CSPD supports the academic, personal and professional development of students and alumni by providing information, resources, speakers, networking opportunities and access to employers both in the US and China. Our members understand the changing needs of the business world and through continuous professional development, marketing and networking opportunities offered by this program, we keep current with the latest career trends and issues that challenge people in their work and life journey. We also offer expansive opportunities for local connection through our alumni networks.
• Customized career planning and professional development workshops and seminars
• Resume writing assistance
• Individual career coaching services
• Career and professional development
• Assistance with job search strategies
• Industry and company information sessions
• Information about national and international employment opportunities
Research your industry and understand the jobs available. Researching your industry is critical because you have to understand the jobs available for you in your industry. Once you start understanding more about jobs, take note of the key industry terms and skills. You will need them for your resume, cover letter and job search.
Your resume is extremely important because it is the employer’s first impression of you so it is so important that it is ERROR FREE and has PROPER ENGLISH. Once you have your resume written, it is strongly recommended that you have your resume evaluated by a professional for accuracy.
Employers typically ask for a cover letter along with your resume so a cover letter is your chance to further explain your experience, strengths, and fit for the job. It is your opportunity to really shine so treat the cover as seriously as you would your resume.
Everyone has heard the saying, “It is not what you know but who you know” and unfortunately that is true for many workplaces. For that reason to be successful in your career you must network.
Networking is much easier than you think. You can start networking through family, friends, classmates, faculty, and alumni. You can approach them for information or their advice about a career field or information on how to apply at their organization. It is a great way to network to gather information and hopefully personal referral to an organization.
Beyond your family, friends, classmates, faculty, and alumni, you need to start to network in your career field. You can do this through Professional Associations, Student Clubs and Student Organizations. It is very important to get involved with these groups because it helps strengthen your resume. Also, these groups will have functions where employers will come looking to hire individuals
After you submit an application, make sure you follow up one week later on that submission when possible. Sometimes you are not given contact in the job description to do this but take the extra effort to seek out the contact information to the human resources department to follow up with them. This is important because applications can get lost or may be considered incomplete so the follow up can stop those problems.
Hopefully after submitting hundreds (and we mean HUNDREDS) of applications, you will get some interviews. Make sure you are prepared for the interviews. You can practice your interview skills with a classmate during a mock interview and read up on typical or industry specific interview questions available on various forums.
It is very important to write a thank-you letter after your interview. A thank-you letter is a simple but important part of the job interview process. By sending a thank-you letter, you are conveying your professionalism while solidifying your interest in the position.
A job search can be very frustrating because there can be a lot of rejection
When starting a job search you must consider a few things:
• Is your resume up to date and has it been evaluated by a career counselor?
• Do you have the right expectation of how long it can take when looking for a job?
• Have you done your research into your industry and understand the jobs available?
• Have you started networking in your career field?
• Have you identified at least 7- 8 online job databases