Mansfield University Home PageJob Hunting Strategies:
Finding a job is a job… A college degree doesn’t guarantee you anything, but with one, you have an advantage over those who don’t: You have knowledge, problem solving skills, critical thinking abilities and persistence.
Career Center:
job postings, on campus job fairs, employer interview days, access to regional colleges’ career events...start with us! (Collegecentral.com/mansfield)
Networking:
Family, friends, classmates, faculty, staff, former bosses. Tell people you are looking; ask them for leads about jobs. Networking is the #1 way people get hired. There is NO OTHER METHOD MORE EFFECTIVE THAN NETWORKING!
Mansfield University:
The Career Center hosts on-campus recruiting events (check our calendar). Your faculty is often a great source for job leads because they often have long-term relationships with different employers and MU alums. You should also get involved with the MU Alumni Association, which is a great way to network with our graduates.
Traditional media:
Newspaper (the Sunday section is best for job opportunities), radio, and local TV cable access channel.
Professional Organizations/Licensing Agencies:
Similar to networking, but with a professional focus. People who belong to these organizations are very active within their profession. In addition, these groups host their own job posting boards for members only.
Employment Agencies:
You might also consider applying to work for an employment company, which then tries to place you with their client companies. You can experience a lot of temp work, but it’s a good way to broaden your network, sharpen your skills and learn new ones.
Nontraditional methods
Think about volunteering. True, you won’t make much money, but you will meet people and this can be a way to network your way to a job. Also, when you think about employment, don’t just think of corporate or business environments. Great jobs can be found in the non-profit sector (working for charities, government). Not everyone is suited for a corporate career; maybe you are one of them.
Internet:
Used strategically, the Internet is terrific for job searching. If you focus your searches toward your major and the most relevant industries, you may have pretty good luck. If you use the big boards (HotJobs.com; Monster.com, etc) you’ll be in a very large ocean with much bigger fish than you can compete against. They are worth a look, though, just to get familiar with the latest hiring trends, where the jobs are geographically, and what employers are generally seeking.
Internships:
Virtually every survey of employers demonstrates one truth:
Students with internship experience as part of their undergraduate experience are more likely to receive job offers, and at a higher salary rate than those students who do not have any experiential education.
Internships help you gain real world experience in a field related to your academic major, and they also give you contacts for your professional goals.
Internships may be for college credit or not, they may also be paid or not. Some internships are part-time; others are full-time (these are usually called cooperative experiences).
At Mansfield University, if you are enrolled in an academic program that requires you to complete an internship, you must work with your academic advisor to arrange for your internship.
If you are enrolled in a major that does not require an internship, but you’d like to serve one to build your experience, the Career Center can help you locate potential internship opportunities.
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