effective job networking
Downturns in the economy have affected career options of college graduates nationwide. On-campus recruiting is down at universities across the country, and 42 percent of respondents to the National Association of Colleges and Employers survey said they expect to cut college hiring. Meanwhile, 75 percent of graduate schools report an increase in admissions, according to Marcy Bullock, Director of Career Services in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
“With a volatile job market it becomes even more critical to use all of your resources,” Bullock says.
One such resource is the Career Expo that Career Services has hosted annually for 11 years.
Employers annually clamor to exhibit their organizations at the expo, Bullock says. “We were thrilled to have 100 companies attend last year during one of the lowest points in economic times that I can recall in my 12 years here.”
Networking is the key, Bullock says.
“Posting a resume online puts the job-seeker in competition with a huge pool of applicants. There is no quick fix to landing a new job. It is all about the relationships you nurture in your network of contacts.
“Professionals in transition are increasingly using the Internet to search for vacancies, but face-to-face contact is still the best way to land a new job,” Bullock says. “Our surveys demonstrate the that majority of jobs are still found by good old fashioned networking.”
Bullock has the statistics to support her claim.
“In one online survey, only four percent found their last job through the Internet, behind six percent through temporary agencies, 23 percent through newspaper want ads and 40 percent through contacts,” she says. “And Fortune magazine reported that one search firm attracted 250,000 people who each spent about three hours filling out an online form. Only 350 people got interviews, and only 70 ended up with jobs. Those are the odds.”
Where are the jobs for College alumni and soon-to-be graduates?
One answer is in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing arena. There are 150 biotechnology companies in North Carolina, which can mean 18,000 jobs in our state. Agricultural biotechnology is growing rapidly with 3,300 new jobs expected by the year 2005, according to the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. Companies like Bayer in Clayton, Greer Labs in Lenoir and Wyeth in Sanford expect to hire increased numbers of employees in the coming years, Bullock says.
The Federal Government is also increasing hiring due to expected retirements, she notes. “The USDA, EPA and NIH are all agencies that seek graduates from the College. Biosecurity is a hot button right now, and graduates can seize these opportunities.”
The CALS Career Expo is a great place to network with these and other employers.
“In today’s job market you always have to be thinking about your next job,” Bullock says. “If you have not updated your resume in six months, it is out of date. Meeting new people and keeping your network fresh is necessary for everyone. There is no such thing as job security.”
The CALS Career Services Office has a developed a new Alumni Career Directions manual which offers additional tips on networking, how to construct a resume for the today’s job market, and tips on interview techniques.
This is available on the Web at: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/career/alumni_table.html
