Choosing a College Major and Career

1. Job Search2. Create resume and cover letter3. Apply

Look for jobs in four online places

1. General job websites, such as LinkedIn and CareerBuilder,

2. Field-specific job websites, meaning sites that cater to your area of expertise; for example, JournalismJobs.com for journalists,

3. Location-specific job sites; for example, practically everyone in the San Francisco Bay area posts on Craigslist.org, even if they also post to other sites, and

4. Social networks, which may also include email.

Look broadly. You're not going to see great jobs that suit you every single day, so the wider you cast your net, the better.

Where to begin? Browse career websites

Indeed CareerBuilder Monster Craigslist LinkedIn Be aware some job search website specialize in specific fields and may offer a more specific

and detailed look at prospective employers: mediabistro and dice.com

Advice: “In an interview with Forbes, Robert Hellmann, the author of Your Social Media Job Search, recommends that your job hunt consist of 80 percent personal networking, 10 percent talking to headhunters, and only that last 10 percent for online searches and applications.”

Excerpts taken from “The Best Job Search Websites & Apps”

Search Take 5-10 minutes now to search a job site

Anything promising?

Internships and Entry-level jobs If you’re not finding jobs for entry-level positions, you may want to

search some job sites that cater to college students and recent college graduates:

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/rca/tp/best-job-sites-students-2013.htm

Search Take 5-10 minutes now to search for internship opportunities.

Anything promising?

Research the Companies: glassdoor.com

Search Take 5-10 minutes now

to browse companies in your possible career field.

Anything promising?

Personal Networking Using social media

Working in your field at an entry-level job

Internships

Volunteer opportunities

Write down three people you know in your career field. Reflect: How do you know them and how can you get to know them better?

Online Social Media Before a company takes

on the risk and investment of adding you to their payroll, be assured that they will follow your digital footprints beyond your LinkedIn profile. Indeed, they will comb the virtual world in search of potential concerns and liabilities.

Ways in which social media can hurt or help you

Examine your social media accounts What could help

you?

What could hurt you?

Posts That Work Show your interests without sounding desperate

Use social networks to tell everyone you know about what your strikes your interest, as well as your skills and areas of expertise.

Tell them how interesting and valuable you are without sounding desperate for a job, which is a real turn-off.

Post about topics that genuinely interest you, and share why. Follow up with comments along the lines of, "That kind of thing would be an ideal career for me. I'd love to learn how to get my foot in the door!"

Sound curious to learn. And be concise.