Universityof
Scranton / Office of Career Services
Your Rights and Responsibilities As a Job Seeker By
theNational Association of Colleges and Employers Principles for ProfessionalConduct
Committee (Planning Job Choices: 1996)
Choosing and attaining meaningful post-graduation employment is an importantchallenge, for college students. To aid this process, your career centerand employers develop connections and programs, such as on-campus recruiting,resume referral services, and job fairs, in which you and your fellow studentsare active participants. In order for this process to be successful everyoneinvolved must work together. NACE's Principles for Professional Conductprovide guidelines for that process to guarantee: -that students can openly,freely, and objectively select employment opportunities, making these choicesbased on their assessment of the best use of their abilities, their personalgoals, and all other pertinent facts; -a recruitment process that is fairand equitable to students and employers alike; -support for informed andresponsible decision making by students.
1. Confidentiality Career staffs are expected to exercise sound judgementand fairness in maintaining the confidentiality of student information,regardless of the source, including written records, reports, and computerdata bases. Disclosure of student information outside the college/universityshould only be made with your prior consent unless health and safety considerationnecessitate the distribution of such information.
2. Freedom of choice You're entitled to be assisted by the career staffin developing a career plan and making career decisions without havingstaff members' biases or personal values imposed upon you.
3. Access to all services and events Career centers may charge studentsfor registering or taking part in certain services or events. Such feesshould be sufficiently nominal so as not to hinder you from participating.
4. Access to career information All students, regardless of personalor educational background should be provided by career staffs with equaland full access to information on career opportunities and types of employingorganizations. Career staffs are also expected to inform you how and whereto obtain information which may influence your decisions about an employingorganization.
5. Testing information Career staffs should inform you of the availabilityof testing, the purpose of the tests, and the disclosure policies regardingtest results.
...AND FROM EMPLOYERS
1. Confidentiality - Employers are expected to maintain the confidentialityof student information, regardless of the source, including personal knowledge,written records/reports, and computer data bases. An employer shouldn'tdisclose information about you to another organization without your priorwritten consent, unless necessitated by health and/or safety considerations.
2. Accurate information - Employers are expected to provide accurateinformation about their organizations and employment opportunities. Thisincludes, but is not limited to, positions available, responsibilities,career advancement opportunities, and benefits.
3. Freedom from undue pressure - Employers are expected to provideyou with a reasonable amount of time to make a decision about acceptingan employment offer. They are also expected to provide you with a reasonableprocess for making your decision. An unreasonable process, for example,is one in which the student is told that the offer is good for a set amountof time; unbeknownst to the student, the same offer has been made to others- and the student who accepts first gets the job. In addition, it is improperfor employers to pressure you to revoke your acceptance of another joboffer.
4. Timely Communication - Employers are expected to inform youof your status in the hiring process and communicate hiring decisions withinthe agreed-upon time frame.
5. Fair Treatment - If an employer is required by changing conditionsto revoke a job offer that you've accepted, you're entitled to a fair andequitable course of action. That can include, but is not limited to, financialassistance and outplacement service.
6. Testing Information - Employers should inform you in advanceof any testing, the purpose of the tests, and their policies regardingdisclosure of test results.
7. Nondiscrimination - Employers are expected to avoid discriminationin their recruitment activities and to follow equal employment opportunityand affirmative action principles.
1. Provide accurate information - Provide accurate informationabout academic work and records, including courses taken, grades, positionsheld, and duties performed.
2. Interview genuinely - That means interviewing only with employersyou are sincerely interested in working for and whose eligibility requirementsyou meet. "Practice" interviewing is misleading to employers- wasting both their time and money - and prevents sincerely interestedcandidates from those interview slots.
3. Adhere to schedules - Appear for all interviews, on-campusand elsewhere, unless unforeseeable events prevent you from doing so. And,if you can't make the interview because of an unforeseeable event, notifyyour career center or the employer at the earliest possible moment.
4. Don't keep employers hanging - Communicate your acceptanceor refusal of a job offer to employers as promptly as possible, so theycan notify other candidates that they are still being considered or thatthe position is filled.
5. Accept a job offer in good faith - When you accept an offer,you should have every intention of honoring that commitment. Acceptingan offer only as a precautionary measure is misleading to the employerand may restrict opportunities for others who are genuinely interestedin that employer.
6. Withdraw from recruiting when your job search is completed- If you accept an offer or decide that full-time graduate or professionalstudies are for you, notify your career center and withdraw from the on-campusrecruiting process immediately. And, let employers that are actively consideringyou for a job know that you are now out of the running. By informing everyonethat you've got a job or are headed to graduate school, you not only geta chance to brag but also to help your friends who are trying to get oninterview schedules or who are being considered.
7. Claim fair reimbursement - If an employer has agreed to reimburseyou for expenses you incur in its recruitment process, your request shouldbe only for reasonable and legitimate expenses.
8. Obtain the career information you need to make an informed choiceabout your future. It's up to you to acquire the information aboutcareer opportunities, organizations, and any other information that mightinfluence your decisions about an employing organization.
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It is wise to consider all of the following strategies and use as manyas you can to maximize your chances of securing a job.
NETWORKING
Employment experts agree that networking is the best way to uncoverjob leads. Based on the concept of the "old boys network," thisrelies upon your ability to establish contacts who can give you insideinformation on job leads. Use relatives, neighbors, friends, faculty members,colleagues, clients and (ex) employers to create your own individualizednetworks. Expand your network through professional associations, clubs,and other membership groups.
INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS
Informational interviews - in which you interview for information aboutcompanies and industries rather than specific jobs - are also an excellentway to uncover leads. If you are able to establish good rapport with theinterviewers, they will inevitably tell you about specific job openingsin their organizations.
HELP WANTED ADS
The help wanted ads normally are considered the advertised or publicizedjob market, rather than the hidden market. The greatest disadvantage isthat the publicity of a job opening in the newspaper forces you to competewith many job applicants.
INTERNET
Tap into an immeasurable number of job vacancy postings and career information.
Examples of some informative websites:
* University of Scranton (uofs.edu)
* Chronicle of Higher Education (chronicle.merit.edu)
* Federal Job Listings (fedworld.gov)
* Medsearch for health care professionals (medsearch.com)
* Index the University of Scranton's Home Page.
Under Student Life you will find Career Services. The resources includedhere
are:
Job Openings Posted at Career Services
Internet Employment Bulletin Boards/Career Resources
Resume and Cover Letter Writing Assistance
Graduate School Information
Resources for Government & Non-Profit Organizations
DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGNS
Writing letters to the hiring authorities in companies that interestyou, regardless of whether a specific position has been advertised, isa good way to locate unadvertised positions.
EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES
Understand the payment structure and the nature of the services offered.Employment agencies may work for you in finding a suitable position orfor an employer in finding a suitable candidate. (Use "National Directoryof Personnel Consultants by Specialization" in Weinberg Library)
TELEMARKETING
The telephone is one of the best ways to uncover job leads. Use theYellow Pages listings or directories from professional associations tocreate a target list of companies and individuals.
TEMPORARY HELP AGENCIES
Temporary or interim jobs are an excellent way to gain a foothold intoa company. From the inside, you can initiate discussions with hiring authoritiesto learn more about their needs, while establishing your own credibilityat the same time.
COLLEGE CAREER SERVICE OFFICES
Many colleges provide helpful job search services such as on- campusrecruiting, job listings and alumni directories. An alumni membership directorycan be an invaluable resource tool to identify potential networking contacts.
PROFESSIONAL & TRADE ASSOCIATIONS
Magazines and journals with some job listings are published by theseassociations. Some even have a placement service. (Use directory titledNational Trade & Professional Associations of the United States inCareer Services)
JOB FAIRS
Job fairs are a wonderful place to gather information about potentialemployers and conduct informational interviews. Submitting a resume canresult in a call for an interview. Watch your local newspapers for listingsof upcoming events, then gear yourself up for an interesting day's work.
STATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES
Local offices of the state employment service maintain a daily listingof job openings in the local area, the state, and the entire nation, througha computerized job bank.
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Job Search Strategy
Number Using Strategy:
Send Resumes to Employers 214
On-Campus Interviews 104
Job Fairs 104
Resume Mailing 103
Contact Previous Employers 80
Employment Agency 54
JOB SEARCH STRATEGY EFFECTIVENESS U. of S. Undergraduate Classof
1994
4 - very effective 3 - effective 2 - somewhat effective
1- not effective at all
Job Search Strategy Average Effectiveness
Send Resumes to Employers 3.19
Contact Previous Employers 3.13
On-Campus Interviews 2.74 E
mployment Agency 2.41
Resume Mailings 2.31
Job Fairs 1.93
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Job Search Resources Number Using Strategy
Career Services Staff Members 164
Family Members 138
Want Ads 137
Friends 135
Faculty 107
Job Posting 81
Employment Directories 68
Job Databases 28
JOB SEARCH RESOURCE EFFECTIVENESS U. of S. Undergraduate Classof
1994
4 - very effective 3 - effective 2 - somewhat effective
1- not effective
Job Search Resources Average Effectiveness
Family Members 3.13
Career Services Staff Members 3.02
Friends 3.00 Faculty 2.93
Want Ads 2.69
Employment Directories 2.49
Job Databases 2.39
Job Postings 2.32
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* An effective job search requires time, hard work, patience, and persistence.
* When mailing out resumes and cover letters you should address them
toa particular person.
* Keep records of your job search applications: dates, companies, contactnames,
addresses, phone numbers, and positions.
* For those companies that said they were not currently hiring, periodicallycontact
them to see if their hiring needs have changed. Some employmentexperts
estimate that follow-up telephone calls increase the number ofinterviews
received by 25 percent or more.
* For those companies that have not responded to your resume and coverletter,
it is appropriate to contact them to inquire about the receiptand status
of your application.
* Handle yourself in a professional manner during personal, written,
andtelephone contacts with potential employers.
* If you have a telephone answering machine, make sure the message
is understandableand appropriate. Those humorous pre-recorded messages
do not help you tomake a professional impression.
* It is important to maintain a positive attitude throughout your job
search.Defensiveness and negativity will lead to an unprofessional image
and greatlyhurt your chances of getting hired.
* The more resumes you mail out, the more likely it is that you will
becontacted by an employer.
* Don't target only the largest employers. Only 16% of the total work
forcein the country have jobs with a Fortune 500 company. 84% work for
smallercompanies.
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Since networking is one of the most effective job search strategies,we have included information that should be helpful when employing thisstrategy.
1. What is Networking?
* A process of information exchange.
* Talking to people--telling them what you need or what you are lookingfor
* Asking for help or advice.
2. Why Should You Do It?
* To find information that isn't available any other way.
* To get other people's perceptions and understanding of your particular"job
market".
* To broaden horizons and come up with the best personal fit for you.
* To create a circle of people interested in your problem or situation.
* Define and compare the needs and potential needs of specific companies.
3. Things To Do To Make Networking More Effective.
* Keep small tasks short but pleasant and bring the person up- to-dateabout
you.
* Self assessment--know what you want, be specific (career options,
companies,location etc.)
* Organize demonstrated competencies in PAR format (problem- action-result)
* Be prepared to explain the specific help or advice you hope they
canprovide.
* Feel OK about networking. Realize that you are not begging.
* Understand that it's OK to ask for help or advice.
* It's a compliment to someone when you ask them for help or advice.
* Give people credit for being willing to help.
* Ask permission to use the contact's name.
* Keep at it--be persistent but polite.
* Thank the contact and summarize agreed upon items. Keep them updated.
* "Is there anyone else that you can suggest that I may talk to?"
* Send a follow-up thank you note.
4. How To Do It.
* Make lists--names, phone numbers, type of business, area of location,etc.
* Start comfortably--with people you know
* Listen to any kind of response, suggestion, advice.
* Keep practicing you'll get better.
* Be creative--think of new ways to get through to people.
* Create new networks--associations, memberships, career center, etc.
* Keep records of whom you've talked to and subject matter discussed.
5. Things To Avoid.
* False pride.
* Unwillingness to admit vulnerability.
* Fear of rejection.
* Fear of being a pest.
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1. Become a visible, active professional - Join professional groups,Volunteer
organizations, etc.
2. Attend professional conferences and seminars - Meet the program
organizersand speakers.
3. Consider professional development programs.
4. Join traditional professional groups - Lions Club, Alumni Society,
etc.
5. Seek out Short Programs, speeches, etc. by Industry Leaders
6. Become a "leader" in the above organizations.
7. Maintain a solid relationship with your earlier Mentors.
8. Strive to publish professional articles. Connect with Editors.
9. Distribute and collect all the business cards you can.
10. Send updates and meaningful Industry information to your contacts.
11. Professionally socialize with your supporters.
12. Invite the contacts to attend some of the programs you plan to
attend.
13. Recommend the sharing of information and resources. Ask for regularupdates.
14. ALWAYS THANK YOUR SUPPORTERS FOR EACH AND EVERY PIECE OF ASSISTANCETHEY
PROVIDE YOU.
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In searching for employment, your ego is going to be on the line, andit will get battered. Even if you get the job on the first try, there willbe the night(s) before the letter or phone call comes. Nights when yourstomach knots up anticipating THE REJECTION. And should THE REJECTION actuallycome, the pain in your stomach will become temporarily chronic. Self-esteemis highly vulnerable to rejection. You must remember, though, that employersreject people for all sorts of reasons, few of which have anything to dowith you. Perhaps they found somebody else earlier, but politely went throughwith the interviews anyway. Maybe the budget is tight right now, but theywant to conduct interviews to have names on file. Or perhaps your skillsweren't polished enough for them yet. Economic factors may mean there aremore graduates in the field than there are jobs. Or maybe they see whatyou don't: That the job isn't right for you, that you would not be comfortablein the company. None of this implies that you're worthless, although itmay be hard to fight that feeling after a few rejections. You must keepyour self-esteem up or the job hunt will get you down. And the danger ofgetting down, besides aggravating the knot in your stomach, is that youmight start acting desperate before you really have to. You might jumpfor a job that is way beneath your abilities simply because you're scared.So for your own economic well-being, hang on to your ego. Job hunting istough, chancy, and time consuming. Your belief in yourself is necessaryto get you through it. Source: "Job Hunting Made Easier" in theGraduate: A Handbook for Leaving School
Weinberg MemorialLibrary Research Guide for Employment - Contains resources forgathering more information about resumes, job search, and companies.
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