after graduation. The remainder, which was a very small amount, said they wanted to leave the state. We are conducting another survey on-campus to solicit additional feedback.
As a smaller community, we have many manufacturing plants that are no longer operating, which creates another challenge for students who want to stay in this area. There are less employers and less jobs here than in the past.
Jill Randolph: Do you think that most of your students are from within the state because of the Hope Scholarship?
Mary Roberts: I am sure that has a lot to do with it. We recently changed our mission when we became a designated Liberal Arts University. Now students can use their Hope Scholarship to stay in the state and attend a public liberal arts university. Previously, we were losing students to other states.
Jill Randolph: Do other states have any similar programs?
Mary Roberts: Yes. South Carolina has the Life Scholarship, while Florida offers the Bright Futures Scholarship. There are different scholarships available in several states, often funded by the state's lottery.
Jill Randolph: What is the most unusual interview question you've ever heard?
Mary Roberts: I remember being asked whom I would like to eat dinner with if I were able to pick anyone throughout history. At the time, questions like this seem silly, but employers ask them to assess creativity in an applicant and to learn more about them as people. Students need to realize that there is always a purpose for questions like these.
There is also a legal aspect of the interview process. Students should be aware that some interviewers will ask questions they shouldn't, and interviewees need to be prepared to decide whether to answer the question or to go around it. Most of the time, however, interviewers are very professional, because they are concerned about doing anything wrong.
Students can receive help on answering these and other job search questions from our office. All they need to do is visit one of our teammates to receive training on assertive and multi-faceted job search techniques, which will help them stand out from other applicants.
