NSBE - January/February 2008 - (Page 35)

’Netting a Job B y B r i d g e t M c Cr e a T he Internet has become the tool of first resort for many job-seekers in the Information Age, and NSBE members are no exception. For the past two years of NSBE’s Annual Employer Preference Survey, they’ve listed the ’Net as the most frequently used source for gathering information about prospective employers. Fifty percent of survey respondents singled out NSBE Online as an effective job search or resume service this year, a 5 percent increase over 2006. NSBE members are also using Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, HotJobs.com, BlackCollegian.com, DiversityLink.com and IMDiversity.com, to find jobs online. Other popular options among job seekers include Worktree.com and Dice.com. Jobs specifically for engineers can be found on CareerEngineer.com, ECEAjobs.com, Engineerjobs.com, AECJobBank.com and IEEE’s career site at http:// careers.ieee.org. And general search engines such as Google and Yahoo are often used to find specific companies and/or positions. But while the Web is putting a plethora of data and resources at our fingertips, it is also pummeling us with more than we could ever use in a lifetime. Job-seekers can quickly find themselves up to their ears in options, with no real idea of how to take advantage of them. “Most of the job-seeking that’s being done on the Internet right now is research-related,” says Hank Stringer, chief talent officer at itzbig Inc. (www.itzbig.com), an Austin-based sourcing network that matches talent to companies. “Don’t just send out a resume and then wait around to see what happens. Find a job online, and then network offline,” says Stringer, who was an early developer of online job search technology in the early 1990s. After pinpointing a potential position either by using broad search terms, such as “engineer,” or more narrow selections, such as “chemical engineer” or “systems analyst,” the most successful job hunters are using more traditional means, such as mailing a resume, making phone calls and setting up in-person interviews to actually land jobs, Stringer says. Within your resume, be sure to include a job objective and the most updated information and links available. Have references to support your work, says Stringer, and highlight any work experience or education that relates to the specific job. “I see a lot of people who don’t have very clear goals,” says Stringer. “Show (your) work history, the specificity of what you want to accomplish and a go-get-’em attitude.” Bruce Mueller, executive director of the Career Management Center at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, urges cy- “don’t just send out a resume and then wait around to see bersurfers searchwhat happens. Find a job online, and then network offline.” ing for potential — Hank Stringer, itzbig inc. employers online to go beyond the basic job boards and seek out firms with good reputations, those that have won top-employer awards, for example. Then, visit their Web sites to see what positions they’re trying to fill. “Don’t get discouraged…. Spend the time on it,” says Mueller. “And don’t forget that ultimately that online job search is likely going to lead you offline, to more traditional networking and contacting processes, before it turns into a real job.” ■ Bridget McCrea is a Florida-based freelance writer specializing in business. www.nsbe.org • january/february 2008 • 35 http://DiversityLink.com http://www.IMDiversity.com http://Dice.com http://Worktree.com http://AECJobBank.com http://careers.ieee.org http://careers.ieee.org http://www.itzbig.com http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE - January/February 2008

NSBE - January/February 2008
Contents
The Pursuit of Excellence
Using Our Power
The Power of Belief
Saying It Well
Premier Profile: Owen Weston of U.S. Steel
NSBE Protégés Receive White House Honor
Regional News
International News
Fostering Competitiveness Through Innovation and Diversity
'Netting a Job
Why Graduate School?
NSBE Love
NSBE Calendar
"Igniting the Torch: Engineering in Action"
NSBE Golden Torch Awards
The AE Niche
Thinking Green
AE Members On the Move
CE Cover: Rough Road, Fun Ride
Join NSBE's Journey to Mars!
Advertisers Index

NSBE - January/February 2008