Now that you’ve completed your degree, how do you find a job?
No, not just a job, how do you find the right career for you?
Choosing a career path, or changing one, can be a perplexing and difficult task.
We’ve all received the universal and bewildering advice, “follow your passion (or heart)” or “Do what you love,” but as Cal Newport argues in So Good They Can’t Ignore You, “This is not very useful advice. When I graduated from college, I liked lots of things. But love? Passion? That would have been seriously overstating it.”
Newport concludes, skills will trump passion in the quest for work you love every time. So now with your degree complete, how do you “sell” the skills you’ve acquired to find the work you love?
CSU Career Services understands finding the right career opportunity within your chosen profession can be a daunting experience. Navigating the waters of connecting with employers who have a potential career opportunity can be tricky.
In May, CSU Career Services will launch a career management system within the myCSU student portal, which will help users craft a remarkable professional portfolio.
The interactive platform will help students:
Create a professional resume: Many people mistakenly believe the purpose of the resume is to land a job, when in fact, the purpose of a solid and effective resume, is to land an interview. A resume should emphasis your experience, qualities and strengths. By using keywords related to the job you are applying for, the CSU Career Services System will help users build an award-winning resume that will stand out and become an effective career platform for getting the interview.
Assist with posting your resume online: It is not only important to have a strong resume, but it’s equally as important to make sure it’s visible. In other words, put down the newspaper and start using the internet. 90% of all jobs available today are posted on the internet. Today, job seekers must have a professional online presence that can easily be found by hiring managers, recruiters, and career contacts. CSU will help you jump-start your job search by searching for relevant, open positions, and will post your resume online. By developing an electronic-friendly resume, the CSU career portal will help users avoid potential obstacles that may render your resume unreadable when posted.
Build a profile: While a resume highlights your skills, experience, and employment objectives, an online profile will help you “build your professional brand.”
Building a professional brand is not only necessary in this competitive job market, but it is an essential element in developing your professional portfolio.
From a marketing prospective, there may not be a lot of difference between personal and professional branding. However, many career coaches believe your professional brand is what will allow you to set yourself apart from other job seekers. Your professional brand must not only reflect who you are as a person, but it must be visible, available and relevant to potential employers, networking contacts, or anyone who can help you find a job or grow your career.
The CSU career portal will also help you connect with employers through potential job opportunities, allow you to schedule an appointment with a career services specialist and keep all your career related documents organized and in one place.
For questions about the new management system, please contact Career Services at (877) 297-6192.
