| Pros and cons of the
ways to look for jobs |
| These are snapshots of
the pros and cons of each method. Follow the links for more information
on each. |
| |
| Advertised
/ posted jobs / events — employers seeking candidates |
| Method |
Pros |
Cons |
| Hokies4Hire
and On-Campus Interviewing Program |
Pros:
Easy to publish your resume; lets employers find you. Also many
employers post jobs; apply for jobs that interest you. Some of those
employers come to campus — 200-600 per year. |
Cons:
Not every industry or type of job represented. Driven by the economy
(Career Services can't make employers recruit on campus!) OCI has
early deadlines and is competitive. |
| Job
listings online |
Pros:
You can view them at 2:00 a.m. if you feel like it. Can view lots
of sites and listings without moving your posterior. |
Cons:
Not every industry or type of job represented. Web-hunting is not
about finding jobs instantly. You need patience to navigate a variety
of sites and read listings. |
| Career-field-focused
job listing web sites |
Pros:
General online job boards might or might not include the jobs and
industry you seek. Specialty sites fill that niche. |
Cons:
Ditto above, in that all jobs aren’t found online. |
| Job
listings in print |
Pros:
You'll find some jobs that you won't find online. Some employers
have nice print literature or posters that tell you the personality
of the organization. |
Cons:
You have to view them where and when they're available; i.e., Career
Services during business hours; bulletin boards and professional
publications where and when they're available. |
| Career
fairs / job fairs |
Pros:
Opportunities to speak with many employers at one time in one space.
Many on the VT campus each year; each with different sponsors and
focused toward specific majors / colleges / types of hiring.
If you research the employers in advance, and that shows when you meet employers, you'll be better positioned to have a good experience. |
Cons:
Not for the shy and retiring (or the mistakenly confident). You
need to make a good impression in person and look prepared. Students who go to fairs without doing research in advance sometimes have a not-so-great experience. You're
not necessarily learning about every opportunity in each organization
— you are learning where the major hiring needs are. Once a
year events — so don't miss the one(s) you need. |
| Unadvertised
jobs — candidates seeking employers |
| Method |
Pros |
Cons |
| Networking
— talking to personal contacts |
Pros:
It's the number one method by which VT graduates, universitywide,
found the job they accepted. (See the Post-Graduation
Report and "how graduates found jobs.") It's real.
It works. Many jobs are not advertised; networking is how you find
them. |
Cons:
Not for the shy or undermotivated. You need good interpersonal skills
(but you need those to get hired anyway). |
| VT
CareerLink |
Pros:
Networking source — VT grads who've volunteered to help students.
What more could you ask for? Can be helpful to find contacts for
a geographically targeted job search. |
Cons:
Not for the shy or undermotivated. You have to search for alumni
and take initiative to contact them. You need good interpersonal
skills (see above). |
| CareerSearch |
Pros:
Online database of over a million organizations. Good search
features. Career Services pays for this so VT students and alumni
can have access. Incredibly comprehensive. Excellent for geographically
targeted job search. |
Cons:
Not job listings, but a source to find potential employers. Not
sorted by types of jobs, but by industry. If you have no clue what
type of industries you could work in, you'll need to research and
think about this. |
| Sources
to find potential employers and unadvertised jobs |
Pros:
Research sources that help you find potential employers. Helpful
if you are focusing on a particular industry. Web sites, phone books,
and other print materials can be sources. |
Cons:
Not job openings, but sources to find potential employers. You'll
need to know the type of organizations with whom you could, or want
to, work. |
| Posting
your resume online and in resume books |
Pros:
Never hurts to get your resume out where it can potentially be seen.
If your credentials are in high demand, this works. |
Cons:
Totally passive job search method. You wait to be called. If your
credentials are not in high demand, you'll also have to use more
active job search methods. |
