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Career Key Newsletter

SPRING 2013

May 7, 2013

Job Seeker’s Stumble: What’s Next?

Bob invested in a professional resume that would best show-case his experience. As soon as it was completed, he began applying to engineering positions on Internet job boards. After applying for more than 50 positions, Bob had received little response beyond auto responses telling him that the resume had been received…

April 30, 2013

Marketing Your Way to a Job

It’s not enough to have the skills and experience that employers are looking for. You also have to be able to market those experiences in a way that demonstrates value to potential employers. With the current competitiveness of the job market, you need to package your qualifications in a way that differentiates you from other candidates…

April 16, 2013

Five Mistakes to Avoid When Job Hunting

Passing on responsibility for your job hunting – There are a lot of external factors that can dampen your job search – the economy, lack of advertised opportunities, sparse feedback from employers. Focus on the positive and the factors that you can control…

March 19, 2013

Professional Dress Requirements for Spring Career Fair

The Spring Career Fair on March 27th gives students the opportunity to network with over 80 employers who are looking for bright professionals to join their organizations. Dressing professionally is critical to making a good impression on employers and representing CCU proudly. Students are encouraged to make an appointment with Career Services prior to the Career Fair for advice on professional dress and other matters of professional decorum.

March 5, 2013

Self Reflection: The First Step in a Successful Job Search

A common mistake recent graduates make when seeking their first professional position is rushing to try to find a job first, then seeing if it's a good fit second.  In the haste to just find a job, many recent graduates lose focus on their career goals.  In reality, the first step of job search success is getting to know yourself and your targets.  As stated by Guardian Careers, "The single most important preparation for job search success is to clarify what you're looking for, what you offer and why this particular job role and industry are right for you."

February 19, 2013

Career Fun Fact

  • 53% of companies plan to hire more interns in 2013 than they did in 2012
  • Nearly 2/3 of 2012 grads have completed an internship
  • 69% of companies with 100 or more employees offered full-time jobs to their interns in 2012

February 5, 2013

How to Write a Winning Objective

Employers typically only spend 10-20 seconds reviewing your resume. Using an Objective can help grab their attention and focus on the key points from your resume. A well-written Objective is direct and highlights the top contributions you can make to the employer. To help you write an effective Objective, the Career Services Center has prepared a list of tips below…

January 29, 2013

Minorities in Marine and Environmental Sciences (MIMES) Internship Program

(MIMES) Internship Program

The Marine Resources Division of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the cooperation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-NOAA) and state agencies is offering undergraduate minority science students internship positions at the Marine Resources Center on James Island (near Charleston), South Carolina. Students will be offered a supportive yet challenging scientific experience: they will engage with scientific mentors to design and complete their own rigorous scientific project, take classes, participate in field work, present their work to peers, and have the chance to meet successful minority scientists…

January 15, 2013

The Informed Job Seeker: Researching Employers

Researching employers is one of the most important steps in a job search. It is also the step that is most frequently left out by students. Employer research is essential to narrow your career focus, determine the positions available, and gauge the job market. Furthermore, employers often assume lack of research equals lack of interest. To assist you, the Career Services Center has prepared answers to the most common questions students have when conducting employer research.

FALL 2012

December 4, 2012

Job Seeker’s Stumble: More than Responsible

Bradley loved fishing and hunting, and had managed to secure a job right out of college for a top-brand fishing rod manufacturer and distributor. With a bachelor’s degree in communications, his love of the outdoors, and an outgoing personality, Brad fit the role of Field Sales Representative very well. After five years of trying to move up the ranks in this family-owned business, Brad realized his career was stalled. Even after talking with the owner of the company about his concerns, Brad did not receive any reassurances about his future with the company…

November 27, 2012

Job Search

For many recent graduates, the first stop in their job search is internet job boards. With thousands of job postings, it seems like the easiest method of hob hunting. Unfortunately, there are also many road blocks to this method of searching. Whether it is competition from the other hundreds of applicants, lack of response from employers, or difficulty contacting companies; the online job search often becomes a dead end. While the internet is a great tool in your job search, it should not be your only tool. Below the Career Services Center had outlined the best ways to use the internet as a starting line for your search…

November 13, 2012

Resume Basics: The Page Debate

Traditionally all resumes were expected to be one page, but as the job market diversified, the length of resumes increased. Today, it is not uncommon to see a 2+ page resume. So how do you know what is the appropriate length for your resume. The most important rule is to let your experience guide the length of your resume. With employers typically only spending 10-20 seconds reviewing your resume, it is important to make sure it is focused directly on the job without unrelated information…

November 6, 2012

Take the Steps for Success in the Workplace

As graduation approaches and you prepare to venture out into the “real world” and start your first professional position, there are many things to consider. That first job should be more than just a way to pay the bills, but also a start to your career. Therefore it is important to make a good impression to be successful in the workplace. To help you prepare, the Career Services Center has created a list of ways to make a positive impact in your first job…

 

October 30, 2012

Internship Success Story: Q&A

Joe Grosso

Major:  Recreation & Sport Management

Graduation:  May 2013

Position:  Game Operations and Marketing Intern, New Jersey Devils

October 23, 2012

Job Seeker's Stumble: Career Fair Follies

October 16, 2012

Resume Basics: Using Keywords

After hours spent carefully crafting and tailoring your resume, you send it off to the employer knowing they read every last word to see just how well your qualifications match the job. In an ideal world, this would all be true. In reality, it is highly unlikely a person is even reading your reading your resume, at least for the initial screening. According to CareerShift, because of the large number of applicants, more employers are turning to Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to manage the volume. This allows employers to track every communication with a candidate to compare with the job requirements. To help you update your resume for tracking systems, the Career Services Center has prepared a list of tips…

October 9, 2012

Common Cover Letter Mistakes

Once you have a stellar resume crafted, the next step is to develop a well-written cover letter. As stated in an article by The Guardian, “Your cover letter is packaging for your resume, so put in the effort to tempt employers to read your whole application.” To help you prepare, the Career Services Center has listed some of the common cover letter mistakes and how to prevent them…

October 2, 2012

Job Seeker’s Stumble: Thanks but No Thanks

Thomas arrived on time and appropriately dressed in a suit and tie for his logistics management interview with Ms. Bennett, Director of Human Resources. He was familiar with the company and prepared to ask questions that showed his interest in the firm. In short, he did a great job of making a positive impression…

September 25, 2012

Confidence is the Key

September 18, 2012

Featured Employer

Announcing the U.S. Department of State Student Experience Program (formerly known as the U.S. Department of State Internship Program).

September 11, 2012

Internship Success Story

Roosevelt Corbett

Major: Marketing, Economics

Graduation: December 2011

Position:  Marketing Intern, Chick-fil-A of Conway

August 28, 2012

The Best Apps to Use in Your Job Search

With both the increasing number of graduates looking for jobs and the cuts in many industries, it is important that you use any available resources to find a job that is right for you…

August 21, 2012

Welcome Back CCU Students!

August 14, 2012

10 Common Behavioral Interview Questions

 Describe your involvement with a team project and what role you take when working on a team.

  1. Give an example of when your attention to detail saved you from making a mistake.
  2. Describe a leadership situation that you would handle differently if you had to do it over again.
  3. Give an example of the most creative presentation/idea that you have developed.
  4. Describe a difficult problem you have encountered and what steps you took to solve it.
  5. Tell me about a time when you had to adjust to changes over which you had no control.
  6. Describe a situation when you had a conflict with another individual and how you dealt with it.
  7. Tell me about a goal you set and did not reach.
  8. Discuss an important written document that you were required to complete.
  9. Give an example of a policy you conformed to with which you did not agree.

 For more information on interviewing and additional sample questions, go to www.coastal.edu/career/jobprep.html.

August 7, 2012

Resume Basics: Tailoring Your Resume

What is the purpose of a resume? An application to a job posting?  A summary of your previous education and experience? Most importantly, it is a marketing tool – a highlight of your top skills and accomplishments that demonstrate you are the best candidate for the position. Therefore, it is essential that your resume it customized for the position you are applying for. As stated by Career Rookie Magazine, “With hundred of applicants vying for each position, tailoring each application to the job requirements can help you get better results.”