2018 HBCU Careers Magazine

HBCU Careers Magazine

Helping Partnerships: How to Work with Career Centers, Staffing Firms, Recruiters, and Career Coaches in Your Job Search By: Amy Soricelli Vice President, Career Services Berkeley College

We’ve all been told at one point or another, that “getting a job is the toughest job you’ll ever have”. While this is true, it doesn’t have to be. Stepping from one adventure into another does not have to be filled with problems at every turn and roadblocks at the beginning of each new venture. Often, the ‘hardest’ part about the job search is the difficulties we create for ourselves through poor planning, lack of flexibility or simply too many inconsistent ‘words of advice’ confusing our mission and weakening our focus. How many voices should you listen to? Who has your best interests at heart? Let’s start with where you go to school. Does your college have a dedicated career center whose purpose is to supply you with resources and relevant industry information? Can you visit this career center and schedule an individual counseling session with a professional versed in either staffing/recruiting or job placement? Let’s say your college has this wonderful tool – how do you go about working effectively in a partnership? First, drop in to make an appointment. Do not expect to be “seen immediately” but do expect to be asked questions about your overall interest, class placement, availability ( how amazing would it be if you were able to drop off a resume equipped with your LinkedIn URL? ). Set up a time to meet with a counselor when you know you won’t be rushed and can speak freely about your past experiences and goals for the future. The roadmap to your success begins here and quality time needs to be devoted to the process. Your appointment with your ‘school career counselor’ should consist of a brief overview of your current position/status, your resume should be reviewed for format and content (2 pages maximum, LinkedIn URL, positioning statement and not objective, correct tenses, etc.) your LinkedIn profile should be reviewed with suggestions made (if advised) regarding professionalism and clarity of content. Depending on how your center operates, you may be asked to check in with your counselor with updates about your activity, job leads, job fairs and on-site recruitment events, for encouragement and support . You should be (somewhat) prepared to discuss why you chose your particular major, what you hope to do with it, and what you see as a potential ‘career path’. It is also important that you agree upon a method of communication that works for both of you; how often should you reach out to your ‘career counselor’ and what are the expectations from both of you? You’ve invested a great deal in your education, allow them to help you take the next important step. Staffing firms and recruiters can also be helpful in your job search. Some are better than others and it might take some “hits and misses” before you happen upon one that works best with you.

69