Staying Flexible in a Tough Economy: Insight From a Northeastern University Career Director
By Jill Randolph
November 30, 2010
The following is an interview transcript with Maria Stein, Director of Career Services for Northeastern University. Northeastern University, also referred to as "NU" or "NEU," is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. U.S. News and World Report has ranked NU’s cooperative education program -one of the largest in the world - among the best in the nation. With the school's proximity to major hospitals, health centers and pharmaceutical firms, Northeastern's researchers are exploring issues related to drug discovery and delivery, medical imaging, urban health, health care delivery, and rehabilitation medicine.
NU's research has earned recognition from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency. NU's notable alumni include Shaun Fanning, founder of Napster, Jane Curtin, actor and founding member of "Saturday Night Live", Carla Cook, jazz vocalist, Jim Fahey, National Hockey League defenseman of the New Jersey Devils, and Sean Jones, NFL Green Bay Packers player.
Jill Randolph: How has the job market has changed over the past year and have you seen any signs of improvement?
Maria Stein: The good news is that we are not hearing about layoffs as much and that is a positive sign, but the jobs are still not back to the level they were three years ago. In a lot of ways, that aspect is very similar to what we saw last year.
We are seeing more internship and co-op opportunities. This makes sense because employer confidence isn't back to past levels yet, and they are still waiting to see what happens. Co-ops and internships allow employers to bring in young talent and evaluate interns’ performance. If positions become available, employers can convert interns to full-time hires.
We have made an effort to be proactive with employers. For example, when the Wall Street mortgage sector took a tumble, we started working with insurance companies because we perceived a deregulation coming to Massachusetts. We anticipated that insurance companies would be opening and the insurance business in general was going to pick up as a result of the economy.
We did a lot of outreach to insurance companies, non-profits, and the federal government because they were projected over five years to hire roughly 20,000 people. That number is now over 200,000. We have also been exploring the green economy, and green companies trying to open up opportunities in our area.
We are fortunate that Boston is not bank heavy. It has more biotechnology and other technology, and this is one reason that we were not hit as hard as New York City. It has taken longer for students to find jobs, though. In fall of 2008 the labor economists predicted an 8% to 9% drop in employment for college students by January 2009, and that became 26% by the end of spring. At one point, it went all the way up to 40%. Our students have stayed below those numbers, but we did lose some positions. If we had not been proactive, we probably would have approached the national average.
We developed a workshop last year on the subject of devising a plan B. The purpose was to confront the reality that students may not immediately land their dream job with their dream employer. A primary focus was developing transferable skills so that students will be ready to move into their desired position or field when the economy opens up. Many opted to take the course after graduation, and when we surveyed those students in June, about 80% who wanted a job had one, meaning roughly 20% were still looking - not bad given the state of the economy. Our goal is ensuring that Northeastern students have the best career counselors and resources. We are proactive in our approach with employers instead of waiting to hear what labor economists are saying.
Jill Randolph: How has searching for a job has changed from the past, and how has it stayed the same?
Maria Stein: The use of technology allows many students to think they can post their resume on Monster, sit back, and the jobs will automatically come to them; that is just not realistic. Consider how many people are uploading resumes to Monster; in this economy employers are getting hundreds of resumes for each job they post.
Instead, students should use jobsites strategically. It's okay to pick one or two reputable sites. We use Husky Career Link, which is our job bank of those employers with whom we've developed relationships.
But more significantly, students need network proactively by tapping into their alumni contacts, joining professional associations, and seeking informational interviews. In short, it’s about having a job search strategy that's multifaceted, and not just about posting their resume and waiting.
Networking is still critical. 80% of jobs are never posted; someone who knows someone fills them. Networking is a time consuming process and is all about exploring jobs and industries, acquiring informational interviews and building connections and contacts in order to have referrals when they are needed. We offer different programs to teach students how to network because it can be overwhelming.
Jill Randolph: Regarding resumes and cover letters, do you think one has more importance over the other?
Maria Stein: It depends on the industry. Employers looking to hire engineers, computer scientists, and pharmacists typically don't require a cover letter, but the employers for nonprofit and educational settings usually do. They want to see that the candidate is making a solid case and the cover letter also offers an assessment of written communication skills.
Jill Randolph: Do you think objective statements are important or are they out of style?
Maria Stein: Objective statements really don't do anything. They are limiting and waste two to three lines at the top of the resume, which is considered the hot zone. Most employers and recruiters spend the majority of their time in the top two-thirds of the resume, so the most important information should be there, instead of a weak objective statement.
If an alumnus has significant experience, a summary of qualifications is recommended, which should include three to five bullet points detailing his or her strengths as they relate to that organization and job.
Jill Randolph: For students interested in relocating, how would you recommend they establish connections in a specific city?
Maria Stein: We are fortunate to have alumni in many key states and countries. If we don’t know someone in a particular city, we can probably connect the student to someone in the state. We also teach students how to use a career search to identify industries and key players in a geographic location.
Students should look for companies that we may have local connections with or people who could give us a contact in that city, town, or organization. Often a person is moving to a city because they know someone, and they should take advantage of their network. If we have reciprocity with a university in that city, students can tap into their job postings and that may open up other opportunities.
Research is very important. Students need to investigate the organization and find out who the key players are, then identify any connections they may have through professional organizations or their larger network.
Jill Randolph: What advice do you give students regarding social networking?
Maria Stein: Students need to be careful because they often post their entire lives on Facebook. This is fine if they are aware that potential employers are Googling them, and they are comfortable with what they will see.
We encourage students to build a professional presence on LinkedIn for networking. We do a lot with LinkedIn workshops and LinkedIn labs. If students are moving to another city, they can use LinkedIn to identify people in that city and in target organizations.
Twitter is another resource. I have a career counselor who is tweeting on a regular basis and has been acquiring followers. We also have a Facebook fan page that we use to communicate events, workshops, and programming.
Jill Randolph: Besides building a network and conducting basic research on people, do you have any specific advice on LinkedIn for students?
Maria Stein: It is a tool to use wisely. Posting questions, offering information, and asking for advice are all good ways to engage people and make connections. Students can use it to share just about everything; for example Northeastern has a strong co-op program and students preparing for a first co-op experience can use it as a tool to ask for advice on interviewing. Another basic point is to stay active so people remember you are there.
Jill Randolph: Are you suggesting that students make comments in different groups and email more often?
Maria Stein: Yes, not silly everyday life occurrences, but rather something they learned from their tax accounting class or AutoCAD class. They can utilize the news feed area for this. It becomes more strategic when deciding what to post because they need to keep in mind the potential employers they are targeting.
Jill Randolph: What are the most common mistakes students make in their job search?
Maria Stein: They are passive and don't complete enough preliminary research. They read the job description, and think they know everything about an organization, but ultimately show up unprepared to an interview.
They don't think their strategy and messages through or break down the job description to understand what the company is looking for, what skills they have, and how those two points relate. They should look at the companies’ website, see who the companies’ competition is, and make the case as to why they are the strongest possible candidate for that particular job.
I always tell students that looking for job is a full-time job. Every day, they should be doing something for their search. Another important piece to remember is that they need to interview the company as well, because as a professional, they want to make sure that it is the right environment for them to develop their career. It is a two-way street; the company is going to pay them to do a job, but they also need to develop professionally and increase their marketability. Keeping good records is also important so they remember to follow-up and know when to do it.
Jill Randolph: Do you think some students are not flexible because they are set on an exact job title and salary when they get out of school?
Are they discouraged if it doesn’t manifest, or do you think they are more open-minded to different opportunities?Maria Stein: Students personalities run the spectrum. There are students who know exactly what they want to do: the job title, the industry, and the company. Then there are the students who don’t know what they want to do, where or with whom.
The approach to help these two mindsets is different. For the student with a concrete plan, we reiterate the importance of a plan B; career choices are not black and white. As a 22-year-old just starting in their profession, some students may think they will still be in that field or with the same organization in five years, but human beings are dynamic, and they are bound to change their mind as they gain exposure in a constantly changing world. Staying flexible and open to opportunities is important because students never know where that open mindedness might lead.
For the person who is vacillating and interested in several areas, the search becomes more varied. It is important that they understand the subtle differences in resumes for different types of positions and industries. If they have a very wide area of interest, helping narrow down some of the things they are really passionate about is the first step. If students are passionate about what they do, job seeking is a lot more exciting and a lot less like work.
Jill Randolph: Do you have any other advice for those students who haven't completed an internship and still don't know what they want to do?
Maria Stein: Sometimes students are not ready to make that decision; they have many options, and no sense of which is the best one for them to pursue. The good thing is there are many opportunities available to volunteer with organization such as the Peace Corp, City Year, and Teach for America. Depending on their interests, those might be options or they may need to try some assessments.
If they have more than one area of interest, they can develop two different resumes and two different job search strategies. That is more time consuming and requires a lot more structure. When students are targeting two areas, it can be difficult to talk with enthusiasm to the same extent about both. It is important to understand that employers want the really passionate people that not only want the job, but also want to be involved in that organization and industry.
Jill Randolph: Do you have any tools in place that help students break down their interests and find out what is a good fit for their personality?
Maria Stein: We offer MBTI, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and Skill Scan, which helps to identify skills each student enjoys using. We also simply look at some of their interests and consider how those skills would be helpful in a work environment. If students are younger and struggling then we also do work with the Campbell and the Strong Interest Inventories.
Jill Randolph: Do you think that the Strong would come in handy for students with more experience that are transitioning, or is it really geared towards younger underclassmen?
Maria Stein: It can be useful for upper-class students depending on where they are getting stuck. Sometimes it is helpful to use two or three different assessment tools to build a bigger picture. Students can assess and explore what was appealing about the three careers that were suggested. But just because the results may indicate that a student should be a lawyer, it doesn’t mean the results are accurate. Inventories are a guideline, not an end-all, be-all.
Jill Randolph: There are currently a lot of unemployed people applying for jobs including those for which they may be overqualified. What do you recommend to your students they highlight about themselves so they will stand out in the crowd?
Maria Stein: Before students apply, they should look at the position, break it down, and analyze the pros and cons. Then they need to adapt their resume to clearly address the skill sets that the employer is seeking.
If they can quantify their skills, they should do so to further define their experience. For example, if they can show that by recommending a new process they saved a former employer $20,000, that's impressive because it shows contribution to the bottom-line.
In short, it is making sure the resume speaks to the job. If the student includes a cover letter, it should address the skills that he or she will bring to the job. It should be used to expand upon anything that might not be included in the resume. Lastly, the student should use his or her network to identify anyone within the organization that he or she may know or anyone with a connection that could refer him or her to someone in the company.
If the student gets invited to an interview, he or she should prepare with a practice interview. We use Interview Stream, which allows students to practice interviewing at home with a video cam, or web cam and a computer. Students need to practice and not leave an opening for any surprise questions. They should also have questions prepared to ask because employers do not want to hear they don’t have any. It is also important to let the employer know they want the job and feel it is an exciting opportunity with the type of organization they are seeking.
Jill Randolph: If a student is willing to pay his or her own relocation, would you recommend that he or she provide digital and phone contact information only or should the student also include a home address?
I have heard that it could be beneficial to use an acquaintance’s address who lives in the city where the job is located.Maria Stein: With the technology today, no one is sending snail mail anymore. Most employers are either calling or emailing applicants. I don't think students need to list a physical address, especially if they are relocating to a part of the country where they don't have any connections. By leaving the address off, they are freeing up space in the hot zone, and they can utilize those two lines to give more concrete experience, which is superior to the address.
Jill Randolph: Do you have any specific career-related books or websites that you recommend to your students?
Maria Stein: I like the book "Can I Wear My Nose Ring to Work" by Ellen Reeves. It discusses how students want to be individuals and how that can pose a problem in Corporate America where there is a perceived role model. We also offer vocational biographies to help students learn about particular industries.
In terms of websites, it depends on the industry. If the students are engineering majors, the resources are different than for arts or science students. Idealist.org is good and careersearch.com is another useful resource to research companies by industry and location. It has both state and international options.
Some others are SimplyHired.com, CareerLink.com, Indeed.com, Rileyguide.com, and since we are doing more with the federal government, FederalJobs.com. I get requests at least once a week to link to someone's site. We can’t link to all of them, so anything we recommend has a lot of reasoning behind it, and we think it makes sense for our students.
