Employ-A-Bull help

[Msanford87]

So I graduated recently and joined the alumni association. On here http://www.usf.edu/career-services/alumni/alumni-fee-menu.aspx I found you can sign up for the Employ-a-bull service for $50 for 3 months. I was just wondering has anyone on here ever used it? I would like to know if its worth it and if theres a lot of job postings on there.

 

 

It also charges $50 for an hour of job search coaching. I swear when I looked at this page before those things were included in the $50 for 3 months part and now it seems to be two separate things.

 

But really I'd just like to know if anyone has any experience using any of this stuff. Because just being in the alumni association has its own job site in going global. So just want to know if its worth it to try the employ a bull. 

 

Any help would be appreciated.

[ctbrown24]

As far as job postings go, I've never seen too much on there. 

 

Haven't heard of the job search coaching. Not sure if that would be worth it...

[Bull Martin]

I recall something about the job placement stuff with USF after graduation.  $50 seemed like a lot of money to an unemployed and poor graduate.

 

In the end I didn't end up using it.  I'm not sure what you're degree is in, but post your resume (a good one) everywhere and apply like crazy on monster.com, career builder, linked-in, etc.

 

I stocked frozen food and produce at Target for 3 months and practically dumb lucked into my first job (chemical engineering degree).  Get a job doing something in the mean time.  Also, I'd be happy to look over a resume if you're interested on input. I absolutely hate job searching and remember the agony following graduation.  Good luck.

[Breedwell]

Just going to point out that Monster, Career Builder, Snag-a-Job, Gigas, and all of those other job search websites will cram emails down your throat. And many of them you either don't really want or are sponsored to be sent out in said emails. 

[MikePhillips]

Online job ads are a joke, the jobs that make it to online ads like that, are the absolute WORST jobs in those companies, that no one else in the company wants. Whatever the job listing advertises, cut the pay in the half, and double the time it'll take to earn half of what they are advertising. 

 

Waste of time

 

The #1 best way to get hired, is to network. You need to first seek out a position that you think you qualify for, then start networking through all your contacts, friends, family, parents and relatives of friends, facebook contacts, etc to see if anyone knows anyone who works at that company.

 

Then, contact that person and see if they can put you in touch with the correct person. Don't ask for a reference, just the name of the person you need to contact to get the position.

 

Send your resume, with a cover letter stating-

 

"Hello, I contacted (insert your contact at the company)for the position of (insert position here) at (insert company name). He/She said that you would be the best person to contact about setting up an interview. Attached is my resume etc etc"

 

Professional courtesy goes a LONG way when you are looking for work. Sending thank you cards to ANYONE who puts forth any effort towards assisting you, makes a great impression.

 

My first job as a Territory Manager I got in 2001 right after college, because out of 8 people they hired for the job, I was the ONLY person to send a "Thank You" card for the interview, I was polite and professional to the receptionist (I also remembered her name), and I asked for the job.

 

They told me "You were the only person who physically asked for the job at the end of the interview. In a sales organization, you have to ask for the sale to get it. You were the only person to do this out of 8 candidates"

 

Sure, if you have the time, apply online for online job ads. At a worse case scenario, you'll get some interview practice which can come in handy. But be EXTREMELY careful about those jobs. Take a good look around at the office environment. If everyone looks strung out on caffeine, exhausted, overweight and stressed out, if you take the position, that'll be you in about 2 months. If no one makes eye contact with you, no one smiles at you, everyone looks buried in their desk, run like hell out of there

 

Good luck! 

[Bull Martin]

That's some sage advise, but you still have to know how to identify a position you want to attack.  It's unknowingly how I landed my most recent job.  I identified a company that my experience fit with and dove head first into getting a job.  They didn't have an open position, but couldn't pass me up and created one.  That wont necessarily happen for a new grad without the experience, but the tactics of identifying and attacking an opening are good.

[smazza]

my first and only interview for a job at a law firm in 1981 I told hiring atty I would work for free until he was ready to hire or fire me

 

I went on to say that he would find me indispensable one day(he laughed but he hired me)

 

I leaped frog 7 other lazy lawyers and he made me his partner after 4 years

 

I worked as a bartender at night so money or women wasn't a concern

[Apis Bull]

LinkedIn and professional organizations are a great way to network

[MikePhillips]

I will also add that not having a goal, or an ideal position, or a company in mind, makes job hunting 100 times harder.

 

"What kind of work are you looking for?"

"Anything, I just graduated and I'm flat broke..." 

 

That's a horrible way to look for work. The more specific you are, the easier things get. 

 

1) Decide what kind of career you are interested in

2) Find a company that offers the careers you are interested in

3) Do some sound research on the company, and find out what kind of positions they have

4) Find out if anyone you know, might know anyone who works at that company

5) Network in and try to land the interview

 

The biggest problem with recent graduates, is that many of them can't tell you what they want to do, or where they want to do it. 

 

You gotta get specific, things get MUCH easier once you target a specific career, then target a specific company. 

[Gismo]

It is who you know.

Almost everyone I know got jobs from their network.

Former internships being the biggest one. I got my job through my graduate professor.

Internships are HUGE. Most important thing in my hinds sight.

I know a few people that got jobs through the career fairs and subsequent interviews but that is tough. One friend I have took 6 months past graduation, another took a year, it took me two months. I also knew a few guys with positions waiting as well.