Question:    When Does it Begin?  

Answer:     N O W!

 
PRIORITY OF YOUR EMPLOYMENT GOALS

After selecting the job categories of interest, you should prioritize them and be ready to carry out a search of individual employers using information in this guide, in the Career Services Office, Alumni Office, and in the Library.  You should consider developing a list of the top five preferred employers in each of your chosen job categories.  The next exercise will be to obtain detailed information on each employer.

GATHERING INFORMATION ON SELECTED EMPLOYERS

The following is a partial listing of informational sources about employers.
 

1. Library - Newspapers, reference section, periodicals, etc.

2. Career Resource Room - Employer brochures, video tapes, employer listings, job offered lists, alumni listings.

3. Faculty and Staff - Many faculty and staff members of the  Academy have worked in job areas that might be of interest to you.  Their contacts may be of considerable value in your job hunt.

4. Alumni - You should consider calling alumni that are actively employed in your chosen job categories.  The Alumni and Career Services Offices are working together to establish an alumni-placement network.

5. Informational Interviews - The best way to research an employer is to talk to people who work for the employer you are interested in.  Your purpose is to gather information, you are NOT asking for a job. You are seeking information that may help you understand the realities of working for that organization.  You will be asking the questions and interviewing them.  Be sure to take notes and to send a thank you letter after your meeting.

By contacting people in this manner, you will be developing a network of people who can also give you information on job leads. Since only 50% of actual job openings are located through classified ads, and "shot gunning" resumes to hundreds of employers yields little results; networking through informational interviews should become a central part of your job search.

Here are some questions you might want to ask:
 

 1. On a typical day what do you do?

 2. What are the personal satisfactions and dissatisfactions connected with your job?

 3. What courses could I take to better prepare me for working with your organization.

 4. What personal attributes are needed and looked for to be successful with this particular assignment?

CURRENT INFORMATIONAL SOURCES

Information about potential employers is available through the World Wide Web, CD-ROM indexes or online databases.  Private and publicly owned companies have web pages that are constantly updated with information about the company and the services or products they provide or produce as well as what current job opportunities are available.

The Job Choices Magazine is available to all graduating seniors and can be picked up in the Career Services Office. This publication is an excellent informational resource about employers seeking college graduates. It has a geographical employer index, job opportunities by occupation and special opportunities for those with advanced degrees and associate degrees and to those employers providing experiential education, summer employment and foreign job opportunities.
Special articles include future job market trends, writing the resume and cover letter, and what recruiters are really looking for in a candidate, as well as starting salary expectations.

COMMUNICATION TOOLS

While your discovery and screening of potential employers is going on, you should be working on some basic tools you will need for job hunting. They may include the following:
 

 1. The resume

 2. The cover/thank you letter

 3. The application form

 4. Spoken communication

 5. Credentials

 

* RESUME PITFALL - Don't think that if you send a thousand resumes out to perspective employers that the "cold lifeless piece of paper" will be doing your work for you while you sit at home or in your dorm room and do nothing.  The fear of interacting with alumni, friends, employers must be overcome in order to properly market yourself.

REMEMBER THAT ALL RESUMES THAT ARE SENT OUT MUST HAVE FOLLOW-UP.

Example:
 

Yes, this is Sandra Jones calling to see if you received my resume
that was mailed to your office on January 23rd?

I am glad to see my credentials arrived safely.  Is there any additional
information you may need from me in order to get a better understanding
of my qualifications and personal attributes?

1. THE RESUME
 

In your job search YOU will be expected to provide information about your experience and qualifications.  You will need a resume for co-op, summer, or full-time employment.  There are countless examples of styles and formats of resumes in the resources available in the library and in the Career Resource Room.

Definition:

A resume is a summary of your goals and qualifications and is intended to demonstrate fitness for a particular job or field of work.  You might consider it to be an advertisement of your accomplishments, designed to interest an employer in inviting you for an interview.

Work with the "plus factors" that will help to sell you; emphasize your strengths; highlight your achievements with the employers' needs in mind.

Mechanics:

Write a draft and review it with the English department for spelling and grammatical errors.  Entry level candidates should keep the resume to one page.  More experienced graduates may two pages or more.

As time passes, however, resumes shrink.  Today, some personnel managers say they do not have the time to look at a resume that is longer than one page.  If you feel a one-page resume is best for you, give it a pleasing visual effect by avoiding crowding with too much material.  The cover letter can be used to include information that did not fit into your resume.  Some graduates and students prefer to use a resume supplement, which generally covers a single category such as professional licenses, associations, awards and honors, or detailed work experience.  Supplements can be enclosed with the resume.

It is essential to develop resume data in an orderly neat form. Emphasis should be on simplicity, directness, and an easy-to-read, grammatically correct format.
 

a. Keep it brief and to the point, avoid personal pronouns

b. Use action phrases, rather than complete sentences

c. Mention community and volunteer work, as well as summer job experiences
(these may reflect transferable skills)

d. Stress your LEADERSHIP responsibilities

Content:

Your resume should tell employers why they need you:
 

 
For most students, the simple chronological, one-page resume is adequate.  For graduate students, alumni, persons having had many jobs, and for people changing fields, a functional resume, which highlights skills, may be more effective.

Identification:

The first section should include your name, college address, telephone number, e-mail address and home or forwarding address and phone number.  Remember to make it easy for the employer.  Don’t use a central college phone number. A message machine at home and on campus is a good idea if no one is there during the day to answer the phone, (no cute messages-be professional). The number one reason why an employer will lose interest is the inability of he/she to communicate with you.  In a tight job market, you must be proactive, not reactive.  You must communicate any changes of address or phone numbers to the employer.

Job or Professional Objective:

The professional objective, in my opinion is not obsolete. Professional objectives tend to say what the applicant thinks the reader wants to hear rather than offering insight about the person applying.  (Some experts feel that the objective should be in the cover letter.) State your areas of interest so employers will know the kind of work you want to do.

In order to write an accurate job objective, you must first evaluate yourself and relate your capabilities, interests, and personal traits to your immediate goals and long-range career plans.  Individuals considering more than one field should have several resumes with appropriate objectives.

Qualification Statement:

Some say this also should appear in the cover letter rather than on the resume.  Using a qualification statement does provide an ideal place to accentuate the positive especially if you have a long employment history and cannot elaborate on all the duties that you have performed.  Five or six terse one-liners at the top of the resume will prove to any employer that you are skilled with experience.

Education:

Include colleges attended, degrees granted and dates conferred, major and minor fields of study, and courses of particular relevance to the position being sought.

Advanced degree candidates should list degrees in reverse order and indicate thesis and/or dissertation titles when applicable. Students with strong academic qualifications should include, grade point average, rank in class, honors and awards.

Extracurricular Activities:

Include regimental and student organizations, professional societies, campus activities, offices held, special projects, assistantships, committee assignments, etc.

Professional Work Experience: 

All work experience including summer employment, campus work-study, cadet shipping, Co-ops, and internships relevant to your occupational objective should be listed in reverse chronological order.  Note the major responsibilities in each job.  Relevant volunteer experiences should also be included.

Personal, Hobbies, Other Data:

This section affords an opportunity to personalize your resume by listing your travels, languages, publications, interests, and hobbies.

Certifications/Licenses:

List certifications and professional licenses received, including license number and description.

References:

The statement "References Available Upon Request" is usually adequate, but having both professional and character references available on a separate page is a good idea.  Generally, two professional and one personal reference is standard practice.

Resume workshops will be offered during the fall and spring semesters. The Career Services Director and Co-op Coordinator are available to help on a one-to-one basis.

ACTION VERBS TO ASSIST IN RESUME WRITING

accelerate    developed influenced     performed    scheduled    accomplished designed initiated     pinpointed      secured    achieved    directed instructed     planned      set up   adapted    effected interpreted   prepared      simplified   administered eliminated involved     proficient      solved
analyzed    established launched     programmed      structured   appraised    encouraged led          proposed     streamlined   approved    evaluated lectured     proved          supervised   arranged    exhibited located     provided     supported   conceived    expanded maintained     recommended
taught   conducted    expedited managed     reduced      trained   completed    facilitated mastered     reinforced      translated   controlled    found      motivated     represented      updated   coordinated   generated operated     revamped      upgraded  created    implemented organized     reviewed
utilized   delegated    improved originated     revised      won   demonstrated increased participated  rewrote      wrote

CONCRETE NOUNS AND POSITIVE MODIFIERS

ability competent  effectiveness   qualified      technical   actively competence     pertinent
resourceful      versatile    capacity consistent  proficient   substantially      vigorous

To expand on the above lists you should consult Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases.

After completing your resume:

 
1. Print your resume on good quality bond paper, using off white or conservative tones

2. Before reproducing your resume, be sure to have someone proofread the final draft for typos, misspellings and the accuracy of numbers, especially address and telephone numbers.

3. You will need multiple copies of your resume.  Check with printing and quality copying services for rates and reproduction methods.  Save the original copy in order to reproduce/reorder extras.

2.  ELECTRONIC RESUME
 

As the information age expands through cyber-space and the information highway, human resource departments are becoming "lean and mean", HR professionals have to do more with less.  Some companies have found the solution in the use of computers, optical scanners in combination with many creative software programs.

Corporate employment departments, search firms and employment agencies are using or installing user-friendly personnel retrieval systems.   These systems are enabling companies to identify job candidates without spending many hours wading through piles of resumes.

In addition to your present resume, which is still an important part of your job search and interview strategy, I recommend the use of two styles; an electronic resume to help you attract the attention of the computer and the traditional paper resume to assist in selling yourself in real people situations.  Keywords are the center of computer scannable resumes.  You must think of yourself in terms of labeling yourself using nouns, not action verbs.  Nouns that use specific skills are the best kinds of words to guarantee selection.  An example of such words are as follows:
 

ISM, Leadership
Waste Water Hydrology
PE License
Field Application Engineering
Environmental Compliance
American Association Mechanical Engineering
Chief Engineers Steam & Motor License
Inter-modal Transportation
High Energy, Team Player
Problem Solving

The best scannable resumes are simple and uncluttered that place a summary of keywords near the beginning of the document. Electronic Resume Revolution, by Joyce Kennedy and Thomas Morrow is an excellent resource to develop several styles of scannable resumes.

3. THE COVER LETTER
 

One method of securing an interview or information is to mail a carefully prepared resume with an accompanying cover letter.  A well-written letter presents your ability to communicate in writing and personalizes your approach to each employer.  Letters can be written to INQUIRE about possible openings, to APPLY for known positions, to set up INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS and, to FOLLOW UP after an interview.

The following suggestions should help make your letter both effective and professional:

 
1. Each letter should be an original.

2. The letter should not be longer than one page and neatly typed with no misspellings.

3. Write to a specifically named, flesh and blood individual who has the authority to respond and hire.

4. Be direct, concise, and specific.  In letters of inquiry or application, state what position you are applying for and highlight your qualifications.

5. Proofread your letter for mistakes and remember to make a copy for yourself.

6. Be sure you have signed the letter and your current return address is on it.

Remember, generating openings through letters is hard work.  You will often be trying to find vacancies that have not been advertised and to interest employers who really don't know you. A sample cover letter is at the back of this section.

The easiest cover letter to write is the thank you letter to someone you have talked to over the phone or have met in person.  A good thank you letter should weave in some of the conversation and information the two parties exchanged.  That is why it is very important to take notes after you have talked to an employer or alumni.

One pet peeve of mine is that very few students send employers thank you letters for visiting the campus.I know if I was an employer and received a personal note from a student thanking me for my time and trouble visiting a remote campus, I would remember that student.

Examples:
 

Dear Mr. Jones:

I just wanted to thank you for visiting MMA last Tuesday and let you know I appreciated the information you handed out to me.  I especially enjoyed the video on your Corporation.

I hope your flight out was on schedule because I know we got plenty of snow the next day in Castine.

Thanks again for visiting our campus.
 

Sincerely,
Richard X. Smith 20007E

 

Dear Mr. Smith:

Thank you for taking the time to talk with me yesterday about XYZ Corporation.

I was excited to hear about the expansion in the engineering department and appreciated the name of Mrs. Jones, the lead project engineer, that you recommended I send my resume to.

From the way you described the projects assigned to you at XYZ Corporation, I can now better understand how many of my labs and classes will come in handy.  As I said to you on the phone, I would like to give you a tour of our new engineering labs when you are in this area during the spring semester.

Enclosed is a copy of my resume that I will be forwarding to Mrs. Jones.
 
Again, thank you, for your time and information.
 

Sincerely,

4. THE APPLICATION FORM
 

    Most employers have application forms that develop information about you in an organized way that best suits the purposes of each employer.  This includes the presentation of data in a form that facilitates comparison of your qualifications with those of other job hunting candidates.  Many of the questions asked in the application form are a repetition of what you have put in your resume.

    The application form should be completed with the same care and attention that you give to the preparation of the resume.  Neatness and Readability are important.  A copy of each completed application form should be saved, along with your correspondence and credentials sent to that employer.

5. SPOKEN COMMUNICATION
 

Translation:  Voice communication by telephone or in person.  Speak clearly in a firm, sincere, polite tone of voice.  Convey an impression of cheerfulness, let your positive personal qualities shine through.  This is difficult to handle at first, but with practice you will develop confidence for each employer situation.

Follow-up telephone calls:  Generally you use the telephone to follow-up a job inquiry letter and for the purpose of obtaining an interview appointment.  A follow-up telephone call should be made about two weeks after you mail your resume and cover letter to determine if your correspondence and resume have been received.

Information telephone calls: A telephone call is often the most economical, effective and time saving way to develop information about an employer and the name, title and address of the person to write to concerning employment.  Do your homework in advance on the employer you will be calling.  Have questions prepared because the person answering the phone just might be the person who will hire you.

Begin your conversation by asking to speak to the Personnel Manager or Manager of Human Resources or to the title of the alumni you are seeking.  You may find a secretary or an assistant who will be willing to give you the information desired so you can address him/her correctly in your follow-up thank you letter.  Always confirm the accuracy of information obtained from any directory.

Do not overlook the importance of establishing good relations with any and all personnel in the personnel office.  Most people will go out of their way to help you if you treat them with consideration and respect.

Face-to-face communication: Face-to-face communication in your job hunting strategy should not present any special difficulty with practice and if you have done your homework on the employer. Know specifically what you are after and follow a few common sense guidelines.  Effective spoken communication in the interviewing situation is a key factor in obtaining a job offer.

6. CREDENTIALS
 

A credential is any written document that gives you credit for a particular competency or experience.  Credentials are helpful to an employer because they will provide additional information about the "total" you.  They may be forwarded with the resume or given to the employer during or after the interview.  Many employers will request to have copies of your degree(s) or professional license.

NEVER give originals.  Originals should be put in YOUR credential file.  Your credential file should contain all of your original documents, but you may be selective in distributing certain copies to various employers.

The following are some examples of credentials to have on file:
 

 a. Coast Guard or state licenses and certificates

 b. Community and civic honors

 c. Letters of recommendation

 d. Awards received

 e. Military discharge and recognition

 f. Evaluations

7.  THE INTERVIEW
 

    The interview is a two-way exchange of information between an employer and a job applicant for the purpose of discovering a mutual interest.  This is your chance to get to know more about the employer and the job, and to make a positive impression on the interviewer.

1. Preparation for the Interview
 

--Research the organization.  Read all available literature, annual reports, as well as, talking to employees (alumni when possible) of the company.  Review the Interview Video Tapes located in the Career Services/Resource Room.  Nothing turns off an interviewer faster than the applicant who conveys the impression "Huh - What Does Your Company Do?"

--Review your personal inventory, especially your strengths, personal, professional and academic experiences, and career goals.  Be prepared to describe how these characteristics can be transferred to the position and the organization to which you are applying.

--Practice interviewing can be arranged.   Appointments are necessary and may be scheduled by the Career Services secretary.   Anticipate what kinds of questions the employer will ask.

--Develop several questions to ask the employer.  Save salary questions for the second interview.

--Be on time and remember to check on last minute presentation and interview site changes.  Bring along an extra copy or two of your resume and credentials.

2. During the Interview
 

--Greet your interviewer by name and use a firm handshake.  The first two or three interviews may seem to be a form of torture, but relax -- practice will make perfect.

--Maintain good posture.  Be careful of body language (the way you sit, facial expressions, hand movements and eye contact).

--Be articulate.  Do not ramble on; think before you speak.

--Be positive, enthusiastic and confident. You should be.

--Show interest in the position and in the organization.

 3. After the Interview

 
--Jot down full name and title of interviewer.

--Send a thank you letter reiterating your interest in the position and the organization.

--Listed in the back of this section are negative factors evaluated during the employment interview which frequently lead to rejection of the applicant.

4. Second Interviews/ On Site Visits
 

    If your first encounter with an employer goes well, you will be invited for a second interview.  Also, if you are informational interviewing on site, you may be offered a position if you are favorably received.

During your second interview, you will:
 

a. Be introduced to the people with whom you might work

b. Have a chance to ask more questions about the organization

c. Possibly be put through "mock" situations to see how you respond under pressure

Interview Trip Expense Form:  

    In the case of off-campus interviews, you want to be clear on who is responsible for travel expenses.  Keep track of your expenses on the employer's form, but if none is available type your own form using the model at the end of this section.  These expenses may be tax deductible if you have to pay out of your pocket.

 5. The Job Offer

 
    You do not have to accept an offer on the spot.  Thank the employer for the offer and ask when you can get back to him/her with your final decision.  Show enthusiasm at all times, and feel free to contact the employer for more information to help you in your decision-making.

a. Rejection:  

    Be prepared for rejection, but do not become dejected.  Most of you will have the unpleasant experience of being told by the employer,  "We don't have need for your services."  If you are turned down for a position, you may wish to contact the employer for an honest opinion about your approach.  This will give you valuable insight as you continue in your job search.

b. Acknowledgement Letters:  

    Always acknowledge receipt of offers and thank the employer for the interest shown in your candidacy.  Restate the position and salary offered.  Specify the date the employer may expect to receive an answer from you.

c. Acceptance and Refusal Letters:   

    Write to the employer, accepting the offer of employment, restating the position title, terms, and starting date. If you accepted in person or by telephone, it is recommended that you confirm your conversation in writing.  If a decision is made to reject an offer, write a simple note of thanks expressing appreciation for the offer.

d. Other Thank You Letters:   

    Send thank you letters to all individuals who have referred you to the employer, interviewed you, have written recommendations for you, and provided you with information about an organization.

    We want to stress the importance of keeping your commitment after acceptance of a job offer.  Your integrity and the Academy's reputation, as a source of dependable employees, are severely compromised if you back out of a commitment.

    If you do not have a job on graduation day, do not despair.  Keep making your own effort to find employment while your Career Services Office works to assist you.  Please keep us informed of your new address and phone number so that we can mail the current "Jobs Offered List" to you or call you if an immediate need from an employer arises.

NEGATIVE FACTORS OF THE EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEW

 
Listed below are negative factors evaluated during the employment interview which frequently lead to rejection of the applicant.

 1. Poor personal appearance.
 2. Overbearing--overaggressive--conceited--superiority complex--know it all.
 3. Inability to express himself clearly--poor voice, diction, grammar.
 4. Lack of planning for career--no purpose and goals.
 5. Lack of interest and enthusiasm--passive, indifferent.
 6. Lack of confidence and poise--nervousness--ill-at-ease.
 7. Failure to participate in activities.
 8. Overemphasis on money--interest only in best dollar offer.
 9. Poor scholastic record--just got by.
 10. Unwilling to start at the bottom--expects too much too soon.
 11. Makes excuses--evasiveness - hedges on unfavorable factors in record.
 12. Lack of tact.
 13. Lack of maturity.
 14. Lack of courtesy--ill-mannered.
 15. Condemnation of past employers.
 16. Lack of social understanding.
 17. Marked dislike for school work.
 18. Lack of vitality.
 19. Fails to look interviewer in the eye.
 20. Limp, fishy handshake.
 21. Indecision.
 22. Sloppy application blank.
 23. Merely shopping around.
 24. Wants job only for short time.
 25. Little sense of humor.
 26. Lack of knowledge of field of specialization.
 27. No interest in company or in industry.
 28. Emphasis on whom he/she knows.
 29. Unwillingness to go where we send him.
 39. Cynical.
 31. Low moral standards.
 32. Lazy.
 33. Intolerant--strong prejudices.
 34. Narrow interests.
 35. No interest in community activities.
 36. Inability to take criticism.
 37. Lack of appreciation of the value of experience.
 38. Late to interview without good reason.
 39. Never heard of company.
 40. Failure to express appreciation for interviewer's time.
 41. Asks no questions about the job.
 42. High pressure type.
 43. Indefinite response to questions.

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